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Post by seiyafan on Sept 14, 2005 17:41:23 GMT -5
Has anyone here tried to put an AMD motherboard in XPS?
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Post by unknowngod430 on Sept 14, 2005 19:54:36 GMT -5
why would you want to?.. u'd need a new power supply... i don't think the mounting holes are lined up.. u'd be better off just getting a new case and PSU if u're gona get a new mobo
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Post by seiyafan on Sept 14, 2005 20:50:43 GMT -5
Ah thanks. I knew I was missing something when I had that idea in mind. ;D
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Post by glendor on May 8, 2006 14:06:32 GMT -5
I just finished doing that exact mod. I love the XPS case (my other computer is a Dell Precision 530), but hate intel, so I bought a Gen 4 case off eBay, and put my AMD mobo in it. It wasn't that big a challenge, but I do still have a few issues to take care of.
On the plus side, the 460w ATX power supply in the XPS is STANDARD, regardless of what you've read/heard. The old XPS PSUs were not, and a lot of the old Dimension PSUs were not, but many (maybe even all) of the newer generation PSUs are standard ATX. All I had to do was get a 24pin to 20 pin adapter from Directron. This could have been avoided if my mobo had been a 24pin mobo, but it wasn't.
Mounting the mobo was a bit of a challenge, but I had it mounted in about two hours. Knowing what I know now, I could re-do it in about 30 minutes. The trick was aligning the new mobo so that the PCI/AGP slots lined up with the slots on the back of the case. The case I bought off eBay did not have the mobo tray, so I mounted the AMD mobo to the back of the case as if there wasn't supposed to be a tray. I used the standard brass standoffs from the old case I was upgrading from.
If I had to re-do it, I would make a paper template from the new mobo so I know EXACTLY where the holes go, then I would use the template to mark the locations of the holes on the back panel of the case. What I did, was position the mobo in the case, and try to mark the positions by sticking a sharp pencil through the mounting holes on the mobo. Not the most accurate way of doing it. I have one hole that can't be used due to missalignment, and one that is barely usable. I could do better next time. You don't even need to remove the plastic side panel if you don't go crazy with the drill. As soon as it cuts through the metal, back off on the drill so you don't penetrate the side.
After the holes are drilled (smaller than the diameter of the brass standoffs), use a steel case screw to thread the new holes. Make sure the steel case screw has the same thread pattern as the brass standoffs. I originally tried to thread the holes using the brass standoffs. That was stupid, because the brass is too soft, and not only didn't cut threads into the steel, but also stripped the threads on the standoffs, making them useless. I caught onto the problem about halfway through my supply of standoffs. After I started threading them with the case screws everything went perfectly.
The IO panel cutout on the XPS case is not long enough for the ATX mobo I was using. I had to use a hacksaw and file to cut it aproximately .5" wider than original. It was easy to do, and took about 10 minutes. With a little filing to cleanup the cutout, you can't even tell anything was done. I haven't made or modified an IO backplate, but I'm sure I can find a good starter one to mod to the right size.
The next serious problem was the power switch, and front panel LEDs. It was easy to remove the ribbon cable from the front panel connector, and figure out which pins go to what. I canabalized the front panel cables from my old case, and since the wires were long enough, I just pinned them into the post where the old ribbon cable was. I got the power button correct right off the bat, but I can't seem to get the power & harddrive LEDs to work. I know which pins go to what, but they just don't work. The pins I'm pressing these wires down into are so close together, I think I may be touching more than one wire. I'm still working on it, and I'm very close to having the answer.
What I haven't even attempted yet is to figure out the front panel USB, audio, and firewire board. If anybody has any suggestions on how to tackle that job, please post here.
Since I'm not using the factory Dell mobo, the built in colored LED 'glow' behind the shield does not work. I'm going to mount a 92mm GREEN lighted fan blowing in behind the shield.
(heh, it's now an AMD computer so it might as well exude a green auora).
Upcoming mods:
adapt or replace the front panel USB, audio, and firewire
Mod the cooling shroud to better cool my AMD HFS
Add a 92mm or 120mm fan blowing air UP out of the top rear vent
Maybe a window kit if I can figure out a way to make it look good, not trashy.
Cut out the floppy drive bezel so I can mount a 3.5" media card reader in place of the floppy.
I call my PC: The Computer Dell SHOULD have made
Asrock Combo-Z mobo (dual s754 & s939 mobo can upgrade to X2 technology on the s939 socket)
AMD Athlon64 3200+ (s754: Newcastle) OCed to 2.3ghz (approx FX55 performance)
1gb PC3200 Corsair DDR
120gb Seagate Baracuda harddrive (soon to be 3x120gb in RAID0)
AGP nVidia FX5900 XT (weak, but can't afford a X850PE yet)
DVD/RW w/ litescribe
Built in 8.1 audio (soon to be Audigy2 Platinum w/ livedrive)
6.1 speakers
24" Dell widescreen LCD
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Post by unknowngod430 on May 8, 2006 14:23:58 GMT -5
wanna take some pics cuz i coulda just saved a sh*tload of money if i had known that
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Post by glendor on May 8, 2006 22:05:34 GMT -5
I'll see about the pics tomorrow. It's late, and I have to work early. I think I saw a post on this board about how to post pictures. I'll look into that tomorrow also.
The Dell front IO panel is going to be a real challenge. The wiring looks VERY non-standard. I'm even looking into other uses for that covered bay, but it's too small to mount a 3.5" media card reader, or anything else for that matter. It would be easy to mount USB & Firewire ports with normal cables (to attach to mobo headers), but I don't know what I would do about the audio ports. When (if) I get my Audigy2 Plat w/ livedrive, the audio ports on the case become moot, but I just hate to leave two holes in the front of the case with no purpose.
I'll try to get the pictures ASAP.
Glendor out...
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Post by glendor on May 10, 2006 4:45:52 GMT -5
Still trying to get pictures taken. Out of about 20 rechargable AA batteries I've purchased over the past year, I can only find TWO!!!! My kids must have used them in their firk ding blast GBAs and not returned them!
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Post by TRow on May 10, 2006 13:47:02 GMT -5
Stickied! I changed the Title for easier search, good work!
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Post by stevogabe on May 10, 2006 23:16:34 GMT -5
nice!
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Post by glendor on May 11, 2006 5:32:14 GMT -5
The [glow=green,2,300] AMD XPS[/glow] The computer Dell SHOULD have made I thought about calling it My "Dell / AMD Computer" or My DAMD Computer for short  Here it is on the right side of my desk. The LCD in the middle is a Dell 24" Widescreen LCD that I got from Dell for less than $460 in March 2006 ;D It's not a refurb, there's nothing wrong with it, and it is perfectly legit. img143.imageshack.us/my.php?image=amdxps0014jr.jpgOn the other side of my desk is my old (but reliable) Precision 530 workstation: 2x 2.0ghz Xeons, 2gb RAM, 73mb 10k rpm SCSI, 3x 120mb PATA Barracudas (RAID0), etc... img111.imageshack.us/my.php?image=amdxps0222ic.jpgAMD XPS w/ case open. The 120mm Green fan will be in the upper left blowing up out of the case. I expect the AMD Green Glow to radiate out of the back of the case, and even up the wall thanks to the built in top vent. I'll probably find two low dB fans to blow air into the case and onto the HSF, and that heated air will vent upwards through the 120mm fan in the top of the case. img143.imageshack.us/my.php?image=amdxps0074fh.jpgA slightly blurry closeup of the CPU & RAM. The RAM is 2x 512mb Corsair with 'equalizer' like LEDs that change color with activity & intensity. The CPU is a 3200+ Athlon 64 (Newcastle) overclocked to 2.53ghz (11x230fsb) I had a different 3200+ Newcastle up to 11x237fsb on this same mobo. The mobo is a ASRock Combo-Z and has both a s754 & s939 socket. They can't be used at the same time, but it's stable, and seems to overclock reasonably well, and provide an upgrade path to an X2 CPU when money permits. Notice the top of the pic. You can see the 24pin to 20pin adapter I got for $10 at Directron. If you use a 24pin mobo, you don't need this. img143.imageshack.us/my.php?image=amdxps0116fw.jpgPic of CPU-Z showing the Athlon 64 img143.imageshack.us/my.php?image=amdxps0162cu.jpgPic of Sandra showing my system compared to several other AMD CPUs (in case it's too blury the second row is a FX-55, then a FX-57, then a 2x3800 (I think). I should have taken a screen shot, instead of a snapshot (duh!). I'll replace these two images with screenshots later. img143.imageshack.us/my.php?image=amdxps0174hr.jpgInside shot of the front of the case. You can see the 60mm blue LED fan I have there. It's blowing in. I'm going to remove this, and put a 92mm AMD Green LED fan on the outside of the grillwork (but behind the shield) blowing in to cool the harddrives (of which there will be 3x 120mb shortly). I figure the heat blowing into the case will exit through the 120mm fan in the top rear. img20.imageshack.us/my.php?image=amdxps0181th.jpgHere is a picture of the outside rear of the case showing where I had to cut away part of the plastic cover and under laying metal grillwork. As you can see, I cut too much of the metal away. There were like four rows of the grillwork, and I cut away the frame piece, and two rows of grillwork. I should have only cut away the frame, and one row. Oh well... I'll do better next time. img169.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p10003569bo.jpgI also have a pic of the mod I did to the front control panel to get the switch (and hopefully soon the power & hd LEDs) to work, but I can't get it to upload from work, so I'll have to add that pic later. Everything you see completed so far took about 3 - 4 hours total (not including the OS which was already installed on the HD), but I'm positive I could do it again (even better) in half that time. Glendor... |
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Post by glendor on May 13, 2006 9:34:54 GMT -5
I added the green fans, and will take some pictures later. Even thought he upper rear of the case was perforated with tiny holes for ventalation, it was still too restrictive. I went ahead and removed a circle and mounted the 120mm fan up there. The plastic louvered top of the case hides the cutout perfectly, so it looks good from teh inside & out. The green glow was exactly what I expected. My only complaint is that the 120mm fan is louder than I expected. The stats said it was only 22dB, and that's pretty quiet, but I can still hear it. It's the loudest fan in the case  Glendor out... |
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Post by glendor on May 14, 2006 9:17:49 GMT -5
Might be heading for my first upgrade. I have a good deal on a Athlon X2 3800+ in the works. Might be moving to the s939 socket by next weekend. I wonder what it will OC to. The s939 socket is in a better location to take advantage of the fan shroud of the XPS. It's closer to where the old P4 would have been, so I may be able to do In/Out air path using the two fans in the shroud.  Glendor... |
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Post by glendor on May 16, 2006 4:53:29 GMT -5
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Post by glendor on May 22, 2006 8:05:02 GMT -5
Latest Update: Installed a new ECS mobo because the position of the CPU/HSF was more centrally located, and I thought it would be easy to cool using the XPS fan shroud. After going through all the trouble of removing the ASRock mobo, and installing the ECS one, I hadn't measured right, and the fan shroud couln't be used at all  So, all that work, and it didn't really help anything; the temps are still a tad higher than I would like. I need to replace the craptastic HSF I have with a good model. Over the weekend, I also modded the control panel board to get the lights to work. Right from the start I was able to get the power switch on the Dell board to work with the aftermarket ASRock mobo, but I couldn't get the lights to work. I got tired of messing around with the Dell controll panel board. I knew what pins needed to go where, but trying to fit my larger diameter wires into the tiny punchdown block where the ribbon cable originally was was testing my patience! I ended up pulling off (with pliars) the original LEDs, and drilling out the original locations, and hot-gluing in new LEDs with the wires already attached. It worked great, and I would have put any color LEDs in it. I stuck with green for the power, and used red for the harddrive LED. If I knew then what I know now, I would have stopped there.... Being unable to leave well enough alone, I pulled off the original power switch (doh!), and put in a different one that came from the same doner PC that the LEDs came from. That was a huge mistake! It works fine and all, but it sticks off the back of the board so far, that the board wouldn't go back into the same socket it came out of. I had to drill/cut/file out a larger openening behind the board for the power switch to resess into. It wasn't fun, and the results were not pretty, but it isn't that big a deal. The enlarged hole is hidden by the control panel PCB, which is of course hidden behind the Dell XPS front panel. Lesson Learned: Don't BJORK up a good switch when don't need to! If I had to do it all over again (and I may because I'm probably getting a new XPS case next week for my next project) I would just solder wires to the back of the LED & Switch control panel and not even mess with trying to reuse the punchdown block, or replacing the light & switch with after market ones. I wasted way over three hours on the switch control panel. I could skip to the chase and solder on the new wires in less than an hour on the next one. You live, you learn, or you die |
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Post by unknowngod430 on May 22, 2006 16:01:34 GMT -5
nice progress. and nice to hear you're still working on it, post up some pics of the new work when you get a chance
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Post by glendor on May 30, 2006 13:55:26 GMT -5
I got a good deal on a retail s939 Athlon64 3500+ so it's out with the old (s754 3200+) and in with the new, and I didn't even have to change the mobo! I can't use the XPS fan shroud anymore, but you should see the primo placement of the s939 socket on that Combo-Z mobo You really couldn't ask for a better location. I'll post pics of the s939 HSF shortly. I have a clear-blue plexy duct off a Zalman P4 HSF that I'm going to adapt to the stock AMD HSF (damn thing uses a 70mm fan but it's an 80mm duct.  ) BTW: copper heat sink compound SUCKS! Ran out of AS5 and had to use copper for a couple weeks, and my temps went up about 20 degrees C Now I'm back to AS5, and it idles about 34 degrees, and reaches 43 under load. Could be lower, but my house has a high ambient temp. Anyway, still haven't done anything about the I/O ports yet, but I'm getting ready to attack that task. |
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Post by glendor on Jun 19, 2006 13:20:10 GMT -5
I solved most of the IO port problems. I rewired the USB & Firewire ports so they can be plugged onto headers on my motherboard, or an add-in card. I'm still working on the audio ports, but I believe I'm close.
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Post by glendor on Jul 5, 2006 9:25:58 GMT -5
I Thought I was close on the audio ports, but I was wrong. The audio port on the Dell Frontpanel I/O Board has a 10 pin (actually 9+key) white connector that coinsidentally is the same size as the white (unmarked) audio port on some SoundBlaster cards. I did some checking, and they seemed to even have the same pinouts! I plugged the long cable from the I/O board into the port on my sound card, and though the headphone jack worked, sort of, it sounded terrible and had a Very (VERY!!!) high pitched whine (better described as a screeching) noise come out of it. Hard on the ears!
I still think there is a way to connect the front panel I/O audio ports to the SoundBlaster, but I haven't figure it out (yet). It's mostly a moot problem because I have an Audigy2zs & Audigy Drive for audio ports, but I just HATE to leave the built In audio jacks inoperable.
It's like admitting defeat.
Any suggestions?
Glendor...
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Post by crusier on Jul 5, 2006 15:08:40 GMT -5
That's a good way to smoke the system completely, connecting cables without absolutely knowing what's where at each connector and the cables wiring.
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Post by glendor on Jul 7, 2006 13:30:32 GMT -5
That's a good way to smoke the system completely, connecting cables without absolutely knowing what's where at each connector and the cables wiring. You are absolutely right; only an idiot would do that kind of thing. I realize that I may have misspoken (typed) when I wrote "...they seemed to even have the same pinouts!" I wrote that in retrospect, knowing now that even though they do have the same pinouts, they don't function the same. I have Dell wiring diagrams that show the output of the audio port, and they match the SB diagrams of the audio port on the SB Audigy2 card. I wasn't blindly plugging in like ports, after all I had diagrams that indicated they were the same. This was just one of those rare cases where "it looks like a fish, swims like a fish, and smells like a fish, but it isn't a fish." Who would have thunk it... |
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So, all that work, and it didn't really help anything; the temps are still a tad higher than I would like. I need to replace the craptastic HSF I have with a good model. 
) 