background image

The 

System Security 

screen is displayed.

2. In the 

System Security

 screen, verify that 

Password Status

 is 

Unlocked

.

3. Select 

System Password

, alter or delete the existing system password and press 

Enter

 or 

Tab

.

4. Select 

Setup Password

, alter or delete the existing setup password and press 

Enter

 or 

Tab

.

NOTE:

 If you change the System and/or Setup password, re enter the new password when prompted. If you delete

the System and Setup password, confirm the deletion when prompted.

5. Press 

Esc

 and a message prompts you to save the changes.

6. Press 

Y

 to save the changes and exit from System Setup.

The computer restarts.

Real Time Clock (RTC) reset

The Real Time Clock (RTC) reset function allows you or the service technician to recover the recently launched model Dell computers
from 

No POST/No Boot/No Power

 situations. You can initiate the RTC reset on the computer from a power-off state only if it is

connected to AC power. Press and hold the power button for 30 seconds. The computer RTC reset occurs after you release the power
button.

NOTE:

 The RTC reset is aborted if the power button is held for less than 25 seconds or more than 40 seconds.

The RTC reset restores the BIOS to defaults and resets the computer's date and time. The computer restarts several times during the
reset process. Depending on how the computer is configured, you may see LED indications during the period the power button is held and
after it is released. Once the reset is complete, the computer restarts and the Dell logo appears indicates reset success.

CAUTION:

 Once RTC reset is complete, the computer may remain in a no-boot status until the time, date, and other

BIOS settings are correctly set to boot in Windows. Failing to boot immediately after a reset does not mean that the
reset has failed. You must restore the previous BIOS settings, such as the SATA Operation mode (ex. RAID On AHCI) for
the computer to reboot normally.

The following items are unaffected by the RTC reset:

TPM (remains on and enabled if it was in that state prior to RTC reset)

Service Tag

Asset Tag

Ownership Tag

Admin Password

System Password

Hard drive Password

Key Databases

System Logs

The following items may or may not reset based on your custom BIOS setting selections:

Boot List

Secure Boot Enable

Allow BIOS Downgrade

Password clear

The Master System Password is used to clear the admin and computer password.

To clear the system or BIOS passwords, contact Dell technical support as described at 

www.dell.com/contactdell

.

NOTE:

 For information on how to reset Windows or application passwords, refer to the documentation accompanying

Windows or your application.

Clearing BIOS (System Setup) and System passwords

About this task

To clear the system or BIOS passwords, contact Dell technical support as described at 

www.dell.com/contactdell

.

NOTE:

 For information on how to reset Windows or application passwords, refer to the documentation accompanying

Windows or your application.

66

System setup

Summary of Contents for XPS 8940

Page 1: ...XPS 8940 Service Manual Regulatory Model D28M Regulatory Type D28M003 July 2020 Rev A00 ...

Page 2: ...ential damage to hardware or loss of data and tells you how to avoid the problem WARNING A WARNING indicates a potential for property damage personal injury or death 2020 Dell Inc or its subsidiaries All rights reserved Dell EMC and other trademarks are trademarks of Dell Inc or its subsidiaries Other trademarks may be trademarks of their respective owners ...

Page 3: ... the power button 18 Installing the power button 18 Front cover 19 Removing the front cover 19 Installing the front cover 20 2 5 inch hard drive 21 Removing the 2 5 inch hard drive 21 Installing the 2 5 inch hard drive 22 3 5 inch hard drive 24 Removing the 3 5 inch hard drive 24 Installing the 3 5 inch hard drive 25 Chassis fan 26 Removing the chassis fan 26 Installing the chassis fan 27 Memory m...

Page 4: ...d 50 Installing the system board 54 Chapter 3 Drivers and downloads 58 Chapter 4 System setup 59 System setup 59 BIOS overview 59 Entering BIOS setup program 59 Navigation keys 59 Boot Sequence 59 System setup options 60 System and setup password 65 Assigning a system setup password 65 Deleting or changing an existing system setup password 65 Real Time Clock RTC reset 66 Clearing BIOS System Setup...

Page 5: ...Chapter 6 Getting help and contacting Dell 75 Contents 5 ...

Page 6: ...com regulatory_compliance NOTE Disconnect your computer from all power sources before opening the computer cover or panels After you finish working inside the computer replace all covers panels and screws before connecting your computer to an electrical outlet CAUTION To avoid damaging the computer ensure that the work surface is flat dry and clean CAUTION To avoid damaging the components and card...

Page 7: ...workbench pads When unpacking a static sensitive component from its shipping carton do not remove the component from the anti static packing material until you are ready to install the component Before unwrapping the anti static packaging ensure that you discharge static electricity from your body Before transporting a static sensitive component place it in an anti static container or packaging ES...

Page 8: ...turned to Dell it is critical to place these parts in anti static bags for safe transport ESD protection summary It is recommended that all field service technicians use the traditional wired ESD grounding wrist strap and protective anti static mat at all times when servicing Dell products In addition it is critical that technicians keep sensitive parts separate from all insulator parts while perf...

Page 9: ...ent is replaced NOTE Some computers have magnetic surfaces Ensure that the screws are not left attached to such surface when replacing a component NOTE Screw color may vary with the configuration ordered Table 1 Screw list Component Secured to Screw type Quantity Screw image Left side cover Chassis Captive screw 2 3 5 inch hard drive assembly Chassis 6 32 1 3 5 inch hard drive Hard drive cage 6 32...

Page 10: ... image Voltage regulator heat sink Chassis Captive screw 2 Front I O bracket Chassis 6 32 1 System board Chassis 6 32 8 System board Chassis 6 32x3 8 1 Major components of XPS 8940 The following image shows the major components of XPS 8940 10 Removing and installing components ...

Page 11: ...Removing and installing components 11 ...

Page 12: ...bracket 13 front cover 14 power supply unit 15 chassis 16 graphics card 17 processor 18 chassis fan 19 graphics card supporting bracket 20 hard drive bracket Left side cover Removing the left side cover Prerequisites 1 Follow the procedure in Before working inside your computer About this task The following images indicate the location of the left side cover and provide a visual representation of ...

Page 13: ...er off the chassis Installing the left side cover Prerequisites If you are replacing a component remove the existing component before performing the installation procedure About this task The following images indicate the location of the left side cover and provide a visual representation of the installation procedure Removing and installing components 13 ...

Page 14: ...the two captive screws that secure the left side cover to the chassis Next steps 1 Follow the procedure in After working inside your computer Optical drive optional Removing the optical drive Prerequisites 1 Follow the procedure in Before working inside your computer 2 Remove the left side cover 14 Removing and installing components ...

Page 15: ...About this task The following images indicate the location of the optical drive and provide a visual representation of the removal procedure Removing and installing components 15 ...

Page 16: ... drive by inserting a pointed screwdriver in the optical drive eject hole 6 Using a plastic scribe gently push the optical drive bezel away to remove the tabs from the slots on the optical drive Installing the optical drive Prerequisites If you are replacing a component remove the existing component before performing the installation procedure About this task The following images indicate the loca...

Page 17: ... 3 Replace the screw M2x3 that secures the optical drive bracket to the optical drive 4 Slide the optical drive into the optical drive cage through the front of the computer until it snaps into place 5 Connect the power and data cables to the optical drive Next steps 1 Install the left side cover 2 Follow the procedure in After working inside your computer Removing and installing components 17 ...

Page 18: ...connect the power button cable from the system board 3 Press the release tabs on the power button module and push the power button module out of the chassis 4 Lift the power button module along with its cable from the chassis Installing the power button Prerequisites If you are replacing a component remove the existing component before performing the installation procedure About this task The foll...

Page 19: ... side cover 3 Follow the procedure in After working inside your computer Front cover Removing the front cover Prerequisites 1 Follow the procedure in Before working inside your computer 2 Remove the left side cover About this task The following images indicate the location of the front cover and provide a visual representation of the removal procedure Removing and installing components 19 ...

Page 20: ...er outwards away from the chassis and remove the cover Installing the front cover Prerequisites If you are replacing a component remove the existing component before performing the installation procedure About this task The following images indicate the location of the front cover and provide a visual representation of the installation procedure 20 Removing and installing components ...

Page 21: ...side your computer 2 5 inch hard drive Removing the 2 5 inch hard drive Prerequisites 1 Follow the procedure in Before working inside your computer 2 Remove the left side cover About this task NOTE The computer ships with two empty 2 5 inch hard drive cages A 2 5 inch hard drive sold separately is required to perform below procedures The following images indicate the location of the 2 5 inch hard ...

Page 22: ...he hard drive 5 Lift the hard drive off the hard drive carrier NOTE Note the orientation of the hard drive so that you can replace it correctly Installing the 2 5 inch hard drive Prerequisites If you are replacing a component remove the existing component before performing the installation procedure About this task NOTE The computer ships with two empty 2 5 inch hard drive cages A 2 5 inch hard dr...

Page 23: ...er and align the tabs on the carrier with the slots on the hard drive 2 Snap the hard drive carrier into the hard drive 3 Slide the hard drive assembly into the hard drive cage until it snaps into place 4 Connect the data cable and power cable to the hard drive Next steps 1 Install the left side cover 2 Follow the procedure in After working inside your computer Removing and installing components 2...

Page 24: ...the location of the 3 5 inch hard drive assembly and provide a visual representation of the removal procedure Steps 1 Lay the computer on the right side 2 Disconnect the data and power cables from the hard drive 3 Remove the cables from the routing guides on the hard drive assembly 4 Remove the screw 6 32 that secures the 3 5 inch hard drive assembly to the chassis 24 Removing and installing compo...

Page 25: ...llation procedure About this task The following images indicate the location of the 3 5 inch hard drive assembly and provide a visual representation of the installation procedure Steps 1 Slide the hard drive into the hard drive cage 2 Replace the four screws 6 32 that secure the hard drive to the hard drive cage 3 Align the hard drive assembly with the tabs on the chassis 4 Using the alignment pos...

Page 26: ...uter Chassis fan Removing the chassis fan Prerequisites 1 Follow the procedure in Before working inside your computer 2 Remove the left side cover About this task The following images indicate the location of the chassis fan and provide a visual representation of the removal procedure Steps 1 Lay the computer on the right side 2 Disconnect the fan cable from the system board 3 Gently pull the fan ...

Page 27: ...llowing images indicate the location of the chassis fan and provide a visual representation of the installation procedure Steps 1 Align the slots on the fan with the rubber grommets on the chassis NOTE The replacement fan may have tabs that are inserted into the grommets slots This is to prevent the incorrect installation of the fan Removing and installing components 27 ...

Page 28: ... cover 2 Follow the procedure in After working inside your computer Memory modules Removing the memory modules Prerequisites 1 Follow the procedure in Before working inside your computer 2 Remove the left side cover About this task The following images indicate the location of the memory modules and provide a visual representation of the removal procedure 28 Removing and installing components ...

Page 29: ... 3 to remove any other memory modules installed in your computer NOTE Note the slot and the orientation of the memory module in order to replace it in the correct slot NOTE If the memory module is difficult to remove gently ease the memory module back and forth to remove it from the slot Installing the memory modules Prerequisites If you are replacing a component remove the existing component befo...

Page 30: ...the click remove the memory module and reinstall it NOTE If the memory module is difficult to remove gently ease the memory module back and forth to remove it from the slot Next steps 1 Install the left side cover 2 Follow the procedure in After working inside your computer Wireless card Removing the wireless card Prerequisites 1 Follow the procedure in Before working inside your computer 2 Remove...

Page 31: ...wireless card at an angle from the wireless card slot Installing the wireless card Prerequisites If you are replacing a component remove the existing component before performing the installation procedure NOTE To avoid damage to the wireless card do not place any cables under it About this task The following images indicate the location of the wireless card and provide a visual representation of t...

Page 32: ...uxiliary black triangle Black 2 Slide and place the wireless card bracket on the wireless card 3 Align the notch on the wireless card with the tab on the wireless card slot 4 Slide the wireless card at an angle into the wireless card slot 5 Replace the screw M2x3 that secures the wireless card to the system board Next steps 1 Install the 3 5 inch hard drive 2 Install the left side cover 3 Follow t...

Page 33: ...tallation procedure Steps 1 Align the notch on the solid state drive Intel Optane with the tab on the M 2 card slot 2 Slide the solid state drive Intel Optane into the M 2 card slot on the system board 3 Replace the screw M2x3 that secures the solid state drive Intel Optane to the system board Next steps 1 Install the graphics card 2 Install the left side cover 3 Follow the procedure in After work...

Page 34: ...of the solid state drive Intel Optane and provide a visual representation of the removal procedure Steps 1 Remove the screw M2x2 5 that secures the solid state drive Intel Optane to the system board 2 Slide and lift the solid state drive Intel Optane from the M 2 card slot on the system board Graphics card Removing the graphics card Prerequisites 1 Follow the procedure in Before working inside you...

Page 35: ...Removing and installing components 35 ...

Page 36: ...n the graphics card support bracket and rotate to remove it off the chassis 4 Lift the pull tab to open the PCIE door 5 Push and hold the securing tab on the graphics card slot and lift the graphics card from the graphics card slot NOTE To remove the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 graphics card lift and rotate the graphics card Installing the graphics card Prerequisites If you are replacing a component r...

Page 37: ...About this task The following images indicate the location of the graphics card and provide a visual representation of the installation procedure Removing and installing components 37 ...

Page 38: ...e on the graphics card support bracket and connect the power cables to the graphics card Next steps 1 Install the left side cover 2 Follow the procedure in After working inside your computer Coin cell battery Removing the coin cell battery Prerequisites 1 Follow the procedure in Before working inside your computer CAUTION Removing the coin cell battery resets the BIOS setup program s settings to d...

Page 39: ... socket 3 Remove the coin cell battery Installing the coin cell battery Prerequisites If you are replacing a component remove the existing component before performing the installation procedure About this task The following images indicate the location of the coin cell battery and provide a visual representation of the installation procedure Removing and installing components 39 ...

Page 40: ...y unit Prerequisites 1 Follow the procedure in Before working inside your computer 2 Remove the left side cover 3 Remove the graphics card 4 Remove the 3 5 inch hard drive NOTE Note the routing of all cables as you remove them so that you can route them correctly while you are replacing the power supply unit About this task The following images indicate the location of the power supply unit and pr...

Page 41: ...Removing and installing components 41 ...

Page 42: ...Steps 1 Lay the computer on the right side 2 Disconnect the power cables from the system board and remove them from the routing guides on the chassis 42 Removing and installing components ...

Page 43: ...isting component before performing the installation procedure NOTE The cables and ports on the back of the power supply unit are color coded to indicate the different power wattage Ensure that you plug in the cable to the correct port Failure to do so may result in damaging the power supply unit and or computer components About this task The following images indicate the location of the power supp...

Page 44: ... inside your computer Processor fan and heat sink assembly Removing the processor fan and heat sink assembly Prerequisites 1 Follow the procedure in Before working inside your computer NOTE The heat sink may become hot during normal operation Allow sufficient time for the heat sink to cool before you touch it NOTE The heat sink may become hot during normal operation Allow sufficient time for the h...

Page 45: ... and heat sink assembly Prerequisites CAUTION If either the processor or the heat sink is replaced use the thermal grease provided in the kit to ensure that thermal conductivity is achieved If you are replacing a component remove the existing component before performing the installation procedure About this task The following images indicate the location of the processor fan and heat sink assembly...

Page 46: ... Follow the procedure in After working inside your computer Processor Removing the processor Prerequisites 1 Follow the procedure in Before working inside your computer 2 Remove the left side cover 3 Remove the processor fan and heat sink assembly NOTE The processor might still be hot after the computer is shut down Allow the processor to cool down before removing it About this task The following ...

Page 47: ...ide the socket or allow any objects to fall on the pins in the socket 3 Gently lift the processor from the processor socket Installing the processor Prerequisites If you are replacing a component remove the existing component before performing the installation procedure About this task The following images indicate the location of the processor and provide a visual representation of the installati...

Page 48: ...e voltage regulator heat sink Prerequisites 1 Follow the procedure in Before working inside your computer CAUTION For maximum cooling of the processor do not touch the heat transfer areas on the heat sink The oils in your skin can reduce the heat transfer capability of the thermal grease NOTE The heat sink may become hot during normal operation Allow sufficient time for the heat sink to cool befor...

Page 49: ...nstalling the voltage regulator heat sink Prerequisites If you are replacing a component remove the existing component before performing the installation procedure About this task The following images indicate the location of the voltage regulator heat sink and provide a visual representation of the installation procedure Removing and installing components 49 ...

Page 50: ...oard NOTE Before disconnecting the cables from the system board note the location of the connectors so that you can reconnect the cables correctly after you replace the system board NOTE Replacing the system board removes any changes you have made to the BIOS using the BIOS setup program You must make the appropriate changes again after you replace the system board 2 Remove the left side cover 3 R...

Page 51: ...SATA0 11 hard drive data cable connector SATA1 12 hard drive data cable connector SATA2 13 power supply unit cable connector 14 hard drive power cable connector SATA PWR 15 solid state drive connector m 2 PCIe SSD 16 coin cell battery 17 wireless card slot 18 system board power cable connector ATX SYS 19 PCIe x4 slot 20 PCIe x16 slot 21 PCIe x1 slot 22 chassis fan cable connector FAN SYS The follo...

Page 52: ...52 Removing and installing components ...

Page 53: ...nnected to the system board 5 Remove the eight screws 6 32 that secure the system board to the chassis 6 Remove the voltage regulator heat sink NOTE The voltage regulator heat sink is shipped as a separate unit and it does not ship along with the system board If reusing the voltage regulator heat sink remove it from the old system board and transfer it to the new system board Removing and installi...

Page 54: ...wer cable connector ATX CPU 3 processor 4 processor fan cable connector FAN CPU 5 memory module slot DIMM3 6 memory module slot DIMM1 7 memory module slot DIMM4 8 memory module slot DIMM2 9 power button cable 10 hard drive data cable connector SATA0 11 hard drive data cable connector SATA1 12 hard drive data cable connector SATA2 13 power supply unit cable connector 14 hard drive power cable conne...

Page 55: ...1 PCIe x1 slot 22 chassis fan cable connector FAN SYS The following images indicate the location of the system board and provide a visual representation of the installation procedure Removing and installing components 55 ...

Page 56: ... the voltage regulator heat sink NOTE The voltage regulator heat sink is shipped as a separate unit and it does not ship along with the system board If reusing the voltage regulator heat sink remove it from the old system board and transfer it to the new system board 4 Replace the eight screws 6 32 that secure the system board to the chassis 5 Route and connect all the cables that you disconnected...

Page 57: ... the memory modules 8 Install the 3 5 inch hard drive if applicable 9 Install the front cover 10 Install the left side cover 11 Follow the procedure in After working inside your computer NOTE Your computer s Service Tag is stored in the system board You must enter the Service Tag in the BIOS setup program after you replace the system board NOTE Replacing the system board removes any changes you ha...

Page 58: ...rivers and downloads When troubleshooting downloading or installing drivers it is recommended that you read the Dell Knowledge Based article Drivers and Downloads FAQ SLN128938 3 58 Drivers and downloads ...

Page 59: ...nd attached devices such as hard disk video adapter keyboard mouse and printer Entering BIOS setup program About this task Turn on or restart your computer and press F2 immediately Navigation keys NOTE For most of the System Setup options changes that you make are recorded but do not take effect until you restart the system Keys Navigation Up arrow Moves to the previous field Down arrow Moves to t...

Page 60: ...re date of the computer Ownership Date Displays the ownership date of the computer Express Service Code Displays the express service code of the computer Memory Information Memory Installed Displays the total computer memory installed Memory Available Displays the total computer memory available Memory Speed Displays the memory speed Memory Channel Mode Displays single or dual channel mode Memory ...

Page 61: ...Displays the bluetooth device information of the computer Boot Sequence Boot Sequence Displays the boot sequence Boot List Option Displays the available boot options UEFI Boot Path Security Always Except Internal HDD Enable or disable the system to prompt the user to enter the Admin password when booting a UEFI boot path from the F12 boot menu Default Enabled Always Enable or disable the system to...

Page 62: ...et change or delete the M 2 solid state drive password Strong Password Enable or disable strong passwords Password Configuration Control the minimum and maximum number of characters allowed for Admin and System passwords Password Change Enable or disable changes to the System and Hard Disk passwords when an administrator password is set UEFI Capsule Firmware Updates Enable or disable BIOS updates ...

Page 63: ...ore voltage are adjusted dynamically based on the processor load C States Control Enable or disable additional processor sleep states Default Enabled Intel TurboBoost Enable or disable Intel TurboBoost mode of the processor Default Enabled HyperThread control Enable or disable HyperThreading in the processor Default Enabled Power Management AC Recovery Sets what action the computer takes when powe...

Page 64: ...vice Enable Enable or disable internal wireless devices Table 11 System setup options Maintenance menu Maintenance Service Tag Display the system s Service Tag Asset Tag Create a system Asset Tag SERR Messages Enable or disable SERR messages BIOS Downgrade Control flashing of the system firmware to previous revisions Data Wipe Enable to securely erase data from all internal storage devices BIOS Re...

Page 65: ...urity screen is displayed 2 Select System Admin Password and create a password in the Enter the new password field Use the following guidelines to assign the system password A password can have up to 32 characters The password can contain the numbers 0 through 9 Only lower case letters are valid upper case letters are not allowed Only the following special characters are allowed space 3 Type the s...

Page 66: ...od the power button is held and after it is released Once the reset is complete the computer restarts and the Dell logo appears indicates reset success CAUTION Once RTC reset is complete the computer may remain in a no boot status until the time date and other BIOS settings are correctly set to boot in Windows Failing to boot immediately after a reset does not mean that the reset has failed You mu...

Page 67: ...heck M BIST M BIST Built In Self Test diagnostics tool featuring improved accuracy in system board failures NOTE M BIST can be manually initiated before POST Power On Self Test How to run M BIST NOTE M BIST must be initiated on the system from a power off state either connected to AC power or with battery only 1 Press and hold both the M key on the keyboard and the power button to initiate M BIST ...

Page 68: ...3 1 Coin cell battery failure Reset the CMOS battery connection If problem persists replace the RTC battery 3 2 PCI video card chip failure Replace the system board 3 3 Recovery image not found Flash latest BIOS version If problem persists replace the system board 3 4 Recovery image found but invalid Flash latest BIOS version If problem persists replace the system board 3 5 Power rail failure EC r...

Page 69: ...e loose Reinstall the memory module or if necessary replace it GENERAL FAILURE The operating system is unable to carry out the command The message is usually followed by specific information For example Printer out of paper Take the appropriate action HARD DISK DRIVE CONFIGURATION ERROR The computer cannot identify the drive type Shut down the computer remove the hard drive and boot the computer f...

Page 70: ...are attempting to run is conflicting with the operating system another program or a utility Shut down the computer wait for 30 seconds and then restart it Run the program again If the error message still appears see the software documentation MEMORY DOUBLE WORD LOGIC FAILURE AT ADDRESS READ VALUE EXPECTING VALUE A memory module may be faulty or improperly seated Reinstall the memory module or if n...

Page 71: ...ard may be malfunctioning Run the System Set tests in Dell Diagnostics UNEXPECTED INTERRUPT IN PROTECTED MODE The keyboard controller may be malfunctioning or a memory module may be loose Run the System Memory tests and the Keyboard Controller test in Dell Diagnostics or Contact Dell X IS NOT ACCESSIBLE THE DEVICE IS NOT READY Insert a disk into the drive and try again Enabling Intel Optane memory...

Page 72: ...tware or hardware failures For more information about the Dell SupportAssist OS Recovery see Dell SupportAssist OS Recovery User s Guide at www dell com support Flashing BIOS USB key Steps 1 Follow the procedure from step 1 to step 7 in Flashing the BIOS to download the latest BIOS setup program file 2 Create a bootable USB drive For more information see the knowledge base article SLN143196 at www...

Page 73: ... downloaded from the Dell Support website and copied to the root of the USB drive AC power adapter that is connected to the computer Functional computer battery to flash the BIOS Perform the following steps to perform the BIOS update flash process from the F12 menu CAUTION Do not turn off the computer during the BIOS update process The computer may not boot if you turn off your computer Steps 1 Fr...

Page 74: ...puter even after it has been powered off and the battery has been removed The following procedure provides the instructions on how to conduct flea power release Steps 1 Turn off your computer 2 Disconnect the power adapter from your computer 3 Press and hold the power button for 15 seconds to drain the flea power 4 Connect the power adapter to your computer 5 Turn on your computer 74 Troubleshooti...

Page 75: ... topic or model number and then click or tap the search icon to view the related articles Learn and know the following information about your product Product specifications Operating system Setting up and using your product Data backup Troubleshooting and diagnostics Factory and system restore BIOS information See Me and My Dell at www dell com support manuals To locate the Me and My Dell relevant...

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