ATX psu: 20 pin or 24 pin connector

Original Message

Name: buyers
Date: February 28, 2008 at 06:33:16 Pacific
Subject: ATX psu: 20 pin or 24 pin connector
OS: windows XP home
CPU/Ram: 512
Model/Manufacturer: eMachine T6212

Comment:

I am replacing my current psu (300w) with a 500w psu. The motherboard has the ability to accept the 24 pin atx connector, however the original psu had a 20 pin connector.
The new psu has the 20+4 atx connector. Should I install it as a 24 or a 20? What does the add'l 4 pins add?
Thanks in advance for the input.
The following are the specs of my computer:
CPU:AMD Athlon 64 3200+ Processor (512 KB L2 cache, 2.0 GHz, 2000
MHz FSB)
Operating System:Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition SP2
Chipset:ATI Radeon Xpress 200
Memory:512 MB (Dual Channel 2x256MB) DDR (PC 3200)
Hard Drive:160GB HDD – 7200 RPM, 2MB cache
Optical Drives:16x DVD±RW multi-format double layer; 48x CD-ROM
Media Reader:8-in-1 Media Reader
Secure Digital (SD), Smart Media, Compact Flash, Micro Drive, Memory
Stick, Memory Stick PRO, Multimedia Card, USB 2.0
Video:ATI Radeon Xpress 200 (PCI-Express)
128MB Shared Video Memory
Sound:6-channel Audio
Modem:56K ITU v.92 ready Fax/Modem
Network:10/100Mbps built-in Ethernet
Ports/Other:7 USB 2.0 ports (2 in front; 4 in back; 1 in Media
Reader), 1 IEEE 1394 port (1 in back), 1 Parallel, 2 PS/2, Audio-In
& Out

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Response Number 1

Name: jam
Date: February 28, 2008 at 07:00:21 Pacific
Subject: ATX psu: 20 pin or 24 pin connector

Reply: (edit)

"Should I install it as a 24 or a 20?"
Go with 24.
"What does the add'l 4 pins add?"
From the ATX12V PSU Design Guide:
"The 2 x 10 main power connector has been replaced by a 2 x 12 connector. This was made to support 75 watt PCI Express requirements"
BTW, why are you upgrading the PSU...was there a problem with the 300W unit? Just curious because eMachines are nortorious for have crappy PSUs.

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Response Number 2

Name: aegis
Date: February 28, 2008 at 10:21:02 Pacific
Subject: ATX psu: 20 pin or 24 pin connector

Reply: (edit)

If it doesn't work with the 24 pin connector, you might have to also use the 4 pin motherboard connector. You can get 4 pin molex to 4 pin motherboard connector adapters.

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Response Number 3

Name: buyers
Date: February 28, 2008 at 12:33:50 Pacific
Subject: ATX psu: 20 pin or 24 pin connector

Reply: (edit)

Yes I suspect the PSU is underpowering. I had added a couple of PCI cards, 1 for wireless and 1 additional ports. But right out of the box I had crashes and reboots for no apparent reason. Sent it back to the factory & have still been batteling the problem for some time now.
Decided this was the next place to go after running memtest & hours with tech support.

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PSU 20 pin connecter stuck to mobo 20 pin or 24 pin PSU 20 pin PSU to 24 pin motherboard PSU has no 20-pin connector ATX 20 pin connector 3 pin burnt	20 pin to 24 pin PSU convertor 20 pin psu to 24 pin mobo 24 pin psu and 20 pin mobo 24 pin PS 20 pin MB ATX 12v and 20 pin?