Dell Precision 3450 SFF SSD 'Riser' and Other Parts

Question

You'll have to excuse me...

I'm old!

Online Customer Support wasn't able to answer these questions clearly...

Genuine_Dell_SSD_M_2_PCIe_x2_Storage_Adapter_Card_NTRCY_023PX6_with_256Gb_m_2_03_geh.jpg

1. This console has three SSDs thus far - the first is the boot drive, the second is the 1st storage drive, and the third is the 2nd storage drive. The third SSD (the 2nd storage drive) resides in what I think is called a "riser," which rests in a PCI-e slot. This "riser" (Dell P/N 023PX6) had one more slot available... Would it be no issue at all to just plug in another SSD?

IMG_1698 RESIZED.png

2. The package was shipped with two other items - P/N 0CJV5Y (which looks like a short PS/2 Cable with a "pigtail"), and P/N 06719X (which I think is the Remote Power Switch). I have no idea where to hook these things to. No instructions came with them, and Dell Tech Support has thus far been unable to identify the parts. Any idea where they go?

Chino de Oro · Accepted Answer

Most of the pictures are visible now and they are enough to confirm my previous post. The "Raiser" is a NVME adapter, called Dell Ultra-Speed Drive. There are 2 types, duo and quad, you have the duo.

Each NVME drive will connect to 4 lanes of PCIe. You have a duo adapter, in order to support 2 NVME drives, it required the PCIe slot with 8 lanes or more. On your motherboard, it has 2 PCIe slots, the short (black) one is 4 lanes, the long (blue) one is 16 lanes. The "Raiser", Dell Ultra-Speed Drive, is currently plug into the x4 slot, and the graphics card is on x16 slot. You won't be able to utilize another NVME SSD into the "Raiser". Even if you do, the OS can't see it.

Chino de Oro · Accepted Answer

This is the specification for your system, PCIe slot was referencing from page 15.

Chino de Oro · Answer

Hello @Jebediah , the picture is not visible to me yet but I guess you have the second storage drive in a Dell Ultra-Speed Drive Duo. You can add another SSD to the empty slot but your system won't see it if the Ultra-Speed Drive is plugged in PCIe slot with 4 lanes. If you have the x16 slot available then you can test it by removing the first storage drive from the motherboard's M.2 slot and install it on the Ultra-Speed Drive.

Take precaution when working on your system (discharging residual power and grounding yourself).

Jebediah · Answer

This is the way I think I configured things when I ordered my desktop online.

I hope the newer pictures I've included are more helpful (and visible!).

1. Boot SSD in the upper right (yellow), next to memory. 1st Storage SSD below it, in blue. Additional SATA HDDs that go over them, in pink.

2. This is where the "Riser" goes (I'm not sure if that's even the proper term for this). This "Riser" has room for two SSDs, only one of which is used. Below it is a Quadro P1000 Graphics Card.

3. This is the "Riser."

4. This is the "Riser" opened up, revealing where the 2nd Storage SSD is installed. I am wondering if that slot is open for a 3rd Storage SSD - might even RAID it, and I think it's an option through the BIOS (or so they told me when I was chatting with Tech Support last year).

Educate me on this - I vaguely remember the number of "lanes" per PCIe slot - I used to know all of this, but real life got in the way...

Not familiar with the Dell Ultra-Speed Drive Duo.

Jebediah · Answer

The manual that Dell released for this desktop doesn't list any of the above, as opposed to what one would find in an ASUS manual (remembering the PC-DL).

Chino de Oro · Answer

@Jebediah , which processor do you have in this machine?

Jebediah · Answer

It’s an Intel® Xeon® W-1290 at 3.20 GHz.

Jebediah · Answer

This empty space up there? I’ll give it a shot, thanks.

Chino de Oro · Answer

That's good news. I understand that you are looking to add more NVMe storage to your system. While it may not achieve by adding to the empty slot on the "Raiser" card, I just happened to see an empty M.2 slot in the picture that became visible to me.

There is a possibility to add an M.2 SSD to the slot right next to the "Raiser" card. However, there is a marking "non-active with i-3 or i-5 processor". You may want to check it out by temporary moving the SSD from "Raiser" card to that slot.

I hope that will work for you.

Jebediah · Answer

The two mystery parts from the second question in the first post - found a guide on what they are, and what to do with them.

https://downloads.dell.com/manuals/all-products/esuprt_desktop/esuprt_desktop_optiplex/optiplex-xe3_install-guide_en-us.pdf

They’re odd little items I should probably not have bought in the first place...

erratix · Answer

Hi Jebediah, did it work, using the 3rd SDD slot ?

Jebediah · Answer

Unfortunately, no. Couldn't use this slot.

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Dell Precision 3450 SFF SSD "Riser" and Other Parts

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