Luke Posted May 15, 2008 Author Posted May 15, 2008 Thought XP recognised 3.5GB of RAM. And I thought that the rest actually still functioned, oh well I'm probably wrong. How is the processor a big job? I've made sure that the processor won't add too much load on the psu. I thought you just take the fan and processor out? And put the new one in. I've made sure the processors are compatible and everything. Just want to try and extend the life of the computer really. I might decide randomly to go gaming but I'm not sure what card I'd get in there with the dell PSU. (I've heard dell PSU's are annoying to exchange.) http://www.dellcommunity.com/supportforums/board/message?board.id=pw_upgrade&thread.id=7263 Here you can sell some upgrades that a person has done to his model. Although I think my model is the small form instead of the mini tower, so I'm not sure a 8600 GT would fit. Actually turns out somebody on dell forums is running PD 920 with dell stock headsink/fan so I wouldn't even need to change the fan! I could just sell it off. It'd be a matter of switching the CPUs and any software stuff you need.
Raining_again Posted May 15, 2008 Posted May 15, 2008 Thought XP recognised 3.5GB of RAM. And I thought that the rest actually still functioned, oh well I'm probably wrong. How is the processor a big job? I've made sure that the processor won't add too much load on the psu. I thought you just take the fan and processor out? And put the new one in. I've made sure the processors are compatible and everything. Just want to try and extend the life of the computer really. I might decide randomly to go gaming but I'm not sure what card I'd get in there with the dell PSU. (I've heard dell PSU's are annoying to exchange.) http://www.dellcommunity.com/supportforums/board/message?board.id=pw_upgrade&thread.id=7263 Here you can sell some upgrades that a person has done to his model. Although I think my model is the small form instead of the mini tower, so I'm not sure a 8600 GT would fit. Actually turns out somebody on dell forums is running PD 920 with dell stock headsink/fan so I wouldn't even need to change the fan! I could just sell it off. It'd be a matter of switching the CPUs and any software stuff you need. Have you ever tried to seat a cpu, and get the fan on correctly? I don't think you have if you can say that. You have to be so incredibly careful with processors and ram, you can fry them with a single bit of static.
Luke Posted May 15, 2008 Author Posted May 15, 2008 Well since I've not got to change the fan won't that not be a problem? Also my Dad has installed ram quite a few times before with no problems. Worst case I have a friend who has just build my other friend a pc with Quad Core, 9600GT and stuff so he'll know. Could always follow this too: http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/opgx620/en/ug/A02/sdprcsr0.htm#wp1102481
AeroScap Posted May 15, 2008 Posted May 15, 2008 Basically it is the old Dell that made it hard for people to exhange components. Nowadays (mine is about 1 year old now) The 8600GTS card is just your bog standard PCI slot card and I can yank it out and throw in a higher one (if compatible) by just slotting it in! Back onto the point the psu are very easy to exchange now aswell! Their PSU are standard now pretty much and can be easily bought if you have the part number!
Raining_again Posted May 15, 2008 Posted May 15, 2008 Well since I've not got to change the fan won't that not be a problem? Also my Dad has installed ram quite a few times before with no problems. Worst case I have a friend who has just build my other friend a pc with Quad Core, 9600GT and stuff so he'll know. Could always follow this too: http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/opgx620/en/ug/A02/sdprcsr0.htm#wp1102481 Sorry can I clarify here: You have a PC, which you want to upgrade? You want to upgrade the cpu and not the fan? 1. Why on earth don't you upgrade the fan, fans wear out and if they die can cause you problems. (especially if the current one happens to be a fair age) 2. if you replace the cpu, you have to replace the thermal paste and refit the fan.. regardless of whether it is a new fan. Ram is usually easy if you are careful and use a STATIC STRAP (very important) but there's a fine balance between not enough force, and too much force with all of the components in a pc. If you aren't careful they can break.
DCK Posted May 15, 2008 Posted May 15, 2008 This morning I have bought a Dell Optiplex GX620 Small Form. This comes with: 275W PSU P4 HT 3.0 1GB DDR2 80GB SATAII HDD Some random graphics (not bothered since this is XP.) XP Pro Intel 945G Chipset £125 Delivered Great purchase! Looking at an Iiyama 19" TFT with speakers. Also need a cheap but good keyboard, mouse and USB Wireless adapter (54mbps will do.) Any ideas for these will be appreciated.Logitech cheap Internet keyboards are generally excellent, as are the mouses. For wireless hardware, Belkin stuff is usually excellent. And please, get a set of seperate speakers... Monitor speakers are really, really crap, and you can get far better speakers for 10-20 pounds. I have worked out that this is compatible with Pentium D Processors, which I probably will get one of. As long as I get the Pentium D 930 or below my PSU should be more than adequate, a assume that the fan for the D 930 will not be too big. Save the hassle and don't. A Pentium D won't boost your performance all that much, and you wouldn't notice if your needs aren't too great. Pentium Ds are notorious overheating power suckers, even worse than the Pentium 4. If it's compatible with Pentium D, you'd be wiser of to get yourself a cheap, first hand, cool quiet Pentium Dual Core processor.Also it has 4 DDR2 slots with up to 4GB memory. I'll upgrade this with spare money I have.For technical reasons, your setup won't handle more than 3.5 GB. You can put in all you want, but it'll only use 3.5 GB maximum. Also, for internetting and MSNing on XP, 1 GB is plenty - don't worry.
Raining_again Posted May 15, 2008 Posted May 15, 2008 Great purchase! Logitech cheap Internet keyboards are generally excellent, as are the mouses. For wireless hardware, Belkin stuff is usually excellent. And please, get a set of seperate speakers... Monitor speakers are really, really crap, and you can get far better speakers for 10-20 pounds. Save the hassle and don't. A Pentium D won't boost your performance all that much, and you wouldn't notice if your needs aren't too great. Pentium Ds are notorious overheating power suckers, even worse than the Pentium 4. If it's compatible with Pentium D, you'd be wiser of to get yourself a cheap, first hand, cool quiet Pentium Dual Core processor. For technical reasons, your setup won't handle more than 3.5 GB. You can put in all you want, but it'll only use 3.5 GB maximum. Also, for internetting and MSNing on XP, 1 GB is plenty - don't worry. qft. with a spec like that there's no point in having a huge amount of ram, it wont be used. I'd say 2gb at very most. Any more would be a complete waste of money. When I say 2gb ram, I dont mean oh windows will handled 3.5 or whatever etc etc. Your system can only go as fast as the poorest of your components. Its like having a super awesome processor and like 256mb of ram or something. Ie its being bottlenecked somewhere else.
Luke Posted May 16, 2008 Author Posted May 16, 2008 Ok I understand now. So if I exchanged my CPU then I'd have to take the fan off to get to it anyway? If I had to do that I suppose I might as well fit the new one. I could get my friend round to do this for me probably if I needed help doing it. I'd quite like to upgrade it really. I don't see how it would be loads of hassle.
Guest Jordan Posted May 16, 2008 Posted May 16, 2008 Ok I understand now. So if I exchanged my CPU then I'd have to take the fan off to get to it anyway? If I had to do that I suppose I might as well fit the new one. Where the hell did you think the CPU was? :p
Luke Posted May 16, 2008 Author Posted May 16, 2008 Where the hell did you think the CPU was? :p Well obviously that sounded a bit stupid but in my old laptop the heatsink/fan was screwed in my now I understand that they are now glued on. Anyway my friend said he'd help me if I needed it so I will have no trouble changing the cpu and fan/heatsink.
DCK Posted May 16, 2008 Posted May 16, 2008 I'd quite like to upgrade it really. I don't see how it would be loads of hassle.Yeah, if you'd like to work on it, get yourself a Pentium Dual-Core E2180. It runs at 2 GHz only, but yet it'll outperform the Pentium D, is far more quiet en power efficient than the Pentium 4 or D, and it's only 60 euros/40 pounds. It's really great value for your setup, and it's really much more future proof. My 'save yourself the hassle' was more meant to indicate that replacing a Pentium 4 with a Pentium D is somewhat pointless. Nice video showing off Pentium DC vs Pentium 4 and D.
Luke Posted May 16, 2008 Author Posted May 16, 2008 The motherboard / chipset does not support any processors better than a Pentium D. So it would not support any Intel Core Processors. If anyone wants to check my chipset is a Intel 945G Express. Otherwise of course I'd get the Intel Core! Also on the video it's using the Intel Pentium D 925 and I want to get the 930. The 930 is probably better because it supports Intel® VT, but I'm not sure what that is. But I do know that the computer will support it.
Raining_again Posted May 16, 2008 Posted May 16, 2008 If it doesn't you'd be FAR better buying a cheap motherboard bundle imo. That's a complete waste of money...
Luke Posted May 16, 2008 Author Posted May 16, 2008 If it doesn't you'd be FAR better buying a cheap motherboard bundle imo. That's a complete waste of money... So you think I should just leave my processor as it is? And install another memory stick. Fine I guess. Then I suppose if I decide to get games and manage to find a GPU that fits I'd have enough of a PSU. Just checked and looks like my computer will only support up to 25w PCIe cards so looks like I won't be getting a graphics card unless something weird happens and I end up with the Mini Tower Dell GX620 instead of Desktop or Small Form Factor version.
DCK Posted May 17, 2008 Posted May 17, 2008 The motherboard / chipset does not support any processors better than a Pentium D. So it would not support any Intel Core Processors. If anyone wants to check my chipset is a Intel 945G Express. Platforms based on the Intel® 945G Express Chipset, combined with the Intel® Core™2 Duo processor, deliver innovative features and new benefits for both home and business. Source If it can handle Core 2s, it can surely handle Core 1s (the Pentium DCs). Seems like a great chipset to me. Also on the video it's using the Intel Pentium D 925 and I want to get the 930. The 930 is probably better because it supports Intel® VT, but I'm not sure what that is. But I do know that the computer will support it.The 930 will be marginally better at a higher clock rate, but stil wouldn't beat a 1.8 GHz Dual-Core in that test. Also, that VT technology is something to accelerate virtualization, something that I don't think anyone would do on a simple internet PC. And even then, the Cores have that technology, too.
Luke Posted May 17, 2008 Author Posted May 17, 2008 I know that the chipset does not support Cores. It's the later versions that do. I'm pretty sure. At least I don't think it does... In-fact, I'm actually correct and they are not compatible. http://forum.pcmech.com/showthread.php?t=172820 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dell_OptiPlex If I wanted a Core 2 Duo, I'd need a new motherboard that would fit in the case alright and work with my current parts. (PSU + Stuff.)
DCK Posted May 17, 2008 Posted May 17, 2008 I know that the chipset does not support Cores. It's the later versions that do. I'm pretty sure. At least I don't think it does... The original specification mentions only the Pentium 4 and Pentium D, but they can't just introduce new versions under the same name. The original specification also mentions that it's "scalable for future applications", e.g. the Core processors. The Pentium DC functionality has been enabled through a BIOS update, which just means you need to update your BIOS (not really a difficult thing to do), and it'll accept a Pentium Dual-Core, or even a Core 2 processor just fine. The great thing about Intel is that they've been using this processor socket for like four years, meaning that each chipset can run each processor with that particular socket, with the appropriate BIOS update. Really, you'd be wasting your money on a Pentium D.
Luke Posted May 17, 2008 Author Posted May 17, 2008 No, the latest BIOS only supports up to Pentium D. It is Dell who have made a business decision not to release a BIOS which will let a C2D run on their Dell Optiplex GX620's with Intel 945G Express Chipsets. So Dell have just chosen not to let them be compatible. Yes, usually they are, but not on these Dell Computers. Also I'll probably just buy a Pentium D since I don't plan on switching computer for as long as I have too. I might as well make use of it rather than can it 5 seconds after I got it. Really, actually I have the choice between a Pentium D and a Graphics Card. Not sure if I can use a graphics card, since apparently the limit is 25w in the PCIe slot according to Dell, but other people seem to say otherwise. I'm pretty sure I'd need a low profile card, but I know where to get a low profile 8600GT, it's just the confusing 25w limit.
DCK Posted May 17, 2008 Posted May 17, 2008 Okay then, that blows. Dell really sucks when it comes to desktops. But still, a Pentium D doesn't add much value to your computer. I'd say a graphics card would help you more.
Luke Posted May 17, 2008 Author Posted May 17, 2008 Okay then, that blows. Dell really sucks when it comes to desktops. But still, a Pentium D doesn't add much value to your computer. Might not bother upgrading anything other than another 1GB ram, since I'm not sure If I'd want to get a GPU. Dell don't really suck that bad, they just made a gay decision just to not give out another BIOS.
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