8pin CPU power connector problems

[LostAlone]

Hey guys

I recently bought a new system built around an Athlon X4 860k on a Gigabyte F2A68HM-HD2. I didn't even think before buying but this mobo has an 8pin power connector for the CPU which my rather old PSU doesn't have. I've read in lots of places that this doesn't matter that you can just hook up a 4pin connector and it'll work just fine but this absolutely does not work for me. With the 4pin connector attached the machine will turn on but won't properly post - No beeps, no graphics, not even numlock on the keyboard. The fans spin but nothing else.

My guess is that this is happening because the Athlon is an 95w CPU running on a platform typically built for 65w parts so it probably needs the additional oomph that you can only get from connecting all 8pins but I wanted to ask you guys and get some opinions.

I know I could just get another power supply but I spent my whole budget on my system and my present PSU is just fine; it's old but it's got plenty of power and replacing it just because it lacks a connector that didn't exist when it was built just kinda sucks.

I've seen adapters to go from 4pin to 8pin for the mobo connector - Do these work? I've also seen molex to 8pin mobo connectors - Do they?

Also - Is there the potential that something else is wrong with my system? I really don't want to be sending off for special adapter if they don't actually fix the problem.

I've seen other people say that the 4pin connector should totally be able to transfer enough power and that really does make me wonder if I got a bad board or something. The fact that I've tried a few PSUs including the 750w one from my gfs machine that has way more than enough power and still can't get the board to post makes me kinda uncomfortable. Especially since I bought this so I could have a Christmas break happily gaming I want to get this sorted ASAP and I definitely don't want to be spending out on parts if I still have to return the board.

Any help here would be greatly appreciated.

Edit -

Just to anticipate a question - The board is officially listed as supporting my CPU out of the box so it shouldn't need a bios update to recognize it.

 

[smorizio]

first off to rule out a dead short or a build issue. try posting the mb outside the case with one ram stick see if you get the bios screen. if you do then it not a power supply issue.

 

[LostAlone]

first off to rule out a dead short or a build issue. try posting the mb outside the case with one ram stick see if you get the bios screen. if you do then it not a power supply issue.

The Athlon doesn't have on board graphics so unless I have a GPU installed I won't get any BIOS screen at all.

 

[smorizio]

https://pcpartpicker.com/part/evga-power-supply-100b10600kr
good unit that not to costly with a rebate

 

[LostAlone]

https://pcpartpicker.com/part/evga-power-supply-100b10600kr
good unit that not to costly with a rebate

Over here we really don't have that whole rebate thing, Here, that unit costs £50 and the whole point of what I'm asking is to find out if I actually need a new PSU or not. I know that I can get another one but replacing an existing and still fully functional PSU unless I actually need one is just wasted money, no?

 

[smorizio]

take the mb out and see if it post on the mb box with a gpu to rule out a dead short. make sure the mb sitting on standoffs and the io shield not shorting the mb out.

 

[LostAlone]

take the mb out and see if it post on the mb box with a gpu to rule out a dead short. make sure the mb sitting on standoffs and the io shield not shorting the mb out.

Same thing as in the case - The fans spin but nothing else to indicate life. No beeps, no lights.

 

[madmatt30]

What's the entire setup ??

All parts including PSU, GPU, RAM ,case.

 

[LostAlone]

What's the entire setup ??

All parts including PSU, GPU, RAM ,case.

Mobo - Gigabyte F2A68HM-HD2
CPU - AMD Athlon X4 860k
RAM - 8GB 1866MHz HyperX Fury Black Seies
GPU - Asus R7 360 OC
PSU - Alpine JSP-550p12p

The case doesn't have a name. It's just a crappy old micro ATX case that I've been using for years and still happily works with my old system installed into it.

 

[madmatt30]

You sure the pinouts to the case headers are connected right - what's happening on your system can be caused by mixing power/reset pins up - worth checking.

 

[LostAlone]

You sure the pinouts to the case headers are connected right - what's happening on your system can be caused by mixing power/reset pins up - worth checking.

While the board is out of the case I'm starting it just by shorting the two power switch pins so I doubt that's the problem.

 

[LostAlone]

Any other thoughts?

 

[LostAlone]

Just a reasonably definitive answer would really help here - If I need a new PSU then c'est la vie, I just want to know if that's the problem here. I just don't want to spend some money just to find out that I need to return the board, you know?

 

[madmatt30]

I discounted the PSU as an issue after reading you tried a 750w one too - did this also only have a 4 pin power cable ???

If so then its absolutely likely to be the PSU - anything with only 4 pins is either substandard or pre-2008 on the spec front. - seen now by it's an alpine unit - bottom of the barrel.
Are you anywhere near an Argos ??
The evga 500b is £38 at Argos , buy it , try it , take it back for a refund if it doesn't work.

Seeing as all your other components are new , they're all compatible , & your PSU is old & substandard its blindingly obvious it's the weak link here.

 

[LostAlone]

I discounted the PSU as an issue after reading you tried a 750w one too - did this also only have a 4 pin power cable ???

If so then its absolutely likely to be the PSU - anything with only 4 pins is either substandard or pre-2008 on the spec front. - seen now by it's an alpine unit - bottom of the barrel.
Are you anywhere near an Argos ??
The evga 500b is £38 at Argos , buy it , try it , take it back for a refund if it doesn't work.

Seeing as all your other components are new , they're all compatible , & your PSU is old & substandard its blindingly obvious it's the weak link here.

Yes, all the PSUs I tried have been 4 pin models.

Blindingly obvious is a good thing. That means that I can actually go buy the thing and be confident that was the problem, right?