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This tutorial explains how you can upgrade your Dell Inspiron E1705 a.k.a. Inspiron 9400 by replacing the graphics card and installing more memory.
Dell has done something great here, a laptop that is user-serviceable and user-upgradable…Tonight, I ventured into wild with a few components and upgrades not normally available.
Dell Inspiron E1705/9400 laptop has two user-accessible memory slots. According to Dell specifications, you can install up 2GB into this unit (up to 1GB into each slot). You should use PC2-5400 DDR-II 667MHz modules.
Even though Dell says that you cannot install more then 2GB, the author of this tutorial installed 4GB (two 2GB modules) into his laptop.
The issue with a lot of bios’ out there (desktops, laptops, and even the XPS-line of previous laptops) is that they do not allow full access to all 4096 MB of ram – if you were to stick in 4GB of ram. The E1705 is one of them, and limits you to utilizing only 3.2 GB of ram available to the OS.
In addition to memory upgrade, the author was able to replace his ATI Mobility Radeon X1400 graphics card with a more powerful nVidia Quatro FX2500m 512MB graphics card. In order to install new graphics card, you’ll have to modify the laptop case.
Make sure to read through comments posted after the tutorial. You’ll have to install modified drivers to make your new graphics card to work correctly.
What you want to do is download a special “hacked” set. It’s basically the highend drivers from nvidia “desktop only” series of cards (laptops have lower-end versions). But with a slight tweak to the INI files to allow you to install it for your 2500m Quatra mobile edition.
Here’s another tutorial for upgrading the graphics card in a Dell Inspiron E1705 laptop, you’ll find it here. The author explains how to replace ATI x1400 graphics card with NVIDIA 7800go. In this tutorial you’ll find step-by-step laptop disassembly instructions, graphics card installation instructions and a few benchmarks to show you of the difference in performance.
The top picture in the x1400 that we removed, and the bottom picture is our new baby that is going into the e1705. The 7800go, while not the top of the line for NVIDIA mobile graphics anymore should be more than enough for the gamer that is taking his laptop on the road and will do some gaming. The installation of this card is no different than the x1400 as they use the same heat sink and assembly, so just pop it in, and then put everything back together.
ATI x1400 graphics card
NVIDIA 7800go graphics card
UPDATE: I just found another guide for Dell Inspiron E1705 (9400) users. This guide explains how to disassemble the laptop and replace the video card.
Originally, my notebook, a Dell Inspiron E1705 (9400), was equipped with a NVIDIA GeForce Go 7800 video card. In order to improve its graphical performance, I decided to replace it by a NVIDIA Geforce Go 7900 GTX.
Also, check out my new instructions for replacing a damaged keyboard in a Dell Inspiron 9400 laptop.
January 20th, 2011 at 1:43 am
Hi,
The 3.2Gb Limit is not an OS limitation. I have used Win XP x64 and Win 7 x64 on a dell inspiron 9400 and it is still limited to 3.2GB.
Has anyone managed to overcome this?
I was just wondering does installing the nVidia Quatro FX2500m 512MB graphics card pose any problems where the system limits performance, in the same way it limits memory.
Also I am told the best CPU is a T7600, but has anyone tried a faster CPU? after all Dell did say the system was limited to 2GB ram.
Cheers
Kenny
January 10th, 2011 at 8:13 pm
Geby,
Are you running a 64-bit version or Windows 7?
January 10th, 2011 at 5:28 pm
Hi! I got this upgrade but my dell 9400 use just 3.2Gb memory, help me why!?
Dell Isnpiron 9400
2x2Gb Ram
2Ghz 4Mb L2 chache cpu
Quadro FX 3500m 512mb vga
Windows 7 ulitmate
Help me please…
January 9th, 2011 at 1:09 pm
Tommy sunshine,
Are you running a 64-bit OS?
January 9th, 2011 at 3:34 am
and another thing! i now have 2 x 1gb 555 if anyone wants them, £10, i’ll check back in a few days and leave contact details if anyone does
January 9th, 2011 at 3:32 am
Oh, and something else, the nvidia issue are down to an incorrect temp table, cards are actually 8 oC hotter then listed unless you have the latest bios with new tables for card temp polling. update and ALWAYS use i8kfangui as the dell thresholds are far too relaxed for fan throttling (there is also a 64bit version knocking around)
January 9th, 2011 at 3:29 am
Hi, nice little guide, i have a small correction though, after installing 4gb myself, the 3.335 gb memory limit is not bios related, Dell screwed us over, the entire laptop is 64bit APART from the north bridge, which is 32 bit, so it hobbles the system, I’m calling Dell and complaining on Monday, I didn’t pay £1400 for a laptop that is not what is advertised.
January 6th, 2011 at 12:14 pm
Thanks for this – I thought I ordered TWO 1G memory cards but got ONE 2G card. I just installed it on one side. Is that okay?
When I started up my computer it’s going through a lot of tests and stuff, I suppose that’s normal? I’m not sure what’s supposed to happen after you turn it back on again…
December 8th, 2010 at 11:11 pm
MadCan,
I guess they didn’t have 2GB modules 4 years when they wrote specifications and couldn’t test.
December 8th, 2010 at 11:26 am
My E1705 has the ati graphic card which died just about the same time I received a post card regarding a class action lawsuit regarding laptop video cards: http://www.nvidiasettlement.com/index.html Unforutnately it is for those who have the Nvidia graphics card and not the ATI one. I’m posting it here in case someone else is interested in it. After reading the comments it looks like a lot of you with that Nvidia card were having repeat issues.
I’m not with the settlement, just passing along information I received in a postcard regarding my Dell E1705.