Member Avatar for mitchman55

Ok, i have a Dell Dimension XPS from like '97 or '98 its got a 6 gig hd right now and an intell pentum 2 with like a 500mhz mother board, also it was made for windows 95 but i have windows 98 on it, now i need to know can this computer support a new bigger harddrive and a better mother board?

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Short, practical guidance to complement the replies above (not repeating the specific suggestions already posted by , , , or ).

A quick compatibility checklist:

  1. Record the exact Dell model/service‑tag and the BIOS version shown at POST — those identifiers make firmware and manual lookups straightforward.
  2. Note on‑board hardware: storage connector type (IDE ribbon count), number of IDE channels, RAM module type/count, and the CPU package (Pentium II era machines frequently use the Slot‑1 cartridge).
  3. Photograph the PSU label and front‑panel/header area so connector types and voltages are known before buying parts.
    Standard safety: power down, unplug, and discharge static before opening the case; back up the drive first.

Drive upgrade notes and low‑risk options:
Older BIOSes sometimes have translation limits that affect whether a very large modern drive can be used as a boot device. Non‑destructive routes include checking Dell for an official BIOS update, or using an add‑on storage controller (which presents its own disk BIOS/drivers) so the mainboard BIOS limits are avoided. For moving the OS, cloning the old drive to the new one with an external IDE‑to‑USB adapter or a bootable cloning utility is often the simplest migration path. Legacy OSes like Windows 98 may need specific partitioning/driver attention when paired with very large modern disks.

Motherboard/CPU tradeoffs and final POV:
Swapping an OEM late‑90s motherboard for a modern board usually entails case, front‑panel and PSU compatibility work and can be more effort than replacement. For light tasks, modest RAM plus a larger drive (and a lean OS) will extend usefulness at low cost; for substantial speed gains a newer machine is the practical option. Exact model, motherboard label and BIOS revision allow a precise compatibility check.

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Member Avatar for Z28James

Yeah id think a new HD would be do-able but a new motherboard.....probably not knowing how these companies do all that proprietary stuff.

for the cost of computers now a days ive seen on pricewatch a complete system for about $300 for like a 1.6ghz system....even tho they come with some kind of crappy stuff...it would be a big step up from a 500mhz machine ;)

Member Avatar for Paladine

Depends on what you want to use it for... but a computer like that makes a nice little home server, or Linux Firewall, or File Server even.

I am running a P2 Celeron 300mhz with Windows 2000 Server...just fine. It is operating as my oracle 8i & SQL 2000 databases, as well as my http/web server....

Not the speediest, but till the P4 3.06 drops, and the 800 FSB boards are out...I am waiting to spend my money on a new system..

Member Avatar for motech

Get a promise ultra 133 controller and a new Harddrive.
Also max out the ram on the motherboard. (probably somewhere
around 512-768MB is standard on those)

If you want to upgrade the motherboard, you're most likely
going to have to buy a new case. (go Antec or equivilent, cheap
cases SUCK)

Just adding more ram and a faster harddrive on a supported
IDE chipset is a HUGE increase in speed.
Most people don't NEED more than 500mhz except for games
and work applications.

Member Avatar for TallCool1

I have a Dell Dimension XPS from like '97 or '98 its got a 6 gig hd right now and an intell pentum 2 with like a 500mhz mother board, also it was made for windows 95 but i have windows 98 on it, now i need to know can this computer support a new bigger harddrive and a better mother board?

Bigger HD, yes--new motherboard, no. Dell is proprietary all the way. Ouside of a processor upgrade to a Pentium III and the controller upgrade mentioned above (the stock BX chipset only supports ATA 33), it will be easier and cheaper to build a new system from scratch than to try to upgrade a Dell. Besides, the power supply does not meet current standards (the Pentium 4 and Athlon chips require more power)--and that's proprietary too...

Member Avatar for subtronic

Bigger HD, yes--new motherboard, no. Dell is proprietary all the way. Ouside of a processor upgrade to a Pentium III and the controller upgrade mentioned above (the stock BX chipset only supports ATA 33), it will be easier and cheaper to build a new system from scratch than to try to upgrade a Dell. Besides, the power supply does not meet current standards (the Pentium 4 and Athlon chips require more power)--and that's proprietary too...

I like you're avatar TallCool.


Also, let this be a lesson to you; don't buy Dell -- the only people you want building you your computers is Apple.

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