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  #1  
Old 05-05-2008, 03:42 PM
jameshanley39@yahoo.co.uk
 
Posts: n/a
Default motherboards ignoring power_good (grey wire) ?!

I was experimenting with the wires - power_on(green) ,
power_good(grey), and 5VSB(purple)

I had read on a pcguide article, something along the lines of, the
PSU sends 5V down power_good , and 5VSB. And when the power button is
pushed, the motherboard then turns the power supply on (presumably
connecting the green and black)


Oddly though, I have noticed that for the few computers I have, if I
cut the power_good wire on my atx psu , it still works fine. The
motherboard is not checking the power_good.

any thoughts why it isn`t checking it?

TIA
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  #2  
Old 05-05-2008, 07:45 PM
do_not_spam_me@my-deja.com
 
Posts: n/a
Default Re: motherboards ignoring power_good (grey wire) ?!



jameshanley39@yahoo.co.uk wrote:

> I was experimenting with the wires - power_on(green) ,
> power_good(grey), and 5VSB(purple)
>
> I had read on a pcguide article, something along the lines of, the
> PSU sends 5V down power_good , and 5VSB. And when the power button is
> pushed, the motherboard then turns the power supply on (presumably
> connecting the green and black)
>
>
> Oddly though, I have noticed that for the few computers I have, if I
> cut the power_good wire on my atx psu , it still works fine. The
> motherboard is not checking the power_good.
>
> any thoughts why it isn`t checking it?


It's possible the Power_good input on the motherboard floats up to 5V
when nothing is connected to it.

I remember some very old motherboards, cheap knockoffs of the original
vintage-1981 IBM PCs, that ignored the Power_good signal and instead
generated their own power-on reset signal through an onboard resistor
and capacitor. That may have been done because many power supplies
from that era generated improper Power_good signals, using nothing but
an R-C delay or even a direct connection to the +5V line, rather than
the fairly elaborate circuit found in IBM brand supplies.
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  #3  
Old 05-05-2008, 08:04 PM
Paul
 
Posts: n/a
Default Re: motherboards ignoring power_good (grey wire) ?!

jameshanley39@yahoo.co.uk wrote:
> I was experimenting with the wires - power_on(green) ,
> power_good(grey), and 5VSB(purple)
>
> I had read on a pcguide article, something along the lines of, the
> PSU sends 5V down power_good , and 5VSB. And when the power button is
> pushed, the motherboard then turns the power supply on (presumably
> connecting the green and black)
>
>
> Oddly though, I have noticed that for the few computers I have, if I
> cut the power_good wire on my atx psu , it still works fine. The
> motherboard is not checking the power_good.
>
> any thoughts why it isn`t checking it?
>
> TIA


Try this reference schematic from Intel.

http://download.intel.com/design/chi...x/BXDPDG10.PDF

Flip to page 32. Look at "ATX Power Connector". On pin 8 of the
connector, there is a signal called "PG1". Notice there is a
8.2K ohm pullup, resistor R216.

If you were to cut the wire at the connector for pin 8, the pullup is
still present on the motherboard side. With the wire disconnected,
the pullup is saying "power still good".

To see whether the motherboard pays attention to power_good,
you'd have to do two things. Cut the wire feeding pin 8.
Then, use a ground wire, to ground pin 8 on the motherboard
side. That will send the "power no good" condition to
the rest of the motherboard.

What should happen, is the motherboard should not POST. The
fans should spin (because all rails would be present), but the
board shouldn't be able to come out of reset.

That motherboard is a dual slot 1, and in addition to checking the
state of PSU power_good, the logic on page 32 also checks that
VRM #1 and VRM #2 are fully operational. On some of those
old boards, the VRM was a plugin module with robust edge
connector. On others, it might have been part of the motherboard.

Paul
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  #4  
Old 05-05-2008, 11:28 PM
jameshanley39@yahoo.co.uk
 
Posts: n/a
Default Re: motherboards ignoring power_good (grey wire) ?!

On 5 May, 20:04, Paul <nos...@needed.com> wrote:
> jameshanle...@yahoo.co.uk wrote:
> > I was experimenting with the wires - power_on(green) ,
> > power_good(grey), and 5VSB(purple)

>
> > I had read on a pcguide article, something along the lines of, *the
> > PSU sends 5V down power_good , and 5VSB. And when the power button is
> > pushed, the motherboard then turns the power supply on (presumably
> > connecting the green and black)

>
> > Oddly though, I have noticed that for the few computers I have, *if I
> > cut the power_good wire on my atx psu , it still works fine. *The
> > motherboard is not checking the power_good.

>
> > any thoughts why it isn`t checking it?

>
> > TIA

>
> Try this reference schematic from Intel.
>
> http://download.intel.com/design/chi...x/BXDPDG10.PDF
>
> Flip to page 32. Look at "ATX Power Connector". On pin 8 of the
> connector, there is a signal called "PG1". Notice there is a
> 8.2K ohm pullup, resistor R216.
>
> If you were to cut the wire at the connector for pin 8, the pullup is
> still present on the motherboard side. With the wire disconnected,
> the pullup is saying "power still good".
>
> To see whether the motherboard pays attention to power_good,
> you'd have to do two things. Cut the wire feeding pin 8.
> Then, use a ground wire, to ground pin 8 on the motherboard
> side. That will send the "power no good" condition to
> the rest of the motherboard.
>
> What should happen, is the motherboard should not POST. The
> fans should spin (because all rails would be present), but the
> board shouldn't be able to come out of reset.
>
> That motherboard is a dual slot 1, and in addition to checking the
> state of PSU power_good, the logic on page 32 also checks that
> VRM #1 and VRM #2 are fully operational. On some of those
> old boards, the VRM was a plugin module with robust edge
> connector. On others, it might have been part of the motherboard.
>


I don't know about electronics beyond using a multimeter..
I can cut the grey wire - and have done..

In layman's terms, How would I ground it "at the motherboard side"- to
use your terminology?

if I look at the atx cable as 2 sides, above the connector is PSU
side, below the connector, is MBRD side.
I cut the wire above the connector.. But below the connector.. things
are a bit cramped!! Considering that the connector is plugged into
the MBRD!


tx
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  #5  
Old 05-06-2008, 02:03 AM
Paul
 
Posts: n/a
Default Re: motherboards ignoring power_good (grey wire) ?!

jameshanley39@yahoo.co.uk wrote:
> On 5 May, 20:04, Paul <nos...@needed.com> wrote:
>> jameshanle...@yahoo.co.uk wrote:
>>> I was experimenting with the wires - power_on(green) ,
>>> power_good(grey), and 5VSB(purple)
>>> I had read on a pcguide article, something along the lines of, the
>>> PSU sends 5V down power_good , and 5VSB. And when the power button is
>>> pushed, the motherboard then turns the power supply on (presumably
>>> connecting the green and black)
>>> Oddly though, I have noticed that for the few computers I have, if I
>>> cut the power_good wire on my atx psu , it still works fine. The
>>> motherboard is not checking the power_good.
>>> any thoughts why it isn`t checking it?
>>> TIA

>> Try this reference schematic from Intel.
>>
>> http://download.intel.com/design/chi...x/BXDPDG10.PDF
>>
>> Flip to page 32. Look at "ATX Power Connector". On pin 8 of the
>> connector, there is a signal called "PG1". Notice there is a
>> 8.2K ohm pullup, resistor R216.
>>
>> If you were to cut the wire at the connector for pin 8, the pullup is
>> still present on the motherboard side. With the wire disconnected,
>> the pullup is saying "power still good".
>>
>> To see whether the motherboard pays attention to power_good,
>> you'd have to do two things. Cut the wire feeding pin 8.
>> Then, use a ground wire, to ground pin 8 on the motherboard
>> side. That will send the "power no good" condition to
>> the rest of the motherboard.
>>
>> What should happen, is the motherboard should not POST. The
>> fans should spin (because all rails would be present), but the
>> board shouldn't be able to come out of reset.
>>
>> That motherboard is a dual slot 1, and in addition to checking the
>> state of PSU power_good, the logic on page 32 also checks that
>> VRM #1 and VRM #2 are fully operational. On some of those
>> old boards, the VRM was a plugin module with robust edge
>> connector. On others, it might have been part of the motherboard.
>>

>
> I don't know about electronics beyond using a multimeter..
> I can cut the grey wire - and have done..
>
> In layman's terms, How would I ground it "at the motherboard side"- to
> use your terminology?
>
> if I look at the atx cable as 2 sides, above the connector is PSU
> side, below the connector, is MBRD side.
> I cut the wire above the connector.. But below the connector.. things
> are a bit cramped!! Considering that the connector is plugged into
> the MBRD!
>
>
> tx


There are a couple ways to think about it. If you look at the motherboard
by itself, pin 8 would be exposed on the solder side. You could make
contact there.

But, you're missing another opportunity.

Cut the gray wire in half. That disconnects the Power_Good signal from
the PSU. Then, grab the half of the wire still connected to the motherboard.
Ground that end, which should pull down the signal on the motherboard.

------+ gray pin 8
PSU |------X X---------------X Motherboard
------+ ^ Connector
| connect
| end to GND
|
Ground

HTH,
Paul
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  #6  
Old 05-06-2008, 09:39 PM
davy's Avatar
Super Moderator
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Posts: 2,657
davy is on a distinguished road
Default

Theres two power supplies in a computer PSU.... the 5V that is always on as long as there is power there, this is the 5V standby supply that switches the main power unit when commanded... here should be some useful readings-:

Power supply rail Voltages and About Power Supply Units and heres a bonus to top it off Power Supply Calculator, hope they're useful.

davy
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  #7  
Old 05-07-2008, 09:45 AM
Rod Speed
 
Posts: n/a
Default Re: motherboards ignoring power_good (grey wire) ?!

davy <davy.390rpf@no.email.invalid> wrote:

> Theres two power supplies in a computer PSU.... the 5V that is
> always on as long as there is power there, this is the 5V standby
> supply that switches the main power unit when commanded...


Thats comprehensively mangling what actually happens.

> here should be some useful readings-:
>
> 'Power supply rail Voltages'
> (http://www.answers.com/topic/power-supply-rail) and 'About Power
> Supply Units' (http://murfsgarage.cybertechhelp.com/Power.htm) and
> heres a bonus to top it off 'Power Supply Calculator'
> (http://www.journeysystems.com/power_...calculator.php), hope
> they're useful.



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  #8  
Old 05-07-2008, 04:28 PM
kony
 
Posts: n/a
Default Re: motherboards ignoring power_good (grey wire) ?!

On Mon, 5 May 2008 07:42:01 -0700 (PDT),
"jameshanley39@yahoo.co.uk" <jameshanley39@yahoo.co.uk>
wrote:

>I was experimenting with the wires - power_on(green) ,
>power_good(grey), and 5VSB(purple)
>
>I had read on a pcguide article, something along the lines of, the
>PSU sends 5V down power_good , and 5VSB. And when the power button is
>pushed, the motherboard then turns the power supply on (presumably
>connecting the green and black)
>
>
>Oddly though, I have noticed that for the few computers I have, if I
>cut the power_good wire on my atx psu , it still works fine. The
>motherboard is not checking the power_good.
>
>any thoughts why it isn`t checking it?
>
>TIA



Design guides, specs, etc... all very good ideas, but
there's no international task force compelling others to
follow them in spirit, if at all.

For example, consider the generic 500W PSU capable of only
250W.

I suspect in some cases the motherboard designer takes the
quick route assuming the PSU must be held reponsible for
turning off if power isn't "good", that the motherboard
itself needs no further reasons not to post and run - which
would increase customer returns if it could otherwise work.

Now the curious question, why you're cutting the power-good
wires on your power supplies?
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  #9  
Old 05-10-2008, 04:28 PM
Splork
 
Posts: n/a
Default Re: motherboards ignoring power_good (grey wire) ?!

On Wed, 07 May 2008 11:28:35 -0400, kony <spam@spam.com> wrote:

>On Mon, 5 May 2008 07:42:01 -0700 (PDT),
>"jameshanley39@yahoo.co.uk" <jameshanley39@yahoo.co.uk>
>wrote:
>
>>I was experimenting with the wires - power_on(green) ,
>>power_good(grey), and 5VSB(purple)
>>
>>I had read on a pcguide article, something along the lines of, the
>>PSU sends 5V down power_good , and 5VSB. And when the power button is
>>pushed, the motherboard then turns the power supply on (presumably
>>connecting the green and black)
>>
>>
>>Oddly though, I have noticed that for the few computers I have, if I
>>cut the power_good wire on my atx psu , it still works fine. The
>>motherboard is not checking the power_good.
>>
>>any thoughts why it isn`t checking it?
>>
>>TIA

>
>
>Design guides, specs, etc... all very good ideas, but
>there's no international task force compelling others to
>follow them in spirit, if at all.
>
>For example, consider the generic 500W PSU capable of only
>250W.
>
>I suspect in some cases the motherboard designer takes the
>quick route assuming the PSU must be held reponsible for
>turning off if power isn't "good", that the motherboard
>itself needs no further reasons not to post and run - which
>would increase customer returns if it could otherwise work.
>
>Now the curious question, why you're cutting the power-good
>wires on your power supplies?


And a cut Wire = Nothing

Nothing and Zero are not the same.
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  #10  
Old 05-11-2008, 01:35 PM
jameshanley39@yahoo.co.uk
 
Posts: n/a
Default Re: motherboards ignoring power_good (grey wire) ?!

On May 6, 2:03 am, Paul <nos...@needed.com> wrote:
> jameshanle...@yahoo.co.uk wrote:
> > On 5 May, 20:04, Paul <nos...@needed.com> wrote:
> >> jameshanle...@yahoo.co.uk wrote:
> >>> I was experimenting with the wires - power_on(green) ,
> >>> power_good(grey), and 5VSB(purple)
> >>> I had read on a pcguide article, something along the lines of, the
> >>> PSU sends 5V down power_good , and 5VSB. And when the power button is
> >>> pushed, the motherboard then turns the power supply on (presumably
> >>> connecting the green and black)
> >>> Oddly though, I have noticed that for the few computers I have, if I
> >>> cut the power_good wire on my atx psu , it still works fine. The
> >>> motherboard is not checking the power_good.
> >>> any thoughts why it isn`t checking it?
> >>> TIA
> >> Try this reference schematic from Intel.

>
> >>http://download.intel.com/design/chi...x/BXDPDG10.PDF

>
> >> Flip to page 32. Look at "ATX Power Connector". On pin 8 of the
> >> connector, there is a signal called "PG1". Notice there is a
> >> 8.2K ohm pullup, resistor R216.

>
> >> If you were to cut the wire at the connector for pin 8, the pullup is
> >> still present on the motherboard side. With the wire disconnected,
> >> the pullup is saying "power still good".

>
> >> To see whether the motherboard pays attention to power_good,
> >> you'd have to do two things. Cut the wire feeding pin 8.
> >> Then, use a ground wire, to ground pin 8 on the motherboard
> >> side. That will send the "power no good" condition to
> >> the rest of the motherboard.

>
> >> What should happen, is the motherboard should not POST. The
> >> fans should spin (because all rails would be present), but the
> >> board shouldn't be able to come out of reset.

>
> >> That motherboard is a dual slot 1, and in addition to checking the
> >> state of PSU power_good, the logic on page 32 also checks that
> >> VRM #1 and VRM #2 are fully operational. On some of those
> >> old boards, the VRM was a plugin module with robust edge
> >> connector. On others, it might have been part of the motherboard.

>
> > I don't know about electronics beyond using a multimeter..
> > I can cut the grey wire - and have done..

>
> > In layman's terms, How would I ground it "at the motherboard side"- to
> > use your terminology?

>
> > if I look at the atx cable as 2 sides, above the connector is PSU
> > side, below the connector, is MBRD side.
> > I cut the wire above the connector.. But below the connector.. things
> > are a bit cramped!! Considering that the connector is plugged into
> > the MBRD!

>
> > tx

>
> There are a couple ways to think about it. If you look at the motherboard
> by itself, pin 8 would be exposed on the solder side. You could make
> contact there.
>
> But, you're missing another opportunity.
>
> Cut the gray wire in half. That disconnects the Power_Good signal from
> the PSU. Then, grab the half of the wire still connected to the motherboard.
> Ground that end, which should pull down the signal on the motherboard.



thanks for the explanation.. I did it by using a long wire, stripped
both ends, and connected/hooked one end to the metal within the
case(on the 5.25 enclosure), and I held the other end of the long
wire, onto that that bit you mention, the bit of wire now "sprouting"
from the MBRD atx connector.

And it did have an effect..

For the duration that it was grounded, it went into a state, I can
describe as,
PSU fan on, case fan plugged into PSU, was on. or CPU fan plugged into
PSU, was on.
No Video, ,the LED on the monitor was orange not green.

If the computer was off, and I pushed the on/off button, it would turn
on but into that state.
If the computer was on, it would go into that state.

Of course , if the computer was off, ungrounding it would do nothing.
But if the computer was "on" in that state, with the wire grounded.
And it was ungrounded, then it would reset.. You get the flash of
lights on the ps2 keyboard as it gets its power, you get the BIOS,
e.t.c.
So when it went into the state I described, while grounded, it was a
bit like a "partial" reset.

If the computer was running/"on" i.e. running regularly, or in that
state, e.g. fans, then as soon as it was ungrounded, it would reset..

The reason why I wanted to know more about power_good, was besides the
obvious reason that it is useful generally to know how things work.
I know somebody that had a problem with their PSU and for some reason
or other, did not want to replace it yet, but wanted to do every test
he could on the PSU. I wanted to generalise that problem.. Say I
only have one PSU, or I have others, but still, I want to know exactly
what it was..

I know of testing 12V 5V , with a multimeter.
I know of trying to turn it on by connecting green and a black

His computer would not turn on..when he pushed the button.
I was wondering , what other tests he could do,

and was wondering, maybe his PSU was not giving a power_good signal,
and maybe that was why his MBRD was not turn on, and if he could test
power_good, then maybe he would see that.
Though with my initial test - cutting the power_good wire, it makes no
difference whether it gives it or not!
it seems to me that your test shows that the motherbaord prodcues its
own (and it can be seen with a multimeter).

so in doing that, I didn't learn anything that would help to test a
power supply(testing easily testable areas to see where the problem
lies)!

I have heard of an electronic test to see if there is a response from
the power switch, a test one might do if a computer does not turn on.
I saw it mentioned of on another ng somewhere. But no further
description. Any idea?

thanks
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