Suggest a Motherboard?

[eruptionjoojo]

Hello all,

I'm looking for a desktop motherboard for my DELL INSPIRON 530 Desktop which has a Foxconn G33M02 motherboard by default. Since the motherboard has gone bad i'm looking forward to swap it with a new one. My current specifications are :-
Ram :
2GB DDR2 800 Mhz
512MB + 512 MB DDR2 667Mhz
My current motherboard i.e. Foxconn G33M02 has 4 ram slots, out of which currently 3 are occupied.
Hard disk:
160GB SATA HDD
Processor:
Intel Pentium Dual core E2160(1.80 Ghz)
DVD Drive:
"2" - SATA DVD Drives
1 Chasis Fan
1 Processor Fan
LGA 775 Socket
300 Watt SMPS
2xPCI Slots(1 Slot occupied by IEEE Firewire 1394 card & the other by TV Tuner Card)
1 PCIe 1x Slot
1 PCIe 16x Slot
1 Flexbay drive for Media card reader
You may have the complete details from the link provided below :-

http://downloads.dell.com/Manuals/a..._owner's manual_en-us.pdf?c=in&l=en&cs=&s=gen

I'm be willing to buy a motherboard with same specification (of any brand) and within the price range of INR 5000 or US $100. I had an option to buy the motherboard which i had by default but couldn't find it at the aforesaid price.
By the way i'm from India.

Thanks in advance to who so ever replies.

 

[Harvey]

You face several problems trying to install a new motherboard in your case:

1. Most motherboards used in "department store" packaged computers (Dell, HP, etc.) use a 9 pin header to connect to the front panel switches and LED's. Most separate motherboards use a different arrangement for these front panel connections that anticipates separate wire pairs with independent 2 - 4 pin connectors.

Unless you find a motherboard with the 9 pin connector to use your case, either you will have to find an after-market adapter (rare and expensive), or you will have to cut off the 9 pin connector from the front panel and attach independent connectors to each of the wire pairs to connect them to the new board. It can be done if you have soldering skills and you know what you're doing, but it's a lot of work. If you don't know how to do this, the money a qualified tech would probably charge would be better spent on a new system.

2. These same "department store" computers almost always include undersized power supplies. The one in your machine is only 300 watts, and it's several years old. It may have been adequate for its purpose when it was new, but you have no way of knowing how much longer it will last.

3. The cost of a genuine replacement motherboard from Dell could be prohibitive. Searching Google for your motherboard finds some on eBay and other sites. The license for Windows is attached to your machine so unless you replace the motherboard with another similar Dell board that uses the same drivers and will accept your serial number, the copy of Windows in your CD/DVD recovery disk set or partition will not install, and you will need a generic copy of Windows.

Your best chance of rescuing the large components of this system (case, PSU, etc.) is if you can find an affordable exact replacement motherboard. If you can, you may be able to install it and boot up to your hard drive as configured. You may have to re-activate Windows, but it should work.

If you can't find this exact board, the added cost of a new copy of Windows may raise the cost to the point where it isn't worth the cost or effort to ressurect a collection of older components in need of a motherboard. If you don't need greater power, you can salvage the CPU and RAM for your new system. If you want a faster machine, you can sell these components and invest the same money in a newer system.

Good luck.

 

[tweakboy]

I suggest cancel all moves,, and just buy a SSD. Cuz looking at your system,,, it must be huffing and puffing along.. SSD will bring new life, also a ram kit for 25 dollars 8GB
slap a 660 Ti and off you go.

 

[eruptionjoojo]

Thanks a lot for your quick reply mate .............. although i was looking for inputs from people who have faced the same issue as such because while reading online i realised that i need to cut some part of the back plate in order to facilitate for the connection on the back of the motherboard as well i couldn't find a motherboard having 4 RAM slots supporting DDR2 in all the slots. Although i would definitely be considering your suggestion of buying the same motherboard via ebay.

Regards,
Joojo.

You face several problems trying to install a new motherboard in your case:

1. Most motherboards used in "department store" packaged computers (Dell, HP, etc.) use a 9 pin header to connect to the front panel switches and LED's. Most separate motherboards use a different arrangement for these front panel connections that anticipates separate wire pairs with independent 2 - 4 pin connectors.

Unless you find a motherboard with the 9 pin connector to use your case, either you will have to find an after-market adapter (rare and expensive), or you will have to cut off the 9 pin connector from the front panel and attach independent connectors to each of the wire pairs to connect them to the new board. It can be done if you have soldering skills and you know what you're doing, but it's a lot of work. If you don't know how to do this, the money a qualified tech would probably charge would be better spent on a new system.

2. These same "department store" computers almost always include undersized power supplies. The one in your machine is only 300 watts, and it's several years old. It may have been adequate for its purpose when it was new, but you have no way of knowing how much longer it will last.

3. The cost of a genuine replacement motherboard from Dell could be prohibitive. Searching Google for your motherboard finds some on eBay and other sites. The license for Windows is attached to your machine so unless you replace the motherboard with another similar Dell board that uses the same drivers and will accept your serial number, the copy of Windows in your CD/DVD recovery disk set or partition will not install, and you will need a generic copy of Windows.

Your best chance of rescuing the large components of this system (case, PSU, etc.) is if you can find an affordable exact replacement motherboard. If you can, you may be able to install it and boot up to your hard drive as configured. You may have to re-activate Windows, but it should work.

If you can't find this exact board, the added cost of a new copy of Windows may raise the cost to the point where it isn't worth the cost or effort to ressurect a collection of older components in need of a motherboard. If you don't need greater power, you can salvage the CPU and RAM for your new system. If you want a faster machine, you can sell these components and invest the same money in a newer system.

Good luck.