dell optiplex gx1 motherboard

[Tanner31593]

Okay everyone,

I purchased a dell optiplex gx1 motherboard and a p3 500mhz deal off ebay for $1.99.....and i was going to make a computer out of spare stuff from deep in my basement for my sister because shes in college majoring in graphic design and has no computer (can you imagine?)
Anyway,
she REALLY needs to do a powerpoint project asap,
but i have no case for the computer,
so i was just going to run it without a case as i have done before,
but im a little bit of a newbie when it comes to computers and on all of the computers ive worked on have been different than this (for one never dealt with a desktop before just towers)
But anyway,
the computers i have worked on have like the little plug things on the mobo and the wires that go to the case which go to the power button reset button internal speaker etc...(sorry im not good with words)
But the dell optiplex gx1 has none of that,
so my question basically is,
how do i turn the dell optiplex on with all the parts,
but no case?

Im sorry if this is a stupid question,
but by the time my father whos knows alot more about computers than i do gets off his lazy ass and just looks at it,
i could already be getting replies from here and be installing software on the optiplex............




Im sorry if you think im kinda an idiot for asking this,
but you would have found that out anyway................................





Tanner.

[Virtualbody1234]

The GX1 had a proprietary control panel.

http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/ban_gx1/Sm5_06.gif

That connects to the pins labeled "control panel connector (PANEL)" in the pic below.

http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/ban_gx1/BanBrd.gif

Dell doesn't seem to provide detailed information about specific pin usage. You'll need to figure that part out yourself or try to find an old Optiplex case.


Do you really think a 500MHz PIII is sufficient for someone "in college majoring in graphic design"?

[clocker]

Do you really think a 500MHz PIII is sufficient for someone "in college majoring in graphic design"?
It's a ten year program.
Nine and a half years waiting for the PC to boot up followed by an very intensive six months of classwork.

You Canuckistanians are sooo impatient.

[tesco]

Do you really think a 500MHz PIII is sufficient for someone "in college majoring in graphic design"?
I think it's just to get by until she's finished her powerpoint presentation...:huh:

[Tanner31593]

Ok,
now that we're all good and distracted haha,
The p3 is only until january or so then she gets a laptop.

[Tanner31593]

Well,
i just had an 'oh sh*t' moment when i realized that i dont have the proprietary control panel thing ^^^,
but i do remember that piece off of my old dell optiplex gx1,
an annoying piece it was......
but stupidly,
something went wrong with it i dont remember what,
so i chucked all of it except the drives and ram,
which was stupid because if i would have saved it i wouldnt be having this problem.
Is there anywhere i can buy that specific part?



Oh,
and i cant view that document because i dont have adobe,
but im downloading an old version of adobe,
so now im just waiting for the 9.9mb version to download,
on dial up,

See you in an hour and a half.................ugh..................we need high speed...........................well i guess dial up is the best you can get living in the middle of nowhere.......

[suprafreak6]

okay so that properierty control panel cant really be bought at stores like best buy...but i think you should give her your computer to get her work done atm...
priorities should be set in this instance...

[Tanner31593]

35 minutes.......

[Virtualbody1234]

I would look for a computer recycle center for the control panel or the whole case.

[Tanner31593]

Well i would give her my computer,
But she could go buy the exact same computer for $30 at the thrift store.......................just so you can get a window of what kind of technology i use haha.

But we tried installing powerpoint 2003 on it,
but of course,
"catastrophic failure"
thats not new...

[Virtualbody1234]

35 minutes.......

Here's an html link: http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/ban_gx1/sysbrd2.htm

I'll edit the post above.

[Tanner31593]

Well,
Do you think that i would be able to buy the control panel online anywhere?
Dell website?
And if i were to buy it from like best buy as GJ said,
how much would that cost?

[Virtualbody1234]

Well,
Do you think that i would be able to buy the control panel online anywhere?
Dell website?
And if i were to buy it from like best buy as GJ said,
how much would that cost?

I don't think you'll find it anywhere new.

Check at computer recycle centers.

[Tanner31593]

Well,
i dont really care for spending any money at this point into such an old system when for the price of all this trouble i could just scoot on down into the thrift store........But again id prefer not to spend any more money so now im going to resort to the stupid ways.
As far as computer recycle centers in my area.......i really doubt it.
We have very few used computer stores as it is,
The one being rediculously overpriced.



Is there any way i can like, rig something?



I do have an old compaq sff in my basement,
which i just parted it because the only cd drive it could take is the type that go into laptops,
and i think that it also has the control panel the same as the optiplex,
but i have no idea,
because theres no control panel visible,
but theres none of the other stuff that connects to the case either,
let me check that out a sec.

[Tanner31593]

Sorry my computers messed up so that last post went out 2 times so im editing this one.

[Tanner31593]

Well forget that post,
The compaq is useless in this situation im pretty sure of that.

[suprafreak6]

uh i would say why dont you just go buy a whole new computer, it will be worth it...if you can wait like a week or two for that part, i can probably get it from school, as our school in the computer class the work on gx1's..

[Tanner31593]

Well on an unrelated note,
I have a computer that would be a much much better fit for my sister,
But I turn on the computer and theres no display,
i have a thread on it and everything on another forum and i need to get the motherboard checked at a computer store or something,
about how much would that cost on an average to have someone check the motherboard?

[Tanner31593]

Well,
I can wait.
My sister comes to visit on chiristmas.

[Virtualbody1234]

Well on an unrelated note,
I have a computer that would be a much much better fit for my sister,
But I turn on the computer and theres no display,
i have a thread on it and everything on another forum and i need to get the motherboard checked at a computer store or something,
about how much would that cost on an average to have someone check the motherboard?
Please give us specs for that PC.

Have you try clearing the CMOS on that motherboard?

Does the computer beep?

Maybe just a graphics card is needed. :unsure:

[Tanner31593]

well i havent used that pc in a while so im not sure of some of the specs like the motherboard model but the computer model is a gateway essential 500c and onbord graphics and all that junk well,
it has celeron i think 900mhz and 512mb pc133 and all that,
I tried removing the battery and all that,
and the computer does not beep,
im about 65% sure it beeped before but again i could be wrong.
This whole no display is not new to me,
I dont know what i do to these computers to make them do that but so far ive wrecked a compaq an optiplex and this gateway.

[Tanner31593]

Well i havent used that system in a while so im not sure of some of the specs but its a gateway essential 500c and i dont know much about the motherboard but it has onboard graphics and sound and all that junk and it has a celeron i think 900mhz 512mb pc133 and i think a 160gb hard drive.

[Virtualbody1234]

One huge recommendation I can give you.

Stop buying prebuilt computers!



Do you have a graphics card that you could use in that Gateway?

[Tanner31593]

Yes i know i shouldnt buy them,
But really i didnt buy any of them retail,
i bought this gateway at a garage sale for $50 including monitor mouse keyboard printer speaker scanner,
and the other i got out of a dumpster (dont judge, the workplace was upgrading computers lol)
I dont buy anything new, and i dont buy anything not dirt cheap, which may explain all these problems........
anyway



i do have a couple of graphics cards,
but they have no drivers or anything and im not positive they work.

[Tanner31593]

Ok i can see what youre getting at,
Ill try putting a card in the gateway,
But will that work having on board and a graphics card?

[Virtualbody1234]

Ok i can see what youre getting at,
Ill try putting a card in the gateway,
But will that work having on board and a graphics card?

Check into how to disable the onboard graphics.

Drivers aren't an issue. They can be found online for just about any graphics card.

[Tanner31593]

Sorry i had to leave for a couple hours,
How do i disable the onboard graphics or do any of that stuff with no display?

[clocker]

Typically, just installing a graphics card (either PCI or AGP) will disable the onboard graphics.
In BIOS there may be an option like "Initial Display First" where you can specify which option to use.

[Tanner31593]

Sorry for the long gap in my updates.

So,
i should be able to just plug in a graphics card on a computer with no display at all and it will automatically disable onboard and if theres nothing else at fault it will work?

Well, even if its not true,
its worth a try,

-tries-
Well,
i went to try it,
but the graphics card does not go into any of the 4 (white) slots on the motherboard so i cant put it in.........................
im not sure what to do now.........
well,
what can i do?

[clocker]

Take up knitting.

[Virtualbody1234]

@clocker
:lol: :lol:


@Tanner31593
Maybe you could tell us what you want to do next.

[Tanner31593]

knitting?

this isnt the 'lamejoketalk' forum.
but it made me laugh.

[Virtualbody1234]

Seriously. We're not here to hold your hand and walk you along.

If you buy computers for less than $2 and figure it's a bargain then you're going to have to be much more resourceful than you have shown us in this thread.

You'll get comments about taking up knitting if you leave all the decision making up to us.

So... I'll ask again. What do you want to do next?

[Tanner31593]

Well,
I was able to purchase a case from someone on another forum for five dollars and that has everything i need in it,
so thanks for your help.