[SOLVED] Old Dell Dimension Repair Questions

Aug 2, 2020
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So I have a Dell Dimension E520 from 2006, came with a Pentium D 2.80 and the socket is PLGA 775. Now, theres not very many options, but I was wondering if there was a 64 bit processor for PLGA 775 (not to be confused with LGA 775), and if it was replaced with that processor, would I be able to plug in over 4 gb of ram? Also, the current motherboard only supports DDR2 533, 667, and 800, and would it be worth upgrading the motherboard for DDR4?
 
Solution
Yup. It's a whole new PC at this point.

And no, PLGA is not something different from LGA in terms of socket. It refers to how the core is packaged, the P stands for plastic. The socket is the same. Compatibility would come down to motherboard, though good luck finding documentation of this nature for a 15-year-old Dell.

Any upgrades at this point are fun experiments for those who like tinkering or simply learning about how PCs are constructed; if you want serious upgrades, there's not much that actually makes sense. You can get refurbished mini-towers with legitimate Windows licenses with specs that murder this PC for just over $100.

Stuff like this...

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator
"upgrading the motherboard for DDR4" results in a whole new PC.

New CPU to go on it, DDR4 RAM, a new PSU to run it...might as well put it in a new case.
A whole new PC.

That 15 year old Dell is what it is. Either make it run as it is for a curiosity piece, or dump it.
 

DSzymborski

Titan
Moderator
Yup. It's a whole new PC at this point.

And no, PLGA is not something different from LGA in terms of socket. It refers to how the core is packaged, the P stands for plastic. The socket is the same. Compatibility would come down to motherboard, though good luck finding documentation of this nature for a 15-year-old Dell.

Any upgrades at this point are fun experiments for those who like tinkering or simply learning about how PCs are constructed; if you want serious upgrades, there's not much that actually makes sense. You can get refurbished mini-towers with legitimate Windows licenses with specs that murder this PC for just over $100.

Stuff like this...

https://www.newegg.com/dell-optiplex-mt-990/p/2NR-000G-00387?Item=9SIADZEAS74531

..makes upgrading something as old as the PC you're referring to completely impractical unless you literally find the right parts for free.
 
Solution
Aug 2, 2020
5
0
10
"upgrading the motherboard for DDR4" results in a whole new PC.

New CPU to go on it, DDR4 RAM, a new PSU to run it...might as well put it in a new case.
A whole new PC.

That 15 year old Dell is what it is. Either make it run as it is for a curiosity piece, or dump it.
I was just wondering, would I need a new motherboard? or would I just want to buy a new one and build a whole new pc
 

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator
I was just wondering, would I need a new motherboard? or would I just want to buy a new one and build a whole new pc
As above, there is no meaningful "upgrade" you can do to that Dell.
If you change the motherboard to accept different RAM and CPU, that IS a whole new PC.

A different CPU on that same motherboard and socket won't give any real perf increase.