unused cable coming from motherboard (to nothing)

[GUYK101]

Currently using a compaq 8200 elite, and I was looking around the motherboard when I noticed I have a cable not connected to anything coming from the motherboard. I don't know what type it is and what are its uses. Help?

 

[techgeek]

That is a SATA cable. It would be connected to a drive of some type. Either a HDD/SSD or optical drive.

 

[slingsrat]

It's a bit blurry but it's just a SATA connector isn't it?

 

[GUYK101]

if the right one is a SATA cable what is the left one? :/

 

[techgeek]

The other is SATA power, the first is SATA data. A drive must have been removed / disconnected.

 

[GUYK101]

The other is SATA power, the first is SATA data. A drive must have been removed / disconnected.

Oh I see. Thanks for clarifying. On a different note, how bad would you say (if possible at all) it is to find some sort of cable to connect a 6pin power connector from the motherboard and not the PSU in order to supply an additional 10 watts tops?

 

[DSzymborski]

The other is SATA power, the first is SATA data. A drive must have been removed / disconnected.

Oh I see. Thanks for clarifying. On a different note, how bad would you say (if possible at all) it is to find some sort of cable to connect a 6pin power connector from the motherboard and not the PSU in order to supply an additional 10 watts tops?

Power comes from the power supply; unless I'm misunderstanding what appears to be a rather unusual question, it's like asking if you could connect your car so that the engine could get gasoline from the tires instead of the fuel tank.

 

[GUYK101]

The other is SATA power, the first is SATA data. A drive must have been removed / disconnected.

Oh I see. Thanks for clarifying. On a different note, how bad would you say (if possible at all) it is to find some sort of cable to connect a 6pin power connector from the motherboard and not the PSU in order to supply an additional 10 watts tops?

Power comes from the power supply; unless I'm misunderstanding what appears to be a rather unusual question, it's like asking if you could connect your car so that the engine could get gasoline from the tires instead of the fuel tank.

ugh i guess so.. I'm just a little frustrated that my PSU which meets the min 300 watts required for a gtx 1050ti doesn't have a 6 pin power connector (yea I didn't realize the card needed a 6 pin until I hooked it all up) - or any cable to even adapt to one at that.. I was wondering if maybe I could try to mod it..
You're right, I'm just being silly.

 

[DSzymborski]

The other is SATA power, the first is SATA data. A drive must have been removed / disconnected.

Oh I see. Thanks for clarifying. On a different note, how bad would you say (if possible at all) it is to find some sort of cable to connect a 6pin power connector from the motherboard and not the PSU in order to supply an additional 10 watts tops?

Power comes from the power supply; unless I'm misunderstanding what appears to be a rather unusual question, it's like asking if you could connect your car so that the engine could get gasoline from the tires instead of the fuel tank.

ugh i guess so.. I'm just a little frustrated that my PSU which meets the min 300 watts required for a gtx 1050ti doesn't have a 6 pin power connector (yea I didn't realize the card needed a 6 pin until I hooked it all up) - or any cable to even adapt to one at that.. I was wondering if maybe I could try to mod it..
You're right, I'm just being silly.

Generally speaking, a PSU that doens't have a six-pin connector is one you wouldn't want to run a GPU that requires a six-pin connector on. Can you return the 1050ti and get one that doesn't require one?

 

[GUYK101]

The other is SATA power, the first is SATA data. A drive must have been removed / disconnected.

Oh I see. Thanks for clarifying. On a different note, how bad would you say (if possible at all) it is to find some sort of cable to connect a 6pin power connector from the motherboard and not the PSU in order to supply an additional 10 watts tops?

Power comes from the power supply; unless I'm misunderstanding what appears to be a rather unusual question, it's like asking if you could connect your car so that the engine could get gasoline from the tires instead of the fuel tank.

ugh i guess so.. I'm just a little frustrated that my PSU which meets the min 300 watts required for a gtx 1050ti doesn't have a 6 pin power connector (yea I didn't realize the card needed a 6 pin until I hooked it all up) - or any cable to even adapt to one at that.. I was wondering if maybe I could try to mod it..
You're right, I'm just being silly.

Generally speaking, a PSU that doens't have a six-pin connector is one you wouldn't want to run a GPU that requires a six-pin connector on. Can you return the 1050ti and get one that doesn't require one?

I'm pretty sure I could, but I'm certain it would take over a month and cost me shipping money which would not really make it worth it. I also know that my PSU is generally high grade and has 20 watts over the recommended wattage required for the card so I'm just a little annoyed. I've been talking about this with my dad who has a degree in electrical engineering and we're unsure on trying to mod the PSU or not.

 

[slingsrat]

Why don't you use the spare SATA power with a 6 pin adapter?
https://www.ebay.com.au/i/183315908285?chn=ps

 

[GUYK101]

Why don't you use the spare SATA power with a 6 pin adapter?
https://www.ebay.com.au/i/183315908285?chn=ps

It sounds okay, but will it be fine? The spare SATA comes from a 4 pin (connected to the motherboard ) which then splits into 2 SATA power cables. One SATA is without use and the other is currently supplying power to the CD/DVD Drive. I've also thought about the possibility of just disconnecting the CD/DVD Drive completely, which is no problem to me really.

 

[techgeek]

I've always been an advocate of getting what you need. In this case you need a PSU with a PCI-E power connector. Back when PCI-E power was new, it was OK to use a molex to PCI-E power adapter. PSUs with PCI-E adapter have been around forever now. I look at any PSU without one as not having the current (amperage) capacity on the 12V rail to properly supply a graphics card. Unless your power supply is very old, in which case do you really want to jeopardize you new graphics card. There is a chance that if you "workaround" the need for a PCI-E power adapter, not only could you damage your PSU, but your new graphics card as well.

 

[slingsrat]

Why don't you use the spare SATA power with a 6 pin adapter?
https://www.ebay.com.au/i/183315908285?chn=ps

It sounds okay, but will it be fine? The spare SATA comes from a 4 pin (connected to the motherboard ) which then splits into 2 SATA power cables. One SATA is without use and the other is currently supplying power to the CD/DVD Drive. I've also thought about the possibility of just disconnecting the CD/DVD Drive completely, which is no problem to me really.

As techgeek said it would certainly be better to invest in a new PSU but you could certainly give the adapter a go, it's only a few dollars. You couldn't damage your system by underpowering it.

 

[GUYK101]

I realized a week later, when I've solved my issue, that I didn't end the discussion here. I ended up buying the SATA power adapter to 6 pin. Worked like a charm. I've run tests on it, ran it overnight and nothing's an issue. Been using it like this for over a week. I guess this is to help folks who might end up like I did. Cheers.

 

[slingsrat]

I realized a week later, when I've solved my issue, that I didn't end the discussion here. I ended up buying the SATA power adapter to 6 pin. Worked like a charm. I've run tests on it, ran it overnight and nothing's an issue. Been using it like this for over a week. I guess this is to help folks who might end up like I did. Cheers.

Glad we could help.