So, I was using my desktop earlier today when I heard a loud

>>307846

Quote: "... Any ideas? ...";
..... Yes - it is most likely a bit faulty, now that it has gone: "POP", especially since these websites that you refer to you are probably correct in surmising that,

..... it is either the PSU, or the other bits have got broken.

Quote: "... how do I fix it? ...";

..... you could try turning it off, and then on again,

or delicately hitting it on the top with a loosely clenched fist;

or a carpenter's rubber mallet,

..... or 7.5kg sledge-hammer.

Quote: "... Can I fix it? "

..... most likely not.
(if you have already failed to remedy the unsatisfactory performance with a well-aimed sledge-hammer).

Capacitors may sometimes end their life with a nice audible pop. In which case you'll see small bits and pieces of their innards all over the motherboard, shorting circuits and generally making a mess.

>>307872
If it was a capacitor, what can I do to fix it? Is my motherboard kaput?

>>307876
O boy. I have seen two guys cleaning up a specialty motherboard for hours, to make absolutely sure that there is no tiny pieces of foil and shell shorting microelectronics. They used magnifier glasses, needle tip tweezers, three liters of 190 proof ethanol to rinse the board and three large spraycans of dried pressurized CO2 to blast the debris and dry it up. Then they replaced the capacitor, which was scavenged from an identical but more damaged motherboard.

tl;dr, They fixed it because they really really needed it. And they knew what they were doing.

>>307880
So to be sure, I should just replace both my motherboard and my psu if i can't figure out which of them is shot?

>>307881
Your call m8. Wish I could help more.

>>307880
But you don't really need to: just twist the capacitor so it snaps off its pins, then solder a new capacitor across the stumps.

You can pull the stumps out if you have a Hakko or similar, but you don't actually have to.

>>307881
It's probably cheapest to get a PSU tester off eBay for like $10.

>>307846
>loud POP
most probably a psu mosfet gone bust
>>307876
if it is a cap you can replace it for a few bucks (buy one with identical ratings, desolder busted one, solder new one with the correct polarity)
still, try replacing the psu with a working one (borrowed) and check if the machine still works
gl