Hi,
I'm upgrading an old Dell PC and want to improve on the old processor preferably with a 1GHz. It's a Dimension XPS T series so it needs a CPU with a 100MHz bus speed which I'm having difficulty finding for a cheap price (otherwise it really isn't worth it). Putting the question of why bother to one side, can anyone suggest a good site to look for a used one apart from Ebay?
It would be cheaper to get a new mobo for it and have a sensible choice of processors. The main concern with Dells - especially older ones is they can have non standard parts that make those sorts of swaps harder (so check the PSU connector and mobo mounting points, also that there is room for a proper CPU cooler)
It probably isn't worth it.
ISTR a lot of Dells use non-standard motherboards, so you can't buy a kit of bits. Otherwise I'd suggest a motherboard-CPU-Ram bundle from one of the main suppliers. Like say this one:
May be worth asking on uk.comp.homebuild (or uk.comp.homebuilt, whichever works!)
Andy
Absolutely not worth it.
No processor upgrade which would fit in there at any price would make any difference to the fact that the system is long past it's use-by date.
Sorry, it's only fit for scrap. ( Unless you have some specialist lecagy application for it. )
If you are pushed for cash, I've seen better machines for free on Freecycle. TBH, I saw a few better specced machines at the local tip at the weekend, in the 'electrics' container, which I always have an eyeball around.
Otherwise, try things like the Dell factory outlet where they flog off surplus / reconditioned returns for cheap. I got a bare PC for the kids a few years ago for a couple of hundred quid: I could not have built it myself to the same spec for twice the price.
The pc manual should tell you exactly what cpu it would run. But it will always be limited by the 100M FSB, no matter what the core speed. You'd get a better replacment machine for =A340.
NT
Is there somewhere where I can check mobo compatibility?
There is a table here:
Height for the cooler you can only really assess by looking. Basically look where a new CPU would be and check there is no obstruction over the top of it - some Dells for example used a plastic duct to funnel air from the PSU fan over the CPU, and the CPU had just a passive heat sink. In some cases discarding the ducts will solve that.
Next check your PSU has at least 250W, and look at the wiring of the main motherboard connector. It needs to match the modern ATX standard:
Whole XPS T series CPU upgrade job done here.
That case looks like it would take standard ATX motherboards, dell have used an Intel SE440BX-2/3 OEM variant. That is sooooo old!
Today's software needs lots of memory, and 3 banks of 256MB PC100 SDRAM and a slow hard drive interface at Ultra DMA/33 speeds is prehistoric.
I'd suggest transplanting another motherboard into the box with better CPU support, or sling the box and get something born in this century, not the last!
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