Dell power supply

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Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

Is there any way to tell from just looking at a Dell power supply whether it
is standard ATX or proprietary? If not, is there a listing somewhere? I
would hate to fry someone's motherboard.
 
G

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Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

I think it might be fun to fry someone's motherboard. I've never seen that -
I'll bet it makes a lot of smoke.

As for your question: Post the computer's model number and we'll let you
know.

Ted Zieglar

"William J. Lunsford" <nobody@nowhere.com> wrote in message
news:M2c9e.1595$L03.439@newssvr17.news.prodigy.com...
> Is there any way to tell from just looking at a Dell power supply whether
it
> is standard ATX or proprietary? If not, is there a listing somewhere? I
> would hate to fry someone's motherboard.
>
>
 
G

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Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

A while ago, someone in the know posted this sort of info in this usenet
newsgroup.

As a general rule, if you have a Pentium II or Pentium III system there, the
power connector to the motherboard is a faux-ATX. In other words, the connector
plastic looks exactly like a normal ATX connector, but the voltages delivered to
the pins differ from the ATX standard. This faux-ATX connector seems to have
had pervasive use across the older Dimension and Optiplex computers.

If a Pentium 4 system has an ATX-looking power connector and a separate 12v
connector, I'm almost dead certain that the power supply meets the ATX-P4
standard. This has certainly been my experience with Dimensions of various
sizes and the Precision 340, 350, and 360 models.

Somebody else may be able to fill you in on the more recent Dell "servers" which
are in fairly standard cases, but I'd bet that the power connector on any Dell
mid-tower P4 server is standard ATX.

I'm sure product cost has driven Dell in the direction of standard power
supplies. Like WAL*MART, Dell is good at wringing pennies out of the overall
cost of assembling and shipping its products. Now if we can just get Dell to
back off of the other non-standard motherboard connectors for cooling fan, USB,
and front panel on-off+LEDs !!! ... Ben Myers

On Tue, 19 Apr 2005 18:25:48 GMT, "William J. Lunsford" <nobody@nowhere.com>
wrote:

>Is there any way to tell from just looking at a Dell power supply whether it
>is standard ATX or proprietary? If not, is there a listing somewhere? I
>would hate to fry someone's motherboard.
>
>
 
G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

Thanks for your reply, but I'm asking for future reference, not to work on a
specific system.

"Ted Zieglar" <teddyz@notmail.com> wrote in message
news:Ngc9e.110$yq7.1626240@news.sisna.com...
>I think it might be fun to fry someone's motherboard. I've never seen
>that -
> I'll bet it makes a lot of smoke.
>
> As for your question: Post the computer's model number and we'll let you
> know.
>
> Ted Zieglar
>
> "William J. Lunsford" <nobody@nowhere.com> wrote in message
> news:M2c9e.1595$L03.439@newssvr17.news.prodigy.com...
>> Is there any way to tell from just looking at a Dell power supply whether
> it
>> is standard ATX or proprietary? If not, is there a listing somewhere? I
>> would hate to fry someone's motherboard.
>>
>>
>
>
 
G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

Thanks for the information! Your help is appreciated.
Bill Lunsford

<ben_myers_spam_me_not @ charter.net (Ben Myers)> wrote in message
news:42654f5a.21884165@nntp.charter.net...
>A while ago, someone in the know posted this sort of info in this usenet
> newsgroup.
>
> As a general rule, if you have a Pentium II or Pentium III system there,
> the
> power connector to the motherboard is a faux-ATX. In other words, the
> connector
> plastic looks exactly like a normal ATX connector, but the voltages
> delivered to
> the pins differ from the ATX standard. This faux-ATX connector seems to
> have
> had pervasive use across the older Dimension and Optiplex computers.
>
> If a Pentium 4 system has an ATX-looking power connector and a separate
> 12v
> connector, I'm almost dead certain that the power supply meets the ATX-P4
> standard. This has certainly been my experience with Dimensions of
> various
> sizes and the Precision 340, 350, and 360 models.
>
> Somebody else may be able to fill you in on the more recent Dell "servers"
> which
> are in fairly standard cases, but I'd bet that the power connector on any
> Dell
> mid-tower P4 server is standard ATX.
>
> I'm sure product cost has driven Dell in the direction of standard power
> supplies. Like WAL*MART, Dell is good at wringing pennies out of the
> overall
> cost of assembling and shipping its products. Now if we can just get Dell
> to
> back off of the other non-standard motherboard connectors for cooling fan,
> USB,
> and front panel on-off+LEDs !!! ... Ben Myers
>
> On Tue, 19 Apr 2005 18:25:48 GMT, "William J. Lunsford"
> <nobody@nowhere.com>
> wrote:
>
>>Is there any way to tell from just looking at a Dell power supply whether
>>it
>>is standard ATX or proprietary? If not, is there a listing somewhere? I
>>would hate to fry someone's motherboard.
>>
>>
>
 
G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

"Ted Zieglar" <teddyz@notmail.com> wrote:
>I think it might be fun to fry someone's motherboard. I've never seen that -
>I'll bet it makes a lot of smoke.

Henh. Not so much smoke, but lots of expense. I had to hook a Compaq
up to some bench supplies for charaterization once, without the
benefit of proper documentation....
 
G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

<William P. N. Smith> wrote in message
news:rhab619knut31f0i1f8gmo57j6cqqistsf@4ax.com...
> "Ted Zieglar" <teddyz@notmail.com> wrote:
>>I think it might be fun to fry someone's motherboard. I've never seen
>>that -
>>I'll bet it makes a lot of smoke.
>
> Henh. Not so much smoke, but lots of expense. I had to hook a Compaq
> up to some bench supplies for charaterization once, without the
> benefit of proper documentation....
>


A system board is never quite the same once you let the "magic smoke" out of
the south bridge chip.

;o)


Stew
 
G

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Guest
Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

Even so, when you stumble across a Dell system with power supply requirements,
"Post the computer's model number and we'll let you know", just to be on the
safe side... Ben Myers

On Tue, 19 Apr 2005 20:14:33 GMT, "William J. Lunsford" <nobody@nowhere.com>
wrote:

>Thanks for the information! Your help is appreciated.
>Bill Lunsford
>
><ben_myers_spam_me_not @ charter.net (Ben Myers)> wrote in message
>news:42654f5a.21884165@nntp.charter.net...
>>A while ago, someone in the know posted this sort of info in this usenet
>> newsgroup.
>>
>> As a general rule, if you have a Pentium II or Pentium III system there,
>> the
>> power connector to the motherboard is a faux-ATX. In other words, the
>> connector
>> plastic looks exactly like a normal ATX connector, but the voltages
>> delivered to
>> the pins differ from the ATX standard. This faux-ATX connector seems to
>> have
>> had pervasive use across the older Dimension and Optiplex computers.
>>
>> If a Pentium 4 system has an ATX-looking power connector and a separate
>> 12v
>> connector, I'm almost dead certain that the power supply meets the ATX-P4
>> standard. This has certainly been my experience with Dimensions of
>> various
>> sizes and the Precision 340, 350, and 360 models.
>>
>> Somebody else may be able to fill you in on the more recent Dell "servers"
>> which
>> are in fairly standard cases, but I'd bet that the power connector on any
>> Dell
>> mid-tower P4 server is standard ATX.
>>
>> I'm sure product cost has driven Dell in the direction of standard power
>> supplies. Like WAL*MART, Dell is good at wringing pennies out of the
>> overall
>> cost of assembling and shipping its products. Now if we can just get Dell
>> to
>> back off of the other non-standard motherboard connectors for cooling fan,
>> USB,
>> and front panel on-off+LEDs !!! ... Ben Myers
>>
>> On Tue, 19 Apr 2005 18:25:48 GMT, "William J. Lunsford"
>> <nobody@nowhere.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>>>Is there any way to tell from just looking at a Dell power supply whether
>>>it
>>>is standard ATX or proprietary? If not, is there a listing somewhere? I
>>>would hate to fry someone's motherboard.
>>>
>>>
>>
>
>
 
G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

Standard, yes. But not ATX-12v standard. The Dimension 3000 is one of the
first systems to use the next step in the evolution of the computer chassis,
BTX. The BTX power supply connector is larger than the ATX connector. I have
yet to figure out whether the BTX connector is simply a new name applied to the
same sort of connector used in some Intel server boxes of a few years ago. In
any event, it does away with the separate 12v connector which was born during
the evolution from Pentium 3 to Pentium 4.

Like ATX, BTX is supposed to be better than ATX, which truly was an improvement
over the 1984 vintage baby-AT... Ben Myers

On Wed, 20 Apr 2005 00:06:08 +0100, Paul <removemepaul_news@dsl.pipex.com>
wrote:

>What about Dell Dimension 3000 (UK Model)Pentium 4 3.0ghz Prescott, does
>it have a standard atx power supply?
 

Paul

Splendid
Mar 30, 2004
5,267
0
25,780
Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

Thanks for the reply.
Does this mean I will have problems replacing the mobo with an asus
p4p800-vm, which I have read will drop straight in?


Ben Myers wrote:
> Standard, yes. But not ATX-12v standard. The Dimension 3000 is one of the
> first systems to use the next step in the evolution of the computer chassis,
> BTX. The BTX power supply connector is larger than the ATX connector. I have
> yet to figure out whether the BTX connector is simply a new name applied to the
> same sort of connector used in some Intel server boxes of a few years ago. In
> any event, it does away with the separate 12v connector which was born during
> the evolution from Pentium 3 to Pentium 4.
>
> Like ATX, BTX is supposed to be better than ATX, which truly was an improvement
> over the 1984 vintage baby-AT... Ben Myers
>
> On Wed, 20 Apr 2005 00:06:08 +0100, Paul <removemepaul_news@dsl.pipex.com>
> wrote:
>
>
>>What about Dell Dimension 3000 (UK Model)Pentium 4 3.0ghz Prescott, does
>>it have a standard atx power supply?
>
>
 
G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

That's just the start of potential issues fitting a non-Dell motherboard into a
Dell chassis. Other gotchas:

non-standard cable to front panel USB
non-standard 3-pin connector on fan on the back of the chassis
non-standard header for cable from motherboard to on-off switch/LEDs
power supply cannot have auxiliary external power source to attach monitor

.... Ben Myers

On Wed, 20 Apr 2005 09:33:42 +0100, Paul <removemepaul_news@dsl.pipex.com>
wrote:

>Thanks for the reply.
>Does this mean I will have problems replacing the mobo with an asus
>p4p800-vm, which I have read will drop straight in?
>
>
>Ben Myers wrote:
>> Standard, yes. But not ATX-12v standard. The Dimension 3000 is one of the
>> first systems to use the next step in the evolution of the computer chassis,
>> BTX. The BTX power supply connector is larger than the ATX connector. I have
>> yet to figure out whether the BTX connector is simply a new name applied to the
>> same sort of connector used in some Intel server boxes of a few years ago. In
>> any event, it does away with the separate 12v connector which was born during
>> the evolution from Pentium 3 to Pentium 4.
>>
>> Like ATX, BTX is supposed to be better than ATX, which truly was an improvement
>> over the 1984 vintage baby-AT... Ben Myers
>>
>> On Wed, 20 Apr 2005 00:06:08 +0100, Paul <removemepaul_news@dsl.pipex.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>>
>>>What about Dell Dimension 3000 (UK Model)Pentium 4 3.0ghz Prescott, does
>>>it have a standard atx power supply?
>>
>>
 

Paul

Splendid
Mar 30, 2004
5,267
0
25,780
Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

FYI I have just installed the asus mobo with only one slight
modification. I had to discard the connector for the front panel and
just clip on the wires individually to the corresponding pins on the
mobo. The usb header was the same as the original dell mobo, the cpu
fan connector also was not a problem and the monitor is plugged into its
own power socket, not daisy chained from the pc. Now I have an AGP
slot! Thanks for your replies anyway, I guess the Dimension 3000 in the
UK is different from the one in the US.

Regards

Ben Myers wrote:
> That's just the start of potential issues fitting a non-Dell motherboard into a
> Dell chassis. Other gotchas:
>
> non-standard cable to front panel USB
> non-standard 3-pin connector on fan on the back of the chassis
> non-standard header for cable from motherboard to on-off switch/LEDs
> power supply cannot have auxiliary external power source to attach monitor
>
> ... Ben Myers
>
> On Wed, 20 Apr 2005 09:33:42 +0100, Paul <removemepaul_news@dsl.pipex.com>
> wrote:
>
>
>>Thanks for the reply.
>>Does this mean I will have problems replacing the mobo with an asus
>>p4p800-vm, which I have read will drop straight in?
>>
>>
>>Ben Myers wrote:
>>
>>>Standard, yes. But not ATX-12v standard. The Dimension 3000 is one of the
>>>first systems to use the next step in the evolution of the computer chassis,
>>>BTX. The BTX power supply connector is larger than the ATX connector. I have
>>>yet to figure out whether the BTX connector is simply a new name applied to the
>>>same sort of connector used in some Intel server boxes of a few years ago. In
>>>any event, it does away with the separate 12v connector which was born during
>>>the evolution from Pentium 3 to Pentium 4.
>>>
>>>Like ATX, BTX is supposed to be better than ATX, which truly was an improvement
>>>over the 1984 vintage baby-AT... Ben Myers
>>>
>>>On Wed, 20 Apr 2005 00:06:08 +0100, Paul <removemepaul_news@dsl.pipex.com>
>>>wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>>What about Dell Dimension 3000 (UK Model)Pentium 4 3.0ghz Prescott, does
>>>>it have a standard atx power supply?
>>>
>>>
>
 
G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

I would bet that the Dim 3000 is the same in UK and US. There is no economic
reason for Dell to build them differently. (Possible exception: the "fused" UK
power)

None of the "gotchas" are major problems, but they do entail fussing and
fiddling around a bit. My basis for a comparison between motherboards is Dell
vs. Intel, because Dell systems use moidified standard Intel board designs.

.... Ben Myers

On Fri, 22 Apr 2005 10:49:56 +0100, Paul <removemepaul_news@dsl.pipex.com>
wrote:

>FYI I have just installed the asus mobo with only one slight
>modification. I had to discard the connector for the front panel and
>just clip on the wires individually to the corresponding pins on the
>mobo. The usb header was the same as the original dell mobo, the cpu
>fan connector also was not a problem and the monitor is plugged into its
>own power socket, not daisy chained from the pc. Now I have an AGP
>slot! Thanks for your replies anyway, I guess the Dimension 3000 in the
>UK is different from the one in the US.
>
>Regards
>
>Ben Myers wrote:
>> That's just the start of potential issues fitting a non-Dell motherboard into a
>> Dell chassis. Other gotchas:
>>
>> non-standard cable to front panel USB
>> non-standard 3-pin connector on fan on the back of the chassis
>> non-standard header for cable from motherboard to on-off switch/LEDs
>> power supply cannot have auxiliary external power source to attach monitor
>>
>> ... Ben Myers
>>
>> On Wed, 20 Apr 2005 09:33:42 +0100, Paul <removemepaul_news@dsl.pipex.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>>
>>>Thanks for the reply.
>>>Does this mean I will have problems replacing the mobo with an asus
>>>p4p800-vm, which I have read will drop straight in?
>>>
>>>
>>>Ben Myers wrote:
>>>
>>>>Standard, yes. But not ATX-12v standard. The Dimension 3000 is one of the
>>>>first systems to use the next step in the evolution of the computer chassis,
>>>>BTX. The BTX power supply connector is larger than the ATX connector. I have
>>>>yet to figure out whether the BTX connector is simply a new name applied to the
>>>>same sort of connector used in some Intel server boxes of a few years ago. In
>>>>any event, it does away with the separate 12v connector which was born during
>>>>the evolution from Pentium 3 to Pentium 4.
>>>>
>>>>Like ATX, BTX is supposed to be better than ATX, which truly was an improvement
>>>>over the 1984 vintage baby-AT... Ben Myers
>>>>
>>>>On Wed, 20 Apr 2005 00:06:08 +0100, Paul <removemepaul_news@dsl.pipex.com>
>>>>wrote:
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>What about Dell Dimension 3000 (UK Model)Pentium 4 3.0ghz Prescott, does
>>>>>it have a standard atx power supply?
>>>>
>>>>
>>