computer power supplies

[ausoops]

are they all the same?

i had a 300w psu out of my old computer (asus a7n amd athlon 1800) die on me tonight, (caps blew out). now all i want/use this computer was as a network storage thing, it has 3 hdd in it and a cd and a floppy, its only kept for the hdd and the floppy incase someone needs to access some files on the network the whole computer is shared. did i perhaps overload the psu? either way when i get a new psu i want to cut down to one hdd and one floppy and thats it. now can i just go and get a psu out of a $5 computer in the weekend shopper and use that, or do i need to go to the computer shop and buy a rather expensive 500w psu? also are the connectors all the same?

[Loanrangie]

Nah, atx psu's are pretty much all the same apart from output and quietness, just get a cheapy as you said but new ones are cheap enough.

[chimpboy]

Yep, any fifty dollar power supply will be more than adequate for the job.

[me3@neuralfibre.com]

Any ATX PS over 250w will be fine. Most are.
Consider cleaning the fan and oiling the bearings - solves most issues. Caps do die eventually.

Paul

[Ghost]

most PSU's are crap quality, most computer stores pay around $25 for them new and retail from $50 up. They just die plain and simple, buy any PSU just check it has the right output for the board you are using. As for overloading the PSU im not worried at all and i have a server with 12 hdds in it still going fine after 18 mths on a 400watt supply. One of the guys at work has a server with 21 hdds in it although he does run a 400 watt and an additional 250 watt for some of the drives.