4 Posts
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1598
May 23rd, 2020 10:00
Vostro 200 - any way to bypass non-working power button?
My old and faithful XP Vostro 200 mini tower has been used primarily for music and video editing and storage for many years.
I was about to move all my most precious files to a new Win 10 PC, and the Vostro power button died. It won't power up, and no power button light at all.
I checked the PSU with the bridging green and black wire method, and fan started. Only 2 lights are amber on motherboard and green on back of PSU. No beeps at all encountered so far.
I have ordered a new PSU, which I hope turns out to be my problem, despite the fact that the fan came on when I bridged the green and black wires on the 24 pin connector to the MB.
In meantime, is there any alternate way for me to fire my old Vostro up, without a functional power button?
TIA for any help on this.
harold (louisiana)
hleone
4 Posts
0
May 24th, 2020 10:00
Thank you VERY much, speedstep!
I just ordered the newer 2-bay version, and it's on its way.
As I understand, I will have to remove the two hdds from my dedicated Music/Video pc (which will not power up at all), and place one at a time into the docking station, attached to a working PC, and I will be able to copy desired files and transfer them to either the working pc or to an external drive attached to the working pc.
I also could clone each drive directly to a new hard drive, with the capabilities of this 2-bay dock, without a working pc attached.
I don't think I'll clone these 2 drives, but that is a great capability for the future,
I just want to retrieve certain files to an external drive for now, and I intend to include them on a new pc, which I will again dedicate to my Music and Video editing hobby.
My only concern is if either of the 2 removed hdds is damaged, will I still be able to remove at least some of the files I want to retrieve? One is the C drive, so OS and data is there. The other is strictly data files. I'm particularly interested in retrieving some documents (stored in My Documents) from the C drive.
Again, thanks SO much for this suggestion. I think it might be the lifesaver I was hoping for.
harold (louisiana)
hleone
4 Posts
0
May 27th, 2020 14:00
Discovered ANOTHER solution to my dead power button problem - Vostro 200!
I just received the replacement PSU I had ordered, put it in, and my Vostro 200 fired right up, like it had never been dead.
So, despite the fact that the fan on my old power supply had started, when I bridged the black/green wires on the 24-pin connector, that obviously did not indicate that the old psu was fully functional, because the new psu completely restored my power button functionality.
So, I won't need the new docking station (arriving tomorrow) that speedstep had suggested, so I could access the hard drive files in my dead vostro.
But I am still very glad I ordered the docking station. And I know it will be a great tool, to save me future headaches.
harold (louisiana)
fireberd
9 Legend
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33.4K Posts
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May 23rd, 2020 11:00
If it won't start with shorting the green/black wires in the power supply connector, there may be more problems than the power switch.
Might be the best option is to use (buy) an external hard drive/USB adapter and use that to get the user files off of the hard drive. You can then even use that hard drive for backups (which you should have had, anyway. Not for IF you ever need it but for WHEN you need it). Do periodic full drive (all partition) disc image backups to a separate drive. The free and popular Macrium Reflect is recommended for backups.
https://www.macrium.com/reflectfree
hleone
4 Posts
0
May 23rd, 2020 12:00
Hi fireberd,
I do monthly backups, but I want to retrieve every file, even those from the last 3 weeks.
Does it tell us anything, that the power button suddenly stopped working and the power button light also went out, yet after that, the fan started as soon as I jumped the black and green wires in the 24-pin connector?
Was hoping I might be able to power up, by bypassing the power button somehow.
I read another post, very similar, where a new PSU solved the same power button issue, so I'll try that when the part arrives.
Thanks,
harold (louisiana)
speedstep
9 Legend
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47K Posts
0
May 23rd, 2020 18:00
Get a drive dock and pull the data from the drive that way.
https://www.amazon.com/Sabrent-External-Docking-Station-DS-UBLK/dp/B00IKAQ538