How to determine control panel connector components?

Hello all!

I've got an old Dell Dimension XPS Pro200n MT box that I'm trying to upgrade with a new
motherboard. The original motherboard has a ribbon cable from the case panel for control
panel connector. I would think that I'd need to "break this out" somehow -- but I can't
find any documentation on which pins are which. Here's the closest I can find from dell:

http://docs.us.dell.com/docs/dta/XPS...0and%20Sockets

(It's for that J10E1 jumper block.)

Can someone point me in the right direction? Also, can you explain how I might be able to
go about splitting the ribbon cable into the appropriate wires and connector ends? Is
this something that's even easy to do?

Thanks!

John Peterson

"John Peterson" wrote in message
...
Hello all!

I've got an old Dell Dimension XPS Pro200n MT box that I'm trying to
upgrade with a new
motherboard. The original motherboard has a ribbon cable from the case
panel for control
panel connector. I would think that I'd need to "break this out"
somehow -- but I can't
find any documentation on which pins are which. Here's the closest I can
find from dell:


http://docs.us.dell.com/docs/dta/XPS...ors%20and%20So
ckets

(It's for that J10E1 jumper block.)

Can someone point me in the right direction? Also, can you explain how I
might be able to
go about splitting the ribbon cable into the appropriate wires and
connector ends? Is
this something that's even easy to do?

Thanks!

John Peterson




It would probably be best to move everything to a new case.


bluestringer

I have no idea how the ribbon cable is wired.

At the risk of being negative, you may also wish to note the nonstandard
power connections. (Dell used a separate 3.3V power connector, in addition
to the normal ATX connector.) It's also only a 200W supply.

The holes in the case may also be different than for industry-standard
mainboards, although I see that it has two serial ports (unlike some of
their newer machines).

In my opinion, Dell deliberately made mainboard swaps just hard enough to be
more trouble than they would be worth to most people. (That's not the same
as impossible, but what's your time worth?) I suppose from Dell's point of
view, they never want to be presented with a system for service that no
longer is a Dell inside.

Good luck.

Bob Knowlden

Address may be altered to avoid spam. Replace nkbob with bobkn.

"John Peterson" wrote in message
...
Hello all!

I've got an old Dell Dimension XPS Pro200n MT box that I'm trying to
upgrade with a new
motherboard. The original motherboard has a ribbon cable from the case
panel for control
panel connector. I would think that I'd need to "break this out"
somehow -- but I can't
find any documentation on which pins are which. Here's the closest I can
find from dell:


http://docs.us.dell.com/docs/dta/XPS...0and%20Sockets

(It's for that J10E1 jumper block.)

Can someone point me in the right direction? Also, can you explain how I
might be able to
go about splitting the ribbon cable into the appropriate wires and
connector ends? Is
this something that's even easy to do?

Thanks!

John Peterson

Thanks, Bob!

Yeah...I was doing some Google searches, and that's sort of the same consensus I was
arriving. Particularly with this article:

http://groups.google.com/groups?q=De...l.co m&rnum=7

Almost sounds like it's more trouble than it's worth. I guess I'll just spring for a
decent ATX case and be done with it. ;-) (Speaking of which, do you have any
recommendations?)

Thanks again!

John Peterson


"Bob Knowlden" wrote in message
...
I have no idea how the ribbon cable is wired.

At the risk of being negative, you may also wish to note the nonstandard
power connections. (Dell used a separate 3.3V power connector, in addition
to the normal ATX connector.) It's also only a 200W supply.

The holes in the case may also be different than for industry-standard
mainboards, although I see that it has two serial ports (unlike some of
their newer machines).

In my opinion, Dell deliberately made mainboard swaps just hard enough to be
more trouble than they would be worth to most people. (That's not the same
as impossible, but what's your time worth?) I suppose from Dell's point of
view, they never want to be presented with a system for service that no
longer is a Dell inside.

Good luck.

Bob Knowlden

Address may be altered to avoid spam. Replace nkbob with bobkn.

"John Peterson" wrote in message
...
Hello all!

I've got an old Dell Dimension XPS Pro200n MT box that I'm trying to
upgrade with a new
motherboard. The original motherboard has a ribbon cable from the case
panel for control
panel connector. I would think that I'd need to "break this out"
somehow -- but I can't
find any documentation on which pins are which. Here's the closest I can
find from dell:


http://docs.us.dell.com/docs/dta/XPS...0and%20Sockets

(It's for that J10E1 jumper block.)

Can someone point me in the right direction? Also, can you explain how I
might be able to
go about splitting the ribbon cable into the appropriate wires and
connector ends? Is
this something that's even easy to do?

Thanks!

John Peterson