Basic motherboard power question

  • Thread starter Thread starter Russ M.
  • Start date Start date
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Russ M.

I noticed an interesting oddity this morning with my Chaintech 7VIF4
motherboard. With the power off, the status lights on my keyboard remain
faintly lit (Num Lock, Caps Lock, & Scroll Lock). The illumination around
the network connector also remains lit when I turn the power off. However,
if I disconnect the power chord, they all go out. Is this supposed to
occur? Is power supposed to 'trickle' even when the computer is switched
off? It seems very strange to me.

Thanks for any help....
 
P4 capable ATX power supplies generate a small continuous trickle of power
to the motherboard, even when the machine is turned off.
THIS is why you should never change components on such a motherboard without
UNPLUGGING the power cord.
 
DaveW said:
P4 capable ATX power supplies generate a small continuous trickle of
power to the motherboard, even when the machine is turned off.
THIS is why you should never change components on such a motherboard
without UNPLUGGING the power cord.
Click to expand...

All newer mobos do this, P4 or not. It is part of the power managment
stuff. Some of the mobo circuits are on all the time. For example, the
power switch on the front of the PC case is monitored by a circuit that
is powered up all the time. The PSU produces '+5V Standby' and it is this
'+5 Standby' supply that is on whenever the PSU is plugged in.
 
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