is my PS doa?

supra13supra13
edited August 2003 in Hardware
this is my first build, and i just received my case and ps via fedex. i installed two extra fans into the back of the unit and i went to turn it on just to test it and see if it was getting power and i have no juice. am i doing anything wrong or is my ps just plain junk on arrival? does my motherboard and processor have to be installed first? any help or tips would be appreciated....

thanks ryan

Comments

  • EvilJackBallEvilJackBall California
    edited August 2003
    You need to plug in the 20 PIN ATX power supply assembly into your board (the big cable assembly from the PS). It won't even start without it plugged in. Hook up the motherboard and proc first.

    There is a simple method to bypass the jumpers on the PS. You can buy a small bypass cable which you attach to the 4th and 6th jumpers on the PS, this would allow it to run without being plugged in.
  • Geeky1Geeky1 University of the Pacific (Stockton, CA, USA)
    edited August 2003
    If you want to test the power supply without plugging anything in, you can either buy an atx power supply tester for $10-$25, or you can "build" one for <$10. You'll need a 5 ohm, 5w+ resistor and some wire.

    Connect the resistor between any +5v and ground lines on the power supply; you can use either the 20-pin ATX connector, or a regular 4-pin molex connector. +5v is red, ground is black.

    http://xtronics.com/reference/atx_pinout.htm

    That page has the info you'll need on the pinouts on the ATX connector. The diagram is viewing the connector from the pin side- if you hold the connector in you hand with the connector itself facing you (the wires facing away) and the clip facing up, you'll have it oriented in the same direction as the one in the diagram

    You need to connect a wire from any +5v wire to the "pwr_good" wire, and another wire from the "ps_on" to a ground wire. Then, whenever you plug the power supply into a wall outlet (and turn the switch on the back of the power supply on) it will turn on automatically, so you can test the voltages and stuff. Just be sure to remove all the wires and the resistor before plugging it into the computer.

    Couple questions. As this is your first build, I'll assume you're still learning about computers. I'm not trying to talk down to you or anything, just trying to get a feel for your experience level. The reason I ask is because there's a chance that you may not have quality components, and if that's the case, you're setting yourself up for a headache and (possibly) a lot of wasted money.

    So, can you list the specs of the computer (e.g. Make/model of motherboard, CPU, memory, etc.)?
    What brand and wattage is the power supply (there's a sticker on it that'll tell you)
    What case do you have? Any pictures of it? Newer computers require a good amount of airflow, and not all cases can provide that. Too little airflow = overheating = stability problems and/or killing stuff
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