[sllug-members]: Dell evil-ness [Was: OSS tools to fix WinXP partition]

[Walt Haas]

On Fri, 2006-12-29 at 16:58 -0700, Jeff Schroeder wrote:
> rog wrote:
> 
> > (unless it is a Dell, Dell
> > swaps the polarity of the power supply and all the parts.  I am not
> > sure how this might effect a hard drive.  For nearly all other parts,
> > it insures the computer fries itself if you do not buy parts from
> > Dell for a DEll).
> 
> Really?  I've never heard that, but as the owner of several Dell servers 
> and a laptop, I'm concerned that I need to know more about this lest I 
> buy a new hard drive and plug it in only to have it go up in flames.
> 
> Do you (or anyone) have a reference to support this?

>From "Upgrading and Repairing PCs" by Scott Mueller, 14th edition, pp.
1177-1178:

   "Dell Proprietary (Nonstandard) ATX Design

   If you currently own a desktop system made between 1996 and 2000 from
Dell, you will definitely want to pay attention to this section.  A
potential booby trap is waiting to nail the unsuspecting Dell system
owner who decides to upgrade either the motherboard or power supply in
his system..."

-- 
-- Walt
-------
I used to be broke, but since I went to college I've been impecunious.