How to remove right side panel of dell xps studio 9100?

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TheGamersHUD

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Does the dell studio xps 9100 cpu cooler have a back plate? teh motherboard is very hard to take out even after taking out screws. So I think there is a back plate on the cpu cooler. If so how do i remove the right side panel. It has very small screws that arent Phillips.
 
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Kisianik

Kisianik

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Unfortunately it is not a small screws, but a some kind of stamped screws - not removable. I actually don't remember any Dells with motherboard side panel been removable.

So, you have to take out motherboard.
Are you planning to change CPU cooler?
Which model you are planning to use, generally Dell adopted LGA775 size (for CPU cooler) for a lot of its motherboards, yours might be included, so you know.
Dell backplate is usually glued to motherboard and not easily removable, so I will give you a link to my Inspiron 570 upgrade guide. If your motherboard appears to be glued, use my guide to remove backplate.
In the following link scroll down almost to the middle and after talk about cooling you will see the procedure describing backplate removal http://en.community.dell.com/support-forums/desktop/f/3514/t/19490818

Good luck.
 
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TheGamersHUD

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Yea I just figured out that they are actually rivets. And found it necessary to change the cpu cooler aswell. Were going with this CM hyper 212 EVO. Thankyou for the guide, it will defeinitely help me if the backplate ends up being glued on there.
 
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Kisianik

Kisianik

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When you get your motherboard out, slow down and take a look on existing Dell backplate - 212 EVO screws might even fit there.

07-cooler-master-hyper-212-evo.jpg


At this picture look at metal cross with screws attached, when you take out CPU, check those screws against Dell backplate threads - it could be a perfect fit, and if so, you would not have to remove backplate, it will hold EVO just fine, it is just 1 lb weight.
 
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TheGamersHUD

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just one more question tho. If the backplate is glued to the motherboard itself, than why was it so hard to remove the motherboard in the first place? I tried doing it by unscrewing all motherboard screws and then tried to lift it up, but only the right side on the board was comming up, the rest was resisting so much that i thought I was going to break it if I continued to pull.
 
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TheGamersHUD

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I tried to push it in to get it out but It wasnt fully popping out, I will try harder tho when I next get my hands on the pc. So I should push it in towards the inside of the case correct? or Is it possible to push it outwards and get it out that way?
 
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Kisianik

Kisianik

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I think it is inserted from outside, look at protruding line of metal between that panel and exhaust fan, you need tiny flat screwdriver to pick on it.
Are you sure you removed all screws? There are 10 motherboard screws, you got them all? Look at your setup http://downloads.dell.com/Manuals/all-products/esuprt_desktop/esuprt_studio_xps_desktop/studio-xps-9100_service%20manual_en-us.pdf go to Inside View of Your Computer

EDIT In the same guide there is a procedure how to remove motherboard, read it as well.
 
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TheGamersHUD

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yes I removed all 9 screws forsure
 
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Kisianik

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I corrected myself to 10 screws, have you noticed before posting? And check the removal of motherboard procedure, there some clips involved as well, I don't want to just copy and paste.
 
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TheGamersHUD

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no I didn't. Im pretty sure when I built my pc there was only 9 screws involved. But if there were 10, then yea that was entirely my fault for not noticing, I just assumed it would be similar.
EDIT: yea so there were actually only 9 required for my motherboard. I guess the dell ones have 10 tho?
 
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32starview

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I have an XPS 9100 with an I7 920 LGA 1366 and ran into the same heat problems that everybody does.

The CM EVO 212 did not fit as it was too wide with the side panel not closing. It also really requires the backplate and the right case is not removable due to the rivets as you know.

I instead got a Artic Freezer Pro 7 - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835186134&cm_re=artic_freezer_pro-_-35-186-134-_-Product as it fit nicely and cooled even better. This CPU cooler uses clips, does not require a backplate , but the regualr Intel CPU cooler uses screws. I found out the hard way when the Artic Freezer CPU cooler came away. All I did was go to my toolbox, found 4 machine screws that fit, that I was able to screw into the existing screw holes and the Artic cooler is now rock solid.

For what its worth, I also changed the front intake fan (120 mm Bitfenix) as well as the back exhaust fan (Artic Cooler fan 92 mm).

Good luck.
 
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psychedelic_Ed

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The Gamers HUD, what was the final outcome? I just got an i7-980x for my Dell XPS 9100 and I'm looking for a heat sink now.
I see 32starview's solution. Does anyone know of any other heat sinks that I wouldn't have to mess with too much? That is, not removing the mother board, is not too tall but also clears the ram modules? I have rip jaws with the heat spreaders.

32starview, is your artic freezer pro 7 still holding up today?


I'm a noob at all of this, but excited to upgrade this processor. Could I just use the same old stock cooler I've had the whole time for this? I imagine not because it will get hotter than the normal 4 cores, but I'm not sure what the XPS's that came with a 980x had for heat sinks.

Or, maybe I just get the intel heat sink made for the 980x. E75476-00X ?

Any advice? I'll keep researching.... thanks!
 
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32starview

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psychedelic_Ed

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32starview, I heard in another forum that I must use the stock fans. He gets errors on boot up saying fan failed, yet they still work.
Did you get any such errors after replacing your fans (Case and CPU/Heatsink)?
 
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32starview

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Nope, I changed all the fans and added new ones as well, so there are "no" stock fans. No issues at all.
I used a bitfenix for my front (red led), an artic cooler for back, and 2 red led generic ones - one for rear above GPU, and 1 in 3.5# bay.

 
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psychedelic_Ed

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Dumb noob question, but when the specs say " max cooling performance: 200watts. Recommended for TDP up to : 140watts" Does that mean the processor could be up to 200watts? This one is for the https://www.arctic.ac/us_en/freezer-13-co.html Its a little longer and taller than your version. I think it would fit. I'm just leaning towards this one because the i7-980x is TDP 130w.

I saw the model you have, and on the arctic site it says:
150 Watts
Recommended for TDP up to:
115 Watts.

But, it sounds like your system is working 100% . Am I worrying about nothing? Should I just get this higher grade one since my cpus will be 6 cores and will get hotter?

I'm leaning to this solution for a couple of reasons: I don't want to detach the mother board and all that entails that. The height is just about right, I heard the EVOs are too tall (as much as I would like one of those). Plus, from your video it looks like there is no issue with ram clearance as I've read can be a problem with other CPUS.

Thoughts?
 
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32starview

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Hi Ed.. yes.. you should be fine re TDP. Your i7-980 X TDP is 130 W. The Artic one (looks better quality than mine) is reccomended for 140W, and can handle up to 200W (would not reccomend). Based on your numbers, get this AC Freezer 13 CO. I see you have already checked the height (wish the EVO would fit).
Re Ram clearance. Mine was fine as my Ram module were the regualr one (no fancy or tall heat spreaders) so depends what yours are like.

Not to muddy the waters, but I heard a 120mm fan is quieter and drives more air vs a 92MM fan which has to work harder to do the same thing. This fan (http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835856006&cm_re=lga_1366-_-35-856-006-_-Product) has decent reviews which you might want to look into, check reviews and is a push pin as well.

Let me know what you end up doing and post a pic.
 
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psychedelic_Ed

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Looks promising at first glance. I'll have to research it later tonight. I'm really looking for a thin solution to avoid the ram. I have the Gskill Rip Jaws, and my crude measurement says they are about 1.5" tall from the bottom of the mobo. So any solution has to either be taller than that or just go up to the side of it. I'm assuming most heatsinks are centered on whatever width dimension they say. Thanks!
 
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psychedelic_Ed

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Looking at it closer, the size seems to fit the bill. Its light weight, but the one thing I saw was that it said it is rated for up to 130w. Do you think I should be concerned with that? The processor is 130 W at stock. I'm not overclocking but I do tend to use applications that will run all 6 cores a lot and that is when I notice the fan's kick up in speed on the old processor..

That's really the only thing holding me back. I feel like I should allow for some head room on that spec. What do you think?

Question, can you confirm that if your ram was taller, it wouldn't collide with the fan on your artic cpu fan? I may just end up getting the freezer .

 
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32starview

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Hi Ed, it depends on the size of your motherboard. My one is a Dell 05DN3X and there is a 1/4 inch gap where the artic fan stops and the Ram begins, so I can put any size Ram heat spreader I want. Can't really speak to distance from top of ram to fan as they don't overlap.

Re which CPU cooler to get, if we are playing safe, then eirther the Artic CO one you mentioned (check Ram) or my Artic Freezer look would work for you.

Hope this helps
 
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psychedelic_Ed

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Thanks for all your help 32starview! You definitely made this easier for me. I ended up getting the Arctic Freezer 13 (same as the CO) and it BARELY fit. I think I have about a millimeter of space between the side of it and the bottom of my PSU. Very close! No issues with ram, plenty of space there as it doesn't even reach the face of the first stick. Side panel closes like normal. Also, when I took off the old heat sink I noticed there were threads already in place. That is probably why yours fell out the first time. Taking your advice, I went out the hardware store and bought some machine screws, #6 screw I believe, and they seem to hold solidly. The cooler is pretty heavy.

The thing keeps my CPU super cool! I was blown away. It went from 91* C on my old CPU with stock heat sink on 100% load to 61* C on the more intense 6 core processor. Wow. The cooler is fairly quiet. I was expecting it to be quieter by everything I read, but its nothing that bothers me really. Especially when compared to my older one which sounded like a jet engine at take off under 100% load.

So, in summary for any other dell owners out there trying to get some last life out of this system: Dell XPS 9100 with a i7-930 upgraded to a i7-980x with Bios Revision A04, Gskill rip jaws Ram (low density) and Arctic Cooler 13 is working well! Super fast now. Almost like a new computer! haha. :pt1cable:

I'd post pics but looks like I have to upload somewhere....

Next upgrade will be the graphics card and I'll post on another thread for that.
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