Another 8250 question

Last week, I posted a question regarding adding RAM to a Dimension
8250. After a week of sticker shock, I'm considering another scheme,
on which I'd like some feedback.
Now, I'm wondering if I would be just as well off if I put a different
motherboard in this box. And, presumably also putting in a different
processor. On some Dell forum I saw the D-8300 mentioned, and what
caught my eye was that it used DDR (I think), which is much less
expensive. Is putting in a new mb, whether it's 8300 or not,
worthwhile, or just nutty? I've priced new computers (Dell) and to
get them to equivalent to what I have, I think I'll be spending
$600-700, and I don't want to spend that much right now. From the
Dell support site, this is what it says I have:
1 W392 PROCESSOR..., 80532, 2.4G, 512K, 533, SOCKET N..., C1
1 1W839 ASSEMBLY..., CARD (CIRCUIT)..., PLANAR (MOTHERBOARD)...,
NETWORK INTERFACE CARD/CONTROLLERS..., AUDIO, DIM8250
I also wonder if the 8300 could use my current processor? I'm just
considering options that won't cost a bunch of money, while still
using this box, which still works pretty well. I'm also a bit
relunctant to just get a new system and having the old one just
sitting around, and I don't want to worsen the environment by tossing
it.
Mark

1. The 8300 board will fit perfectly inside the Dimension 8250 chassis. Been
there, done that. All the connectors and cable line up perfectly. Dell
designed it all that way, fairly ingenious. I'm not saying that MICHAEL DELL
himself designed it. Don't misunderstand me.
2. You can use your existing Socket 478 2.4GHz 533MHz FSB processor and heat
sink in the 8300 board, which is claimed to require 533 or 800MHz FSB CPU. Make
sure the 8300 board has plastic mounts to attach the heat sink. If not, you
can carefully remove the one from the 8250 board.
3. You need less expensive DDR memory for the 8300. DDR is more expensive than
DDR2 and far less expensive than RAMBUS.
4. FWIW, you can also install a Precision 360 motherboard, which is almost
identical to the 8300 in design. Precision 360 boards are rare, because there
were fewer Precision systems built than Dimensions... Ben Myers

On Fri, 1 Feb 2008 11:48:15 -0800 (PST), Mark Rathgeber <alvamark@gmail.com>
wrote:

>Last week, I posted a question regarding adding RAM to a Dimension
>8250. After a week of sticker shock, I'm considering another scheme,
>on which I'd like some feedback.
>Now, I'm wondering if I would be just as well off if I put a different
>motherboard in this box. And, presumably also putting in a different
>processor. On some Dell forum I saw the D-8300 mentioned, and what
>caught my eye was that it used DDR (I think), which is much less
>expensive. Is putting in a new mb, whether it's 8300 or not,
>worthwhile, or just nutty? I've priced new computers (Dell) and to
>get them to equivalent to what I have, I think I'll be spending
>$600-700, and I don't want to spend that much right now. From the
>Dell support site, this is what it says I have:
>1 W392 PROCESSOR..., 80532, 2.4G, 512K, 533, SOCKET N..., C1
>1 1W839 ASSEMBLY..., CARD (CIRCUIT)..., PLANAR (MOTHERBOARD)...,
>NETWORK INTERFACE CARD/CONTROLLERS..., AUDIO, DIM8250
>I also wonder if the 8300 could use my current processor? I'm just
>considering options that won't cost a bunch of money, while still
>using this box, which still works pretty well. I'm also a bit
>relunctant to just get a new system and having the old one just
>sitting around, and I don't want to worsen the environment by tossing
>it.
>Mark

Ben,
This sounds too easy. Other than switching out the motherboard and
having the appropriate RAM, is there anything else I'll need to do?
Will any BIOS changes be needed? Are you aware of any online
tutuorials, etc. that might be helpful? I may just give this a try,
and thanks for all your advice.
Mark

It IS easy, because Dell used the same chassis for 8200, 8250, 8300, 8400 and a
chassis with the same size motherboard mounting plate for Precision 340, 350,
360, 370. In addition, the front panel cable connector is identical and in the
same position, as is the oddball cable from motherboard to the sound jacks on
the front. Also, the cooling fan on the back of the case uses the same 3-pin
fan connector, except for the 8400 and 370, which use a different 4-pin
connector and a bigger fan. You wouldn't want the 8400 or 370 unless you
wanted to replace the power supply (20- to 24-pin ATX connector), graphics card
(AGP to PCI-Express), processor (478 to LGA775), and memory (DDR2), which you
will replace anyway.

I would suggest printing out the section in the 8250 service manual explaining
how to remove the motherboard and install a replacement. Of course, your
replacement will be an 8300.

Be prepared to do a Windows XP repair, at minimum, to get the drivers right. If
you try to boot the 8300 board immediately, odds are 10:1 you will get a BSOD in
both normal and safe modes. In the extreme, you may need to do a complete
reinstall of XP, so maybe save all your important data first? Then make a
complete inventory of all the software you use, and have it on hand in the event
a reinstall is necessary. Micro$oft intentionally designed XP to make
motherboard replacements difficult. Linux is oh, so much better in this
respect.

.... Ben Myers

On Sun, 3 Feb 2008 19:42:11 -0800 (PST), Mark Rathgeber <alvamark@gmail.com>
wrote:

>Ben,
>This sounds too easy. Other than switching out the motherboard and
>having the appropriate RAM, is there anything else I'll need to do?
>Will any BIOS changes be needed? Are you aware of any online
>tutuorials, etc. that might be helpful? I may just give this a try,
>and thanks for all your advice.
>Mark

If I do this, I'll be installing a different, bigger boot drive
anyway, with a fresh XP install, so I guess it seems pretty
straightforward, just a healthy investment of time. Again, thanks,
Mark

Mark,

With the motherboards BOTH mounted on metal plates, I would imagine a less
experienced person could do the switch in no more than an hour. The work
involves removing all AGP and PCI boards, disconnecting all cables (2xIDE,
floppy, front panel, audio), disconnecting the power supply (2 connectors), then
pulling up the lever on the back of the metal plate and sliding out the
motherboard-plate assembly. To install the new board, reverse the steps above.
The front panel and long narrow audio cable require a little careful TLC to
remove.

After having done more than a few of these, I can manage it all in maybe 10
minutes without blindfold.

Download all the necessary drivers for the 8300 first and either burn onto a CD
or copy to a flash stick. The latter makes fresh Windows installs go a lot
easier... Ben Myers

On Mon, 4 Feb 2008 05:18:07 -0800 (PST), Mark Rathgeber <alvamark@gmail.com>
wrote:

>If I do this, I'll be installing a different, bigger boot drive
>anyway, with a fresh XP install, so I guess it seems pretty
>straightforward, just a healthy investment of time. Again, thanks,
>Mark