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Modding PSU question

Discussion in 'Modding' started by munkey3, 31 Dec 2003.

  1. munkey3

    munkey3 What's a Dremel?

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    Hi!

    Long time lurker, first time poster with some noob questions. I figured this part of the forum would be the right one, because the answer would probably require some modding, also if I can get this working I plan on modding it further. :dremel:

    I want to put a soundcard in the docking station of my laptop, but the docking station doesn't have any spare power cords or anything that I can identify as a PSU. The soundcard requires a four pin disk drive connector. Is there some way to provide power from the docking station that I don't understand?

    I also read on here about using a PSU without a motherboard. Could I just use a seperate PSU to power the card? Would this fry the card?

    Any help/advice is greatly appreciated and I'm more than willingly to provide more detailed info.


    Docking Station

    Sound Card
     
    Last edited: 31 Dec 2003
    munkey3, 31 Dec 2003
    #1
  2. Xiachunyi

    Xiachunyi What's a Dremel?

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    I don't know about the docking station since I've never touched one of those but the external PSU is a good idea.

    To turn on a PSU without a motherboard:
    Just short-circuit the green +5vsb wire with the ground and make sure to have a load on th +12v line, if it is an ATX.
     
    Xiachunyi, 31 Dec 2003
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  3. TekMonkey

    TekMonkey I enjoy cheese.

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    I didn't think docking stations had a power supply, because the laptop computer has one.

    The power from the wall socket goes in through the docking station into the laptop and then back out to the parts of the docking station that needs power.


    I'm not sure if this is right, just a guess.
     
    TekMonkey, 31 Dec 2003
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  4. whypick1

    whypick1 The über-Pick

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    I know for a fact that the docking station on the top of the line Dell Inspiron doesn't have it's own supply, it just piggybacks on the socket on the laptop.
     
    whypick1, 31 Dec 2003
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  5. munkey3

    munkey3 What's a Dremel?

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    Cool, thanks for your great replies.

    I guess something i'm still unclear about is...is there any risk of frying the soundcard by using an external PSU? Does it need to be swtiched on at the exact same time as the docking station/laptop?
     
    munkey3, 1 Jan 2004
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  6. [KT] Mike

    [KT] Mike What's a Dremel?

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    Well it depends on the manufacturer but my IBM port replicator which just offers pass thru connectors doesnt have its own PSU but the docking station we have for another IBM lappy downstairs which gives us PCMCIA card slots and a half size PCI card slot as well as an extra drive bay has its own PSU built in.
     
    [KT] Mike, 1 Jan 2004
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