When aligned correctly, the back of the hard drive is flush with the back of the hard drive carrier.
Hard drive backplane
Depending on your system configuration:
2.5 inch (x16) SAS/SATA backplane or
2.5 inch (x8) SAS/SATA backplane or
3.5 inch (x8) SAS/SATA backplane
Removing the hard drive backplane
Prerequisites
1. Ensure that you read the Safety instructions.
2. Follow the procedure listed in Before working inside your system.
3. Remove the cooling shroud.
4. Remove the cooling fan assembly.
5. Remove all hard drives.
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 prevent damage to the drives and backplane, remove the hard drives from the
system before removing the backplane.
CAUTION: Note the number of each hard drive and temporarily label them before you remove
the hard drive so that you can replace them in the same locations.
Steps
1. Disconnect the SAS/SATA data, signal, and power cable(s) from the backplane.
2. Press the release tabs and lift the backplane upward and slide it toward the back of the chassis.
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