Dell OptiPlex XE3 User Manual

OptiPlex XE3 Tower

Service Manual

Regulatory Model: D18M Regulatory Type: D18M005

Contents

1 Working on your computer............................................................................................................ 5

Safety instructions................................................................................................................................................................ 5

Turning off your computer — Windows 10....................................................................................................................... 5

Before working inside your computer................................................................................................................................. 5

After working inside your computer....................................................................................................................................6

2 Technology and components......................................................................................................... 7

DDR4....................................................................................................................................................................................... 7

USB features..........................................................................................................................................................................8

USB Type-C..........................................................................................................................................................................10

Advantages of Displayport over USB Type-C..................................................................................................................10

HDMI 2.0............................................................................................................................................................................... 10

3 Disassembly and reassembly........................................................................................................ 12

Side cover..............................................................................................................................................................................12

Removing side cover......................................................................................................................................................12

Installing side cover........................................................................................................................................................ 12

Front Bezel............................................................................................................................................................................13

Removing front bezel.....................................................................................................................................................13

Installing front bezel....................................................................................................................................................... 14

Front panel door...................................................................................................................................................................15

Opening the front panel door....................................................................................................................................... 15

Closing front panel door................................................................................................................................................ 15

3.5-inch hard drive ..............................................................................................................................................................16

Removing 3.5–inch hard drive assembly.....................................................................................................................16

Installing 3.5–inch hard drive assembly....................................................................................................................... 17

3.5-inch hard drive......................................................................................................................................................... 19

2.5-inch hard drive assembly ............................................................................................................................................ 20

Removing the 2.5–inch drive assembly......................................................................................................................20

Installing the 2.5-inch drive assembly......................................................................................................................... 20

2.5-inch hard drive......................................................................................................................................................... 21

Optical drive......................................................................................................................................................................... 22

Removing optical drive..................................................................................................................................................22

Installing optical drive.................................................................................................................................................... 24

M.2 PCIe SSD ..................................................................................................................................................................... 26

Removing M.2 PCle SSD - optional ........................................................................................................................... 26

Installing M.2 PCle SSD ................................................................................................................................................27

SD card reader.....................................................................................................................................................................28

Removing SD card reader.............................................................................................................................................28

Installing SD card reader...............................................................................................................................................29

Memory module...................................................................................................................................................................30

Removing memory module...........................................................................................................................................30

Installing memory module.............................................................................................................................................. 31

Expansion card.....................................................................................................................................................................32

2 Contents

Removing PCIe expansion card - optional..................................................................................................................32

Installing PCIe expansion card......................................................................................................................................33

Power supply unit................................................................................................................................................................ 34

Removing power supply unit or PSU.......................................................................................................................... 34

Installing power supply unit or PSU.............................................................................................................................36

Intrusion switch....................................................................................................................................................................38

Removing intrusion switch........................................................................................................................................... 38

Installing intrusion switch..............................................................................................................................................39

Speaker.................................................................................................................................................................................40

Removing speaker......................................................................................................................................................... 40

Installing speaker............................................................................................................................................................ 41

Power button....................................................................................................................................................................... 42

Removing power button............................................................................................................................................... 42

Installing power button..................................................................................................................................................44

Heat sink fan........................................................................................................................................................................ 46

Removing heat sink fan................................................................................................................................................ 46

Installing heat sink fan................................................................................................................................................... 47

Coin cell battery...................................................................................................................................................................48

Removing coin cell battery........................................................................................................................................... 48

Installing coin cell battery..............................................................................................................................................49

Heat sink ..............................................................................................................................................................................50

Removing heat sink....................................................................................................................................................... 50

Installing heat sink.......................................................................................................................................................... 51

Processor..............................................................................................................................................................................52

Removing processor......................................................................................................................................................52

Installing processor........................................................................................................................................................53

System fan........................................................................................................................................................................... 54

Removing system fan....................................................................................................................................................54

Installing system fan......................................................................................................................................................55

Optional VGA module..........................................................................................................................................................56

Removing optional VGA module.................................................................................................................................. 56

Installing optional VGA module.....................................................................................................................................57

System board.......................................................................................................................................................................58

Removing system board............................................................................................................................................... 58

Installing the system board........................................................................................................................................... 61

4 Troubleshooting......................................................................................................................... 64

Enhanced Pre-Boot System Assessment — ePSA diagnostics................................................................................... 64

Running the ePSA Diagnostics.................................................................................................................................... 64

Diagnostics........................................................................................................................................................................... 64

Battery status lights............................................................................................................................................................66

5 Getting help...............................................................................................................................67

Contacting Dell.....................................................................................................................................................................67

Contents

Notes, cautions, and warnings

NOTE: A NOTE indicates important information that helps you make better use of your product.

CAUTION: A CAUTION indicates either potential 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.

subsidiaries. Other trademarks may be trademarks of their respective owners.

2018 - 07

Rev. A01

Working on your computer

Safety instructions

Use the following safety guidelines to protect your computer from potential damage and 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.

NOTE: Disconnect 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 to the power source.

NOTE: 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 at the same time as touching 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.

Turning off your computer — Windows 10

CAUTION:

computer or remove the side cover.

1. Click or tap .

2. Click or tap

To avoid losing data, save and close all open files and exit all open programs before you turn off your

and then click or tap Shut down.

Ensure that the computer and all attached devices are turned off. If your computer and attached devices did

NOTE:

not automatically turn off when you shut down your operating system, press and hold the power button for about 6

seconds to turn them off.

Before working inside your computer

To avoid damaging your computer, perform the following steps before you begin working inside the computer.

1. Ensure that you follow the Safety Instruction.

Working on your computer 5

2. Ensure that your work surface is flat and clean to prevent the computer cover from being scratched.

3. Turn off your computer.

4. Disconnect all network cables from the computer.

CAUTION: To disconnect a network cable, first unplug the cable from your computer and then unplug the cable from

the network device.

5. Disconnect your computer and all attached devices from their electrical outlets.

6. Press and hold the power button while the computer is unplugged to ground the system board.

NOTE: To avoid electrostatic discharge, ground yourself by using a wrist grounding strap or by periodically touching

an unpainted metal surface at the same time as touching a connector on the back of the computer.

After working inside your computer

After you complete any replacement procedure, ensure that you connect any external devices, cards, and cables before turning on your computer.

1. Connect any telephone or network cables to your computer.

CAUTION: To connect a network cable, first plug the cable into the network device and then plug it into the

computer.

2. Connect your computer and all attached devices to their electrical outlets.

3. Turn on your computer.

4. If required, verify that the computer works correctly by running ePSA diagnostics.

Working on your computer

Technology and components

This chapter details the technology and components available in the system.

Topics:

• DDR4

• USB features

• USB Type-C

• Advantages of Displayport over USB Type-C

• HDMI 2.0

DDR4

DDR4 (double data rate fourth generation) memory is a higher-speed successor to the DDR2 and DDR3 technologies and allows up to 512 GB in capacity, compared to the DDR3's maximum of 128 GB per DIMM. DDR4 synchronous dynamic random-access memory is keyed differently from both SDRAM and DDR to prevent the user from installing the wrong type of memory into the system.

DDR4 needs 20 percent less or just 1.2 volts, compared to DDR3 which requires 1.5 volts of electrical power to operate. DDR4 also supports a new, deep power-down mode that allows the host device to go into standby without needing to refresh its memory. Deep power-down mode is expected to reduce standby power consumption by 40 to 50 percent.

DDR4 Details

There are subtle differences between DDR3 and DDR4 memory modules, as listed below.

Key notch difference

The key notch on a DDR4 module is in a different location from the key notch on a DDR3 module. Both notches are on the insertion edge but the notch location on the DDR4 is slightly different, to prevent the module from being installed into an incompatible board or platform.

Figure 1. Notch difference

Increased thickness

DDR4 modules are slightly thicker than DDR3, to accommodate more signal layers.

Figure 2. Thickness difference

Technology and components 7

Curved edge

DDR4 modules feature a curved edge to help with insertion and alleviate stress on the PCB during memory installation.

Figure 3. Curved edge

Memory Errors

Memory errors on the system display the new ON-FLASH-FLASH or ON-FLASH-ON failure code. If all memory fails, the LCD does not turn on. Troubleshoot for possible memory failure by trying known good memory modules in the memory connectors on the bottom of the system or under the keyboard, as in some portable systems.

USB features

Universal Serial Bus, or USB, was introduced in 1996. It dramatically simplified the connection between host computers and peripheral devices like mice, keyboards, external drivers, and printers.

Let's take a quick look on the USB evolution referencing to the table below.

Table 1. USB evolution

Type Data Transfer Rate Category Introduction Year

USB 3.0/USB 3.1 Gen 1 5 Gbps Super Speed 2010

USB 2.0 480 Mbps High Speed 2000

USB 3.1 Gen 2 10 Gbps Super Speed 2013

USB 3.0/USB 3.1 Gen 1 (SuperSpeed USB)

For years, the USB 2.0 has been firmly entrenched as the de facto interface standard in the PC world with about 6 billion devices sold, and yet the need for more speed grows by ever faster computing hardware and ever greater bandwidth demands. The USB 3.0/USB 3.1 Gen 1 finally has the answer to the consumers' demands with a theoretically 10 times faster than its predecessor. In a nutshell, USB 3.1 Gen 1 features are as follows:

• Higher transfer rates (up to 5 Gbps)

• Increased maximum bus power and increased device current draw to better accommodate power-hungry devices

• New power management features

• Full-duplex data transfers and support for new transfer types

• Backward USB 2.0 compatibility

• New connectors and cable

The topics below cover some of the most commonly asked questions regarding USB 3.0/USB 3.1 Gen 1.

Speed

Currently, there are 3 speed modes defined by the latest USB 3.0/USB 3.1 Gen 1 specification. They are Super-Speed, Hi-Speed and FullSpeed. The new SuperSpeed mode has a transfer rate of 4.8Gbps. While the specification retains Hi-Speed, and Full-Speed USB mode,

Technology and components

commonly known as USB 2.0 and 1.1 respectively, the slower modes still operate at 480Mbps and 12Mbps respectively and are kept to maintain backward compatibility.

USB 3.0/USB 3.1 Gen 1 achieves the much higher performance by the technical changes below:

• An additional physical bus that is added in parallel with the existing USB 2.0 bus (refer to the picture below).

• USB 2.0 previously had four wires (power, ground, and a pair for differential data); USB 3.0/USB 3.1 Gen 1 adds four more for two pairs of differential signals (receive and transmit) for a combined total of eight connections in the connectors and cabling.

• USB 3.0/USB 3.1 Gen 1 utilizes the bidirectional data interface, rather than USB 2.0's half-duplex arrangement. This gives a 10-fold increase in theoretical bandwidth.

With today's ever increasing demands placed on data transfers with high-definition video content, terabyte storage devices, high megapixel count digital cameras etc., USB 2.0 may not be fast enough. Furthermore, no USB 2.0 connection could ever come close to the 480Mbps theoretical maximum throughput, making data transfer at around 320Mbps (40MB/s) — the actual real-world maximum. Similarly, USB 3.0/USB 3.1 Gen 1 connections will never achieve 4.8Gbps. We will likely see a real-world maximum rate of 400MB/s with overheads. At this speed, USB 3.0/USB 3.1 Gen 1 is a 10x improvement over USB 2.0.

Applications

USB 3.0/USB 3.1 Gen 1 opens up the laneways and provides more headroom for devices to deliver a better overall experience. Where USB video was barely tolerable previously (both from a maximum resolution, latency, and video compression perspective), it's easy to imagine that with 5-10 times the bandwidth available, USB video solutions should work that much better. Single-link DVI requires almost 2Gbps throughput. Where 480Mbps was limiting, 5Gbps is more than promising. With its promised 4.8Gbps speed, the standard will find its way into some products that previously weren't USB territory, like external RAID storage systems.

Listed below are some of the available SuperSpeed USB 3.0/USB 3.1 Gen 1 products:

• External Desktop USB 3.0/USB 3.1 Gen 1 Hard Drives

• Portable USB 3.0/USB 3.1 Gen 1 Hard Drives

• USB 3.0/USB 3.1 Gen 1 Drive Docks & Adapters

• USB 3.0/USB 3.1 Gen 1 Flash Drives & Readers

• USB 3.0/USB 3.1 Gen 1 Solid-state Drives

• USB 3.0/USB 3.1 Gen 1 RAIDs

• Optical Media Drives

• Multimedia Devices

• Networking

• USB 3.0/USB 3.1 Gen 1 Adapter Cards & Hubs

Compatibility

The good news is that USB 3.0/USB 3.1 Gen 1 has been carefully planned from the start to peacefully co-exist with USB 2.0. First of all, while USB 3.0/USB 3.1 Gen 1 specifies new physical connections and thus new cables to take advantage of the higher speed capability of the new protocol, the connector itself remains the same rectangular shape with the four USB 2.0 contacts in the exact same location as before. Five new connections to carry receive and transmitted data independently are present on USB 3.0/USB 3.1 Gen 1 cables and only come into contact when connected to a proper SuperSpeed USB connection.

Technology and components

Windows 8/10 will be bringing native support for USB 3.1 Gen 1 controllers. This is in contrast to previous versions of Windows, which continue to require separate drivers for USB 3.0/USB 3.1 Gen 1 controllers.

Microsoft announced that Windows 7 would have USB 3.1 Gen 1 support, perhaps not on its immediate release, but in a subsequent Service Pack or update. It is not out of the question to think that following a successful release of USB 3.0/USB 3.1 Gen 1 support in Windows 7, SuperSpeed support would trickle down to Vista. Microsoft has confirmed this by stating that most of their partners share the opinion that Vista should also support USB 3.0/USB 3.1 Gen 1.

USB Type-C

USB Type-C is a new, tiny physical connector. The connector itself can support various exciting new USB standards like USB 3.1 and USB power delivery (USB PD).

Alternate Mode

USB Type-C is a new connector standard that is very small. It is about a third the size of an old USB Type-A plug. This is a single connector standard that every device should be able to use. USB Type-C ports can support a variety of different protocols using “alternate modes,” which allows you to have adapters that can output HDMI, VGA, DisplayPort, or other types of connections from that single USB port

USB Power Delivery

The USB PD specification is also closely intertwined with USB Type-C. Currently, smartphones, tablets, and other mobile devices often use a USB connection to charge. A USB 2.0 connection provides up to 2.5 watts of power — that'll charge your phone, but that's about it. A laptop might require up to 60 watts, for example. The USB Power Delivery specification ups this power delivery to 100 watts. It's bidirectional, so a device can either send or receive power. And this power can be transferred at the same time the device is transmitting data across the connection.

This could spell the end of all those proprietary laptop charging cables, with everything charging via a standard USB connection. You could charge your laptop from one of those portable battery packs you charge your smartphones and other portable devices from today. You could plug your laptop into an external display connected to a power cable, and that external display would charge your laptop as you used it as an external display — all via the one little USB Type-C connection. To use this, the device and the cable have to support USB Power Delivery. Just having a USB Type-C connection doesn't necessarily mean they do.

USB Type-C and USB 3.1

USB 3.1 is a new USB standard. USB 3's theoretical bandwidth is 5 Gbps same as of USB 3.1 Gen 1, while USB 3.1 Gen 2's bandwidth is 10 Gbps. That's double the bandwidth, as fast as a first-generation Thunderbolt connector. USB Type-C isn't the same thing as USB 3.1. USB Type-C is just a connector shape, and the underlying technology could just be USB 2 or USB 3.0. In fact, Nokia's N1 Android tablet uses a USB Type-C connector, but underneath it's all USB 2.0 — not even USB 3.0. However, these technologies are closely related.

Advantages of Displayport over USB Type-C

• Full DisplayPort audio/video (A/V) performance (up to 4K at 60Hz)

• Reversible plug orientation and cable direction

• Backwards compatibility to VGA, DVI with adaptors

• SuperSpeed USB (USB 3.1) data

• Supports HDMI 2.0a and is backwards compatible with previous versions

HDMI 2.0

This topic explains the HDMI 2.0 and its features along with the advantages.

HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) is an industry-supported, uncompressed, all-digital audio/video interface. HDMI provides an interface between any compatible digital audio/video source, such as a DVD player, or A/V receiver and a compatible digital audio and/or video monitor, such as a digital TV (DTV). The intended applications for HDMI TVs, and DVD players. The primary advantage is cable reduction and content protection provisions. HDMI supports standard, enhanced, or high-definition video, plus multichannel digital audio on a single cable.

Technology and components

HDMI 2.0 Features

• HDMI Ethernet Channel - Adds high-speed networking to an HDMI link, allowing users to take full advantage of their IP-enabled devices without a separate Ethernet cable

• Audio Return Channel - Allows an HDMI-connected TV with a built-in tuner to send audio data "upstream" to a surround audio system, eliminating the need for a separate audio cable

• 3D - Defines input/output protocols for major 3D video formats, paving the way for true 3D gaming and 3D home theater applications

• Content Type - Real-time signaling of content types between display and source devices, enabling a TV to optimize picture settings based on content type

• Additional Color Spaces - Adds support for additional color models used in digital photography and computer graphics

• 4K Support - Enables video resolutions far beyond 1080p, supporting next-generation displays that will rival the Digital Cinema systems used in many commercial movie theaters

• HDMI Micro Connector - A new, smaller connector for phones and other portable devices, supporting video resolutions up to 1080p

• Automotive Connection System - New cables and connectors for automotive video systems, designed to meet the unique demands of the motoring environment while delivering true HD quality

Advantages of HDMI

• Quality HDMI transfers uncompressed digital audio and video for the highest, crispest image quality.

• Low -cost HDMI provides the quality and functionality of a digital interface while also supporting uncompressed video formats in a simple, cost-effective manner

• Audio HDMI supports multiple audio formats from standard stereo to multichannel surround sound

• HDMI combines video and multichannel audio into a single cable, eliminating the cost, complexity, and confusion of multiple cables currently used in A/V systems

• HDMI supports communication between the video source (such as a DVD player) and the DTV, enabling new functionality

Technology and components

Disassembly and reassembly

Side cover

Removing side cover

1. Follow the procedure in Before working inside your computer.

2. To release the side cover:

a) Slide the blue tab to release the side cover from the computer [1]. b) Slide the side cover toward the back of the computer [2]. c) Lift the side cover to remove it from the computer.

Installing side cover

1. Place the side cover on the computer and slide the side cover forward [1].

2. Slide the side cover until the click sound and the blue tab secures the side cover to the computer [2].

12 Disassembly and reassembly

3. Follow the procedure in After working inside your computer.

Front Bezel

Removing front bezel

1. Follow the procedure in Before working inside your computer.

2. Remove the side cover.

3. To remove the front bezel:

a) Lift the tabs to release the front bezel from the chassis [1]. b) Push the front bezel away from the chassis [2] . c) Pull the front bezel to release it from the chassis [3].

Disassembly and reassembly

Installing front bezel

1. Position the front bezel to align the tab holders on the chassis.

2. Slide and press the front bezel until the tabs click in place.

3. Install the side cover.

4. Follow the procedure in After working inside your computer.

Disassembly and reassembly

Front panel door

Opening the front panel door

1. Follow the procedure in Before working inside your computer.

2. Remove the:

a) side cover b) front bezel

CAUTION: The front panel door opens only to a limited extent. See the printed image on the front panel door for the

maximum permissible level.

3. Pull the front panel door to open it.

Closing front panel door

1. Push the front panel door on the computer and press the side cover forward until the panel door clicks into place.

Disassembly and reassembly

2. Install the

a) front bezel b) side cover

3. Follow the procedure in After working inside your computer.

3.5-inch hard drive

Removing 3.5–inch hard drive assembly

1. Follow the procedure in Before working inside your computer.

2. Remove the:

a) side cover b) front bezel

3. To remove the hard drive assembly:

a) Disconnect the hard drive assembly cables from the connectors on the hard drive.

NOTE: Ensure to remove the SATA blue cable first, to ease in removing the hard drive data cable.

16 Disassembly and reassembly

b) Pull the metal bracket that shields the hard drive assembly [1]. c) Press the blue tab [2] and pull the hard drive assembly out of the computer [ 3].

Installing 3.5–inch hard drive assembly

1. Insert the hard drive assembly into the slot on the computer until it clicks into place [1].

Disassembly and reassembly

2. Close the metal bracket that shields the hard drive assembly [2].

3. Connect the SATA cable and the power cable to the connectors on the hard drive .

4. Install the:

a) front bezel b) side cover

5. Follow the procedure in After working inside your computer.

Disassembly and reassembly

3.5-inch hard drive

Removing 3.5–inch hard drive from the hard drive bracket

1. Follow the procedure in Before working inside your computer.

2. Remove the:

a) side cover b) front bezel c) 3.5-inch hard drive assembly

3. To remove the hard drive bracket:

a) Pull one side of the hard drive bracket to disengage the pins on the bracket from the slots on the hard drive [1].

NOTE: Do not pull plastic tab by more than 25° to avoid damage to the tabs.

b) Pull the hard drive out of the hard drive bracket. c) Lift the hard drive out of the hard drive bracket [2].

Installing the 3.5–inch hard drive into the hard drive bracket

1. Align the hard drive to the side of the hard drive bracket, and pull the other end tabs to insert the pins on the bracket into the hard drive [1].

2. Insert the hard drive into the hard drive bracket and press until it clicks into place [2].

3. Install the:

a) 3.5-inch hard drive assembly b) front bezel c) side cover

4. Follow the procedure in After working inside your computer.

Disassembly and reassembly

2.5-inch hard drive assembly

Removing the 2.5–inch drive assembly

1. Follow the procedure in Before working inside your computer.

2. Remove the:

a) side cover b) front bezel

3. Open the front panel door.

4. To remove the drive assembly:

a) Disconnect the drive assembly cables from the connectors on the drive [1] . b) Press the blue tabs on both sides [2] and pull the drive assembly out of the computer [3].

NOTE: Gently press the blue tabs to avoid damage to the plastic tabs.

Installing the 2.5-inch drive assembly

1. Insert the drive assembly into the slot on the computer and press until it clicks into place [1,2].

2. Connect the SATA cable and the power cable to the connectors on the drive [3].

Disassembly and reassembly

3. Close the front panel door.

4. Install the:

a) front bezel b) side cover

5. Follow the procedure in After Working Inside Your Computer.

2.5-inch hard drive

Removing the 2.5–inch drive from the drive bracket

1. Follow the procedure in Before Working Inside Your Computer.

2. Remove the:

a) side cover b) front bezel c) 2.5–inch drive assembly

3. To remove the drive:

a) Pull one side of the drive bracket to disengage the pins on the bracket from the slots on the drive [1]. b) Lift the drive out of the drive bracket [2].

Disassembly and reassembly

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