Installing SSD on Optiplex 380

Just a quick check, you have BIOS Revision A07? http://ftp.dell.com/FOLDER00657520M/1/O380-A07.exe

Next that you have went to the right place. The BIOS should like one of the two below, I think the first one:

http://en.community.dell.com/support-forums/software-os/w/microsoft_os/4026.sata-operation.aspx

or

http://en.community.dell.com/support-forums/software-os/w/microsoft_os/4075.sata-operation-b.aspx

The OptiPlex 380 is an older model it is possible it doesn't have that BIOS option.

Edit I see no Intel SATA Drivers (Rapid Storage Technology, Matrix Storage Manager) available for this model so it probably doesn't have the option. http://ftp.dell.com/Pages/optiplex-380.html

You should be able to install a crucial v4 into the OptiPlex 380

http://www.crucial.com/upgrade/Dell-memory/OptiPlex/OptiPlex+380+Desktop-upgrades.html

A m4 is a waste of money on this system as it runs at 6 GB/s and the OptiPlex 380 can only run at 3 GB/s. The v4 and the OptiPlex 380 both run at 3 GB/s.

I recommend either the 128 GB or 256 GB v4.

So if it dosn't have the option so i can't install SSD on this system?

Thanks

I have successfully gotten SSD drives to work on 2 different Optiplex 380s. 

Here is how I did it:

1. Boot up the system with no hard drives plugged in.

2. Enter the bios and turn on sata port 2.

3. Restart the system and at the point that the system alerts you to not having any hard drives, carefully plug in the SSD drive power and sata connection to sata port 2. YES YOU DO THIS WHILE THE SYSTEM IS ON.

4. Re-enter the bios and see if any hard drive information is listed (most likely it will not be there).

5. Restart the computer and press the button to continue booting even though sata0 is missing. 

6. Once in Windows shut down, restart, enter the BIOS, turn off SATA0 to get rid of the warning. 

7. You now are running off of an SSD on SATA 2.

Some extra notes:

I think the key is just to plug the drive in while the system is complaining of not seeing any extra hard drives (while it is on). I did it on SATA2, but it may work on SATA0 too. This must force the system to make an extra attempt at reading the drive info for the BIOS.

Obviously there is some danger here with plugging in a hard drive while the PC is on (proceed at your own risk), but like I said it worked perfectly for me for two SSD hard drives.

I got a Dell optiplex 380 from work but has no hard drive, the IT said i can install a ssd drve. Which ssd do you recommend for it?

A 250 GB Crucial BX200 or MX200:

http://www.crucial.com/usa/en/compatible-upgrade-for/Dell/optiplex-380-mini-tower

If you have no Dell Windows 7 OEM installation media, use the Windows 10130 Insider preview as a stepping stone to get Windows 10 Pro:

http://dellwindowsreinstallationguide.com/windows-xpvista-%E2%86%92-windows-10-free-upgrade/