PC building - PSU Question

Morning all,

I'm just putting together Ms LSainsbury's new PC - well - my old system board / etc...

Her new case has PSU installed - which has a 20 pin + 4pin connector for board power. The board and PSU also has one extra 4pin connection (the standard P4/AMD power connector.

Do I need to plug this is as well, or does the extra 4pin on the 20 pin power connector take care of this?

Cheers

Lee

the psu should either be a 20 pin atx with a 4 pin atx 2 adapter that fits on the end of the 20 pin and a seperate 4 pin 12 v or just the 20 pin and a 12 volt 4pin. If it only has 1 4 pin 12v then the psu is standard atx 1 and you will need a 20 pin to 24 pin adapter if your board needs 24 pin. Also note some boards with 24 pin atx 2 connection will run with 20 pin atx 1 but you will have to rtfm

Originally Posted by zinglebarb

the psu should either be a 20 pin atx with a 4 pin atx 2 adapter that fits on the end of the 20 pin and a seperate 4 pin 12v...

Yep - that's what the PSU is - the system board has 24pin power connector - so all pins connected.

Originally Posted by zinglebarb

..or just the 20 pin and a 12 volt 4pin.

..Which is what my old PSU had - hence only 20 of the 24 pins where connected on the power connector...

Originally Posted by zinglebarb

If it only has 1 4 pin 12v then the psu is standard atx 1 and you will need a 20 pin to 24 pin adapter if your board needs 24 pin. Also note some boards with 24 pin atx 2 connection will run with 20 pin atx 1 but you will have to rtfm

OK - I'll have to dig it out...

Would connecting the 4pin 12v do any damage even if the full power connector 24pin was plugged in?

no if the board is 24 pin atx 2 then you should fit the 4 pin 12 volt also as this powers the cpu seperately from the main atx power

Originally Posted by zinglebarb

no if the board is 24 pin atx 2 then you should fit the 4 pin 12 volt also as this powers the cpu seperately from the main atx power

Cool - that's what I was after. I wasn't sure if those extra 4 pins on the main connector provided the 12v CPU power function and hence the extra 4pin 12v wasn't required.

[greencreeper]

I just plugged the whole lot in and hoped. It was a bit like that game - where you have the shapes and need to find the right slot so they drop into the bucket. It's all as clear as mud.