CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions located in the Product Information Guide.
NOTICE: To prevent static damage to components inside your computer, discharge static electricity
from your body before you touch any of your computer's electronic components. You can do so by
touching an unpainted metal surface on the computer.
Your Dell™ computer provides the following slots for PCI and PCI Express cards:
If you are installing or replacing a card, follow the procedures in the next section. If you are removing but not replacing a card, see "Removing a PCI Card."
If you are replacing a card, remove the current driver for the card from the operating system.
NOTE: For your Dell Precision 370 desktop computer, Dell offers a customer kit for Audigy II and IEEE
1394 PCI add-in-cards that includes a cable to connect the card to the I/O panel that enables the front
mounted IEEE 1394 connector. You will need to remove the plug on the front of the computer, by grasping
the sides of the plug and pulling the plug straight out. For more information about connecting the card
cable to the I/O panel, see I/O Panel.
Press the lever on the card retention arm and raise the retention arm.
1
PCI card
4
filler bracket
2
edge connector
5
retention arm
3
card connector
6
lever
If you are installing a new card, remove the filler bracket to create a card-slot opening. Then
continue with step 5.
If you are replacing a card that is already installed in the computer, remove the card.
If necessary, disconnect any cables connected to the card. Grasp the card by its top corners, and ease it out of its connector.
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.
Place the card in the connector and press down firmly. Ensure that the card is fully seated in
the slot.
If the card is full-length, insert the end of the card into the card guide bracket as you lower the card toward its connector on the system board. Insert the card firmly into the card connector on the system board.
1
bracket within slot
2
bracket caught outside of slot
3
fully seated card
4
not fully seated card
Before you lower the retention arm, ensure that:
The tops of all cards and filler brackets are flush with the alignment bar.
The notch in the top of the card or filler bracket fits around the alignment guide.
Press the retention arm into place, securing the card(s) in the computer.
1
filler bracket
2
alignment bar
3
alignment guide
4
retention arm
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.
Connect any cables that should be attached to the card.
See the documentation for the card for information about the card's cable connections.
NOTICE: To connect a network cable, first plug the cable into the network wall jack and then plug it into
the computer.
Close the computer cover, reconnect the computer and devices to electrical outlets, and turn
them on.
If you installed a sound card:
Enter system setup, select Audio Controller, and change the setting to Off.
Connect external audio devices to the sound card's connectors. Do not connect external
audio devices to the microphone, speaker/headphone, or line-in connectors on the back
panel.
If you installed an add-in network adapter:
Enter system setup, select Network Controller, and change the setting to Off.
Connect the network cable to the add-in network adapter's connectors. Do not connect
the network cable to the integrated connector on the back panel.
Install any drivers required for the card as described in the card documentation.
Press the lever on the card retention arm and raise the retention arm.
If necessary, disconnect any cables connected to the card.
Grasp the card by its top corners, and ease it out of its connector.
If you are removing the card permanently, install a filler bracket in the empty card-slot
opening.
If you need a filler bracket, contact Dell.
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.
Lower the retention arm and press it into place, securing the card(s) in the computer.
NOTICE: To connect a network cable, first plug the cable into the network wall jack and then plug it into
the computer.
Close the computer cover, reconnect the computer and devices to electrical outlets, and turn
them on.
Remove the card's driver from the operating system.
If you removed a sound card:
Enter system setup, select Audio Controller, and change the setting to On.
Connect external audio devices to the audio connectors on the computer back panel.
If you removed an add-in network connector:
Enter system setup, select Network Controller, and change the setting to On.
Connect the network cable to the integrated connector on the computer back panel.
Your computer supports one PCI Express x16 card and one PCI Express x1 card.
NOTICE: PCI Express graphics cards that run higher than 75 watts require an additional cooling fan
installed. Otherwise, your card could overheat and damage your computer. If your computer has a PCI
Express graphics card without a cooling card fan, contact Dell to purchase a card fan.
1
PCI Express card x16
3
PCI Express card slot x1
2
PCI Express card x1
4
PCI Express card slot x16
If you are installing or replacing a PCI Express card, follow the procedures in the next section. If you are removing but not replacing a card, see "Removing a PCI Express Card."
If you are replacing a card, remove the current driver for the card from the operating system.
Press the lever on the card retention arm and raise the retention arm.
1
top of retention mechanism
8
edge connector
2
PCI Express x16 card
9
card connector
3
securing slot
10
filler bracket
4
securing tab
11
retention arm
5
edge connector
12
lever
6
card connector
13
tab
7
PCI Express x1 card
If you are installing a new card, remove the filler bracket to create a card-slot opening. Then
continue with step 5.
If you are replacing a card that is already installed in the computer, remove the card.
If necessary, disconnect any cables connected to the card. If your card includes a retention mechanism, remove the top of the retention mechanism by pressing the tab and pulling up on the top. Gently pull the securing tab, grasp the card by its top corners, and ease it out of its connector.
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.
If you are installing the card into the x16 card connector, position the card so the securing slot
is aligned with the securing tab, and gently pull the securing tab.
Place the card in the connector and press down firmly. Ensure that the card is fully seated in
the slot.
Insert the card firmly into the card connector on the system board.
1
bracket within slot
2
bracket caught outside of slot
3
fully seated card
4
not fully seated card
If you replaced a card that was already installed in the computer and you removed the top of
the retention mechanism, you may reinstall the top.
Before you lower the retention arm, ensure that:
The tops of all cards and filler brackets are flush with the alignment bar.
The notch in the top of the card or filler bracket fits around the alignment guide.
Press the retention arm into place, securing the card(s) in the computer.
1
filler bracket
2
alignment bar
3
alignment guide
4
retention arm
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.
If you installed a PCI Express graphics card that runs up to 150 W, install the card fan.
Connect any cables that should be attached to the card.
See the documentation for the card for information about the card's cable connections.
NOTICE: To connect a network cable, first plug the cable into the network wall jack and then plug it into
the computer.
Close the computer cover, reconnect the computer and devices to electrical outlets, and turn
them on.
If you installed a sound card:
Enter system setup, select Audio Controller, and change the setting to Off.
Connect external audio devices to the sound card's connectors. Do not connect external
audio devices to the microphone, speaker/headphone, or line-in connectors on the back
panel.
If you installed an add-in network adapter:
Enter system setup, select Network Controller, and change the setting to Off.
Connect the network cable to the add-in network adapter's connectors. Do not connect
the network cable to the integrated connector on the back panel.
Install any drivers required for the card as described in the card documentation.
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.
Lower the retention arm and press it into place, securing the card(s) in the computer.
NOTICE: To connect a network cable, first plug the cable into the network wall jack and then plug it into
the computer.
Close the computer cover, reconnect the computer and devices to electrical outlets, and turn
them on.
Remove the card's driver from the operating system.
If you installed a sound card:
Enter system setup, select Audio Controller, and change the setting to Off.
Connect external audio devices to the sound card's connectors. Do not connect external
audio devices to the microphone, speaker/headphone, or line-in connectors on the back
panel.
If you installed an add-in network adapter:
Enter system setup, select Network Controller, and change the setting to Off.
Connect the network cable to the add-in network adapter's connectors. Do not connect
the network cable to the integrated connector on the back panel.
Install any drivers required for the card as described in the card documentation.
