Difficult upgrade...

[mis3]

My friend just bought a Dell Optliplex desktop PC which has the small form factor chasis. I personal think this is a mistake but he is stuck with it.

It comes with a special small CD-ROM and floppy drive. He would like to add a CD-Burner and DVD-ROM to it. So, I open the case and look inside. The CD-ROM slot is so small that I cannot possible replace it with a CD-writer/CD-ROM/DVD combo drive. The only way to go is to go external.

I checked and all of these combo drives work only with IDE connections. So, I checked for an external USB CD-writer. Since the PC comes with USB-1.1, I have to add a PCI USB-2.0 card. The PC does have a free PCI slot but it is a half-lenght PCI slot (4.2" * 6.95"). Is this kind of half lenght PCI USB card available?

What else can I do to upgrade this PC?

 

[4Ryan6]

I thought those towers looked really slim on TV, so DELL has found a way to make customers have to come back to them for upgrades, thats a lousy deal.

 

[lagger]

and this surprises you ... how ???


<font color=blue><b> Common Sense is anything but ... Common !</font color=blue></b>

 

[ejsmith2]

Depends on just how desparate you/he is.

You can put the hard disk and main cdrom on the primary channel using a dual connector, and cut a hole in the side of the case, and run the secondary cable out to an 'internal-made-external' ide drive.

You can just go buy another case (sans psu), and shove the whole kit in there and think nothing more of it.

If you ever need 'warranty' repair, you'd have to put it back into the original case.

 

[mis3]

Finally a constructive reply. Thanks.

Changing the case is a good idea but maybe difficult. Next time I will check inside but I remember all the components are not standard size. This includes the motherboard and this may be difficult to mount onto the new case.

Does anyone know anything about this half-lenght PCI card?

 

[lhgpoobaa]

face it... its a dell.
extreemly hard to upgrade in a decent fashion.
in the long run its probably better gutting it for useful bits and starting over.

<font color=blue>All religions are true, for a given value of 'true' - Terry Pratchett.</font color=blue>

 

[upec]

Maybe you can call DELL to see if a USB 2.0 PCI card for the system is availible?

 

[upec]

I think most USB 2.0 CDRW will also work with USB 1.1 port at a lower speed.

 

[phsstpok]

4.2" x 6.95" sounds like a typical PCI card to me. Why not borrow a PCI card from your own machine and check for fit?

You shouldn't have any trouble fitting a USB 2.0 card. Most of them are shorter than 6.95".

Since there is only one PCI slot available you might want to consider a USB 2.0/Firewire combo card.



<b>I have so many cookies I now have a FAT problem!</b>

 

[mis3]

My mistake: According to Dell site, the spare PCI slot is
"Low-profile PCI slot (2.5" h x 6.6" l)"

 

[phsstpok]

Then that is a problem.

Below is the only link to a low-profile USB 2.0 adapter that I could find. It should work but depending on the computer case you might have to modify the retaining bracket. It does look low enough, though.

<A HREF="http://www.synchrotech.com/product-usb/pci-usb2_01.html" target="_new">http://www.synchrotech.com/product-usb/pci-usb2_01.html</A>

<b>I have so many cookies I now have a FAT problem!</b>

 

[phsstpok]

I found another one for $46. Went back to my old, reliable price engine, www.streetprices.com.

<A HREF="http://www.streetprices.com/Computers/search.pl?query=usb+2.0+profile" target="_new">http://www.streetprices.com/Computers/search.pl?query=usb+2.0+profile</A>

<b>I have so many cookies I now have a FAT problem!</b>