New Power Supply question

[harty001]

This morning, my computer just died. After fooling around with it, it was apparent that the power supply died. I salvaged a (lesser) power supply from my kids computer, and when I plugged everything in and turned it on, all the fans and lights came on like normal. But, the monitor won't come on. When I have the computer off, the monitor displays the message "No Input - Check Cable Connection", but when I turn the computer on, the monitor goes down. The LED goes from green to amber (the same as it would if it were connected properly and I turned of the computer). Could it be that the new PS I put in isn't powerful enough to sufficiently run the video output? It worked fine on my kids computer... Anyone?

[contrex]

It would help if we knew what kind of power supply you had before, what kind you salvaged from the kids' computer, and what kind of video card you have. it is quite possible that you need to buy a new power supply.

[harty001]

You're right, I'm sorry. In my haste (frustration) to post this, I neglected the basics.

My old PS was an Raidmax ATX 12V 420W. The one I put in from my kids computer is a HiPro HP-K1603A3. From what I can tell, the max wattage is 157W, obvioulsy much less power. Would this give the symptoms I am getting?

[contrex]

You're right, I'm sorry. In my haste (frustration) to post this, I neglected the basics.

My old PS was an Raidmax ATX 12V 420W. The one I put in from my kids computer is a HiPro HP-K1603A3. From what I can tell, the max wattage is 157W, obvioulsy much less power. Would this give the symptoms I am getting?

Yes it certainly would! Big time. Computer suppliers tend to only put in a good-class, beefy PSU like that if it is needed, so I would think your computer needs a 400 watt class, good name power supply. Raidmax have a good reputation, so i would replace it with a PSU of similar quality, eg Antec, Raidmax, Enermax, Zalman, Vantec, Thermaltake.

That 157 watts sounds so feeble I was wondering if it is for real! Your kid's PC must be seriously old and basic! [I just did a Google - they do exist.]

Anyhow, with that 157 watt PSU, I'm not a bit surprised you are getting such results!

[harty001]

OK, I'm a bit embaressed now. Only after you asked did I actually look at the new PS. I looked all over and finally found an output of 157W (I hadn't heard of one either). Its just odd to me that the symptom would manifest itself like that, basically turning off the monitor when I plug it in. Also, I tried not only my graphics card (an ATI Radeon 9200), but straight into the MoBo on-board graphics and got the same results. I guess even that is too powerful for a 157W PS, huh. My kids computer was my moms old computer from the 90's, and even then it was a pretty pedestrian system. But the error I was getting was just totally foreign to me...

I appreciate the help.

Kim

[contrex]

I would guess that the lower power is shutting down the video display system on the computer, and the monitor, when it is plugged in, is detecting that and powering down in response.

Personally, I would not run the rig like that for more than a few seconds. That power supply could give way in dramatic fashion, and take your computer down as it goes.

You find modern computers where a video card or CPU upgrade can suddenly make a 300 watt PSU obsolete, so 157 watts is off the bottom of the scale.