# Need help finding a motherboard manual **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 21, 2004, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-finding-a-motherboard-manual/225421 "2004-01-21T04:52:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2004, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-finding-a-motherboard-manual/225421/1 "2004-01-21T04:52:22Z")
There is, or at least was, a good web site for finding motherboard manuals, but I don’t remember the name, and I can’t find it when I try to look for it on Google. I’m trying to find a manual for a _Dell Optiplex GX1_ motherboard with an _Intel 8244OBX/ZX_ chipset. Any help is appreciated. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2004, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-finding-a-motherboard-manual/225421/2 "2004-01-21T05:30:56Z")
Have you considered contacting Dell? I doubt they would pubish their motherboard details far and wide, but at least make them available to owners of their computers. You could try searching just for the Intel chipset for at start. I did find [http://www.motherboards.org/](http://www.motherboards.org/) but I don’t think you will find it there. Same goes for [http://www.tomshardware.com/](http://www.tomshardware.com/) . I’m going to assume Dell keeps the details in-house. ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2004, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-finding-a-motherboard-manual/225421/3 "2004-01-21T05:35:18Z")
> [@Duckster](#): > > Have you considered contacting Dell? I doubt they would pubish their motherboard details far and wide, but at least make them available to owners of their computers. > > You could try searching just for the Intel chipset for at start. > > I did find [http://www.motherboards.org/](http://www.motherboards.org/) but I don’t think you will find it there. Same goes for [http://www.tomshardware.com/](http://www.tomshardware.com/) . I’m going to assume Dell keeps the details in-house. Well, I bought the computer used, so I don’t think that Dell would want to give very much support to someone who didn’t pay them directly. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2004, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-finding-a-motherboard-manual/225421/4 "2004-01-21T05:49:02Z")
> [@Joel](#): > > Well, I bought the computer used, so I don’t think that Dell would want to give very much support to someone who didn’t pay them directly. I have that exact same model, and I didn’t pay a dime for it (it was uhm…donated) and I was able to find tons of info on [http://support.dell.com](http://support.dell.com). You don’t have to be using the machine itself to log on and get info on it, although you have the option to get exact machine info if you surf over there and sign up using the machine. Their support forums are pretty rockin’ too. Ask there if you need the manual, they’ll point you to it. You can go right to the Optiplex forum. ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2004, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-finding-a-motherboard-manual/225421/5 "2004-01-21T05:51:58Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > I have that exact same model, and I didn’t pay a dime for it (it was uhm…donated) and I was able to find tons of info on [http://support.dell.com](http://support.dell.com). You don’t have to be using the machine itself to log on and get info on it, although you have the option to get exact machine info if you surf over there and sign up using the machine. > > Their support forums are pretty rockin’ too. Ask there if you need the manual, they’ll point you to it. You can go right to the Optiplex forum. I’ll give it a try right now. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2004, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-finding-a-motherboard-manual/225421/6 "2004-01-21T05:57:19Z")
I tried [http://support.dell.com/](http://support.dell.com/) and it’s funny, every time I click the Home and Home Office link, I just keep getting redirected right back to that same page. I can’t get past it. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2004, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-finding-a-motherboard-manual/225421/7 "2004-01-21T06:09:35Z")
> [@Joel](#): > > I tried [http://support.dell.com/](http://support.dell.com/) and it’s funny, every time I click the Home and Home Office link, I just keep getting redirected right back to that same page. I can’t get past it. Worked for me. Try [this page](http://docs.us.dell.com/docs/systems/ban_gx1/). ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2004, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-finding-a-motherboard-manual/225421/8 "2004-01-21T06:14:55Z")
> [@Q.E.D.](#): > > Worked for me. Try [this page](http://docs.us.dell.com/docs/systems/ban_gx1/). Thanks. I think I figured out the problem. I’m automatically deciding whether or not to allow cookies. I didn’t allow Dell cookies, but when when I changed that, everything seems to be working fine now. I also signed up for the support forum, so I can ask there if I need to.