I hate PCs (and hardware in general)

[drwex]

Fail #2: the second video card doesn't have the same power connector as my PC, and as the old video card.

I'm going to take it as a given that there's no way to adapt the one to the other. I'm also sure that if I was sufficiently practiced in the proper arcana I could've known this before ordering the card.

But now I'm stuck trying to figure out how I can possibly guess what kind of power plug it has before I order yet a THIRD card.

Comments

[mrw42.livejournal.com]

Why do you assume you can't get a converter? Kevin had a similar problem with a video card he bought, and he was able to use a converter that converted his video card's power plug to two of the plugs available on his system...

Here is a site that has lots of information about PC power supplies, converters, etc:

http://www.playtool.com/pages/psuconnectors/connectors.html

Maybe it will at least help you identify what you have and know the right terminology to know what to expect on whatever you buy next.

[drwex]

Thanks. It's been my experience that these things are unreasonably finicky but I'll definitely check out that link. Thank you!

[stephenray.livejournal.com]

You should be able to use a converter without any problems. Happens a lot.

[caulay.livejournal.com]

How about a picture of the new card and its connector? A converter is possible for just about everything.

I'm assuming your old card uses the standard 4-pin peripheral (aka, hard drive) power connector?

[drwex]

It's an ATI Radeon HD 3650 (AGP 512MB). I found a bunch of images via Google but few of them show the power connector.


is probably the closest to showing it. Yes, the old card used what I think of as the standard 4-pin connector. This one wants something thinner.

Looking at http://www.playtool.com/pages/psuconnectors/connectors.html
it appears that this card uses something called the "floppy drive power cable" (??)

[caulay.livejournal.com]

OK, I can see that's a Sapphire card in that picture, is that the manufacturer for yours?

If so, that's definitely a floppy power connector. Check to see if you have a spare one in your system already. If not, HD to floppy power adapters are real common, I've probably got a bunch around here.

[n5red.livejournal.com]

Youngsters these days, they don't even know which end of a soldering iron to pick up. In my day we had to build our own cables and do our own wirewrapping. Spoiled, I tell you, youngsters are so spoiled.