Dell Dimension 3000, Upgradable? Help to convert to AGP

[72montecarlo]

Yeah something like that maybe less. some integrated extreme graphics are crap, some are better. New motherboards now have pretty decent video chipsets built in.

[photolady]

The x300 would compare to a MX440 or FX5200 in core speed and memory speed.

[alexkolb]

ok, so i decided to strip parts drom dimension 3000 and put them into new case since the dell's case is micro atx, i dont think new mobo will fit and i'll have to buy a new case anyway, since i looked inside dell , and that psu they have wount work.
Ok, so now, i have IP 4 2.8 ghz, so i need socket 478 mobo, right? Any mobos with PCI express you know of? I wana buy geforce fx6600, and it's pci-e. I figured this upgrade will cost me about 300$USD. Hopefully not more.
Also , do you know of any possible problems that i may have when i'll take dell components and start installing them on a new mobo?
Thank you.

[72montecarlo]

Shouldnt have any problems. only thing thats actually from dell is there proprietary mobo. If your 2.8 P4 has Hyper Threading make sure the mobo supports it. I found a mobo with a pci-e 16x slot and it supports prescott P4's. Prescott P4's have 1mb l2 cache. Northwood cores have 512k l2 cache.

Its 105$
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProduc...170-126&depa=0

[alexkolb]

is albatron a good manufacturer?
--
i looked inside my dell, and it has a windtunel or whatever its called, that green thing... please take a loot at it here
http://www.samsclub.com/eclub/main_s...41016%3A887152,
so as i understood there is no fan on cpu, just a heatsink, but in my new case i'll probably woun't have that thing, how do i overcome that ? or maybe i can reuse that windtunnel too?
Thank you.

[alexkolb]

is that a micro atx on the picture ? (i couldnt find any pci-e micro atx mobos on newegg) motherboard to which the link is given above wount fit into that case, right ? and dell power supply i duno.. looks normal to me... how does it differ from the others?

[alexkolb]

its a 250 watt power supply.. that isn't enogh for geforce 6600 right?

[72montecarlo]

if u were planning on using the psu in a different case scratch that its probably not going to work and even if it would fit your not looking into getting a micro atx case. you will want at least a good 350watt psu. i highly doubt you will be able to salvage that green air tunnel crapola from the dell. you'll need a different heatsink fan unit more then likely.

[alexkolb]

if a cpu is 533 fsb, and mobo is 800, will it work ?

[72montecarlo]

as long as the motherboard supports 533 as well. i would think if it supports 800 it would work with a slower cpu. i have seen mobos that specifically say support 533/800 and some that say just 800. not sure if that means it doesnt support a lower 533mhz fsb or not.

[buzzin96]

Dell could have done several things to save cost.
1. It could have just not populated the AGP port (connectors are expensive).
2. It could have gone with a chipset that does not support AGP. Beleieve it or not changing chipsets is far more expensive then removing a connector.

I believe the Dell's 3000 north bridge, that you have, supports AGP. Therefore as long as Dell did not disable the port in BIOS all you have to do is populate the slot.

This is the cheapest solution.....

What to do..
1. open up case and verify there is a unpopulated array of thru hole connector pins next to the current PCI slots. The AGP is set further back then the other PCI slots.
2. Buy a connector
3. desolder the holes.
4. Install connector
5. solder
Bingo, test with AGP board.....

[abbiedoobie]

That sounds right to me. the bios for the 3000 has options for settings on agp. But the 3000 doesn't have an agp slot.
I have one. And you're guess is probably correct. They put 2 256 2100 ram cards 186 pins. The damn board supports 3200. very cheap.
It also looks as though a skilled electrician could add 2 more 186 ddr slots to the motherboard as well. boosting it's memory capacity to 4gb.
It's definately a frankenboard reject that intel had nothing better to do with, but pawn it to some second rate electricians at dell to save face.


used to have the link to flash the cheap nec drive to a 3500 for mreo burning options. sorry I lost it though. search a little and you'll find it. makes the drive worth keeping as long as you follow the flashing instructions.

[sho-dan]

Welcome to CTH, abbiedoobie
Ah its alive, old memorys of the Dell

The expression "make a silk purse out of sow's ear" is normally used to mean that it is near or impossible to make something fine out of inferior or substandard material. The idiom is normally used in the negative
ie
I wouldn't spend too much time and money trying to upgrade that that low end bugeted computer(anything is possible) "You can't turn a low end
Dell into a silk purse".