[SOLVED] Dell Optiplex 390 MT Front IO Connectors for Sleeper PC

[gmwil]

Okay, so I've been kicking around the idea of building a sleeper PC for a while. I've been doing some research, and from what I've read, the Optiplex 390 uses a Micro ATX motherboard and a full ATX power supply. This makes getting new internals for the case fairly easy. However, there was something that I do not know how to address; the front IO panel for the case. To keep it looking as stock as possible, I'd like to re-use that IO panel rather than retrofitting a new one. And that means that I would have to use Dell's non-standard connector, which does not correspond to any motherboard on the aftermarket, at least to my knowledge. Should I try and find the pin out of the Dell cable, then pull the wires to put onto a standard USB 2.0 connector, with the audio going to its own header? Or will I have to cannibalize another case for its front panel connectors and mount them on the stock Dell panel? Or is there an aftermarket front panel replacement that I could just plug and play?

Also, as for the power switch, reset switch, and the power LED and HDD LED, I found a web page (https://www.bol.com/nl/p/moederbord...et-schakelaar-hdd-power-led/9200000092348565/ ) that looks like I could use the standard motherboard connectors for the power, reset switch, and LED's. I'd just have to yank the ones that are on the case and wire up the new ones, which I don't mind doing since it just requires some elbow grease and adhesive.

If anybody has had experience with this kind of thing, I would really appreciate some help in getting all of this sorted. Thanks in advance!

 

[Unolocogringo]

This might help.
I salvaged the connectors from an old case and then soldered them to the front panel connectors of the dell case.
leaving the front panel original and just changed the board connector..

Optiplex 390 0m5dcd Front Panel I/O Pinout (need help)

Greetings, I've been trying to use a dell mobo in a normal ATX case but i'm stuck trying to figure out dell's proprietary pinout for the front panel headers. I've managed to fix the PWR button failure warning by shorting pins on the 6pin header but i've yet to figure out how to get rid of the pes...

linustechtips.com

Just the opposite of your plan but gives you the front panel diagrams.

 

[gmwil]

This might help.
I salvaged the connectors from an old case and then soldered them to the front panel connectors of the dell case.
leaving the front panel original and just changed the board connector..

Optiplex 390 0m5dcd Front Panel I/O Pinout (need help)

Greetings, I've been trying to use a dell mobo in a normal ATX case but i'm stuck trying to figure out dell's proprietary pinout for the front panel headers. I've managed to fix the PWR button failure warning by shorting pins on the 6pin header but i've yet to figure out how to get rid of the pes...

linustechtips.com

Just the opposite of your plan but gives you the front panel diagrams.

The diagram is definitely useful for the power switch. I noticed that the Power LED and Diagnostic LED share pins, and that it depends on the polarity as to which it shows. Does that mean that, when you change the stock connector to the two-pin that normally goes with an ATX motherboard for the Power LED, you would get white if you put it in one way, then amber if you switched it around?

 

[Unolocogringo]

It appears that way. But I never tried it on those models, just newer ones.
Give it a try, it will not damage anything, it just will not light up.
Most LEDs are polarity sensitive ,+ must go to + or it just doesn't light up.

 

[gmwil]

It appears that way. But I never tried it on those models, just newer ones.
Give it a try, it will not damage anything, it just will not light up.
Most LEDs are polarity sensitive ,+ must go to + or it just doesn't light up.

Thanks for the information. Now I have to figure out how to wire up the USB and audio ports. I'm thinking about running some less-than-stock cables rather than trying to figure out how to pull the pins on the IO to match the pinouts on the USB and audio headers on the motherboard. I'm considering running a USB 3.0 splitter from the USB 3.0 header on the motherboard that goes into two female USB ports and run those to the front of the case and situate those in the stock location. As far as the audio ports, I'm thinking of running a splitter from a USB 2.0 header that leads to a USB dongle with a headphone and mic jack, then attach that in the stock location for those particular ports.