What can I do with a Dell T7400

[Boxboy5371]

So I recently came into 2 Dell T7400s Towers. What Will it take to get these ready for some mild gaming and streaming?
Right now they have:
250gb HD
2gig RAM
1 Intell XEON X5260 Processor.

Could I upgrade the Mother board? I like the computer just because how big it is and how much space it has.
If I am able to upgrade this to make it a decent gaming computer or if I should just scrap it and Start another way.

Thanks!

 

[hang-the-9]

The Xeon in those systems is about the same as the Intel E8500 dual core. OK for older games. About changing the motherboard, since all you will be able to re-use would be the case and possibly the power supply, better off to just sell them and start clean with a new build.

 

[william p]

I disagree. You could make a dual CPU Skulltrail clone!
It supports 2x LGA771 150W 400fsb CPUs. X5492
http://www.delidded.com/lga-771-775-cpus/?filter=socket-lga-771,socket-lga-775,series-core-2-extreme,series-core-2-quad,series-xeon,fsb-1333,fsb-1600,node-45nm,codename-harpertown#cpus
LGA771 CPU X5460 $14 9.5x1333fsb, or X5470 $35 10x1333fsb
http://www.delidded.com/lga-771-775-cpus/?filter=socket-lga-771,socket-lga-775,series-core-2-extreme,series-core-2-quad,series-xeon,fsb-1333,fsb-1600,node-45nm,codename-harpertown#cpus
The LGA771, and LGA775 CPUs are compatible in the BSEL, and VID pinouts. So a BSEL pinmod 333fsb to 400fsb will get you 3.8GHz, or 4GHZ respectively. To do this mark the locations of the LGA775 locating tabs onto the LGA771 CPU and follow the 775 pinmod maps.
VID pinmods are harder. But you can get control of voltage with Throttlestop software to support the faster fsb.
The wierd stuff= The 2nd CPU mounts on an add in board with added memory cooling etc.
The memory is FBDIMM DDR2. This is very strange stuff (Skulltrail used it). Each chip has it's own controller, and each channel sets up it's own bus. They run hot, use a lot of power, and have high latency. Fast throughput though.
It's available cheap. MacPro used it in a faster speed, also available cheap. Not sure if the MB controls the speed, or the controller on the modules. There's an experiment to be done there.
The PSU is going to be weird. The power hungry FBDIMMS, and the "daughter board" require proprietary connectors to run them.
Since these were sold with anything form 2 core, single GPU to 2x4 Core dual GPU setups, there were probably several PSUs available, and also several wiring harnesses to match. They will be seriously multi rail. you will need to be sure that if you try to adapt say 6pin GPU to 8pin GPU that there is enough power at that specific cable. But a full size powerful GPU should be possible.
Aside from the GPU $200 should do the rest.

 

[william p]

There is one more thing before Wolfshadow necroes this thread. Not about the T7400 specifically.
The T7400 is Crossfire rated, but the newer AMD GPUs don't work with older Dell BIOS.
R9-3xx(285) and up won't display VESA mode 103 that Dell BIOS requires.
For this application HD7970/7990/8990 would be my choice. R9-290 also.

http://en.community.dell.com/support-forums/desktop/f/3515/t/19996635