Back to Contents Page

PCI and PCI Express Cards

Dell™ Vostro™ 410 Service Manual

  Removing a PCI or PCI Express Card

  Installing a PCI or PCI Express Card

  Configuring Your Computer After Removing or Installing a PCI or PCI Express Card

CAUTION: Before working inside your computer, read the safety information that shipped with your computer. For additional safety best practices information, see the Regulatory Compliance Homepage at www.dell.com/regulatory_compliance.

CAUTION: To guard against electrical shock, always unplug your computer from the electrical outlet before removing the cover.

Your computer provides the following slots for PCI and PCI Express cards:

• One PCI Express x16 card slot (SLOT1)
  
  
• Two PCI Express x1 card slots (SLOT2, SLOT3)
  
  
• Three PCI card slots (SLOT4, SLOT5, SLOT6)
  
  

See System Board Components for card slot location.

Removing a PCI or PCI Express Card

1. Follow the procedures in Before Working on Your Computer.
   
   
2. Uninstall the card's driver and software from the operating system. For more information, see your Setup and Quick Reference Guide.
   
   
3. Remove the computer cover. See Removing the Computer Cover.
   
   
4. Remove the bracket screw securing the card to the chassis.
   
   

1	alignment bar	2	fully-seated card
3	not fully-seated card	4	bracket screw
5	bracket within slot	6	bracket caught outside of slot

5. If necessary, disconnect any cables connected to the card.
   
   
6. Remove the card:
   
   
   • For a PCI card, grasp the card by its top corners, and ease it out of its connector.
     
     
   • For a PCI Express card, pull the securing tab, grasp the card by its top corners, and then ease it out of its connector.
     
     
7. If you are removing the card permanently, install a filler bracket in the empty card-slot opening.
   
   

NOTE: Installing filler brackets over empty card-slot openings is necessary to maintain FCC certification of the computer. The brackets also keep dust and dirt out of your computer.

8. Perform the steps in the procedure After Working on Your Computer.
   
   
9. To complete the removal procedure, see Configuring Your Computer After Removing or Installing a PCI or PCI Express Card.
   
   

Installing a PCI or PCI Express Card

1. Follow the procedures in Before Working on Your Computer.
   
   
2. Remove the computer cover. See Removing the Computer Cover.
   
   
3. If you are installing a new card, remove the screw holding the expansion card filler bracket.
   
   
4. If you are replacing a card that is already installed in the computer, remove the card (see Removing a PCI or PCI Express Card).
   
   

NOTE: The position of the card shown in the illustration is indicative and may vary from the original.

5. Prepare the card for installation.
   
   

See the documentation that came with the card for information on configuring the card, making internal connections, or otherwise customizing it for your computer.

CAUTION: Some network adapters automatically start the computer when they are connected to a network. To guard against electrical shock, be sure to unplug your computer from its electrical outlet before installing any cards.

1	alignment bar	2	fully-seated card
3	not fully-seated card	4	bracket screw
5	bracket within slot	6	bracket caught outside of slot

6. If you are installing the PCI Express card into the x16 card connector, position the card so the securing slot is aligned with the securing tab.
   
   

1	PCI Express x16 card	2	PCI Express x16 card slot
3	securing tab	4	PCI Express x1 card slot
5	PCI Express x1 card	6	securing slot

7. Place the card in the connector and press down firmly. Ensure that the card is fully seated in the slot.
   
   
8. Replace and tighten the screw to secure the card in the slot.
   
   
9. Connect any cables that should be attached to the card.
   
   
10. See the documentation for the card for information about the card's cable connections.
    
    

NOTICE: Do not route card cables over or behind the cards. Cables routed over the cards can prevent the computer cover from closing properly or cause damage to the equipment.

11. Perform the steps in the procedure After Working on Your Computer.
    
    
12. Install any drivers required for the card as described in the card documentation.
    
    

Configuring Your Computer After Removing or Installing a PCI or PCI Express Card

NOTE: For information on location of connectors, see the Setup and Quick Reference Guide. For information on installing drivers and software for your card, see the documentation that shipped with the card.

	Installed	Removed
Sound Card	Enter system setup (see Entering System Setup) Go to Integrated Peripherals and select Onboard Audio Controller, and then change the setting to Disabled. Connect the external audio devices to the sound card's connectors.	Enter system setup (see Entering System Setup) Go to Integrated Peripherals and select Onboard Audio Controller, and then change the setting to Enabled. Connect the external audio devices to the computer's back panel connectors.
Network Card	Enter system setup (see Entering System Setup) Go to Integrated Peripherals and select Onboard LAN Controller, and then change the setting to Disabled, if you prefer not to use both interfaces. Connect the network cable to the network card's connector.	Enter system setup (see Entering System Setup) Go to Integrated Peripherals and select Onboard LAN Controller, and then change the setting to Enabled. Connect the network cable to the integrated network connector.

Back to Contents Page