Abit IP35pro evga 8800gt powering question

[shorecat99]

I posted this on the new system build forum. Plenty of lookers but no replies so figured maybe someone here is more familiar.

Doing my first build with a Abit IP35 pro mobo, Evga 8800gt video card and OCZ 700w Gamestream PS and unsure if I should connect all power connections. The Abit board has a 4 pin auxiliary power connector labelled ATX4P1 which says is to provide auxiliary power when adding cards to the PCI Express slots but the Evga card has it's own power connector for auxiliary power. I'm just wondering if I would be causing a problem by adding power to both these connectors.. Should I just use one or the other or are there safety controls within the card which would manage the power ok if I hook up both?

 

[SanDiegoPaul]

I am using the same board and same video. My Thermaltake 750W PSU had it's own connector for the video card itself; I have not plugged anything into the motherboard's power slot for the PCIe

 

[shorecat99]

So I guess it works with only the one connector to the video card but since the ATX41P1 says it provides power to all the PCI Express slots, I'm wondering if in the future I use the X4 or X1 slot for something else, and I plug the connector in to power them, would it cause a problem on the 8800GT?

 

[lunyone]

I'd say that you'd probably need the extra power when you have more than the GPU plugged into the mobo. I believe the added power is used to make sure the system runs more stable under heavy load conditions, so if you get any fluctuations or random lock ups, it might be related to the power connection. Don't know for sure, but sure sounds like this is the case.

 

[shorecat99]

Thank you very much.. Got my answer..

 

[davidc]

I'm running the same thing as you and had the same question. The answer I got was that it wouldn't hurt anything but it also wouldn't help if the only PCI-E card you have is the 8800gt. That extra power on the board is for the additional PCI-E slots when a card doesn't have a direct connection with the PSU. I just hooked up the vid card straight to the PSU with the on-board connection (don't use the Y cable provided with card).