Dell Precision 470 Workstation

[Per Hansson]

Re: Dell Precision 470 Workstation

IMO removing the capacitors would just make it harder
I just flip the board over, add some solder to the capacitor legs and then I heat them one by one and at the same time I just push the capacitor on the other side of the PCB with my other hand untill one leg goes out as far as it will, then I heat the other leg and so on...

With boards that don't have so large grounding planes I can heat both legs at once and the capacitor will come out almost by gravity itself...

[TonyBerry]

Re: Dell Precision 470 Workstation

TonyBerry; Welcome to Badcaps!

Thanks. Found it via Google (like I'm sure most have).

Yes, ColdHeat = Very bad idea, don't use it

Dually noted.

To remove the caps with big ground planes like on this particular mobo just takes more time, but do you have prior experience recapping stuff?

Extensively. I've done dozens of the "pizza box" GX270 systems and I have done countless video game monitor chassis (Electrohome and Wells Gardner). Plus assorted projects here and there.

The advise I can give is to use a good soldering iron, but don't overdo it, I use a 50w Weller temp controlled

My iron and my gun are both Weller. The gun is ancient, but still works like a charm. I measured input wattage on both and it's as it should be. I tested heat level on each tip and it is also as it should be (assuming my pyrometer is working, which it seems to be as the back of my mouth is ~98*).

Anyway, back to the issue, would I get any benefit by somehow removing the old capacitors before attempting to desolder the leads? They are absorbing heat, so I would assume anything would help. I did try flowing fresh solder, but that didn't help. I tried 3 different boards and even different banks of capacitors. The smaller bank of 3 (just North of the floppy connector) doesn't have a huge ground plane, but I couldn't get those loose either.

[TonyBerry]

Re: Dell Precision 470 Workstation

Take your time, if it is not working, walk away and come back later. That is probably the best advice I can impart.

Thanks for the tip, but it wouldn't apply here. If I walk away, all the time I put into heating the ground plane is lost. I know, I know, just being literal.

Also, are these only 470s? I'm looking for 670s with the bad cap issue.

I only have 470's in my possession. As stated below, they are the same exact board minus the on-board SCSI and the last 2 slots. On the 470, the power supply takes the space that the last two slots occupy. You could easily use a 470 board in a 670 case.

[Per Hansson]

Re: Dell Precision 470 Workstation

TonyBerry; Welcome to Badcaps!
Yes, ColdHeat = Very bad idea, don't use it

To remove the caps with big ground planes like on this particular mobo just takes more time, but do you have prior experience recapping stuff?
It's not really different or anything from the normal stuff, we have quite good FAQ's on soldering instructions here on Badcaps; https://www.badcaps.net/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=24

The advise I can give is to use a good soldering iron, but don't overdo it, I use a 50w Weller temp controlled
As for the desoldering technique the most important thing is to add new solder to the joints, so you have an easier time melting and heating the solder that is already there...

JEWilson; the 470 and 670 use the same PCB, the only difference is that on the 470 not all PCI slots are populated and the SCSI is missing (as you can see in my pics)
So yea, the capacitor issue is exactly the same on the two systems

[370forlife]

Re: Dell Precision 470 Workstation

Coldheat injects a high current into the joint to heat up the solder.

So essentially you could zap your VRM with the current from it.

[JEWilson]

Re: Dell Precision 470 Workstation

Y

I found the same problem.

I'm using a 50W Antec variable heat setting control dial.
With some of the VRM caps, I had to exercise caution not
to damage the pcb as I was using the iron at its full output.

Even at this temp and power O/P, I had to keep the iron on the joint
to get enough heat into it. Had to wet some of the joints also.

Take your time, if it is not working, walk away and come back later.
That is probably the best advice I can impart.

In any event, with a number of well constructed pcbs from
manufacturers, I am coming up against this problem recurrently.

I am next, going to purchase a bench iron from a reputable manufacturer.

Also, are these only 470s?
I'm looking for 670s with the bad cap issue.

HTH.

[370forlife]

Re: Dell Precision 470 Workstation

Don't use the ColdHeat! Thats a good way to destroy the motherboard in an instant.

[TonyBerry]

Re: Dell Precision 470 Workstation

Got the mobo recapped now, took a long while
Some massive ground planes leading away all the heat from the soldering iron!

And, how may I ask, did you get around this? I tried my trusty 15/30watt iron first, then noticed the grounding plane, so I pulled out my big dog 150watt gun, but that didn't even phase it. Tonight, once I pick up a new tip, I'll try my Coldheat wand. Sometimes it can do stuff the conventional irons can't.

I have 15-20 of these system to repair, so I'd like something fairly quick. I find it amazing that nearly all 31 of these capacitors managed to vent themselves. It seems like after a couple spewed, the system would die and the rest would remain intact.

My systems are all identical: single 3.4Ghz Nocona, 2 x 512MB RAM, 250GB hard drive, DVD-RW, and DVD-ROM. Decent systems especially with the x16 PCI Express slot.

I'm keeping 2 for myself and the rest are going cheap to pay for the capacitors and initial cost of the systems.

Thanks!

[JEWilson]

Re: Dell Precision 470 Workstation

Great

That would be helpful

Thx

[lazychris2000]

Re: Dell Precision 470 Workstation

JEWilson, let me start off by saying that you got a great deal on that. I have a 670 I bought off a guy on craigslist for $100 (dual 2.8GHz narconas, 2gb, quadro 1300) that was shipped with 820uf polys in place of 2200uf electrolytes (all but 5 that is...just had to replace all 5 of the 2200s). Will have to check my voltage when i get to work tomorrow. I think theyre either 2.5v or 4v, tho. Can post pics tomorrow, too.

[JEWilson]

Re: Dell Precision 470 Workstation

Well guess what!

I got a 670 complete from ebay for $60
Listed as faulty.
Sorry, I have no pics.

When I rec'd it, I checked the caps straight away.

Well, well, well same issue as found in the 470 vented caps in the CPU VRM.

I will poly mod this in due course.
Has anybody experience with poly modding these?
I have a bunch of 820uF 2.5V Fujitsu FPCAP RE
I suspect however some Pana FM 10mm (for endurance)
will have to be used as well to get the total capacitance
up to spec., certainly for the CPU VRM at least.

I have checked the mobo for details of XC837/0XC837 in order
to run SL8MA Paxville CPU but can only find;
CN-0X0392-13740-479-0061 Rev A01 on the mobo

I suspect this is not a compatible mobo.

I will also have to check the PSU to see if it is ok
Any help here appreciated

Thanks

[Per Hansson]

Re: Dell Precision 470 Workstation

Main reason I want the SL8UD is so I can run Hyper-V or VMware or Windows 7 with XP Mode as it has the VT and XD bit.

Damn that sucks... Guess I need to sell this machine and put the money towards a new one that supports VT...

Microsoft has removed the requirement for hardware virtualization in Windows 7;

http://www.techspot.com/news/38286-m...uirements.html

[PhatDude]

Re: Dell Precision 470 Workstation

Damn that sucks... Guess I need to sell this machine and put the money towards a new one that supports VT...

Thanks for the quick reply!

[Per Hansson]

Re: Dell Precision 470 Workstation

No sorry it does not work
I bought a XC838 board but it does not POST with a SL8UD, works fine with a SL8MA though...

[PhatDude]

Re: Dell Precision 470 Workstation

Not interested in the CPUs, but I'd love to try out the SL8UD for compatibility.

Did anyone ever get the opportunity to try out the SL8UD and an XC838 board? I have a Precision 470 that I got for free and would be willing to shell out the dough to upgrade. Main reason I want the SL8UD is so I can run Hyper-V or VMware or Windows 7 with XP Mode as it has the VT and XD bit.

[celly]

Re: Dell Precision 470 Workstation

Welcome to Badcaps celly!
And thanks for your post!

I think I will pass on the new board though, I've wasted enough on this system...
Anyone want to buy the 1x SL8MA CPU or 2x SL8UD contact me...

Not interested in the CPUs, but I'd love to try out the SL8UD for compatibility. Those things are are just too pricey in the marketplace right now. SL8MAs can easily be had for $100 (and less, there is a guy selling them for $70 today on eBay). The SL8UD seem to be going for around $450+. Too rich for my blood for a jump from 2.8 to 3.0 which is probably not noticeable. I tell you, going from 3.2 GHz single core Xeons to dual core 2.8 was noticeable. The upgrade was worth my while as I paid $200 CAD for the machine. It was brand new, in the box. A local reseller scored it from a bankruptcy. It came with Windows XP Pro installed and had a single 3.2 Ghz Xeon and 2 X 160 GB SATA drives ad a GB of RAM. It's a very fast machine now.

I just thought you'd want to know what the problem was. I came across this thread a week or so ago when I was researching compatibility.

Thanks for the welcome.

[Per Hansson]

Re: Dell Precision 470 Workstation

Welcome to Badcaps celly!
And thanks for your post!

I think I will pass on the new board though, I've wasted enough on this system...
Anyone want to buy the 1x SL8MA CPU or 2x SL8UD contact me...

[celly]

Re: Dell Precision 470 Workstation

p.s. See CPU-Z screenshots attached.

[celly]

Re: Dell Precision 470 Workstation

Tested a new CPU now that really should have worked, according to what I've read...
A dual core Intel Xeon Paxville SL8MA

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...icroprocessors

This time the system actually does begin POST, but it halts with this error message;
Alert! Incompatible processor detected.
System halted!

Nothing more happens, perhaps someone knows of a fix for this?

The only way a SL8MA Paxville CPU will work on a Precision 470 or Precision 670 is to have a specific motherboard in each. Dell has this way of tweaking their boards for upgrades, but not making all their boards compatible with the upgrade (i.e. SL8MA dual core processor). I had a similar issue a while back with a Dell Dimension 8300 board and have seen many other similar cases on the Dell forums.

For the 470, you need Dell Part # 0XC838 or XC838 (same board, but the part # gets interchanged often). You'll need BIOS A07 to make it happen. I just installed dual SL8MA processors in my new XC838 board and my 470 is noticeably faster. It shows up as "Dual Core" in the BIOS screen and CPUZ shows all the specs of the processor, including dual core. I've got hyperthreading on so my task manager shows 8 processors now.

If anyone has a 670, you need the XC837/0XC837 board and the SL8MA will work. It's well documented on the Dell forums and it was the similarity of that part # to the 470 board that made me try it out. I couldn't find any confirmation online that the 838 board would work with the SL8MA, but now I know first hand it works.

I got my XC838 board on eBay. Seller's ID is totski1970 (run by a very cool guy named "Ron"). He doesn't list the part # in his auctions (just look for his 470 motherboard listings), but he will give you the board if asked. I paid $75 + shipping (buy it now). If you're patient, I think his starting bid is $45 and he's sold them for that in the past. Most other eBay sellers are asking much more than that for the XC838.

Ron told me he gets asked often for the XC838, but never understood why until now.

[Per Hansson]

Re: Dell Precision 470 Workstation

Bought a dual core Intel Xeon Paxville CPU for my Dell, Xeon 7041 sSpec SL8UD
I thought it would work because I read on a Dell forum that if one updates to BIOS A07 a new field will be shown if the mobo does support Dual Core CPU's "Multiple Core Capable"
And that field was shown, obviously saying "No" since I had a single core CPU in and the page it is shown on is info about the CPU...

Nevertheless when I pop the Paxville in it's place all that happens is that the fans run at 100% and the first 3 yellow diagnostic LED's are lit signifying "The BIOS is not executing." and a Port80H device confims this just showing "FF"
Quite the bummer

Tested a new CPU now that really should have worked, according to what I've read...
A dual core Intel Xeon Paxville SL8MA

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...icroprocessors

This time the system actually does begin POST, but it halts with this error message;
Alert! Incompatible processor detected.
System halted!

Nothing more happens, perhaps someone knows of a fix for this?