PC Problems

[Nights]

Ok, so today my new Montech X1 PC came just came in the mail. I dismantled my Dell Optiplex 5050 pc to put into this new case, but I’ve run into a problem. I can’t fit the motherboard into the case because of this small protruding bit on it. And I can’t figure out how to fit it inside. Any help is appreciated, since I’m already losing my patience.

[Edward850]

You've made a mistake. Motherboards from prebuilt systems from OEMs like Dell and HP are custom fabricated for their own particular systems and cases. They aren't standard components.

The Dell OptiPlex especially are a business lineup, they are made to be a simple box to chuck on a desk in an office, of note the problem you're having is the frontside I/O which becomes part of their build rather than as a separate panel. They aren't intended to fit into standard ATX towers.

 

If you want to proceed to use that tower, you will need to replace the motherboard as well. This will be a much more complicated process and not something I'd advise (that's in the category of "if you have to ask...").

Edited October 7, 2021 by Edward850

[Nights]

Crap, well I guess I’ll have to wait until the end of this month to do anything about it. I don’t exactly have the money to just buy another motherboard on the fly, since I’m still in high school. 

 

Thanks though. Now I know. 

[Murdoch]

7 hours ago, Kanzen said:

Crap, well I guess I’ll have to wait until the end of this month to do anything about it. I don’t exactly have the money to just buy another motherboard on the fly, since I’m still in high school. 

 

Thanks though. Now I know. 

 

It won't be as simple as just replacing the board though. It's an LGA1151 board as far as I can tell based on a brief search. The boards are still around in spite of being a couple of generations behind. But your other issue is the PSU connector. You have the CPU rail as normal but the main rail to provide power to the rest of the system is only six pins which is typical of these non-standard Dell systems. Whatever motherboard replacement you get, it will have a 24 pin connector and so require a standard PSU. The PSU almost certainly won't mount in the case cleanly either. In every Dell like this I have seen, they are narrow and long, not the more or less squarish design of standard PSUs.

 

And finally, with the change of motherboard, Windows will likely decide it is running on a new computer and so will require a fresh Windows license key as well. So new motherboard, new PSU, new Windows and new case. A not insignificant step towards a whole new computer.  Honestly, I think this idea was a bit of a misfire sorry man. My advice - keep the case, save your money, and use it as the case for an eventual fresh, all new build.

Edited October 7, 2021 by Murdoch

[Major Arlene]

1 minute ago, Murdoch said:

And finally, with the change of motherboard, Windows will likely decide it is running on a new computer and so will require a fresh Windows license key as well.

 

Honestly, I think this idea was a bit of a misfire sorry man. My advice - keep the case, save your money, and use it as the case for an eventual fresh, all new build.

It depends. If you have a full retail version of Windows 7 or 8 and then upgraded to Windows 10, you may not have to.
https://www.infopackets.com/news/10078/explained-new-motherboard-cpu-do-i-need-new-license-reinstall-windows

[Murdoch]

Just now, Major Arlene said:

It depends. If you have a full retail version of Windows 7 or 8 and then upgraded to Windows 10, you may not have to.
https://www.infopackets.com/news/10078/explained-new-motherboard-cpu-do-i-need-new-license-reinstall-windows

 

Yes, old keys can often be reused, but the machine came preinstalled with Windows 10 so unless he downgraded that's still what he likely has. If he has any old license keys lying around though on an old laptop or something he could swipe that :)

[Dark Pulse]

Yup, your mistake was that you thought your Dell motherboard would fit in a standard ATX case, and it won't. Most OEM stuff like them will make their own custom cases (partially because they can mark the price higher, partially so that you can't just swap in something else, as you've found out).

 

You will need to get a motherboard that supports all of the stuff you've got if you want to move it over. That seems to be:

• 6th or 7th-Generation Intel Core processors
• DDR4 DIMM slots (the manual mentions the supplied RAM runs at 2400 MHz speed; most motherboards will support faster)
• I see you've got an M.2 SSD in there, so the motherboard will need to support a slot of that at at least the 2280 size (by far the most common one)
• You don't seem to have any GPU in there (or you took it out before making the pictures), but if you do plan on buying one in the future, it will either need to be a low-power one (75w maximum) or you will need to have a power supply with the right plugs and wattage to drive one (usually about 650W is enough, but you may want to go a bit higher if you plan on a very power-hungry card)

If you can run CPU-Z, note down what information it says you've got about the system in all the tabs. That'll help us find you a compatible motherboard that will fit right in and just work.

 

 

Edited October 7, 2021 by Dark Pulse

[Edward850]

6 minutes ago, Dark Pulse said:

Most OEM stuff like them will make their own custom cases (partially because they can mark the price higher, partially so that you can't just swap in something else, as you've found out).

To play devils advocate, there is actually a fair point to it; they do sell the computers for cheaper than people seem to insist, and part of what allows them to do that is they are much easier to assemble in bulk. As all the IO is all one part, it's simply a case of drop in, screw, done. The less cords to route, the better and cheaper the build can be.

[Dark Pulse]

23 minutes ago, Edward850 said:

To play devils advocate, there is actually a fair point to it; they do sell the computers for cheaper than people seem to insist, and part of what allows them to do that is they are much easier to assemble in bulk. As all the IO is all one part, it's simply a case of drop in, screw, done. The less cords to route, the better and cheaper the build can be.

Yeah, I get why they do it (I worked for Dell for a year or so, actually).

 

But obviously it's going to be what's convenient for them first and foremost.