Eiresol

Can a Dell PSU be replaced by any standard PSU or does it need to be a Dell specific one? I know how they like to use non-standard components and the PSU in this PC is on its last legs so needs to be replaced asap.

It's an old PC, so 300W would be more than sufficent (Pentium 4 1.6GHz, Geforce 3 Ti 200, 2 HDDs and a DVD writer) used mainly for mp3s, dvds and web crap so I just need a new PSU to keep it ticking along.

But I don't want to get burned again by buying components that wont fit the case/board.

Cheers

Sage

It depends on the type of power supply. The way you can tell if you need a Dell specific PSU is by looking at the connector that plugs into the motherboard. A Dell-specific PSU has connectors that are different from normal ATX connectors. The ATX plugs are going to have square and trapezoid shape pin housings on the connector. The Dell connector pin housings are round. I can't find any good pictures... but I hope you get the idea.

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Martel

is a decent picture of what standard ATX will look like. What you're paying attention to is the shape of the little plastic holes that the pins plug into. Having a pentium 4 I doubt your motherboard will need a dell PSU as they discontinued the non-standard PSUs a while back.

As I understand it, the goofy dell PSU plugs look like this:

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meanSpleen

Dells are proprietary. You will need to buy a Dell issued powersupply to replace it. You cannot buy one of these off the shelf, unfortunately. It will most likely have to be ordered.

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Dilbert1234567

not all dell are proprietary, nowdays they use ATX

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Martel

This was true but is not anymore. What I've been able to turn up indicates that any Dell system new enough to have a P4 will not have a proprietary power supply anymore.

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Eiresol

Thanks for the help guys. I'll take it out again and have another look.

It wouldn't bother me so much but I'm waiting for my mobo for my new rig (have every other component over a week now ) and have to use this one. The sound off the PSU fan is unbelievably annoying.

edit - Just been told that the Dimension 4300 is standard ATX but the case isn't so I'm going to have to cut a bit out of the back of the case to get the new PSU in. Ah well, at least it can be easily replaced.

Martel

For all that trouble you might as well get a new case... There are some good ones in the 50-100 dollar range from Antec or Thermaltake on Newegg. Just so you know, the front panel connector (including audio, usb, power/activity LEDs and the on/off switch) for your Dell case is most likely non-standard, meaning it won't work with a non-Dell motherboard without some serious splicing. If you're REALLY unlucky your Dell case might not have a removable I/O shield in the back, which means your new mobo won't even fit.

Upon further researching it seems that Dell even made some power supplies that have the standard ATX connector but non-standard pin layout.

So the most important thing you can do before plugging in a different power supply to a Dell mobo or a Dell power supply to a different mobo is CHECK THE COLORS on the wires that go from the PSU to the plug. Make sure they're arranged the same, and if you're super paranoid use a multimeter to test them. Otherwise one or both of your components might fry!

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meanSpleen

Thanks Dilbert + Martel

We have Dells in our stores, and the power supplies are annoying to get replaced. I didn't know that they finally went with the standard power supply connections.

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Eiresol

Operation successful.

I had to cut a chunk out of the back of case becase:

• The plug connection was on the opposite side to the Dell one.
• There was no hole in the case for the I/O switch.

So after hacking away at it for about 45 minutes with a hacksaw blade (no Dremel, man it would have made it so easy. Also note the word blade, because a hacksaw (nor jigsaw) wouldn't fit in the space.) I had cut my new space for the socket and switch.

Also, the mobo had to stay in the case while I was doing all this because I couldn't for the life of me figure out how to get it out. Probably some secret clasp holding it in. Dell like putting those kind of things in their cases. Scared to death of static charges but it turned out ok.

So, it's back up in running order and back to being almost silent, bar the case fan. Only problem is the excess of cable from the PSU for PCI-E and other connections that I don't need.

Thanks for all the help guys.


There was no point getting a new case. I'm pretty sure the mobo wouldn't fit any standard ATX case. Also, I have a new rig to build next week (mobo should arrive on Monday or Tuesday) so it would have been a waste of money.

New rig is:

• Intel Core 2 Duo E6600 2.4GHz Socket LGA775, 4MB, BOXED w/fan
• Asus P5W DH Deluxe WiFi (Socket 775) PCI-Express DDR2 Motherboard
• Cooler Master Real Power 550W w/Power indicator, SLI, ATX/EPS
• OCZ Gold PC6400 DDR2 2048MB Dual Pack, w/two matched 1024MB PC6400 XTC DIMMs
• XFX GeForce 7600GT 256MB GDDR3 XXX, PCI-Express 2xDVI/HDTV, 590/1600Mhz
• Western Digital Raptor 36GB SATA 16MB 10000RPM
• Western Digital Caviar SE16 250GB SATA2 16MB 7200RPM x2
• NEC DVD±RW burner, ND-3550A, 16x, Dual, Black OEM x2
• Cooler Master Centurion 5 Black/Silver (Without PSU)

Have an Audigy 2 Gold to throw into it too, need to get a heatsink though.

Martel

Sounds good, glad you got it all figured out.

I've got a thermaltake big typhoon on my brand new e6300 currently running at 2.1ghz and my CPU temps are ~35 degrees idle and ~40 degrees at full prime95 load, so I'd call that a positive review. The one downside is that it is huge!

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Eiresol

The heatsinks do appear to be massive, I'm a bit worried about space in the case.