Dell Dimension 2600 PSU question

[hunterjwizzard]

I have a Dell Dimension 2600 that I picked up at a garage sale for $5. The case is fully ATX complaint. I want to slap an old ASRock P4 board with AGP for a win98 build.

Buuuuut I haven't got $$$ for a proper ATX PSU right. So I'm wondering if there's and reason I can't use the existing PSU from the dell. From what I can tell its a normal ATX PSU. I know they are crap but if it works it works.

 

[krebizfan]

If the information I have is correct, the Dimension 2600 power supply has normal ATX connectors.

That would be a roughly 20 year old power supply and rather low powered for an overclocked P4 system with a good video card. It probably only will work for a little while.

 

[Unknown_K]

A good AGP video card used a floppy drive power connector or maybe a 4 pin Molex HD connector so it's not like they sucked down RTX levels of power.

I had a Dell Dimension 8300 P4 3Ghz systems with an AGP Radeon 9800 Pro for a while until the GPU decided to die. I used a generic 300W power supply to run that system (got the gutted case for free for a motherboard I got free somewhere else).

 

[hunterjwizzard]

Its currently got a 2.4 GHz P4 inside, 2 optical drives and 2 HDDs. I'd be removing both HDDs and swapping the board for a 2.6GHz P4 and a CF card HDD. I don't know where anyone got the idea I'd be overclocking. I don't overclock.

In theory the new system should use less power than the old one.

 

[GiGaBiTe]

There's no such thing as a Dell Dimension 2600. Was that a typo of the Dell Dimension 2400?

If it is a Dimension 2400, it has a generic crappy ATX power supply. Usually from either Delta, Liteon, HEC or Bestec. You can risk using them, but they're capacitor plague IEDs that are known to blow up.

A normal MicroATX motherboard will probably fit, the problem is going to be the fan. The exhaust fan on the system doubles as the CPU fan, and as such draws an enormous amount of power, I think some of them are rated at 2-3A. You can't plug this fan into a normal motherboard, it would likely damage it. They use a weird connector that isn't standard, so you'd have to rewire it for it to work anyway.

 

[hunterjwizzard]

Yes its a 2400. Sorry, was too lazy to go look at the actual model #.

MicroATX motherboards fit great in these towers. I like them because they are typically either free or very cheap, perfect for a bit of dumb fun. I don't usually use the original fan but attach my own to the vent in the back.

If it is a Dimension 2400, it has a generic crappy ATX power supply. Usually from either Delta, Liteon, HEC or Bestec. You can risk using them, but they're capacitor plague IEDs that are known to blow up.

I'm aware of the risks. Its not ideal. But its also just screwing around with some spare parts. I'm sure it'll work fine for a couple afternoons or until a better PSU falls in my lap.