Dell XPS 420
I have an old Dell XPS 420 desktop that wouldn't power on today.ÿ I hadCorrect me if I'm wrong but it sounds like you fixed the problem and
a hunch that it might be the front power switch, so disconnected the
power from the motherboard and then located the green wire on the power supply.ÿ However, much to my surprise, there were two green wires.ÿ When
I jumpered one to ground, nothing, but when jumpering the other, power supply fan started up.
Before reconnecting power to the motherboard, I cut the green wire that
did work and temporarily extended it with a jumper wire.ÿ Power was reconnected and the jumper wire to ground.ÿ The power supply started,
but it was only after I then pressed the front power button on the
desktop that it started right up.ÿ In fact, I'm sending this message
from it now.
I'm a little confused about the wiring and power switch type.ÿ The
switch must have only partially failed since it still works with the aforementioned configuration.ÿ However, I think the option, to get
things back to normal, is to either replace it, which I think would be
next to impossible given the old age of the PC, or simply wire up a
toggle as a substitute, but not sure of the wiring.
Might it be as simple as snipping that additional green wire, splicing
both green wires together, and have that go to ground for start up/ turn off, or is it something more?ÿ I almost think a temporary switch is
needed somewhere since the front power button is only depressed until
power up and then released.
trying to keep everything simple, but it seems a little complicated to
me.ÿ Thanks in advance for any help.
On 1/31/2026 6:22 AM, Harvey Sanenbum wrote:
I have an old Dell XPS 420 desktop that wouldn't power on today.ÿ I
had a hunch that it might be the front power switch, so disconnected
the power from the motherboard and then located the green wire on the
power supply.ÿ However, much to my surprise, there were two green
wires.ÿ When I jumpered one to ground, nothing, but when jumpering the
other, power supply fan started up.
Before reconnecting power to the motherboard, I cut the green wire
that did work and temporarily extended it with a jumper wire.ÿ Power
was reconnected and the jumper wire to ground.ÿ The power supply
started, but it was only after I then pressed the front power button
on the desktop that it started right up.ÿ In fact, I'm sending this
message from it now.
I'm a little confused about the wiring and power switch type.ÿ The
switch must have only partially failed since it still works with the
aforementioned configuration.ÿ However, I think the option, to get
things back to normal, is to either replace it, which I think would be
next to impossible given the old age of the PC, or simply wire up a
toggle as a substitute, but not sure of the wiring.
Might it be as simple as snipping that additional green wire, splicing
both green wires together, and have that go to ground for start up/
turn off, or is it something more?ÿ I almost think a temporary switch
is needed somewhere since the front power button is only depressed
until power up and then released.
trying to keep everything simple, but it seems a little complicated to
me.ÿ Thanks in advance for any help.
Correct me if I'm wrong but it sounds like you fixed the problem and
there's no need to replace the front panel power switch.
I'm unclear, however, whether the power switch is, by design, a
momentary contact switch - only on while depressed, or a toggle switch -
on when depressed and remains on until pushed again when in turns off.
On 1/31/26 12:46 PM, Bennett Price wrote:
On 1/31/2026 6:22 AM, Harvey Sanenbum wrote:
I have an old Dell XPS 420 desktop that wouldn't power on today.ÿ I
had a hunch that it might be the front power switch, so disconnected
the power from the motherboard and then located the green wire on the
power supply.ÿ However, much to my surprise, there were two green
wires.ÿ When I jumpered one to ground, nothing, but when jumpering
the other, power supply fan started up.
Before reconnecting power to the motherboard, I cut the green wire
that did work and temporarily extended it with a jumper wire.ÿ Power
was reconnected and the jumper wire to ground.ÿ The power supply
started, but it was only after I then pressed the front power button
on the desktop that it started right up.ÿ In fact, I'm sending this
message from it now.
I'm a little confused about the wiring and power switch type.ÿ The
switch must have only partially failed since it still works with the
aforementioned configuration.ÿ However, I think the option, to get
things back to normal, is to either replace it, which I think would
be next to impossible given the old age of the PC, or simply wire up
a toggle as a substitute, but not sure of the wiring.
Might it be as simple as snipping that additional green wire,
splicing both green wires together, and have that go to ground for
start up/ turn off, or is it something more?ÿ I almost think a
temporary switch is needed somewhere since the front power button is
only depressed until power up and then released.
trying to keep everything simple, but it seems a little complicated
to me.ÿ Thanks in advance for any help.
Correct me if I'm wrong but it sounds like you fixed the problem and
there's no need to replace the front panel power switch.
Sort of.ÿ I have a SPST toggle switch that connects the one green line
to the power supply and ground.ÿ I cut that green line to the
motherboard.ÿ If I enable the toggle switch, the power supply fan begins
to turn at a rapid pace until I press the button on the front of the desktop, then boot up as normal.
So, by activating the toggle switch I added, and then pushing the PC
power button on the front of the desktop momentarily, the PC boots up.
If no other solution, I guess I could use it this way either until I
find out the correct wiring data for replacing with a single switch or obtaining an original replacement PC switch board.ÿ I really need to
have this desktop functional.
I'm unclear, however, whether the power switch is, by design, a
momentary contact switch - only on while depressed, or a toggle switch
- on when depressed and remains on until pushed again when in turns off.
On 1/31/26 12:46 PM, Bennett Price wrote:
On 1/31/2026 6:22 AM, Harvey Sanenbum wrote:
I have an old Dell XPS 420 desktop that wouldn't power on today.? I
had a hunch that it might be the front power switch, so disconnected
the power from the motherboard and then located the green wire on the
power supply.? However, much to my surprise, there were two green
wires.? When I jumpered one to ground, nothing, but when jumpering the
other, power supply fan started up.
Before reconnecting power to the motherboard, I cut the green wire
that did work and temporarily extended it with a jumper wire.? Power
was reconnected and the jumper wire to ground.? The power supply
started, but it was only after I then pressed the front power button
on the desktop that it started right up.? In fact, I'm sending this
message from it now.
I'm a little confused about the wiring and power switch type.? The
switch must have only partially failed since it still works with the
aforementioned configuration.? However, I think the option, to get
things back to normal, is to either replace it, which I think would be
next to impossible given the old age of the PC, or simply wire up a
toggle as a substitute, but not sure of the wiring.
Might it be as simple as snipping that additional green wire, splicing
both green wires together, and have that go to ground for start up/
turn off, or is it something more?? I almost think a temporary switch
is needed somewhere since the front power button is only depressed
until power up and then released.
trying to keep everything simple, but it seems a little complicated to
me.? Thanks in advance for any help.
Correct me if I'm wrong but it sounds like you fixed the problem and
there's no need to replace the front panel power switch.
Sort of. I have a SPST toggle switch that connects the one green line
to the power supply and ground. I cut that green line to the
motherboard. If I enable the toggle switch, the power supply fan begins
to turn at a rapid pace until I press the button on the front of the >desktop, then boot up as normal.
So, by activating the toggle switch I added, and then pushing the PC
power button on the front of the desktop momentarily, the PC boots up.
If no other solution, I guess I could use it this way either until I
find out the correct wiring data for replacing with a single switch or >obtaining an original replacement PC switch board. I really need to
have this desktop functional.
I'm unclear, however, whether the power switch is, by design, a
momentary contact switch - only on while depressed, or a toggle switch -
on when depressed and remains on until pushed again when in turns off.
On Sat, 31 Jan 2026 13:32:39 -0500, Harvey Sanenbum
<harvey50120@micro.net> wrote:
On 1/31/26 12:46 PM, Bennett Price wrote:
On 1/31/2026 6:22 AM, Harvey Sanenbum wrote:
I have an old Dell XPS 420 desktop that wouldn't power on today.ÿ I
had a hunch that it might be the front power switch, so disconnected
the power from the motherboard and then located the green wire on the
power supply.ÿ However, much to my surprise, there were two green
wires.ÿ When I jumpered one to ground, nothing, but when jumpering the >>>> other, power supply fan started up.
Before reconnecting power to the motherboard, I cut the green wire
that did work and temporarily extended it with a jumper wire.ÿ Power
was reconnected and the jumper wire to ground.ÿ The power supply
started, but it was only after I then pressed the front power button
on the desktop that it started right up.ÿ In fact, I'm sending this
message from it now.
I'm a little confused about the wiring and power switch type.ÿ The
switch must have only partially failed since it still works with the
aforementioned configuration.ÿ However, I think the option, to get
things back to normal, is to either replace it, which I think would be >>>> next to impossible given the old age of the PC, or simply wire up a
toggle as a substitute, but not sure of the wiring.
Might it be as simple as snipping that additional green wire, splicing >>>> both green wires together, and have that go to ground for start up/
turn off, or is it something more?ÿ I almost think a temporary switch
is needed somewhere since the front power button is only depressed
until power up and then released.
trying to keep everything simple, but it seems a little complicated to >>>> me.ÿ Thanks in advance for any help.
Correct me if I'm wrong but it sounds like you fixed the problem and
there's no need to replace the front panel power switch.
Sort of. I have a SPST toggle switch that connects the one green line
to the power supply and ground. I cut that green line to the
motherboard. If I enable the toggle switch, the power supply fan begins
to turn at a rapid pace until I press the button on the front of the
desktop, then boot up as normal.
So, by activating the toggle switch I added, and then pushing the PC
power button on the front of the desktop momentarily, the PC boots up.
If no other solution, I guess I could use it this way either until I
find out the correct wiring data for replacing with a single switch or
obtaining an original replacement PC switch board. I really need to
have this desktop functional.
I'm unclear, however, whether the power switch is, by design, a
momentary contact switch - only on while depressed, or a toggle switch - >>> on when depressed and remains on until pushed again when in turns off.
Response to power-on is in bios - check coin cell battery on mobo.
RL
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