Ok, so I got a new Antec Sonata III case which includes an Antec EarthWatts 500 power suppy. After installing both, I see that the power supply has both a 4 pin and an 8 pin +12V, and as my Asus P5K-e / WIFI mobo has an 8 pin connector, I thought that I should use it over the 4 pin to possibly increase stability and possibly reduce heat (same amount of power through twice the number of cables should be a good thing, no?). The computer booted up, and everything went fine for 2 or 3 days. I then ran some Prime 95 over the weekend (stress testing) to see if this case cooled as good as my last one. After maybe an hour, I hear my battery backup beeping at me, I go see what's the issue, and the computer has shut down and won't boot back up. I then take everything out the case, install it all back in my old case with my old power supply (Antec EarthWatts 430 with only a 4 pin +12V connector), and thank goodness everything still works fine!
After looking back in my mobo's handbook, I see that it says "Use only either a 4-pin ATX12V or an 8-pin EPS +12V power plug for the EATX12V connector. I then see that the EarthWatts 500 doesn't have "EPS" on the 8 pin connector. Did the fact that I used a non-EPS plug cause the power supply to burn up? Should I have only used the 4-pin like I did with my other power supply (and am still doing now)?
Was I dumb to think that 8 would be better and more stable than 4?
After looking back in my mobo's handbook, I see that it says "Use only either a 4-pin ATX12V or an 8-pin EPS +12V power plug for the EATX12V connector. I then see that the EarthWatts 500 doesn't have "EPS" on the 8 pin connector. Did the fact that I used a non-EPS plug cause the power supply to burn up? Should I have only used the 4-pin like I did with my other power supply (and am still doing now)?
Was I dumb to think that 8 would be better and more stable than 4?