If I'm upgrading my computer, will I have to get a completely new motherboard?

Question

Right now I'm not on that computer. But the question I really have is, do I need a new motherboard if I'm upgrading the processor and hard drive and stuff like that? (This is like a 1999 computer, blah) Or does the motherboard need drivers or anything to make it work at all? It's a Dell computer (yeah.) I really don't know much about it except that it has an AGP slot still. I think it was a Dell motherboard with Intel chipset drivers. Does anyone know if I'll have to get a completely new motherboard to upgrade the hard drive and processor? Sorry for the stupid question.

OMG PEOPLE!!! This computer has another hard drive on it right now, so cut that off the list, I just asked my dad. And shut up about my computer being THAT sucky cuz it's not. I just upgraded the video card over the summer to a 256 MB one and it's FINE, if one more person says everything on it needs to be upgraded I'm going to freak. I'm not getting a new stupid Dell computer, or any new computer, anyway, it would cost way less this way if I could just get someone to answer me without insulting the piece of junk!

Answer 1

I'd stick to memory and hard drives. It certainly can be worth such an upgrade as it can add a few more years to a PC for less than $150. BTW - I have the same vintage of PC.

Whether you need a new motherboard depends on the type of upgrade you want to do - and generally speaking if you wish to do an upgrade that requires a motherboard change you may be better off buying a new computer (note that you can buy used computers that would be a significant upgrade on your exisiting PC for very resonable prices from firms that resell used computers from businesses)..


Personally I own a Dell XPS-T450 computer from 1999. it has a Pentium3 running at 450MHz. I have upgraded memory and hard drives, but I still have the same motherboard and processor. I run Windows XP and use it for email and web browsing - plus lightweight activities in Microsoft office. It works fine - no need for a new processor or motherboard. I have a newer PC that I use for gaming etc. and an IBM P3 500MHz that I bought used that I use to play around with Linux.

Upgrading a processor definitely requires one that matches your motherboard - and modern processors will not even fit in a 1999 Motherboard. You need to check on the chipset (mine is an intel440BX) for a processor upgrade. Probably this is not worth it. A few companies offer processor upgrade kits - i checked into these for my Dell and decided buying a used computer was much better economics. Plus upgrading a motherboard and processor is pretty much a complete rebuild of a PC. You may even need a new power supply.


for a hard drive upgrade you just need to make sure that you get the right interface. typically for modern computers there are 2 currently available.

IDE also called ATA - this is likely in a computer of that age - fortunately todays faster drives can run at the slower speeds of the interfaces in older computers. so any new IDE drive you can buy today will be fine. its just possibvle you will need a BIOS update to address beyond 128GBytes - I forget if I had to do that.
example drive - Western Digital 250GB Hard Drive JB - HD-WD2500JB
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultra_ATA

S-ATA (Serial ATA) (introduced in 2003)
only in more modern computers

for a memory upgrade you will not need a new motherboard - you just need to find out what type of memory you have and get the same type and speed.

The RAM in mine is PC100 SD-RAM - which i upgraded with PC133 as that was what i found. Be aware that more modern RAM such as DDR, DDR2 and the technology called RDRAM will not fit or work.

For a Dell - they have a service code which you can put into one of the links below to tell you about your computer.

http://support.dell.com/support/topics/global.aspx/support/product_support/en/product_support_central?c=us&l=en&s=gen&~ck=mn

if you feel a need to audit your computer try the free Belarc Advisor
http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html
or Sisoft Sandra
http://www.sisoftware.net/

both of which can readout your motherboard, RAM, Hard Drives, CPU etc.

Answer 2

Try posting the specs of your motherboard and computer and we can be of more help. If you go on the Dell website they will tell you the compatible processors for your motherboard. Generally you will need to at least double the speed of your processor in order to see any noticeable difference. So if you have a 700MHz CPU and the computer can take up to a 800MHz CPU then its not worth it. If it is an older Pentium III then you will need a new motherboard and power supply in order to install a Pentium 4 processor. You will notice a big difference in an upgrade like this. The good news is you already have a hard drive and a good video card so all you would need is RAM...the CPU and a newer power supply. If you replace everything you can get it fairly cheap on Ebay. NewEgg will be a bit more expensive but they stand by their products. Retail stores will rob you blind.

Answer 3

Dell computers like most OEM is very hard to update, since most component including the motherboard is designed to fit in a custom made Dell case and according to Dell specs. Check your manual to see if you can upgrade the CPU but you won't get much out of it. It would be cheaper and make more sense to buy a new PC. Give your old PC to your kids or friends. You can upgrade the RAM, bigger hardrive and maybe the cpu. If you does that you'll need a new power supply because of all the extra power and you'll need a special kind of power supply because Dell use a custom connector on their 1999 pcs and earlier. Like i said above it's cheaper to get a new and more powerful pc than to upgrade the Dell, use it as a second pc to play win98 or dos games or whatever you want. I have an old Dell which i upgraded just about everything on it except the motherboard and it served as a learning tool for my daughter. It was not expensive for me to do it because i've already had a lots of spares pc parts around--- i built my own pc.

Answer 4

Your system is so old that if you're going to upgrade the processor, then you're going to have to buy a new motherboard and memory too. You'd be better off starting from scratch.

UPDATED RESPONSE:

Look, you can be a twelve year old kid about it, or you can get a clue. Your system is old...deal with it. You have a new 256mb video card which is being underutilized because your old processor is bottle necking it. The reality is that nearly everything on your system needs replacing, except maybe the newer hard drive and video card. You can't put a modern processor in it because the sockets and pin outs have long since changed from what you now have. If you want modern memory, then you'll need either DDR or DD2...and guess what...you can't do that because the motherboard have doesn't have the right slots. Deal with it kid, your computer is antiquated. Trust me, I build systems for fun.

Answer 5

I am a computer Tech for a living. I have had a lot of people ask me to price parts for older machines to "upgrade" them. If you are going to "upgrade" your machine you will have no parts from your old pc left but maybe the case. The power supply will not be enough for a new motherboard,chip etc. The new Motherboard will need new ram because the old won't work. In fact nothing but your cd will prolly be compatable with a new system. Even the operating system will not take advantage of the power of the new system and get the most out of it. The cost for all this when you are done will be just as much if not more than buying a new pc. AND you will have a whole lot less problems with a new machine than if you try to salvage your old parts.

Answer 6

in order to upgrade the processor you will probably have to buy a new motherboard. New motherboards use DDR or DDR2 Ram memory so your old RAM might not be compatible with your new motherboard. If you only want to upgrade your hard drive you can do it without having to change anything. The best thing to do is to buy a new computer

Answer 7

by using the time you purchased a clean motherboard, processor, video card, reminiscence, and so on and in all likelihood a case and skill grant to artwork with the recent equipment you will possibly besides have offered a clean laptop. bear in mind, the recent motherboard varieties at the instant are not ATX, so a clean case may well be mandatory greater suitable than in all likelihood besides as a clean skill grant to shield the PCIe card and then new complicated drives (SATA II) somewhat of IDE... You get the belief.

Answer 8

It's not worth upgrading. You can get a new Dell desktop for $300. There's probably nothing in your computer that doesn't need upgrading.

Answer 9

Better to have a new mother board. I can give you a link that deals with mother board problems. Please visit the site at http://fixit.in/motherboard.html You may l get some information required by you.

Answer 10

The only time a mother board needs to be replaced is when it doesn't work anymore. DONOT let anybody tell you any different and DONOT get robbed with labor buy the parts yourself and install them it is very easy to do.