Dimension 4100 Power Button?! 6

[animatefire]

I'm currently moving the motherboard from a Dimension 4100 over to a new case and power supply, and just when I've got everything hooked up and I'm ready to attach the connects for the Power Button, the Reset Button, and the front LEDs...I can't figure out what pins on the motherboard correspond to which. This poses a problem because from what I've gathered, the Process of Illimination would be tragic in this case, b/c a wrong connection regarding the power button could fry my motherboard? So...I could really use some help if anyone can direct me to a diagram or whatnot on how to figure this bad bear out...

 

[Frank4d]

Dell documentation is really lame when it comes to this kind of upgrade. I looked on Dell's site and the best I could find is a bubble pointing to the connector showing where the connector is located but no pinout information.

If it is not silkscreened onto the motherboard, the next best solution would be to look for a part number other than 2336V on the board. Chances are Dell doesn't actially make the board. It is rather Asus, MSI, Intel, etc.

 

[micker377]

I experiment all the time, as long as there is no other pins connected, shorting the wrong ones shouldn't matter. Plug in the power supply, and AC. With no hard drive connected, touch "pairs", one set at a time with a small screwdriver untill the fans start spinning. Now you have the "Power" pins. The only other pins to worry about, are the "Reset". You'll know when you find those (the reason for no hard drive). All that's left is the LED's. Hooking up backwards doesn't hurt, they just won't work. Reverse, and they should light up. Now just figure out which is Power - Hard drive - and standby (or whatever your case calls it). Power and reset don't care which way you plug them in.

 

[G0AOZ]

Micker377 has the right idea. But with respect, I'd suggest "finding" the reset pins as one of the last tasks. The board needs to be powered up to "find" the connections for power-on and hard disk activity l.e.d's, and since these devices are diodes no harm is done to either the board or the device if they're reversed. However, shorting out connections other than the reset pins is IMHO less than desirable. Average resistance of these front panel l.e.d's is around 100K - shorting the voltage here could put an unnecessary strain or at worst damage the motherboard's circuitry.

ROGER - G0AOZ.

 

[garebo]

One hint, usually power\on is on one end and reset is either right beside it or across from it.

But thats for standard motherboards, i dont know if Dell follows that standard.



Good advice + great people = tek-tips

 

[edfair]

Experiment away. All the leds have protective resistors and a direct short won't draw enough to hurt them.
Although Micker suggests leaving the HD disconnected, and it probably is a good idea, I've never crashed one this way.
Take the static precautions, verify that the standoffs are properly located, the power supply connector fully latched, and you should be good to go.


Ed Fair
Give the wrong symptoms, get the wrong solutions.

 

[technome]

Is this your motherboard....

http://web.nps.navy.mil/~gazolla/is3001/files/lab_usermanual.pdf

........................................
Chernobyl disaster..a must see pictorial

http://www.kiddofspeed.com/default.htm

 

[animatefire]

Ok thanks all for the help, I will get on top of this immediately. I would have already yesterday when the comments were left but I was stuck djing a benefit for 15 hours. Again thanks! And I'll post what happens if anything lol.

 

[garebo]

I thought that was the case, that it was ok to mess around. I have done so with, maybe, 100 computers by now. Never had a problem. Thats why i said that you will usually find the power on one end or one side of one end. Least thats what i recall. And once you find the power, its pretty easy to find the rest.

But i wasnt sure about Dell.

Good to have people like Edfair around to be certain on an issue (and polite at the same time, lol)


Good advice + great people = tek-tips