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OptiPlex 7080 Mini Tower (MT) Teardown removal guide for customer replaceable unit (CRUs)

Summary: This article is a guide to the removal of the parts of the Dell OptiPlex 7080 Mini Tower desktop. Those parts that dell considers it OK for anyone to remove and replace.

This article applies to This article does not apply to This article is not tied to any specific product. Not all product versions are identified in this article.
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Symptoms

These guides take you step-by-step through the safe removal of the Customer Replaceable Unit (CRU) parts of a OptiPlex 7080 computer. (CRUs are the parts of the computer that should not need an engineer to remove or replace.) The guides include pictures to reference what is involved.

Table of Contents:

  1. CRU Removal Guide
  2. Removal Instructions

Cause

Removal Guide

 

If these guides do not cover what you are looking to do, then you must reference your System Manual.

The article below provides information about safe practices to consider before working with electrical equipment.

Resolution

 

Removal Instructions

 

Note: Click the title of the section that you want to open below to see the contents.

 

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recommended tools

 

1 Small Phillip's head screwdriver 2 Plastic Scribe
3 Small Flat head screwdriver    
 
Note: Be aware that using a large Phillips or Flat Head screwdriver may result in damage to the head of the screws. This would make their removal impossible without specialty tools that are not available to our onsite engineers.

 

  1. Pre-Removal instructions before removing the Cover:

    1. During installation or removal of any hardware always ensure that all data is backed up properly.

    2. Disconnect any telephone, network, or USB cables from the computer.

    3. Disconnect the computer and all attached devices from their electrical outlets.

  2. Looking at the rear of your computer, locate the blue release slide on the right-hand side of the chassis. Press it down to unlock the right-hand side access panel.

Door 1

  1. Grip the tab at the back of the access panel and pull away from the rear of the computer. Lift the access panel away when the securing lugs are released.

Door 2

 

  1. Pre-Removal instructions before removing the Front Bezel:

    1. During installation or removal of any hardware always ensure that all data is backed up properly.

    2. Disconnect any telephone, network, or USB cables from the computer.

    3. Disconnect the computer and all attached devices from their electrical outlets.

    4. Remove the Cover.

  2. Looking at the left-hand side edge of the front bezel, release the four (4) retention tabs securing the bezel to the chassis.

Bezel 1

  1. Swing the bezel to the right where the hooks secure the bezel down the right-hand side.

Bezel 2

  1. Remove the bezel from the hinge slots.

 

  1. Pre-Removal instructions before removing the Hard Disk Drive (hard drive):

    1. During installation or removal of any hardware always ensure that all data is backed up properly.

    2. Disconnect any telephone, network, or USB cables from the computer.

    3. Disconnect the computer and all attached devices from their electrical outlets.

    4. Remove the Cover.

  1. This computer can fit one (1) 3½" hard drive in the top right-hand side corner of the chassis. Remove the front bezel and disconnect the power and data cables from the rear of the drive.

HDD 5

  1. Remove the EMC shield from the front of the bay. Push the blue release tab at the rear of the bay towards the drive. Push the drive out the front of the computer in its blue bracket.

HDD 6

  1. Pop the two securing grommets on one side of the blue bracket away from the drive, the drive then should pull loose of the other side.

  1. This computer can fit two (2) 2½" hard drive in the top left-hand side corner of the chassis. Disconnect the power and data cables from the rear of the drive.

HDD 1

  1. Press the blue bracket tabs towards the middle of the drive and pull it out of the drive cage.

HDD 2

  1. Pop the two securing grommets on one side of the blue bracket away from the drive, the drive then should pull loose of the other side.

HDD 4

Note: Repeat these steps for a secondary hard drive if one is fitted.

 

  1. Pre-Removal instructions before removing the solid state drive (SSD):

    1. During installation or removal of any hardware always ensure that all data is backed up properly.

    2. Disconnect any telephone, network, or USB cables from the computer.

    3. Disconnect the computer and all attached devices from their electrical outlets.

    4. Remove the Cover.

The M.2 2230 PCIe SSD:

  1. You can find the slot for the M.2 in between the expansion card slots and the heat-sink on the motherboard. Remove the single screw securing the card to the motherboard.

SSD 1

  1. The end of the card lifts up, grip it and pull it out of the connector and the chassis.

The M.2 2280 PCIe SSD:

  1. You can find the slot for the M.2 in between the expansion card slots and the heat-sink on the motherboard. Remove the single screw securing the card to the motherboard.

SSD 2

  1. The end of the card lifts up, grip it and pull it out of the connector and the chassis.

 

  1. Pre-Removal instructions before removing the Optical Disc Drive (ODD):

    1. During installation or removal of any hardware always ensure that all data is backed up properly.

    2. Disconnect any telephone, network, or USB cables from the computer.

    3. Disconnect the computer and all attached devices from their electrical outlets.

    4. Remove the Cover.

  2. The optical disc drive is located on the front of the computer under the top drive bay. Remove the power and data cables from the rear of the drive.

ODD 1

  1. Push in the blue metal tab at the rear of the drive and push the drive out the front of the computer.

ODD 2

  1. Grip the drive and pull it the rest of the way out of the computer.

Note: Remove the metal bracket that is attached to the drive. It must be fitted to any replacement drive before you fit it back into the computer.

 

  1. Pre-Removal instructions before removing the Fan Assembly:

    1. During installation or removal of any hardware always ensure that all data is backed up properly.

    2. Disconnect any telephone, network, or USB cables from the computer.

    3. Disconnect the computer and all attached devices from their electrical outlets.

    4. Remove the Cover.

  2. The fan is fitted to the rear of the chassis. Disconnect the fan cable from the motherboard.

Fan 1

  1. Pull on each of the black grommets where they poke through the back of the chassis. As you pull the rubber grommet away from the computer, it thins out. This lets you pull it through the hole in the rear of the chassis.

Fan 2

  1. Once you have released all four (4) grommets, pull the fan out of the computer.

 

  1. Pre-Removal instructions before removing the Expansion Cards:

    1. During installation or removal of any hardware always ensure that all data is backed up properly.

    2. Disconnect any telephone, network, or USB cables from the computer.

    3. Disconnect the computer and all attached devices from their electrical outlets.

    4. Remove the Cover.

  2. The expansion card slots are located above the PSU in the bottom left-hand corner of the chassis. Flip the metal securing tab towards the rear of the computer.

Expansion Slots 1

  1. Check if the card is locked into the slot on the motherboard, if so pull the release tab while pulling straight out with card.

Expansion Slots 2

  1. It should pull straight out of the chassis. This leaves you with a gap in the back of your computer that you must fit a blank to.

Expansion Slots 3

 

  1. Pre-Removal instructions before removing the Memory:

    1. During installation or removal of any hardware always ensure that all data is backed up properly.

    2. Disconnect any telephone, network, or USB cables from the computer.

    3. Disconnect the computer and all attached devices from their electrical outlets.

    4. Remove the Cover.

  2. The Memory slots are located between the front of the computer and the heat-sink. Press the securing clips on either side of the DIMM away from the DIMM to see it lift up out of the slot.

Memory 1

  1. Pull the Memory DIMM out of the slot and the chassis.

Note: Repeat these steps for however many memory modules are located in the computer.

 

  1. Pre-Removal instructions before removing the Coin Cell Battery:

    1. During installation or removal of any hardware always ensure that all data is backed up properly.

    2. Disconnect any telephone, network, or USB cables from the computer.

    3. Disconnect the computer and all attached devices from their electrical outlets.

    4. Remove the Cover.

  2. The coin-cell Battery is located above the right-hand side edge of the PSU in the right-hand side corner of the computer. Using a plastic scribe or similar tool, pry back the latch and releasing the Battery.

Coin 1

  1. Lift the Battery up and out of the connector.

 

  1. Pre-Removal Instructions Before removing the Internal Speaker:

    1. During installation or removal of any hardware always ensure that all data is backed up properly.

    2. Disconnect any telephone, network, or USB cables from the computer.

    3. Disconnect the computer and all attached devices from their electrical outlets.

    4. Remove the Cover.

  2. Disconnect the speaker cable from the motherboard.

Speaker 1

  1. Pull the tab on the side of the speaker and slide it out the side of the chassis.

 

  1. Pre-Removal instructions before removing the WiFi, Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) Card:

    1. During installation or removal of any hardware always ensure that all data is backed up properly.

    2. Disconnect any telephone, network, or USB cables from the computer.

    3. Disconnect the computer and all attached devices from their electrical outlets.

    4. Remove the Cover.

  2. The Wireless card slot is located between the M.2 SSD slot and the front of the chassis. Remove the single screw locking down the antenna bracket.

WiFi 1

  1. Disconnect the WiFi antenna cables from the card. (The connector is a press stud and should pop off the card when you apply a little pressure.)

WiFi 2

  1. Pull the card out of the slot and the chassis.

 

  1. Pre-Removal instructions before removing the Power Supply Unit (PSU):

    1. During installation or removal of any hardware always ensure that all data is backed up properly.

    2. Disconnect any telephone, network, or USB cables from the computer.

    3. Disconnect the computer and all attached devices from their electrical outlets.

    4. Remove the Cover.

  2. The PSU is located in the bottom of the left-hand side corner of the chassis. Lay the computer on its left side and disconnect the power cables from the motherboard and the drives.

PSU 1

  1. Remove the three (3) screws securing the PSU to the rear of the chassis. Press the metal tab on the right-hand side of the PSU and push the PSU towards the front of the chassis.

PSU 2

  1. Lift the PSU out of the computer.

PSU 3

Additional Information

If you require further assistance, contact technical Support.
Contact Us Go back to the OptiPlex 7080 teardown contents page.

Affected Products

OptiPlex 7080 Tower
Article Properties
Article Number: 000131998
Article Type: Solution
Last Modified: 21 Sept 2023
Version:  6
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