On Tuesday, October 17, 2006 @ 12:01 AM, Felix Miata wrote:
On 06/10/16 23:30 (GMT-0500) Greg Wallace apparently typed:
All of this is way over my head. I don't even know what an ESD wrist strap is.
It's an insurance policy, to protect components from a zapping death. If you're careful how you handle components, making sure to maintain contact with the metal case while installing or removing components, and don't work in a carpeted area or with low humidity, it's usually only in the way. ESD is prolly on http://www.acronymfinder.com/. Yup. First entry.
What are connectors?
Thingies that make a connection from some thing to some other thing.
The Dell diagnostic tool ran several tests against the memory and that all seemed ok. What are the power supply connectors?
Connectors on the ends of the zillion wires sprouting from the power supply.
I am really curious about this power supply component though. Where is it and how do you go about swapping it out?
Relatively big box with air holes and/or air slots, and fan, and wires going to everything that needs to be plugged into power, and requires you plug the wall cord into it if you want your Dell to turn on and boot. It converts high voltage house current into low voltage DC current that electronic microcomponents can use. Usually 4 screws holding it in, but sometimes a 5th or 6th in a harder to get to location. Once you unplug the connectors and remove the screws holding it to the case, either it falls out, or you lift it out. In a Dell there might be 0 screws, with a plastic catch or two instead.
Okay, I think I found it. When you said -- "You can get a go/nogo power supply tester for under $20. With the system running, check the voltages with any multimeter at the power-to-motherboard-plug and see if they match what the label on the PS says they should be." what did you mean by power-to-motherboard-plug? Greg Wallace