[SOLVED] Reusing 4 pin to sata power cable

[plumel]

Hi all, it's been a long time since I've used this site, please let me know if anything need re-formatting.

Basically, I have an old semi modular power supply, missing the cables to connect power to the hard drive.
I found one laying around in an old dell pc, decided to try plug it into a 4 pin in the PSU and connect it to the hard drive.

The PC boots, but it doesn't show any drives connected to any sata ports.

Should I be able to reuse this cable, or would I need a specific one from the PSU?

btw the PSU is super old - AOpen AO1050-12ALN

Thanks!

 

[Quanticriver]

Hi all, it's been a long time since I've used this site, please let me know if anything need re-formatting.

Basically, I have an old semi modular power supply, missing the cables to connect power to the hard drive.
I found one laying around in an old dell pc, decided to try plug it into a 4 pin in the PSU and connect it to the hard drive.

The PC boots, but it doesn't show any drives connected to any sata ports.

Should I be able to reuse this cable, or would I need a specific one from the PSU?

btw the PSU is super old - AOpen AO1050-12ALN

Thanks!

it's a bad idea to mix psu cables, it should only be done if you have the exact same psu

personally i'd just get a new psu

 

[plumel]

it's a bad idea to mix psu cables, it should only be done if you have the exact same psu

personally i'd just get a new psu

Yeah, that's the response I expected but didn't want! Haha thank you.

 

[USAFRet]

Mixing modular PSU cables often results in releasing the magic smoke.

Don't do this.

 

[DSzymborski]

Hi all, it's been a long time since I've used this site, please let me know if anything need re-formatting.

Basically, I have an old semi modular power supply, missing the cables to connect power to the hard drive.
I found one laying around in an old dell pc, decided to try plug it into a 4 pin in the PSU and connect it to the hard drive.

The PC boots, but it doesn't show any drives connected to any sata ports.

Should I be able to reuse this cable, or would I need a specific one from the PSU?

btw the PSU is super old - AOpen AO1050-12ALN

Thanks!

Modular PSU cables are only standardized on the side that connects to the component. The pinout on the side that connects to the PSU is not standardized and varies from manufacturer to manufacturer, sometimes even in the same family of product. Lose this lottery and you'll end up serving as the Grim Reaper for things you connect.

Honestly, given how ancient this PSU is -- from the specs and description on the box, I'd guess this was well over a decade old -- I'd replace it no matter what you're running.