Hardware Reference
In-Depth Information
end of the procedure. When the recovery is complete, turn off the system and restore the
recovery jumper to the original (normal) settings.
If your motherboard does not feature BIOS recovery capability, you might have to send
the board to the manufacturer for repair.
I installed a new motherboard in an older Dell system, and nothing works
Many older Dell Dimension systems built before 2001 (Dimension 4100, 8100, or older
systems) do not fully conform to the ATX specification with respect to their power sup-
plies and the power connectors on their motherboards. If you replace one of these non-
standard Dell power supplies with a standard ATX type, or replace the nonstandard Dell
motherboard with a standard ATX type, you risk frying both the power supply and the
motherboard. The older Dell systems can be upgraded only by replacing both the mother-
board and the power supply at the same time.
Starting in 2001, Dell converted to using industry-standard ATX power supplies and
motherboard power connectors for most (but not all) of its systems. Even though most
Dellsystemsafter2001usestandardsupplies,therearestillsomebuiltafterthattime(the
XPS Gen 2, for example) that have used completely nonstandard power supplies.
I installed a PCI video card in an older system with PCI slots, and it doesn't work
ThePCIbushasgonethroughseveralrevisions;someoldermotherboardshave“2.0”type
slots, and most newer cards need “2.1” or later PCI slots. The version of PCI your system
has is dictated by the motherboard chipset. If you install a newer video or other PCI card
thatrequires2.1slotsinasystemwith2.0slots,oftenthesystemwon'tbootuporoperate
at all.
If this is your problem, the only solution is to change either the card or motherboard so
that they are both compatible.