How to tell if power supply is dying?

Hey, If there is weird sound coming from your speakers, check the speakers connections, that is the problem most of the times. Mostly, when the power supply is about to die, the computer beeps and shows the power lights when you switch it on, but doesn't work. The hard disks won't turn on and all that. There is a possibility that it may damage the motherboard, if it supplies extra or reduced voltage. For replacement, just get a new power supply first. Then make sure you have unplugged your computer from the mains and removed static from your body(you can do this by touching the ground without touching anything else). Then, wear some rubber slippers to ground yourself. Then open the cabinet. Trace every wire that comes out from the power supply and unplug it from each socket(carefully). Make a mental or written note of the locations of the wires(where they plug in, etc.). Then, unscrew the power supply and remove it. Attach the new power supply to the same location as the previous ones and attach the correct wires to the correct sockets. You're done :D. Hope that covers up the basic guidelines. Happy computing!

i know this may sound like a dumb question and possibly i'm insulting your intelligence, but have you made sure that your wires are properly plugged in at your soundcard's output?You'd be amazed how many "disasters" are avoided by simply making sure all of the wires are securely attached. If the sound is still emanating from your speakers, then i guess it _could_ be the powersupply. Although i've never experienced that particular symptom. i've had several PSU's (powersupply units) die on me and they never quite die the same. One kept making my computer reboot at very random times. Also would prevent me from accessing my slave hard drive. Making me think that i may have had a faulty hard drive on my hands. i kept playing around with it trying to figure it out. Until one day there was an audible "pop" from the back of my computer and the room filled with smoke! It didn't just die, something inside blew up. With other PSU failures i would experience the occasional reboot and then finally one day the computer wouldn't power on. As for your case not enough information, in my opinion, has been given to know fully if it is indeed a possible PSU failure that is the culprit. If it's ONLY the sound coming from the speakers, i'd say no. Something else is going on in there. Of course you can always purchase a powersupply tester. They are only $15. Installing a PSU is rather easy. So long as you make sure you have the right type. When purchasing a powersupply from an online retailer or brick & mortar shop, try to know what computer model you have as well as your original powersupply model number. So that then you can ask the tech to find the right one for you. even online retailers usually have techs you can email questions to. Installing one simply comprises of taking off the side of the case, unplugging the molex power connectors from HDD/CD/DVDROM, disconnecting the main power from the motherboard, and unscrewing a few screws. Then do the opposite for putting the new one in.;)

hmm.. which speaker are you referring to anyway? the desktop speaker or the cpu speaker? and can you describe the sound that comes out? are they beeps or some static sound?

ya it might be in trouble. look thru any leakage of current in cabinet.