# Case Help



## Fig (Aug 12, 2007)

Dell 4300

got a new case and noticed no jumpers for the power switch and so on, the dell has one ribbon that acts as them i guess. any way to set up the plugs into that plugin to get it to work? or am i nub.

any help would be appreciated.


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## TheMatt (May 9, 2006)

Dell uses a non-standard front panel header for audio and the PWR and RST SW and HDD and PWR LEDs. I think I remember seeing an adapter header wire at the shop where I work, let me check. In the mean time, you might want to search the web for such an adapter.



Fig said:


> sorry on double post browser froze


No problem. I was noticing the site was acting slow here as well, it happened a couple times to me durring the same time period.


Moved you to Case Mod & Support.


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## Fig (Aug 12, 2007)

Thanks for the replay :grin:

the only thing i could find is this http://members.csolutions.net/dougm/images/dell/fpconn.htm

does this help at all?

could i plug the cords in and try different combos until it works or is that a bad idea.

i can post some pictures if needed.

thanks for the help.


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## TheMatt (May 9, 2006)

Is it the long white connector with one row of pins? If so, I know what you are talking about. If not, then take a picture.


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## Fig (Aug 12, 2007)




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## 1 g0t 0wn3d (Jan 31, 2007)

Is that not the floppy connector?


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## TheMatt (May 9, 2006)

Sorry, I don't see the headers.


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## Fig (Aug 12, 2007)

the black strip with the unplugged white connector is for the power switch and things on the front, it leads to a chip and there another ribbon goes to another chip


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## Fig (Aug 12, 2007)




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## TheMatt (May 9, 2006)

Really? That looks like a floppy port with the key pin wrong.

Does that do all the front panel connections (audio and USB as well)?


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## Fig (Aug 12, 2007)

yea it does the smaller white plug with the black cord goes to the sound card


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## TheMatt (May 9, 2006)

Sorry, I am out of ideas. If we knew the pinout of the connector, we cold hook up the front panel headers accordingly (at least for the switches and LEDs), but I wouldn't know where to get that documentation.

I posted for the rest of the team to take a look.


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## Fig (Aug 12, 2007)

is it possible to just try plugging them in randomly to see if it works or could i damage something doing this?


and thanks for your time ray:


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## TheMatt (May 9, 2006)

I wouldn't do that as you could short out something you aren't supposed to. Besides, even with something like a switch which isn't polarized, there are a lot of combinations to try.


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## mattlock (Dec 28, 2005)

Hello Fig, does that ribbon cable run to a small board with another smaller ribbon cable going from it to the power button? If so could you take a close up on the header from the smaller board and post it?


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## Fig (Aug 12, 2007)

new question, is it possible to buy a new motherboard that would support the ram/cpu in this one? or is it to old.


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## Fig (Aug 12, 2007)

yep 1 sec


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## Fig (Aug 12, 2007)

i found this site while digging, this cable
http://www.impactcomputers.com/94uem.html
goes from the motherboard to this chip at the bottom of the panal
http://www.impactcomputers.com/08umd.html
and a smaller ribbon goes from that chip to this one
http://www.impactcomputers.com/88rxm.html


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## mattlock (Dec 28, 2005)

http://www.impactcomputers.com/08umd.html#

On the board above, which of the headers does the ribbon that goes to LED and start button connect to, the white one or the black one?

That's what I need the close up of.


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## mattlock (Dec 28, 2005)

Fig said:


> new question, is it possible to buy a new motherboard that would support the ram/cpu in this one? or is it to old.


Yes you can get a new motherboard put you would also have to get a new XP license. The Dell OEM installation can only be used woth a Dell motherboard.


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## Fig (Aug 12, 2007)

mattlock138 said:


> http://www.impactcomputers.com/08umd.html#
> 
> On the board above, which of the headers does the ribbon that goes to LED and start button connect to, the white one or the black one?
> 
> That's what I need the close up of.





crap didint understand ya the black one in the upper left


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## Fig (Aug 12, 2007)

Fig said:


>


did you see this?

the 3 plugs on that chip
the big one connects to the motherboard the smaller one in the top left goes to the on/off button and the other below it goes to the sound card


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## mattlock (Dec 28, 2005)

Sure did, I was hoping the the other board would have some pinout info on it but, I don't see any in the pic here http://www.impactcomputers.com/08umd.html#.


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## Fig (Aug 12, 2007)

i just talked to my buddy and he said he wouldn't mind getting a new motherboard instead of bugging you guys all night 

is there an easy way of finding one that will support his ram/cpu
he only uses it for music and doesn't want to upgrade to much


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## mattlock (Dec 28, 2005)

From what I can tell the 4300 came with a socket 478 board and PC133 ram. That's going to be hard to find these days. Your best bet is probably Ebay, unless he wants to go to DDR which is a little pricey these days. Remember you'll also need a new OS.


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## TheMatt (May 9, 2006)

I would get a new board and pick up some DDR RAM. It is pretty cheap these days.


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## TheMatt (May 9, 2006)

You might want to take a look at this:
http://pinouts.ru/pin_Motherboard.shtml

I had a quick look, but you should take a closer look.


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## magnethead (Mar 18, 2006)

the existing ribbon pins can be used, i've rigged an optiplex GX270 and an odl dell desktop (GX1) to both use the non-proprietary connectors. That said, it's not the easiest thing in the world. The Digital MultiMeter is your friend, as are 22 AWG solid core wire, some electrical tape, and knowledge of how electronics work.


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