Can you install a Power Supply Incorrectly?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Norman L. Kleinberg
  • Start date Start date
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Norman L. Kleinberg

I don't know if this will do any good but my 5 year old Pentium III suddenly
died (click the button, nothing) so I thought I'd try replacing the Power
Supply (250W ATX type), since they're not very expensive. I bought a 300W
ATX (it said 2.03 compliant while the old one said 2.01 but I didn't think
much of it), installed it and ran the 20 receptacle keyed plug to the mobo
connector and hooked up my disk drives with the proper size connector.
Turned things on and it wouldn't boot from the hard drive (Maxtor 20GB),
then a burning smell. Now of course it won't boot at all; I've tried putting
the Maxtor in another computer and it seems to be, for want of a better
word, fried (i.e. computer can't see or boot from it).

Of course I don't know what caused the original PS to fail but it WAS almost
six years old. What I'm asking is if there was some way I could be at fault
for this or if the new PS (I know, I bought a cheap one, about $30) would
most likely be the problem.

This will teach me, but WHAT? Buy only expensive PSs? How could one check?
This happened AS SOON AS I switched the power back on.

Any information to help me avoid a repeat of this debacle would be
appreciated. The hard disk had some stuff that I really need, although I DO
have fairly recent backups. The problem is that it had a DOS partition set
up with a fairly complicated Clarion/LPM configuration that I KNOW will be
almost impossible to duplicate.

Thanks.

=NLK=
 
Norman said:
I don't know if this will do any good but my 5 year old Pentium III suddenly
died (click the button, nothing) so I thought I'd try replacing the Power
Supply (250W ATX type), since they're not very expensive. I bought a 300W
ATX (it said 2.03 compliant while the old one said 2.01 but I didn't think
much of it), installed it and ran the 20 receptacle keyed plug to the mobo
connector and hooked up my disk drives with the proper size connector.
Turned things on and it wouldn't boot from the hard drive (Maxtor 20GB),
then a burning smell. Now of course it won't boot at all; I've tried putting
the Maxtor in another computer and it seems to be, for want of a better
word, fried (i.e. computer can't see or boot from it).

Of course I don't know what caused the original PS to fail but it WAS almost
six years old. What I'm asking is if there was some way I could be at fault
for this or if the new PS (I know, I bought a cheap one, about $30) would
most likely be the problem.

This will teach me, but WHAT? Buy only expensive PSs? How could one check?
This happened AS SOON AS I switched the power back on.

Any information to help me avoid a repeat of this debacle would be
appreciated. The hard disk had some stuff that I really need, although I DO
have fairly recent backups. The problem is that it had a DOS partition set
up with a fairly complicated Clarion/LPM configuration that I KNOW will be
almost impossible to duplicate.

Thanks.

=NLK=
Click to expand...
It's not easy to plug a disk drive power connector in backwards, but
it's possible with enough force. It's also possible the connector was
wired incorrectly by the power supply manufacturer.

FWIW, the (normally yellow, but electrons don't abide by colors) 12V
line is usually closest to the outside edge of the drive.
 
Hmmm, that's a thought (not that it would do me any good, I'm sure there's
no liability if they wire it incorrectly and I won't sue myself :) ). I also
have the distinct impression it's not just the Drive that's fried but also
the mobo, only because it won't even enter the boot sequence.

I probably wouldn't even bother taking it in to the repair center to be
certain except that I'm hoping, somehow, the Maxtor can be salvaged.
Otherwise I'd just buy a new computer (can get one with much better
specs/performance for a few hundred).

Thanks for taking the time to post and give me some info.

=NLK=
 
Norman said:
Hmmm, that's a thought (not that it would do me any good, I'm sure there's
no liability if they wire it incorrectly and I won't sue myself :) ). I also
have the distinct impression it's not just the Drive that's fried but also
the mobo, only because it won't even enter the boot sequence.

I probably wouldn't even bother taking it in to the repair center to be
certain except that I'm hoping, somehow, the Maxtor can be salvaged.
Otherwise I'd just buy a new computer (can get one with much better
specs/performance for a few hundred).

Thanks for taking the time to post and give me some info.

=NLK=
Click to expand...

Depending on precisely WHAT is fried, it might be possible to substitute
the electronics board from a good drive and recover the data. However,
if the drive motor and/or head electronics are fried, recovery will be
impractical for all but extremely valuable data.
 
Hmmm, that's a thought (not that it would do me any good, I'm sure there's no
liability if they wire it incorrectly
Click to expand...

Corse they are liable if they wired it incorrectly.
and I won't sue myself :) ). I also have the distinct impression it's not just
the Drive that's fried but also the mobo, only because it won't even enter the
boot sequence.
Click to expand...

Or maybe the new power supply isnt starting
because the motherboard has failed.
I probably wouldn't even bother taking it in to the repair center to be
certain except that I'm hoping, somehow, the Maxtor can be salvaged.
Click to expand...

It may work fine in a different PC.
Otherwise I'd just buy a new computer (can get one with much better
specs/performance for a few hundred).
Sure.

Thanks for taking the time to post and give me some info.
Click to expand...
 
Rod said:
Its not a typo, its a deliberate informal use of words.
Click to expand...

Actually, it's apparently a deliberate informal use of a non-word,
or perhaps a "word-wannabe." said:
I dont bother with apostrophes most of the time either.
Click to expand...

I noticed.
 
Rod:

Rod Speed said:
Norman L. Kleinberg <nlk(the numberone)@optonlinedotnet>
wrote in message
-snip-


Or maybe the new power supply isnt starting
because the motherboard has failed.
Click to expand...

Well the fan on the new PS IS starting, just don't get any signal to the
monitor. I suppose it COULD be the PS itself isn't supplying power but, as I
say, the fan
does go on.
It may work fine in a different PC.
Click to expand...
I tried it in one of my other PCs. Won't boot from it and can't be seen as a
slave either
(unfortunately).
 
Rod Speed said:
Its not a typo, its a deliberate informal use of words.

I dont bother with apostrophes most of the time either.
Click to expand...
Mmm. Linguistic pioneering or retrofitted justifications for
illiteracy?
 
Mmm. Linguistic pioneering
Click to expand...

Not really, plenty of others use other informal words too.

Some of them do end up in the dictionary over time.
or retrofitted justifications for illiteracy?
Click to expand...

Cant be illiteracy if its deliberate.

I choose to use ys instead of the ies form with words like nastys too.
Basically because I consider the ies form to be silly.

You get to like it or lump it.
 
Well the fan on the new PS IS starting, just don't get any signal to the
monitor.
OK.

I suppose it COULD be the PS itself isn't supplying power but, as I say, the
fan does go on.
Click to expand...

The fan is normally powered by the 12V rail in the power
supply and the supply produces 2 other important rails so
all the fan proves is that the 12V rail is supplied.
I tried it in one of my other PCs. Won't boot from it and can't be seen as a
slave either (unfortunately).
Click to expand...

OK, looks like the original PS failure did kill it then.

It may well have killed the motherboard too.
 
Cant be illiteracy if its deliberate.
Click to expand...

Could be a result of illiteracy:

Can't spell - make up your own.

Don't know where to put apostrophes - leave 'em out.

Can't do plurals of words ending in 'y' - make 'em all ...ys.
 
Could be a result of illiteracy:
Nope.

Can't spell - make up your own.
Click to expand...

Doesnt explain the word corse that lit your fire.
Don't know where to put apostrophes - leave 'em out.
Click to expand...

I know where they go, and do use them correctly at times.
Can't do plurals of words ending in 'y' - make 'em all ...ys.
Click to expand...

Or choose to do what makes more sense.

And get the other stuff right like the choice between their
and theyre etc so even someone as stupid as you should
be able to work out that it isnt illiteracy but my choice.

Its also rather amusing dangling a bait
in front of pathetically anal fools too.
 
Rod said:
Doesnt explain the word corse that lit your fire.


I know where they go, and do use them correctly at times.


Or choose to do what makes more sense.

And get the other stuff right like the choice between their
and theyre etc so even someone as stupid as you should
be able to work out that it isnt illiteracy but my choice.

Its also rather amusing dangling a bait
in front of pathetically anal fools too.
Click to expand...


Hello, Rod:

He just doesn't understand Australian, it seems. :-J


Season's greetings,
John Turco <[email protected]>
 
Thanks, Rod, for the time you took to help.

I think I'll just keep the Maxtor on the side, set up a DOS partition on
another machine and try to work with my backups. If I have problems I'll
investigate salvaging the data on the drive. No point in spending $100 to
have the tech tell me everything's fried.

I feel like I'd like to check that PS to see if IT'S the cause, but really
don't have the knowledge and it would probably take too much of my time.

I WILL return the PS, though, and am just waiting for the clerk to tell me
they don't take back components. :)

=NLK=
 
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