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Precision 3431 Small Form Factor (SFF) Teardown removal guide for customer replaceable unit (CRUs)

Summary: This article is a guide to the removal of those parts of the Dell Small Form Factor Precision Workstation 3431 desktop, that Dell considers it easy 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.

Symptoms


These guides will take you, step-by-step through the safe removal of the Customer Replaceable Unit (CRU) parts of a Precision 3431 Small Form Factor (SFF) system. (CRUs are the parts of the system 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

 

Removal Guide

 

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

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


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Cause

N/A

Resolution

 

Removal Instructions

 

SLN317970_en_US__1icon Note: Click the title of the section you want to open below, in order to see the contents.

 

 

SLN317970_en_US__2ReqTools_E7450_BKeith_01

 

1 Small Phillip's head screwdriver 2 Plastic Scribe
3 Small Flathead screwdriver    
 
SLN317970_en_US__1icon 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 System Cover:

    1. During installation or removals 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. Slide the blue release catch on the back of the system towards the middle until it clicks [1]. Push the top cover towards the rear of the chassis and lift it up and off the system [2].

SLN317970_en_US__4CRU_3431_Base_SFF_01_BK

 

  1. Pre-Removal Instructions Before removing the Front Bezel:

    1. During installation or removals 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 System Cover.

  2. Pry up the three (3) retention clips along the top of the bezel [1].

SLN317970_en_US__5CRU_3431_Bezel_SFF_01_BK

  1. Rotate the bezel on the hooks at the bottom of the bezel [2] and pull it off the front of the PC [3].

SLN317970_en_US__6CRU_3431_Bezel_SFF_02_BK

 

  1. Pre-Removal Instructions Before removing the Expansion Cards:

    1. During installation or removals 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 System Cover.

  2. Pull the blue metal tab at the rear of the system to unlock the option slots [1].

SLN317970_en_US__7CRU_3431_ECard_SFF_01_BK

  1. Check for a release tab [2] press it if there and lift the card up and out of the slot and PC [3].

 

  1. Pre-Removal Instructions Before removing the Coin Cell Battery:

    1. During installation or removals 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 System Cover.

  2. The coin cell battery is located between the heatsink and the PSU, using a plastic scribe press the release latch until the battery pops out [1].

SLN317970_en_US__8CRU_3431_Coin_SFF_01_BK

  1. Remove the battery from the system [2].

 

  1. Pre-Removal Instructions Before removing the Hard Disk Drive (HDD):

    1. During installation or removals 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 System Cover.

  2. The HDD is located in the front right corner of the system. Both 3.5" and 2.5" HDD's fit in this assembly. Disconnect the cables at the rear of the drive [1,2].

SLN317970_en_US__9CRU_3431_HDD_SFF_01_BK

  1. Push the blue release table at the rear of the assembly. Lift towards the front of the system and lift the assembly out of the PC [3].

 

  1. Pre-Removal Instructions Before removing the Optical Disc Drive (ODD, DVD, CD RW):

    1. During installation or removals 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 System Cover, Front Bezel, and HDD Assembly

  2. Disconnect and unroute the HDD cables [1,2] from the retention clip and HDD-ODD release tab on the right-hand side of the Drive Cage. Push the slide towards the rear of the system [3] and rotate it up to the right-hand side to pull the Drive Cage up [4].

SLN317970_en_US__10CRU_3431_ODD_SFF_01_BK

  1. Disconnect and unroute the ODD cables [1,2] from the retention clips and the HDD-ODD release tab on the right-hand side of the Drive Cage. To unlock the Drive Cage. Rotate the cage up over the right-hand side of the chassis. Push the cage back down until its fully seated [3].

SLN317970_en_US__11CRU_3431_ODD_SFF_02_BK

  1. Squeeze the blue release tab at the back of the ODD [1]. Push the latch towards the front of the system [2] and pull the drive out the front of the system [3].

SLN317970_en_US__12CRU_3431_ODD_SFF_03_BK

 
SLN317970_en_US__1icon Note: To remove the Drive Cage, after removing the ODD. Go back and carry out step 2 again, but this time, lift the cage up and out of the system at that point.

 

  1. Pre-Removal Instructions Before removing the M.2 SSD Card:

    1. During installation or removals 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 System Cover, Front Bezel, and Drive Cage.

  2. The M.2 is located under the Drive Cage, remove the screw holding the card down [1].

SLN317970_en_US__14CRU_3431_SSD_SFF_01_BK

  1. Lift the card out of the connector and PC [2] and remove the thermal pad from the system board [3].

 
SLN317970_en_US__1icon Note: M.2 PCIe SSD cards with a capacity over 512 GB must be installed with a thermal pad. M.2 SATA and PCIe SSD cards with 128/256GB do not require a thermal pad.

 

  1. Pre-Removal Instructions Before removing the Memory:

    1. During installation or removals 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 System Cover, Front Bezel, and Drive Cage.

  2. The memory is located between the heatsink and front of the PC, pull the tabs on either side of the memory DIMM apart [1].

SLN317970_en_US__16CRU_3431_Memory_SFF_01_BK

  1. When the memory pops up, lift it up and out of the PC [2].

SLN317970_en_US__1icon Note: Repeat steps 2 and 3 for any additional memory DIMMs in the system.

 

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

    1. During installation or removals 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 System Cover, Front Bezel, and Drive Cage.

  2. The speaker is located in front of the PSU. Disconnect the speaker cable from the motherboard [1].

SLN317970_en_US__18CRU_3431_Speaker_SFF_01_BK

  1. Press the release tab on top of the speaker assembly [2] and push the assembly down and out of the chassis [3].


If you require further assistance, contact Technical Support.
Contact Us Go back to the Precision 3431 system guide page.

Affected Products

Precision 3431
Article Properties
Article Number: 000126645
Article Type: Solution
Last Modified: 23 May 2024
Version:  5
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