PowerEdge T310 installing Windows 7 Prof

My T610 has been running runs Win7 Ultimate 64bit OS though i needed a modded XFX GF7600GS PCIe graphics card to get the required graphics performance.The OS install of Win7Ultimate was a simple process as was modding the graphics card to fit the x8 PCIe slot in the chassis. There's lots of forum posts on this and related subject.

Obviously this hardware configuration and OS is not supported by Dell and some management tools only work on server OS's but that's OK as this modded system has been working flawlessly under the shop's serving counter for well over a year :)

Unfortunately the T610 was a little too noisy to have in the office as a workstation though i'm still considering the idea of modding the cooling system to make it much quieter while adding more memory and a more powerful processor pair along with an upgrade to more powerful graphics card(s). The later upgrade of graphics card(s) may be an issue depending on if SLI configuration and on PCIe power/cooling constraints can be resolved. Only then may i be able to satisfactorily redeploy this machine in the office as my workstation :emotion-1:  The only downside is that it is working so well under the bench in the shop that it's a shame to pull it out and difficult to motivate ones self to do just that :emotion-6:

So has anyone done this to a T310, i don't know but it should all be feasible if the machine can be made quiet and can support the needed graphics performance you desire. There's no easy answers though as it's something that you have to engineer to the level of performance, robustness and features you desire :emotion-5:

Hey Larson.

I'm in same boat with T310, were you able to get any better graphics cards for it?

Cheers Paul

I've recently converted an excess Dell PowerEdge T310 "server" into my new desktop computer. Getting a decent graphics card to work was a matter of trial and error. Fortunately I found that an NVIDIA GForce 9500GT 512 MB PCI-E card I had on hand works like a charm.

I installed stock Windows 7 Home Premium using a Microsoft DVD I had purchased to upgrade a different machine. Fortunately I had purchased the "3 systems" licensed version and I'm good to go.

The last thing I have on order is a Soundblaster PCI audio card. If and when I get that working, I will have one very robust desktop machine to see me through the next 3-5 years. I don't upgrade my personal workstation very often. Last month I tried a brand new Window 8 machine, and hated it. Then I remembered that I had a nicely equipped T310 gathering dust from a facility we closed last year.

I know that Dell does not "support" using a T310 in the way I'm using it, but that doesn't bother me. I'm not about to call/pay Dell for support anyway.

FYI, I tried a Gforce 8400GS based Video card and I could not get that to work. Dell used a very peculiar "x16" PCI-E connector, but by all reports and connected it as a "x8" device. Perhaps that is why video cards are very hit-and-miss in this application.

Can you help I'm pretty good with computers but I have never dealt with a server tower went to a flee market picked up a Dell t310 8gb ram Intel xeon 4 drives and I'm trying to install windows but installing via USB no drives show up I switched to ATA went into uefi got that booted etc etc but cannot find a way to get my drives to show up to use as a desktop just to use for rooting and jailbreaking software internet surfing nothing major if you can help that would be awesome

Hello thanks for choosing Dell. However that's not the Windows for servers. I'm afraid it won't work. Please let us know if you have any further questions.

You're saying it won't work but if you read this whole thread other people have the t310 running windows 7 and others have installed windows 10. So I'm kind of confused as literally this thread has 2 different models in kuding the t310 with working windows OS besides windows server.

Can anyone help me great with computers but have never dealt with a server setup just want to install windows 7 or 10 on it and use it as desktop but when I get to windows install via USB can't find drives to install OS on switched in bios to ATA as I seen in another forum turned on UEFI to load ISO from usb booted from usb fine got to install new install pick drives no drives says to install a driver and try again don't know did find one person said run a exe first grab driver put on a USB and that will work but haven't tried that. SOS help lol

Hey Gary Anderson,

the Dell guy posted on the form as I was replying to you he replys this will not work as it is not a server windows I just replied like I told him I'm confused because if you read this thread alone it says people have done it with multiple models and if you Google windows 7 thru 10 people have done it on the t310 so dude obviously has no clue what he's saying I'm just having a problem when I go to install windows via USB made with Rufus put bios into uefi go to windows install when I go to select drives there are none and says install a driver and try again I also changed the HDD in bios to ATA still no luck. I just wanna use it as a desktop internet browsing some jail break and root tools nothing big like gaming or anything please help if possible will be so greatful

Hello, I'm afraid I can't help you since what you want to apply isn't a server OS but for client products. I'm afraid it's not within our support range. This community is open for all we can wait to see what others have to say. Wish you a good one.