How to remove the outside casing of a dell computer

Power unplugged from computer, and all cables;

1) Look at the back of the computer. ONE of the Side Panels remove.

There will be screws vertically along the edge of the Side Panel, that removes. Either Philips head screws you remove, or Thumbscrews that you just loosen.

Once screws are removed, or Thumbscrews loosened all the way, look for a bulged formation in the back of the Side Panel.
This is a fingerpull.

Pull back on the Side Panel. It may only pull back so far, then stop.
This is because the Side Panel has hooked tabs that protrude from it, and go into slots in the metal frame of the computer case.

The Side Panel is then slid forward a tiny bit, and removed straight out from the computer case. You have to get the hooked end of the tabs, to clear the slots in the metal frame.

STOP!
Now FOLLOW Anti-Static Precautions!

Anti-Static Precautions:
Your body carries Static electricity. Static WILL fry out (Short Circuit), the delicate hardware components inside a computer.

Relieve your body of Static BEFORE reaching inside your computer, and/or before taking any new parts out of their anti-static bags, or cartons.

Computer On a table, computer unplugged from power, computer case open;
TOUCH an unpainted surface, of the metal frame of the open computer case.
This action will relieve your body of Static.

IF you leave your computer in the middle of working on it, be SURE to Touch the metal frame again upon your return.

I then lay the computer on a static free towel, on the table; and computer case opening -> UP.
Makes it SO much easier to work on.

2) Next remove all power cables going to the motherboard, and peripherals. (Harddrive, Optical drive/s, Card Reader, Floppy Drive, etc)

Flop, and/or tie the power cables out of the way, to the outside of the computer case.
If the Power Supply power cables are still in the way, remove the Power Supply.

Look around the outside edges of the motherboard, for motherboard mounting screws; and to the inside.
When removing the screws look to see if fiber washers are used.
Save these washers. The new motherboard may need them also.

(Rule of thumb is;
If the motherboard mounting holes have NO metal rings, fiber washers are used.
Metal rings? No fiber washers )

The motherboard is tilted up to remove. Tilted up on the OPPOSITE side of the I/O area side.

Input/Output area.
This is the area on the back of the computer, that the mouse, keyboard, monitor, audio cables, etc. is.
Components plugged in here plug directly TO the motherboard.

The metal shield that surrounds the I/O area, is the I/O Shield.
If installing a new motherboard, and it is not an original OEM motherboard replacement, use the I/O Shield that comes with the new motherboard.

That is; IF it comes with one; and IF it fits the rectangular hole in the metal framework; of the computer case.

Dell Support shows no documentation; and reviews are sparse.



WAIT, hold the phone!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Broken-Dell-Dimension-L600R-MCM-Computer-Desktop-Parts-/140517075990

OH, I see now said the blind man!

The lever on the Top/Back is depressed, or pulled up on, or pulled back on. This releases the half side of the computer case; that removes.

Also;
The front of the computer is the Front Panel.

The area of contact pins on the motherboard, that the main wires from the Front panel go to, is the Front Panel header.

Power On switch, Power On LED light, HarDDrive activity LED light, and Restart switch; IF used.

BEFORE you do ANYTHING, make notes, and a drawing as to what pins on the motherboard; that those wires go to.
I DO NOT have a pinout chart available for the Front Panel header.

Power cables from Power Supply I can guide you on.

For additional questions, (And I expect many), please post in a Comment.
Regards,
joecoolvette

Happy New Year to you, and yours!

just plug the card and insert the cd and install it...

Things You'll Need:

• phillips Screwdriver

1. Shut down your Dell desktop computer.
   
   

2. Remove all of the power and peripheral cables from your computer. There should be no cables connected to your computer when you attempt to remove the cover and open the case.
   
   

3. Watch for the green "Power" indicator light to dim. This light is on the back of the case near where the power cable plugs in. Your computer will hold onto an excess amount of energy for a few seconds after it is unplugged. You don't want to open your Dell computer case while this light is still lit.
   
   

4. Use a screwdriver to remove the screws holding the side of your Dell desktop computer's case. Set the screws aside.
   
   

5. Use your hands to pull up on the side of the case, separating it from the base of the computer. This will allow you to access the inside of your Dell desktop computer.

This Dell Support, and the Service Manual for the Dimension 8400,

http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/dim8400/SM/index.htm

In the Service Manual main menu, left-click on - Opening the Computer Cover

1) Computer off, and unplugged from power. (Always unplug the power cable from the surge protector. Then if the power cable needs to be removed from the computer, do so)

2) Remove all cables to the computer

3) Lay the computer on it's Right side.
(As you face the computer, your right side is the computers Right)

4) There is a Release button on the Top of the computer case, and a Release Button on the Bottom of the computer case.
These are located at the Rear of the computer.

The preferred method of opening the computer case, is to press one release button in at a time, and slightly lift up on the side of the computer case, where that release button is located near.

Then go to the other side of the computer case, press this release button in, and lift up on the computer case.

The computer case opens like a clamshell. The computer case is hinged at the front.

Example:
Computer laying on it's right side. Press the Top release button in, and lift up on the computer cover located near the Top.

Now press the release button on the Bottom. Lift the computer case up.

The computer case opens from the back, towards the front, like opening a car hood.

Rear computer case fan?

This is going to be a fairly long solution. Advising you in advance.

1) Computer off, and unplugged from power.

2) Open the computer case, TOUCH the metal frame BEFORE you reach inside. Your body carries Static electricity. Touching the metal case will relieve your body of Static.

3) Remove the Processor Air Shroud.
This is the plastic U shaped part that covers the Processor, and Heatsink. It's at the back of the computer next to the computer case, and the fan in the rear.

First, unplug the fan's power cable from the motherboard connector.
(J30 connector on motherboard.
In-between Ram slot 1, and the Processor)

Second, you may have to disconnect the power cable for the Processor, in order to remove the Air Shroud. Disconnect the Processor power cable from the motherboard.

(J10 connector. Square connector on the motherboard to the left of the Processor, and down. There is a power cable from the power supply that goes to it, with a square connector, and has four wires in the cable. Two Yellow, two Black wires)

You may have to disconnect the 20-pin ATX main power cable also, in order to have room to remove the Air Shroud.

(J21 connector on motherboard. Long connector with 20 socket holes in it. It's on the outside edge of the motherboard, to the right of the ram slots.

The power cable connector is a Male connector. The connector on the motherboard is a Female connector.
The Male connector has a lock tab on the side of it. The tab is hinged so that it pivots. The top of the tab is squeezed in to release the lock.

This action draws a hooked end of the tab, out of the Female connector on the motherboard. While keeping the tab squeezed, the Male connector is gently wiggled side to side, while pulling up, and out.

Do Not pull on the wires, pull on the Male connector only. Use a gentle force)

The Air Shroud is gently squeezed in on the sides, with your fingers, and thumb. (Side that is towards the Front of the computer)

Then the side of the Air Shroud that is towards the front of the computer, is lifted up.
The Air Shroud pivots towards the rear of the computer.

The Air Shroud pivots on two round pins. Pins are made into the plastic shroud itself.

Each side of the air shroud, is gently pried out on the bottom where the round pivot pin is, and this action draws the pin out of the rear fan's mounting flange.
Remove the Air Shroud, sit it aside.

Now you can look more closely as to how the fan's mounting flange is attached to the computer case.
At this point I cannot lead you directly, only guide you.

The fan's mounting flange, may have small flat protrusions coming out of it, that go through the rectangular ventilation holes, in the rear of the computer case.

The flat protrusions has a hooked end on them, that hooks on the edge of the ventilation hole. Usual style, requires that you push the hooked end, towards the inside.

(Reference is made in relation to the outside edge of the computer case. The hooked end is pushed towards the middle of the computer case)

It may be a style of mounting flange, where the flange's edge has a lock tang that sticks up.
This lock tang is part of the plastic mounting flange itself.

The lock tang is depressed towards the computer case, and the fan is slid up, and out of a metal bracket.
(May be more than one locking tang)

Observing the mounting flange for the fan, you should be able to see how the fan itself, is attached to the mounting flange.

Usually it's another form of locking tang that is used.
The locking tang, or tangs, are depressed, and the fan slides out of the mounting flange.

If you did not buy a replacement fan directly from Dell, (Don't even know if you can), observe the fan's power cable connector.

Observe where the wires go in the connector. Look at the color code of the insulation of the wires. Match this wire color code, to the original Dell computer case fan.

Are the wires in the same place as the Dell fan?
If not, tell me. Post in a comment.

You may have a plastic clip holder... Your motherboard has 10 screw slots.. count your screws and look for plastic clip holder mostly near the Processor area.

The computer tower will have a steel box frame with the cosmetic front and at least one removable side panel. The power switch itself will be mounted on the front of the frame either on the inside or the outside. If mounted from the inside, a either screw or 'fingers' molded into the switch body itself will clip into holes punched into the frame. If mounted from the outside, that cosmetic front will have to be removed to access the switch. In either case, a side panel must be removed to unplug the switch pigtail from the motherboard.

While this can be a very simple repair, it also provides plenty of opportunities to damage motherboard with a static electric discharge. If you do not have access to a grounding bracelet, be certain that on bare forearm is kept in direct contact with the bare steel frame.in order to bleed any buildup of static electricity that could folllow your hands into the case.

I'm not sure what you want us to do about this--as long as the computer is under warranty, you're covered.
Otherwise I'd suggest you get a tube of silicone seal and glue it back together. Won't affect the operation.

If you are comfortable working on the PC, as a technician I would first remove the motherboard from the case and test it outside of it. This is to verify that it is not shorting by touching something such as a screw inside of the case. You can try to fire it up connecting only the motherboard, RAM , and hard drive.....if you are not I would take it to a computer repair service......it definitly sounds like a bad motherboard.

Depending on the model of the motherboard , you are prob. looking in the area of $150.00-$250.00