Computer builders come on in

[greenformula92]

Alright guys I need some advice on what to do with my computer. Long story short I added a cheap graphics card to be able to play a couple games a little better and I wasn't really impressed. So I decided to go bigger which of course required a power supply. well of course the mother board that dell used in my inspiron is not compatible with aftermarket ATX power supplies even though it is an ATX board. So should I just upgrade my mother board and processor and use it in the dell case or should I go ahead and get a barebones kit say from new egg or tiger direct? Can I use my hard drive that's in my dell currently with a new mother board? I believe it's currently SATA II. I am currently running Windows 7 and I would like for it to stay that way and I don't want to lose anything I have on it. My other option is to clone the drive to a new larger drive. But with my motherboard in the dell being SATA II idk if it will recognize a new drive to clone it.

Any advice please share as this is the first time I am thinking of doing a build of any kind on a computer

Here is the barebones kit I am looking at: http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=9193755&CatId=7718

Current motherboard specs: http://www.findlaptopdriver.com/specs-f896n-dell/

Here are my current system specs:

OS Name Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium

Version 6.1.7601 Service Pack 1 Build 7601

Other OS Description Not Available

OS Manufacturer Microsoft Corporation

System Name MIKE-PC

System Manufacturer Dell Inc.

System Model Inspiron 546

System Type x64-based PC

Processor AMD Phenom(tm) 9750 Quad-Core Processor, 2400 Mhz, 4 Core(s), 4 Logical Processor(s)

BIOS Version/Date Dell Inc. A11, 1/19/2010

SMBIOS Version 2.5

Windows Directory C:\Windows

System Directory C:\Windows\system32

Boot Device \Device\HarddiskVolume2

Locale United States

Hardware Abstraction Layer Version = "6.1.7601.17514"

User Name Mike-PC\Mike

Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time

Installed Physical Memory (RAM) 8.00 GB

Total Physical Memory 8.00 GB

Available Physical Memory 5.81 GB

Total Virtual Memory 16.0 GB

Available Virtual Memory 12.8 GB

Page File Space 8.00 GB

Page File C:\pagefile.sys

[sully91rs]

The quad core phenom with 8 gigs is fine. Let's get the "bigger" graphics card working and decide from there if the cpu needs to be upgraded.

Couple questions:

1. Which graphics card did you choose?
2. Why do you believe you need a more powerful PSU (not enough connectors, blue screens, no boot, random shutdowns?)
3. What is the current Dell PSU rated at (will be listed in Watts on a sticker somewhere on the PSU).
4. What's the model # of the Dell?


If you picked a beefy graphics card ($250+), it will most likely need a higher wattage PSU. Cheaper cards may not.


With all that, if the graphics card you got definitely needs a bigger PSU, cheapest route is get a new ATX Power Supply, and a Dell/ATX PSU adapter, something like this:

http://www.directron.com/hp24mini.html?gsear=1


But, in my opinion, the "cleanest" way to go is to buy a bigger PSU and a new AM3 Motherboard, trash the proprietary Dell motherboard, and just swap the CPU/Ram over to that.

[sully91rs]

Hold up, I missed the link to the motherboard. Its an AM2, so you would need a new CPU if you upgrade, in which that Tiger Direct link you sent is a pretty sweet deal.


Before throwing parts at the problem, the specs in the dell MB link says it has a 24pin ATX. Did you try a new power supply and the connectors didn't match up?

[NastyEllEssWon]

I wouldnt waste my time upgrading anything on that computer. first off its a dell....terrible choice for gaming. Phenom is an old processor and your mobo is riding ddr2 ram. Everything about your specs says 2008/2009. The question I want to know is...what kind of games are you trying to run on this thing?

[The_Bishop]

Last I checked, dells are proprietary *everything*. Upgrading them is nearly impossible.

[greenformula92]

I installed a Corsair CX750M PSU and it just wouldn't boot. Once it did it blue screened. The graphics card I'm putting in is a ATI radion R9 270X which requires 2 PCIE power connectors and 500 watts. Current power supply is 300 watts

Yes the motherboard is proprietary. Can I use or clone my current hard drive to port over to the new system?

[sully91rs]

I have the CX750M in one of my rigs, its not bad, especially for something BB had on the shelf.

Random startup and blue screens sound like maybe the 12v 4-pin cpu power connector isn't plugged in?

[ThoR294]

I would just build it fresh. That's what I did. Xclio tower

[greenformula92]

OK. I plan to build a new system. Can anyone address the hard drive question?

[ThoR294]

You can use your current drive. I'd do a fresh wipe because of the different hardware and such

[NastyEllEssWon]

You can use your current drive. I'd do a fresh wipe because of the different hardware and such


not necessary. he can just do a fresh install on a new hard drive for the OS and just set the old hard drive as a data drive provided that it doesnt have dell specific connectors. on a side note if youre gonna do a build, get a 128gb SSD to boot the OS to. theyre cheap enough and well worth it.

[greenformula92]

not necessary. he can just do a fresh install on a new hard drive for the OS and just set the old hard drive as a data drive provided that it doesnt have dell specific connectors. on a side note if youre gonna do a build, get a 128gb SSD to boot the OS to. theyre cheap enough and well worth it.

Yes I was thinking of the SSD for boot up. Basically I want to clone my current hard drive to a new larger one so I don't lose anything and don't have to worry about getting an OS.

Connectors are typical SATA

[ThoR294]

ah ok, must have misread then. I thought you were just going to throw the original drive into the new PC lol.

Yeah, I STRONGLY recommend a SSD to put your OS and whatever games on it. I put one in my 7 year old laptop and its so fast now.

There is a 1TB SSD on amazon that is "cheap" for its worth.

http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-Electronics-2-5-Inch-Internal-MZ-7TE1T0BW/dp/B00E3W16OU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1412011602&sr=8-1&keywords=samsung+1tb+ssd

lol.

Anyway, yes. SSD for the OS, then you can just hook up the old HD as a secondary and pull your stuff from it.

[greenformula92]

I would just put the old one in but with a new system it makes sense

[ThoR294]

I used my velociraptor (lol) in my new build. The sucker is loud so I am just waiting for it to die before I get a SSD. I have a 1TB seagate just for music/photos/movies/etc.

Again, you can use the drive, but be sure to save your important stuff to another drive if you want to put the OS on it. SSD does make sense especially on a new system.

[sully91rs]

Booo don't give up on the Phenom!

Planning on selling the old rig?

[greenformula92]

Booo don't give up on the Phenom!

Planning on selling the old rig?

Idk what I plan to do with it. Haven't made any purchases yet so as of now still using it

[greenformula92]

Just ordered up this one. Seems to be a little better deal since it comes with RAM and such. hopefully it will show up by this weekend and I can get started with the build


http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/searchtools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=9093095&tab=7&SRCCODE=WEBLET03ORDER&cm_mmc=Email-_-WebletMain-_-WEBLET03ORDER-_-Deals&utm_source=EML&utm_medium=main&utm_campaign=WEBLET03ORDER&cm_lm=thejerseydevil86@aim.com

[NastyEllEssWon]

looks like it should get the job done on most games...im more of an intel fan as of lately but AMD has some good bang for your buck. what video card are you running?

[greenformula92]

It will be a radion R9 270x. Currently running a R5 230 I believe in the dell which runs off the mobo for power. The 270 is a dual fan unit and pulls 500 watts with 2gb memory and 1000 mghz IIRC. So I'm gonna use the CX750M PSU I have to power everything. I'll probably sell the 650 the kit comes with. Also I will probably just port my old HDD into the new system and use the drive that comes with the kit for mass storage. Move all my music and what not to that. Than eventually clone the drive with the OS on it to a SSD.

[greenformula92]

Everything is built and running. HDD clone worked very well. Currently installing all the new drivers and such but she's up and running and much faster.

[sully91rs]

Niiiice. Is the game that was giving you problems running great now?

[greenformula92]

Niiiice. Is the game that was giving you problems running great now?

Oh yes much faster. Load times are drastically reduced and graphics are no longer choppy even on the highest setting. Everything is running faster in general but it will benefit from a SSD when I do that up grade

[NastyEllEssWon]

what games were you playing?

[greenformula92]

Train Simulator 2014 was the most advanced game graphically