Brand new to pc building, it wont start up

[just_laxin22]

im new to PC building so there are certain things i dont know, but ive done work on PCs before and had no problems figuring things out. I just bought a new setup and ive been putting it together for the last day or 2 and i can figure out whats wrong. I have everything connected the way it should be, hard drives, cd drives etc. The power connection is a 20 pin format, but the format the motherboard wants is a 24 pin connection. The power supple also has an extra 4 pin connector which im told is to makeup for the remaining 4 to make the 24 pin connection. Even with all of this connected it refuses to boot up all the way. For some reason though when i turn off the main switch on the PSU, and then turn it back on, then push the start up button, the 2 case fans will light up and spin for a moment, then everything will go back to being dead. I was also attempting to troubleshoot and i was playing with the pwoer supple connection and at one point i got the whole thing to continuously start. When i pushed the connection all the way in, it powered down. Im not experienced enough to troubleshoot this, but from what ive read perhaps my system is too much for the powersupply. in advance, i appreciate any help someone can give me

my system specs are
AMD athlon 3500
Chaintech vnf4 motherboard
2 gig corsair 3200 ddr ram
chaintech geforce 6800 video card
maxtor 120 gig ide HD
2 toshiba dual layer dvd burners
350 watt powersupply (10A/5A current)

 

[mailpup]

If you are using the 2X2 connector to make up for the missing 4 pins on the motherboard 24 pin connector, what are you using to connect to the separate 2X2 connector on your motherboard? If nothing, that could be the problem.

To make up for the missing 4 pins on the 24 pin connector you could use a 20 pin to 24 pin adapter (about $4.00 us) or you could check your motherboard documentation to see if your mobo will accept the use of a 20 pin connector. If so, the mobo manual will also tell you which 4 pins to leave open. My 24 pin mobo would accept a 20 pin connector but I went with an adapter anyway.

BTW, I agree that you should get a better power supply for your system. It's marginal.

 

[sgtkickass]

Its defo ur psu running a 6800 and 2x dvd rw 3500+ cpu etc will drain wouldnt go for no lower than a 450w - 480w also i had same prob with power connection my 4pin connection 1 wire was split so I wasnt getting the power to mb it would start up run for few secs than turn off had to replace the connector worked fine after that