motherboard

I have a Dell e521,ct107,hk980, motherboard that is bad. Can you tell me all the other motherboards I can use in this computer. Or is it even worth fixing?

 

Greetings, jethro Balog...

You can get a replacement mobo fairly cheaply - here's an example...

Any motherboard with the same form factors and capacities will fit your case...

As to its worth? Up to you - if all other hardware/software is satisfactory, and you feel like the time and effort are available, IMO go for it...you'll gain some valuable experience, and there are some good people here that can answer any questions that pop up...

Keep us posted...

 

There are some other considerations here too. Note the motherboard is considered the heart of the computer, and therefore, replacing the motherboard is, in effect, getting a new computer. The problem then is the Windows license. Since this is a Dell, your Windows license is an OEM version and an OEM version is always tied to the specific computer it was purchased with. Since the motherboard failed, you can legally use that license on a replacement motherboard, as long as (and this is the key factor) it is an exact replacement, or a suitable substitute as deemed by Dell if an exact replacement is no longer available.

What this means if you want to "upgrade" your system since you have to replace the motherboard anyway, you have to buy a new Windows license. So your options are limited. If you choose to "repair" your computer by replacing the motherboard, you must use the one Dell specifies as the proper replacement. If you want to "upgrade" your system to something more current, with a more current CPU, RAM and graphics solution, you will also need to budget for a new Windows license (and probably a new PSU too).

So, you probably should contact Dell first and see what the correct motherboard replacement for that model Dell is. Then determine the cost and decide from there where you want to go.

If you decide to do the work yourself, I agree, this can be a great learning experience.

In any case, I recommend you remove the hard drive and install it into a second computer as a secondary drive (NOT the boot drive), or into an enclosure attached to a second computer then copy off any files you don't want to lose.