Upgrade my Dell 420 XPS

[Philjamin]

Hello, I would like to upgrade my Dell XPS Processor to a Quad core. I'm not sure what to tell you about my system so I'll paste info from my Belarc scan:

2.67 gigahertz Intel Core2 Duo
64 kilobyte primary memory cache
4096 kilobyte secondary memory cache
64-bit ready
Multi-core (2 total)

3070 Megabytes Usable Installed Memory

Slot 'DIMM_1' has 1024 MB (serial number 1504EF17)
Slot 'DIMM_3' has 512 MB (serial number 04008036)
Slot 'DIMM_2' has 1024 MB (serial number 1504EE1F)
Slot 'DIMM_4' has 512 MB (serial number 0000302C)

Board: Dell Inc. 0TP406
Serial Number: ..CN708217AAK0P2.
Bus Clock: 1333 megahertz
BIOS: Dell Inc. A03 01/02/2008

320.01 Gigabytes Usable Hard Drive Capacity
236.19 Gigabytes Hard Drive Free Space

ATI Radeon HD 2600 XT [Display adapter]
Acer AL1916W [Monitor] (19.1"vis, s/n ETL7602031712025FD4122, March 2007)

AMD High Definition Audio Device
SigmaTel High Definition Audio CODEC

If you need more info, please tell me what you need, or if I need to be more specific, please tell me.

Thank you for your assistance.
Ben

 

[nostall]

Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600
Nvidia GTX 760 or the previous generation, GTX 660. Comparable AMD card would be a 7870.
You will probably need a new power supply. Post the specifications from the side label on the PSU (if there is one); it should list the amperage and wattage available on the +12, +5 and +3.3. voltage rails. We can suggest replacements and or tell if you need to replace it.
UPDATE: What operating system are you using? And what do you use the PC for the most: work, surfing, gaming, etc.?

 

[Philjamin]

Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600
Nvidia GTX 760 or the previous generation, GTX 660. Comparable AMD card would be a 7870.
You will probably need a new power supply. Post the specifications from the side label on the PSU (if there is one); it should list the amperage and wattage available on the +12, +5 and +3.3. voltage rails. We can suggest replacements and or tell if you need to replace it.
UPDATE: What operating system are you using? And what do you use the PC for the most: work, surfing, gaming, etc.?

 

[Philjamin]

I'm using Win7, though considering 8 now that I'm confident that there aren't any bugs or such that plagued this system when I got it with Vista. I will use it for work, though there's video editing & gaming done by my 17 yr.old Grandson. Would you suggest moving up to Win8?

On a separate issue, I have an older computer that is not capable of upgrading to Win7, so I since I like the the full size tower, I'd like to build him one. May I send you the Belarc readout or do I need to start another Thread? Thanks, you guys Rock! Seriously!

 

[Kisianik]

Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600
Nvidia GTX 760 or the previous generation, GTX 660. Comparable AMD card would be a 7870.
You will probably need a new power supply. Post the specifications from the side label on the PSU (if there is one); it should list the amperage and wattage available on the +12, +5 and +3.3. voltage rails. We can suggest replacements and or tell if you need to replace it.
UPDATE: What operating system are you using? And what do you use the PC for the most: work, surfing, gaming, etc.?

This is the complete list of supported processors:

MP626 Kentsfield Quad Core Kit, Q6600, 2.40G, 8MB, 1066FSB, G0
MP627 Kentsfield Quad Core Kit, Q6700, 2.66G, 8MB, 1066FSB, G0
UP673 Kentsfield Quad Core Kit, QX6700, 2.66G, 8MB, 1066FSB, B3
RX656 Kentsfield Quad Core Kit, QX6800, 2.93G, 8MB, 1066FSB, G0
PW016 Kentsfield Quad Core Kit, QX6850, 3.00G, 8MB, 1333FSB, G0
C863D Yorkfield Quad Core Kit, QX9300, 2.5G, 6MB, 1333FSB, M1
C864D Yorkfield Quad Core Kit, Q9450, 2.66G, 12MB, 1333FSB, C1
C865D Yorkfield Quad Core Kit, Q9550, 2.83G, 12MB, 1333FSB, C1
C299C Yorkfield Quad Core Kit, QX9650, 3.0G, 12MB, 1333FSB, C0
H786G Yorkfield Quad Core kit, QX9650, 3.0G, 12MB, 1333FSB, C1

Lucky OP, this is complete XPS 420 upgrade guide, you can not find anything better than this, just consider today video cards.
http://en.community.dell.com/support-forums/desktop/f/3514/t/19242670.aspx

Anything else I can help you with?

 

[philjamin69]

Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600
Nvidia GTX 760 or the previous generation, GTX 660. Comparable AMD card would be a 7870.
You will probably need a new power supply. Post the specifications from the side label on the PSU (if there is one); it should list the amperage and wattage available on the +12, +5 and +3.3. voltage rails. We can suggest replacements and or tell if you need to replace it.
UPDATE: What operating system are you using? And what do you use the PC for the most: work, surfing, gaming, etc.?

This is the complete list of supported processors:



Lucky OP, this is complete XPS 420 upgrade guide, you can not find anything better than this, just consider today video cards.
http://en.community.dell.com/support-forums/desktop/f/3514/t/19242670.aspx

Anything else I can help you with?

Yes, actually there is. My apologies, never got around to upgrading... life happens, right?
So, I am ordering the Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 2.4 GHz Quad-Core Processor - 8 MB - LGA775 Socket , and
PNY - NVIDIA GeForce GT 710 VERTO 2GB DDR3 PCI Express 2.0 Graphics Card.
I have no idea how and which Heat sink/fan to get along with the Q6600. Any suggestions or directions?
Also, I have the PS3 420W power supply with
+12- 14A
+5- 13A
+3- 13A
Is this sufficient for what I am adding to it?
Any thoughts or a Mobo upgrade to go along with this? Its a socket 775.

I use the computer for work and gaming some. I just don't have the funds to get a new one or to put much into an upgraded unit.