Alienware Area-51 R3 Threadripper Edition User manual

Alienware Area-51 R3
Threadripper Edition
Service Manual
Computer Model: Alienware Area-51 R3
Regulatory Model: D03X
Regulatory Type: D03X003

Notes, cautions, and warnings
NOTE: A NOTE indicates important information that helps you
make better use of your product.
CAUTION: A CAUTION indicates either potential damage to
hardware or loss of data and tells you how to avoid the problem.
WARNING: A WARNING indicates a potential for property damage,
personal injury, or death.
Copyright © 2017 Dell Inc. or its subsidiaries. All rights reserved. Dell, EMC, and
other trademarks are trademarks of Dell Inc. or its subsidiaries. Other trademarks may
be trademarks of their respective owners.
2017 - 08
Rev. A00

Contents
Before working inside your computer..................... 14
Before you begin .......................................................................14
Safety instructions......................................................................14
Recommended tools.................................................................. 15
Screw list.................................................................................. 16
After working inside your computer........................ 20
Technical overview.................................................... 21
Inside view of your computer....................................................... 21
Left view.............................................................................. 22
Right view............................................................................ 23
System-board components......................................................... 24
I/O-board components................................................................26
Lifting the computer.................................................. 27
Procedure................................................................................. 27
Removing the stability foot.......................................29
Procedure................................................................................. 29
Replacing the stability foot.......................................32
Procedure................................................................................. 32
Removing the side panels........................................ 33
Procedure................................................................................. 33
3

Replacing the side panels.........................................35
Procedure................................................................................. 35
Removing the battery................................................ 36
Prerequisites............................................................................. 36
Procedure................................................................................. 36
Replacing the battery................................................ 38
Procedure................................................................................. 38
Post-requisites...........................................................................38
Removing the battery case....................................... 39
Prerequisites............................................................................. 39
Procedure................................................................................. 39
Replacing the battery case....................................... 41
Procedure................................................................................. 41
Post-requisites...........................................................................41
Removing the hard drive...........................................42
Prerequisites............................................................................. 42
Procedure................................................................................. 42
Replacing the hard drive...........................................45
Procedure................................................................................. 45
Post-requisites...........................................................................45
Removing the optical drive.......................................46
Prerequisites............................................................................. 46
Procedure................................................................................. 46
4

Replacing the optical drive....................................... 49
Procedure................................................................................. 49
Post-requisites...........................................................................49
Removing the right AlienFX side-panel
connector................................................................... 50
Prerequisites............................................................................. 50
Procedure................................................................................. 50
Replacing the right AlienFX side-panel
connector................................................................... 53
Procedure................................................................................. 53
Post-requisites...........................................................................53
Removing the left AlienFX side-panel connector... 54
Prerequisites............................................................................. 54
Procedure................................................................................. 54
Replacing the left AlienFX side-panel connector... 58
Procedure................................................................................. 58
Post-requisites...........................................................................58
Removing the I/O board............................................ 59
Prerequisites............................................................................. 59
Procedure................................................................................. 59
Replacing the I/O board............................................ 62
Procedure................................................................................. 62
Post-requisites...........................................................................62
5

Removing the drive-bay heat sensor cable.............63
Prerequisites............................................................................. 63
Procedure................................................................................. 63
Replacing the drive-bay heat sensor cable.............66
Procedure................................................................................. 66
Post-requisites...........................................................................66
Removing the memory modules.............................. 67
Prerequisites............................................................................. 67
Procedure................................................................................. 67
Replacing the memory modules.............................. 69
Procedure................................................................................. 69
Post-requisites...........................................................................70
Removing the graphics card.................................... 71
Prerequisites............................................................................. 71
Procedure................................................................................. 71
Replacing the graphics card.....................................74
Procedure................................................................................. 74
Post-requisites...........................................................................74
Removing multiple graphics cards.......................... 75
Prerequisites............................................................................. 75
Procedure................................................................................. 75
Replacing multiple graphics cards.......................... 79
Procedure................................................................................. 79
Post-requisites...........................................................................79
6

Removing the full-length graphics cards................ 81
Prerequisites............................................................................. 81
Procedure................................................................................. 81
Replacing the full-length graphics cards................ 85
Procedure................................................................................. 85
Post-requisites...........................................................................85
Removing the wireless card..................................... 86
Prerequisites............................................................................. 86
Procedure................................................................................. 86
Replacing the wireless card..................................... 88
Procedure................................................................................. 88
Post-requisites...........................................................................88
Removing the coin-cell battery................................ 89
Prerequisites............................................................................. 89
Procedure................................................................................. 89
Replacing the coin-cell battery.................................91
Procedure................................................................................. 91
Post-requisites...........................................................................91
Removing the top fan................................................ 92
Prerequisites............................................................................. 92
Procedure................................................................................. 92
Replacing the top fan................................................ 94
Procedure................................................................................. 94
Post-requisites...........................................................................94
7

Removing the logo board......................................... 95
Prerequisites............................................................................. 95
Procedure................................................................................. 95
Replacing the logo board..........................................98
Procedure................................................................................. 98
Post-requisites...........................................................................98
Removing the solid-state drive................................ 99
Prerequisites............................................................................. 99
Procedure................................................................................. 99
Replacing the solid-state drive...............................101
Procedure............................................................................... 101
Post-requisites.........................................................................102
Removing the PCI fan..............................................103
Prerequisites........................................................................... 103
Procedure............................................................................... 103
Replacing the PCI fan..............................................108
Procedure............................................................................... 108
Post-requisites.........................................................................108
Removing the front-bezel heat sensor cable........ 109
Prerequisites........................................................................... 109
Procedure............................................................................... 109
Replacing the front-bezel heat-sensor cable.........111
Procedure................................................................................111
Post-requisites......................................................................... 111
8

Removing the processor liquid-cooling
assembly...................................................................112
Prerequisites............................................................................112
Procedure................................................................................112
Replacing the processor liquid-cooling
assembly...................................................................115
Procedure................................................................................115
Post-requisites......................................................................... 116
Removing the processor.........................................117
Prerequisites............................................................................117
Procedure................................................................................117
Replacing the processor......................................... 119
Procedure................................................................................119
Post-requisites.........................................................................121
Removing the power-supply unit........................... 122
Prerequisites........................................................................... 122
Procedure............................................................................... 122
Replacing the power-supply unit........................... 126
Procedure............................................................................... 126
Post-requisites.........................................................................128
Removing the system board...................................129
Prerequisites........................................................................... 129
Procedure............................................................................... 130
9

Replacing the system board...................................132
Procedure............................................................................... 132
Post-requisites.........................................................................132
Removing the handle bars......................................134
Prerequisites........................................................................... 134
Procedure............................................................................... 135
Replacing the handle bars...................................... 141
Procedure............................................................................... 141
Post-requisites.........................................................................141
Removing the front bezel .......................................142
Prerequisites........................................................................... 142
Procedure............................................................................... 143
Replacing the front bezel........................................ 146
Procedure............................................................................... 146
Post-requisites.........................................................................146
Removing the optical-drive eject-button board.... 147
Prerequisites........................................................................... 147
Procedure............................................................................... 148
Replacing the optical-drive eject-button board.... 151
Procedure............................................................................... 151
Post-requisites.........................................................................151
Removing the rear bezel......................................... 152
Prerequisites........................................................................... 152
Procedure............................................................................... 153
10