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Need help: power requirements for Intel DX38BT

A

Arbitrex

Junior Member
The DX38BT has a 2x12 24 pin main power connector, an 2x4 8-pin connector, and a 1x4 molex connector labelled "Auxiliary PCI Express graphics power". In the Quick Ref handout and in the PDF diagrams it clearly shows that this molex is black-black-yellow-red instead of the standard yellow-black-black-red power supply connectors that I am used to for the peripheral drives.

I have two ATX 12V v2.2 power supplies on hand, a Antec Trio 430W and a Silverstone Olympia OP850 850W. Both have the 24pin and 8pin connectors - neither have a 1x4 pin that matches the wires. They do have 2x2 4 pin power connectors (2 yellow, 2 black) which appear to go unused.

I've tried powering up the board with a 8800GTS (with a dedicated 6-pin PCIe power connector attached) and drives, and everything appears to power on.

What have other people been plugging into this slot? Is the diagram wrong, and it accepts a normal 1x4 drive power connector? Do other boards have this "Auxiliary PCI Express graphics power"? Can I safely leave it unpowered? If it does take a special 1x4, what exactly do I look for in a PSU? Almost all of them advertise a "4 pin motherboard connector", but close inspection of photos show that I think they're talking about the 2x2 connector.

Any help would be appreciated, thanks!

Mike
 
Can't speak for DX38BT, but I had built a system with a Bad Axe 2, an E6600 @3.6GHz and a 8800 GTX which worked fine without the molex on the board connected. I would say the auxiliary power connector is , well, auxiliary. I wouldn't worry about the PDF diagram not matching the typical molex - it's probably a mistake. If you have not encountered a problem, you can safely use the system without the auxiliary connected. Especially with a decent PSU.
 
I used to know this .... but I think the PCIe1 slot supplies like 35w with that connector.

PCIIe2 is up to 75w I believe - - - - some sort of foolishness like that 🙂

If it can't draw power from the slot I guess it can pull its full load thru the PCIe power connector on the vid card ...
 
PCIE v2 is 150 to the slot while v1 is 75. That plug is "I can't remember" but I know it was there thinking future cards would be pigs (think x1900xtx if memory serves). Also you shouldn't need it without dual cards because they haven't designed a worse single pig yet I guess. A larger point is if your card has a plug for power you don't need it either (any card, not just yours...Or so they say)..I could be mixing stuff up, but whatever it's 6am. The moral is forget it. 🙂
 
Thanks guys. It was the fact that they showed the same odd wiring colors on both the Quick Ref glossy sheet, and in the online user manual, that had me wary. I did find in one of the PDF's at the Intel site a pinout for the Aux Power molex and assuming that's not a misprint it showed the usual +12V-Com-Com-+5V, so I'm also inclined to think it was a printing mistake. Still, connecting the wrong power rails is not a mistake I want to make with a new system!

The 8800 came with Crysis so shortly I'll be stressing the video card out, I suppose if it can run that with the power its got than I'm good to go.
 
I am a little confused on this board too, can anyone offer some advice.

I have just purchased:
Intel DX38BT Motherboard
2x PCI 2.0 16x ATI video cards.

My Question is:
The motherboard as stated above has 2x12 24 pin main power connector, an 2x4 8-pin connector, and a 1x4 molex connector labelled "Auxiliary PCI Express graphics power"

My 2 graphics cards also have power sockets on them.....
So do I need to plug a power cord into every available socket? (motherboard and video cards)
or
Should I just use the 1x4 molex connector on the motherboard and leave the power cords unplugged from the video cards?

The motherboard manual states the 1x4 Molex connector is provides the required additional power when using high power (75 W or greater) add-in cards.

It also states:
If high power (75W or greater) add-in cards are installed in either or both the PCI Express slots, the Auxiliary PCI Express power connector must be used. Failure to do so may cause damage.

So in short, do I need to provide power to the motherboard Graphics connector AND the the Video cards (so 3 connections in all) or just the video cards and NOT the motherboard.

I just don't want to blow something up !!

 
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