Dell 4x00/8x00 Rails

I've done it. I seem to have used up all the Dell Desktop (Dimension) 5-1/4
rails in my junkbox that will fit anything. I still have twenty rails, but
they bump up against the front of the cage in 8200s and 8300s. If you try to
trim back the triangle-shaped nose, you discover that the screw holes are in
the wrong place to fit any of the drive's threaded holes.

The ones that don't work seem to be bright green, and mostly came off the
spare clips of Dells of this era.

The ones that do work are a slightly darker green. The older and classier
variant of this (proper) size seems to have a black (conductive?) plastic
insert, and/or a plated overplate (grounding to cage?).

Anyone have the part number of the "right" one? What are the wrong ones for?

(The HD rails all work.)

-f

The Dimension 4300 thru 4550, Dimension 8xxx (xxx > 100), Precision 340 thru
370, Optiplex GX240 thru GX280, Optiplex GX150, and Optiplex 210L all use the
same sets of green mounting rails. Maybe I left out a couple of other models.

There are three types of rails:
1. Hard drive mounting rails
2. 5 1/4" drive mounting rails (e.g. CD-ROM)
3. 3 1/2 external drive mounting rails (e.g. floppy)

.... Ben Myers

On Fri, 12 Oct 2007 15:11:50 -0400, "Frank Haber" <> wrote:

>I've done it. I seem to have used up all the Dell Desktop (Dimension) 5-1/4
>rails in my junkbox that will fit anything. I still have twenty rails, but
>they bump up against the front of the cage in 8200s and 8300s. If you try to
>trim back the triangle-shaped nose, you discover that the screw holes are in
>the wrong place to fit any of the drive's threaded holes.
>
>The ones that don't work seem to be bright green, and mostly came off the
>spare clips of Dells of this era.
>
>The ones that do work are a slightly darker green. The older and classier
>variant of this (proper) size seems to have a black (conductive?) plastic
>insert, and/or a plated overplate (grounding to cage?).
>
>Anyone have the part number of the "right" one? What are the wrong ones for?
>
>(The HD rails all work.)
>
>-f

>The Dimension 4300 thru 4550... etc., etc. all use the same sets of green
>mounting rails.

I have this irresistable urge to write "in a pig's eye" here, but I'll
refrain. How did I get these rails, longer and wider than any of the 3-1/2
rails? By peeling them off the side of a Dell! Most of them personally.
They don't fit.

Unless another gnome in this shop dumped in some Gateway rails, etc.
(unlikely; don't see many of those any more), how did I get them? Bad dream?

Most recent Dell floppies have those annoying styled front panels, yes? They
come with a Dell floppy ordered as a part? You don't get floppy rails on a
floppyless Dell desktop, right? Unlikely that's what I have.

They clearly slide right into a CD bay. The holes line up with the drive's,
but then the drive sits much too far back. Clip off the nose, and you can
slide the drive nearly far enough in, but the rail latches are still 1/2" back
from the corresponding cutouts in the sheet metal. You're then reduced to
gaffer tape or wedging in giant woodscrews to secure the drive.

Oh well, I'll order some more and see what I get. I just don't want more of
these.

Hi!

> I have this irresistable urge to write "in a pig's eye" here, but
> I'll refrain. How did I get these rails, longer and wider than
> any of the 3-1/2 rails? By peeling them off the side of a Dell!

I think you'll find they are hard drive rails, used in the internal
3.5" drive bay. My Dim8300 had at least one set nestled inside it when
I went to add a second hard drive. Very neat idea, unless you get a
system and find that someone has "borrowed" the rails or took them
with the drives.

They are bright green and look to be longer than the other rails
already installed in the system.

> Most recent Dell floppies have those annoying styled
> front panels, yes?

At least in the case of the Dim8300 and 8400 boxen, they will accept
*either* type of floppy drive!

> You don't get floppy rails on a floppyless Dell desktop,
> right?

I really don't know for sure, but I think you *might*. My Dim8300
manual had instructions for installing a regular off-the-shelf floppy
drive (or Dell's own drive with the special rounded bezel) and it
mentioned removing a set of rails from the inside and applying them to
the drive if my memory is correct.

William

"Frank Haber" <> wrote in message
news:-...
> I've done it. I seem to have used up all the Dell Desktop (Dimension)
> 5-1/4 rails in my junkbox that will fit anything. I still have twenty
> rails, but they bump up against the front of the cage in 8200s and 8300s.
> If you try to trim back the triangle-shaped nose, you discover that the
> screw holes are in the wrong place to fit any of the drive's threaded
> holes.
>
> The ones that don't work seem to be bright green, and mostly came off the
> spare clips of Dells of this era.
>
> The ones that do work are a slightly darker green. The older and classier
> variant of this (proper) size seems to have a black (conductive?) plastic
> insert, and/or a plated overplate (grounding to cage?).
>
> Anyone have the part number of the "right" one? What are the wrong ones
> for?
>
> (The HD rails all work.)
>
> -f


5.25" Rails:

D/PN: 995EM
ASSY # (likely means with screws attached): 26PNP


These particular rails came from either a 45XX series or 83XX series
Dimension and have been found to correctly mount opticals in either.


Stew

wrote:
> Hi!
>
>> I have this irresistable urge to write "in a pig's eye" here, but
>> I'll refrain. How did I get these rails, longer and wider than
>> any of the 3-1/2 rails? By peeling them off the side of a Dell!
>
> I think you'll find they are hard drive rails, used in the internal
> 3.5" drive bay. My Dim8300 had at least one set nestled inside it when
> I went to add a second hard drive. Very neat idea, unless you get a
> system and find that someone has "borrowed" the rails or took them
> with the drives.
>
> They are bright green and look to be longer than the other rails
> already installed in the system.
>
>> Most recent Dell floppies have those annoying styled
>> front panels, yes?
>
> At least in the case of the Dim8300 and 8400 boxen, they will accept
> *either* type of floppy drive!
>
>> You don't get floppy rails on a floppyless Dell desktop,
>> right?
>
> I really don't know for sure, but I think you *might*. My Dim8300
> manual had instructions for installing a regular off-the-shelf floppy
> drive (or Dell's own drive with the special rounded bezel) and it
> mentioned removing a set of rails from the inside and applying them to
> the drive if my memory is correct.
>
> William
>

The 8200 came with LOTS of spare rails. One set for the 5.25 slots, one
set for the internal 3.5 and one set for the floppy cage (the external
3.5 cage is a different width than the internal HD cage). The HD rails
have a thin spacer on them to make them wider than the floppy rails.

--
Steve W.
Near Cooperstown, New York
NRA Member

>5.25" Rails:

D/PN: 995EM
ASSY # (likely means with screws attached): 26PNP

Thankee