New power supply = disk boot failure?

[kaitanuva]

I have a one year old refurbished HP m8100n, that has been working excellent with the stock 300w PSU. However, I'm going to upgrade from my current 8600GT to a 8800GT, and I fear my 300w PSU won't have enough juice.

So I've bought a 430w PSU that many has had their 8800GT powered with. No the new 430w PSU is not dead, it powers everything up when I boot up my system.

However, after the blue HP pavilion screen, instead of the usual Windows loading bar screen, a black screen with the following message appears: "Boot disk failure. Insert system disk and press ENTER."

So I figured it must be my cables not being plugged in all the way. I replugged the only four things that needed to be plugged, the 4-pin peripheral power connector to my hard drive, a 5-pin S-ATA connector to my hard drive, the 24-pin main connector*** to my mobo, and the 4-pin +12V power connector to my mobo. Still, that message showed up.

Then I thought it must be that my disk boot really failed. So I took off my 430w PSU and put back my old stock 300w PSU, plugged everything back in, and booted it up. Well what do you know? Everything ran fine again.

So here's what I eliminated as the problems:
-PSU NOT DEAD. I repeat, PSU NOT DEAD.
-Everything plugged in correctly.
-Boot disk is fine and intact. If only with the stock PSU.

And yes, both my CD / DVD drives are empty.

***There WAS however, one suspicious inconsistency. My mobo has a 24-pin slot, HOWEVER, my stock PSU has only 23-pins, with an empty pin in the middle of the 24 slots. The 430w PSU has all 24-pins filled. What is the meaning of this? Is this the cause of disk-boot failure?

 

[knotknut]

Power supply color codes

Red +5
Orange +3.3
Black Ground
Yellow +12

Get your volt meter out and check the voltages.
You have to have the 24pin pluged in the the MB, Push start button, take voltage readings use chart above. Dont check the 24pin connector while it is plugged in. To check the 24pin connector you have to jump 2 pins and I dont remember which 2. Just google it.

 

[rockford]

Your original PSU may be a proprietary HP unit (instead of a standard ATX) since you said it only has 23 pins. Perhaps a standard ATX PSU will not work. You may have to buy a replacement directly from HP. I know PC Power & Cooling sells Dell upgraded PSUs for Dell models that have used Dell-proprietary PSUs; don't know if they do for HP.

If that's the case you are lucky you didn't blow up your computer after installing the new PSU. Good luck.

 

[GhislainG]

It looks like kaitanuva bought an older ATX PSU instead of an ATX 2.2 PSU where pin 20 is not used (-5V no longer is required). An ATX 2.2 PSU should resolve the issue.

 

[kaitanuva]

Your original PSU may be a proprietary HP unit (instead of a standard ATX) since you said it only has 23 pins. Perhaps a standard ATX PSU will not work. You may have to buy a replacement directly from HP. I know PC Power & Cooling sells Dell upgraded PSUs for Dell models that have used Dell-proprietary PSUs; don't know if they do for HP.

If that's the case you are lucky you didn't blow up your computer after installing the new PSU. Good luck.

Others with the same bought model as I, have installed a fully functioning standard ATX PSU. My computer not blowing up the hundred times I booted it up with the new PSU is further proof that I do not need a direct replacement from HP.

Power supply color codes

Red +5
Orange +3.3
Black Ground
Yellow +12

Get your volt meter out and check the voltages.
You have to have the 24pin pluged in the the MB, Push start button, take voltage readings use chart above. Dont check the 24pin connector while it is plugged in. To check the 24pin connector you have to jump 2 pins and I dont remember which 2. Just google it.

I don't have a volt meter, and I have never used one before.

It looks like kaitanuva bought an older ATX PSU instead of an ATX 2.2 PSU where pin 20 is not used (-5V no longer is required). An ATX 2.2 PSU should resolve the issue.

My system never specified that it required the latest ATX PSUs. And even though the PSU I bought isn't ATX 2.2, it isn't jurassic as well, and seems to work with many of today's modern mobos.

 

[captaincharisma]

well if you don't have a volt meter then you have no way of knowing if the power supply is bad or not. the pin combination may and i say be the issue. with brand name pcs its really hard to do upgrades on them because some are the parts are very exotic. the mobo's in brand name computers are custom made by the usual mobo makers so you might want to try to find the make and model of the mobo in your PC and see if you can find some specs on it

 

[kaitanuva]

well if you don't have a volt meter then you have no way of knowing if the power supply is bad or not. the pin combination may and i say be the issue. with brand name pcs its really hard to do upgrades on them because some are the parts are very exotic. the mobo's in brand name computers are custom made by the usual mobo makers so you might want to try to find the make and model of the mobo in your PC and see if you can find some specs on it

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817153023&Tpk=thermaltake%2b430w

The voltage and ampage is well above my stock PSU's.

 

[GhislainG]

Your HP PSU is ATX 2.2. The Thermaltake that you bought is rather old (ATX 1.1) which also explains why it's so inexpensive. I have one of those that was bought several years ago for a P4 2.8 PC which still works fine with it.

See http://itwinkle.stores.yahoo.net/beathp3024ps.html for the specifications of the HP PSU. If you compare the specs, you'll see that the 300W PSU from HP is as good as your new Thermaltake PSU.

 

[kaitanuva]

Your HP PSU is ATX 2.2. The Thermaltake that you bought is rather old (ATX 1.1) which also explains why it's so inexpensive. I have one of those that was bought several years ago for a P4 2.8 PC which still works fine with it.

See http://itwinkle.stores.yahoo.net/beathp3024ps.html for the specifications of the HP PSU. If you compare the specs, you'll see that the 300W PSU from HP is as good as your new Thermaltake PSU.

You're kidding me.

Thermaltake 430w = 8800gt

Stock HP PSU = Thermaltake 430w

Stock HP PSU = 8800gt?

 

[GhislainG]

The wattage (300W vs 430W) is meaningless, particularly when looking at older PSUs. Just check the amps for each voltage:

HP
+12V 19.0A
-12V 0.8A
+5V 30A
+5VSB 2.0A
+3.3V 28 A

TR2
+12V@18A
-12V@0.8A
+5V@30A
+5VSB@2A
+3.3V@20A

Based on the above, how can you be convinced that the Thermaltake is better?

 

[kaitanuva]

The wattage (300W vs 430W) is meaningless, particularly when looking at older PSUs. Just check the amps for each voltage:

HP
+12V 19.0A
-12V 0.8A
+5V 30A
+5VSB 2.0A
+3.3V 28 A

TR2
+12V@18A
-12V@0.8A
+5V@30A
+5VSB@2A
+3.3V@20A

Based on the above, how can you be convinced that the Thermaltake is better?

I didn't understand the importance of the ATX version and when I first bought the Thermaltake (about 3 months ago), I had nearly no knowledge of PSUs whatsoever. Thanks for supplying me with information about my stock PSU.

About your last post..

It looks like kaitanuva bought an older ATX PSU instead of an ATX 2.2 PSU where pin 20 is not used (-5V no longer is required). An ATX 2.2 PSU should resolve the issue.

So is it the Thermaltake, being an older ATX version, that does not use the -5V rail? Or is it the other way around? Please explain?




Anyway, I will just dump this "new" PSU off somewhere... and get this one for my 8800gt.

PSU : http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817171031

VIDEO : http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127381

That PSU SHOULD work? 36 amps total and ATX V2.3?

 

[GhislainG]

It's the other way around. Your HP PSU doesn't have pin 20 (-5V) and the motherboard definitely doesn't need it.

See http://www.formfactors.org/developer%5Cspecs%5Catx2_2.pdf (figure 8 - Main Power Connector) for the ATX 2.2 specs. As you can see, pin 20 is identified as NC (No Connection). While -5V could be provided, but few ATX 2.2 PSUs do.

 

[kaitanuva]

It's the other way around. Your HP PSU doesn't have pin 20 (-5V) and the motherboard definitely doesn't need it.

See http://www.formfactors.org/developer%5Cspecs%5Catx2_2.pdf (figure 8 - Main Power Connector) for the ATX 2.2 specs. As you can see, pin 20 is identified as NC (No Connection). While -5V could be provided, but few ATX 2.2 PSUs do.

OH. Now I understand what you are talking about! You're talking about the main connector, and about the "suspicious inconsistency" I noticed before. Still, I don't understand how an extra pin leads to no power for the mobo. Does 1 amp more on the 12v rail and less pin really make that much of a difference?

 

[GhislainG]

The Thermaltake either is not compatible (most likely) or it's defective. Since it's not even as good as the original HP PSU, why even bother with it? Most people get a new PSU to get more amps on the 12V rails, not to get less. You should have bought a PSU that has two 12V@18A or more, not a single 18A rail.

 

[kaitanuva]

The Thermaltake either is not compatible (most likely) or it's defective. Since it's not even as good as the original HP PSU, why even bother with it? Most people get a new PSU to get more amps on the 12V rails, not to get less. You should have bought a PSU that has two 12V@18A or more, not a single 18A rail.

Yeah like I said, when I first bought the PSU I had eyes and knowledge only for wattage.

So would you be able to help me in choosing a new one?

You mentioned that a ATX v2.2 would solve the problem, but would a ATX v2.0 do it?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371007
Its in a combo deal with the 8800gt I'm buying for only $145 with free shipping. (add in a $15 rebate = $130)

 

[GhislainG]

That's a good PSU and it should work.

+12V1@17A
+12V2@17A (408W total on the +12V rail)
-12V@0.8A
+5V@24A (less than the HP, but should be enough)
+5VSB@2.5A
+3.3V@24A (also less than the HP, but should be enough)

 

[robvg]

I had the same problem after installing a new standard ATX power supply.

For what it's worth, I knocked the IDE connector at the motherboard loose when I removed the PSU. Pushed it back in, problem solved.

 

[amuffin]

That cooler master psu is horrible, get this one: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139026&Tpk=corsair%20cx%20430