Xps 730 motherboard

[djg]

Hello,I have an upgrade situation. I have a one year old Dell XPS 730, Intel Core2 processor E8400,4GB DDR3 SDRAM at 1067MHz,single card 512 MB nVidia GeForce 8800 GT, motherboard is a 7-slot ATX, one KW power supply, and I am running 32-bit Vista Home Premium OS.
I wish to get past the 4MB ram limit of the 32-bit OS and the XPS physical limit of 8MB of RAM. I have a legal unopened OEM system builder 64-bit Vista Home Premium OS available to install.
I will be upgrading from Adobe CS4 to CS5 soon. CS5 After Effects requires 64-bit OS and suggests 16MB RAM for best performance. I would like to know how to make use of 16MB of RAM.

 

[saint19]

Hi newcomer and welcome to the Tom's hardware forum.

If THIS is your PC, the max RAM that you can install with a x64 OS is 8GB.

If you want install 16GB, you need change your mobo for one that support your current processor, RAM, and can support 16GB.

 

[djg]

Thanks for the welcome and the response. You hit the nail. I am looking for suggestions as to what mobo might fit the XPS 730 case. Would any standard 7-slot ATX board work if it had the needed memory slots? Advice on dealing with the Dell connections would also help. I have seen veiled references to problems upgrading "standard" Dell components with 3rd party replacements.
Thanks in advance for any help.

djg

 

[djg]

I went to the Dell link you provided. Yes, that is my pc but I did not splurge on the water cooled gear. I liked the comment about "whisper quiet" operation. If I want to dispel the local jet noise, I just turn on this pc!

 

[Lmeow]

With such a massive RAM upgrade, and considering that you really should be upgrading your CPU as well - I'd really think that a dual core is going to struggle with After Effects CS5 - you should just upgrade to a new computer, but keep your Dell XPS case if it can be reused, PSU and your GeForce 8800GT 512MB.

I suggest something like a Core i5 750 or Core i7 860, go for the i7 if you know for sure that CS5 will use HyperThreading - AE CS4 does not, IIRC. As for a motherboard - one of the best P55 motherboards would be the ASUS P7P55D-E Pro or Deluxe, which has SATA III and USB 3.0 - some features that you'd really like, considering you'd probably be transferring large files to computer with which you'd edit using AE CS5. If you really want this to be a professional workstation, I suggest getting a Core i7 930, an X58 motherboard - something like a Gigabyte X58A-UD3R, and supports a max of 24GB, which allows for future expansion of RAM slots. Also, video editing is where triple-channel memory helps.

 

[saint19]

This MSI mobo support 16GB in 4 slots.

Now, you have a good processor that can be OC until 3.8GHz.

 

[djg]

Thanks so much for the feedback people! I am hoping to cram any upgrades into the 14 month old XPS. I already have three other old pcs in my office. My logic was to first get a new mobo to hold 16MB ram. Then replace the CPU after I do the software upgrades down the road. While doing the mobo swap-out I would be adding at least one new hard drive or two. Given my budget and my re-training I have time to consider a new pc in 2-3 years. Really need the RAM now to take advantage of the Adobe SW.

Has anyone installed an OEM System Builder Pack? I have a sealed copy of Vista home premium 64 bit. I have been reading Microsoft doubletalk for a few days now and have two distinct methods which seem to fit my case...

Again, this site has given the best and fastest feedback I have come across. Thanks.

djg

 

[saint19]

Any time, that's why we are here.

 

[djg]

Best answer selected by djg.

 

[Guest]

Thanks so much for the feedback people! I am hoping to cram any upgrades into the 14 month old XPS. I already have three other old pcs in my office. My logic was to first get a new mobo to hold 16MB ram. Then replace the CPU after I do the software upgrades down the road. While doing the mobo swap-out I would be adding at least one new hard drive or two. Given my budget and my re-training I have time to consider a new pc in 2-3 years. Really need the RAM now to take advantage of the Adobe SW.

Has anyone installed an OEM System Builder Pack? I have a sealed copy of Vista home premium 64 bit. I have been reading Microsoft doubletalk for a few days now and have two distinct methods which seem to fit my case...

Again, this site has given the best and fastest feedback I have come across. Thanks.

djg

Are you going to be selling your old system board? Mine has just gone pop and i'm trying to track a replacment down! I'm in the UK

 

[Jobe818]

Any time, that's why we are here.

Hey you seem really knowledgabe about computers so I have a question. I have a dell xps 730 and want to install more memory. I currently have (2) G.Skill DDR3 that say 2gb x 2. Is that 4gb per stick? I have four slots. Not sure what motherboard I have. It says Dell on it, that is all that I see. I want to know what the max memory I can fit in this computer, thanks

 

[nikorr]

Hey you seem really knowledgabe about computers so I have a question. I have a dell xps 730 and want to install more memory. I currently have (2) G.Skill DDR3 that say 2gb x 2. Is that 4gb per stick? I have four slots. Not sure what motherboard I have. It says Dell on it, that is all that I see. I want to know what the max memory I can fit in this computer, thanks

I have opened new thread for your question here. Its your thread now.
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/316808-30-memory-computer#t2118829

 

[nikorr]

This topic has been closed by Nikorr