gt123

I need to make sure i can even buy a PSU to go with my Dell. I know since 1998 Dell made all their computers with proprietary connectors for their PSUs. They freakin rewired the damn connectors so that you can't use anything but a Dell-specific PSU bought by them, that costs a lot more. I think it was something like $50 for a 250W PSU. And if you do try to Install a standard ATX one, it fries your PCU and motherboard. Not only that, but the connectors are even shaped the same, so you can install an ATX one fine, its just when you turn it on...fried. Its almost like they want you to destroy your computer...

But, i remember reading somewhere that they stopped and went back to standard ATX sometime in 2002, i want to make sure this is right. Bought my comp Dec 11 2003, its 2 months old. A guy on another forum said he thinks my model (4600) uses the ATX, but i need to make sure before i buy this thermaltake thing.

I'd just like to say that Dell is horsesh*t for pulling that scam in the first place...they had no reason to rewire other than to make upgrading by anyone other than them impossible. And if they were giving people PSUs that ran 100W less than what their system actually needed (like mine, ordered system as it is now from Dell, came with a 250W PSU, the system actually needs 358W) back in 2002, which i'm sure they were, they need to get sued. I know there's some kind of law against pulling crap like that.

And has anyone seen their new commercials? "Don't worry about whats in your computer, just tell us what you want to do and we'll build it for you"? Do they think people aren't going to see this as just another way to rip them off buy giving them crap they don't need, and then giving them system specs under what their comp needs to work well? Now you've gotta upgrade, but you've gotta overpay through Dell.

I know this is getting off topic of ATI cards, but the reason i posted here in the first place was because i was getting bad performance out of my r9800 128, and it turns out it's Dells crappy PSU's fault. I hope if anyone has the same problem they'll read this.

I'm never buying anything from Dell again, even if my model does work with the ATX PSUs. Dell has no morals or standards if they're decieving their customers like this, what's going to stop them from doing it again

This is just my opinion, i bought a Dell with high expectations and have ended up having to spend over a month trying to figure out whats causing the below-average performance, and now i'm having to spend at least $50 for a new decent PSU.

Crash Override

actually it was me on this forum that answered your question on that

Yes it does use a standard ATX connector

I checked with a company that has a list of all the Dell models and which connectors they use.


Also youve created multiple threads merely about a power supply

why not just actually check the replies that you are given rather than creating new threads all the time?

also all of your threads are always posted in the wrong area

all of them so far have really belonged in the Technology Discussion and Support Forum

gt123

i've checked all my replies, i posted a new thread on power supplies here on accident, i didn't realize i was still in the ATI forum. I just wanted some outside info on the power supplies other than just the people that were looking at my ATI thread. And i know i posted this in the wrong forum too, again on accident. But, i still think that anyone planning on getting an ATI with a dell should know about this, and not have to deal with this crap.

I didn't know anything about computers when i bought the dell, which is why i've had so many issues with it, i didn't do a lot of research. But with all the researching on how to fix it, i know a heck of a lot more now, about everything...and its all due to the Dell's bad performance.

I created this thread just why i said i did, to get people's attention about dell, and this is only the 2nd one i've posted outside of the original ATI one - which was in the right forum. I was pretty mad when i posted this after just having gotten all the details on Dell's power supply & motherboard deal, and wasn't really paying attention to which thread i was in. I'm sure most of you tech pros already know about the whole thing, i just wanted to get it out to the people that aren't experts about this kind of stuff - I don't want anyone to have to waste as much time as i did searching around for answers, i'm sorry if it was in the wrong place.

And if you think that the ATI thread was in the wrong forum, i didn't want to post in the tech forum because that's all i had been doing before i posted here, and i had gotten nowhere. I wanted to try something completely dedicated to ATI cards instead of just general tech issues.

Thanks for confirming the ATX connector though. I wanted to make sure because you didn't sound really sure when you posted the first time, i didn't want to buy a PSU and end up screwing my computer. I was looking at a lot of other forums saying "all Dells since 1998 use the proprietary connectors", threw me off a little

Crash Override

quite a few of them do use the "Dell" connectors but you got lucky with your model


the reason why I've said that all of them belong in the other section is that this is for direct trouble shooting of ATi cards only.

Not jumpin on ya or anything


But yeah they try to keep everything as clean in these areas as possible so that only the ATi stuff makes it here and all other questions can hit the Tech support area

gt123

well i'm thru postin here anyways, least till i find any more problems...got all the info i need, and i'll post in the right forum next time. Thanks for all your help, this is the only forum i've gotten anywhere in, i appreciate it

Crash Override

not a problem

I was one of the startup crew on the site so in a way it still feels a bit like its still partly my job to help but I do get enjoyment from it