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4600c Case - remove front panel
I have a Dimension 4600c with a fluky power-on button. For quite some time it has required playing about with it and pressing it several times to power-up the computer. I am firmly convinced it is an issue with the physical connection between the little plastic button and the microswitch that actually powers-up the system. I want to remove the front panel so I can actually press the microswitch itself. Any ideas how to get the front panel off of this beast.
Thanks in advance for any help.
tiggrrr
9 Posts
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January 7th, 2006 16:00
BigBrother
4.8K Posts
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January 7th, 2006 16:00
tiggrr,
The small microswitch is part of the I/O panel on this model. You can more easily remove the I/O panel to test the switch. Check this link:
<ADMIN NOTE: Broken link has been removed from this post by Dell>
Steve
tiggrrr
9 Posts
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January 7th, 2006 17:00
tiggrrr
9 Posts
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January 7th, 2006 17:00
Yep. No microswitch on the I/O panel. I suspect either the switch on the front panel or the ribbon cable itself is the problem. This is starting to get to the "too hard" limit. I suspect I'll discover that the control-panel cable is not a replaceable component.
Now I've got to buy my daughter a new PC for school and go figure out how to transfer all her stuff off of a hard drive in a dead desktop onto a laptop drive. Jeeze!
BigBrother
4.8K Posts
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January 7th, 2006 19:00
Jbirk
339 Posts
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January 8th, 2006 05:00
It shouldn't cost much at all to purchase a new frong contorl pannel, and it should be incredibly easy to install it.
Other possible problems are power supply, and motherboard. I doubt it though. I like you think it is the micropannel.
Call Dell spare parts. They can surely get you a replacement micropannel. I bet they are about the same for all Dell Systems as they all have as most have a micro pannel.
tiggrrr
9 Posts
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January 10th, 2006 04:00
OK Thanks folks. The responses and support from y'all ha been great.
The plan is now this:
Order new Dell inspirion laptop for the Grrl - it's about time she had a laptop anyways. Can't really complain too much about the 4600c desktop. It has survivied 2.5 years of college usage and at least ten teardown-pack-transport-setup cycles, more than a desktop should really have to endure.
Order a usb external drive case-only and mount her old drive in it. Plug into laptop port and transfer all her data over to new machine. Now she's fine an can go back to school in working order.
Follow your advice and try Dell parts and see if I can get the 4600c working again - if so, pitch MY older still Dimension 4100 and replace with the the 4600c. That way everybody gets some sort of upgrade and even the usb drive case is still useful since I can reformat the drive from my old machine and use it for extra storage or back-up.
Jbirk
339 Posts
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January 10th, 2006 04:00
If so, I have at least 4 of them. I am sure you could have one.
tiggrrr
9 Posts
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January 10th, 2006 16:00
Jbirk - you da man (I assume...)
Time for me to fess up - although I've been using PCs at work since about 1982, they're just tools to me like a power drill or a calculator. I've rarely had to get into the guts of one since the long-ago days when you had to install the processor and memory boards yourself when they were delivered. I have no clue how to get down to the part number level or even how to contact "Dell Parts". Further, despite serious attempts, I still can't figure out how to get that dang cable/button/switch loose from the friggin' front panel of the case.
I'm just learnin' as I go and trying to resist a screwdriver as pry-bar and brute force.
Tiggrrr
speedstep
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January 10th, 2006 17:00
http://support.dell.com/support/systemsinfo/documentation.aspx?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs&~cat=12&~subcat=84
1. Lay it on its side. And remove the Pogo stand.
To prevent damage to your computer, the front door is designed to "break away" if it is opened too far.
2. Press the buttons and open like a suitcase.
The I/O panel is inside.
Message Edited by SpeedStep on 01-10-2006 03:08 PM
tiggrrr
9 Posts
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January 11th, 2006 17:00