Old Pc optiplex 780 upgrade

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Rjsaml

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Mar 10, 2013
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Hey guise

New guy here, picked up some useful stuff around the boards. Recently purchased a dell optiplex 780 tower to screw around. It packs a core2duo with 2.33ghz, has ddr3 ram capability, pcie x16. My main purpose is to use it for picture editing using adobe Lightroom, a little video editing and gaming (diablo, Starcraft, cod and some other fps)

What I initially plan to do is upgrade the CPU to a quad core 9400 and cheapy vid card and upgrade the ram to 8gb. But this morning I was swayed by my sis in law to pick up a mid ranged vid card (radeon 7770) and psu to support both new CPU n gpu.

Since I can't afford all of it in one purchase, what would you upgrade first? What I was thinking is upgrade the ram to 8gb vengeance brand, 430 watt thermaltake psu and a 7770 radeon. Btw I have a 24" monitor with 1980x1200 (?) native resolution, will this run it smoothly?

Am I taking the right route here to build a budget pc? If you we're me, what would you do? Pls don't tell me to throw it away and buy a better rig cuz that's not an option 😀

Halpppp!
 
Solution
Kisianik
My worst expectations came true - you can not fit just any video card.
Watch this video first http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbVoe-4_oZ0
Second, I will show what I mean on the example for Optiplex 755 and GX620, apparently all of them including yours 780 are sharing the same hardware architecture!

Unfortunately no card that is more than 7.5 inches long or 2 slots wide will PHYSICALLY FIT inside the case - it was found that only single bracket video card can fit due to BTX MOBO, where card internals facing upward towards PC internals, not ATX, where dual card design is blocking another PCI slot by facing downward.

If you prefer the card with beefier fan, then the length of the card must not exceed 7.5 inches, otherwise only...
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The copper tube heat sink required for me was a RW134 Model heat sink which was a perfect fit.

This was the exact swap I did on my Optiplex 780 DT. Direct bolt in.

 
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As far as Xeon conversion for Dell goes. Yes you can make them run but O/C is no different than other CPUs. Core2 Extreme prices have fallen since everybody wants Xeons now. Throttlestop software gives control over Vcore, and multiplier on X chips. With cooler mentioned above an X chip will do more for you.
I can't give you specific results for Opt.780 because I'm running older E520. But you'll get your best result with TS and X chip. On E520 I've gotten
QX6700 @ 3.2GHz 1.4v. rock solid, QX6800 @ 3.45GHz 1.46V. Stable. Working on 3.72@ 1.5V.
 
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I found a new Video card option Sapphire R9 285 2GB DDR5 ITX O/C. Faster than GTX760. Needs 8 pin plug from PSU (includes 2X6 pin to 8 pin adapter). Has dual BIOS, one supports EUFI, the other is Legacy compatible. The usual BTX cut bracket in 1/2, trim cover to let air out required. Price has dropped recently, at $260 I never looked at it, at $170 I'm in.




 
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Just curious, can you run Geekbench 3 free version and post a result here. And a link to the list to Dell Dimension E520 testers (if any) to compare how far away you went from mainstream.

This http://browser.primatelabs.com/geekbench3/search?q=inspiron+570 shows me on top of the list, so can you place link to yours, not to compare you and me, but compare you and the rest.
 
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I went to Geekbench there were 2 E520 results they looked like stock clocks, not even upgraded CPUs.. I downloaded the program and it gave an error message about mismatched timers and wouldn't post benchmark. Probably a result of my software overclock not matching what the BIOS reported. I didn't run it. Maybe if I turn Speedstep off it will run. CPUZ,3Dmark, Unigine,and Catzilla all work OK. I had 1 other wouldn't run mine, I don't recall which one. Maybe they don't trust it because it's in software and might be bogus.

If you click on the image in the CPUZ link you'll see how I compare to other QX6800 users for past year. ATX, BTX whatever.
Maybe that will satisfy your curiosity. I'm Retrorockit there, My computer is named BTXTREME

It was Passmark that wouldn't run. 3Dmark06 http://www.3dmark.com/3dm06/17812386
 
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Which CPU benchmark tool is working for you, I am getting Catzilla now, will post result as soon as I get it and run it, but my monitor sucks, I know - this is secondary PC now, more for office tasks.
 
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Inspiron 570 as in my signature, shows Seagate Barracuda as my main GAME drive, strange.

Catzilla 720p finished result - www.catzilla.com/showresult?lp=561477

Decided to check my new PC just to compare with my old one

4790K@4.4GHz, EVGA GTX970 ASX 2.0, 2133MHz 16GB AllData RAM (forgot timings), Samsung 512GB SSd 850 PRO

www.catzilla.com/showresult?lp=561485

The last test posted here to save, as free version doesn't save in profile, it is a pity.
 
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I'm around 7000 at Catzilla but their recommendation was HD6950 would double my score.I have a HD6970 but putting it in a BTX is easier said than done. I modded it to fit some BTX MB but would have to move some caps on the E520. I've order an ITX version of R9-285 that I should be able to use easily.

More about BTX/ Molex fan mod. Dell will report fan failure on boot. This is in SYSLOG and has to be manually cleared in BIOS under "maintenance". This message can be avoided by turning off "report keyboard errors" in POST settings.

Above was temporary fix, I need to work on this some more.
 
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How you get recommendations in Catzilla, do you have paid version? Also, Catzilla did not graded my CPU as it shows 0% use, strange.

That is why I asked about any CPU bechmarking tools to compare. I tried CPUbenchmark, but it is not simple to interpret. Try this one http://cpu.userbenchmark.com/

This is mine http://www.userbenchmark.com/UserRun/406691

You mentioned passmark, is this is what you tried http://www.passmark.com/products/pt.htm?

 
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I can't find recommendations in Catzilla "when I want to", but I didn't pay for anything. Maybe register and log in is required. I did find it a couple times. Maybe don't log in works? It is there, and it's free. It's just real hard to find.

I'm going to wait for my new GPU before I benchmark anymore. Passmark couldn't read my fsb correctly. Had it as 209 when it's never changed from 266.

My computer now measures better than 36% of all computers tested at 3Dmark11. OK for a 10 year old box on a stock Dell cooler. I want to see what a more serious GPU will get me.

I've been informed my current PSU sucks and I may need to do something about that.
 
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Just checked mine with PC wizard - 1258 Comparison:
i7 920 -794
i7 2600 - 1303

So, mine is almost like 2600, not bad, will keep longer.
 
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It looks like yours is an ATX.... If it is you have a lot more options than I do. BTX pretty much came and went with LGA775. Mines an early one so 65nm core is all I can run. Mine was built in 12/06. Since PCWiz didn't load the CPU to full speed on it's own maybe I can run it at 4Ghz. It's pretty shaky at that speed. running out of volts and cooling. I'll put an old laptop HDD in with XP and try it, if it wont reboot I'll just switch back to the SSD with safe settings. I will need 100% fan switch for this. Since my O/C is all in software I can't really bork the MB. An HDD swap can fix just about anything.

I got my R9-285 ITX O/C and boy is it a tight fit, but all the interference is plastic trim piece, metal fins touch at I end just a little. Of course it requires usual BTX bracket end mods. I might finally cut the case for this one, would still need to trim the bracket a little anyway though. BTW I bought Sapphire card because it has Dual BIOS switch, EUFI/Legagcy. A lot of newer cards are EUFI only so if your modding older stuff check for this.
 
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This is my setup. OptiPlex 780
Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600
8gb DDR3
NVIDIA GeForce GT 630 2gb
20151024_174834.jpg

20151024_175025.jpg

20151024_175035.jpg

20151024_175106.jpg

20151024_175114.jpg

I took off the old heat sink and modified the T9303 to fit. Its 4 degrees cooler.




 
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There is a shroud to fit that tall cooler in the Optiplex w/o any mods required. Google " X9694" to see pics. of the shroud with cooler assy. Try a recycler near you they should have plenty available. I think almost all the Optiplex 5XX series used it with any heatsink I'm cooling a QX6800 @3.72Ghz, 1.5875V. with that setup and a bigger fan. Every old Opti tower I've seen had that shroud with 6 holes already in it.

There's a picture of it at the top of this page.
 
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I was just fitting up some fans and coolers in an Optiplex case, and I think you need the shroud with the holes running front to rear, which requires "moving the holes" to work with your cooler.. This is same as Dimension shroud. The shroud # I mentioned above is for GX series and probably wont fit. If you go to OCN /LGA775 Club and look in my (Retrorockit) photos you'll see a picture of both shrouds and 1 modified to fit. They are a very common part.
200x200px-ZC-658e5bd0_20150315_111901.jpeg

This is thumbnail full image shows more.
 
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Kisianik,

I am curious on the model number of your board. I have the Dell 200DY / 0200DY LGA775 775 OptiPlex Motherboard which comes in the Desktop Model. My board only has 3 internal Sata connections but I had read others have 4. I do see the slot on the MB where the 4th would go but no connector soldered in. It also has right bellow that a 5 pin FAN_HDD but no connector soldered in as well. It lead me to think they use the same board design for the Mini Tower with the Sata and an extra PCI Slot added on it. I may have skimmed over but since the picture at the top showed a BTX shroud I will assume you have a C27VV Dell Mother Board which also shows an actual normal size ATX connection, unlike mine.

This is literally just like my DT PC,

780DT_3.jpg


& What I Did......

780DT_3-1_zpscenohlye.jpg



Just an update for you all still looking to update these machines....

The copper tube heat sink required for me was a RW134 Model heat sink which was a perfect fit. I hope I didn't mislead anyone on the one I mentioned before. If I did I am sorry. I have since added 3 additional fans in the case with one helping push the air out thru the heat sink, flipped the main CPU fan 180 to pull the hot air out the front and not into the components, removed the CD Drive for more space ( I have an external drive anyways ) and air circulation and added a cheap 3.5 bay fan controller off ebay which controls up to 4 fans, each individually but am only controlling 3 fans at the moment. The fan controller comes with 2 USB 2.0 slots and an eSata slot built in as well which all connected to the MB no problem and no modifications.

I did upgrade to an Athena Apollo 600W SFX PSU ( AP-MP4ATX60FEP8 ). Just to elaborate on the harness used, re-pinning the harness was a snap with the HP adapter harness. Although a bit more tricky, I re-pinned on the smaller ATX side using two small staples bent into "L" shapes to de-pin as I wanted to keep the larger ATX side of the PSU adapter connection OEM/Untouched. Following the same color wires out of the original smaller Dell PSU ATX connector was all it took. Dell at least kept the colors the same. Power now available when needed as I upgraded to the single slot Nvidia MSI GTX 750 Ti ( low-profile card / N750ti-2GD5TLP ) as my brother is using in his SFF 960.

Installing a Hybrid SDHD did wonders for this PC. I was using a Seagate Baracuda 3.5 drive before but the SDHD Hybrid Drive really sped things up. I am using a Seagate Momentus XT Laptop Drive with a 3.5 adapter plate to help hold it in place on the original Dell removable tray. Still only running 8gb ram at the moment ( 2gb x 4 ) which is plenty enough for the OS as I am now running Windows 10 Pro with all drivers up to date and working perfectly. The PC/OS boots up super fast getting me connected quickly. This PC is literally my gaming PC now and plays GTA5 flawlessly with just a couple if not one setting set to normal/high and the rest on max.

Granted the DT PC was free to me so I at least had an okay base to go to and/or start by for a budget build. Now, would I do this again, probably not. I have developed an overwhelmingly Love/Hate relationship with Dell computers as they do certain things in their PC's "obviously" on purpose so one does not go in and modify the hardware. A small challenge and good learning experience but the next build will be completely custom. I may just finish this PC up with one more fan to be controlled by the one free controller.
 
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I'm not the one who posted the Optiplex pics. above, but I have an Optiplex 780 Mini tower motherboard It's #0C27VV. I don't think it will fit your Desktop though. It has 4 expansion slots, not 3. The extra slot is PCIe 1x. It has the 4 SATA, and standard size ATX power connector. You didn't say what CPU you're running. Do you have any overclock going on?
 
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Ah, okay. Well they are if not the same design but your board is bigger than mine. My Board# is 200DY which is just one pci slot smaller in size. Yea, that won't fit of course but I was curious as to what the board number Kisianik or yourself had. As far as overclocking, I am actually about to start tinkering with it. I want to take a base number and go from there.
 
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Funny you mention it. I was actually looking at all the threads in that forum and stumbled upon the thread on the 775 to 771 mod club. Being my machine is a Dell I am unsure I will be able to OC but at the moment its running perfect and super cool.
 
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