Motherboard/Power Supply Question
 

My Power Supply has a 20 pin ATX connector. My motherboard has a 24 pin connector. If I plugged in the 20 pin connector to the 24 pin slot, would anything bad happen?

I wouldn't mess with something like that unless your MB documentation says you can do it, personally... you would think they would do something to safeguard against it happening, but blowing out the MB would presumably be a possibility if it's not designed for you to do that.

I have read that you can do it, but you have to plug the 20-pin into a certain spot on the 24-pin connector (and I don't think it's the center). Still, I wouldn't trust it no matter what. I'd just get an adapter.

From the research I did a while ago, you're going to want a new power supply with the extra pins. Those can be important for running your MB properly at full speed.

I know on my power supply 4 pins on the 24 pin connector were detachable from the other 20 so you could plug it into either one. I remember being confused about that for a while. I guess that isn't too much help, though.

Yeah, the newer power supplies have a sort of 20+4 setup. I remember being depressed for a minute thinking I'd ordered the wrong power supply before realizing I could just clip apart the 4 and plug in the 20.


As for the original question, I would certainly check the manual on that. From a common sense persepctive it doesn't sound like a good idea, but i'm no computer expert.

I did the same thing cthomer. I was so ticked, but then I saw the 4 pin connector pulled apart revealing just a 20 pin.

EM,

I wouldn't do it! Get the correct power supply.