Hard drive backplane
Your system supports one of the following configurations:
●
x8 SAS/SATA backplane for 3.5 inch hard drives
NOTE:
The x8 backplane also supports up to eight 2.5 inch (SAS, SATA, or SSD) hot swappable hard drives installed in
3.5 inch hard drive adapters, which are then installed in the 3.5 inch hard drive carriers.
●
x16 SAS/SATA backplane for 2.5 inch hard drives
NOTE:
Only systems with hot swappable hard drives support hard drive backplanes.
Removing the hard drive backplane
Prerequisites
CAUTION:
Many repairs may only be done by a certified service technician. You should only perform
troubleshooting and simple repairs as authorized in your product documentation, or as directed by the online or
telephone service and support team. Damage due to servicing that is not authorized by Dell is not covered by
your warranty. Read and follow the safety instructions that are shipped with your product.
1. Follow the safety guidelines listed in the Safety instructions section.
2. Follow the procedure listed in the Before working inside your system section.
CAUTION:
To prevent damage to the drives and backplane, remove the hard drives from the system before
removing the backplane.
CAUTION:
Note the slot number of each hard drive and temporarily label the slots before removing the hard
drives so that you can replace them in the same locations.
3. Remove all hard drives.
Steps
1. Disconnect the SAS, power, and signal cables from the hard drive backplane.
NOTE:
For the x8 backplane, press the SAS connector and push the connector toward the top of the system to release
the SAS cable from the backplane.
2. Pull the release pin and lift the backplane out of the system.
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Installing and removing system components
