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Installing an adapter in a PCI riser-card assembly

The following notes describe the types of adapters that the server supports and other information that you must consider when you install an adapter.

  • Locate the documentation that comes with the adapter and follow those instructions in addition to the instructions in this section.
  • The server provides two internal SAS connectors and two SAS/SATA RAID riser-card slots on the system board. See System-board optional-device connectors for the location of the internal SAS/SATA RAID connector and riser-card slots. You can replace the Lenovo ServeRAID SAS/SATA adapter with an optional Lenovo ServeRAID SAS/SATA adapter in the slot. For configuration information, see the ServeRAID documentation at the Lenovo Support Portal.
  • Do not set the maximum digital video adapter resolution above 1600 x 1200 at 75 Hz for an LCD monitor. This is the highest resolution that is supported for any add-on video adapter that you install in the server.
  • The server does not support legacy 5V PCI adapters.
  • When you install any PCI adapter, the power cords must be disconnected from the power source before you remove the PCI Express riser-card assembly and the PCI-X riser-card assembly. Otherwise, the active power management event signal will be disabled by the system-board logic, and the Wake on LAN feature might not work. However, after the server is powered-on locally, the active power manager active power management event signal will be enabled by the system-board logic.
  • The server provides two PCI riser-card slots on the system board. If you want to install a PCI Express or PCI-X adapter, you must order the PCI riser-card option.
  • If you are installing a ServeRAID-M5110 or ServeRAID-M5120 adapter, it can only be installed in PCI slot 1, 2, 4, or 5.
The following table shows the locations of the adapter expansion slots from the rear of the server.
Table 1. The maximum adapter dimension supported in each slot (rear view).

PCI riser-card assembly 1PCI riser-card assembly 2
1Full height, up to full length4Full height, up to full length
2Full height, half length5Full height, up to full length
3Full height, half length6Full height, half length

To install an adapter, complete the following steps:

  1. Read the safety information that begins on Safety and Installation guidelines.
  2. Turn off the server and peripheral devices and disconnect the power cords and all external cables.
  3. Remove the server cover (see Removing the cover).
  4. Determine which expansion slot you will use for the adapter.
  5. If you are installing an adapter in PCI expansion slot 1, 2, or 3, remove PCI riser-card assembly 1; if you are installing an adapter in PCI expansion slot 4, 5, or 6, remove PCI riser-card assembly 2. See Removing a PCI riser-card assembly.
  6. Rotate the bracket out of the way.
  7. Slide the expansion-slot cover out of the PCI riser-card assembly expansion slot.
    Figure 1. Adapter installation
    Adapter installation
    1. Riser-card assembly 1: if the adapter is a full-length adapter for the upper expansion slot in the riser card, remove the full-length-adapter bracket from underneath the top of the riser-card assembly (if any) and keep it in a safe place for potential future use.
      Figure 2. Full-length-adapter bracket removal
      Full-length-adapter bracket removal
    2. Riser-card assembly 2: if the adapter is a full-length adapter for the upper expansion slot in the riser card, the full-length-adapter bracket is on the cage by default.
  8. Connect any required cables to the adapter (see Internal cable routing and connectors).
    Attention
    • When you route cables, do not block any connectors or the ventilated space around any of the fans.
    • Make sure that cables are not routed on top of components that are under the PCI riser-card assembly.
    • Make sure that cables are not pinched by the server components.

If you have other devices to install or remove, do so now. Otherwise, go to Completing the installation.