Ok, as the description says, im getting the video card and power supply i ordered 2 days from now. The video card requiered more power than what i had so i have to replace the power supply. What i need is exact instructions on how to replace the power supply.
Now, i do know how to replace it, but due to forgetfullness im likely to miss a step and mess up my comp. Also ive never replaced a power supply before. Here is what i would do normally. Please check it and tell me what im missing:

Part 1: Test the power supply voltages. I have a tester and i want to make sure that the power supply isnt broken and that it pumps out proper voltages on all the connectors.
1.1: Bridge the motherboard connector so it turns on without having to plug it into valuable computer parts. I take a piece of metal cable and connect the green cable to any of the black ones.
1.2: Plug the power supply into the outlet. It should turn on.
1.3: Test the voltages. all the cables on all the connectors. Set the tester to DCV 20V. test all the cables on all the connectors by plugging the black connector on the tester to any black cable and the red connector to any other color that isnt black. Cross-check the read-out with the voltages its supposed to be (i have a book that lists them) If these read correctly then the power supply is fine. Proceed to installing it.

Part 2: Putting it in the comp.
2.1: Turn off computer (of course) and unplug all external cables.
2.2: Open the chasis, making sure to touch a metalic part to discharge any static electricity i might have built up.
2.3: Unplug all internal power supply cables.
2.4: Remove current power supply.
2.5: Install new power supply.
2.6: Connect all internal power supply cables.
2.7: Close chassis.
2.8: Connect all external cable connections.
2.9: Turn on computer. Make sure everything works correctly.

Then install video card but i alredy know how to do that properly
Please tell me if im skipping anything.

The power supply on my computer broke three weeks after I got it. I got a new one after about two weeks. Without ANY experience working with computers physically I managed to put it in the right way.
I mainly just plugged in the different cables where it would be logic to place them. I also remember how the ones that goes to more than one component was placed. If you still are unsure, try drawing a sketch before you remove the old one.

The original cable positions dont matter, as long as you plug in another cable of the same type. Its like wall outlets, doesnt matter where you plug it, you still get power.

All of your steps seem correct, just remember there are 2 cables for the motherboard, you will need to plug both to do your test.

actually a dell 2400 does not have 2 molex cables for the motherboard

I tested the power supply, and the voltage values were insanly high or low... but it might be the tester im using,my friend said it might be broken. So i tested the power supply with an old computer that i dont use anymore. I only plugged it into a cd-rom drive and it worked just fine. no smoke, nothing. So i tried it on a floppy drive.... HISSS SMOKE. i unplugged it quick and noticed that i had plugged it incorrecly into the floppy.... one of the pins was sticking out... Now the cable i used to plug it into the floppy is all melted.. can the power supply sustain any damage this way?

EDIT:JUST NOTICED THAT I HAD THE BLACK TESTING WIRE CONNECTED TO THE WRONG HOLE ON THE TESTER. THATS WHY THE VOLTAGES CAME OUT WRONG

Post has been edited 1 time(s), last time on Dec 8 2007, 10:48 pm by Nintendo_Confed.

No offence but how can you possibly plug something from the power supply wrong in a computer!?! Seriously everything in there is pretty straight-forward lol. Thingy fits into hole, put it in it. End of the story

at this point with all our technological advancements i do not even see the need for the floppy drive
imo i would not use the power connector for the floppy drive

The power connector for the floppy disk drive is one connector that can be put on wrong. It can be fairly easy to do it by accident if you don't have a good view of where you are plugging it into the drive.

Lets say your "technological advancements" all of suddent decide to FAIL. Your operating system wont start and nothing works.. nothing BUT the floppy! This is a vital part of the computer, it can be very troublesome trying to repair a pc that doesnt even have a floppy.

Ok guys, I found out that the tester was broken, by testing my current power supply and comparing it to the new one. The readouts were exactly the same. So i just put it in the computer and it worked just fine. Now i have great graphics and no low fps rates I now play Cs:Source instead of 1.6, I can play RCT3 with no problems and i can play doom 3, GTA:SA and a ton of other games

As for the floppy connector, i just cut it off and isolated the cables. In response what you guys were talking about, I dont have a floppy in the dell nor i need one. And it is the ONLY connector on an ATX power supply that is possible to insert wrong (without applying exagerated force that is)

Thanks for any help you guys may have contributed.

LOL cs:source is like a dx8 game you could have played it with a geforce fx5500
so uhh no floppy now?

You say isolated the cables..

Just make sure they are actually isolated, perhaps using electric tape or something to seal them off and prevent them from short circuiting anything. I would not have recommended cutting the connector off though (unless it was seriously melted and in some sort of bad condition.), but it's too late now anyway, shouldn't cause any problems if dealt with correctly anyway.

Yes the cable was completely melted. Isolating the enitre thing would be a waste of tape. Also i had my uncle do it(hes an electrician)

What i meant was if you cut the connector off, tape it up so that no bare metal from the wire itself was showing, so if worse came to wose and that wire somehow ended up touching your motherboard or something else, nothing would happen. I don't know if that is a problem, though. It might be too short, etc.