Step one - PS

**Graf Spee** · 05-06-2002, 12:24 AM

l'Right. I've been planning this for a while and now, since I've got some time, I want to make this Mp3 player dream come true.

First step is the PS. First problem I run into- everyone is talking about their AT and ATX PSs, but what if I think mine is a ATE? Will it matter when I buy a 12v PS? (Btw: the chip I have is 200 Mhz, but it's free so I really could care less)

Also, how many watts should I shoot for. I assume that more is better. I plan on running 2 HDs - A 540MB and probably a 40 gig if I can get my hands on one cheaply. A fan or two should also be included.

Thanks for any replies.

**magnetik** · 05-06-2002, 01:04 AM

you have your own reasons, but a 540MB and a 40GB?

try to just run a 40GB, since it will save u some power consumption and lower the heat....

**C4M** · 05-06-2002, 05:20 AM

Originally posted by magnetik
you have your own reasons, but a 540MB and a 40GB?

try to just run a 40GB, since it will save u some power consumption and lower the heat....

I'm tipping that the 540 will be boot and the other set to read only?

I only wish I had that much install space to throw around!

**|<amikaze** · 05-06-2002, 10:30 AM

Originally posted by magnetik
you have your own reasons, but a 540MB and a 40GB?

try to just run a 40GB, since it will save u some power consumption and lower the heat....

very true. especially since some of the older drives sucked more power than the newer ones. adding the 540mb could definately cause power problems.

also, since a 540mb drive is really old to start with, it's more likely to fail. and if you are running it like someone above said, with the 40gb running read-only (presumably so that the mp3s dont get corrupted if the system restarts uncleanly), you shouldnt have to worry about that, because only files that are being written to get corrupted during an abrubt restart.

so all in all, i wouldnt use the 540mb

**Graf Spee** · 05-06-2002, 05:19 PM

Agreed. I'm sure that I could just partition the 40 gig. So that would be just a harddrive and a fan or two (It will probably end up being in a pretty concealed area.) So what kind of power would that need?

**|<amikaze** · 05-06-2002, 06:26 PM

well, i have a P150 with a 10gb drive, and it pulls about 4amps on the 5V rail, and normally about 1A on the 12V line. I don't know what kind of load you could expect from a 40gb drive. what you can do is get out a multimeter and measure the current flowing through to both your mobo and your hard drive.

**freestyler** · 05-07-2002, 12:43 AM

I had a 2.0 gig hd installed as the OS drive and the 40gig installed as a read only and the first bump I hit toasted the 2.0gig drive, you gotta be careful about those old drives, they don't like bumps as much as the newer drives do that is for sure. After that I just went with a system partition and a mp3/movie/music vid partition on my 40gig and had zero problems.