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Expansion Cards

Dell Precision™ WorkStation 530 User's Guide

• Installing an expansion card
  
  
• Removing an expansion card
  
  

Your computer provides expansion slots for the following cards:

• Up to three 32-bit, 33-MHz PCI cards.
  
  
• Up to two 64-bit, 66-MHz PCI expansion cards.
  
  
• One 32-bit AGP card. The expansion slot supports AGP 4x or 2x Pro110 modes operating at 1.5 V.
  
  

See "Expansion Card Types" for examples of these cards.

NOTE: To meet PC99 Workstation requirements, your Dell™ computer does not support ISA expansion cards. This is an industry standard for ease-of-use.

Expansion Card Types

NOTE: The AGP expansion slot only supports 1.5-V cards.

System Board Expansion Card Components

NOTE: Install only 66-MHz expansion cards in the 66-MHz slots. You can install 33-MHz cards in the 66-MHz slots. However, the entire bus, including the integrated SCSI controller, will operate at only 33 MHz.

Installing an Expansion Card

CAUTION: Before you perform this procedure, see "Safety First— For You and Your Computer."

NOTICE: Before disconnecting a device from the computer, wait 10 to 20 seconds after disconnecting the computer from its electrical outlet. Before removing a component from the system board, verify that the standby power light on the system board has turned off. To locate this light, see "System Board Components" or the interior service label.

1. Turn off the computer and devices, disconnect them from their electrical outlets, and wait 10 to 20 seconds.
   
   
2. Lay the computer on its right side.
   
   
3. Open the computer cover.
   
   
4. Press the lever on the expansion card retention arm and raise the retention arm (see the following figure).
   
   

Raising the Expansion Card Retention Arm

5. If you are installing a new expansion card, remove the filler bracket for an empty card-slot opening. Then continue with step 7.
   
   
6. If you are replacing an expansion card that is already installed in the computer, remove the expansion card.
   
   

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

7. Prepare the new expansion card for installation.
   
   

See the documentation that came with the expansion 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 expansion cards and verify that the standby power light on the system board has turned off. To locate this light, see "System Board Components" or the interior service label.

8. Insert the expansion card into the expansion-card connector.
   
   

If the expansion card is full-length, insert the end of the card into the expansion-card guide bracket as you lower the card toward its connector on the system board. Insert the card firmly into the expansion-card connector on the system board (see the following figure).

Installing an Expansion Card

9. Lower the expansion card retention arm and press it into place, securing the expansion card(s) in the chassis.
   
   
10. 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: Do not route expansion card cables over or behind the expansion cards. Cables routed over the expansion cards can prevent the computer cover from closing properly or cause damage to the equipment. Cables routed toward the rear of the expansion cards can prevent proper airflow from the expansion- card cooling fan.

11. Close the computer cover.
    
    
12. Stand the computer upright.
    
    
13. Reconnect the computer and devices to their electrical outlets, and turn them on.
    
    

NOTE: If enabled, the Chassis Intrusion option will cause the following message to be displayed at the next system start-up:

ALERT! Cover was previously removed.

14. If you installed a sound card, perform the following steps:
    
    
    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 computer back panel (see "Back-Panel Features").
       
       
15. If you installed an add-in network adapter, perform the following steps:
    
    
    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 adapter's connectors. Do not connect the network cable to the integrated connector on the computer back panel (see "Back-Panel Features").
       
       

Removing an Expansion Card

CAUTION: Before you perform this procedure, see "Safety First— For You and Your Computer."

NOTICE: Before disconnecting a device from the computer, wait 10 to 20 seconds after disconnecting the computer from its electrical outlet. Before removing a component from the system board, verify that the standby power light on the system board has turned off. To locate this light, see "System Board Components" or the interior service label.

1. Turn off the computer and devices, disconnect them from their electrical outlets, and wait 10 to 20 seconds.
   
   
2. Lay the computer down on its right side.
   
   
3. Open the computer cover.
   
   
4. Press the lever on the expansion card retention arm and raise the retention arm (see "Raising the Expansion Card Retention Arm").
   
   
5. If necessary, disconnect any cables connected to the card.
   
   
6. Grasp the card by its top corners, and ease it out of its connector.
   
   
7. 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 and order part number 81808.

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. Lower the expansion card retention arm and press it into place, securing the expansion card(s) in the chassis.
   
   
9. Close the computer cover.
   
   
10. Stand the computer upright.
    
    
11. Reconnect the computer and devices to their electrical outlets, and turn them on.
    
    

NOTE: If enabled, the Chassis Intrusion option will cause the following message to be displayed at the next system start-up:

ALERT! Cover was previously removed.

12. If you removed a sound card, perform the following steps:
    
    
    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 (see "Back-Panel Features").
       
       
13. If you removed an add-in network adapter, perform the following steps:
    
    
    1. Enter system setup, select Integrated Devices and change the setting for Network Interface Card to On.
       
       
    2. Connect the network cable to the integrated connector on the computer back panel (see "Back-Panel Features").
       
       

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