PCI Slots & Power Supply

[Savage1701]

This is a corollary to another post I did, but I don't think I asked my question very clearly. I have an older Socket 370 MB. I have an ATX power supply plugged into it, with the top of the male plug having a short wire between the green and a ground. This keeps the PSU on, but I am wondering - is there any power that is not available at the PCI slots? I have several i-RAM cards, and they will only work in computers that are fully working - CPU, memory, etc. I can't get the cards to work in either regular boards or PCI passive backplanes that are powered on. I know the cards are fine, as they work in any "real" computer. Any thoughts? Does the startup process, even if it ends at BIOS or a DOS diskette, power on other parts of the PCI bus, as opposed to just shorting the PSU on? thanks.

 

[Tmagic650]

Are you sure that this post is clearer than the other? iRAM cards? Are these USB devices?

 

[Savage1701]

Tmagic - got it to work. Swapped out the PS with another one, and added an SATA HD and a CD-ROM drive to draw all power types. That must have done it, since the i-RAM controller fired up as soon as 5-volt line was present.