Optiplex 9020 Remove Hard Drive

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Marguerite Litscher

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Aug 3, 2024, 4:36:29 PM8/3/24

to tieprorofdam

If you want to use it as a backup drive, thats no issue. Even if your not, it wont make a difference. Depending on the size of the computer will determine if it will fit. At most all you need is a sata cable which you can take out of the old computer. If you have the tower it should be fine, if you dont, check to see if there is space for mounting another hdd. If everything works, go into windows, go to start menu and type in Disk Management. Then pick the one that you added and format it. If you want to get any data off it do that first and then format.

Thanks for responding to my question. It doesn't quite help me as what I am wanting to do is take the hard drive out of the Dell 790, cause of some software that's on it and then take the HDD out of the Dell 9020. I want to then take the HDD from the 790 and place in to the 9020 (upgraded and newer)as the main HDD. In trying so now, I get a message that says "windows failed to start. A recent hardware or software change might be the cause. To fix the problem:" And then it gives several options and I select to start windows normally. It'll try to open and it won't and then it comes back to the same screen telling me that it failed to open windows.

While that answers the hardware level issues you still have the OS level issues to contend with. The problem is with the installation of Windows as the OEM release you have on each system may not have all of the needed drivers to work in the other system so you may need to re-install the OS to update it with the needed drives for your other system.

Windows is copy-protected. It won't work on hardware too different from what it was installed on. If you have a retail version of XP, that won't be too much of a problem. But if XP came pre-installed on the old PC, that's the only PC that copy can run on.

You're better off buying a new hard drive and Windows--or buying a PC with them included. Just make sure you migrate your data files to the new PC and properly remove them from the old one before you get rid of it.

I read in the manual for the Dell Optiplex 330 that I can use second HDD. Actually I want to place 2.5" SSD. But I don't even understand where can I place 3.5". Tried to remove the 1st HDD and find where I can place somewhere else but didn't find. Also, didn't find tutorials for that PC.

SSDs, since they have no moving parts, can be attached anyplace in a system where they will get adequate airflow. You can use hook-and-loop (i.e., Velcro(TM)) to fasten them whereever you can get the SATA drive and power cables to reach.

it goes on top of hard disk 1, i think that the screws for it are behind the front cover, you have to remove it, and there will be 4 special screws that make the second hard disk fit on the first on top, there are marks on the chassis indicating that where the disk 1 goes and where the disk 2 goes... actually i am running one optiplex 330 right now, trying to get the sata drivers for windows xp setup...

B. With AIO (and laptops for that matter) the optical drive normally plugs into a stationary connector directly attached to the motherboard. Nowadays it is very rare to find an adapter or cable between the motherboard and optical drive.

Regarding the Optiplex 9020 AIO, opening the systems will not invalidate your warranty. The optical drive does have cables so these can be removed. Please see the service manual here (pages 17 to 19).

To remove the hard drive you will need to remove a stand from the monitor part. To do so, use a plastic scribe to release the stand cover from the back of the stand, and then remove the stand cover from the chassis. Next step: Removing the four screws from the back of the stand and lift the stand up and away from the chassis. To remove the rear cover - use a plastic scribe to unlock the tab on the top left corner (at the optical drive) of the chassis. Work your way around to loosen the rest of the tabs and remove from the chassis. Hard Drive located right in the center for 9020 AIO model, other models have the drive in the corner (red arrow) as on the picture from Dell manual for 3030:

Push the hard-drive bracket to release it from its lock(#1) and lift the hard drive from one edge(#2). Slide and remove it to access the hard-drive cable. Disconnect the hard-drive cable from the hard drive, and remove it from the computer. Pry the hard-drive bracket apart to release the hard drive. Remove the hard drive from the hard-drive bracket.

The drive removing instructions for all of these modern computers are pretty straightforward, because they all have more or less traditional desktop design for generic computer types. After turning off the computer and removing all cables from system case, lay your computer on its side with the computer cover facing up. Remove the screws from the edge to release the cover. If your computer cover has a cover latch, slide and hold the cover latch. Grip the indents on the computer cover, and slide the computer cover toward the back of the computer.

Squeeze the hard-drive bracket (blue) to release it from its loc and pull it back as shown on the picture above to access the drive cable. Disconnect the cable and slightly bend a plastic bracket apart to release the hard drive.

Without a manual to your particular model it may be difficult to locate cover release latches, but once they are located, the door will open without using any screwdriver or other tool. Dell desktop cases come with few design of cover release latches and unlocking buttons. You may need to locate the cover release latch and slide it back as you lift the cover. Then grip the sides of the computer cover and pivot the cover-part up using the hinge tabs as leverage points.

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I have a Dell PC with Ubuntu pre-installed. I got a new Hard drive and installed Windows on it. Making Dual on a single hard drive is a common practice but I want to do this with two separate hard drives. The Bios should give me an option to which HDD boot from ? any idea to set the bios of Dell OptiPlex 9020.