Power Supply Help!

[mjifu]

I've been out of the new hardware game for quite a while; until yesterday, the newest computer I built was an Athlon XP 2600 on an A7N8X... and it was top of the line.

I picked up an MSI K8N Diamond Plus mobo, a 7600GT and an A64 3500 the other day. I'm not planning on doing major gaming... just wanted something new. I'm using the same RAM (1GB of Crucial Ballistix DDR500... it's plenty fast as I don't plan any hard OCing).

Also, I'm using the same power supply: Enermax Noisetaker 470W (I believe).



So anyway, the MSI takes a 24-pin ATX power cable. My Enermax is 20-pin. I can plug it in and the system boots, but the fans in the power supply aren't spinning. I'm not sure what the additional 4 pins are doing... could that be why my PSU fans aren't working? If so, would an adapter (like this: http://www.stayonline.com/detail.aspx?ID=1004) solve the problem or must I buy a new PSU?

Looking forward to your expertise.

Thanks,

Jeff

 

[Bobthelost]

The fans should spin irrespective of the rest of the system. Sounds like you might have dud fans in it. Drop enermax tech support an email.

 

[mjifu]

I thought the same thing, but I swapped it back to my A7N8X and they spin fine.

 

[Bobthelost]

Ok, pass.

 

[imported_rod]

Did you plug in the fan detector cable between the PSU and MoBo?

Maybe the fan's don't turn on until it reaches a minimum temperature. I know that there are some PSU's which completely turn off their fans when not needed to reduce noise.

Oh, I doubt the 20-pin to 24-pin adaptor will make a difference, whatever the problem is.

RoD

 

[mjifu]

I've tried it with and without the MOBO cable.

I thought the same thing (about it not spinning until needed), but then it shut itself off and wouldn't turn back on for a while.

I guess I'll head to Frys. Sigh.

Thanks.

 

[plaidfro]

I know I was worried when the rear fan on my PSU wasn't spinning. Turns out that it only kicks on as needed. It was to increase the "quiet factor" of the PSU. I have Antec 450W SmartPower PSU. I dunno if yours has the same function.

 

[mjifu]

^^ I think it does, but they never came on.

I suppose it could be something else causing my computer to shut off, but I don't know what.

 

[raildogg]

Originally posted by: mjifu
^^ I think it does, but they never came on.

I suppose it could be something else causing my computer to shut off, but I don't know what.

Like it turns on and then shuts off?

My computer wouldn't even boot because the motherboard was short circuiting since I tightened it too much. It was touching the metal case.

 

[mjifu]

Originally posted by: raildogg

Originally posted by: mjifu
^^ I think it does, but they never came on.

I suppose it could be something else causing my computer to shut off, but I don't know what.

Like it turns on and then shuts off?

My computer wouldn't even boot because the motherboard was short circuiting since I tightened it too much. It was touching the metal case.

It booted. I got into Windows. I was installing drivers and software when it shut off to the resounding "boom" of the subwoofer.

I rolled my chair over to hit the power button. It started but turned off again after about 3 seconds. Tried that a few times.

I let it sit for about half an hour and it started, booted, etc.., and then shut off again, same as the first time.


I figure something is overheating. OEM CPU fan using ArticSilver. No overclocking.