Motherboard identification

skrtnheels

 

Most Dell motherboards that I have seen use this format

 

DS/N-XX-

 

Where DS/N is the serial and the XX is the two letter identifier preceding the motherboard application number.

 

MD

MD,

 

Thanks for the quick response.

 

I looked all over the board again and that's the only Dell number I could find.  Here are some additional details that may help.  I think the board dates to about 1996.  It currently has a slot PII 333MHz processor.  In addition to the standard ports, it has 2 USB, ethernet and audio.  It also has a slot for a riser board.

 

Thanks again.

 

Kathy

Kathy

 

That motherboard is a dinosaur. Not only is it old, but also proprietary in design which suggests that it will work only in a Dell chassis. It may or may not have come from a business machine like the Optiplex. In the 1996 time frame there were few small form factor desktops. The majority of the business machines were flat and rectangular as opposed to the tower versions. The flat computers often used a riser card to extend the PCI buss as to shrink the overall footprint of the computer.

 

MD

MD,

 

The reason I'm trying to identify it is because my cousin needs a replacement board for his Optiplex and I was hoping this might work for him.  I know there were different Optiplex model numbers.  Will any board work?  And is this definitely an Optiplex board?

 

Thanks again for your help.

 

Kathy

Kathy

 

If the motherboard numbers match then it is a go. If not, I would suggest to your cousin to review the Dell Outlet store for a new computer. A bad motherboard in a computer that is more than four years old is not worth fixing. Your cousin's computer is more than ten years old. I would say that it has more than filled a purpose.

 

MD

MD,

 

I appreciate your input.  My cousin is going to get a new system but needs to get his Optiplex back up and running because of a couple of programs he has loaded.  Ultimately, he'll give it to the kids to play around with.

 

The numbers do not match the board he has now.  Is there any way to determine what system my board was from so we can decide whether or not to try it in his?  We have nothing to lose but don't want to waste time or shipping cost if there's no chance.

 

Thanks again for your help.

 

K