VirtualLarry
No Lifer
Picked up a Dell Vostro off of CL today, E4500 2.2Ghz, was supposed to have 4GB of RAM but only has 1GB (got screwed there), has a 250GB SATA HD (was supposed to have a 160GB, so I got a bonus here).
Well, I plugged it in and was installing Windows 7 RC1 64-bit (and wiping the drive), and I noticed that the back of the PSU was hot. Real hot. Then I noticed that the fan wasn't spinning. So I took a pen and pushed on the fan, and then it started spinning, slowly.
So it looks like the fan is dying. What I normally do in that circumstance, is take apart the PSU, remove the fan, and install an 80mm fan and run the molex power for the fan outside the PSU, and then plug it into a molex connector coming off of the PSU. Unfortunately, the Vostro is all-SATA, so I can't do that. So I just happen to have an Antec Basiq 500W NIB laying around, so I figure I'll use that to replace the PSU.
That is, if I can replace the PSU, if it's standard ATX. Please reply back soon whether or not this is the case.
Edit: Actually, I think I'll use my CoolerMaster eXtreme Power 500W RP-500-PCAR PSU. I don't feel like wasting my nice Antec PSU on this crappy Vostro. I heard that the CM has high ripple under load, but with only a 250GB HD, SATA DVD burner, E4500 (stock) and 8800GTS 640MB, I don't think that the load will be too high.
Well, I plugged it in and was installing Windows 7 RC1 64-bit (and wiping the drive), and I noticed that the back of the PSU was hot. Real hot. Then I noticed that the fan wasn't spinning. So I took a pen and pushed on the fan, and then it started spinning, slowly.
So it looks like the fan is dying. What I normally do in that circumstance, is take apart the PSU, remove the fan, and install an 80mm fan and run the molex power for the fan outside the PSU, and then plug it into a molex connector coming off of the PSU. Unfortunately, the Vostro is all-SATA, so I can't do that. So I just happen to have an Antec Basiq 500W NIB laying around, so I figure I'll use that to replace the PSU.
That is, if I can replace the PSU, if it's standard ATX. Please reply back soon whether or not this is the case.
Edit: Actually, I think I'll use my CoolerMaster eXtreme Power 500W RP-500-PCAR PSU. I don't feel like wasting my nice Antec PSU on this crappy Vostro. I heard that the CM has high ripple under load, but with only a 250GB HD, SATA DVD burner, E4500 (stock) and 8800GTS 640MB, I don't think that the load will be too high.
