Question ASUS X99-Aii Motherboard question regarding EATX 4 pin connector

[Starnet]

Need some info, trying to get a repurposed motherboard up and running. Can anyone confirm (FOR SURE) if the 4 pin EATX 12 power supply connection is really necessary. My Corsair CX650m powersupply only has a 8 pin connector. I first tried that plugged into the 8 pin port and the motherboard would not complete POST. I found a post on the ROG web site that said that you only need the 4 pin EATX only if your overclocking or running multiple Graphics.

I tried to split the 8 pin connector to 2-4 ping plugging one into the 8 pin connection and the other 4 pins into the 4 pin spot. With this configuration it would not even power up.

If you have one of these motherboards if someone could momentarly unplug the 4 pin EATX connect and let me know if it starts to post and stops and what code it presents.

I called Corsair and asked the for the 4 pin EATX cable for my modular power supply. They said they don't make one for my version and to buy a new supply, apparently the new version o this supply has the cable. How Nice. They can pound sand, this supply is not that old, what good is a modular supply if they don't make the cables you need. Sorry I'm ranting, id it ends up that I need a new supply I will be switching to the XPG brand. Anyhow, a little help here would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Lutfij]

Can anyone confirm (FOR SURE) if the 4 pin EATX 12 power supply connection is really necessary.
To answer your question, no you don't need to hook up to the EATX12V_2 connector on the board, unless you're going to perform an overlock on the processor.

I tried to split the 8 pin connector to 2-4 ping plugging one into the 8 pin connection and the other 4 pins into the 4 pin spot. With this configuration it would not even power up.
Since you've also asked, if your PSU lacks the necessary connectors for your build you either have;
a| the wrong PSU for the job
or
b| the wrong components for the PSU

Using splitters/adapters on a PSU is a sure way to start a fire. Pretty much all problems have come from adapters or splitters.

this supply is not that old,
Now you've gained my attention, how old is your PSU and which CX650M do you have? This;
https://www.corsair.com/us/en/p/psu...ronze-certified-modular-atx-psu-cp-9020103-na
or this;
https://www.corsair.com/us/en/p/psu...lus-bronze-semi-modular-atx-psu-cp-9020221-na
?

 

[Starnet]

Hi, I have the 9020103 version. any suggestions? I really don't understand why you can just take one of the tons of extra HDD cables with an adapter to a molex connector to grab the yellow leads 12v split it to 2 into 2 and attach the grounds then and attach it to the EATX 12? The only thing I could think of perhaps they use a special tap off the power supply that works with the other 8 pin EATX port.

 

[thestryker]

The manual explicitly says you need both hooked up:

DO NOT forget to connect BOTH of the 4-pin and 8-pin EATX12 V power plug.

I would very much recommend against trying to adapt anything to an EPS12V 4-pin connector. It is just two ground and two 12v connections, but they're rated for higher power than PCIe connectors are.

 

[Starnet]

thestryker, your correct about the manual showing a picture of both 4 pin and 8 pin connectors being used. I also understand one of the reasons ASUS did this. Many people cause high draw current conditions by adding multiple high draw graphics cards and or tons of other stuff on the PCI-e bus and/or overclocking , thus the need for this additional power connection point.

I have read where someone on the ROG forum stated they left the 4 pin connector open on the Strix model and everything worked fine, not that this is the safe or the recommended thing to do in the long run. It this 4 pin connector is wired in parallel to the 8 pin connector this comment would make sense, if its a totally seperate connector then the statement maybe false.

I guess since the MB is a repurpose before I drop nearly another $100 bucks for a power supply I need to make sure the use of this connector on the X99-A-ii is a necessity for it to successfully post otherwise this board has a bad memory controller. I just wish there was someone on this forum that has one of these boards that could just pop off the 4 pin connector and check it for me, this would save me a bunch of trouble and effort.

Another person on another forum suggested this

https://www.amazon.com/2-Pack-Molex...ocphy=9030393&hvtargid=pla-697704835409&psc=1

Again it might work though a 4 pin EATX connection is rated at 195w max and a HDD connector is limited to 45w. Major difference here. If I do find out the MB is good I might try the adapter then measure the current for my configuration, again base video card and nothing else and no overclocking . If the value is under 45watts then this might be a possible solution. Otherwise it looks like Corsair has won this battle of obsolescence and I will just have to pony up for a new PS.

 

[thestryker]

Honestly I'm confused that Asus went with that as a design at all on this tier of board let alone saying it's a requirement. I have two higher tier non-Asus X99 boards that only have an 8-pin connector so it must have been a carry over from one of their higher end boards.

This review claims you only need to use the 8-pin EPS12V connector: https://www.overclockers.com/asus-x99-ii-motherboard-review/

We see two CPU power connectors, one 8-pin and one 4-pin, of which only the 8-pin is required.

If it's stopping at memory for POST it's either bad memory controller on the CPU or slot(s) on the motherboard. I think it would be worth troubleshooting this as though everything else is fine before messing with the PSU to get the 4-pin EPS12V connector filled.