Using a 20-pin connector in a 24-pin slot...

Hey /comp/,

I'm a novice when it comes to building computers, and this is the first time I have come across this.

I have a PSU that has a 20-pin connector.  My new motherboard has a 24-pin slot.  I asked the guys at a computer shop nearby if I needed an adapter, but they said no; I could plug the 20-pin into the slot with no problems.  I don't want to blow anything up, so I thought I'd ask /comp/ also before I went through with it.  Any answers?

WTF? You have to buy an adaptor for that. I bet the shop guys just want you to fry your mobo and buy a new one from them.

Hmm... I dunno.  Using Google I've seen some people (well, the consensus of forums) say that you don't need the extra four pins as long as you have a molex connector on your motherboard in leiu of them, which I do.

You usually find these 24-pin connectors on P4/Athlon 64 motherboards with PCI-Express. It's known as the ATX12V 2.0 standard. If you only have a regular ATX12V PSU with the 20-pin connector, you can get an adaptor.

I plugged MY 20-pin psu into a 24-pin mobo and it works fine...stop trying to confuse the lad.

My PSU has the 20 pins in one block and the other 4 in another, on the same braid... I tried it with and without the extra 4, and nothing is different... go for it.

Ok.  Thanks for the advice.  I'll post if the computer... POSTs.

yes you can do that, there will be no performance diffrence and would be still stable. The mobo manufactures still recognizes that not everyone is upto the 2.0 atx standard.

Well, everything went as planned.  Then boom, blue screen right before the Windows loading screen.

I realized that I had (stupidly) put my Gfx card in the wrong PCI-e slot, so I moved it up.  Starting it up again, I saw the Windows logo for a split second, then the same blue screen.

Damnit.  Also, neither of my case fans are running although they are plugged in.  The CPU fan is running fine and the temperature was stable according to the BIOS.

Suggestions?  RAM also checked in at the right amount.

(remember, I'm a novice!)

you SURE ur case fans are plugged in? they usually (if not always?) plug into the motherboard and sometimes into the PSU as well. oh and as for the blue screen....try reformatting maybe?

My apologies, the fans are working fine.  My eyes were mixed up and I followed wires back to the PSU that didn't go anywhere.  Stupid mistake.

I've tried avoiding a reformat/repair until now because my XP CD is an hour and a half away.

If you just switched out motherboards and all sorts of other crazy crap, odds are windows is confused by this development. Reinstall.

Yeah, I did this too when I built my second computer oh so many years ago [not really so many years]. Windows has all the drivers and shit for your old mobo and will not load with your new mobo. You need a fresh install of windows. Otherwise, I guess you could try installing your new mobo's drivers or something... Easy solution is to reformat. If you don't like the sound of that, take this as an opportunity to get a new, bigger hard drive :D [I ended up ordering a new hdd]

Windows stores a hash of your hardware and will refuse to boot under major changes. It's to prevent people from stealing your harddisk and probably also to prevent piracy. You must reformat after you change many/major components.

>>14

It's to prevent you from using your windows OS on a new system without giving Bill Gates and Co. lots of money and your soul. And it's because M$ is the root of all evil.

Sup /comp/,

OP here.  The power wasn't the issue at all, as most of you knew.  Of course, it was Windows.  It's working now, sort of... had to jump through a lot of hoops and I think I'm technically pirating software even though I own it.  Whatever.