Back to Contents Page

Dell™ OptiPlex™ GX620
User's Guide

  Drives


Drives

Your computer supports:

NOTE: Due to the limited number of drive bays and IDE controllers on this computer, you will not be able to connect all supported devices at once.

1

CD/DVD drive

2

floppy drive

3

hard drive

General Installation Guidelines

Connect CD/DVD drives to the connector labeled "IDE" on the system board. Serial ATA hard drives should be connected to the connectors labeled "SATA0," SATA1," "SATA2," or "SATA3" on the system board.

IDE Drive Addressing

When you connect two IDE devices to a single IDE interface cable and configure them for the cable select setting, 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). See the drive documentation in your upgrade kit for information on configuring devices for the cable select setting.

Connecting Drive Cables

When you install a drive, you connect two cables—a DC power cable and a data cable—to the back of the drive and to the system board.

Drive Interface Connectors

IDE Drive Connector

Serial ATA Connector

1

colored stripe on IDE cable

2

interface cable connector

3

interface connector

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. Keyed connectors ensure that the pin-1 wire in the cable (indicated by the colored stripe along one edge of the IDE cable—serial ATA cables do not use a colored stripe) goes to the pin-1 end of the connector. 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.

NOTICE: When you connect an IDE interface cable, do not place the colored stripe away from pin 1 of the connector. Reversing the cable prevents the drive from operating and could damage the controller, the drive, or both.

Power Cable Connectors

IDE Drive Power Connector

Serial ATA Power Connector

1

power cable

2

power input connector

Connecting and Disconnecting Drive Cables

When removing an IDE drive data cable, grasp the colored pull-tab and pull until the connector detaches.

When connecting and disconnecting a serial ATA data cable, hold the cable by the black connector at each end.

Like IDE connectors, the serial ATA 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.

Hard Drive

CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide.
CAUTION: To guard against electrical shock, always unplug your computer from the electrical outlet before removing the computer cover.
NOTICE: To avoid damage to the drive, do not set it on a hard surface. Instead, set the drive on a surface, such as a foam pad, that will sufficiently cushion it.

Removing a Hard Drive

  1. If you are replacing a hard drive that contains data you want to keep, back up your files before you begin this procedure.

  2. Check the documentation for the drive to verify that it is configured for your computer.

  3. Follow the procedures in "Before You Begin."

  4. Disconnect the power and hard-drive cables from the drive. Disconnect the hard-drive cable from the system board.

1

hard-drive cable

2

hard-drive cable on system board

3

power cable

  1. Press in on the blue release tabs on each side of the drive and slide the drive up and out of the computer.

1

hard drive

2

release tabs (2)

Installing a Hard Drive

  1. Unpack the replacement hard drive, and prepare it for installation.

  2. Check the documentation for the drive to verify that it is configured for your computer.

NOTE: If your replacement hard drive does not have the plastic hard-drive bracket attached, remove the bracket from the existing drive by unsnapping it from the drive. Snap the bracket onto the new drive.

1

hard drive

2

hard-drive bracket

1

hard drive

2

hard-drive bracket

  1. Gently slide the hard drive into the hard-drive bracket until it clicks into place.

  1. Gently slide the hard drive into the drive bay until it clicks into place.

  2. Connect the power and hard-drive cables to the drive. Connect the hard-drive cable to the connector on the system board.

  3. Check all connectors to be certain that they are properly cabled and firmly seated.

  4. Replace the computer cover.

  5. If the drive you just installed is the primary drive, insert a bootable medium into your boot drive. See the documentation that came with the drive for instructions on installing any software required for drive operation.

  6. Enter system setup and update the appropriate Primary Drive option (0 or 1).

  7. Exit system setup, and reboot the computer.

  8. Partition and logically format your drive before you proceed to the next step.

See the documentation for your operating system for instructions.

  1. Test the hard drive by running the Dell Diagnostics.

  2. If the drive you just installed is the primary drive, install your operating system on the hard drive.

Adding a Second Hard Drive

CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide.
CAUTION: To guard against electrical shock, always unplug your computer from the electrical outlet before removing the computer cover.
NOTICE: To avoid damage to the drive, do not set it on a hard surface. Instead, set the drive on a surface, such as a foam pad, that will sufficiently cushion it.
NOTICE: If you are replacing a hard drive that contains data you want to keep, back up your files before you begin this procedure.
  1. Check the documentation for the drive to verify that it is configured for your computer.

  2. Follow the procedures in "Before You Begin."

  3. Remove the plastic hard-drive bracket from the inside of the hard-drive bay by squeezing the release tabs and gently pulling the bracket up and out of the bay.

  4. Gently spread the sides of the drive bracket and slide the hard drive into the bracket until the drive clicks into place.

  1. Move the first hard drive from the upper bay to the lower bay:

    1. Disconnect the power and the hard-drive cables from the back of the first hard drive.

    1. Press in on the blue release tabs on each side of the drive and slide the first hard drive up and out of the upper bay.

    2. Gently slide the first hard drive into the lower bay until it clicks into place.

  2. Gently slide the new hard drive into the upper bay until it clicks into place.

  3. Connect the power cable to the drives.

  1. Attach the serial ATA connector removed in step 5 to the first hard drive.

  2. Locate an unused serial ATA connector on the system board and attach a drive cable to this connector and to the second hard drive.

1

hard-drive cable

2

hard-drive cable on system board

3

power cable

  1. Replace the computer cover.

Drive-Panel Inserts

If you are installing a new floppy or CD/DVD drive instead of replacing a drive, remove the drive-panel inserts.

  1. Follow the procedures in "Before You Begin."

  2. Remove the drive panel by sliding the drive release latch downward to open the panel. Then remove it from the hinges.

1

drive panel

2

release tab

3

drive-panel insert

  1. Select the drive-panel insert in front of the drive bay that you want to use.

  2. Gently press the release tab of the insert to remove it from the drive panel.

1

CD/DVD-drive panel insert

2

floppy-drive panel insert

3

holder for shoulder screws

  1. Reattach the drive panel to the front of the computer.

The drive panel only fits one way.

Floppy Drive

CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions located in the Product Information Guide.
CAUTION: To guard against electrical shock, always unplug your computer from the electrical outlet before removing the computer cover.

Removing the Floppy Drive

  1. Follow the procedures in "Before You Begin."

  2. Remove the drive panel by sliding the drive release latch downward to open the panel, and then remove it from the hinges.

  3. Disconnect the power and floppy-drive cables from the back of the floppy drive.

  4. Remove the floppy drive by sliding and holding the drive release latch downward. Then slide the drive out of the computer.

1

floppy drive

2

drive release latch

Installing the Floppy Drive

  1. If you are replacing a floppy drive, remove the shoulder screws from the existing drive and attach the screws to the replacement drive.

  2. If you are installing a new floppy drive, remove the drive-panel insert for your new drive, remove the shoulder screws from the inside of the drive-panel insert and attach the screws to the new drive.

  1. Align the shoulder screws on the floppy drive with the shoulder screw slots, and gently slide the drive into the bay until it clicks into place.

1

floppy drive

2

shoulder screws (4)

3

shoulder screw slots (2)

  1. Attach the power and floppy-drive cables to the floppy drive.

1

power cable

2

floppy-drive cable

3

floppy-drive connector (DSKT)

  1. Replace the computer cover.

  2. Enter system setup and use the Diskette Drive option to enable your new floppy drive.

  3. Verify that your computer works correctly by running the Dell Diagnostics.

CD/DVD Drive

CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions located in the Product Information Guide.
CAUTION: To guard against electrical shock, always unplug your computer from the electrical outlet before replacing the cover.

Removing a CD/DVD Drive

  1. Follow the procedures in "Before You Begin."

  2. Disconnect the power and CD/DVD drive cables from the back of the drive.

  3. Remove the CD/DVD drive by sliding and holding the drive release latch downward. Then slide the drive out of the computer.

1

CD/DVD drive

2

drive release latch

Installing a CD/DVD Drive

  1. Follow the procedures in "Before You Begin."

  2. If you are replacing a CD/DVD drive, remove the shoulder screws from the existing drive and attach the screws to the replacement drive.

  3. If you are installing a new CD/DVD drive, remove the drive-panel insert for your new drive, remove the shoulder screws from the inside of the drive-panel insert, and attach the screws to the new drive.

  1. Check the documentation that accompanied the drive to verify that the drive is configured for your computer. If you are installing an IDE drive, configure the drive for the cable select setting by using the documentation that came with the drive.

  2. Align the shoulder screws on the CD/DVD drive with the shoulder screw slots, and slide the drive into the bay until it clicks into place.

1

CD/DVD drive

2

shoulder screws (3)

3

shoulder screw slots (2)

  1. Connect the power and CD/DVD drive cables to the drive and to the system board.

NOTE: The CD/DVD drive cable may be a SATA cable and appear differently than the image below. For information on SATA cable connectors, see "General Installation Guidelines."

1

power cable

2

CD/DVD drive cable

3

CD/DVD drive connector (IDE)

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

  2. Replace the computer cover.

  3. Update your configuration information in system setup by setting the appropriate Drive option (0 or 1) under Drives.

  4. Verify that your computer works correctly by running the Dell Diagnostics.

Back to Contents Page