System trouble

[Tileus]

Hello, since this past Sunday, I've started having random reboots on my computer. Through what little testing I've been able to do, I've determined the problem is either my motherboard or my RAM.

Here's the wrinkle. My computer is a Dell Dimension 8200 manufactured in 02, (out of Warranty this February of 05 naturally). All I find when doing a search on the part number is a generic listing for a "Dell system board (Motherboard)" and a rather exhorbitant price.

I have tried to find the manufacturer to determine if the board could be replaced by a part from someplace like newegg, and am meeting with little success. Even after running the ctbios utility over at wimsbios.com, I have little to go on.

Since my processor is a 1.8G Pentium 4, the board would obviously have to support an intel chip.

However, I found after getting the cooling fan replaced last year that Dell occasionally uses screwy third party parts with odd dimensions. I eventually was forced to get a fan from them because I couldn't find one with its specific measurements on three different retailer websites.

Yet my vid card upgrade I did last July, (factory 64MB Gefore 2 MX, to a 256 MB Geforce FX 5500) went fine.

So, is there any way I can find out if my board can be replaced by a name brand one? Or am I doomed to eat the cost of buying one of their generics?

 

[endyen]

Does your mobo use DDR ram? If it does, get a new case and mobo. The Abit IS7 is very nice. That way, you can maybe upgrade the chip latter on.

 

[lonelypauly]

those are good boards, and cheap too. Next time, build your own system.

<b><font color=blue>Athlon64 3200+ Winchester/MSI Neo4 Platinum SLI/MSI 6800 Ultra/1 GB Kingston HyperX (Dual Channel)/74GB WD Raptor/600Watt Enermax Noisetaker/ Dual Mitsubishi 21 Inch Monitors</b></font color=blue>

 

[endyen]

Hi lonely, if you were talking to me, I always do, if you were talking to Tileus, it helps if you click on his post.

 

[Tileus]

One does what one can at any given point, in 2002 I did not have the knowledge to build my own system, nor the time to invest in gaining said knowledge. I'll reserve any other biting comments I may feel like making for now.

As for the difficulty, I have discovered that after 1998, Dell was actually having non standard work done by Intel for its board/power supply combinations, with ATX boards. So, if one tried to upgrade the board, the power supply would fry it and vice-versa. However, if one were to get a new ATX board and power supply along with it, the upgrade should go well.

My RAM still poses a problem, as it is Rambus/RIMM, and needs to be installed in pairs, do I need to find a board that specifically supports that type of RAM or would it work in any ATX board? And before I forget, thanks everyone for your responses thus far.

 

[Crashman]

No. Dell has used proprietary power from about 1994 to 2001. They originally switched to an ATX style power connector for their smart AT power supply, so it was wired differently than a real ATX power connector even though it fit, causing the issue.

When Dell went from AT to ATX power, they continued to use the mis-wired ATX power connector and added a mis-wired Auxiliary Power connector, to carry the 3.3v lines. Both were mis-wired, so you still had the problem.

Finally Dell went to ATX12v for the P4. Most Dell P4 systems use STANDARD power supplies and PROPRIETARY motherboards, as opposed to their earlier Pentium-Pentium III Dimension systems that used ATX boards with proprietary power.

So you have a P4 system, as long as you have the 20-pin power supply it should be wired normally.

I know more about this stuff than anyone from Dell. I know more about this stuff than 99% of all PC technicians. The reason I know so much about this stuff is because I made a business of refurbishing used systems.

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<font color=red>Only a place as big as the internet could be home to an ego as large as Crashman's!</font color=red>

 

[Tileus]

So does that mean I'm stuck using a Dell board or not? Forgive me, some people like me do better with shiny things and Barney explanations when not dealing with folks in person

 

[Crashman]

It means for P4 systems from Dell, such as yours, look at the power supply, if it looks normal it is. It also means the same logic can NOT be applied to PIII and earlier Dell power supplies.

And you can't use a standard board in your case, you would need a new case to support a standard board.

So you would need a new case. But because your system is a P4, you might not need a new power supply.

<font color=blue>Only a place as big as the internet could be home to a hero as big as Crashman!</font color=blue>
<font color=red>Only a place as big as the internet could be home to an ego as large as Crashman's!</font color=red>

 

[o1die]

There are 2 dell 8200 motherboards currently for bid on ebay. That would be your best bet if you don't want to transfer your stuff to a new case.