[geeks] Power Supply Replacement for MSI Mega 180

[Charles Shannon Hendrix]

I know a guy with one of those small form factor MSI barebones systems,
and he's looking for a new power supply for it.

It's not like most ATX/EATX power supplies in that it has a recessed
area and some always-on connectors so it will play music.

He's contacted MSI for a replacement, but wants an option in case they
are too expensive or they won't sell him a replacement.

My feeling is that MSI doesn't design their own power supplies, and is
probably using some standardized small form factor power supply.

Does anyone know of a good source of information on small form factor
power supplies that might help him out?

Here's a snippet of his original message:

Subject: [ot] Power Supply Replacement

I have an MSI MEGA 180 system (http://tinyurl.com/2hrlw) and the power supply 
has died. It was my daughter's PC running WinXP. I had Linux on it for a 
while and it liked everything except the WinModem and the built-in AM/FM 
radio.

Unfortunately, it appears to be a "special" P/S in that it has a recessed edge 
on the side where the fan and A/C connector are in order to provide room for 
some circuit boards underneath. And it has a bundle of purple, black and 
brown wires that provide "always on" power to the CDROM and audio amp.

I've inquired at MSI about a replacement part, but I have a feeling it won't 
be cheap (a new bare-bones MEGA 180 is nearly $300). They still sell the 
model, so the part should be available.

The generic P/S from the same manufacturer are about $30 new. I could put the 
guts of the new P/S in the old case, I suppose. I don't need the "always on" 
feature.

Or I could buy a new bare-bones box and swap over the drives, CPU and RAM.

Anybody had experience with P/S problems for these small form factor boxes?


-- 
shannon           | Consulting wouldn't be what it is today without Microsoft 
                  | Windows.
                  |        -- Chris Pinkham