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Dell™ OptiPlex™ 745 User's Guide

  Expansion Cards

Expansion Cards

CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions 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 chassis.

Your Dell™ computer supports a serial port adapter and provides the following slots for PCI and PCI Express cards:

• Two low-profile PCI card slots
  
  
• One low-profile PCI Express x16 card slot
  
  

NOTE: Your Dell computer uses only PCI and PCI Express slots. ISA cards are not supported.

PCI Cards

Installing an Expansion Card

If you are replacing an expansion card, remove the current driver for the card from the operating system. See the documentation that came with the card for information.

1. Follow the procedures in Before You Begin.
   
   
2. Gently push the release tab on the card-retention latch.
   
   

1	release tab	4	card-edge connector
2	card-retention latch	5	card connector
3	card

3. If you are installing a new card, remove the filler bracket to create a card-slot opening. Then continue with step 5.
   
   
4. If you are replacing a PCI Express x16 card, press the lever on the securing tab with your thumb until you release the securing tab.
   
   

1	PCI Express x16 card
2	lever
3	securing slot (not all cards)
4	securing tab
5	PCI Express x16 card connector

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.
   
   
6. Prepare the card for installation.
   
   

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

1	card-retention latch
2	release tab
3	card
4	card-edge connector
5	card connector

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.

7. If you are installing a PCI Express card, press the lever on the securing tab away from the card connector as you insert the new card.
   
   
8. Place the card in the connector and press down firmly. Ensure that the card is fully seated in the slot.
   
   

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

9. If you are installing a PCI Express card, release the lever on the securing tab, and ensure that the securing tab fits into the notch on the front end of the card.
   
   
10. Gently press down on the card-retention latch to secure the card.
    
    

1	release tab	4	card-edge connector
2	card-retention latch	5	card connector
3	card

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. If you are installing a serial port adapter, connect the adapter cable to the serial port adapter connector (SER2) on the system board (see System Board Components).
    
    

1	card-retention latch
2	release tab
3	serial port adapter bracket
4	serial port adapter connector
5	serial port adapter system board connector (SER2)

12. Connect any cables that should be attached to the card.
    
    
13. Replace the computer cover (see Replacing the Computer Cover), reconnect the computer and devices to electrical outlets, and then turn them on.
    
    

NOTICE: To connect a network cable, first plug the cable into the network wall jack and then plug it into the computer.

14. If you installed a sound card:
    
    
    1. Enter system setup, select Audio Controller, and change the setting to Off (see Entering System Setup).
       
       
    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 or front panel.
       
       
15. If you installed an network adapter card and want to turn off the integrated network adapter:
    
    
    1. Enter system setup, select Network Controller, and change the setting to Off (see Entering System Setup).
       
       
    2. Connect the network cable to the network adapter card's connectors. Do not connect the network cable to the integrated network connector on the back panel.
       
       
16. Install any drivers required for the card as described in the card documentation.
    
    

Removing a PCI Card

1. Follow the procedures in Before You Begin.
   
   
2. Gently push the release tab on the card retention latch and swing it outward.
   
   

1	release tab	4	card-edge connector
2	card-retention latch	5	card connector
3	card

3. If necessary, disconnect any cables connected to the card.
   
   
4. If you are removing a PCI Express x16 card, press the lever on the securing tab with your thumb until you release the securing tab.
   
   

1	PCI Express x16 card
2	lever
3	securing slot (not all cards)
4	securing tab
5	PCI Express x16 card connector

5. Grasp the card by its top corners, and ease it out of its connector.
   
   
6. 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 keep dust and dirt out of your computer and maintain the airflow that cools your computer.

7. Snap the card-retention latch into place.
   
   

NOTICE: To connect a network cable, first plug the cable into the network wall jack and then plug it into the computer.

8. Replace the computer cover (see Replacing the Computer Cover), reconnect the computer and devices to electrical outlets, and then turn them on.
   
   
9. Uninstall the card's driver. See the documentation that came with the card for instructions.
   
   
10. If you removed a sound card:
    
    
    1. Enter system setup, select Audio Controller, and change the setting to On (see Entering System Setup).
       
       
    2. Connect external audio devices to the audio connectors on the computer back panel.
       
       
11. If you removed a network adapter card:
    
    
    1. Enter system setup, select Network Controller, and change the setting to On (see Entering System Setup).
       
       
    2. Connect the network cable to the integrated network connector on the back panel of the computer.
       
       

Installing a PCI Card in the Riser-Card Cage

1. Follow the procedures in Before You Begin.
   
   
2. If applicable, remove the card installed in the PCI3 connector on the system board.
   
   
3. Remove the riser-card cage:
   
   
   1. Check any cables connected to cards through the back-panel openings. Disconnect any cables that will not reach the riser-card cage once they are removed from the computer.
      
      
   2. Gently pull on the handle and lift the riser-card cage up and away from the computer.
      
      

1	riser-card cage
2	handle

4. If you are installing a new card, remove the filler bracket to create an empty card-slot opening.
   
   

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 corners, and ease it out of its connector.

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

5. Prepare the new card for installation.
   
   

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.

6. Press the release tab to raise the card-retention latch.
   
   

1	release tab	4	card-edge connector
2	card-retention latch	5	card connector
3	card

7. Insert the card firmly into the card connector on the riser-card cage.
   
   
8. Lower the card-retention latch and press it into place, securing the card(s) in the computer.
   
   
9. Replace the riser-card cage:
   
   
   1. Align the tabs in the side of the riser-card cage with the slots on the side of the computer, and slide the riser-card cage down into place.
      
      
   2. Ensure that the riser cards are fully seated in the connectors on the system board.
      
      

1	riser-card cage	3	riser cards (2)
2	slots	4	system board connectors (2)

10. Reconnect any cables that you removed in step 3.
    
    
11. Connect any cables that should be attached to the card.
    
    

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.

12. Replace the computer cover (see Replacing the Computer Cover), reconnect the computer and devices to electrical outlets, and then turn them on.
    
    
13. If you installed a sound card, perform the following steps:
    
    
    1. Enter system setup, select Audio Controller, and change the setting to Off (see Entering System Setup).
       
       
    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.
       
       
14. If you installed a network adapter card and want to turn off the integrated network adapter:
    
    
    1. Enter system setup, select Network Controller and change the setting to Off (see Entering System Setup).
       
       
    2. Connect the network cable to the network adapter card's connectors. Do not connect the network cable to the integrated network connector on the back panel of the computer.
       
       
15. Install any drivers required for the card as described in the card documentation.
    
    

Removing a PCI Card From the Riser-Card Cage

1. Follow the procedures in Before You Begin.
   
   
2. Remove the riser-card cage:
   
   
   1. Check any cables connected to cards through the back-panel openings. Disconnect any cables that will not reach the riser-card cage once they are removed from the computer.
      
      
   2. Gently pull on the handle and lift the riser-card cage up and away from the computer.
      
      

1	riser-card cage
2	handle

3. Press in on the tab to raise the card-retention latch.
   
   
4. If necessary, disconnect any cables connected to the card.
   
   
5. Grasp the card by its top corners, and ease it out of its connector.
   
   
6. 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 keep dust and dirt out of your computer and maintain the airflow that cools your computer.

7. Lower the card-retention latch and press it into place.
   
   
8. Replace the riser-card cage:
   
   
   1. Align the tabs in the side of the riser-card cage with the slots on the side of the computer, and slide the riser-card cage down into place.
      
      
   2. Ensure that the riser cards are fully seated in the connectors on the system board.
      
      

1	riser-card cage	3	riser cards (2)
2	slots	4	system board connectors (2)

9. Replace the computer cover (see Replacing the Computer Cover), reconnect the computer and devices to electrical outlets, and then turn them on.
   
   
10. Uninstall the card's driver. See the documentation that came with the card for instructions.
    
    
11. If you removed a sound card:
    
    
    1. Enter system setup, select Audio Controller, and change the setting to On (see Entering System Setup).
       
       
    2. Connect external audio devices to the audio connectors on the computer back panel.
       
       
12. If you removed an network adapter card:
    
    
    1. Enter system setup, select Network Controller, and change the setting to On (see Entering System Setup).
       
       
    2. Connect the network cable to the integrated network connector on the back panel of the computer.
       
       

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