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Member
Hi
I have a Dell 2400 with a P4 at 2.52. I have bought a new MSI 865g MOBO and an ati 9800 pro. Im getting ready to instal them and am wondering how much trouble im going to encounter. Im not worried about hardware hookup but am wondering what little surprises Dell has for me in the Bios. Will the bios for the new board be ok? Will I have to reinstall windows?
Many thanks
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Senior Member
Hi,
I think I can answer a couple of your points.
As long as the mobo will fit correctly into the case, and there is clearance for the gfx card, then you should be OK. You will need to format your HD and make a fresh install of Windows. The BIOS is on a chip on the mobo itself so it shouldn't be affected by anything Dell, but don't try to boot into your existing OS once you've made the swap-out.
I don't know if the Dell PSU will have the right size or quantity of connectors for the new hardware. It should have, but best check beforehand. Likewise for the electrical output....I expect LB1 or Steve or someone will come along on that.
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Senior Member
Let me know how it goes. I am still thinking of replacing the mobo in my Dell 4550 with one that will allow me to oc the 3.06GHz cpu to handle the new higher end patch. Please keep your process updated in this thread. Thanks!
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Senior Member
I've recently done a similar upgrade, mobo and vidcard. It's easy hardware wise, the pain is backing up everything and reformating. You will be very happy tho, just getting off a **** mobo can make a drastic improvement to your computing experience. Congats,you've gotten away from the dell hell, you are free at last, free at last!
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Banned
Well, I'm peering into the case on my wife's 2400 machine and Dude, I hate to break the news to you, but I don't see a AGP slot anywhere! Yes, there are PCI slots, but do NOT mistake them for a slot you can put a PCI Express card into because PCI is not compatible with PCI Express. Have you found some PCI version of the card someplace? If so, please feed me a link so I can check it out myself!
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Member
Luckyboy that is percisely why im upgrading the MOBO it has no agp. I am currently using a pci (not pci express) 5200. You know that aint doin the job! So My plan is to swap out the micro atx form board for a new msi 865 board with an 8x agp slot and put in a new 9800 pro. I would go to pci express but then im into a new processor and seeing as I just got the system a year ago I am trying to do it as economic as possible. My only real concern is this Dell stuff is scary at times. My plan is to back up pull the old board put in the new. Re-install xp then do the vid card. So im just wondering if there is any **** left from the old board that i can clear before I start. By the way the board that came with the system is an Intel 845g. Its not a Dell board. I also see now that I must up my power supply to 300.geeze when does this end lol!
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Banned
Your current format job will not be appropriate for the new motherboard as they will surely use at least a slightly different chipset driver system. As a result, you will end up reformatting to get it right. If you put the non DellDude mommaboard in and place the Dell re-install disc into the CD drive, the first thing the CD will do is go looking for a Dell bios. When it doesn't find one, it will not let you proceed with the install.
Also, truly, the power supply simply is not big enough to run even a 9800 Pro reliably. You 'may" be able to get away with it, but then again, you "may not".
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Senior Member
Hi again,
LB touches on several important points there ^
Firstly, you will need a standalone version of Windows to install an OS. The Dell version of Windows - what Compaq used to call the "Restore Disc" - will probably only work with a mobo embedded with the Dell version of BIOS.
Someone here may know a workaround......but it would be perfect if you have a standard version of Windows.
You also need to seriously check the PSU rating as far as getting the 9800 to be stable is concerned. I couldn't get my 9700Pro to run right until I fitted an Enermax 465.
Overall I think you might be better off buying a mid-tower case and building it in there. Scavenge the memory and cables and all disc drives for the new case and leave the Dell unit as it is as far as the PSU and original mobo is concerned. Then you'd be able to reassemble the Dell into a runner without too much difficulty when the time comes.
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Member
Thanks for the reply. I will be upgrading the PSU as it's not worth the risk. that is a 50 dollar upgrade no big deal. I think you have hit the nail on the head with a retail version of xp instead of the dell disk! I will investigate that a little further.
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Banned
$50.00 upgrade?... and just what exactly do you expect to get for $50.00? Please give brand name AND model number of the power supply idea pinging around in your brain.