Dell problem

pbarr

Just received a new Dell Dimension 5150 and discovered to my disgust that there are no free pci slots. As I need to have a couple of free ones for extra cards would I be within my rights to ask for a different pc that would meet my needs and I am wondering also what would Dells policy over matters like that. I am going to contact Dell customer care tomorrow so any advice now would be appreciated.

aidan_walsh

Dell would be perfectly within their rights to tell you that thats something you should have checked before purchasing.

Wertz

Why not pull whatever's occupying the slots now? I'd assume one is a modem, one is a soundcard and maybe the other is a firewire card?

The specs page for the 5150 clearly explains that there are 3 PCIs and a PCIex-16.

Obelisk29

As far as I know, if you have purchased the system in a personal capacity (i.e. not through a business) you have seven days to return the system for any reason.

pbarr

Obelisk29 wrote:

As far as I know, if you have purchased the system in a personal capacity (i.e. not through a business) you have seven days to return the system for any reason.

Hope you are right. I'm sure I'll find out tomorrow.

pbarr

Wertz wrote:

Why not pull whatever's occupying the slots now? I'd assume one is a modem, one is a soundcard and maybe the other is a firewire card?

The specs page for the 5150 clearly explains that there are 3 PCIs and a PCIex-16.

The only one I can pull off is the modem. Of the other two one is the tv tuner card which I would like to keep for watching tv and the other one has to be left because it seems to be the card that the monitor is connected to.

mel123

id say Dell will tell u to go and take a run and jump, i would be highly suprised if they take it back, infact id put money on it that they wont. if its unopened yes, but im presuming that its open? i myself had a bad experience with Dell, more or less same type of issue, at the end of the day they said i ordered the product it wasnt their fault if i didnt check the spec properly. many phonecalls and emails later i just gave up, they just didnt want to know/care.

Wertz

The one the monitor is connected to is the PCIex-16 for the GPU card...there are 3 slots underneath that (unless you have a high end GPU who's heatsink inhibits the space of the adjoining PCI slot)



Pull the modem (assuming you don't need it) and you should have two servicable PCI slots.

pbarr

Wertz wrote:

The one the monitor is connected to is the PCIex-16 for the GPU card...there are 3 slots underneath that (unless you have a high end GPU who's heatsink inhibits the space of the adjoining PCI slot)



Pull the modem (assuming you don't need it) and you should have two servicable PCI slots.

Wertz, The slot below the one the monitor is connected to is not a pci slot. It is a small black slot like I' never seen before.If it was a pci slot there would be no problem. Below that is the tv tuner card which I want to keep and below that is the modem which I dont need. I need to have 2 slots one for a network card and one for a firewire card otherwise if I want to capture video I am going to have to take out the network card and swop it for the firewire card.

astrofool

it should have a network card built in? Also, if its that sound card, it has a firewire port built in as well. Most Dell's come with a firewire port as standard these days, as well as Network card.

That small black slot is a PCI-E x1 or x4 slot.

Wertz

Yeah that black one is a PCIex-1.

There is an onboard ethernet as astrofool says, but AFAIk firewire is on a separate card or on the audigy SB2, if you had one. Unless it's a wireless PCI card you mean by network, then you're still good to go. Yank the mdoem and slap in the firewire card.

Someone mentioned the 7 day cool off; if you're not happy send it back...you don't have to give a reason but the comp needs to be in salable condition, packaging intact etc.

pbarr

Hi Guys

Contacted Dell today and they are picking up the pc on Wednesday and giving a full refund. so I just want to thank you all for the replies and advice etc.