20-pin woes

T

TDraconis

Geek Trainee
I just picked up a brand spankin' new Biostar 6100-939 motherboard, fully expecting that it, and the parts attached to it, Would Rock. Then I ran into a snag: I had an MGE 400 watt power supply that I was going to use (originally for another project, a low-grade Athlon 750)... with only a 20+4 connector, and the Biostar has a 24 pin slot, *plus* a 4-pin slot. Will it still work, if I plug them both in? Or is that 4-pin slot designed for extra power above-and-beyond what the 24-pin connector can provide? Thanks for your time, and I apologize if this has been asked before.
 
That 4-pin connector is for CPU power and is separate from te 20pin motherboard power connector. An adapter for the 20pin connector should be fine :good:
 
Thanks for the prompt responses. I knew nothing about this aspect of computing before, it's been quite a learning experience!
 
The additional 4 pins on the 24-pin ATX adapter are there to provide a more even distribution off the 12V rail of a power supply. While not a full-blown requirement (unless you're running DFI boards), a full-scale industry adaptation doesn't typically take place simply for the hell of it. Any time you have multiple power plugs, plug them in. Some motherboards may not power on without the main power connector and the auxillary 4-pin plugged in. Any others are optional, but highly recommended.

The 20->24-pin adapter will work, but it's not recommened for long-term use. In lieu of writing the lengthy explaination, I've got a link in my sig that addresses this.
 
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