Had My Fist Peak Inside My XPS 8300

OMG How do they expect anyone to get two hands in there, much less a hdd,
memory stick or optical drive? This is my first "mini" tower. It's
just 2" shorter than the 420, other dimension are basically the same. Hdds
were a cinch to get in and out. I don't think this is going to be doable
(for me). Does anyone know where I can find instructions on adding a hdd in
this computer? I didn't find directions on Dell.com nor were there any
Google results. What a shock to see how cramped everything is Does the
cage (or whatever it's called where the hdd is located) have to come out to
install the drive? Please don't tell me this is going to require another
trip to the comfuser shop!
http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/...nside8300b.jpg

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/...nside8300a.jpg

Thanks

On 9/25/2011 12:21 AM, Monica wrote:
OMG How do they expect anyone to get two hands in there,
much less a hdd, memory stick or optical drive? This is
my first "mini" tower. It's just 2" shorter than the 420,
other dimension are basically the same. Hdds were a cinch
to get in and out. I don't think this is going to be doable
(for me). Does anyone know where I can find instructions on
adding a hdd in this computer? I didn't find directions on
Dell.com nor were there any Google results. What a shock to
see how cramped everything is Does the cage (or whatever
it's called where the hdd is located) have to come out to
install the drive? Please don't tell me this is going to
require another trip to the comfuser shop!
http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/...nside8300b.jpg


http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/...nside8300a.jpg


Thanks
Go here for the setup guide and the service manual.
http://support.dell.com/support/edoc...0/en/index.htm

Thanks Pen. I've already been there and unless I'm just not seeing the
right topic, the info I need isn't there.

"Pen" wrote in message ...

On 9/25/2011 12:21 AM, Monica wrote:
OMG How do they expect anyone to get two hands in there,
much less a hdd, memory stick or optical drive? This is
my first "mini" tower. It's just 2" shorter than the 420,
other dimension are basically the same. Hdds were a cinch
to get in and out. I don't think this is going to be doable
(for me). Does anyone know where I can find instructions on
adding a hdd in this computer? I didn't find directions on
Dell.com nor were there any Google results. What a shock to
see how cramped everything is Does the cage (or whatever
it's called where the hdd is located) have to come out to
install the drive? Please don't tell me this is going to
require another trip to the comfuser shop!
http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/...nside8300b.jpg


http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/...nside8300a.jpg


Thanks
Go here for the setup guide and the service manual.
http://support.dell.com/support/edoc...0/en/index.htm

"Monica" wrote in message
...
Thanks Pen. I've already been there and unless I'm just not seeing the
right topic, the info I need isn't there.



It's under Drives. You need a screwdriver.

On 9/25/2011 2:04 AM, Monica wrote:
Thanks Pen. I've already been there and unless I'm just not
seeing the right topic, the info I need isn't there.

"Pen" wrote in message ...

On 9/25/2011 12:21 AM, Monica wrote:
OMG How do they expect anyone to get two hands in there,
much less a hdd, memory stick or optical drive? This is
my first "mini" tower. It's just 2" shorter than the 420,
other dimension are basically the same. Hdds were a cinch
to get in and out. I don't think this is going to be doable
(for me). Does anyone know where I can find instructions on
adding a hdd in this computer? I didn't find directions onives
Dell.com nor were there any Google results. What a shock to
see how cramped everything is Does the cage (or whatever
it's called where the hdd is located) have to come out to
install the drive? Please don't tell me this is going to
require another trip to the comfuser shop!
http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/...nside8300b.jpg



http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/...nside8300a.jpg



Thanks
Go here for the setup guide and the service manual.
http://support.dell.com/support/edoc...0/en/index.htm

service manual/drives

When I go he
http://support.dell.com/support/syst...0/en/index.htm
and click on View or HTML, I land on a page that says "we're sorry, the page
you are looking cannot be found and may no longer be available". But to
the right of that is a list of hyper links. Manuals are an option.
Clicking on Manuals takes me to a list of available manuals for my computer.
Drives is not listed, but Storage is. Clicking on Storage takes me to
another list where I can choose SATA Hard Disk Drives. My drive is not
listed but several Samsung Spinpoint drives are. Choosing any of them takes
me to this page
http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/storage/P111454S
None of the links give instructions for installing the drive. I tried all
this last night before asking for help (and again today in case I was
missing something)
If someone knows the direct link to directions for installing a hdd in this
computer, would you mind posting it please?
Monica


"Pen" wrote in message ...

On 9/25/2011 2:04 AM, Monica wrote:
Thanks Pen. I've already been there and unless I'm just not
seeing the right topic, the info I need isn't there.

"Pen" wrote in message ...

On 9/25/2011 12:21 AM, Monica wrote:
OMG How do they expect anyone to get two hands in there,
much less a hdd, memory stick or optical drive? This is
my first "mini" tower. It's just 2" shorter than the 420,
other dimension are basically the same. Hdds were a cinch
to get in and out. I don't think this is going to be doable
(for me). Does anyone know where I can find instructions on
adding a hdd in this computer? I didn't find directions onives
Dell.com nor were there any Google results. What a shock to
see how cramped everything is Does the cage (or whatever
it's called where the hdd is located) have to come out to
install the drive? Please don't tell me this is going to
require another trip to the comfuser shop!
http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/...nside8300b.jpg



http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/...nside8300a.jpg



Thanks
Go here for the setup guide and the service manual.
http://support.dell.com/support/edoc...0/en/index.htm

service manual/drives

On 9/25/2011 3:18 PM, Monica wrote:
When I go he
http://support.dell.com/support/syst...0/en/index.htm

and click on View or HTML, I land on a page that says "we're sorry, the
page you are looking cannot be found and may no longer be available".
But to the right of that is a list of hyper links. Manuals are an
option. Clicking on Manuals takes me to a list of available manuals for
my computer. Drives is not listed, but Storage is. Clicking on Storage
takes me to another list where I can choose SATA Hard Disk Drives. My
drive is not listed but several Samsung Spinpoint drives are. Choosing
any of them takes me to this page
http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/storage/P111454S
None of the links give instructions for installing the drive. I tried
all this last night before asking for help (and again today in case I
was missing something)
If someone knows the direct link to directions for installing a hdd in
this computer, would you mind posting it please?
Monica


"Pen" wrote in message ...

On 9/25/2011 2:04 AM, Monica wrote:
Thanks Pen. I've already been there and unless I'm just not
seeing the right topic, the info I need isn't there.

"Pen" wrote in message ...

On 9/25/2011 12:21 AM, Monica wrote:
OMG How do they expect anyone to get two hands in there,
much less a hdd, memory stick or optical drive? This is
my first "mini" tower. It's just 2" shorter than the 420,
other dimension are basically the same. Hdds were a cinch
to get in and out. I don't think this is going to be doable
(for me). Does anyone know where I can find instructions on
adding a hdd in this computer? I didn't find directions onives
Dell.com nor were there any Google results. What a shock to
see how cramped everything is Does the cage (or whatever
it's called where the hdd is located) have to come out to
install the drive? Please don't tell me this is going to
require another trip to the comfuser shop!
http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/...nside8300b.jpg



http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/...nside8300a.jpg



Thanks
Go here for the setup guide and the service manual.
http://support.dell.com/support/edoc...0/en/index.htm

service manual/drives
If I go to the link that Pen gave you (not the link you show above), it
takes me to a page with links for "Service Manual --- HTML" "View" and
"Download" and "Setup Guide --- PDF" "View" and "Download."

Selecting "View" for "service Manual" gets me to:
http://support.dell.com/support/edoc...n/sm/index.htm

That has a link for "Drives" which gets me to:
http://support.dell.com/support/edoc....htm#wp1188656

That page has instructions for removing and installing the primary and
secondary hard drives. I assume you are talking about adding a second
hard drive. There does not appear to be room for a third HDD if that is
what you had in mind.

Yes, I'm talking about adding a second drive. I know what the problem was.
I was seeing different pages due to being logged on. I logged out and see
what everyone else is seeing.

The directions, concerning a 2nd drive, is for removing and REPLACING a 2nd
drive. I'll be ADDING a drive where there hasn't been one (the computer was
shipped with only one drive). First, I see that indeed the hdd cage does
need to be removed to remove/replace a 2nd drive. Second, I see no mention
of removing and replacing any cables to a 2nd drive. It only talks about
removing and replacing screws. Does the extra connection that is on the
primary drive's cable plug into the 2nd drive? Also, since this
documentation is replacing, not adding a second drive, will there be any
jumpers that need changed?

It's been YEARS since I've done this and never in such cramped quarters. A
5th grader could have added a 2nd drive to the 420
Thanks guys.

"Bill Ghrist" wrote in message ...

If I go to the link that Pen gave you (not the link you show above), it
takes me to a page with links for "Service Manual --- HTML" "View" and
"Download" and "Setup Guide --- PDF" "View" and "Download."

Selecting "View" for "service Manual" gets me to:
http://support.dell.com/support/edoc...n/sm/index.htm

That has a link for "Drives" which gets me to:
http://support.dell.com/support/edoc....htm#wp1188656

That page has instructions for removing and installing the primary and
secondary hard drives. I assume you are talking about adding a second
hard drive. There does not appear to be room for a third HDD if that is
what you had in mind.

On 9/25/2011 11:06 PM, Monica wrote:
Yes, I'm talking about adding a second drive. I know what
the problem was. I was seeing different pages due to being
logged on. I logged out and see what everyone else is seeing.

The directions, concerning a 2nd drive, is for removing and
REPLACING a 2nd drive. I'll be ADDING a drive where there
hasn't been one (the computer was shipped with only one
drive). First, I see that indeed the hdd cage does need
to be removed to remove/replace a 2nd drive. Second, I see
no mention of removing and replacing any cables to a 2nd
drive. It only talks about removing and replacing screws.
Does the extra connection that is on the primary drive's
cable plug into the 2nd drive? Also, since this
documentation is replacing, not adding a second drive, will
there be any jumpers that need changed?

It's been YEARS since I've done this and never in such
cramped quarters. A 5th grader could have added a 2nd drive
to the 420
Thanks guys.

There are no jumpers. Just plug in a cable from one of the
SATA ports on the motherboard and a power cable, which is
the large one.

You will need to buy a SATA data cable. A power cable and plug will already
be available.