Precision m6500 and USB 3.0

I've got a couple of discarded Precision m6500 laptops and am trying to combine the best pieces into one. Both laptops were ordered with factory quad-core i7 processors. On m6500, which is dead, is equipped with the USB 3.0 option. The other, working one, does not have it.

So, I'm wondering, does the USB 3.0 one have a different motherboard or is the left I/O card the only difference? In other words, if I swap the I/O boards, would I gain USB 3.0?

Thanks...

 

Just speculating (I don't have a definitive answer):

I know that USB 3.0 was added as a feature option to the M6500 after its initial launch. The M6500 was originally released in December 2009, but USB 3.0 products did not hit the market until early 2010. Because of this timing, early M6500s simply could not have a USB 3.0 controller.

The left I/O board doesn't do much aside from provide the hardware needed the left ports hooked up to the the motherboard (where the USB controller would be). I think it's unlikely that just swapping out the left I/O board will get you working USB 3.0; more likely a full motherboard swap would be needed.

 

havoctex (now Dell-Mano_G from Dell Precision team) mentioned way back in 2010 about a kit (daughter board) that could be ordered as an upgrade for those that bought the M6500 prior to it being offered with NEC USB 3.0.

refer to these posts and their surrounding posts for context. Also search that thread for "3.0" and you'll see a slew of people asking same questions.
http://forum.notebookreview.com/threads/new-m6500-discussion-thread.439109/page-437#post-6517536
http://forum.notebookreview.com/threads/new-m6500-discussion-thread.439109/page-438#post-6518011
http://forum.notebookreview.com/threads/new-m6500-discussion-thread.439109/page-438#post-6518314

The part#s in these old posts probably won't resolve to an actual part anymore. As to if it will actually work?... you may have to search for the latest working NEC USB 3.0 driver. Others had problems getting it to work after installing the daughter board. See here:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/threads/new-m6500-discussion-thread.439109/page-542#post-7149812

I never did the upgrade so I can't say if it actually would work. Could try contacting some of those people to see how it turned out.