Athlon 64 X2 5600+... Stop laughing. NO. SERIOUSLY. STOP laughing...
Athlon 64 X2 5600+... Stop laughing. NO. SERIOUSLY. STOP laughing...
In my experience with recent updates, I live with relatives while handling disability applications because of health challenges that restrict my work capacity. Some conditions don’t qualify for poverty thresholds, allowing me to earn extra income through light part-time tasks. My thoughts on the Lenovo M71E have been shaped by conversations with my father, who questioned why I’d rather not manufacture computers. The reality is clear—competition is fierce and many lack both knowledge and resources to succeed seriously. While my physical and cognitive limitations make full independence difficult, shifting economic conditions might shift other aspects slightly. Perhaps upcycling older hardware could provide affordable gaming options for budget-conscious buyers. If I could transform a used machine into a decent budget PC for around $300, selling it between $450 and $650 would satisfy most customers. I’m open to testing a few models. Recently, my stepmother passed away, leaving behind a Dell OptiPlex tower. She had strong feelings toward my father, which created distance between us. Now her children are largely removed from my life, and he wants the machine discarded quickly, so he offered it to me as a test project. I recall hearing about past issues—this model often failed to power on, sometimes blowing up. The power supply was dead, and dust accumulation was a concern. A replacement is inexpensive, but a new PSU that doesn’t match the board or CPU could cause further damage. The case layout is awkward, making upgrades tricky; only a mini-ITX with an integrated graphics card seems viable. The ATX connector is standard 24-pin, missing one ground pin. I’m unsure if a modern ATX PSU would be safe, especially given the age and condition of the board. Service records show a 2.9 GHz AMD Athlon 64 X2 5600+ chip. It’s possible only AM3 or AM2+ boards are compatible, not AM2. This adds complexity to my decision. If the board is still functional, I’m considering whether a standard modern PSU could work without risking damage. Someone should confirm what the ground connection means and whether a contemporary PSU would harm this unit. The service tag lists a 2.9 GHz processor, which suggests it’s an older generation chip. This situation is getting more complicated—could a repurposed AM3 or AM2 board be salvageable?
The missing wire relates to -5v, which has been phased out over time. It was required during the 386 days in ISA slots and for certain older memory modules needing both -5v and 5v. I’m not sure if purchasing a power supply is necessary just to get it working. You probably don’t have enough experience to fix the power supply yourself—though it might be as simple as replacing faulty capacitors. If you’re serious, take clear photos of the power supply’s interior and its label to check if repairing makes sense. Consider sourcing a 4-8 GB IDE or SATA SSD from eBay and using it as a small web server with Windows XP, Windows 7, or FreeBSD/Linux.
AM2+ and AM3 can work together only with an AM2+ board and DDR2 memory. Some AM3 models might have problems, but at least the older AM3 variants like Sempron, Regor core, Athlon II X2 Callisto, Phenom II X2 Heka core (Phenom II X3) should function. The Deneb series should also be compatible, though I can't confirm a Thuban-based chip like Thuban X6/Zosma X4.
Well, THAT turned out to be a long shot... I spent roughly an hour trying to swap the standard PSU from the Lenovo M71E to test the OptiPlex 740 board and CPU. It was frustrating right from the start. Even after checking more closely, I found this issue... Now I understand why the person who gave me the Lenovo hated Dell so much, but I’ll never hear anything about Lenovo in that context. I’m certain this means I should focus on my own projects instead of working for others. Yes, I realize now that the $64 price tag probably reflects how valuable these parts are as a whole. The real question is: what’s missing from the Lenovo ATX connector and how does it function without it?
Some pins might be absent but the system can still function. The standard ATX power supply layout is shown on the right; notice that your original PSU lacks the -5V pin, which is considered outdated and could be missing. Another PSU is missing one red 5V wire and one orange 3.3V wire. That’s okay since the connector already includes three additional orange 3.3V wires (top or left in your image) and four red 5V wires. Lenovo probably designed the board to understand the power needs of the motherboard, so they can omit certain wires without issues. Most likely, the motherboard handles the missing connections well—all 3.3V wires are grouped together and all 5V wires are bundled in the board. To confirm, use a multimeter set to DC voltage (20V or higher). Place the black probe on a ground pin (middle pins in a Molex connector work as ground) and the red probe on another pin. Connect the PS-ON wire (green) to a ground pin with a metal clip. When powered off, only the 5V standby wire will activate. Turning it on by linking PS-ON to ground will trigger output of 3.3V, 5V, and 12V/ -12V on other pins—measureable with a multimeter. If readings match expectations (or are close, like -10V on -12V for serial ports), it’s fine; even 11.8V or 5.2V when idle is acceptable.
You're looking for a clear pinout diagram to help identify the issue. It seems the Optiplex board might be faulty, possibly affecting both the motherboard and CPU. You found a power LED on the motherboard labeled "AUX PWR," which could indicate it's receiving power but not functioning properly. The fact that both boards shared a 4-pin power connection suggests the pin configuration might differ, explaining the light behavior.
It might not matter if the board is gone. At the moment, I’m unsure if anything can be saved, not that it’s of much value, as you mentioned.
Creating PCs and earning a profit is very challenging. A modest markup on components—around 10-20%—might be possible, with no compensation for your time. This allows you to build quickly or slowly depending on what you can manage. Prioritize efficiency and break tasks into smaller parts. Search online communities like forums, fleabay, or facebooT for advice. For example, a 5600+ model could be a good fit if you're serious about it.
Check the system carefully. You have 2GB DDR2 RAM, a DVD-RW drive, and an SATA HDD with unknown size. The machine was operational before it stopped. PSU appears fine, but I’m unsure what’s causing the failure. Clarification: Dell service tag lists 5600+. Could the chip lid photo help? Updated June 20, 2022 by An0maly_76 – added details.