My computer's motherboard broke about a week ago. However what caused it to break is confusing me. About half a year ago I had overclocked it 15% so I was assuming that I had just fried the circuitry. However, when I took it to PC world another suggestion was RAISED: the PSU can act like a cancer to the motherboard and slowly kill it over time if it is faulty. Is the theory of a PSU slowly destroying a motherboard true?

Do I need to buy a new PSU? If so, if I get my replacement motherboard first, use it for a few days with my old PSU then switch it out for a new PSU, will there be any lasting, fatal damage? Are there any other FACTS I need to know or would be helpful in my quest for understanding computer hardware?A bad PSU can do almost anything. It has the POTENTIAL of putting hundreds of watts into the wrong place. Like 12 volts into the 5 fold line. It can literally melt wire.

A practice some techs have is to use a 'sacrificial lamb" motherboard. It is a motherboard worth LESS that a PSU. you HOOK it to a suspect PSU and see if it works and the voltages are normal. Quote

A practice some techs have is to use a 'sacrificial lamb" motherboard. It is a motherboard worth less that a PSU. you hook it to a suspect PSU and see if it works and the voltages are normal.