Missing PCI-E 16X slot

[astr0]

Hello,

I received (just yesterday) a Dell Optiplex GX520, with the large tower chassis. This was a gift, I didn't choose this PC.

It has a 3.4Ghz Pentium D (should be good for gaming). I was looking into buying a 7600GT, when i opened up the case and discovered that it lacks a PCI-E 16X slot.

However, looking closely, above the PCI slots, there is a white box with lots of female pins in it where a PCI-E 16X slot would go.

I looked it up on the dell website... the model up from this (the GX620) indeed does have a 16X slot, as well as 2 extra DIMM's. Looking at my mobo again, there are indeed 2 white boxes where the 2 extra DIMM's would go.

So, I conclude that both 620 and 520 share the mobo.. However, would it be possible to place a PCI-E 16x slot in its place in the mobo?

It seems to me that this would be simple, there is a place for it, all you need to do is get the hunk of plastic and shove it in.. But I can't find anything like this on google.

Please help. Pictures attached.

http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/4...10721030qz.jpg
http://img292.imageshack.us/img292/83/22010721047qy.jpg

 

[astr0]

Bad So I'm looking at a new mobo? Would that be easy, considering this is a dell?

 

[jonkc]

Then you have to make sure Dell isn't using there propriatary RAM on the system. If so then you need new RAM.

Dude You got a Dell!!(I'm sorry)...

As far as I am aware(I am a Dell certified technician), they do not use proprietary Ram. The power Supply is going to be severly under powered as the GX620 is only 280W. These are meant to be desktop workstations for business not gaming machines so they are custom tailored for application usage and not gaming. Thus the crippled motherboard and p/s.

JonC

 

[-silencer-]

Then you have to make sure Dell isn't using there propriatary RAM on the system. If so then you need new RAM.

Dude You got a Dell!!(I'm sorry)...

As far as I am aware(I am a Dell certified technician), they do not use proprietary Ram. The power Supply is going to be severly under powered as the GX620 is only 280W. These are meant to be desktop workstations for business not gaming machines so they are custom tailored for application usage and not gaming. Thus the crippled motherboard and p/s.

JonC

The RAM will most likely be 240pin DDR2, but most likely 400MHz or 533MHz. You'll definitely need a new motherboard and power supply, and most likely a new case if it's not a standard ATX size.

Retail machines such as these are not meant to be upgraded beyond a little extra memory or adding a hard drive.. it's a shame they don't have the capability for upgrades, but I can't tell you how many disappointed people walked away from the tech bench when I worked at Best Buy with this same problem. Dell wanted you to order an XPS if you wanted to game/upgrade in the future.. (but for the price, you could build a much better system anyway)

 

[hammerhead2]

thats Dell for you,, for a while you could buy the cheap
server from dell,,, celron and 256meg ram plus a 40 gig
hard drive,,or two if lucky and find that the mobo
was fully tricked out,, all the extra goodies still on
the mobo son in law bought one for $199 ,, best I found
was $299 ( of course you had a business to run ???)
change the cpu ,, add memory,, and a gpu
not the greatest but much cheaper that anything else close
at Dell

 

[astr0]

The power Supply is going to be severly under powered as the GX620 is only 280W.

JonC

Actually, it's only 230 watts

I got a phone number, I'm going to call a dell workshop tomorrow morning, I'll ask about a new mobo and power supply.

Else, I'm doomed to 30 FPS in CSS for another couple of years

 

[jonkc]

Your PS in the GX520 is 230, I referenced the GX620 as 280...