Skip to main content
Start a Conversation

Unsolved

This post is more than 5 years old

kbucks

4 Posts

24466

February 8th, 2011 06:00

Motherboard compatibility and upgrade for Dell 530

Motherboard upgrade.

I run some high end audio cards on my computer.  Apparently, one of these cards may not be compatible with my Dell 530 motherboard, even though the company claimed that the compatibility issue was solved (that’s why I bought the card).  The card is Universal Audio UAD-2.  The computer often fails to recognize the card  and I have to routinely physically re-install the card jus to use it.  Are there any other kinds of Dell motherboards that I could use to get this thing functioning?  I’d like to stick with a Dell board so I can reinstall my copy of windows and not buy a new one.  Will a new motherboard fit in my 530 case?  According to their website, the following motherboards are incompatible.  

Intel DX58SO motherboard is incompatible with UAD-2
Dell Inspiron 530 systems with UAD cards (solved?)
Dell Precision Series 4xx / 6xx (specifically 470 / 670) are incompatible with the UAD2
Lenovo X200 / LCS2 is incompatible with UAD-2 SOLO/Laptop


Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks,
Kevin

osprey4

4 Operator

 • 

34.2K Posts

February 8th, 2011 07:00

Hi Kevin,

Wow, I guess that is pretty high end for $400! Is your card PCIe or PCI?

kbucks

4 Posts

February 8th, 2011 09:00

I need at least two PCIe slots and bascially something I can swap out my 530 motherboard with .  Any ideas?

 

-k

rdunnill

6 Professor

 • 

8.8K Posts

February 8th, 2011 10:00

  I’d like to stick with a Dell board so I can reinstall my copy of windows and not buy a new one.  Will a new motherboard fit in my 530 case?  According to their website, the following motherboards are incompatible.  
No, unless you modify the back of the case to accept a standard IO shield. As the 530 case has integral IO shield stamped into the back panel, only mainboards with the same combination of rear ports will fit.

 

speedstep

9 Legend

 • 

47K Posts

February 9th, 2011 08:00

Universal Audio UAD-2 Solo is a PCI-E X1 Card.

Since the cards work with MAC or With Windows Its likely that most low cost PC makers are

"incompatable" due to memory issues and other "Issues"

I would suggest getting a Mac PRO

or system that is specified from the manufacturer to be compatable.

This is not a Dell issue.

 

fireberd

9 Legend

 • 

33.3K Posts

February 9th, 2011 10:00

From the UAD site:

Dell Inspiron 530 systems with UAD cards

Symptom: System won't boot (blue screen) when UAD card is installed (UAD v5.1.0 and prior only).

  • The Dell Inspiron 530 delivers a blue screen with an error and will not boot with any UAD card installed. The error occurs regardless of the slot used. The motherboard bios cannot be updated due to the OEM arrangement with Dell.

NOTE: This issue is resolved in UAD version 5.2.0 (and higher).

If you want to upgrade your best option is a new PC and not just the motherboard.  Along with a new motherboard, the potential front panel interface issues and the mechanical modifications you will have to make to the case, if you could fit something other than a 530 board in it, you will likely need different memory, CPU, CPU cooling assembly,etc.  By the time you spend the $$ for the new hardware you are better off just buying a new PC or building a PC that will do what you want. 

I have a home recording studio using Sonar X1 and Sonar 8.5.3.  My interfaces are either firewire or USB, I've avoided PCI/PCIe type cards even though my home built system will accept them.  

The problem with the card not being recognized may not be the PC, it could be a problem with the card.  Only problem, the typical vendor tech support response is "it's your hardware and not mine" so the customer is left "holding the bag" trying to find out why something doesn't work properly.

View More

View All

No Events found!

Top