Does anyone know if the power supply on a Dell Dimension B110, Windows XP, purchased Feb. 2006, is proprietary or not?

Background......shut computer down last Sunday night, wouldn't start back up Monday morning. You could smell the power supply, obvious it was burned. Had my tower down in my computer cubby hole.

Called local repair shop on Tuesday and asked if they had replacement, even told them what kind of computer I had......they gave me a Enlight ATX Power Tank 350W V 2.0.

Came home, hooked it up, computer worked as good as always. Used computer rest of afternoon/evening. Shut it off and went to bed. Got up Wednesday morning, wouldn't power on.

This power supply smells somewhat burned, but not as strong of smell as the first. Did not put computer back in cubby, left it out where plenty of air could get to it.

Dell phone CSR and supervisor says I have to buy from Dell. The online product advisor(the online chat thing), the first one I asked, said if my computer is not in warranty, I can buy one anywhere I want, any standard ATX.

The second online advisor says no, I have to buy from Dell or it could damage my system.

Dell has called me numerous times asking me if I am ready to order, I tell them no, I am calling somewhere local.

Their final statement was "call us back when the one you buy local doesn't work"

=OTS=G-Man

Most Dell power supply's are in fact Proprietary. They do not have the -5v, check the old power supply to see if it has the white wire on the main 20pin connector, if it does then you are ok but i know for a fact that the B110 is a non -5v(have one in my shop right now).
you can use a standard ATX power supply and cut the white wire (we have a test power supply with a switch to connect to disconnect the white wire). Only problem is I have never tried to use a power supply like this for extended time periods, we use it for about 10mins. just to test if there power supply is bad.

Scleros

I'd argue some Dells are proprietary. Lack of -5V is not indicative of proprietary by itself without other voltages and/or wiring being in different locations in the connector. -5V was removed per section 1.2.1 in ATX12V Power Supply Design Guide v1.3 since ISA add-in cards had fallen by the wayside.

Dell's documentation doesn't have a pinout; if you still have one handy what are the locations and colors for the rest of the wiring in the connector?

=OTS=G-Man

Ok, maybe not proprietary in the terms of "it wont fit" the problem here is that Dell is the only PC manufacture, that I know of, that use this version of the ATX spec and most if no all power supplies you buy from places like newegg and Frys are going to have the -5v rail, so its bad in the fact that you can plug in a non 1.2.1 version power supply with no problems, just to blow your PS or motherboard. Thus making a worthwhile note to becarful when putting an off the shelf power supply into a Dell.

Scleros

I still don't see the problem if all the other pins are in the correct place. If the board doesn't need the -5V rail there shouldn't be anything connected to that pin in the connector, so plugging in a power supply that does supply the -5V shouldn't blow anything. Nevertheless, I agree looking before leaping is always prudent.

=OTS=G-Man

It Would seem that way, but we learned the hard way about it, and blew 2 brand new power supplies by putting them in a dell. could be that becasue there was no load on the -5v that caused it.