Removing stock PSU in a gateway dx4860-ub33p?

[palecurve]

So, after purchasing a better GPU but realizing I was using the stock PSU, I went out and got a new one. Everything checks out there - my only question is this - how in god's name do I get the old PSU out?! It's bad enough they riveted a side of the case together!

Any help - massively appreciated.

 

[randomkid]

What is the GPU & what is the stock PSU specifications?
And what is the new PSU you got?

 

[abekl]

There should be four screws in the back of the unit holding in the PSU.

That's the standard mounting. Also, check around the PSU carefully for additional screws.

 

[palecurve]

What is the GPU & what is the stock PSU specifications?
And what is the new PSU you got?

I picked up a Raedon 6670 with one gig of....whatever isn't DDR3 (sorry, I'm exhausted). Stock PSU was running at 300W and while the motherboard had a PCIe-x16, no power supply for it (despite saying so...) so I just went out and purchased a Dynex 600W.

I figured it out - had the four screws in the back undone, you just literally had to...rip it out...no idea WHAT they were thinking.

 

[palecurve]

There should be four screws in the back of the unit holding in the PSU.

That's the standard mounting. Also, check around the PSU carefully for additional screws.

Actually, I did find a tiny screw (different than the stock four) hiding behind part of the back case...no idea why. Had to bend it with needlenose pliars.

Regardless, the solution was ridiculous, to say the least - when I posted on here, I was five hours into beating my head against the new PC - and honestly, in anger, I grabbed it and ripped the unit out. I was thinking, "they put a bracket in on the riveted side!"...but no, it just needed to be -ripped- out. I kid you not.

Slid right out, hooked everything up, and I'm good to go.

...after working in IT/helpdesk for about 15 years that's a first.

Thanks for your help!

 

[randomkid]

Glad it ends well for you. But as an afterthought, the 6670 does not need a PCIe connector. If the PCIe connector is what you mean when you say:

Stock PSU was running at 300W and while the motherboard had a PCIe-x16, no power supply for it (despite saying so...) so I just went out and purchased a Dynex 600W.

The reason I ask what's the graphics card & PSU is that it is possible that you may be able to support it without the new PSU. But since you have it & got it working, it is still better having that 600W & the 300W as a spare.

 

[palecurve]

Even though things are solved I'll go ahead and give you the information just to see if your thought that it would be able to support the card without a new PSU (which is one of the first thoughts I had).

Now, pardon any mistakes here; this is the first new desktop I've purchased in ages; last time I bought one AGP was the new up and coming amazing technology and the original AMD Athlon was about to blow Intel out of the water. Seeing Intel quad-cores and things that used to be on the servers at work...yeah. I've been out of the loop.

According to the packaging, the Gateway comes with a total of four "PCI Express" (or "PCI xPress"/"PCIe") slots. One of them is labeled as being as "PCIe X16"/"PCI Express X16". ...to me, it looks like a regular old PCI slot, but it's blue. Same number of pins. The other three are tiny little things - apparently "PCI Express X1" slots. Again, my apologies - this is all REALLY new to me.

Amusingly, the area of my MoBo in question looks almost exactly like this, without the traditional PCI slots:
http://www.geeks.com/techtips/2006/Images/motherboard.gif

The card I purchased was a XFX Radeon HD 6770 with one GB of GDDR5 SDRAM. Now, I probably should've done my homework a bit more - but the box said nothing about the card needing a power supply, just that particular X16 slot. I figured, "hey, my PC has one, I can't believe they're still doing integrated graphics, I'm switching it out. Should be easy as pie". Well, that's when I found that nice little six-prong plug at the end of the card.

Honestly, I never tried running the PC to see if it worked without the new PSU. Even if it did, however, I'm just glad to have updated the PSU from that stock no-name box. Honestly, what PSU's removal instructions include "rip out of chassis to remove"? Lord.

On a quick side note; I know it doesn't really fit with this section, but do you know what these PCI Express X1 slots are good for? So far one is filled - Gateway installed a wireless card in it which I removed. Can I use this to add a better sound card, or is it really just for tiny things?

Thanks for the interest and the help, randomkid.

 

[randomkid]

Ah... if you have bought the XFX Radeon HD6770, there is no doubt you need a new PSU. I only asked because the graphics card in your earlier post indicated 6670. Must have been a type error due to exhaustion.

I picked up a Raedon 6670 with one gig of....whatever isn't DDR3 (sorry, I'm exhausted).

In answer to your last question: Yes, you can use the PCIe X1 slots for a sound card.

 

[marunder]

re

Argh! I and someone else here on toms are currently having the same problem, nearly done trying to rip this bleepity PSU out... Has anyone found a fix for this? I have seen others who replaced their DX4860 PSUs and most say nothing about any problem... The Gateway website has a little arrow "pointing" at a 5th screw, but it is not a helpful arrow...

If I find a less dramatic fix will post it...

Mark

 

[marunder]

OK, for MY situation there was no other screw to remove - there is a tab next to the right hand side of the PSU which you push down and the PSU slides right out! Doh!
I hope this helps someone else
Mark