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Working on Your Computer
Before Working Inside Your Computer
Use the following safety guidelines to help protect your computer from potential damage and to help to
ensure your personal safety. Unless otherwise noted, each procedure included in this document assumes
that the following conditions exist:
• You have read the safety information that shipped with your computer.
• A component can be replaced or--if purchased separately--installed by performing the removal
procedure in reverse order.
WARNING: Before working inside your computer, read the safety information that shipped with
your computer. For additional safety best practices information, see the Regulatory Compliance
Homepage at www.dell.com/regulatory_compliance
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 came with the product.
CAUTION: To avoid electrostatic discharge, ground yourself by using a wrist grounding strap or
by periodically touching an unpainted metal surface, such as a connector on the back of the
computer.
CAUTION: Handle components and cards with care. Do not touch the components or contacts
on a card. Hold a card by its edges or by its metal mounting bracket. Hold a component such as a
processor by its edges, not by its pins.
CAUTION: When you disconnect a cable, pull on its connector or on its pull-tab, not on the cable
itself. Some cables have connectors with locking tabs; if you are disconnecting this type of cable,
press in on the locking tabs before you disconnect the cable. As you pull connectors apart, keep
them evenly aligned to avoid bending any connector pins. Also, before you connect a cable,
ensure that both connectors are correctly oriented and aligned.
NOTE: The color of your computer and certain components may appear differently than shown in
this document.
To avoid damaging your computer, perform the following steps before you begin working inside the
computer.
1.
Ensure that your work surface is flat and clean to prevent the computer cover from being scratched.
2.
Turn off your computer (see
Turning Off Your Computer
).
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