Remove the middle drive cage

Use this information to remove the middle drive cage.

Read the installation Guidelines

Power off the server for this task

ATTENTION: Static Sensitive Device Ground package before opening

Before removing the middle drive cage:

1. Remove the top cover. See Remove the top cover.

2. Disconnect the cables from the backplane.

To remove the middle drive cage, complete the following steps:

Watch the procedure. A video of the installation and removal process is available at YouTube.

1. Remove all the installed drives from the drive bays in the middle cage. To remove the drives, do the following:
   1. Hold and lift the two blue handles.
   2. Pull the hot-swap drives from the internal drive cage. See Remove a hot-swap drive.
   Figure 1. Internal drive removal-1
   

   

   
   
   Figure 2. Internal drive removal-2
   

   

   
   
2. Loosen the thumbscrews that secure the middle drive cage.
   Figure 3. Middle drive cage removal-1
   

   

   
   
3. Hold and lift the middle drive cage from the chassis as shown.
   Figure 4. Middle drive cage removal-2
   

   

   
   
4. Remove the internal backplane from the middle drive cage.
   1. Remove the screws that secure the internal backplane in the middle drive cage.
   2. Lift the internal backplane out of the middle drive cage.
   Figure 5. Internal backplane removal