Dimension 8400, video cards, and "fan alert"

[e***@bigfoot.com]

I know there's a well-known issue with Dell Dimension 8400's displaying
an alert that video cards requiring more than 75W require an extra fan
be installed. And I know that more often than not, installing the extra
fan doesn't actually make the alert go away.

All of the posts I've read about this issue so far involve installing a
3rd-party video card not purchased from Dell, and all of them involve
specifically an nVidia PCX5900-based card.

My question is - has anyone tried purchasing a higher-end PCI Express
video card (e.g. an nVidia GeForce 6800) *not from Dell*, installed the
extra fan the alert suggests, and *not* run into this problem (the
alert does not pop up every time you start up)?

What I'm trying to figure out is, if a Dimension 8400 owner doesn't
want to deal with this alert popping up every time the PC starts up, is
the only option to buy a video card from Dell? Or is this an issue only
with PCX5900 cards, and other non-Dell cards are ok?

[Patrick L. Parks]

Post by e***@bigfoot.com
I know there's a well-known issue with Dell Dimension 8400's displaying
an alert that video cards requiring more than 75W require an extra fan
be installed. And I know that more often than not, installing the extra
fan doesn't actually make the alert go away.
All of the posts I've read about this issue so far involve installing a
3rd-party video card not purchased from Dell, and all of them involve
specifically an nVidia PCX5900-based card.
My question is - has anyone tried purchasing a higher-end PCI Express
video card (e.g. an nVidia GeForce 6800) *not from Dell*, installed the
extra fan the alert suggests, and *not* run into this problem (the
alert does not pop up every time you start up)?
What I'm trying to figure out is, if a Dimension 8400 owner doesn't
want to deal with this alert popping up every time the PC starts up, is
the only option to buy a video card from Dell? Or is this an issue only
with PCX5900 cards, and other non-Dell cards are ok?

It totally depends upon the power draw of the card. for example, I
bought my 8400 with a GeForce 6800 (non-ultra) and it doesn't have the
extra card fan, nor do I get the message.

I started having problems with the 6800 and Dell sent me an ATI Radeon
X800XT, which also doesn't draw more than 75 watts and I don't get the
message.

You can find out more about this issue from http://forums.us.dell.com.
Look under dimension and then video.

There are many 3rd party cards which will NOT bring up this message.
Numerous posts on the Dell forums however show that once the message
does come up, even adding the H3840 Blower Fan does NOT eliminate the
message. Sounds like a BIOS based problem, but as far as I know they
haven't addressed this yet in a BIOS update.

Hope this helps.

[S.Lewis]

Post by e***@bigfoot.com
I know there's a well-known issue with Dell Dimension 8400's displaying
an alert that video cards requiring more than 75W require an extra fan
be installed. And I know that more often than not, installing the extra
fan doesn't actually make the alert go away.
All of the posts I've read about this issue so far involve installing a
3rd-party video card not purchased from Dell, and all of them involve
specifically an nVidia PCX5900-based card.
My question is - has anyone tried purchasing a higher-end PCI Express
video card (e.g. an nVidia GeForce 6800) *not from Dell*, installed the
extra fan the alert suggests, and *not* run into this problem (the
alert does not pop up every time you start up)?
What I'm trying to figure out is, if a Dimension 8400 owner doesn't
want to deal with this alert popping up every time the PC starts up, is
the only option to buy a video card from Dell? Or is this an issue only
with PCX5900 cards, and other non-Dell cards are ok?

It totally depends upon the power draw of the card. for example, I bought
my 8400 with a GeForce 6800 (non-ultra) and it doesn't have the extra card
fan, nor do I get the message.
I started having problems with the 6800 and Dell sent me an ATI Radeon
X800XT, which also doesn't draw more than 75 watts and I don't get the
message.
You can find out more about this issue from http://forums.us.dell.com.
Look under dimension and then video.
There are many 3rd party cards which will NOT bring up this message.
Numerous posts on the Dell forums however show that once the message does
come up, even adding the H3840 Blower Fan does NOT eliminate the message.
Sounds like a BIOS based problem, but as far as I know they haven't
addressed this yet in a BIOS update.
Hope this helps.

Perhaps clearing the system (BIOS) event log after the fan is added would do
the trick. That would be my first move, anyway...


Stew

[e***@bigfoot.com]

Post by Patrick L. Parks

Post by e***@bigfoot.com
I know there's a well-known issue with Dell Dimension 8400's

displaying

Post by Patrick L. Parks

Post by e***@bigfoot.com
an alert that video cards requiring more than 75W require an extra fan
be installed. And I know that more often than not, installing the extra
fan doesn't actually make the alert go away.
All of the posts I've read about this issue so far involve

installing a

Post by Patrick L. Parks

Post by e***@bigfoot.com
3rd-party video card not purchased from Dell, and all of them involve
specifically an nVidia PCX5900-based card.
My question is - has anyone tried purchasing a higher-end PCI Express
video card (e.g. an nVidia GeForce 6800) *not from Dell*, installed the
extra fan the alert suggests, and *not* run into this problem (the
alert does not pop up every time you start up)?
What I'm trying to figure out is, if a Dimension 8400 owner doesn't
want to deal with this alert popping up every time the PC starts up, is
the only option to buy a video card from Dell? Or is this an issue only
with PCX5900 cards, and other non-Dell cards are ok?

It totally depends upon the power draw of the card. for example, I
bought my 8400 with a GeForce 6800 (non-ultra) and it doesn't have the
extra card fan, nor do I get the message.
I started having problems with the 6800 and Dell sent me an ATI Radeon
X800XT, which also doesn't draw more than 75 watts and I don't get the
message.
You can find out more about this issue from

http://forums.us.dell.com.

Post by Patrick L. Parks
Look under dimension and then video.
There are many 3rd party cards which will NOT bring up this message.
Numerous posts on the Dell forums however show that once the message
does come up, even adding the H3840 Blower Fan does NOT eliminate the
message. Sounds like a BIOS based problem, but as far as I know they
haven't addressed this yet in a BIOS update.
Hope this helps.

Thank you for your response.

Unfortunately, before posting here I had spent a lot of time combing
through Dell's support forums. I have been unable to find any postings
from people with video cards not purchased through Dell who have not
run into this problem. That's really the purpose of my original post
here - to find out which, if any, non-Dell video cards don't exhibit
this issue.

If you can find any Dell forum postings from people with cards they did
not buy from Dell (or buy from Dell along with their PCs) that are not
experiencing this issue, please point me to them.

Thanks,
Ethan