From: legg@nospam.magma.ca   
      
   On Tue, 3 Feb 2026 15:04:49 -0500, Harvey Sanenbum   
    wrote:   
      
   >On 2/3/26 12:14 PM, legg wrote:   
   >> On Tue, 3 Feb 2026 10:18:14 -0500, Harvey Sanenbum   
   >>  wrote:   
   >>   
   >>> On 2/3/26 2:00 AM, wmartin wrote:   
   >>>> On 2/2/26 16:36, Harvey Sanenbum wrote:   
   >>>>> On 2/2/26 4:02 PM, Bennett Price wrote:   
   >>>>>> On 2/2/2026 7:49 AM, Harvey Sanenbum wrote:   
   >>>>>>> On 2/1/26 3:28 PM, Harvey Sanenbum wrote:   
   >>>>>>>> On 2/1/26 1:43 PM, legg wrote:   
   >>>>>>>>> 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   
   >>>>>>>>   
   >>>>>>>> Ahhh, good point.  Something I hadn't thought of because my system   
   >>>>>>>> auto syncs to the correct time everyday once I connect to the   
   >>>>>>>> Internet.  In the BIOS however, just checked the date and time.   
   >>>>>>>> Date is fine (today) but time is slow by 8 hours.  Time to do a   
   >>>>>>>> battery swap I think.   
   >>>>>>>   
   >>>>>>> No fresh batteries on hand, so ordered one today.  Once installed,   
   >>>>>>> will rewire as normal, see what happens, and report back.  I'm also   
   >>>>>>> going to save this thread for future reference because I have   
   >>>>>>> another desktop that refused to boot up one day that I'm wondering   
   >>>>>>> whether or not had the same problem.  Going to check it out later   
   >>>>>>> this week.   
   >>>>>> If the time was off by exactly 8 hours the time zone setting is   
   >>>>>> wrong; perhaps defaulting to Greenwich time.   
   >>>>>   
   >>>>> Fresh battery installed and still no boot up, so went back to the   
   >>>>> modified configuration.  Any more ideas welcome.   
   >>>> If your cmos content is clobbered, a new battery will not magically   
   >>>> restore them. Can you boot into bios mode? If so, look for messed up   
   >>>> cmos content, reset to defaults if it's scrambled. Then you may have a   
   >>>> chance to set the correct values. That 8 hr time error is a clue, it   
   >>>> looks as if the timezone offset has gone to "0", GMT zone.   
   >>>   
   >>> I took screen photos with my digital camera for each and every current   
   >>> setting before switching out the battery.  Then it was just a matter of   
   >>> going back through the images and copying those settings in BIOS after   
   >>> battery replacement.  Everything is as it was before swapping out the   
   >>> battery.  Unless you are saying that a setting was somehow off before   
   >>> the battery switch in which case I would have no idea which one and   
   >>> would appreciate some clues.  Yes, BIOS is easily accessible.   
   >>   
   >> refer to the user manual.   
   >   
   >Unfortunately, not much help.  It refers to beep codes and light   
   >combinations on the top LCD screen.  I have had no codes or light   
   >indications that anything was wrong.    > RL   
      
   System Setup page 179.   
      
   RL   
      
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