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Installing Drives: Dell OptiPlex GX1 Low-Profile Managed PC Systems

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Installing Drives: Dell™ OptiPlex™ GX1 Low-Profile Managed PC Systems


Overview

Your Dell computer has three drive bays for installing the following types of drives (see Figure 1)

  • The externally accessible drive bays at the front of the computer consist of one 3.5-inch drive bay (dedicated to a 3.5-inch diskette drive) and one 5.25-inch bay that can hold one half-height, 5.25-inch device—typically a tape drive or CD-ROM drive. Alternately, a 3.5-inch device can be installed in the 5.25-inch bay using adapters available from Dell.
  • The hard-disk drive bay (located to the left of the externally accessible drive bays) can hold a 3.5-inch enhanced integrated drive electronics (EIDE) or small computer system interface (SCSI) hard-disk drive.

The next two subsections contain information that you will need in several of the installation procedures described later in this section. The remaining subsections cover each type of drive installation.

NOTE: In all of the following procedures, left and right refer to your left and right as you face the front of the computer.

 

Figure 1. Drive Locations


Removing and Replacing Front-Panel Inserts

Empty drive bays contain a front-panel insert to protect the inside of the computer from dust particles and ensure proper airflow within the computer. Before you install a drive in an empty drive bay, you must first remove the front-panel insert.

To remove the insert covering a 5.25-inch bay, follow these steps:

CAUTION: Before you remove the computer cover, see "Safety First — For You and Your Computer."
  1. Turn off the system, including any attached peripherals, and disconnect all the AC power cables from their power sources.

  2. Remove the computer cover as instructed in "Removing the Computer Cover."

  3. Lay the computer cover upside down on a flat work surface, with the front of the cover facing toward you.

  4. With your thumbs, press in each end of the insert until it snaps free of the cover (see Figure 2).

  5. Figure 2. Removing the Front-Panel Insert for a 5.25-Inch Bay

To replace a front-panel insert for a 5.25-inch bay, work from inside the cover. Position the insert behind the bay opening, insert the two ring-tabs (one on each end of the insert) over the posts on the inside of the opening, and firmly press both ends of the insert into place (see Figure 2).

To remove the insert covering the 3.5-inch bay, follow these steps:

  1. Complete steps 1 and 2 of the procedure for removing a 5.25-inch insert.

  2. Inside the cover, locate the eject button mechanism for the 3.5-inch bay (see Figure 3). Press the mechanism toward the front panel to snap the plastic insert out of its opening.

  3. Figure 3. Removing the Front-Panel Insert for the 3.5-Inch Bay

To replace the front-panel insert for the 3.5-inch bay, work from outside the cover. Place the insert in position, and press it into the opening.


Connecting Drives

When installing a drive, you connect two cables—a DC power cable and an interface cable—to the back of the drive. Your drive's power input connector (to which you connect the DC power cable) resembles the connector shown in Figure 4.

Figure 4. DC Power Cable Connector

The drive's interface connector is a card-edge connector or a header connector, as shown in Figure 5.

Figure 5. Drive Interface Connectors

When attaching the interface cable to a drive, be sure to match the colored strip on the cable to pin 1 of the drive's interface connector. For the location of pin 1 on the drive's interface connector, see the documentation that came with the drive.

When disconnecting an interface cable from the system board, be sure to press in on the locking tabs on the cable connector before disconnecting the cable. When attaching an interface cable to the system board, be sure that the locking tabs snap into place, ensuring that the cable is firmly attached to the connector on the system board.

NOTICE: When connecting an interface cable, do not reverse the interface cable (do not place the colored strip away from pin 1 of the connector). Reversing the cable prevents the drive from operating and could damage the controller, the drive, or both.

Most interface connectors are keyed for correct insertion; that is, a notch or a missing pin on one connector matches a tab or a filled-in hole on the other connector (see Figure 5). Keying ensures that the pin-1 wire in the cable (indicated by the colored strip along one edge of the cable) goes to the pin-1 end of the connector.

The pin-1 end of a card-edge connector is usually identified by a notch cut about a quarter of an inch from the end of the connector, as shown in Figure 5. A header connector is usually keyed by the omission of one of its pins (see Figure 5), with the corresponding hole filled in on the connector cable.

The pin-1 end of a connector on a board or a card is usually indicated by a silk-screened "1" printed directly on the board or card.


Installing a Drive in the 5.25-Inch Drive Bay

The 5.25-inch drive bays can accommodate any of the following types of drives:

  • A diskette drive or tape drive that uses the diskette/tape drive interface on the system board
  • A CD-ROM or tape drive that uses an EIDE interface on the system board
  • A CD-ROM or tape drive that uses its own controller card
NOTE: For information on configuring, connecting, and installing SCSI drives, see "Installing SCSI Devices."
CAUTION: To avoid the possibility of electric shock, turn off the computer and any peripherals, disconnect them from their electrical outlets, and then wait at least 5 seconds before you remove the computer cover. Also, before you install an expansion card, see "Safety First — For You and Your Computer."

To install a drive in a 5.25-inch drive bay, follow these steps.

NOTICE: When you unpack the drive, do not set it on a hard surface, which may damage the drive. Instead, set the drive on a surface, such as a foam pad, that will sufficiently cushion it.
  1. Unpack the drive and prepare it for installation.
  2. Check the documentation that accompanied the drive to verify that the drive is configured for your computer system. Change any settings necessary for your configuration.

    NOTE: If you are installing a non-EIDE tape drive, check the documentation for the drive to determine the jumper or switch settings used to designate the drive as drive address DS4 (not DS2 or DS3 as may be indicated in the drive documentation). Unless the drive is already set to drive 4, reconfigure its jumper or switch setting (see "Jumpers.")

    If you are installing an EIDE CD-ROM or EIDE tape drive, configure the drive for the Cable Select setting.

  3. Remove the computer cover as instructed in "Removing the Computer Cover."

  4. Remove the 3.5-inch diskette drive/bracket assembly.

    Press outward on the two tabs on the left side of the drive bay to disengage the bracket from the chassis (see Figure 6). Then rotate the bracket upward, and remove it from the chassis.
  5. Figure 6. Removing the 3.5-Inch Diskette Drive/Bracket Assembly

  6. Lift the 5.25-inch drive bracket straight up and out of the chassis (see Figure 7).

    If a drive is already installed in the bay and you are replacing it, be sure to disconnect the DC power cable and interface cable from the back of the drive before removing the drive/bracket assembly. To remove the old drive from the bracket, turn the drive/bracket assembly upside down and unscrew the four screws that secure the drive to the bracket (see Figure 7).

    Figure 7. Removing the 5.25-Inch Diskette Drive/Bracket

  7. Attach the bracket to the new drive.

    Turn the drive upside down, and locate the four screw holes around its perimeter. Fit the bracket over the drive so that the notched end aligns with the front of the drive.

    Use the score marks on the drive bracket to help align the screw holes on the drive with the screw holes on the bracket (see Figure 8).

    Figure 8. Installing the 5.25-Inch Diskette Drive Bracket

    To further ensure proper positioning of the drive in the chassis, insert and tighten all four screws in the order in which the holes are numbered (the holes are marked "1" through "4").

  8. Reinstall the 5.25-inch drive/bracket assembly in the chassis.

    Align the notches on the front of the drive bracket (see Figure 8) with the front of the computer. Hold the bracket level, and lower the assembly straight down into place (see Figure 9).

    Figure 9. Inserting the Drive into the Drive Bay

  9. If you are installing a drive that has its own controller card, install the controller card in an expansion slot.
  10. See "Installing an Expansion Card."

  11. Connect a DC power cable to the power input connector on the back of the drive (see Figure 10).

  12. NOTICE: You must match the colored strip on the cable with pin 1 on the drive's interface connector to avoid possible damage to your system.

  13. Connect the appropriate interface cable to the interface connector on the back of the drive (see Figure 10).

    If your system came with an EIDE CD-ROM or tape drive, use the spare connector on the existing interface cable. Otherwise, use the EIDE interface cable provided in the drive kit.

    Figure 10. Attaching Cables to a Drive in the 5.25-Inch Drive Bay

  14. For an EIDE tape drive or CD-ROM drive, connect the other end of the interface cable to the interface connector labeled "IDE2" on the system board.
  15. For a diskette drive or non-EIDE tape drive, connect the cable from the drive to the interface connector labeled "DSKT" on the system board.

    For a drive that comes with its own controller card, connect the other end of the interface cable to the controller card.

    Check all cable connections. Fold cables out of the way to provide airflow for the fan and cooling vents.

  16. If the 5.25-inch drive bay was previously empty, remove the front-panel insert from the computer cover.
  17. See "Removing and Replacing Front-Panel Inserts."

  18. Replace the computer cover.

    If the bezel on your drive is not flush with the bezel on your computer, remove the drive and adjust the position of the drive on the bracket, making sure to insert and tighten the screws in the order marked. Replace the drive in the drive bay, and then replace the computer cover.

  19. Reconnect your computer and peripherals to an electrical outlet and turn them on.

  20. NOTE: If Enabled, the Chassis Intrusion option will cause the following message to be displayed at the next system start-up:

    ALERT! Cover was previously removed.

     

  21. Enter the System Setup program and update your system configuration information.
  22. For a diskette drive, update the appropriate Diskette Drive option (A or B) on Page 1 of the System Setup screens to reflect the size and capacity of your new diskette drive.

    If you installed a non-EIDE tape drive as the second drive, set the Diskette Drive B option to Not Installed.

    For EIDE CD-ROM and tape drives, set the appropriate Drive option (0 or 1) under Drives: Secondary to Auto.

  23. Run the Dell Diagnostics to verify that your system works correctly.
  24. See your Diagnostics and Troubleshooting Guide for information on running the Dell Diagnostics and troubleshooting any problems that may occur. Use the following guidelines to determine which test to use:

    • If you installed a diskette drive, test it by running all of the subtests in the Diskette Drive(s) Test Group of the Dell Diagnostics.
    • If you installed a CD-ROM drive, see the documentation that came with the drive for instructions on loading device drivers and using the drive. If it is an EIDE CD-ROM drive, test it by running all of the subtests in the IDE CD-ROM Drives Test Group of the Dell Diagnostics.
    • If you installed a tape drive, first verify that your diskette drive is still operating correctly by running all of the subtests in the Diskette Drive(s) Test Group of the Dell Diagnostics. Then perform a tape backup and verification test with the drive as instructed in the tape-drive software documentation that came with the tape drive.
    NOTE: The tape drives sold by Dell come with their own operating software and documentation. After you install a tape drive, refer to the documentation that came with the drive for instructions on installing and using the tape drive software.

Installing an EIDE Hard-Disk Drive

This section includes information on installing, partitioning, and formatting EIDE hard-disk drives. An EIDE drive (which must be 1-inch high or less) can be installed in the hard-disk drive bracket in the left front corner of the chassis. For instructions on installing, partitioning, and formatting SCSI hard-disk drives, see "Installing SCSI Devices."

EIDE Drive Addressing

All EIDE devices should be configured for the Cable Select jumper position, which assigns master and slave status to devices by their position on the interface cable. When two EIDE devices are connected to a single EIDE cable and are configured for the Cable Select jumper position, the device attached to the last connector on the interface cable is the master, or boot, device (drive 0) and the device attached to the middle connector on the interface cable is the slave device (drive 1). Refer to the drive documentation in your upgrade kit for information on setting devices to the Cable Select jumper position.

NOTE: If you want to install a second EIDE drive that is a different type from the first drive but you do not have the specifications for the first drive, do one of the following:
  • If you purchased the drive from Dell, you can contact Dell for the necessary reconfiguration information. (See the chapter titled "Getting Help" in the Diagnostics and Troubleshooting Guide for instructions on obtaining technical assistance.)
  • If you did not purchase the drive from Dell, call the drive manufacturer.

With the two EIDE interface connectors on the system board, your system can support up to four EIDE devices. EIDE hard-disk drives should be connected to the EIDE interface connector labeled "IDE1." (EIDE tape drives and CD-ROM drives should be connected to the EIDE interface connector labeled "IDE2.")

Installing an EIDE Hard-Disk Drive in the Hard-Disk Drive Bracket

CAUTION: To avoid the possibility of electric shock, turn off the computer and any peripherals, disconnect them from their electrical outlets, and then wait at least 5 seconds before you remove the computer cover. Also, before you install an expansion card, see "Safety First — For You and Your Computer."

Install an EIDE hard-disk drive in the hard-disk drive bracket as follows:

  1. If you are replacing a hard-disk drive that contains data you want to keep, be sure to make a backup of your files before you begin this procedure.

  2. NOTICE: When you unpack the drive, do not set it on a hard surface, which may damage the drive. Instead, set the drive on a surface, such as a foam pad, that will sufficiently cushion it.

  3. Unpack the drive and prepare it for installation.
  4. Check the documentation that accompanied the drive to verify that the drive is configured for your computer system. Change any settings necessary for your configuration.

    NOTE: If you are installing a non-EIDE tape drive, check the documentation for the drive to determine the jumper or switch settings used to designate the drive as drive address DS4 (not DS2 or DS3 as may be indicated in the drive documentation). Unless the drive is already set to drive 4, reconfigure its jumper or switch setting (see "Jumpers.")

    If you are installing an EIDE CD-ROM or EIDE tape drive, configure the drive for the Cable Select setting.

  1. Remove the computer cover as instructed in "Removing the Computer Cover."

  1. Remove the expansion-card cage as instructed in "Removing and Replacing the Expansion-Card Cage."

  2. Remove the hard-disk drive bracket from the chassis.
  3. If a hard-disk drive is already installed on the drive bracket and you are replacing it, disconnect the DC power cable and EIDE cable from the drive. Loosen the captive screw that secures the hard-disk drive bracket to the chassis. Then rotate the bracket upward, and lift it out of the chassis (see Figure 11). Detach the hard-disk drive from the bracket by removing the four screws.

    Figure 11. Removing the Hard-Disk Drive Bracket

  1. Secure the drive bracket to the new drive.
  2. Turn the drive upside down, and locate the four screw holes around its perimeter.

    Orient the drive bracket so that the end labeled "CONNECTOR" faces the side of the drive containing the interface and power connectors. Place the bracket on the drive, and secure it with four screws (see Figure 12).

    Figure 12. Securing the Hard-Disk Drive to the Bracket

  3. Reinstall the hard-disk drive/bracket assembly in the chassis.

    Grasp the bracket by the tab containing the captive screw, and hold the bracket at a 45-degree angle to the chassis floor. Align the two tabs on the other side of the bracket with the score marks on the chassis floor. Insert the two tabs into the slots in the chassis floor divider, and rotate the assembly downward. Then tighten the captive screw until the bracket is securely fastened to the chassis floor (see Figure 11).

    NOTICE: You must match the colored strip on the EIDE cable with pin 1 on the drive's interface connector to avoid possible damage to your system.

  4. Connect one end of the EIDE cable to the 40-pin interface connector on the back of the hard-disk drive (see Figure 13).
  5. The cable is keyed so that the colored edge of the EIDE cable lines up with the pin-1 end of the interface connector.

Figure 13. Attaching Hard-Disk Drive Cables

  1. If it is not already connected, connect the other end of the EIDE cable to the IDE1 connector on the system board.
NOTICE: You must match the colored strip on the EIDE cable with pin 1 on the system board connector to avoid possible damage to your system.

To locate the system board IDE connector, see "System Board Features."

  1. Connect a DC power cable to the power input connector on the back of the drive (see Figure 13).
  2. Check all connectors to be certain that they are properly cabled and firmly seated.

  3. Replace the expansion-card cage as instructed in "Replacing the Expansion-Card Cage."

  4. Replace the computer cover, and reconnect your computer and peripherals to their power sources.

  5. Turn on the peripherals connected to the computer.

  6. Start the computer system.

    NOTE: If the drive you just installed is the primary drive and no operating system is installed, you must start the computer using a bootable diskette or CD.

     

    • To boot the system from a diskette, insert a bootable diskette (such as an operating system installation or recovery diskette) into diskette drive A, and turn on the computer.

    • To boot the system from a CD, enter the System Setup program and set the Boot Sequence to CD-ROM First. Insert a bootable CD (such as an operating system installation CD or the Dell ResourceCD) into CD-ROM drive, and turn on the computer.

  7. NOTE: If Enabled, the Chassis Intrusion option will cause the following message to be displayed at the next system start-up:

    ALERT! Cover was previously removed.

     

  8. Enter the System Setup program and update the Drives: Primary and Secondary options.
  9. After you update the System Setup options, reboot the system.

  10. Partition and logically format your drive, as described in "Partitioning and Logically Formatting Your EIDE Hard-Disk Drive," before proceeding to the next step.

  11. Run the Hard-Disk Drive(s) Test Group in the Dell Diagnostics to verify that the new hard-disk drive is operating properly.
  12. See your Diagnostics and Troubleshooting Guide for information on running the Dell Diagnostics and troubleshooting any problems that may occur.

  13. If the drive you just installed is the primary drive, install the operating system on the hard-disk drive.
  14. Refer to the documentation that came with the operating system.

Partitioning and Logically Formatting Your EIDE Hard-Disk Drive

EIDE hard-disk drives must be physically formatted, partitioned, and logically formatted before they can be used to store data. Every hard-disk drive from Dell is physically formatted before it is sent to you.

NOTE: On systems with hard-disk drives larger than 2 gigabytes (GB), create a primary partition of 2 GB and divide the remaining capacity into partitions of 2 GB or less. For example, a system with a 2.5-GB hard-disk drive would have a primary partition of 2 GB (drive C) and a second partition of 500 megabytes (MB) (drive D).
Hard-disk drives must be partitioned this way because MS-DOS®-based operating systems (including Microsoft® Windows NT® when you use a file allocation table [FAT] 16 file system) do not support drive partitions larger than 2 GB.

To partition and logically format your hard-disk drive, use the program(s) offered by your operating system.

For MS-DOS, use the fdisk and format commands to perform these procedures. The fdisk and format commands are described in the MS-DOS reference documentation.

NOTICE: If you format your hard-disk drive under the OS/2 High Performance File System (HPFS), you cannot reformat the drive for MS-DOS without losing all HPFS data. See your OS/2 documentation for details.

For OS/2®, see the discussion on partitioning and logical formatting in the documentation that came with the operating system.

NOTICE: If you format your hard-disk drive under the Windows NT File System (NTFS), you cannot reformat the drive for MS-DOS without losing all NTFS data. See your Windows NT documentation for details.

For Windows NT, see the discussion on partitioning and logical formatting in the documentation that came with the operating system.

For the UNIX® operating system, refer to your UNIX documentation.


Installing SCSI Devices

To use SCSI devices in your Dell computer, you must have a SCSI host adapter card, which comes with its own SCSI cable. This cable can be used to attach a variety of SCSI devices (hard-disk drives, tape drives, and so on). The SCSI host adapter configures the devices attached to it as one subsystem—not as independent devices.

Although SCSI devices are installed essentially the same way as other devices, their configuration requirements are different.

SCSI Configuration Guidelines

For details on configuring your SCSI subsystem, refer to the documentation that came with your SCSI devices and/or your host adapter card. The following subsections offer some general guidelines.

SCSI ID Numbers

Each device attached to a SCSI host adapter card, as well as the card itself, must have a unique SCSI ID number from 0 to 7. When SCSI devices are shipped from Dell, the default SCSI ID numbers are assigned as follows:

  • A SCSI host adapter card is configured as SCSI ID 7 (typically the default ID for a host adapter card).
  • A SCSI tape drive or digital audio tape (DAT) drive is configured as SCSI ID 6 (typically the default ID number for a tape drive).
  • A SCSI CD-ROM drive is configured as SCSI ID 5.
  • SCSI hard-disk drives are usually configured as SCSI ID 0. (The drive used to boot your system should always be configured as SCSI ID 0.)
NOTE: There is no requirement that SCSI ID numbers be assigned sequentially or that devices be attached to the cable in order by ID number.
SCSI Cable and SCSI Termination

The type of cabling you receive with your SCSI device depends on the type of device you are installing.

  • If you are installing internal SCSI devices (such as CD-ROM, hard-disk, or tape drives), you have internal SCSI cables as shown in Figure 14. Narrow SCSI devices use a 50-pin cable; wide SCSI devices use a 68-pin SCSI cable. One end of each cable attaches to the SCSI host adapter. The connectors on the other end of the cable attach to the internal SCSI devices.
  • If you are installing an external SCSI device, you have a shielded external cable that connects to the external SCSI connector on the SCSI host adapter card. You have a separate power cable to connect the SCSI device to an AC power source.

Before installing SCSI devices in your computer, you may need to configure the termination on your SCSI device(s). Both types of internal SCSI cables contain terminators on the device end of the cables, so the devices connected to these cables must have termination disabled (see Figure 14). External SCSI cables do not have terminators, so termination must be enabled on the SCSI device itself.

Figure 14. Internal SCSI Cables

fig7-14.gif (7074 bytes)

NOTICE: Do not connect devices to all three connectors (internal narrow connector, internal wide connector, and external connector) on a single SCSI host adapter card. Such a configuration is a violation of the SCSI specification. You can safely connect devices to any two of these three connectors on a single SCSI host adapter card.

If you are installing only internal SCSI devices, verify that termination is enabled on the SCSI host adapter and disabled for all other internal SCSI devices. If you are installing both internal and external SCSI devices, verify that termination is enabled on the external SCSI device and disabled for the SCSI host adapter and all internal SCSI devices.

General Procedure for Installing SCSI Devices

CAUTION: To avoid the possibility of electric shock, turn off the computer and any peripherals, disconnect them from their electrical outlets, and then wait at least 5 seconds before you remove the computer cover. Also, before you install an expansion card, see "Safety First — For You and Your Computer."

Configure and install one or more SCSI devices in your computer as follows:

  1. Determine which connector on the internal SCSI cable you will attach to each SCSI device.

    See "SCSI Configuration Guidelines."

    NOTICE: When you unpack the drive, do not set it on a hard surface, which may damage the drive. Instead, set the drive on a surface, such as a foam pad, that will sufficiently cushion it.
  1. Unpack each SCSI device and prepare it for installation.

    Configure the device for a SCSI ID number and, if necessary, enable or disable termination. For instructions, see the documentation that came with the SCSI device and "SCSI Configuration Guidelines."

  2. Remove the computer cover as instructed in "Removing the Computer Cover."

  3. If you are installing a SCSI host adapter card, configure the adapter card.

    For instructions on configuring the card, see the documentation that came with the adapter card and "SCSI Configuration Guidelines."

  4. Install the SCSI devices as appropriate.
  1. If you are installing a new SCSI host adapter card, install it in an expansion slot now.

    See "Installing an Expansion Card."

    If a SCSI host adapter card is already installed, remove, reconfigure, and reinstall the card at this time. See the documentation that came with the SCSI host adapter card, "Removing an Expansion Card," and "Installing an Expansion Card."

    Connect the hard-disk drive access cable to the SCSI host adapter card and to the HDLED connector on the riser board (see "Riser-Board Expansion-Card Connectors"). This cable carries a signal from the SCSI host adapter card to the hard-disk drive access indicator on the computer's front panel whenever one of the SCSI hard-disk drives is accessed.

  2. Attach a SCSI cable to each SCSI device.

    For additional instructions on connecting SCSI devices, see "SCSI Cable and SCSI Termination."

    NOTICE: You must match the colored strip on the cable with pin 1 on the drive's interface connector to avoid possible damage to your system.

    If you are installing an internal SCSI device, firmly press the SCSI cable's header connector onto the 50- or 68-pin connector on the back of the device.

    The connectors on narrow SCSI cables are keyed for proper positioning - a raised area on the outside of the header connector fits into a notch on the device connector. The connectors on wide SCSI cables are shaped so that they can be attached one way only.

    If you are installing an external SCSI device, connect one end of the external SCSI cable to the SCSI bus connector on the back of the device.

  3. Attach the SCSI cable to the connector on the SCSI host adapter card.

    NOTICE: You must match the colored strip on the internal SCSI cable with pin 1 on the adapter card connector to avoid possible damage to your system.

    • If you are installing an internal SCSI device, connect the colored edge on the internal SCSI cable to the pin-1 end of the 50-pin connector (for a narrow SCSI device) or the 68-pin connector (for a wide SCSI device) on the adapter card, and then press the cable connector firmly onto the adapter card connector.
    • If you are installing an external SCSI device, connect the other end of the external SCSI cable to the external connector on the adapter card.

    For additional instructions, see the documentation that came with the adapter card.

  4. Connect the SCSI device(s) to power.
    • If you are installing an internal SCSI device, connect a DC power cable to the power input connector on the SCSI device.
    • If you are installing an external SCSI device, connect the socket end of the power cable into the AC power receptacle on the back of the SCSI device. Connect the other end of the power cable into a standard electrical wall outlet.

    Check all other cable connections. Fold all internal cables out of the way to provide airflow for the fan or cooling vents.

  5. If you installed an externally accessible device, remove a front-panel insert for the drive bay.

    See "Removing and Replacing Front-Panel Inserts" for instructions.

  6. Replace the computer cover, and reconnect your computer and peripherals to their power sources.

  7. Turn on the peripherals connected to the computer.

  8. Start the computer system.

    NOTE: If the device you just installed is the primary hard-disk drive and no operating system is installed, you must start the computer using a bootable diskette or CD.

     

    • To boot the system from a diskette, insert a bootable diskette (such as an operating system installation or recovery diskette) into diskette drive A, and turn on the computer.

    • To boot the system from a CD, enter the System Setup program and set the Boot Sequence to CD-ROM First. Insert a bootable CD (such as an operating system installation CD or the Dell ResourceCD) into CD-ROM drive, and turn on the computer.

  9. NOTE: If Enabled, the Chassis Intrusion option will cause the following message to be displayed at the next system start-up:

    ALERT! Cover was previously removed.

     

  10. If necessary, enter the System Setup program and update the system configuration information.

    If you installed a SCSI hard-disk drive, set the Drive Type option for the appropriate drive under
    Drives: Primary and Secondary to None.

    NOTE: Tape drives attached to a SCSI host adapter card are not part of the system configuration information.

    After you update the System Setup options, reboot the system.

  11. If you installed a SCSI hard-disk drive, partition and format the drive, as described in "Partitioning and Formatting SCSI Hard-Disk Drives," before proceeding to the next step.

  12. Run the SCSI Device(s) test group of the Dell Diagnostics to verify that the new SCSI device is operating properly.

    See your Diagnostics and Troubleshooting Guide for information on running the Dell Diagnostics and troubleshooting any problems that may occur.

    To test a SCSI tape drive, refer to the documentation for the tape drive software to perform a tape drive backup and verification test.

  13. If the device you just installed is the primary hard-disk drive, install the operating system on the hard-disk drive.

    Refer to the documentation that came with the operating system.

Partitioning and Formatting SCSI Hard-Disk Drives

You may need to use different programs than those provided with the operating system to partition and format SCSI hard-disk drives. Refer to the documentation that came with your SCSI software drivers for information on installing the appropriate drivers and preparing your SCSI hard-disk drive for use.

NOTE: On systems with hard-disk drives larger than 2 GB, create a primary partition of 2 GB and divide the remaining capacity into partitions of 2 GB or less. For example, a system with a 2.5-GB hard-disk drive would have a primary partition of 2 GB (drive C) and a second partition of 500 MB (drive D). Hard-disk drives must be partitioned this way because MS-DOS-based operating systems (including Windows NT when using a FAT16 file system) do not support drive partitions larger than 2 GB.

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