# [SOLVED] Hp xw4600 Power supply



## athulkrishnan97 (Sep 5, 2012)

hi,

recently my computer keeps shutting down randomly and sometimes doesn't start at all.. So i decided to replace my power supply 450w to 650w. but when i researched, i found out that many people are having problems with other power supply which are not from hp. one example : GS600 PSU not working in xw4600 Workstatio​n. - HP Enterprise Business Community


they say something about the voltage differences which stops the pc from starting and i was wondering whether the same thing would happen with my new psu. They also say that you can fix it but i couldn't understand their technicalities. can anyone help me with this problem?

i can work with wires if that's a necessity.


My specs:

HP xw4600 workstation

4gb ddr2 ram

Gt 630 graphics

450w delta electronics psu (stock)

intel duo 3.3ghz dual core




Thank you.......:smile:


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## MPR (Aug 28, 2010)

*Re: Hp xw4600 Power supply*

Proprietary designs are the bane of upgrades. While some claim that they must deviate from industry standards for engineering reasons, proprietary design seems mostly to force consumers into buying overpriced proprietary parts rather than the cheaper industry standard alternative. However, to give HP the benefit of the doubt, computer standardization even ten years ago was in a state of flux, especially in the difference between server and workstations systems versus home PCs so there may not have been a definite standard when your system was built. 

The posters in the thread mention three pin differences but they are not the same as the ones I get by looking at the service manual's pinouts. The HP employee's "unofficial" posting showed a pinout that corresponds to the HP service manual. From reading the thread, it seems that the OP never got the ATX PSU to work. This may be because he/she had the wrong pinout or, as mentioned by others in the thread, something else related to the motherboard circuitry was causing it to shut down the PSU. The OP never continued the thread so it's not known if the issue was resolved.

In other threads I've not seen anyone who got an ATX PSU to work. Several mentioned calling HP regarding the issue only to essentially get the "cold shoulder." OEMs don't want you upgrading -- they want you to buy new systems from them.

Others noted that the voltages and currents supplied by proprietary HP PSUs sometimes differed from ATX standards too, which made modification not as simple as simply moving wires around. One electronics-savvy user made a DC-DC converter that he included into a homemade adapter and got a different model of HP workstation board to power up.

There may be a HP PSU that can be used to upgrade your workstation. I have seen reference to a 600 W unit but can't find one specifically. You might call HP to see. Unfortunately, even this unit may not have the PCIe-standard power connections must new video cards use.

Some posters suggested an auxiliary PSU to power the video card. There used to be PSUs made for this specific purpose but one gets into power balance problems while trying to use two separate PSUs and many users found themselves destroying not only their motherboards but also the PSUs themselves.

Non-standard modifications always present a risk of damaging the components of the system. Also, the dimensions of the HP PSU don't seem to be ATX standard and a non-HP replacement may not even fit into the case without modification. Essentially this is going to be an electronics hobby project if you wish to undertake it, not a simple upgrade.


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## athulkrishnan97 (Sep 5, 2012)

*Re: Hp xw4600 Power supply*

Thank you MPR for your reply..... As of the video card, i do not intend to upgrade it in the future. i am forced to use this system until i can afford a new one. i can make arrangements for the psu to be seated properly because i have a few experiences to guide me. But i am completely lost about what to do when i receive the psu. Will it not work at all? if yes, what can i do to make it work..... i am ready to undertake the electronic hobby project you mentioned if it would fix my system.

Thank you and waiting for your reply...................



btw my friend has a hp compaq and installing a new psu caused no problems. soo will it be the same for me?


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## MPR (Aug 28, 2010)

*Re: Hp xw4600 Power supply*

On your HP motherboard/PSU combo, pin 8 is not attached. On the standard ATX motherboard this is the PWR_OK. 

If this signal from the PSU is not present on ATX motherboards the system will shut down. However, you motherboard doesn't have this pin connected.

On your HP motherboard/PSU combo, pins 12 and 23 are not connected. On the standard ATC motherboard they are -12 VDC and +5 VDC respectively. 

One user found that there was a problem with the ATX PSU not sending enough current on the +5V_AUX pin but this may have been due to his specific PSU.

I can't say whether an ATX PSU will work or not. Neither the original poster in the thread you linked nor a commenting poster could get their ATX PSUs to work with the xw4600 Workstatio​n.


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## Panther063 (Jul 13, 2009)

*Re: Hp xw4600 Power supply*

According to a post by a H.P. employee, this is the pin outs for the XW4600..
http://h30499.www3.hp.com/t5/image/...B663FE5F0D/image-size/original?v=mpbl-1&px=-1

I hope it helps.


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## athulkrishnan97 (Sep 5, 2012)

*Re: Hp xw4600 Power supply*

thank you for your reply...... i shall experiment with the psu once i recieve it.i have a couple of questions...should i disconnect the wires from the new psu which are not connected in the old one?. I also read something about forcing the psu ON by using a paperclip to short two pins, should i try it? And thanks to panther063 for the pinout


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## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

*Re: Hp xw4600 Power supply*

Edited to be more precise and avoid any confusion.

Shorting the PSU with a paperclip will only tell you if the PSU is capable of turning on/running but not if it is capable of power on the PC.


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## Bill_Bright (Dec 17, 2004)

*Re: Hp xw4600 Power supply*

@ athulkrishnan97 -The HP xw4600 came out in 2008. And according to HP, this review and this review,


> HP puts an 80 PLUS efficient power supply standard in every xw4600


80 PLUS Certified power supplies conform to the ATX Form Factor Standard for PSUs. Therefore, you should be able to buy any ATX compliant PSU with adequate power and pop it in with no worries of fitting or mounting in the [ATX] case, compatible connectors, or shorting out voltages and creating more damage - ASSUMING the old PSU failed on it's own, and was not "taken out" by another fault on the output side. 

*****



MPR said:


> Proprietary designs are the bane of upgrades. While some claim that they must deviate from industry standards for engineering reasons, proprietary design seems mostly to force consumers into buying overpriced proprietary parts rather than the cheaper industry standard alternative. However, to give HP the benefit of the doubt, computer standardization even ten years ago was in a state of flux, especially in the difference between server and workstations systems versus home PCs so there may not have been a definite standard when your system was built.


I am not giving HP _any_ benefit of the doubt. The "official" *ATX Form Factor Standard* for PCs has been in existence since 1995 - almost 20 years, not 10, and long before 2008. 

Those who claim they must deviate from standards for "engineering" reasons are simply lying to us - therefore, you can probably assume they are marketing weenies, or they are the bean counters who control the purse strings. That is, not the engineers or designers. 

The ONLY reason companies like HP and Dell used proprietary parts on PCs was to cut production costs and force users to buy upgrades and replacements through them. That is, to squash competition! 

These companies finally wised up - especially as more and more users (or their neighborhood/family computer geek) started building, upgrading and repairing their own systems, and telling others to avoid those proprietary systems. 



> Proprietary designs are the bane of upgrades.


How very true and that is particularly true of notebooks where there is no ATX Form Factor Standard. :angry:

Notebook makers, in their desire to make their notebooks different, stand out, thinner, lighter use proprietary parts and design all the time. And with no standards, they get away with it. 

Without the PC's ATX Form Factor Standard, there would be NO self-build or computer upgrade industry. Newegg and TigerDirect, if they existed at all, would be nothing like they are now. 

And because there is no similar standard for notebooks, there is virtually NO self-build/upgrade industry. Even if an experienced technician wanted to build his or her own notebook, it is almost impossible. Component options are extremely limited - which does what? Limits competition, thus keeps prices up. 

Proprietary design is a primary reason why notebook prices started out high and have remained high, and have not dropped at the same rates as PC prices. 

There is only one reason notebook batteries come in all shapes and sizes _and voltages_ :5-censore and that is to keep prices, and proprietary profits up. Of course the companies (or their marketing/PR weenies) will try to convince us otherwise, but consider this: the components mounted on notebook motherboards, and the HDs, SSDs, RAM that goes inside, are essentially the same as used on PC motherboards - or at least come in "standard" sizes and require the same power specs. That is, they too use the "same" +3.3VDC, +5VDC, and +12VDC voltages as provided by PC power supplies to PC motherboards. 

Yet to force users to buy replacement batteries and chargers from them, Sony, Toshiba, Acer, HP/Compaq, Dell, etc. all use proprietary batteries, which then require proprietary voltage divider circuits to break the non-standard voltages down into the standard 3.3, 5 and 12V standard voltages. 

@ athulkrishnan97 - the problem is not voltage "differences" but the "pin-out" (wiring) of the main power connector. That is, the voltages are the same, just attached to a different pin from the "Standard". But again, according to that HP link and those two reviews, your pin-out "should be" standard. 



Tyree said:


> Shorting the PSU with a paperclip will tell you if the PSU is capable of turning on/running.


But it will not tell you the status to the PSU. Just turning on does not mean all 3 voltages are present, within ATX Form Factor required tolerances, or without excessive ripple. And because there is no load at all, shorting the pins provides absolutely no reassurance the PSU will work (and work within tolerances) when presented with a realistic load. 

Plus, if it is a proprietary PSU, unless you have the pin-out, shorting the wrong two pins may cause you more grief, and expense than you bargained for.

ANY power supply, be it a battery, a PC PSU, or even a car engine, to "conclusively" test it, it MUST be tested under a _variety_ of realistic loads. This is not something most "normal" users are capable of doing. 

Before someone says, "multimeter", to properly test voltages with a multimeter, the user must jam hardened, pointed, highly conductive metal probes deep into the heart of the computer where one tiny slip can cut a Grand Canyon size gorge (microscopically speaking) through multiple traces (circuits) on the motherboard. Plus, the vast majority of multimeters are incapable of testing for *ripple*. 

For those reasons, I recommend having PSUs professionally tested by a qualified technician using an o'scope or a power supply analyzer - both expensive and specialized test equipment that require technical training to operate and to understand the results. 

Fortunately, there are other options that are almost as good. I keep one of these *PSU Testers* in my tool bag in my truck. The advantage of this model is that it has an LCD readout of the voltage. With an actual voltage readout, you have a better chance of detecting a "failing" PSU, or one barely within the required tolerances as specified in the *ATX Form Factor PSU Design Guide* (see “Table 2. DC Output Voltage Regulation” below from Page 13).

However, none of these testers test for ripple and other anomalies that affect computer stability and they only provide a little "dummy load", not a variety of "realistic" loads. So while not a certain test, these testers are better than nothing. They are also great when using a spare PSU for testing fans and drive motors as they signal the PSU to turn on when plugged in. But to your problem, they will also help determine if a PSU is proprietary, or not.


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## athulkrishnan97 (Sep 5, 2012)

*Re: Hp xw4600 Power supply*

Thank you guys...Really appreciate the help... I will now mark the thread as solved.


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## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

You're welcome and best of luck.


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## athulkrishnan97 (Sep 5, 2012)

Hi, just wanted to follow up...The psu did work but the size of the new one is slightly smaller than the old one and only two out of the four screws was correctly aligned. I could seat it correctly with a few tweaks done to the case.....


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## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

Did you try inverting the PSU? Your case is Batx, the B is for backwards.


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## Bill_Bright (Dec 17, 2004)

I have heard of (and used) "bottom" for "B" (because the PSU typically mounts in the bottom of the case, not the top). Backwards is a new one for me. 

But regardless, it is really BTX (not BATX) and the B actually stands for "balanced".

See BTX Form Factor.


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## athulkrishnan97 (Sep 5, 2012)

Tyree said:


> Did you try inverting the PSU? Your case is Batx, the B is for backwards.


yeah....i have tried it. Didn't fit..


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## Bill_Bright (Dec 17, 2004)

If this were me, I would probably dump that case and buy a standard case from Antec or CoolerMaster - then stop worrying about this proprietary mess. Because BTX never took off, I suspect your motherboard will mount perfectly in an ATX mid tower case.


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## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

Bottom-Backwards...either means it's the opposite of standard. 
Two screws should hold the PSU securely. 
Attempting to move a OEM Mobo into a retail case can come with it's own set of problems. Mobo mounting can be different on OEM Mobo's and case to Mobo wiring can be an issue as well.


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## athulkrishnan97 (Sep 5, 2012)

Tyree said:


> Bottom-Backwards...either means it's the opposite of standard.
> Two screws should hold the PSU securely.
> Attempting to move a OEM Mobo into a retail case can come with it's own set of problems. Mobo mounting can be different on OEM Mobo's and case to Mobo wiring can be an issue as well.



will a standard mobo fit in my case if i wanted to upgrade it in the future? this one really looks like it's high quality.....


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## gcavan (Aug 13, 2009)

I'm wondering how it was decided this is a BTX form factor. Assuming it has not been modified from the original, the motherboard is a stand sized (9.6 x 12 inches) ATX. This from HPs documentation.
Product documentation

Furthermore, a quick Google search will reveal several dozen views of the xw4600. A BTX is visually not even close to an ATX

PS: The easiest way to identify a BTX ff board (though not devinitive) is to look at the memory slots. On a BTX board, they will be aligned parallel to the PCI slots as opposed to being perpendicular to them on an ATX board.


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## Bill_Bright (Dec 17, 2004)

Tyree said:


> Attempting to move a OEM Mobo into a retail case can come with it's own set of problems. Mobo mounting can be different on OEM Mobo's and case to Mobo wiring can be an issue as well.


The only problem I have had removing a OEM motherboard from a OEM case (and we've done many case upgrades here) involves how the board was secured to the case. Some factory made cases require laying the motherboard over metal tines punched in the OEM case that are then bent over by the assembly robot to hold the board in place. If unbending to remove the old board does not break the tines, bending them back to secure a second board likely will. 

But I am not suggesting putting a board back in a OEM case, but into a standard mid or full ATX. Full ATX cases are huge and heavy so mid is more likely for most users. 

And even OEM motherboard makers poke mounting holes in standard ATX locations because ASUS, Foxconn, and the other major OEM motherboard makers make these boards for many different computer makers, and even for their own branded boards. It is how the boards are populated with mounted components, slots, ports, and added devices that makes them truly proprietary. 

So moving an OEM board to a standard mid or larger case is not a problem in terms of fit and mounting holes - at least for PC motherboards. All bets are off with notebook motherboards. 

And there are ALWAYS labeling issues mounting ANY motherboard in ANY case as front panel wire labeling rarely ever matches motherboard front panel header labeling. 

I am not suggesting this is a piece of cake. I am just saying getting rid of proprietary parts, when possible, makes future upgrades and repairs easier. 

But of course, just because I have never encountered problems mounting OEM boards into standard cases does not mean Tyree or others have not! In fact, if they have, that just further illustrates the evils of proprietary parts and the need to avoid them. 



athulkrishnan97 said:


> will a standard mobo fit in my case if i wanted to upgrade it in the future?


If OEM cases were "standard", then yes. But that is the point here, they are not standard. So without both case and board sitting on my bench, I cannot answer that. 



> this one really looks like it's high quality.....


 Sorry, but which one? Did you mean to include a link?


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## Bill_Bright (Dec 17, 2004)

> A BTX is visually not even close to an ATX


You are right, at least not from the inside or rear views. 

That said, but to add to the confusion, there are ATX Form Factor cases that place the PSU on the bottom of the case like standard BTX cases. But they only support ATX Form Factor boards, mounted in the standard orientation.


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## gcavan (Aug 13, 2009)

umm . . The BTX form factor has nothing to do with the placement of the power supply. It is a specification for motherboards only.



> there are ATX Form Factor cases that place the PSU on the bottom of the case


I think you'll find that top mount cases are disappearing. Most new cases all mount the ps over a vent in the bottom.


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## Bill_Bright (Dec 17, 2004)

> umm . . The BTX form factor has nothing to do with the placement of the power supply. It is a specification for motherboards only.


Ummm, sorry, but that is not true at all - at least the motherboard only part. Certainly, motherboard design is a major part, but if "motherboard only" why are their BTX cases?

It is BECAUSE BTX cases and motherboards are so different and NOT fully compatible that BTX has failed to replace ATX in the marketplace. 

As noted in the official Balanced Technology Extended (BTX) System Design Guide, there are many changes to the chassis design in the two BTX case standards. 

Further reading: AnandTech | Balanced Technology eXtended (BTX) Form Factor - The Future of Cases & Motherboards
Background: What Distinguishes BTX From The ATX Form Factor? - Either Way ATX or BTX Cases

That said bottom mounting PSUs are not a part of the official design but were common when BTX first came out and was treated as an "upside down" ATX.


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## athulkrishnan97 (Sep 5, 2012)

Bill_Bright said:


> Sorry, but which one? Did you mean to include a link?


i meant the one i have now...it's really heavy (compared to what i have seen) and looks strong too..so i was wondering if i could the same case for another build...

and what is BTX? the mobo and case looks the same as all the PCs i have seen.....


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## gcavan (Aug 13, 2009)

BTX is/was an alternate specification brought about by a consortium of OEMs (Dell, HP, etc) which was designed to replace the ATX spec for PC components. In theory, it was generally a good idea, in that it provided a more efficient and logical layout of motherboard components and for better overall cooling. The hurdle it could not overcome is as Bill stated; it was just too different.

In any case, this discussion is irrelevant as your pc seems to follow the ATX standard.


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## athulkrishnan97 (Sep 5, 2012)

gcavan said:


> BTX is/was an alternate specification brought about by a consortium of OEMs (Dell, HP, etc) which was designed to replace the ATX spec for PC components. In theory, it was generally a good idea, in that it provided a more efficient and logical layout of motherboard components and for better overall cooling. The hurdle it could not overcome is as Bill stated; it was just too different.
> 
> In any case, this discussion is irrelevant as your pc seems to follow the ATX standard.


Thanks for clearing that up.. :smile:


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## Bill_Bright (Dec 17, 2004)

> BTX is/was an alternate specification brought about by a consortium of OEMs (Dell, HP, etc)


No sorry. BTX (like ATX) was developed almost exclusively by Intel (when they were a major OEM motherboard supplier) to accommodate the increased cooling demands of modern CPUs and other heat generating devices on motherboards and within our cases. This is easily verified with a simple Google search, or by reading the intros in the Tom's Hardware or Anandtech links I provided above. 

If there were a consortium and if Dell and HP were a part of it, there might have been a good chance we would all have BTX systems now. 

And sorry, but I included the wrong link above. I meant to provide a link to the BTX Chassis Design Guidelines, not "System" Design - though the System Design doc showed the differences in case design standards too.


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