Replacing the motherboard upgrades your desktop's capabilities.
Your desktop computer's motherboard contains all of the various ports used to connect devices such as a graphics card. The Dell Dimension 4100 motherboard includes five standard PCI slots and an AGP slot for expansion cards. If you want to use advanced cards, such as PCI-Express cards, you will need to first replace the motherboard. Swapping out the 4100's motherboard requires removing all the current components connected to the board and reattaching them to the new component.
Instructions
1. Turn off the Dimension 4100 and unplug every cable attached to the computer. Position the 4100 on its side with the left side access panel visible.
2. Turn the thumbscrew at the back end of the case counterclockwise. Push in the latches at the top and bottom of the panel, slide the panel to the left and then pull off the panel.
3. Locate the series of six rectangular and horizontal expansion card slots at the bottom left end of the 4100's motherboard. Starting with the top expansion card, use a Phillips screwdriver to remove the screw securing the card to the case.
4. Grip the front and back ends of the card and pull the card directly up and off the expansion port. Repeat the process with the remaining expansion cards.
5. Locate the two rectangular and vertical memory module ports at the upper-right end of the motherboard. Press down the plastic securing tabs on the top and bottom ends of both green memory modules.
6. Grip the top and bottom ends of the memory modules and pull them off the module ports. Locate the plastic processor shroud, which is positioned to the left of the memory ports.
7. Press in the tabs on either side of the shroud and pull the shroud off the motherboard. Disconnect the cable running from the square cooling fan to the motherboard. Push in the tabs on the fan and remove the fan from the computer.
8. Pull off the retaining clip holding the square metal heat sink to the processor. Remove the heat sink from the processor and set it aside. Pull up the plastic socket connector bar at the left end of the square processor.
9. Pull the processor off its motherboard socket. Hold onto two opposite ends of the processor while pulling it up to avoid bending any of its pins.
10. Locate the metal power supply unit mounted to the top-left end of the case. Disconnect all of the cables running from the end of the power supply to the motherboard.
11. Remove the motherboard mounting screw, which is positioned at the bottom-right end of the motherboard to the left of the expansion card slots. Pull the motherboard to the right and remove it from the computer's case.
12. Position the new motherboard into the case. Ensure that the expansion card slots and monitor port line up with the holes on the back end of the case. Replace the motherboard mounting screw.
13. Reassemble the processor, heat sink, fan, shroud, memory modules, expansion cards and power supply cables on the new motherboard. Replace the side panel and plug in all of the cables.
Tags: expansion card, 4100 motherboard, card slots, expansion card slots, expansion cards, heat sink, memory modules