Dell pc`s upgradeable??

[xerxes666]

I am considering purchasing a Dell XPS series Q66oo base unit but I`m concerned that it may be difficult to upgrade.
The optical drives are behind a shiny fascia and the drive door buttons seem to be on the corner of the drive rather than in the usual position.
I will want to fit a blu-Ray drive and am concerned it may be impossible without hacking away part of the fascia.
Does Dell use non standard power supply connectors etc as some manufacturers did in the past?
Any comments about upgrading Dell Pc`s or Dell PC`s in general would be welcome.

TIA Colin

[[P]ako]

Build your own PC and get an OEM version of Windows (if you are planning on using it) at same time when you purchase the parts. I believe DELL use non-standard power supply connectors, the MOBOs are non-standard as well.

[CWR03]

Some upgrades are possible - Dell doesn't use any proprietary connectors, and most optical drives they use are off-the-shelf and can be replaced with no modifications to the fascia, but other upgrades can be difficult. The power supply is usually marginal at best for the requirements, and in order to upgrade anything on the motherboard (Processor. RAM, even video in come cases) it may need to be replaced. That would require completely gutting the case and replacing everything except for drives. Your copy of Windows will be on a partitioned space on the hard drive and likely can't be reinstalled after changing hardware, and upgrading certain hardware may make it non-operational.

If you have your heart set on a Dell, order it as future-proof as you can afford, otherwise consider building one. It's no longer cheaper to build your own especially when you figure in the cost of a full set of Vista, but it's almost always going to be a better PC.

[blizard]

Some upgrades are possible - Dell doesn't use any proprietary connectors, and most optical drives they use are off-the-shelf and can be replaced with no modifications to the fascia, but other upgrades can be difficult. The power supply is usually marginal at best for the requirements, and in order to upgrade anything on the motherboard (Processor. RAM, even video in come cases) it may need to be replaced. That would require completely gutting the case and replacing everything except for drives. Your copy of Windows will be on a partitioned space on the hard drive and likely can't be reinstalled after changing hardware, and upgrading certain hardware may make it non-operational.

If you have your heart set on a Dell, order it as future-proof as you can afford, otherwise consider building one. It's no longer cheaper to build your own especially when you figure in the cost of a full set of Vista, but it's almost always going to be a better PC.

I agree with CWR03! You need to go to Dell's site and dig deep into what you can get about case design, what kind of chipset and mobo that are being used etc whcih can take a large amount of time to find out. I think that Dell still have some kind of support site or something similar where you might find PDF files with that kind of information. Don't count on finding i.g. an ASUS mobo SKU and then compare it on ASUS site for support of different mobo as Dell and other large vendors very often have had specially designed mobo with basic chipset features for each class it is meant to be sold at in costumer level.

If you already now want to upgrade something, then it is better to pick each part yourself and be in control of how to put these together. I have seen many first time builder on AMD Processor support (*) site that found out that it would actually cost them as much to upgrade each part on a Dell/HP etc and still not get what they want as case is design to be small and compact with very little room for a high end CPU (+discrete video card) due to heat and noise. Don't forget that DVD or BR burner might also add to heat inside a cramped case during longer usage, so be careful to make sure that you have plenty of air going through.

There are plenty of good hardware sites for first time builder which can guide you through this process.

If you do too many changes on any machine that have Microsoft OS installed you will be asked to confirm teh legality of your action. Would Microsoft deem it to be a complete new machine (rebuild OEM), then I am not sure you will gain anything by going this path. Microsoft had a web site where they explained how this work. Just a simple replacement of a burner (BR) would probably not count, but video card and other hardware related to mobo chipset, would have some effect on validity of MS OEM licence.

This site is good starting point http://www.hardforum.com/

(*)= I know you want to go Intel Q6600. I use this site as a reference as I have AMD CPU myself, so you might find some other more Intel focused site for the same.

[LoRd_MuldeR]

A few years again a friend of mine had bought a PC from a German company. Later we wanted to upgrade the machine.
But we had to realize: They had fixed all extension cards, all RAM modules and all connectors with hot melt adhesive!

This was the ultimate un-upgradeable machine :D

What you can learn from this: Don't trust any company. Buy the components you need and put them together yourself.
It's not that hard. Most things are idiot-proof nowadays...

[RickB]

It might be easy for you lot but when I was at school we used log books and a slide rule was considered high tec. I got the jitters when I replaced my DVD drive and more recently my hard drive.

[LoRd_MuldeR]

It might be easy for you lot but when I was at school we used log books and a slide rule was considered high tec. I got the jitters when I replaced my DVD drive and more recently my hard drive.

When I put together my first PC, I had nearly zero experience. I only had plugged in a few PCI cards, but I never has installed a mainboard, power supply or CPU.
However the machine did boot up properly at the very first attempt and it was running stable until I replaced with a new machine years later...

Also you find a lot of guides on the net, if you aren't sure. And again: Most things are idiot-proof nowadays. You simply can't put it together wrongly, it's physically impossible :p

[CWR03]

A few years again a friend of mine had bought a PC from a German company. Later we wanted to upgrade the machine.
But we had to realize: They had fixed all extension cards, all RAM modules and all connectors with hot melt adhesive!
Some Dells (Not the XPS line as far as I know) have the processor built onto a proprietary motherboard, and standard off-the-shelf RAM won't work with them.

Also you find a lot of guides on the net, if you aren't sure. And again: Most things are idiot-proof nowadays. You simply can't put it together wrongly, it's physically impossible :p
Not without some work, anyway. I ran across a post in a hardware help forum years ago in which a kid had bought an expensive AGP video card and to make it fit in his board with only PCI slots he cut off part of the connector. His last reply was "So did I just ruin a $400 card???????"

[LoRd_MuldeR]

Some Dells (Not the XPS line as far as I know) have the processor built onto a proprietary motherboard, and standard off-the-shelf RAM won't work with them.

And another reason to not trust the companies and buy the hardware components you want...

Not without some work, anyway. I ran across a post in a hardware help forum years ago in which a kid had bought an expensive AGP video card and to make it fit in his board with only PCI slots he cut off part of the connector. His last reply was "So did I just ruin a $400 card???????"

As said before: Hardware is designed idiot-proof nowadays. If something doesn't fit into a slot or connector, then it's not supposed to be plugged in there!
Forcing a card into a slot that obviously wasn't designed for that type of card is nothing but stupidity! However I think this guy was just telling stories or he is really really stupid.

As long as you keep your brain enabled and as long as you handle the hardware with the necessary amount of care, you cannot break it...

[Shinigami-Sama]

It might be easy for you lot but when I was at school we used log books and a slide rule was considered high tec. I got the jitters when I replaced my DVD drive and more recently my hard drive.

just think
the connectors ONLY go in one way
if it doesn't slide in pretty easy you're doing it wrong
though some of the long mobo power connectors are tight
other than that...

[xerxes666]

Thanks for all the advice / information.
I`m not afraid to build a P.C. - I`ve built a couple and upgraded machines countless times.
I was considering the Dell only because it seemed to offer decent value for money and it would almost certainly cost more to build the equivalent machine myself.
I am also more than happy to buy AMD but most reviews lately seem to favour the Intel chips.
If I do build my own P.C. I will probably choose "Rolls-Royce" components and end up paying 3 times what the Dell would have cost.

Following your advice, and after doing a little research of my own, I have ruled out buying Dell and will look at other options.

Thanks
Colin

[CWR03]

If it matters, if I were to buy a factory-built computer, it would be a Dell.

The difference isn't that great in building your own vs. buying one of the same spec, but I miss the days when it was considerably cheaper to build.

As said before: Hardware is designed idiot-proof nowadays. If something doesn't fit into a slot or connector, then it's not supposed to be plugged in there!
Forcing a card into a slot that obviously wasn't designed for that type of card is nothing but stupidity! However I think this guy was just telling stories or he is really really stupid.
I don't disagree with those facts. I did find the post, and perhaps it was fake after all. I was mistaken about pics of the sawed card though.

http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/190007-33-graphics-card-wont-plsss

[Dr.Khron]

If it matters, if I were to buy a factory-built computer, it would be a Dell.

The difference isn't that great in building your own vs. buying one of the same spec, but I miss the days when it was considerably cheaper to build.


I agree completely. Despite the difficulty in upgrading, and the occasional horror story you hear about the laptops, I really like Dell computers.

I sure miss those days, too, bud. :(
I the first PC I built myself was a 386 with a mathco. SO many more parts, NOTHING was integrated into the mainboard in those days. You had to add a plug in card for everything, even the IDE controller!

In the end it cost about HALF of a what a pre-built computer went for, and I sold my Amiga 500 to get the money.

[Wombler]

I am considering purchasing a Dell XPS series Q66oo base unit but I`m concerned that it may be difficult to upgrade.
The optical drives are behind a shiny fascia and the drive door buttons seem to be on the corner of the drive rather than in the usual position.
I will want to fit a blu-Ray drive and am concerned it may be impossible without hacking away part of the fascia.
Does Dell use non standard power supply connectors etc as some manufacturers did in the past?
Any comments about upgrading Dell Pc`s or Dell PC`s in general would be welcome.

TIA Colin

Dell PCs are notoriously difficult to upgrade as they frequently use custom or cut down components.

I've had numerous problems upgrading Dell PCs for friends over the years and unless you can find out any hard facts about the particular model in question it's a bit of a lottery as to whether or not you can upgrade it.

By way of example a friend in work bought a Dell machine about a year ago with something similar to yourself in mind except he wanted to buy the machine and add in a DVD writer himself.

Dell had used a custom motherboard with only one EIDE socket which I couldn't believe. One connector was of course already used for the hard drive and the other for a DVD-ROM.

I suggested fitting an EIDE card but he ended up ditching the DVD-ROM and installing the DVD writer in it's place.

So just make very sure it'll do what you want before you commit yourself.


Wombler