Member Avatar for fillo

Hi Folks...I recently had the good fortune to be given an Athlon A7V8X-X by my nephew who has upgraded.

My old computer is an Acer Pentium 3 550. The Athlon fits beautifully in the case but my concern is that even though the power supply plug fits okay into the new mobo, that it may not be compatible...

I would appreciate any advise on this and any other tips anyone might have to make the transition without blowing anything up..

;) Cheers fillo

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Short, practical summary grounded in the A7V8X‑X manual and the exchange above: the A7V8X‑X is a Socket A board that uses the standard 20‑pin ATX main power connector and the manual calls out minimum PSU capability (the board asks that the +12V rail be able to supply the specified current and the +5VSB standby be present). (manualslib.com)

What said about the plug fitting is useful — ATX main plugs are keyed so a correct PSU plug usually only fits in the right orientation — but there are two important caveats. older systems and non‑standard/NLX cases sometimes used proprietary wiring or slightly different headers, and later motherboards moved to 24‑pin mains and added auxiliary CPU connectors (4‑pin/8‑pin) that a very old PSU may not have. Don’t force a connector and don’t assume identical wiring just because it “looks” right; visually confirm 20‑pin vs 24‑pin and presence/absence of a separate CPU power plug. (playtool.com)

Quick, safe checklist (do these before powering up with the new board installed):

  1. Read the A7V8X‑X section on “ATX power connectors” to confirm the board’s pinout and the stated minimum rail requirements. (manualslib.com)
  2. With the PSU unplugged, inspect the main plug: is it a 20‑pin keyed Molex Mini‑Fit Jr. that matches the board? If the board needs an extra 4‑pin CPU connector and the PSU lacks one, get a modern ATX12V PSU rather than using jury‑rigged adapters. (playtool.com)
  3. If unsure about the PSU’s health, test voltages with a PSU tester or a multimeter following a safe procedure (unplugged to inspect, then powered and measured per instructions). Faulty rails are a common cause of component damage. (lifewire.com)

Final notes: replacing an old, unknown PSU with a known good, modern ATX12V unit is inexpensive insurance and the safest route — it avoids hidden problems such as weak rails, missing standby power, or aging caps. This is the conservative approach that suggested and it’s sound advice for avoiding a risky board/CPU swap. (lifewire.com)

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Member Avatar for chrisbliss18

Why would you be concerned that it wouldn't work? Is there anything you know about the power supply that might indicate that it wouldn't?

What is the brand and model number of the power supply?

Member Avatar for fillo

G'day chrisbliss thanks for the reply.

My Current power supply according to the diagram on the floor of the box is an ATX NLX http://www.pcguide.com/ref/power/sup/form_ATX.htm

Apparently with this pin configuration http://www.pcguide.com/ref/power/sup/parts_Motherboard.htm

However my Athlon manual says it requires an ATX power supply with this pin Configuration


+3.3 VDC | +3.3VCD
-12.0VDC | +3.3VDC
COM | COM
PS_ON# | +5.0VCD
COM | COM
COM | +5.0VCD
COM | COM
-5.0VCD | PWR_OK
+5.0VDC | +5VSB
+5.0VCD | +12.0VDC

As you can see it is virtually the same but a mirror. I guess this is where my concern lies..Do you know of anyone that has taken their old pentium out of their box and replaced it with an AMD?

Cheers fillo

Member Avatar for chrisbliss18

If the cable fits, it should have the same pin configuration considering that they modify the pin shapes when the change pin configurations. So, my guess is that the old powersupply will work just fine with the new board. However, in order to make sure that you don't damage any components, I would recommend getting a newer powersupply just to err on the side of caution.

Member Avatar for fillo

Thanks for that chrisbliss...will do, it always pays to play it safe

Cheers fillo

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