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October 24th, 2024 16:45
How to remove Dimension 4400 tower front bezel
I have this barebone old Dimension 4400 case and I want to clean it up to make it a sleeper pc. But I can’t figure out how to remove the front bezel to do a good cleaning of dust trapped behind it and metal oem chassis. I see two bezel pegs on right side but not on L side. Prying it but it does not budge? Don’t want to bust it. Has anyone done this before? It has a clam shell design. 
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redxps630
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October 24th, 2024 16:51
Ok I found old speedstep:
“
You have to remove the bottom plate and all the front panel inserts and other plastics to get the front cover off. Its quite an ordeal. On the inside front there are 3 or 4 tabs that bend and then the front comes off in a very similar way that a dimension 4100 does. This is not something that can be decribed in 8 words and 5 minutes. The tabs on a 4400 style skydive chassis are on the opposite side near where its hinged. The front will not come off before the bottom plate and the top plate and the inserts. Both CDROMS come out also. You need the room to get at the tab at the top that holds the front face on. 2 large tabs and 1 Tiny tab at the top holding the front face on. 88RXM is the part for a New Control panel with power switch.
https://www.dell.com/community/en/conversations/desktops-general-locked-topics/d4400-front-panel-removal/647e6245f4ccf8a8de7893e7?commentId=647e625af4ccf8a8de7ac744
To access the mounting screw that holds the front I/O panel to the computer, remove the hard drives and cdroms.
To see and get to the Tabs take out all the drive cables for floppy and cd etc.”
redxps630
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October 24th, 2024 18:55
Done. I would not call it an ordeal but it is definitely quite involved. Take off top plastic panel, take off bottom panel each required some prying and snapping open barbed hooks. Take off one side panel, then the front bezel is easy to come off. I might as well take off both side panels and now old Dell D4400 circa 2002 is all aluminum metal skin naked . So this is oem case metal chassis wrapped in plastic shell like an old Rex metal bone in artificial skin.
redxps630
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October 24th, 2024 19:00
(edited)
redxps630
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October 24th, 2024 19:04
redxps630
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October 24th, 2024 19:13
power switch pinout verified:
pin 2: pwr+
pin 3: pwr-
pin 1: removed
(edited)
redxps630
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October 24th, 2024 19:36
This is the kind of old Dell desktop that got dumped in e-trash or e-waste all the time. I was going to do the same until I thought maybe I could re use it for a retro build.
bradthetechnut
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October 25th, 2024 02:41
Is that ever an oldie or what. In 2006, while working for Thrivent Financial, the PC's had that same design. Don't know if it was the same Dimension as they aren't labeled on the front like Optiplex's and just about anything newer from Dell. They were hesitant and a little slow. The Dimensions got replaced with the GX series Optiplex. What a difference that made at the time. I was an Optiplex/Dell fan ever since.
Not sure how easy it will be to turn it into a sleeper PC, but good luck either way. :)
redxps630
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October 25th, 2024 13:37
the case has no motherboard mount standoffs.
It was designed for oem mobo mounting tray.
I got a XPS gen 5 mobo tray. Bend the built in IO shield a few times which made it snap clean off. The tray fits case neatly.
the tray has tapped raised standoffs that are not microATX standard
able to install a standard mATX board using only one tray standoff.
power button works by using a paper clip to pin 2/3 of 16 pin cable connect to standard 9 pin header of new mobo
skipping power LED now
ATX psu is a natural fit in the case
redxps630
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October 25th, 2024 23:31
brad is correct. Optiplex GX240 and GX 260 SMT looks like Dimension tower
(edited)
bradthetechnut
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October 25th, 2024 23:42
I didn't know or remember there was an older GX series Optiplex. I was talking about either the GX520 or GX620 got used for replacement.