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Cards

Dell Precision™ Workstations 450 and 650 User's Guide

  Installing a Card

  Removing a Card

Your Dell™ computer provides slots for PCI/PCI-X and AGP cards. For more information, see "Specifications" or the system board components illustration for your computer.

NOTE: To meet PC99 requirements, your Dell computer uses only PCI slots. ISA cards are not supported.

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 Card."

1. Shut down the computer through the Start menu.
   
   
2. Ensure that your computer and attached devices are turned off. If your computer and attached devices did not automatically turn off when you shut down your computer, turn them off now.
   
   

NOTICE: To disconnect a network cable, first unplug the cable from your computer and then unplug it from the network wall jack.

3. Disconnect any telephone or telecommunication lines from the computer.
   
   
4. Disconnect your computer and all attached devices from electrical outlets, and then press the power button to ground the system board.
   
   
5. If you have installed a padlock through the padlock ring on the back panel, remove the padlock.
   
   

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

NOTICE: Before touching anything inside your computer, ground yourself by touching an unpainted metal surface, such as the metal at the back of the computer. While you work, periodically touch an unpainted metal surface to dissipate any static electricity that could harm internal components.

6. Open the computer cover.
   
   

Installing a Card

CAUTION: Before you perform this procedure, follow the safety instructions in the System Information Guide.

1. Press the lever on the card retention arm and raise the retention arm.
   
   

1	lever
2	retention arm
3	card bracket
4	card connector
5	card

2. If you are installing a new card, remove the filler bracket to create a card-slot opening. Then continue with step 4.
   
   
3. 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.

4. 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 connectors 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. Verify that the standby power light on the system board is off. To locate this light, see the system board illustration (for the Dell Precision 450 computer, see"System Board Components" or for the Dell Precision 650 computer, see "System Board Components").

5. 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	fully seated card
2	not fully seated card
3	bracket within slot
4	bracket caught outside of slot

6. 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 arm into place, securing the card(s) in the computer.

1	filler bracket
2	alignment bar
3	alignment guide
4	retention arm

7. If you are replacing an AGP card, align the AGP card guide with the base and press down on the indentation until the guide stops at the top of the AGP card.
   
   

1	base
2	AGP retention spring
3	indentation

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.

8. 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.

9. Close the computer cover, reconnect the computer and devices to electrical outlets, and turn them on.
   
   
10. If you installed a sound card:
    
    
    1. Enter system setup, select Integrated Devices, and change the setting for Sound to Off.
       
       
    2. 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 (for the Dell Precision 450 computer, see "Back View" or for the Dell Precision 650 computer, see "Back View").
       
       
11. If you installed an add-in network connector:
    
    
    1. Enter system setup, select Integrated Devices, and change the setting for Network Interface Card to Off.
       
       
    2. Connect the network cable to the add-in network connector's connectors. Do not connect the network cable to the integrated connector on the back panel.
       
       
12. Install any drivers required for the card as described in the card documentation.
    
    

Removing a Card

CAUTION: Before you perform this procedure, follow the safety instructions in the System Information Guide.

1. Press the lever on the card retention arm and raise the retention arm (see "Installing a Card").
   
   
2. If you are removing an AGP card, press out on the release tabs and pull the AGP card guide up and off of the base.
   
   

1	base
2	release tabs (2)
3	AGP retention spring

3. If necessary, disconnect any cables connected to the card.
   
   
4. Grasp the card by its top corners, and ease it out of its connector.
   
   
5. 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.

6. 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.

7. Close the computer cover, reconnect the computer and devices to electrical outlets, and turn them on.
   
   
8. Remove the card's driver from the operating system.
   
   
9. If you removed a sound card:
   
   
   1. Enter system setup, select Integrated Devices, and change the setting for Sound to On.
      
      
   2. Connect external audio devices to the audio connectors on the computer back panel (for the Dell Precision 450 computer, see "Back View" or for the Dell Precision 650 computer, see "Back View").
      
      
10. If you removed an add-in network connector:
    
    
    1. Enter system setup, select Integrated Devices, and change the setting for Network Interface Card to On.
       
       
11. Connect the network cable to the integrated connector on the computer back panel (for the Dell Precision 450 computer, see "Back View" or for the Dell Precision 650 computer, see "Back View").
    
    

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