Posted: 5/30/2006 9:28:12 AM EDT
| Could I just swap motherboards from a Dell desktop to an HP and vice versa as long as they are the same size? If so will it require everything to be loaded back onto it(programs, bookmarks, etc) or will everything still be there. |
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The physical layout has to be the same - If both machines have the standard ATX configuration you should be fine. But Dell has made a lot of proprietary machines, so check carefully. You are almost certainly going to have to reinstall your operating system and all the software. Assuming you are using Windows - different drivers get loaded depending on the chipset and the exact type of disk controller, network interface, audio system, etc. Be prepared to load everything from Ground 0. |
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Only if they are the same motherboard. You will have a different Hardware Abstraction Layer (HAL), so Windows will not work resulting in having to reload everything. Most cases Manufacturers like Dell and HP have proprietary boards, Powersupplies, cases, and other hardware which means you can't swap but a few things. |
+1. Everything has to fit physically and can't be proprietary. Then you will have to reinstall windows fresh and new. Mass produced machines are notorious for having proprietary non-interchangeable components to save on manufacturing costs and to force you to go through the manufacturer for parts. |
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Messing with the inards of brand name PC's usualy ends bad. The reason as previouly stated is propietary hardware. One mobo may have onboard video while the other uses a VGA card. Both mobos have likely had all but the required parts removed, and its doubtfull both removed the same parts. Its also likely that other parts in the machine are brand specific will not function well or at all with a different mobo. If there is one part in a brand name PC you should just leave alone, its the mobo. You may also loose WinXP/info in the swap. While XP allows part changes, sometimes it sets off the copywrite alarm, then you could be screwed if you dont have the XP disk that came with the PC. |
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I had OS issues swapping supposedly identical Gateway motherboards.. One blew out, got a replacement, ended up having to reinstall the OS. Just cuz the part number's the same doesn't mean the part is identical, that's for sure. I also had BIG BAD issues trying to swap different brands of motherboards.. In this case swapping an ASUS for a TYAN, both standard ATX. The solution to both issues was to back up user info, wipe the bugger, and reinstall from the ground up. It's fully possible that squirreling around with individual drivers may have resolved the problem, but why work harder for a less stable configuration? |
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I swapped out a MOBO on my step-father's Gateway machine, with a TYAN, a faster chip, and more ram. Mysteriously enough, the HD and video card started acting funny... Had to subsequently pull the drive and do a copy (replaced the drive), and replaced the video card as well. Go figure. |
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No. First issue is the motherboards are not standard size and will not fit. Second issue is that dell does not use a standard pin configuration on their power supply. Third is that the dell recovery disk (the newer ones at liest, will only work with dell mb's (this may not be an issue for you). You have hit the nail on the head on this one. This is the drawback to using proprietary parts and not using full releases of the operating system (oem releases are still only liceased for the first computer they are installed on, not sure which parts of that box constitute a computer... Of course we have not gotten into other incompatibilities yet. |
First, the hole layout of the two motherboards must be compatible. It's not just the motherboard size, the screw-holes must line up. Dell often uses a their own non-standard screw-hole layout, which makes motherboard swaps next to impossible. If you have a Dell Dimension system, your chances of having a standard hole layout is better. Before you make any physical changes, load all device drivers for the new motherboard. Set the video driver to generic VGA, then change it after the upgrade. make the swap and pray things work OK. Be prepared to put the old motherboard back in. |
Going from an Intel board to an AMD-based board will also make things "very interesting". |
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Now you know why most folks who do their own upgrades avoid propietery hardware like the plague. It almost always ends up to be more trouble than it's worth, and you have to contend with each manufacturer's peculiarities to motherboard size, power supply leads, etc. What is the issue you're trying to address? |
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Software wise, I have never yet done a swap out with XP. Back in the Win98 days, it was possible. Right before switching out the hardware, you went into the device manager, deleted all the major drivers, and then, on reboot, had it load in to "safe mode" to redetect the chipset and whatnot. I suspect XP makes this a might bit harder. |
My Dell doesn't have an AGP slot or PCI-E slot, so I'm stuck with a crappy video card in my standard PCI slot. My dad recently bought a new HP and doesn't use it for anything other than web browsing, so if it was just a simple swap I could get a better video card. Guess I will just have to wait till I get out of college and can do a custom system. |
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No. Pretty much, if you buy an OEM computer (Dell, HP, Compaq), you're stuck with the system board that's in it. We (Dell) don't use standard ATX boards or their mounting and fitting standards (physical dimensions). You would not be able to swap a different system board in from another manufacturer, or even a standard ATX motherboard if you have an OEM computer. |
what he said. |