Tom's Hardware > Forum > CPU & Components > Power Supplies, PC Cases & Case Mods > [Solved] New Powersupply has 20+4 pins, can I use the 4 on the CPU 4pin?

[Solved] New Powersupply has 20+4 pins, can I use the 4 on the CPU 4pin?

Forum CPU & Components : Power Supplies, PC Cases & Case Mods - [Solved] New Powersupply has 20+4 pins, can I use the 4 on the CPU 4pin?

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Best answer from SpidersWeb.

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Long title, I know. Basically, a friend of mine has a few years old gaming PC (not particularly good, nor does he use it for gaming at all). His power supply is making some crazy fan noises and sounds ridiculous. I was building myself a new computer, and accidentally ordered an extra power supply that ended up costing too much to be worth sending back, so I figured Id let him have it.

Heres the issue I'm running into. His power supply has a 20 pin connector, and then a separate connector for the 4 pin CPU power. The motherboard however is a 24 pin capable mobo.

I plugged in my new powersupply (easily capable of handling that system), but my power supply is a 24pin power, and has no extra CPU 4 pin connector for the motherboard.

I tried just plugging the 24 pin power in, and the system would start but wouldnt POST and there was no video. So I shut it down, and I cut the twist tie locking in the extra 4 pin and plugged it in to the 4 pin CPU power. So now I have the system running off 20 pins (which it was doing before, I figured no problem), and the extra 4 pin from the 24 pin power rail is now plugged into the 4 pin CPU power.

However, I still run into the same issue of it not working. No video, no beeps, no POST. It just powers on, and sits. Can I not use the 4 pin attatched to the 24 pin power connector? I figured it wouldnt matter, since it just supplies power.

Any suggestions?

If the 8 pin connector does not split in to 2x4 pin plugs, then it will still plug in (just have 4 pins hanging over the edge of the connector). I've got my 8 pin on a 4 pin plug at the moment in my PC.

If you don't have an 8 pin or 4 pin EPS12V connector, then go buy a proper power supply, anything without one of those is pre-Pentium 4 era and rather aged to say the least!
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basically I plugged this
http://img113.imageshack.us/img113/637/24pin.jpg

Into this
http://img117.imageshack.us/img117/1339/4pin.jpg

Will that work? Or am I slowly frying crap in the computer?

Reply to dwashy

No, it is not wired the same. Look on the power supply for a different 4 pin connector if there is not one, then look for a 8 pin connector. The 8 pin will separate into 2 fours and one of them will fit into the cpu plug.

What PSU do you have?


Message edited by dallasjoh on 10-13-2009 at 01:11:38 AM
Reply to dallasjoh
Best answer

If the 8 pin connector does not split in to 2x4 pin plugs, then it will still plug in (just have 4 pins hanging over the edge of the connector). I've got my 8 pin on a 4 pin plug at the moment in my PC.

If you don't have an 8 pin or 4 pin EPS12V connector, then go buy a proper power supply, anything without one of those is pre-Pentium 4 era and rather aged to say the least!

------------------------------ Intel E8500 - 4.26Ghz - 533 x 8 - on air cooling with DDR2-1066 running native
Sapphire Ati HD4850
Reply to SpidersWeb

Ok thanks. There is a 6 pin and 8 pin, but the 8 pin does not split. Ill just plug in four of the 8 pins. That was the problem I think.

Ill update it when I get over there and try it again, but Im pretty sure thats the issue. (The power supply is within the last year, so its new).

Thanks for the quick response.

Reply to dwashy

That was, in fact the answer. I was too quick in looking at the supply, it did have a split 8 pin plug.

Thanks

Reply to dwashy

haha good stuff
the other 8 pin and 6 pin plugs will be for PCI Express graphics cards if you get one of the higher end cards.

------------------------------ Intel E8500 - 4.26Ghz - 533 x 8 - on air cooling with DDR2-1066 running native
Sapphire Ati HD4850
Reply to SpidersWeb

Thanks alot! This really helped me with my issue. I just bought a psu and upon trying to connect it, I ran into the same problem. I thought my PSU was too advanced for the motherboard. Glad to know I was mistaken. Also glad to know not to follow the advice i read on another site that said that being able to disconnect the 4 pin and putting it into the illustrated slot on the motherboard was the right thing to :hello: do.
:non: :bounce:

Reply to DarthMagus
Tom's Hardware > Forum > CPU & Components > Power Supplies, PC Cases & Case Mods > [Solved] New Powersupply has 20+4 pins, can I use the 4 on the CPU 4pin?
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