Question XPS 8700 Motherboard.

[fotophixer]

My XPS 8700 needs a new motherboard. Current board is DP/N 0KWVT8 CN-0KWVT8-72200-466-01OD-A03. How important is it to find an exact match to this ID?

 

[Lutfij]

Welcome to the forums, newcomer!

https://www.dell.com/community/en/c...her-dell-motherboard/647f98bbf4ccf8a8debe3fa7
Is one such thread that can come in handy in case you want to drop in something that's concurrent into that chassis. There are a couple of issues with dropping something post-4th Gen platforms into that case, since the case the XPS 8700 uses isn't that good with ventilation but you should be able to drop in an aftermarket matx motherboard, provided you have an aftermarket ATX/SFX PSU to work with as well.

One more thing, a new motherboard would also mean a new license key for your OS.

 

[fotophixer]

I have already replaced this PC with an XPS8960. I'm trying to resurrect the XPS8700 to use as a backup/spare. I have been able to find motherboards on eBay that are ALMOST identical, the last few digits not matching. Holy Cow, a new license key? Is it even possible to get one anymore? PC came with Windows 8.1 and upgraded to Windows 10.

 

[Eximo]

You can still buy Windows 10, yes.

How much are you looking to spend? Some pretty cheap hardware out there that is leaps ahead of a 4th gen chip.

That board uses standard mATX, so the old PSU is capable of powering a newer board, up to a point. Best to replace it anyway given its age. Even has a replaceable rear I/O shield, designed to be user serviceable for once.

At a certain point, you are probably just better off picking up the cheapest late model i3 based desktop.

 

[punkncat]

I would not invest much of anything to purchase another XPS board. If you are dead set on doing something with your 4th gen Intel start scouring eBay or other used sites on the hunt for a cheap replacement mobo.

 

[fotophixer]

OK, the sequence of events went like this. As a photographer, I wanted to run Topaz AI software, but my machine didn't meet the specs. I thought I could just buy some RAM and a better GPU (Radeon RX550) and get off cheap. While I was at it, I also bought a 2TB SSD. It worked for a while, but odd things started happening: BSOD, freeze ups, boot loops, etc. I have run diagnostics on every component but the motherboard. They all passed. These days I usually can't even get it to boot, and if it does it runs great for a few minutes and then locks up again. I'm running Topaz on the new XPS8960 now, so all I need the old one for is printing bank statements (no Windows 11 driver for my old printer) and letting my granddaughter surf Sponge Bob and Blippy. Thanks for the advice, really, but with all due respect, I still need an answer about the mobo ID. I'll factor in the finances when I know what my options are.

 

[stonecarver]

As an FYI you could go to Dell.com and off there site you can download what OS's were released for your PC by putting in your service tag and get the ISO.

If by chance windows 10 is not listed for your XPS 8900 put in the service tag for your XPS 8960 and see if it does have a Windows 10 ISO download.

I will almost bet the ISO will load Windows 10 registered onto your XPS 8900 No harm trying with a $30.00 SSD from amazon if needed.

To answer your question about perfect matches with what version the motherboard have as to just booting or not I have had really good luck with Dells shifting parts around.

The information I put about is IF you get stuck and need a back up plan for windows 10

 

[stonecarver]

One more thing have you ever changed the motherboard battery. Dells get wonky when battery is low or dying.

 

[fotophixer]

Yes, I changed the battery. I have tried replacing old parts one by one and sometimes it seems to work, but a few days later it's the same old song. None of the "fixes" are repeatable. Sometimes even the BIOS settings change by themselves.

 

[stonecarver]

Sometimes even the BIOS settings change by themselves.

That leads back to the battery. Could you have by chance replaced the battery with a thinner model and not realize it. They are the same exact battery but the one we use in a PC is the thicker of the two.

The thickness between the batteries is like a dime to a nickel.

 

[fotophixer]

Anything is possible. The battery in mine is a CR2032.

 

[fotophixer]

Just to be clear, are you saying that there are different thicknesses of CR2032 batteries?

 

[stonecarver]

Just to be clear, are you saying that there are different thicknesses of CR2032 batteries?

Not between the CR2032 but yes between the CR2025. Look exactly the same just thickness.

So if you do indeed have a CR2032 and you said you have replaced it at the very least I would check battery with a volt meter.

A healthy one would read 3.1- 3.3 DC volts.

 

[fotophixer]

Yes, I got 3.2 on the meter. I have been able to get the PC booted by pulling the battery and reseating it. It seems to work OK for a few days, then stops responding in Windows 10 until I repeat the process. If this fix is repeatable a few more times, I'd like to hear opinions on what it means.

 

[stonecarver]

Just for the sake of sanity do you have a spare hard drive you can switch in and disconnect your current working Windows and just for the sake of elimination see what a fresh clean install of Windows 10 functions like.

Meaning does it still glitch out on you after a few days? And you have to do the battery pull and you know the rest to get it up and running again.

 

[fotophixer]

I do, but I don't have an ISO. Do you know what it would set me back?

 

[stonecarver]

Go to Microsoft and download the Windows 10 ISO follow the guild on how to than make the ISO and create a bootable thumb drive windows installer.

You can run windows unregistered and still function 100% minus changing task bar and changing desktop themes.

There are guilds here on Tom's if your needing help creating the USB installer and a proper guild on how to do a clean install of windows on Tom's as well.

If you get it all up and running and you find out your fixed you can use your old copy of Windows to get your GenuineTicket as I think all of your parts are a close match that it will stay registered with that ticket.

BUT don't DELETE your old drive before you get that GenuineTicket file.