Need new motherboard with PCIe slots, possible to keep everything else?

Can you provide me with the Dell Service Tag please.

Its possible a new motherboard will require the purchase of a new case and CPU cooler as well.

Personally, your computer spec's are old by todays standards, and as such I would upgrade the whole computer.

Even a budget computer is going to have considerably more processing power, faster memory and better graphics performance.

Service tag is fine, it just enables me to confirm with Dell your exact system specification, before making any further suggestions. It offers no personal information, its purely for hardware identification. Its on a sticker on the side, or top, or rear of the desktop tower.

While the CPU might be enough for now, if you purchase a new motherboard for such old hardware, you will be spending money for the sake of it.

I would strongly recommend you purchase a new CPU cooler as welll, if you go down that route.

Once I have the service tag I'll hunt out a new board.

Your build spec, for others looking at thread:

Code:

Quantity	Parts #	Part Description
1	N7543	Processor, 80546, 3.0, 1M, Pentium4 Prescott Dt, 800, E0
1	M6433	Base, Micro-Mini Tower, 3.0G, Pentium 4 Prescott DT, 800, 3000
1	U6460	Ship Group, Dim3000, United States, United States, English, Dell Americas Organization
1	Y5996	Module, Compact Diskette, Resource Compact Disk, Dimension, Dell Americas Organization
1	7N242	Keyboard, 104 Key, UNITED STATES..., Silitek, LC, MIDNIGHT GRAY...
1	T0943	Kit, Mouse, UNIVERSAL SERIAL BUS..., 28, Optical Logitech
1	K5198	Assembly, Removable Media Storage, Universal Serial Bus 64M, M-SYSTEMS
1	U0482	Module, Filler, Panel, Audio, 3 Channel
1	X2749	Modem, V.92, Data Fax, Internal Donny, Dell Americas Organization
1	K4562	Card, Multi-Media, Audio, SB0413
1	R4388	Module, Card, Audio, SB0413, Dimension
1	R4151	Module, Software, ROBINSON NUGENT..., 7.1, MYDVD, 5.3, LOW ENCRYPTION..., Dimension
1	P9513	Assembly, DVD+/-RW..., 16X, Philips 05, V1
1	Y8140	Module, Speaker, 120V, A425, Lead Free, Zylux Corporation, Dell Americas Organization
1	U4931	Display, Flat Panel, 17, DUAL VOLTAGE..., E173FPB, MIDNIGHT GRAY..., DELL AMERICAS ORGANIZATION...
1	M1210	Assembly, Floppy Drive, 212, 2
1	6K888	HARD DRIVE..., 160GB, IDE (INTEGRATED DRIVE ELECTRONICS) ..., 7.2K, 8MEGB, GENERIC...
1	N6174	Module, Software, Image, Restore, Dimension
1	Y5679	Module, Software, ADBEACBT Reader, 6.0
1	U7806	Module, Software, Dell Support3 GTEC, Dimension
1	K8631	Kit, Software, MCAF-SCTY, 6.0 Compact Disk Drive, English
1	J8585	Module, Software, MCAF-SCTY, 6.0 15MO
1	P8081	Module, Software, Music Match, 9.0, Basic
1	N8051	Module, Software, PAINT SHOP PHOTO STUDIO..., 1.0 Standard, DELL AMERICAS ORGANIZATION...
1	Y6874	Module, Software, Paint Shop Photo Album, 5.1, Standard ENG, DELL AMERICAS ORGANIZATION...
1	H8412	Kit, Software, Overpack, WXPHSP2 Compact Diskette W/Documentation English
1	N7965	Module, Software, Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition Service Pack 2, Dimension, English, NO DOCS/DISKETTES..., DELL AMERICAS ORGANIZATION...
1	C8586	Module, Software, Windows Media Player, 10
1	N8757	Kit, Documentaton On Floppy Disk, Software, POWERDVD..., 5.3.1012
1	J0201	Dual Inline Memory Module 256, 400M, 32X64 8K, 184
1	K4394	Kit, Software, WKS-STE2KOEM English
1	J4547	Module, Software, Worksuite 2004, Original Equipment Mfgr, Dimension
1	C6966	Module, Software, AOL9.0, INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDER..., FI, English, Canadian
1	H4702	Module, Software, DELL MEDIA MANAGER..., Basic 2.1, Dimension

I was hoping it would also detail your PSU wattage as well, as this will be a deciding factor when looking to upgrade your GPU as well.

The reason I mention this, is by the time you have purchased a legacy motherboard, a new cooler fan (more on this below) and a new GPU and PSU, you might as well purchase a new budget computer, which would be considerably faster than this in any case.

The reason I mentioned about the CPU cooler is because Dell have a nasty habit of using a proprietary system whereby the case forms part of the backplate for the CPU cooler mounting, and the cooler is simply screwed into the baseplate sandwiching the motherboard and CPU between the two. Its very effective for high volume production environments, but its not how it should be done when using retail parts yourself. Spacers are also glued to the motherboard on the front and back to prevent shorting.

Because of this, a new motherboard will likely short out on the raised backplate portion of the case. It will be impossible without drastic modification to use an aftermarket cooler (or even a genuine new one), and it restricts you to Dell components, just the way they like it.

This should work for you: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813138302

Before you go ahead ordering though, you need to check your total wattage on your PSU (on the label in case), and confirm how the CPU cooler is mounted. Is it mounted with plastic pins, or is it screwed through the motherboard and held in place by the case behind it.