Epic Battle
...the epic battle to replace my battered old desktop PC's power supply, that is.
It didn't seem like a difficult campaign, at first. I've cracked the case on that old Dell plenty of times (adding more RAM, a second hard drive, a new DVD burner, etc.). So I popped its clamshell, unscrewed the old power supply and wiggled it out of place. Set the new power supply down and started replacing the plugs, one by one, so I wouldn't lose track of what went where.
It had a few moments of "GAH WHAT" flailing panic - like before realizing that the extra 4 plugs which kept the main motherboard power from fitting initially could be separated off. Also ended up removing the FireWire card that I've never used in order to keep my 3.5" floppy drive a while longer. >,> What, yes I still have stuff on diskette, sosumi.
Eventually, though, everything was switched over to the new supply. I hoisted the old carcass out of the way, went to slide the new one firmly into place...
...
...
...and realized that the plug was in the wrong spot for it to fit.
(Head + Desk) x 1,000,000
Fortunately, the computer IS old, and I'm not deathly attached to certain parts of its case, and I have a housemate with power tools who is not afraid to use them.
Yes, we cut away part of the metal backing of the case to MAKE the new power supply fit, dammit. And it worked, for less than 1/4 the cost that I would have paid Dell for a less powerful (and possibly reconditioned) power supply with its plug in the right place. *shrug*
By 11:00 or so last night, the desktop booted up smooth as silk - and so quiet I hardly knew it was running, which is a huge relief. Hopefully I can make up the lost time on my Big Bang art and get it in only a couple of days late. >,0
It didn't seem like a difficult campaign, at first. I've cracked the case on that old Dell plenty of times (adding more RAM, a second hard drive, a new DVD burner, etc.). So I popped its clamshell, unscrewed the old power supply and wiggled it out of place. Set the new power supply down and started replacing the plugs, one by one, so I wouldn't lose track of what went where.
It had a few moments of "GAH WHAT" flailing panic - like before realizing that the extra 4 plugs which kept the main motherboard power from fitting initially could be separated off. Also ended up removing the FireWire card that I've never used in order to keep my 3.5" floppy drive a while longer. >,> What, yes I still have stuff on diskette, sosumi.
Eventually, though, everything was switched over to the new supply. I hoisted the old carcass out of the way, went to slide the new one firmly into place...
...
...
...and realized that the plug was in the wrong spot for it to fit.
(Head + Desk) x 1,000,000
Fortunately, the computer IS old, and I'm not deathly attached to certain parts of its case, and I have a housemate with power tools who is not afraid to use them.
Yes, we cut away part of the metal backing of the case to MAKE the new power supply fit, dammit. And it worked, for less than 1/4 the cost that I would have paid Dell for a less powerful (and possibly reconditioned) power supply with its plug in the right place. *shrug*
By 11:00 or so last night, the desktop booted up smooth as silk - and so quiet I hardly knew it was running, which is a huge relief. Hopefully I can make up the lost time on my Big Bang art and get it in only a couple of days late. >,0
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