Dimension 8300 - Back to Home
Sometime in 2018 or 2019, when I first started hoarding computer equipment, I got a Dell Dimension 8300 from a neighbor who was going to throw it away. I previously used it on the setup where the HP Pavilion 7840 is now, but it's been collecting dust on a table for the last 6-8 months.
This machine has been in bad shape for most of its life. I accidentally broke one of the optical drives, and I ended up just removing both drives. The old install of XP it had was wrecked by malware, too. Fake antiviruses everywhere you looked.
I forgot most of the specs, because it's been so long since I've used it. This is all I know:
- Pentium 4
- 2.25GB RAM (1GB+1GB+256MB)
- 500GB HDD
- GeForce 4 MX 420
These old Dells used a weird clamshell design that made them very hard to work on. Definitely not my favorite case on the planet.
As I expected, the capacitors in this machine have gone bad. Many 2000s PCs suffered this, but Dell had particularly bad luck. Basically all of the 2003-2005 Dell computers that I see have failing caps. I might try and attempt a recap at some point, purely for fun.
Half the RAM slots are tilted to the side for some reason. Why Dell did this is a mystery to me. Someone installed a 256MB module alongside the original 1GB modules, giving it the unusual amount of 2.25GB RAM. I removed the 256MB one because I might want it for another PC.
If I end up wanting to use this computer for anything important (unlikely) then step one would be a very deep clean. The inside of the case is dustier than I've ever seen, you can see the spot where I wiped it with my finger for comparison.
Oh yeah, and I ripped off the Pentium 4 sticker a while ago, so I replaced it with an Atom sticker from an Acer Eee PC.