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Remove the system board

Follow instructions in this section to remove the system board.

About this task

A system board provides different connectors or slots to connect different components or peripherals of the system for communication. If the system board fails, it must be replaced.

Attention

  • Read Installation Guidelines and Safety inspection checklist to ensure that you work safely.

  • Power off the server and peripheral devices and disconnect the power cords and all external cables. See Power off the server.

  • Prevent exposure to static electricity, which might lead to system halt and loss of data, by keeping static-sensitive components in their static-protective packages until installation, and handling these devices with an electrostatic-discharge wrist strap or other grounding systems.

Procedure

  1. Prepare your server.
    1. Remove the top cover. See Remove the rear top cover.
    2. If your server comes with an air baffle, remove it first. See Remove the air baffle.
    3. Record where the cables are connected to the system board assembly; then, disconnect all the cables.
      Attention
      Disengage all latches, cable clips, release tabs, or locks on cable connectors beforehand. Failing to release them before removing the cables will damage the cable connectors on the system board assembly. Any damage to the cable connectors may require replacing the system board assembly.
    4. Remove any of the following components that are installed on the system board and put them in a safe, static-protective place.
  2. Remove the system board from the chassis.
    Figure 1. System board removal
    System board removal

    1. Use a screwdriver to loosen the screws on two plungers.
    2. Slide the system board toward the front of the server, and lift it out of the chassis.

After you finish

Important

Before you return the system board, make sure that the processor socket is covered. There is a processor external cap covering the processor socket on the new system board. Slide the processor external cap out from the processor socket on the new system board, and install the external cap on the processor socket on the removed system board.

Demo video

Watch the procedure on YouTube