ASrock mobo - problem/question with 12V 4 pin connector

[overload8911]

new computer currently building:

AsRock 939pin Dual SATA mobo (ULi chipset)
AMD 64 3200+ (90nm)
Thermaltake 430w PSU
1 GB Patriot 400DDR
XFX geforce 6600 GT AGP (not PCI-E. does that have something to do with it?)

That is all that's in there, I'm just trying to get it to POST. I had everything plugged in right and when I hit the power switch all the fans would twitch. I proceeded to curse for about 15 minutes. Then I simply unplugged the 12V 4-pin power connector (that came attached to the 20 pin main power connector) and it will POST. My motherboard manual reads:

"Please note that it is necessary to connect a power supply with ATX 12V plug to this conector. Failing to do so will cause power up failure"

What's everyones take on this? Should I just keep running it without the 4V? Is that safe?

 

[overload8911]

bump

 

[GalvanizedYankee]

This is an interesting problem you post and I have nothing to offer but I did subscribe
to this thread. Just to see what developes.

Have you gone to ASrock's site and check the support FAQs yet?

EDIT: Bare in mind this is New Year's Eve

...Galvanized

 

[overload8911]

just checked, though there are FAQs for a lot of their motherboards this one is fairly new and its listed but theres no link

 

[mechBgon]

!!

:Q DANGER, DANGER!! :Q

The ATX12V plug looks like this, note the two yellow & two black wires: http://www.mechbgon.com/build/ATX12V.jpg

This is NOT the same as the extra 4-pin section of an ATX2.0 24-pin cable!!

 

[stevty2889]

It could also be the power supply at fault rather than the motherboard. I am not a fan of Thermaltake PSU"s, I'm on my second one, because the first died after 3 days. Also, the ATX 12v connector your manual is refering to is the 4pin 12v ATX connector, which is not the same as the 4pin connector thats detachable from the main ATX connector.

Originally posted by: mechBgon
!!

:Q DANGER, DANGER!! :Q

The ATX12V plug looks like this, note the two yellow & two black wires: http://www.mechbgon.com/build/ATX12V.jpg

This is NOT the same as the extra 4-pin section of an ATX2.0 24-pin cable!!

Darn beat me to it..

 

[overload8911]

you guys are definitely right, i hope nothing was damaged

 

[mechBgon]

Originally posted by: overload8911
you guys are definitely right, i hope nothing was damaged

From your first post, it sounds like your power supply recognized the short-circuit condition and tripped off instead of pumping major amperage through your motherboard the wrong way Good to hear it's working

 

[FeuerFrei]

Originally posted by: stevty2889
It could also be the power supply at fault rather than the motherboard. I am not a fan of Thermaltake PSU"s, I'm on my second one, because the first died after 3 days. Also, the ATX 12v connector your manual is refering to is the 4pin 12v ATX connector, which is not the same as the 4pin connector thats detachable from the main ATX connector.

Originally posted by: mechBgon
!!

:Q DANGER, DANGER!! :Q

The ATX12V plug looks like this, note the two yellow & two black wires: http://www.mechbgon.com/build/ATX12V.jpg

This is NOT the same as the extra 4-pin section of an ATX2.0 24-pin cable!!

Darn beat me to it..

Wow, good thing I guessed right when connecting the 4-pin to my Asrock a few days ago.

 

[JEDI]

Originally posted by: mechBgon
!!

:Q DANGER, DANGER!! :Q

The ATX12V plug looks like this, note the two yellow & two black wires: http://www.mechbgon.com/build/ATX12V.jpg

This is NOT the same as the extra 4-pin section of an ATX2.0 24-pin cable!!

file not file for 2nd image. got another link? (i'm having the same problem... no post, no video.. did i plug in the wrong cables?)

 

[zaphyr]

I have the same issue with my mobo. I attached the 4 pin cable, cuz the manual said so. The CPU fan spins up, and the HDD LED and PWR LED is on. That is about it. The optical mouse usually lights up, now it is dead, and my screen is black. I have disconnected everything, but the result is the same. The only thing I have not tried is to test with another AGP graphics card, a PCI graphics cards and another PSU. I will test those this evening.

Have we all broken our mobos now?

 

[JimPhelpsMI]

HI, I've seen many MBs that had that connector connected to the +12 on the 20 pin connector on the board. Extra connector is used to beat IR losses in the power leads which causes mixing of signals in the leads and can lead to errors etc. Seems the extra +12 was only necessary if you were overclocking. Higher freq. means more junk on the leads. A couple of weeks ago a friend brought me a new MB that he couldn't get going. It did not have the +12s tied together and would not post without it. Hope this helps a bit, Jim

 

[zaphyr]

I think I suddenly realised something! I have a Chill Innovation PSU, and this is the connectors: http://chill-innovation.com/images/cp-400p2cables.gif
Now I see what you guys mean by detachable cable! It seems that I have used the wrong connector...I can't wait to get home to test this, and I really hope I haven't smoked my mobo by connecting the wrong one....(i think the PSU overload protection kicked in, cuz nothing happened when pressing the power button)

What is the detachable connector used for anyways?

 

[StrangerGuy]

I suppose the main ATX connector in some ATX 24-pin PSUs can be split into 20pin/4pin, but the 20pin/4pin are not tied closely with each other and not labeled, therefore allowing the user to plug the 4-pin connector into the ATX12V motherboard plug, or in ATX 24-pin motherboards, ATX12V to the 4-pin connector and vice-versa, possibly resulting damage to hardware.

Maybe we should make this a sticky somewhere.

And BTW whoever designed the ATX 24-pin plug ought to be fired by making the 4-pin plug having the same physical keying as the ATX12V one.

 

[zaphyr]

yessss, it works! no damage to the mobo, thanks to the protection in the PSU i guess. at last I can start installing the 64bit Gentoo goodness
and yes, he/she should be fired

Thanks guys!