Anyone familiar with Dell Precision 470?

**Bartender** · 03-05-2009, 09:03 PM

Good morning!
The IT dept. at work had a clearance sale. I now own a Dell precision 470. It has two Xeon sockets but only one is filled.

I am not at all familiar with 2 proc motherboards. There are 2 ATX plugs coming off the motherboard. The 500w power supply is huge. It's a weird form factor I've never seen before. It fills both motherboard plugs.

I'm thinking about parting the thing out, keeping only the motherboard and a few other bits. But I have questions...
If only one CPU socket is filled, do I need to power the second ATX plug on the motherboard?
And, does Dell still spec proprietary power supplies?

What's involved in changing the proprietary spec? Could one just pop a few wires out of the big plug and move them around to the traditional positions?

Oh, yeah, Kubuntu 8.10 looks really good on this thing! It has an ATI vid card so I was nervous but no problems

**wrench97** · 03-06-2009, 01:38 PM

That is going to to a Dell Proprietary PSU like the ones used on the XPS Gen 3,4,5 & 600 but a little different, It should have a Xeon CPU and be capable of holding 2 if the OS supports it I don't think Kubuntu will, XP and Vista will not.
Not a lot to steal out of it it uses EEC registered Ram Dimms DDR2 400 what are you looking to do with it?

**wrench97** · 03-06-2009, 01:38 PM

That is going to to a Dell Proprietary PSU like the ones used on the XPS Gen 3,4,5 & 600 but a little different, It should have a Xeon CPU and be capable of holding 2 if the OS supports it I don't think Kubuntu will, XP and Vista will not.
Not a lot to steal out of it it uses EEC registered Ram Dimms DDR2 400 what are you looking to do with it?

**Bartender** · 03-08-2009, 09:40 AM

Hi, wrench -
Thanks for writing back. I'm on dial-up, so searching for info about this thing has been tedious.
I'd be lyin' if I told you I had a plan. I just grabbed it because it was the last decent PC they had for sale. Wish I'd known about the garage sale three days earlier when there were much better choices...

Anyways, as you mention, the motherboard has a second socket, which is empty. Xeon proc, though I don't know what exactly's lurking under the heatsink. I think I can go to Dell Support and type in the Service Tag # and get some details??
The PSU is a huge contraption that runs along one entire side of the case.
I was considering parting the thing out and maybe dropping the Xeon into a Micro-ATX board, but it looks like all readily available boards are big and expensive.
So if I'm stuck with a big board might as well use the one I've got. If I'm also dealing with a proprietary Dell PSU, that pretty kills any thoughts of moving the essential parts into a more compact case.
And, as you also mention, the memory (1 GB of it thank goodness) is ECC.

Does the Xeon run its own pinout? It's incompatible with LG775?

If nothing else, it'll serve as a testbed for various Linux OS'es. As I mentioned, Kubuntu 8.10 looks very nice.

Any ideas for more info on this pig would be most appreciated. I can get to broadband in town.

**wrench97** · 03-08-2009, 10:24 AM

The Socket depends on which Xeon it is that name has stuck since the PIII days, But most likely you will not find a non-server board that will support it and yes at the dell site if you drop in the tag number it will give you the original Config, it will even scan it for the current Configuration.

fregglimp · 03-17-2009, 12:43 AM

Dude,

The Precision 470 is a rocket! I have one with 2 X 3.2 Ghz and 4 GB RAM with Nvidia FX 3400. I'm running x64 Vista and it is smooth and solid.

Look for a Service Tag number. If you can't find it go to support.dell.com and use the service tag finder. It will tell you what it come with originaly and optionally how it is configured today.

Dell has windows drivers and *nix crivers for the Precision 470 at thier site.

With 1X Xeon CPU and 1 GB Ubuntu would fly and would support 2X Xeon CPU if you had them.

You won't have much luck finding a MoBo to fit a Xeon that won't cost more than what you paid for the whole workstation.

If you only have one CPU plugged in you shouldn't need the second power hooked up but with no second CPU it isn't going to draw power.

The computer isn't worth parting out and unless you get some good deals on parts it could be expensive to upgrade. I paid $220 plus $55 shipping for mine.

Good luck with the Dell. I own 5 and love 'em!!

Fregglimp

03-05-2009, 09:03 PM	#1 (permalink)
Bartender Mentally divergent Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Chehalis, WA, USA Posts: 1,285 OS: W2K, Ubuntu 8.04	Anyone familiar with Dell Precision 470? Good morning! The IT dept. at work had a clearance sale. I now own a Dell precision 470. It has two Xeon sockets but only one is filled. I am not at all familiar with 2 proc motherboards. There are 2 ATX plugs coming off the motherboard. The 500w power supply is huge. It's a weird form factor I've never seen before. It fills both motherboard plugs. I'm thinking about parting the thing out, keeping only the motherboard and a few other bits. But I have questions... If only one CPU socket is filled, do I need to power the second ATX plug on the motherboard? And, does Dell still spec proprietary power supplies? What's involved in changing the proprietary spec? Could one just pop a few wires out of the big plug and move them around to the traditional positions? Oh, yeah, Kubuntu 8.10 looks really good on this thing! It has an ATI vid card so I was nervous but no problems Last edited by Bartender; 03-05-2009 at 09:04 PM.

03-06-2009, 01:38 PM	#2 (permalink)
wrench97 Moderator, Hardware Team Join Date: May 2008 Location: S.E. Pennsylvania Posts: 18,595 OS: Win7	Re: Anyone familiar with Dell Precision 470? That is going to to a Dell Proprietary PSU like the ones used on the XPS Gen 3,4,5 & 600 but a little different, It should have a Xeon CPU and be capable of holding 2 if the OS supports it I don't think Kubuntu will, XP and Vista will not. Not a lot to steal out of it it uses EEC registered Ram Dimms DDR2 400 what are you looking to do with it? __________________ Power Supply and Selection

03-06-2009, 01:38 PM	#3 (permalink)
wrench97 Moderator, Hardware Team Join Date: May 2008 Location: S.E. Pennsylvania Posts: 18,595 OS: Win7	Re: Anyone familiar with Dell Precision 470? That is going to to a Dell Proprietary PSU like the ones used on the XPS Gen 3,4,5 & 600 but a little different, It should have a Xeon CPU and be capable of holding 2 if the OS supports it I don't think Kubuntu will, XP and Vista will not. Not a lot to steal out of it it uses EEC registered Ram Dimms DDR2 400 what are you looking to do with it? __________________ Power Supply and Selection

03-08-2009, 09:40 AM	#4 (permalink)
Bartender Mentally divergent Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Chehalis, WA, USA Posts: 1,285 OS: W2K, Ubuntu 8.04	Re: Anyone familiar with Dell Precision 470? Hi, wrench - Thanks for writing back. I'm on dial-up, so searching for info about this thing has been tedious. I'd be lyin' if I told you I had a plan. I just grabbed it because it was the last decent PC they had for sale. Wish I'd known about the garage sale three days earlier when there were much better choices... Anyways, as you mention, the motherboard has a second socket, which is empty. Xeon proc, though I don't know what exactly's lurking under the heatsink. I think I can go to Dell Support and type in the Service Tag # and get some details?? The PSU is a huge contraption that runs along one entire side of the case. I was considering parting the thing out and maybe dropping the Xeon into a Micro-ATX board, but it looks like all readily available boards are big and expensive. So if I'm stuck with a big board might as well use the one I've got. If I'm also dealing with a proprietary Dell PSU, that pretty kills any thoughts of moving the essential parts into a more compact case. And, as you also mention, the memory (1 GB of it thank goodness) is ECC. Does the Xeon run its own pinout? It's incompatible with LG775? If nothing else, it'll serve as a testbed for various Linux OS'es. As I mentioned, Kubuntu 8.10 looks very nice. Any ideas for more info on this pig would be most appreciated. I can get to broadband in town.

03-08-2009, 10:24 AM	#5 (permalink)
wrench97 Moderator, Hardware Team Join Date: May 2008 Location: S.E. Pennsylvania Posts: 18,595 OS: Win7	Re: Anyone familiar with Dell Precision 470? The Socket depends on which Xeon it is that name has stuck since the PIII days, But most likely you will not find a non-server board that will support it and yes at the dell site if you drop in the tag number it will give you the original Config, it will even scan it for the current Configuration. __________________ Power Supply and Selection

03-17-2009, 12:43 AM	#6 (permalink)
fregglimp Registered User Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 1 OS: x64 Vista	Re: Anyone familiar with Dell Precision 470? Dude, The Precision 470 is a rocket! I have one with 2 X 3.2 Ghz and 4 GB RAM with Nvidia FX 3400. I'm running x64 Vista and it is smooth and solid. Look for a Service Tag number. If you can't find it go to support.dell.com and use the service tag finder. It will tell you what it come with originaly and optionally how it is configured today. Dell has windows drivers and *nix crivers for the Precision 470 at thier site. With 1X Xeon CPU and 1 GB Ubuntu would fly and would support 2X Xeon CPU if you had them. You won't have much luck finding a MoBo to fit a Xeon that won't cost more than what you paid for the whole workstation. If you only have one CPU plugged in you shouldn't need the second power hooked up but with no second CPU it isn't going to draw power. The computer isn't worth parting out and unless you get some good deals on parts it could be expensive to upgrade. I paid $220 plus $55 shipping for mine. Good luck with the Dell. I own 5 and love 'em!! Fregglimp