Front Panel Connectors, where do i buy them?

metomeyametomeya New
edited November 2005 in Hardware
Front Panel Connectors, where do I buy them?

I have a pretty old dell system that i'm using for my case. I bought a P4P800-e deluxe. Anyways the wire that connects to the power button is two pins short of matching the 20 pin connection for the front panel for the power.

The front panel connector wire for my dell is just that, one wire that I guess has the power led, ide_led, smi lead(what does all this stuff mean?), etc. attached all together(doesn't have it labeled either).

So my question is, is there somewhere I can just buy a power button with front panel connectors on it? or maybe just the front panel connector wires that are separate instead of all togther?

I've been googling like crazy, anyways thanks in advance if you find it.

Thanks

Comments

  • KwitkoKwitko Sheriff of Banning (Retired) By the thing near the stuff Icrontian
    edited May 2004
    I've never heard of such a thing. By the way, be very careful with that case. Are you using the Dell power supply? If so, DON'T!!!
    Dell's power supply uses a standard ATX motherboard connector but the pinouts are different. If you connect and power up, you run the risk of frying the mobo *and* the PSU.

    I would invest in a new case and PSU that are certified for P4.
  • floppybootstompfloppybootstomp Greenwich New
    edited May 2004
    Mr Kwitko is correct. You are at Risk. New Case/PSU is the only answer, I'm afraid. Unless you're a dab hand at securing pin connection diagrams for both Dell PSU and front case panel connectors and rewiring them.

    Sorry, but that be the truth of it :(
  • Geeky1Geeky1 University of the Pacific (Stockton, CA, USA)
    edited May 2004
    To repeat what's been said already:
    DO NOT DO NOT DO NOT DO NOT DO NOT DO NOT DO NOT DO NOT DO NOT DO NOT DO NOT DO NOT DO NOT DO NOT DO NOT DO NOT DO NOT DO NOT DO NOT DO NOT DO NOT DO NOT DO NOT DO NOT DO NOT DO NOT DO NOT DO NOT DO NOT DO NOT DO NOT DO NOT DO NOT DO NOT DO NOT DO NOT DO NOT DO NOT DO NOT DO NOT DO NOT DO NOT DO NOT DO NOT DO NOT DO NOT DO NOT DO NOT x10^9999999999

    ...use a dell power supply on a non-dell board. You'll destroy the board.
  • metomeyametomeya New
    edited May 2004
    Actually some P4 Dell systems use a standard ATX PSU, like my 4300 Dimension Dell system :celebrate

    So I guess I won't have to replace the PSU, google it if you don't believe me!
  • KwitkoKwitko Sheriff of Banning (Retired) By the thing near the stuff Icrontian
    edited May 2004
    Well I'll be...
    Fortunately, starting in 2000, Dell switched to using industry-standard ATX power connections in its Dimension 4300, 4400, 8200, and newer systems.
    Source: InformIT

    Well then, if your case is from a Dell Dimension 4300 after the year 2000, then by all means go ahead and use it. As for your original question, I have no idea. I'd have to see the actual wiring diagram for the front panel. I've been searching but have so far come up empty handed.
  • test_tube_tonytest_tube_tony Dallas TX Member
    edited May 2004
    I made my own front connectors. 2 usb and 1 game port. I used a 3.5" bay cover. I crapily cut the holes with a hot needle and pliers, then filed them smooth. It looks shotty, but it server its purpose. i had to extend the cables also because they wouldnt reach the headers. 3 hours worth of soldering. Heres a pic...
  • billdatabilldata
    edited October 2005
    Old thread refer:
    Re: Front Panel Connectors, where do i buy them?
    Oh boy! Am I glad I found this forum and your contribution (re Dell front panel mobo header)!
    I have re-built a Dell Dimension 2300 into a new case and I can't disable the boot-up message (from BIOS?) that says
    'Front panel USB not connected. Press F1 to continue. '.
    I have tried every conceivable jumper-shorting (?) pin combination on the mobo to no avail. It is a 20pin post with one pin missing. I assume BIOS has to find a signal/voltage/something on one of those pins?
    I can't find a reference manual,. Even if I did, Dell are not good at telling pinout IDs!
    BTW the mobo shows 'Bluford E139765' and I have tried surfing hours and hours of websites, including checking for Mitac, which someone said was the OEM: "it might be a Dell PowerEdge 2300 mobo which COULD be Mitac 6814BU". But that's a dead-end!

    Anyway, I am not really intersested in using front panel USBs. I just want to get past the 'Press F1' step.
    Can you help with this, please? ;D I am asuming that since you made that neat front panel replacement you must have a clue!
    I hope the info I have supplied is sufficient to ring a bell with you, or anyone else out there (!) and I await eagerly!
    Bill
  • GHoosdumGHoosdum Icrontian
    edited October 2005
    billdata wrote:
    Old thread refer:
    Re: Front Panel Connectors, where do i buy them?
    Oh boy! Am I glad I found this forum and your contribution (re Dell front panel mobo header)!
    I have re-built a Dell Dimension 2300 into a new case and I can't disable the boot-up message (from BIOS?) that says
    'Front panel USB not connected. Press F1 to continue. '.
    I have tried every conceivable jumper-shorting (?) pin combination on the mobo to no avail. It is a 20pin post with one pin missing. I assume BIOS has to find a signal/voltage/something on one of those pins?
    I can't find a reference manual,. Even if I did, Dell are not good at telling pinout IDs!
    BTW the mobo shows 'Bluford E139765' and I have tried surfing hours and hours of websites, including checking for Mitac, which someone said was the OEM: "it might be a Dell PowerEdge 2300 mobo which COULD be Mitac 6814BU". But that's a dead-end!

    Anyway, I am not really intersested in using front panel USBs. I just want to get past the 'Press F1' step.
    Can you help with this, please? ;D I am asuming that since you made that neat front panel replacement you must have a clue!
    I hope the info I have supplied is sufficient to ring a bell with you, or anyone else out there (!) and I await eagerly!
    Bill

    I believe your message is being generated by a totally different header. Your motherboard should have a USB header on it, onto which you'd connect a set of USB ports. The header and connector look like the pictures I've attached (please note that they are not my pictures, so credit goes to a place called starmount and another company called intel for the creation of the images).

    Please note that you can likely turn off this message in BIOS somehow rather than connect a set of USB ports, if you are simply trying to get the message to go away.
  • billdatabilldata
    edited October 2005
    Thanks GHoosdum, but that's not quite the answer I was hoping for!
    There is not a 'standard' 10 pin USB header. The ONLY unused header is 20 pin (looks the same as the one that is used for On/Off/Power/led & hdd/led for the normal front panel.
    I have explored the BIOS and there is no option I can find (hours later)!
    Because I'm new to this forum business, I'm a bit lost!
    I was trying to contact test_tube_tony who I think was involved with this 'thread'.
    It was he who constructed a front panel connector I thought specifically for this motherboard (Dell Dimension 2350) which displays the screen message i want to avoid.
    The PC works perfectly, so i give up! I'll just press F! to move past the BIOS screen message about no front USB cable detected"!
    I might just give one more try to contact test_tube_tony, in the hope he can identify the pinouts on that 20 pin header which might disclose how the mobo knows whether there's a USB connector attached. It is so confusing!
    Well thanks for your response and your patience in reading this guff!
    Bill
  • GHoosdumGHoosdum Icrontian
    edited October 2005
    Bill - I'm sorry, I misinterpreted your previous post! What you might be able to do is find a pinout diagram for your front panel connector on Dell's support site. A lot of USB front or rear panel (it doesn't matter which you use) connectors have each pin connector separated for plugging in to various configurations, rather than in a block. Usually, this is harder to work with, but it would be perfect for a non-standard USB connection, which it sounds like you have.

    There may be a diagram buried somewhere on Dell's documentation section: http://support.us.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/dim2300/
  • profdlpprofdlp The Holy City Of Westlake, Ohio
    edited October 2005
    billdata, do you still have the old case, or at least the old front panel connector from it? Even if you don't want to go to the trouble of mounting it in the new case you could still attach it to the MB. A couple wire ties to keep it from flopping around inside the case and your error message will be gone. Make sure it is insulated so the metal bracket doesn't short something out, or remove the bracket altogether and just leave the connectors themselves. :)
  • makrebo19makrebo19
    edited November 2005
    Billdata, could you possibly give me the pinout id for the power button and reste buttons for the 'Bluford E139765' motherboard?
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