Power Supplu Connectors

[Paquito]

Heya, Fellas. I just want to be sure that the standard numbers of pins for power supplies are 20 and 24. This is where I am coming from.

About a year ago I got and 500W PS to replace another that just passed away. At installation, I found that the MOBO female connector had two pins less that PS connector. It worked anyway so I have no complaint.

I got a bailed Dell Dimension 4600 with a 350watts PS and I want to make an updrade. I found that the female connector is the same as my old PC. In fact, I tried to install my 500watt PS with no suscess for two reason:

1. The space is extremely limited.
2. The PC wont turned on.

I am just confused since if the number of pin are standard, then it means that the MOBO female connector is either 18 or 22 pins. :confused:

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks. :)

[jlreich]

Oh wow, I just did a search on your system and came up with the "10 worst computers of all time" article on PC World and your system was #10. :eek: Apparently it had to do with a flawed power supply in that model that Dell refused to own up to.

Do you have the part# from the original power supply? If you do I can tell if it is standard or not.

But yes, 20 and 24 pin are standard, with 24 being the current standard on modern systems, even Dell is using 24pin connectors these days.

[Paquito]

Well, I know. I can complain since the system was bailed I got it free with a 19 inch monitor and the Windows XP Home OS license... :D.

In fact, I have a nasty message every I turn it on about some CPU fan error... :mad: I just hit F1 and end of the story.:D

I will get the part number and the exact number of pins. ;)

Thanks.:)

[jlreich]

I have a nasty message every I turn it on about some CPU fan error... :mad: I just hit F1 and end of the story.:D
That means the CPU fan is not working. You really need to get that replaced. ;)

Free is good. No free computer is on any worst list. :)

[Paquito]

Well, jlreich that the real trick! I replaced the fan and still there is the message coming up again and again... :(

I re-installed the BIOS with a .exe file downloaded from Dell and nothing... :(

Someone told me that the CPU is going to die soon. I do not necessary agree with that. Time will tell. :D

Thanks. :)

[mjc]

If you can see the fan spinning, then look in the BIOS to see if there is a way to disable the monitoring of it...

[Paquito]

Well mjc, I already tried this. Dell’s BIOS is a pain, and won’t tell you where…:D

There is no way that I can disable this message warning. I can live with that, thou. The downside is that I have to wait ‘til the message shows up and press F1. :(

Going back to base, I still have to get the exact number of pins. :)

Thanks. :)

[jlreich]

If the fan is working correctly then it is the board. But I wouldn't worry about it if everything else is working fine. It is a free system after all. :)

And no I don't think there is a way to stop the system from monitoring the fan in a dell system. You can usually clear the log in BIOS, but I doubt that would get rid of the error. It's worth a try though if you already haven't.

[Paul Komski]

The manual for that Dell shows a normal 20-pin ATX PSU slot.

http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/dim4600/en/4600i/index.htm

A 22-pin out doesn't even register on Google.

[Paquito]

Heya, Folks. I count them: 20. Sorry about the mistake! :p

Still I have some trouble. I am under the impression that Dell manufactures it own ATX connectors since my 500 watts Power Supply (ATX, 20 pins) simple does not fit. :confused: Someone wrote that it is std but I think it is not. In fact, I cannot change the MOBO since Dells manufactures its own form factor that only fits on its own cases..:mad:

BTW, I saw that the CPU can run at >3 Gigs, any hit on how to set-up said speed in Dell's lovely and extremely user-friendly BIOS Software?

Thanks. :)

[mjc]

Dell used to use non-standard power supplies...but over the last decade or so has switched to using standard supplies. But that doesn't necessarily mean that every power supply around will actually fit in the Dell case. They still tend to prefer odd-ball dimensions for them.

As to Oc'ing forget it...very few prebuilt systems make allowances for it and Dells even less than some others. It's just not going to happen.

[jlreich]

The PSU connector should be standard. The board and case are not, but the PSU is. Not sure why your PSU connector is not fitting...

Look inside the connector of the 500w and make sure the contacts are not bent and nothing is stuck inside.

Nope, no overclocking in a Dell BIOS.