Guys I need your advice please

I have a XPS 435MT - with 64Bit OS and currently it has 8Gb 8500 as shipped from Dell - however I use the PC for VmWare Test Imagesand as such really wanted to load up the XPS with some more RAM

I thought I'd pick up an extra 2 x 4gb RAM from Crucial and just replace two of the 1Gb already in there - however when I install this new RAM 2x 4Gb(1066Mhz) DDR3 I get bleeping and the XPS fails to boot.

If I remove all existing Memory and install the 2 x 4Gb RAM is boots up and is visiable under Computer Properties - so it seems the XPS will work with the new RAM -

I'm confused do I need to install RAM in groups of 3 - therefore should I be looking to get an additional 4Gb from Crucial ?

Obviously I want to use the exisiting memory as well - any ideas which slots I should put them into allow me to run both speeds

At present I have

2 x 2Gb 8500 (Existing) DDR3

4 x 1Gb 8500 (Exisiting) DDR3

2 x 4Gb 1066 (Recently Purchased) DDR3

If someone can explain the how the 6 DIMM slots work to  maximise DDR3 working and if anyone has had similair issue

Regards

BTTB

I just discovered that the 8 GBs of DDR3-1333 memory modules I just installed in my XPS435T are locked into the 1066 data rate by the Dell Bios.  It looks like this has been a constant complaint against Dell for over a year and a half with no resolution by Dell.  Has there been any recent update on this problem by Dell, and if not, why not?

A formally happy Dell customer of many years, now very unhappy,

Stevia

I found 4 GiB DIMMs that work, and now have 24 GiB in my 435MT.

Details found at http://en.community.dell.com/support-forums/desktop/f/3514/p/19368276/19835904.aspx#19835904

Thanks to a three year old thread - you just saved me from wasting $.  :emotion-21:

This would probably apply in your situation, best to follow even so.  Keep it all Tri-Channel or whatsit.  Might add, if you have the AMD Radeon HD 4850 video card as I do, that is more than likely making your case hot.

Someday I would like to put in a SSD & video card with exhaust - don't care how many slots it takes up.  That should cool that case down a bit.

I now have one of these units and those that say it's "blazing fast," well, they are right. Faster memory can be installed but will not run faster. This is true... Now? Has anything been done by any of you here to remedy that? Does anybody know, has there been any aftermarket work to turn this around? I've seen a couple of posts where custom BIOS's were made by hacking the firmware. In fact there's a couple of sites on the internet that specialize in doing just that.

reckless_whisper

Ok Guys,

I just wanted to share the state of my XPS435MT with you guys out there. I have done several things to the 435MT to make it last another 3 years at this point.

All the information below is from CPUID CPU-Z. So if you guys are wondering where I got this information.. hope this helps.

- Added Intel I7-960 Processor. Used the same heatsink that came with the stock model. 

- Added 6 x 4GB (total 24GB memory) of Corsair Vengeance DDR3 1333 Memory. System Detects Max bandwidth PC3-10700H (667 MHz). Dont know what that means, however, but my system sees all 24GB of memory and seems to work great.

- I've kept the original mainboard - Mainboard Model 0R849J (0x00000171 - 0x0052BB40)

- I've added two SATA III 1TB disks in RAID1 (Mirror) using the SATA BIOS.

- I'm using one Intel 320 120GB SSD as the primary drive.

- Using the NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GTS Graphic card which I got for free from a friend. Runs two 1920 x 1200 27" Monitors just fine.

- I've installed Windows 8 and use my rig as my development machine in pair with another X58 rig that acts as my production server for my business with the i7-990X CPU and 48GB of memory. That machine has an intel DX58SO2 Motherboard and supports 8 drives - not just 4. I did swap out the 920 with the 960 that I had initially decided to use for the server. I got the 990x on sale and there you go. 

- I did replace the SMPS (power supply), mine went out within 6 months of my buying the box. I have a good one in there. HINT: since the box has less real estate, buy a power supply that is modular. Which means that you only install the cables that you need to keep the box from getting choked. 

- I did think about drilling another hole in the top or side and getting a bigger fan, but why mess with perfection. Seems great. My CPU seems to be running fine. I keep the house at 73 deg C. The Temperature #1 is around 82 deg C and the Temperature #2 is around 50 deg C. CPU Cores range between 45 deg C to 58 deg C. 

I've never made a better investment in an off-the shelf box. I bought it in 2009 and will not need another one until 2015 I think. x58 chipset is the best ever. Its still mainstream and makes sense. They haven't messed with Nehalem.  The graphics is still the GPU's responsibility, not the CPU's.

Hopefully this information helps you guys out there.

Would you please post directions to those sites.   My Digital Life?  

I agree on the longevity.  By the time we outgrow this XPS 435MT we'll probably be operating computers in virtual space or you'll open a little box & a holographic PC will pop out.  Not going to do any upgrades until we have to or things just wear out.  Was hoping to install DDR3-1333 but after much research here & elsewhere have come to conclusion you can't go any faster than 1066.  

In CPUZ under memory look @ DRAM frequency & if it shows 532 MHz I believe that means you're actually running @ 1066.  I am not absolutely positive you can trust CPUZ but check out this link.  If you are in fact running @ 667 MHz please post back.

Looks like our best bet going forward will be eventually replacing the spinning HD with a SSD.  Was there a noticeable difference when you did that?

You are right. CPU-Z shows DRAM Frequency at 532.0 MHz. But 24GB of memory makes a HUGE difference. So I'm not complaining.

I did get an 80GB SSD. Just upgraded to Windows 8 and it runs like a charm I did have to change the User profile folder to the D Drive. But now-a-days, you can just buy a 240G SSD for cheap, and 240GB ought to be enough for anyone (kidding).

The change from Rotational Hard Drives to SSD is not only noticeable, it is profound. Worth the investment for the primary drive.

Perhaps I don't need to wait for the 1TB Seagate to crash before upgrading to a SSD.  256GB actually would be enough for me.  Most of the terabyte is partitioned for use backing up music & movies for relatives & I have already copied all to an external drive.  Also have Win 8 preview on a partition & do like the multiple monitor support - not sure that makes it worth buying a license tho.

Amazon has 512GB Crucial SSD for $400.  Maybe next spring when it's time to clean the dust bunnies out the SSD's will have come down even more.  The Seagate can become another external drive (have a spare enclosure).  It would be fun to see the WEI in the 7.?'s.  Only the hard drive is keeping it out @ 5.9.

Too many toys - too little time. :emotion-9:

I recently tried to replaced the preinstalled 3x1GB RAm with 2 Corsair Vengeance CML8GX3M2A 1600C9 and teh PC wouldn't boot up! Tried in every slot with single or double modules and got the same fault 2 beeps and no boot up.

Think the X58 MoBO in this Dell is *** it won't take 4GB RAM modules.

The XPS 435 MT will only run memory at 1066 MHz, 1600 MHz RAM better used in another machine.

According to the Setup Guide on page 26 two beeps means:

Two beeps — No RAM detected
• Remove the memory modules, reinstall
one module and restart the computer. If
the computer starts normally, reinstall an

additional module. Continue until you have
identified a faulty module or reinstalled all
modules without an error.
• If available, install memory modules of the
same type in your computer.

See page 23 of the Service Manual for instructions on memory installation:

CAUTION: If you remove your original memory modules from the computer during a memory upgrade, keep them separate from any new
modules that you may have, even if you purchased the new modules from Dell™. If possible, do not pair an original memory module with a new
memory module. Otherwise, your computer may not start properly. The recommended memory configurations are:
Matched memory modules installed in DIMM connectors 1, 2, and 3.
or
Matched memory modules installed in DIMM connectors 1, 2, and 3 and another matched memory modules installed in DIMM connectors 4, 5, and
6.

Ensure that you install a single memory module in DIMM connector 1, the second closest connector to the processor, before you install modules in any
other connector.