Optiplex GXi HD

Does anyone know if the Optiplex GXi will work with an 80 GB HD? If not what can I do? That is the size of my extra drive.

 

Yes, it will. We have been using the GX series for years. Just make sure that you update the BIOS.

You want to replace the old drive, right?

 

I was given this computer. I want to make a smoothwall. The computer had no HD or CD drive. I had one of each sitting around. I'm trying to get by as cheap as I can. I just spent a good bit on a new Dell 8400. It is a GXi with a 200mh processor . Or at least that is what the mother board is jumpered for. How do I go about updating the BIOS?

 

Goto to www.dell.com and their support section. As a Dell user, you should create a free account for yourself. Just click on the "My Account" button. There you can go to the Support section and enter all the service tags for your systems and they will be stored there. The site has all the records for those systems. In the future, when you need support, you can use the "My Service Tags" pick list to conveniently get support and files for your systems.

The latest BIOS for that system is A06.

 

I am confused. I have been told to get a smaller drive, get a card,update BIOS, and do something different. I would like to make this work. What can I do to use the computer I have?

 

You can rest assured that whatever advise that I am giving you is the way to go. I have over 20 years of experience in computers and networking. I have been supporting these GX series for one of the largest corporations in the world for the last 8 years.

Whatever drive you purchase will work. If the system has capacity limitation, you can just create a boot partition that is small enough. But I do not believe that you will need to do that.

You probably do not need to do the BIOS update. But the wisest choice would be to update it before doing anything.

 

Thank you my friend. The drive that I wanted to use is 80 GB. It was removed from a Dell 8200 when I installed a 120 GB drive. It has about 13 GB of operating sys. and software on it. I have 2 other computers that I can go online and get the BIOS update from Dell. Do I copy it to a floppy then install the floppy in the GXi to update the BIOS. Never updated a BIOS before.

 

Dell usually provides two versions of their BIOS update. One that you can run from Windows ("Non-Packaged"), and the other is a bootable floopy ("Floppy").

In your case, it would be simpler to get the "Floppy" version of the update. The filename is BZM_A006.exe. Run the program, and it will make a bootable floppy.

If you already have a DOS bootable floppy, then you can get the "Non-Packaged" version and put it on it as well. The non packaged filename is ZM_A06.EXE.

Don't forget to make that account for yourself on Dell's support sight. I use it regularly and have about 10 Dell models saved there. The site comes in real handy.

 

I have an account for my 8200 and my new 8400. Can I go to Dell with one of these computers and create the floppy for the GXi?

 

Yes, when you are on support.dell.com, there should be a link that says "View My Systems & Peripherals". Click on that link and add your systems. You can add as many as you like (I think the limit is 60). I have a total of 8 different models in the list (D600, C610, GX150, GX270, etc.).

You can have your 8400, 8200, and GXi in your own list.

 

I went to the Dell site and tried to add the Optiplex GXi but I don't have a Service Tag No. so it wouldn't take it.

 

You do not need the service tag. Try again. I was able to download your BIOS updates without the service tag, just the model number.

 

Thank you Close Hauled I will try again. I know I can download the BIOS Update but I don't think I can list this computer. I tried 3 times.

 

The service tag is on the computer somewhere. It may be listed in the BIOS as well. It is seven digits with long.