Hardware Secrets

Uncomplicating the complicated

Everything You Need to Know About Power Supplies

Older Power Plugs

Contents

The two plugs described below aren’t used anymore, but you may find them while disassembling old PCs.

  • Motherboard six-pin auxiliary power connector: This connector was released together with ATX12V 1.x specification, but only a few motherboards (most notably socket 423 and early socket 478 boards) used it.
Six-pin motherboard auxiliary connector

Figure 21: Six-pin auxiliary power connector.

  • Motherboard 12-pin connector: This connector was the main motherboard connector on AT motherboards and
    AT power supplies. It became obsolete with the introduction of the ATX standard. It used two six-pin connectors and the problem was that these two six-pin connectors could be inserted on any side of the 12-pin connector found on the motherboard. In order to avoid mistakes you must install these connectors in a way that the black wires are placed on the center of the connector (see Figure 22).
AT Power Connector

Figure 22: AT power connector.