Dell Precision WorkStation 420 Manual

www.dell.com | support.dell.com

Dell Precision™WorkStation 420

System Memory Upgrade

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





Throughout this guide, blocks of text may be accompanied by an icon and printed in

bold type or in italic type. These blocks are notes, notices, and cautions, and they are

used as follows:

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

your computer system.





  !"

"#

Information in this document is subject to change without notice.

Reproduction in any manner whatsoever without the written permission of Dell Computer

Corporation is strictly forbidden.

Trademarks used in this text: Dell, Dell Precision, and the DELL logo are trademarks of Dell

Computer Corporation.

Other trademarks and trade names may be used in this document to refer to either the entities

claiming the marks and names or their products. Dell Computer Corporation disclaims any

proprietary interest in trademarks and trade names other than its own.

May 2001 P/N 9D777 Rev. A00



support.dell.com System Memory Upgrade 1-1





This document provides instructions for upgrading the Rambus inline memory mod-

ules (RIMMs) on the Dell Precision WorkStation 420.

NOTES: Dell recommends that only a technically knowledgeable person perform this

procedure.

Dell recommends that you read the entire procedure before you begin. You must also

be familiar with removing the system cover and locating the RIMMs.

Dell recommends that you print the contents of the system User’s Guide for

referencing important information that may not be available during critical procedures.

This document is available on your Dell Precision ResourceCD and can also be

accessed from the User’s Guides icon on your desktop if you have not reinstalled the

operating system.



You must upgrade the basic input/output system (BIOS) before you upgrade the

RIMMs. Otherwise, the existing BIOS may not recognize the new RIMMs, and the

system will not operate.

To upgrade the BIOS:

1. Download the BIOS update utility for the computer to be updated from the Dell

support website.

a. Go to http://support.dell.com.

If this is your first time to use this website, complete the one-time

registration.

b. Click Downloads for Your Dell.

c. Enter your Service Tag Number for the computer to be updated or select the

appropriate Dell™system.

d. Select the appropriate operating system (OS) and language for the computer

to be updated.



1-2 System Memory Upgrade

e. Select FlashBIOS Updates for the download category.

f. Click Go and follow the instructions on screen to create a diskette containing

the BIOS update files.

NOTE: For some Dell systems, you are given a choice to create a diskette con-

taining the BIOS update files or to download a file you can use from the hard

drive. Select the choice to use the file that creates an installation diskette.

2. Insert the BIOS update diskette into the diskette drive of the computer to be

updated. Then restart the computer.

The computer automatically updates the BIOS from the diskette.

3. When the computer begins to restart and the Dell logo screen appears, remove

the diskette from the diskette drive so that the computer does not boot from the

diskette again.



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Before you perform any of the procedures in this document, read the following notice

for your personal safety and to prevent damage to the system from electrostatic dis-

charge (ESD).

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Before you remove the computer cover, perform the following steps in the sequence

indicated.

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$

1. Turn off the computer and any peripherals.

2. Disconnect the computer and peripherals from their power sources. Also, discon-

nect any telephone or telecommunication lines from the computer.

Before disconnecting a peripheral from the computer or removing a component

from the system board, verify that the standby power light, located on the sys-

tem board, has turned off. If it is on, you may need to wait 15 to 30 seconds for it

to go out (see the internal system board label that is attached to the cover of your

computer).



support.dell.com System Memory Upgrade 1-3

3. Ground yourself by touching an unpainted metal surface on the chassis, such as

the metal around the card-slot openings at the back of the computer, before

touching anything inside your computer. Dell recommends that you use a wrist

grounding strap in this operation.

While you work, periodically touch an unpainted metal surface on the computer

chassis to dissipate any static electricity that might harm internal components.

Doing so reduces the potential for personal injury or shock.

In addition, take note of these safety guidelines when appropriate:

•When you disconnect a cable, pull on its connector or on its strain-relief loop, not

on the cable itself. Some cables have a connector with locking tabs; if you are dis-

connecting this type of cable, press in on the locking tabs before disconnecting

the cable. As you pull connectors apart, keep them evenly aligned to avoid bend-

ing any connector pins. Also, before you connect a cable, make sure both

connectors are correctly oriented and aligned.

•Handle components and cards with care. Do not touch the components or con-

tacts on a card. Hold a card by its edges or by its metal mounting bracket. Hold a

component such as a RIMM by its edges, not by its pins.



 !  "#" $ 

Dell Precision 420 systems support dual, direct, Rambus dynamic random-access

memory (RDRAM) channels. The channels are designated A and B. It also supports

Rambus in-line memory modules (RIMMs) in 64-, 128-, 256-, and 512-megabyte (MB)

capacities. The RIMMs feature error checking and correction (ECC).

Dell Precision 420 systems support a maximum of four RIMMs for up to 2 gigabytes

(GB) of total memory.

Figure 1-1 shows the RIMMs and RIMM sockets.



1-4 System Memory Upgrade





When you add RIMMs, you must install them in matched pairs (pairs of identical

capacity). If only one pair of RIMMs is installed, they must occupy sockets RIMMB_1

and RIMMA_2, and you must install continuity RIMMs (CRIMMs) in sockets

RIMMB_3 and RIMMA_4.

Table 1-1 lists sample memory configurations.



+)



$(

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128 MB 64 MB 64 MB CRIMM CRIMM

256 MB 64 MB 64 MB 64 MB 64 MB

256 MB 128 MB 128 MB CRIMM CRIMM

512 MB 128 MB 128 MB 128 MB 128 MB

Socket RIMMB_1

Socket RIMMA_2

Socket RIMMB_3

Socket RIMMA_4

top of system



support.dell.com System Memory Upgrade 1-5

To upgrade memory, perform the following steps.

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7 7! 

1. If you have not already done so, upgrade the BIOS.

See “Upgrading the BIOS” on page 1-1 for instructions.

2. Turn off the computer and peripherals, disconnect them from their electrical out-

lets, and wait 10 to 20 seconds.

3. If you have a mini-tower computer, lay the computer on its right side.

4. Open the computer cover.

5. Install or remove RIMMs as necessary to reach the desired memory total.

NOTE: For instructions on installing RIMMs, see “Installing a RIMM” on page 1-7.

For instructions on removing RIMMs, see “Removing a RIMM” on page 1-8.

6. Install CRIMMs in any RIMM sockets that do not contain RIMMs.

7. If you have a mini-tower computer, stand the computer upright.

8. Close the computer cover, reconnect the computer and peripherals to their

power sources, and turn them on.

As the system boots, it detects the presence of the new RIMMs and automati-

cally changes the system configuration information in system setup.

NOTES: Adding or removing RIMMs causes the following message to be dis-

played at the next system start-up:

The amount of system memory has changed.

512 MB 256 MB 256 MB CRIMM CRIMM

768 MB 256 MB 256 MB 128 MB 128 MB

1024 MB 256 MB 256 MB 256 MB 256 MB

1024 MB 512 MB 512 MB CRIMM CRIMM

1536 MB 512 MB 512 MB 256 MB 256 MB

2048 MB 512 MB 512 MB 512 MB 512 MB



+)



$(

1" ,12 1/ ,13



1-6 System Memory Upgrade

After you replace the cover, if the chassis intrusion option is set to Enabled, the

chassis intrusion detector causes the following message to be displayed at the

next system start-up:

ALERT! Cover was previously removed.

9. Enter system setup. When Setup appears in the upper-right corner of the

screen, press <F2>.

If you wait too long and the operating system begins to load into memory, allow

the system to complete the load operation; shut down the system and try again.

NOTE: For instructions on using system setup, see the User’s Guide.

10. Reset the Chassis Intrusion option:

a. Press the down-arrow key to move to the System Security option.

b. Press <Enter> to access the System Security option's pop-up menu.

c. Press the down-arrow key to move to the Chassis Intrusion option.

d. Press the left- or right-arrow key to select Reset.

e. Choose Enabled, Enabled-Silent, or Disabled.

NOTES: The chassis intrusion default is Enabled.

If a setup password has been assigned by someone else, contact the network

administrator for information on resetting the chassis intrusion detector.

See the system User's Guide for information on the chassis intrusion detector.

11. When the memory total is correct, press <Esc> to exit system setup.

If the memory total is incorrect, repeat steps 2 through 4. Check the installed

modules to ensure that they are seated properly in their sockets. Then repeat

steps 5 through 10.

If the memory total is still incorrect, contact Dell for technical support.

See “Getting Help” in the User’s Guide.

12. Run the Dell Diagnostics to verify that the memory modules are operating

properly.

NOTE: For information on troubleshooting and running the Dell Diagnostics, see

“Troubleshooting” in the User’s Guide.

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