Can I replace a Dimension 2400 motherboard with a 3000?

Hi,

I have a DELL Dimension 2400 on which the motherboard appears to be
dead. The computer powers up, but won't POST (just a blank screen
with the fans spinning).

I have been offered a motherboard from a Dimension 3000... Will it
work as a drop-in replacement for the old 2400 unit?

Thanks in advance!

Howard

"Howard Rose" <howardusenet@googlemail.com> wrote in message
news:1180606007.434293.315080@k79g2000hse.googlegr oups.com...
> Hi,
>
> I have a DELL Dimension 2400 on which the motherboard appears to be
> dead. The computer powers up, but won't POST (just a blank screen
> with the fans spinning).
>
> I have been offered a motherboard from a Dimension 3000... Will it
> work as a drop-in replacement for the old 2400 unit?
>
> Thanks in advance!
>
> Howard
>

It may, with these areas of concern:

1) Rear EMI shield/ I-O ports won't match.

2) Front power switch/audio/USB I/O cable might not fit the board pinouts.
In effect, you'd likely need either the entire 3000 power switch assembly +
the cabling or maybe just the cabling itself for it to match up. I think
these graphics are correct but I'm not positive:

2400 system board graphic:
http://support.dell.com/support/edoc...n/sysboard.htm

3000 system board graphic:
http://support.dell.com/support/edoc....htm#wp1076314

The connector(s) of concern are the pinned sockets on the upper right-hand
corner of the graphic ( at approximately 1 and 2 o'clock positions).

It's also possible that some other component might be causing your machine
to go no POST.


Stew

According to my unofficial cheat sheet of strange, wonderful and obscure facts
about Dell Pentium 4 systems, the Dimension 3000 motherboard will drop right in
as a 2400 replacement with the possible exception of the I/O back plate.
Everything else is the same including fan connector, audio connector, front
panel USB, and front panel on-off/LED cable. My advice is to find a
hard-to-find Dimension 3000 I/O plate to go with the board.

Other motherboards which are physically compatible (except maybe for I/O plate)
are the Dimension 4600 and the Optiplex 170L. The 4600 board needs an AGP
card, too, but it has 4 DIMM sockets, instead of 2... Ben Myers

On 31 May 2007 03:06:47 -0700, Howard Rose <howardusenet@googlemail.com> wrote:

>Hi,
>
>I have a DELL Dimension 2400 on which the motherboard appears to be
>dead. The computer powers up, but won't POST (just a blank screen
>with the fans spinning).
>
>I have been offered a motherboard from a Dimension 3000... Will it
>work as a drop-in replacement for the old 2400 unit?
>
>Thanks in advance!
>
>Howard

"Ben Myers" <ben_myers_spam_me_not@charter.net> wrote in message
news:jo8u53tsihrd5obanrnq6r7ba45f22d096@4ax.com...
> According to my unofficial cheat sheet of strange, wonderful and obscure
> facts
> about Dell Pentium 4 systems, the Dimension 3000 motherboard will drop
> right in
> as a 2400 replacement with the possible exception of the I/O back plate.
> Everything else is the same including fan connector, audio connector,
> front
> panel USB, and front panel on-off/LED cable. My advice is to find a
> hard-to-find Dimension 3000 I/O plate to go with the board.
>
> Other motherboards which are physically compatible (except maybe for I/O
> plate)
> are the Dimension 4600 and the Optiplex 170L. The 4600 board needs an
> AGP
> card, too, but it has 4 DIMM sockets, instead of 2... Ben Myers
>


I'll blame it on the graphics at the support site.

I'd only add that there are some Dim4600 boards that have integrated
video -and- an AGP slot.

Thanks Ben.....