m1-atx: no hd power

**rando** · 03-07-2005, 04:56 PM

Originally Posted by blasterguy128

Ok, I did what you said and tested the harddrive power while it was running. First I connected the meter and then I turned the comp on. So as soon as I booted the comp the meter went from 0v to 12v right away, and the same with the 5v.

Does the motherboard control how the hd is turned on or is it the psu?

This is very confusing because I figured if the hd has power then it should turn on.

If you measured +5V and +12V right at the HD power connector, it should come on. Pull the IDE cable and recheck -- it should power up. If not, then you HD is defective or something is shorting out its conntroller when mounted

When you powered it with a standard PSU, Was it installed just like in the pictures, or did you remove it and use a different mounting/cables? Also I can't tell from the pictures, is that a 3.5" or 2.5" drive? If 2.5", check your adapter too.

**blasterguy128** · 03-07-2005, 05:51 PM

Ok, I took off the ide cable and still nothing. So I grabbed a few ide cables and a brand new 80gig hd that I had. I first tried switching the ide's and still nothing. But then I tried the new hd. When I turned on the motherboard it started to make a consecutive sound every 2 sec or so. It almost sounded like it was gonna start but then lost power, and then it kept trying every 2 sec. So I immediatly thought its gotta be losing power. I took out the volt meter and checked the +12. Everytime the hd made the noise the voltage went from +12 to +11 and then back up. I checked the +5 and it stayed steady the whole time.

Im going to test the voltage coming from the battery now. :I checked and it has a solid +12v, the needle didn't move when I turned on the mobo.

If I get a new m1-atx, do you think it will solve the problem or do you think it is something other than the psu?

**Change** · 03-07-2005, 07:11 PM

Sounds like the power supply is producing insufficient power for all your devices. Check the hard drive specifications and the specs of all the other devices attached and add up their power requirements.

**Blinky13** · 03-07-2005, 07:50 PM

Hi blasterguy.

I like your computer set up. Now on to your problem.

This may be something that you have tried, but I would like you try it again and tell me what you find.
Hook up ONLY your hard drive. Your hard drive should spin even without any IDE cables and such attached to it. You will hear it running.\
If you hear nothing, I want you to do this: While your hard drive is hooked up and the power supply turned on. Take your voltmeter, and jam the negative lead into the black wire at the back of the white connector that powers the hard drive. Don't actually poke through the outer coating of the wire, there will be a little space where the wire goes into the back of the connector, stick your lead into there. Put the positive lead into the space where the red wire goes in and read the voltage. Then stick the positive lead into where the yellow wire goes into the connector and read the voltage. Report back here with the voltages you find.

Good luck.

**Pilt** · 03-07-2005, 08:57 PM

Have you measure the voltage across the input to the M1?

Coz if that isnt high enough, it could cause such a problem

Do you test it with your car running?

Your using 10 gauge wire which should be fine, but it does sound like the m1 isnt getting enough power, check that its grounded proper, or just connect the m1 directly off the battery (with short wires) and see if that works

Otherwise it sounds like it may be faulty

P.S I just put one of these into an xbox and it works great!

**blasterguy128** · 03-07-2005, 09:51 PM

Its working!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ok, heres what I did.

I went out there and thought if its not getting enough power than two sticks of ram isn't gonna help. So I took out one. Then just to double check, I unplugged and replugged all of the connections to the m1. Then I booted and it worked. So I shut the comp back down, put all the ram back in and it still woeked. Then I plugged in the accessories and everything seems to be working as it should be.

I am not sure what made it work because all my connections were in good and it had enough power to handle the ram so what was it?

Thanks a lot guys! You have been very helpful.

Pilt, why would you put one in your xbox? Or maybe I should be asking is your xbox in your car and is it modded?

Modding the xbox was one of my projects (a couple before this one) and it was a lot of fun. I put a 120gig hd in it and basically installed an operating system on it. I have games, emulators, movies, and whole buch of others on it! People said I was

for that project, just like this one.

**rando** · 03-08-2005, 02:00 AM

Originally Posted by blasterguy128

Im going to test the voltage coming from the battery now. :I checked and it has a solid +12v, the needle didn't move when I turned on the mobo.

You have to do this check at the inputs to the M1-ATX ... not somewhere else in your circuit. If you did it at the M1 and saw a steady 12V -- you may have a supply problem. To be sure, do what I suggested before and hook up your M1-ATX closer to the battery with sufficiently sized wires.

**blasterguy128** · 03-08-2005, 06:39 AM

Originally Posted by rando

You have to do this check at the inputs to the M1-ATX ... not somewhere else in your circuit. If you did it at the M1 and saw a steady 12V -- you may have a supply problem. To be sure, do what I suggested before and hook up your M1-ATX closer to the battery with sufficiently sized wires.

Thanks for the help rando, but if you look at the post before yours (#16)you will see its working. Thanks a lot for your help.

I'm sure it was just 2:00 AM and you were tired. But guess what It's around 6:40 AM right now, I think I'm going to sleep because my eyes are doin this

**rando** · 03-08-2005, 11:20 AM

Doh, that was weird. I definitely didn't see your post there when I posted. Hmmm...

Oh well, by bad dude. Good to see you got it working. Enjoy!

**Pilt** · 03-08-2005, 02:37 PM

Yeah, it wasnnt actually for me but for a mate, hes been using a modded xbox for ages with an inverter, but he wanted to make it neater so i did it for him!

I was planning on using an xbox for a car pc, mainly because im a student and they are so cheap. If only XBMC was touchscreen compatiblke, that would make a great frontend!!

I dont think im gonna try it yet thou, i had a look and the xbox runs linux too slow and there arent any good enough front ends out yet for linux!

Maybe one day........