XPS M1210 Motherboard Replacement Options

Question

My XPS  M1210 with NVIDIA Gpu failed,  whilst i forgot the actual error code,  the result was CPU Failure.  However reading so much about XPS motherboard failures with the Nvidia chipset I feel that the error may be spurious and may well be a motherboard issue.   I have got a 2nd hand cpu on the way to test first but just in case i have been seaching for motherboard replacements.  My Motherboard part no, is CN-0HN110-12961-718-2549 Rev A01 There are several different types of boards available through ebay at circa US$220 but it is actually confusing to figure out which is which.  The majority of sellers are from HK, the description and product photos are lacking, and in many cases they use the same stock photo for both models.  I wrote to them and asked for explanation and am not getting any sense from them. Can anyone be certain what is the actual difference between these motherboard types.  There seems  to be Intergrated, or Independent( whatever that means) , and Intel or Nvidia.  The sellers are using these terms inconsistently between model numbers. Dell Part no R055P NR230 HN110 (sometimes referred to alongside NR230) GU059 NR231 Now i realise that i could just get the HN110,  but what if that is the same part that is renowned for NVIDIA Gpu issues,  is there any way to tell which board is the one i should get to avoid that future issue?

ejn63 · Answer

If you don't want the specter of another nvidia chip failure, the only option is the board with Intel integrated video. In most cases, you will also need a new heatsink assembly, as the one used in the system with Intel video is different from the one used for nVidia video.

marktheblake · Answer

thank you. i Havent seen anyone selling the heatsink assembly though.

Nevertheless, does anyone know the answer to my original question, what is the different between all those different motherboard numbers?

FWIW, my Led Lock error codes are Flashing, On, On which is CPU error, however I replaced the cpu and get the same error :-(

ejn63 · Answer

All of the boards will work in an M1210 - minor revisions are made along the way resulting in part number changes.  There are two boards - the nVidia and the Intel.

marktheblake · Answer

Thanks for that. but given the nature of this XPS M1210, I would like to be very sure that I am purchasing the better mainboard out of the lot. For example, it may well be that the latest model numbers are going to be better. Not always the case, but not sure what else to go on. So it woudl be great if i could get details of what the different numbers mean

The other thing that confuses me, is for example the GU059, I am told by one seller it is NVIDIA gpu, another says it's Intel. One of these guys has to be wrong

At least i have now identified the two different heatsink assemblies, the shorter one is obviously for the Intel, as it only has two contact points, thanks for that

ejn63 · Answer

There's no way to tell from the part number, and from a reliability standpoint, anything Intel will beat anything nVidia. nVidia never admitted fault with these chips, so they never "fixed" what they never admitted was faulty in the first place.

marktheblake · Answer

Well i must be in someones good books at the moment. I contacted XPS Support for Australia and New Zealand, and despite my motherboards failure reason : CPU Error they offered to replace my motherboard under the same terms as those with the GPU Failures.

The tech installed it today, and the label on the part was R055P, and he said he could see that the GPU had been replaced. So that is what Dell does when they conduct the repairs, return the faulty GPU ones and repair/replace.

My old GPU was a GO7400-N-A3, but the new one was G07400T-N-A3, thats the only difference I could tell from the model number.

Thanks for help, it is good to know the options if it ever fails again.

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