Motherboards, Processors and Recommended Power Supplies? 11
powerlord asks: "I am in the process of putting together an Athlon based system. While opening up the Motherboard (FIC-SD11) and processor boxes, I was shocked to find a list of 'Recomended Power Suplies ... void of warranty...'. I always assumed that if it was an ATX power supply it should be fine. Is there something special about an FIC and Athlon that make them more 'touchy' than other motherboards and processors? Is this just a legal disclaimer to limit themselves from being sued if the product is used in a way they didn't intend (running from a car adapter)? Is this the start of a new disturbing trend... buy what we've tested with or we won't honor our warranties? "
This is a pet peeve of mine ... (Score:1)
These don't have to be new, either -- try scavenging the auctions or places where they break up unsold boxes and get a used power supply -- the good ones are built to last and do so.
Needs a heavy duty power supply (Score:1)
Jeremy
Not that I know of (Score:1)
Can't say about ATX (Score:1)
I have yet to build an ATX supply so I am unaware of how critical sequencing is (someone please mail me on that!) but the standby and power-up down should not be hard. Personally I think the standby is just a waste of power (esp. in a car), just optimise your startup scripts and keep most of the FS read-only and the rest mounted sync.
cya, Andrew...
Re:Not that I know of (Score:1)
Re:Needs a heavy duty power supply (Score:1)
Agreed. I have an extremely powerhungry system, a Dual 300MHz PII (Klamath core) with several 7200 rpm drives and a 5" cooling fan connected to the 5 volt line. The processors alone use almost 80 watts. My powersupply isn't quite up to it, so when I load the computer (move some windows around in X, for example), I can hear the fan speed dropping (since the PIIs manage to lower the voltage on the 5 volt line). It has caused no problems so far but it makes me a bit uneasy. This is a standard Enlight miditower case and power supply.
Bottom line, pick a power supply that you know can handle the load.
/Erik
Re:DC Power supplies? (Score:2)
cya, Andrew...
Ars Technica Has an article on why (Score:2)
I will concur with most of their findings. We sell alot of the GVC boards around here and even they are picky about the power supply sometimes. IMO, I don't think that it's payola or anything like that, I just think that the newer, faster mother boards require a cleaner, more powerful P/S.
John.
(Snarfed the appropo. bits from the article below.)
>When I first got this board and plugged her in I was using a "PowerMan"
>FSP300-60GI to deliver the juice. I was able to get the board to boot up,
>but ye olde Win98 install would either BSOD or not boot! After working all
>the mojo I know on the 'board, I decided that I just got a flukey mobo
>that didn't work. When I got the second 'board in and had the same
>problems, I knew something was fruity.
>
>Looking through my materials once again, I noticed a slip of paper
>advertising the "recommended power supplies" for this board. Well, I
>mean, what does "recommended" mean? For me, it meant it was a no-go
>with my current setup. I called up and ordered a Sparkle Power
>FSP300-60GT from The Chip Merchant, and after dropping that supply into
>the box, lo and behold, the machine booted up with no further problems.
>This tells us to double-check the power supply in our machine before
>buying this board, or at least expect to purchase another supply with the
>motherboard. BTW, the PowerMan supply did work with the BCMGVC
>QS-750, so I know that it's a FIC-centric issue. And before you go dissin'
>the PowerMan power supply, chew on this: it's an OEM from Sparkle, one
>of the most well-respected suppliers in the industry, who made the other
>power supply that worked with this mobo. Can you say FICkle? Not to
>worry, though: you can check to see if your power supply is on the list.
>Here's something odd: the list is maintained by AMD!
Athlon (Score:3)