From: legg@nospam.magma.ca   
      
   On Sat, 31 Jan 2026 13:32:39 -0500, Harvey Sanenbum   
    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.  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.   
      
   Response to power-on is in bios - check coin cell battery on mobo.   
      
   RL   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)