Tried re-using an old dell case...

[thewilf]

Well, I decided to be cheap and cannibalize some of an old dell that had fried. Was going to turn it into a PVR, but it apparently used RDRAM so I replaced a lot of stuff, long story short, I ended up keeping the case, cd-rom (only really need it to install the stuff at the start, after that I don't have a use for it, so no point in buying something new or a dvd player or anything), and floppy drive (meh, why not, it's there and it works), I know I only saved like $70, but I'm a cheapo.

Now it has been quite a while since I've opened up a case so I didn't notice what was wrong before I ordered the parts and they arrived. But apparently the old case had a trick up it's sleeve. The power buttons/led lights don't use the normal connector. The computer is old (it was purchased the day before pentium 4's came out), but the connector is in a solid block of 2 rows of 8 (one row has one blocked off, so really 8 by 7), while the motherboard is new and has normal connectors. The big whammy is that the cable is a ribbon cable, rather than individual cables that I could possibly match up in some way.

So here's the big question: Is there any way to replace the power buttons/led lights (heck, I really don't even need the lights), even if it doesn't exactly fit with the case I don't mind, I don't care if it's ugly and rigged funky. Is there anywhere I can get the normal cables and an on button to whack or do I have to stop being cheap and buy a new case? I tried newegg and some other places but haven't been able to find what I'm looking for (doesn't help that I don't know the name, if it has one, I just search for stuff like "case cable" or "case power cable" or "power led cable" and such).

I'm 20 and haven't gotten a summer job yet, which is why I'm trying to be very cheap in spending what I've saved up

[Kareeser]

Try this.

P.S. Good luck!

[Cricket]

Try going to a local computer shop and ask if they have any throw away cases you can scrounge through.

Cricket

[Dark Nova]

If i were you, id buy a new case, its cheap you can get a good cheap case for 20$, besides most dell cases are made so that you cant put a random mobo in it. And have you bought a new PSU cause i suggest not to use that old crap

[thewilf]

Originally Posted by Dark Nova If i were you, id buy a new case, its cheap you can get a good cheap case for 20$, besides most dell cases are made so that you cant put a random mobo in it. And have you bought a new PSU cause i suggest not to use that old crap

the motherboard fits fine, and I do have a new power supply, the only things I am reusing are the floppy disk drive, cd-rom drive, and case.

and as far as local stores, I don't know of any, I live in the middle of nowhere