XPS 8930, extra drive cables, cages?

Question

I just purchased an XPS 8930 desktop with a 1TB SSD. I’ve been told that it should be delivered at the end of June. My previous desktop that recently died was an Alienware unit with a 1TB SSD and a 2TB hard drive. The drives are in good condition and I would like to use them in the new PC. Does anyone know if the data cables and hard drive cages come with the new PC considering that no hard drive was ordered? I think I am okay if it doesn’t come with data cables, as I can steal them from my old PC to plug into the motherboard, but the cassettes to place the hard drive in, I’m assuming are designed specifically to fit into the XPS 8930 chassis. If they don’t come with the PC, where would I go to purchase these items?

Vic384 · Accepted Answer

Maybe this will work: https://www.ebay.com/itm/65KHD-Dell-XPS-8930-Original-Hard-Drive-Caddy/174252673421?hash=item289244c98d:g:DhoAAOSw0iNemDam I don't know the Dell part number.

Vic384 · Answer

SATA data cables do not come with the new PC. There are extra power connectors on the PSU cables. There are two drive cages located at the bottom of the PC which you can use to mount 3.5" drive with #6-32 x 1/4" screws. If your Alienware 1TB SSD is a 2.5" drive you can mount it inside the cage to the top of the cage (there are holes in the top of the cage that should line up with mounting holes on the bottom of the SSD). You can also mount a 2.5" SSD by purchasing a 2.5" to 3.5" adapter. See the service manual.

I am assuming your new XPS 8930 has a 1TB M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD so the drive cages should be empty.

After you install the Alienware drives you will have to boot your PC using the F12 Boot Menu to select the 1TB SSD that came with the XPS 8930 since one of the Alienware drives (I assume the SSD) is bootable. To avoid using the F12 Boot Menu each time you boot, you will have to re-initialize the Alienware bootable drive. You can do that after you have copied the data off of it. You can use DiskPart to re-initialize the drive. Here is the procedure: https://macrorit.com/partition-magic-manager/initialize-disk-gpt-mbr-from-cmd-diskpart.html

When using DiskPart, make sure you are selecting the disk you wish to initialize because all data will be wiped from it.

GadgetLarry · Answer

Thanks Vic384 for your reply. You described my setup perfectly. Yes, my old SSD is already in an adapter to 3.5 size. I will steal the data cables from the old PC so not worried about that part. Are you saying that I don’t need the cassetts designed for the XPS8930 hard drive cages? If so, I would still like the cassetts. Is it possible to purchase them somewhere?

GadgetLarry · Answer

I was using the wrong term. Carrier it is, then. Can I get a carrier for placing one of my hard-drives into the primary hard-drive cage? From pictures in the Service manual it looks like there is a different 'carrier' that snaps into the other cages as well. The picture shows two blue thumb inserts that can be squeezed to remove a drive that is in the cage. Is it possible to get these carriers?

Vic384 · Answer

I do not know what these cassetts are that you are referring to. There is a hard-drive carrier that is used to mount a 3.5' drive in the primary drive cage but is not required in the secondary drive cages. The cages are removable and the drive mounts directly to the cage. I have mounted drives to the cage without the carrier.

DELL-Cares · Answer

You can chat with our sales team. They should be able to help.

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XPS 8930, extra drive cables, cages?

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