PSU / case n cooling solutions

[timeznewr0man]

setup is this:

dellxps410 e6700 2.66
4 gig ram
7900GS
375 watt power supply

pretty much pertinent info that relates to problems [below]

a] first problem: 4 gig ram. im sure uve read this a million times. ive read the same, but i still havent found a solution: i got 4 gig ram. dell bios recognizes it. vista [home premium] doesnt. why? answers? solutions? i tried upgrading to a 2.2 [bios] read somethin about bio formatting blah blah blah. not caught up yet with contemporary jargon bout wpa somethin yaddi yaddi yadda

b] second problem: video card. i love games. i want my games to look good. had enough credit for a 2G computer. 410 was that. in my ignorant haste and wanton naivete, i bought an additional 8800gtx [remember i got the 7900 already installed on the 410]. i wanna use both if possible, however: 1) ive read SLI is not supported on 410. can someone validate that for me? n if in fact thats true..is there ANY WAY AT ALL TO GET SLI ON IT [even it means the rudimentary makeshift jus buy a whole new motherboard n barebones system if u really want to then itll work..gimme ANYTHING no matter how costly it sounds if theres a will theres a way] 2) second subtopic under this video card mess is the power. 410 comes with 375watt stock of pure unadulterated mediocre horsepower. ive read two rough-n-tumble solutions from some other forums: 2a] y connector? 2b] adapter? please someone elaborate if someone knows what thats about. 3) third subtopic under the video card problem: PSU! dell = proprietary = PSU = good luck i know. what do u think about the thermaltake 250watt [for the video card itself]. would that do the trick? sez on the site 5.25 inch bay itll fit in, so will it fit in the dell 410? any other possible solutions? even if it means runnin it OUTSIDE the case? in all its ATX box fan glory?

k thats about it. my dell 30" 3007 comes in on monday n i MUST play medieval 2 total war on it in all its 2560x1600...n my razer sound n bose system. HELP MEEEEEEEEEEEEE

 

[kedlav]

a.) 32 bit Operating Systems can only recognize a certain amount of ram, roughly around 3 GB. Go to Vista 64 if you want to actually utilize the full amount.
b.) No, you will not be able to run it in SLU. Second, I'm skeptical as to whether some cheap Dell 375w PSU will supply a single GTX that draws 200+w... which sucks, as Dell uses proprietary cases and will not allow upgrades. As far as using a second PSU, I'd recommend against it. Much better off getting a real PSU and case.

 

[WoodButcher]

Originally posted by: timeznewr0man
setup is this:

dellxps410 e6700 2.66
4 gig ram
7900GS
375 watt power supply
pretty much pertinent info that relates to problems [below]
a] read somethin about bio formatting blah blah blah. not caught up yet with contemporary jargon bout wpa somethin yaddi yaddi yadda

b] second problem: video card. i love games. i want my games to look good. had enough credit for a 2G computer. 410 was that. in my ignorant haste and wanton naivete, i bought an additional 8800gtx [remember i got the 7900 already installed on the 410]. i wanna use both if possible, however: 1) ive read SLI is not supported on 410. can someone validate that for me? n if in fact thats true..is there ANY WAY AT ALL TO GET SLI ON IT [even it means the rudimentary makeshift jus buy a whole new motherboard n barebones system if u really want to then itll work..gimme ANYTHING no matter how costly it sounds if theres a will theres a way] 2) second subtopic under this video card mess is the power. 410 comes with 375watt stock of pure unadulterated mediocre horsepower. ive read two rough-n-tumble solutions from some other forums: 2a] y connector? 2b] adapter? please someone elaborate if someone knows what thats about. 3) third subtopic under the video card problem: PSU! dell = proprietary = PSU = good luck i know. what do u think about the thermaltake 250watt [for the video card itself]. would that do the trick? sez on the site 5.25 inch bay itll fit in, so will it fit in the dell 410? any other possible solutions? even if it means runnin it OUTSIDE the case? in all its ATX box fan glory?

k thats about it. my dell 30" 3007 comes in on monday n i MUST play medieval 2 total war on it in all its 2560x1600...n my razer sound n bose system. HELP MEEEEEEEEEEEEE

7900GS + 8800GTX = Not SLI
at best they would operate at the 7900 level but your talking about 2 different gpus' and diff memory. Add in the fact you need a new mobo and power supply, plus it's a dell. 8800 in sli performace increase over single card does not warrant the additional cost of the second 8800 yet. Good god, send the 8800 back or build another system that will do what you are asking.
Maybe your dell will run the 8800 single and sell the 7900.
If you want to customze a pc don't buy a dell.

http://forumz.tomshardware.com/hardware/XFX-7900GS-SLI-ftopict211844.html

http://www.slizone.com/object/slizone_howtobuild_1.html

 

[s44]

Actually, I believe that XPS supply is rated at a rather insane number of amps at +12V. I wouldn't be surprised if it *did* run the 8800GTX without a hitch.

Anyway, one 8800GTX > two 7900GSes. SLI sucks. Sell your old card, and be glad you got the new one.

 

[Pyrokinetic]

Ditto the last post. Dump the 7900GS and just go with the single 8800GTX. The GTX will make your 30in monitor look reeeal purty. You won't even need SLI, as the single 8800GTX will stomp any 7000 series SLI setup. (BTW, SLI requires two identical graphic cards).

As for the memory thing, 4GB is rather pointless on a 32-bit system, isn't it nice Dell just neglected to tell you that? BTW -- that E6700 processor is a very nice chip, too bad you cannot overclock the thing on that Dell system (the chip is known to be overclock friendly to 3.5GHz+).

However, looking at the Dell 410 case, I am not sure if you can properly fit in the 8800GTX into that case without removing some of the internal supports. The motherboard also is not SLI capable as none of the 410s even have that option.

If you want to keep the system and upgrade, go buy a BTX capable case. Most of us run the ATX motherboard layout, however, Dell loves the Intel-only BTX spec.

The ATRIX case is one of the few available that is not a large full-tower but a mid-tower like the original Dell case: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16811209027

The good thing is that the ATRIX can hold a normal power supply, so you are not limited to the Dell proprietary units. A good general PSU that can run the 8800GTX (one of many possible suggestions) is the Seasonic S12 Energy Plus SS-650HT (650W): http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16817151028

The bad news is that you will have to disasseble the Dell and reassemble in the new case. Good luck to you -- it will be good practice for building your own system next time (which will also save you alot of money).

Congratulations! You have bought a Dell... enjoy the ball & chain.

 

[timeznewr0man]

thanks for the honest replies guys. the help is TRULY exponential. flattery aside, to the nitty gritty.

k pyro, let's see. so lookn at ur POV, a possible thing to do [if i choose NOT to get a refund from dell - i should but for simplicity sake ill settle] would be to purchase a BTX-able CASE [since the 410 is BTX]. in so doin, ill be able to fit the 410 motherboard into it, and MORE IMPORTANTLY, able to fit the 650+ watt power supply, on which to run the 8800gtx. did i get that right?

2 questions:
1] would it be within my better interest if possible to jus get a BIGGER case? or does it have to be this "btx" case? if it has to be this btx case, are there BIGGER btx cases than the one you had a link to?
2] would ANY power supply work for this BTX case? or are there "btx" power supplies?

 

[timeznewr0man]

http://www.xoxide.com/aerocool-masstige-case-black.html whatcha think about this case?

 

[Pyrokinetic]

You got that right. As for your questions, you can indeed get a bigger case, these other four are also BTX compatable: http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductLi...tegory=7&description=&Ntk=&srchInDesc= (some will require separate BTX "kits" that convert the case).

The "best of the best" of the ATX/BTX towers not listed in the above group is the Cooler Master Stacker series. The 830 is all-aluminum and spendy but very nice. The original Stacker (I have the 810 varient) is also BTX capable. The following versions support BTX:

Original Stacker (STC-T01) ATX and BTX
Stacker 820 (Looks similiar to STC-T01 but is BTX only).
Stacker 830 ATX and BTX.

These two Stacker versions do not:
Stacker 810 (which I own).
Stacker 832

Check out all the types: http://www.coolermaster-usa.com/ProductList.aspx?catID=614

and http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductLi...Submit=ENE&N=0&Ntk=all&Go.x=16&Go.y=30

Yes, there are "BTX" and "ATX" power supplies, but they are pretty much the same so don't worry about it because all the cases above will work with either. Dell PSUs just have a slightly different dimensions and screw hole pattern. Stick with recommended Seasonic and you will be fine.

 

[Pyrokinetic]

The Aerocool Masstige is one of the cases you have to contact the company direct to get the "kit" to convert the case. It is not BTX-ready out of the box.

Also be aware it might require some effort to disassemble the Dell case. They are not user friendly beyond the exterior panels. For example, the motherboard may be secured by clips instead of regular screws. You can get it disassembled, but it will take care, effort, and time. Just know what you are getting into and having a knowledgeable friend on hand may be advisable.

 

[pkrush]

BTX power supplies are exactly the same as ATX power supplies, and you don't really need a 650 watt power supply for a single 8800gtx, a good brand 550 watt SLI power supply will work. Look at Seasonic, OCZ, Corsair, PC Power and Cooling, etc. One thing to check, though, is does your Dell have the graphics card slot in the top position (closest to the CPU)? If it does, you won't be able to use the 8800gtx anyway because it won't physically fit. (The dual slot cooler will interfere with the rear ports and you won't be able to screw the card in.) I would definitely return the Dell and try building something myself if I were you. Also, as for the 4 gigabytes of RAM, Windows won't recognize all of it unless you have a 64 bit version of Windows installed.

 

[Pyrokinetic]

pkrush may have a good point and that may be why Dell does not offer a dual-slot GPU like the 8800GTX as an option on the XPS 410. If that is the situation, return the system or the 8800GTX.

However, Anandtech tested a Dell XPS 410 system with a 7900GTX which is dual-slot: http://www.anandtech.com/systems/showdoc.aspx?i=2834&p=4

Another thing to check out is the PC Power & Cooling website, as they manufacture Dell replacement power supplies. None of the ones listed have dual PCIE power connectors required by the GTX, but it couldn't hurt to call them up and ask what they would recommend.

Or what the heck... just call Dell and ask if the PSU from the XPS 710 will fit and if they would sell you one. Nothing to lose by doing that.

 

[WoodButcher]

Forgive me please for reading between the lines.
All these options are expensive, your first post said your buying this rig on credit. Right off the bat if your using dell financing you will pay back double. With the extras your talking about 1/2 that again if your using plastic. If the 8800 does not work send it back, othewise sell the 7900 and make a payment, 2 if your lucky. Don't go in the hole to play a fr****in' game! The system you bought is a beauty as is. If you were capable of doing these upgrades and or btx conversions you would also realize that you could build the entire system for approx the same price and have what you want.
If you can,
back out with dell and build,
If you can't build,
stick with the dell as is and upgrade if and when you can afford to.

 

[timeznewr0man]

" If you decide that you want something better than the standard 375W power supply in the future, it should not be at all difficult to replace the power supply." http://www.anandtech.com/systems/showdoc.aspx?i=2834&p=4

i wish anandtech specified HOW!!!!

thanks pyro, pkrush for that. i wanna NOW do 3 things:
a] upgrade to vista 64: will my computer hardware wise be able to do so? n hopefully if so, how should i go about upgrading? how much will i have to fork over to upgrade? [to utilize 4gigs]
b] get another power supply [the ANANDtech test on the 410 gave me SO MUCH RENEWED HOPE pyro sheesh]
c] replace the 7900 with the 8800gtx [ill save the 7900 maybe for my younger sister if she ends up wanting a computer for college she can use that one go play sims or something]

so, with that said...any ideas on goin about that!

 

[timeznewr0man]

one more thanks to woodbutcher for grounding my notoriously unchanneled penchant for spending money that isnt there [i really should stop that] and putting things into a sobering perspective.

so while i wont go investing big on perhaps a new case, etc etc [AT LEAST FOR NOW..i give it till the end of spring semester 3 months] perhaps a slight upgrade to vista64, n a 600+ PSU [equalling to roughly i hope less than 400usdz] should appease my unsatiated desire to play medieval 2 total war.

"dont go in a hole to play a fr**kn game!" LMAO sound like my dad if he FOUND OUT LOL n it really made me think. u kno what it was? it was the fact that i went all out with the 8800gtx, the bose speakers, n the razer sound, AND 30" dell 3007, n to be handicapped by DELL's proprietary ironclad parts, was a test of my sanity

 

[WoodButcher]

Originally posted by: timeznewr0man
one more thanks to woodbutcher for grounding my notoriously unchanneled penchant for spending money that isnt there [i really should stop that] and putting things into a sobering perspective.

so while i wont go investing big on perhaps a new case, etc etc [AT LEAST FOR NOW..i give it till the end of spring semester 3 months] perhaps a slight upgrade to vista64, n a 600+ PSU [equalling to roughly i hope less than 400usdz] should appease my unsatiated desire to play medieval 2 total war.

"dont go in a hole to play a fr**kn game!" LMAO sound like my dad if he FOUND OUT LOL n it really made me think. u kno what it was? it was the fact that i went all out with the 8800gtx, the bose speakers, n the razer sound, AND 30" dell 3007, n to be handicapped by DELL's proprietary ironclad parts, was a test of my sanity

Your gramercy kind sir!,
1. I am a parent. (excuse for all things according to my mother)
2. I HAVE gone deep into the "new" tech, had it fall by the wayside in a few weeks as more "new tech" came out and had to pay the CC bill for months after.
lastly, I'm a parent,,,, (works for mom!)
Your in the right place, these guys will hook you up with the goodies you want. Don't skimp on the psu, many failures have been attributed to lame power supply.
May you fare well in your quest good sir!

 

[Pyrokinetic]

timeznewr0man: I wouldn't do the 64-bit upgrade because running 64-bit on a 32-bit application like your game could hurt the performance of said game. 64-bit is not that useful (for the most part) for average users. 64-bit was created first for the scientific community to crunch really big numbers more efficiently. While 32-bit can't fully utilize 4GB of ram, it does utilize most of it. You would be spending money for a change that is imperceptible to you as the user. My advice: leave it be.

See if you can't upgrade the power supply in the original case first. Call Dell and see if they will sell you a PSU from the XPS 710 SLI rig or call PC Power and Cooling.

Note that the PC Power and Cooling replacement units have one PCI express power connectors (the 8800GTX needs two). However, you can get one of these to make it work: http://www.pcpower.com/products/viewproduct.php?show=VPCIEX

If your existing PSU has two free 4-pin molex power connectors, you can try the 8800GTX with the existing PSU, however it may or may not work (if it overtaxes the PSU, the system should just shut down...note that I said SHOULD...) Worth a try, but to be safe, I would go with the PC Power & Cooling replacement units. Their contact info: http://www.pcpower.com/contact/