So what's the problem? That's a Slot-1 motherboard and the fastest slot-1 CPU (Pentium-II @ 450 Mhz) only uses about 36 watts. Even a crappy power supply can handle that with no issues. If it runs, why bother replacing it?

The problem with that model of Bestec is the deadly 5V SB rail. Running load has nothing to do with it.

gdjacobs wrote:

The problem with that model of Bestec is the deadly 5V SB rail. Running load has nothing to do with it.

I'm guessing I'm oblivious here but what does that have to do with anything? I've connected numerous "no name" random chinese power supplies with a +5v SB rail to many older motherboards that pre-dated the P4 power connector.... I've yet to ever witness any issues what so ever with this setup.... Is this something unique to "Bestec" power supplies?

kithylin wrote:

So what's the problem? That's a Slot-1 motherboard and the fastest slot-1 CPU (Pentium-II @ 450 Mhz) only uses about 36 watts. Even a crappy power supply can handle that with no issues. If it runs, why bother replacing it?

http://www.jonnyguru.com/modules.php?name=NDR … =Story&reid=154
Basically, this thing is legendary for +5V rail voltage spikes and killing mobos with the awful +5vsb rail, which lacks short protection and the regulation is poor at best (the rail is a double transistor switcher +capacitor, and if the cap fails, the system, but not the psu, dies.) It depends on when the shoddy caps failed or not. While it hasn't killed the i440-bx-2 yet, I don't want to put a ticking time bomb into an okay retro system. Even if the i440bx system doesn't use the +5vsb rail, I still wouldn't trust such a pile of garbage.

I remember working at a repair shop years ago and we got in plenty of those economy systems from walmart (forget brand) and the bestec psu would always take out the motherboard when it died.

EDIT:

I should mention not every Bestec power supply does this. They build to a quality level that the particular OM wants to spend for that particular series they are being ordered for. I wish I could remember the name of the cheap computer company that had the cheapest Bestecs in them that constantly did this.

I believe the Bestecs were used in Acer systems.

Emachines too possibly.

Sorry, I think it was eMachines. This might have been after Acer bought them, but I can't remember.