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Drives

Dell™ OptiPlex™ 745 User's Guide

  Optical Drive

  Floppy Drive and Media Card Reader

  Hard Drive

Your computer supports:

• One SATA (serial ATA) hard drive
  
  
• One optional floppy drive or media card reader
  
  
• One optional SATA optical drive
  
  

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

NOTE: If you will be operating your computer without an optical drive or a 3.5-inch device (floppy drive or media card reader) installed, the appropriate drive-bay insert must be installed in place of the drive. Contact Dell if you need a drive-bay insert.

1	optical drive
2	floppy drive
3	hard drive

General Installation Guidelines

Connect a SATA hard drive or optical drive to a connector labeled "SATA" on the system board (see System Board Components).

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.

Drive Interface Connectors

SATA Connector

1	interface cable connector
2	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 certain cables—SATA 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: Inserting a cable incorrectly prevents the drive from operating and could damage the controller, the drive, or both.

Power Cable Connectors

1	power cable
2	power input connector

Connecting and Disconnecting Drive Cables

When removing a cable with a pull-tab, grasp the colored pull-tab and pull until the connector detaches.

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

Optical 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.

NOTE: If you will be operating your computer without an optical drive or a 3.5-inch device (floppy drive or Media Card Reader) installed, the appropriate drive-bay insert must be installed in place of the drive. Contact Dell if you need a drive-bay insert.

Removing an Optical Drive

1. Follow the procedures in Before You Begin.
   
   

NOTICE: Do not pull the drive out of the computer by the drive cables. Doing so may cause damage to cables and the cable connectors.

2. Pull up on the drive-release latch and slide the drive towards the back of the computer. Then, lift up to remove the drive from the computer.
   
   

1	drive-release latch
2	optical drive

3. Disconnect the power and data cables from the back of the drive.
   
   

1	optical-drive insert

4. If you are not replacing the optical drive at this time, install the optical-drive insert by lowering it into the drive bay until it clicks into place. Contact Dell if you need a drive-bay insert.
   
   

Installing an Optical Drive

1. Unpack the drive and prepare it for installation.
   
   

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

2. If you are installing a new drive:
   
   
   1. Press the two snaps on the top of the drive-panel insert and rotate the insert toward the front of the computer.
      
      
   2. Remove the three shoulder screws from the drive-panel insert.
      
      
   3. Insert the three shoulder screws into the sides of the new drive and tighten them.
      
      
   4. Pull to remove the floppy-drive insert that should be installed in the drive bay.
      
      

1	floppy-drive insert

3. If you are replacing an existing drive:
   
   
   1. Remove the three shoulder screws from the existing drive.
      
      
   2. Insert the three shoulder screws into the sides of the new drive and tighten them.
      
      

4. Connect the power and data cables to the drive.
   
   
5. Align the shoulder screws with the screw guides, and slide the drive into the bay until it clicks into place.
   
   

6. Check all cable connections, and fold cables out of the way to provide airflow for the fan and cooling vents.
   
   
7. Replace the computer cover (see Replacing the Computer Cover).
   
   
8. Update your configuration information by setting the appropriate Drive option (0 or 1) under Drives. See System Setup for more information.
   
   
9. Verify that your computer works correctly by running the Dell Diagnostics (see Dell Diagnostics).
   
   

Floppy Drive and Media Card Reader

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.

NOTE: If you will be operating your computer without an optical drive or a 3.5-inch device (floppy drive or media card reader) installed, the appropriate drive-bay insert must be installed in place of the drive. Contact Dell if you need a drive-bay insert.

Removing a Floppy Drive or Media Card Reader

1. Follow the procedures in Before You Begin.
   
   

NOTE: Since the following steps do not require the complete removal of the optical drive, it is not necessary to disconnect the cables connecting the optical drive.

2. Remove the optical drive and carefully set it aside (see Optical Drive).
   
   

NOTICE: Do not pull the drive out of the computer by the drive cables. Doing so may cause damage to cables and the cable connectors.

3. Pull up on the drive-release latch and slide the floppy drive or media card reader towards the back of the computer. Then, lift up to remove the drive from the computer.
   
   

1	drive release latch
2	floppy drive

4. Disconnect the power and data cables from the back of the floppy drive or media card reader.
   
   

1	floppy-drive insert

5. If you are not replacing the floppy drive or media card reader at this time, install the floppy-drive insert by lowering it into the drive bay until it clicks into place. Contact Dell if you need a drive-bay insert.
   
   

Installing a Floppy Drive or Media Card Reader

1. If you are installing a new drive or media card reader:
   
   
   1. Use a small flat-edge screw driver on the back side of the drive-panel insert to gently pop off the insert.
      
      
   2. Remove the four shoulder screws from the drive-panel insert.
      
      
   3. Pull to remove the floppy-drive insert that should be installed in the drive bay.
      
      

1	floppy-drive insert

2. If you are replacing an existing drive or media card reader:
   
   

Remove the four shoulder screws from the existing drive or media card reader.

3. Insert the four shoulder screws into the sides of the new floppy drive or media card reader and tighten them.
   
   

4. Attach the power and data cables to the floppy drive or media card reader.
   
   
5. Align the shoulder screws with the screw guides, and slide the drive or media card reader into the bay until it clicks into place.
   
   

1	power cable
2	slot verification number

6. Replace the optical drive (see Optical Drive).
   
   
7. Check all cable connections, and fold cables out of the way to provide airflow for the fan and cooling vents.
   
   
8. Replace the computer cover (see Replacing the Computer Cover).
   
   
9. Enter system setup and set the Diskette Drive option to enable your new floppy drive (see System Setup).
   
   
10. Verify that your computer works correctly by running the Dell Diagnostics (see Dell Diagnostics).
    
    

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.
   
   

NOTE: Since the following steps do not require the complete removal of the optical drive and the floppy drive, it is not necessary to disconnect the cables connecting the two drives.

4. Remove the optical drive from the bay and carefully set it aside (see Optical Drive).
   
   
5. Remove the floppy drive from the bay and carefully set it aside (see Floppy Drive and Media Card Reader).
   
   
6. Press in on the two plastic securing clips on each side of the drive and slide the drive towards the back of the computer.
   
   

NOTICE: Do not pull the drive out of the computer by the drive cables. Doing so may cause damage to cables and the cable connectors.

7. Lift the drive out of the computer and disconnect the power and data cables from the drive.
   
   

1	securing clips (2)
2	hard drive

Installing a Hard Drive

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

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.

2. Unpack the replacement hard drive, and prepare it for installation.
   
   
3. 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.
   
   

1	hard drive
2	release tabs (2)
3	plastic hard-drive bracket

4. Attach the bracket to the new drive by snapping it onto the drive.
   
   

1	securing tabs (2)	3	release tabs (2)
2	drive	4	plastic hard-drive bracket

5. Connect the power and data cables to the drive.
   
   
6. Locate the correct slot for the drive, and slide the drive into the bay until it clicks into place.
   
   

1	hard drive
2	slot verification number

7. Replace the floppy drive and optical drive.
   
   
8. Check all connectors to be certain that they are properly cabled and firmly seated.
   
   
9. Replace the computer cover (see Replacing the Computer Cover).
   
   
10. If the drive you just installed is the primary drive, insert a bootable medium into your boot drive.
    
    
11. Turn on the computer.
    
    
12. Enter system setup and update the appropriate Primary Drive option (0 or 2) (see Entering System Setup).
    
    
13. Exit system setup, and reboot the computer.
    
    
14. Partition and logically format your drive before you proceed to the next step.
    
    

For instructions, see the documentation that came with your operating system.

15. Test the hard drive by running the Dell Diagnostics (see Dell Diagnostics).
    
    
16. Install your operating system on the hard drive.
    
    

For instructions, see the documentation that came with your operating system.

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