Dell Vostro 3681 Service Manual
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Dell Vostro 3681 Service Manual

Dell Vostro 3681 Service Manual

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Vostro 3681
Service Manual
Regulatory Model: D15S
Regulatory Type: D15S002
August 2021
Rev. A01

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Summary of Contents for Dell Vostro 3681

  • Page 1 Vostro 3681 Service Manual Regulatory Model: D15S Regulatory Type: D15S002 August 2021 Rev. A01...
  • Page 2 A WARNING indicates a potential for property damage, personal injury, or death. © 2020 2021 Dell Inc. or its subsidiaries. All rights reserved. Dell, EMC, and other trademarks are trademarks of Dell Inc. or its subsidiaries. Other trademarks may be trademarks of their respective owners.

  • Page 3: Table Of Contents

    Contents Chapter 1: Working on your computer................... 6 Safety instructions................................6 Before working inside your computer........................6 Safety precautions.................................7 Electrostatic discharge—ESD protection........................7 ESD field service kit ..............................8 Transporting sensitive components.......................... 9 After working inside your computer..........................9 Chapter 2: Technology and components..................10 DDR4.....................................
  • Page 4 Deleting or changing an existing system setup password................. 67 Clearing CMOS settings/RTC reset..........................68 Clearing BIOS (System Setup) and System passwords..................68 Chapter 5: Troubleshooting......................69 Dell SupportAssist Pre-boot System Performance Check diagnostics..............69 Running the SupportAssist Pre-Boot System Performance Check..............69 Real-Time Clock (RTC Reset)............................69 System diagnostic lights..............................70 Diagnostic error messages...............................
  • Page 5 Updating the BIOS using the USB drive in Windows....................74 Updating the BIOS in Windows............................75 Backup media and recovery options..........................75 WiFi power cycle................................75 Drain residual flea power (perform hard reset)......................75 Chapter 6: Getting help and contacting Dell................77 Contents...

  • Page 6: Chapter 1: Working On Your Computer

    Damage due to servicing that is not authorized by Dell is not covered by your warranty. Read and follow the safety instructions that came with the product.

  • Page 7: Safety Precautions

    ESD protection is an increasing concern. Due to the increased density of semiconductors used in recent Dell products, the sensitivity to static damage is now higher than in previous Dell products. For this reason, some previously approved methods of handling parts are no longer applicable.

  • Page 8: Esd Field Service Kit

    Always place parts in your hand, on the ESD mat, in the system, or inside an anti-static bag. ● Transporting Sensitive Components – When transporting ESD sensitive components such as replacement parts or parts to be returned to Dell, it is critical to place these parts in anti-static bags for safe transport. Working on your computer...

  • Page 9: Transporting Sensitive Components

    It is recommended that all field service technicians use the traditional wired ESD grounding wrist strap and protective anti-static mat at all times when servicing Dell products. In addition, it is critical that technicians keep sensitive parts separate from all insulator parts while performing service and that they use anti-static bags for transporting sensitive components.

  • Page 10: Chapter 2: Technology And Components

    Technology and components This chapter details the technology and components available in the system. DDR4 DDR4 (double data rate fourth generation) memory is a higher-speed successor to the DDR2 and DDR3 technologies and allows up to 512 GB in capacity, compared to the DDR3's maximum of 128 GB per DIMM. DDR4 synchronous dynamic random-access memory is keyed differently from both SDRAM and DDR to prevent the user from installing the wrong type of memory into the system.

  • Page 11: Usb Features

    Figure 3. Curved edge Memory Errors Memory errors on the system display 2,3 failure code. If all memory fails, the LCD does not turn on. Troubleshoot for possible memory failure by trying known good memory modules in the memory connectors on the bottom of the system or under the keyboard, as in some portable systems.
  • Page 12 USB 3.2 Gen 1 achieves the much higher performance by the technical changes below: ● An additional physical bus that is added in parallel with the existing USB 2.0 bus (refer to the picture below). ● USB 2.0 previously had four wires (power, ground, and a pair for differential data); USB 3.0/USB 3.1 Gen 1 adds four more for two pairs of differential signals (receive and transmit) for a combined total of eight connections in the connectors and cabling.

  • Page 13: Hdmi 1.4B

    HDMI 1.4b This topic explains the HDMI 1.4b and its features along with the advantages. HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) is an industry-supported, uncompressed, all-digital audio/video interface. HDMI provides an interface between any compatible digital audio/video source, such as a DVD player, or A/V receiver and a compatible digital audio and/or video monitor, such as a digital TV (DTV).

  • Page 14: Chapter 3: Disassembly And Reassembly

    Disassembly and reassembly Recommended tools The procedures in this document require the following tools: ● Small flat blade screwdriver ● Phillips # 1 screwdriver ● Small plastic scribe Screw size list Table 2. Screw size list 6-32X1/4" M2X4 M2x3 Component Hard drive HDD/ODD bracket Optical drive...

  • Page 15: System Board Layout

    System board layout This section illustrates the system board and calls out the ports and connectors. Figure 4. System boards shipped with C-Media audio controller Disassembly and reassembly...

  • Page 16: Side Cover

    Figure 5. System boards shipped with Realtek audio controller 1. ATX Power connector (ATX_CPU1 and ATX_CPU2) 2. CPU fan connector (Fan_CPU) 3. Memory-module slots (DIMM1, DIMM2) 4. M.2 2230/2280 connector (for SSD) 5. Power switch connector (PWR_SW) 6. SD card reader connector 7.
  • Page 17 Steps 1. Loosen the two captive screws and slide the side cover to release it from the chassis. 2. Lift the side cover, off the chassis. Disassembly and reassembly...

  • Page 18: Installing The Side Cover

    Installing the side cover Prerequisites If you are replacing a component, remove the existing component before performing the installation procedure: About this task The following images indicate the location of the side cover and provide a visual representation of the installation procedure: Disassembly and reassembly...

  • Page 19: Bezel

    Steps 1. Align the tabs on the side cover with the slots and replace the side cover on the chassis. 2. Slide the side cover towards the front of the unit and tighten the two cap screws to secure the side cover to the chassis. Next steps 1.

  • Page 20: Installing The Front Bezel

    Installing the front bezel Prerequisites If you are replacing a component, remove the existing component before performing the installation procedure. ● Place the computer in an upright position. About this task The following images indicate the location of the front bezel and provide a visual representation of the installation procedure: Steps 1.

  • Page 21: 3.5 In. Hard Disk Drive

    3.5 in. Hard disk drive Removing the 3.5-inch hard drive Prerequisites 1. Follow the procedure in Before working inside your computer. 2. Remove the side cover. About this task The following images indicate the location of the 3.5-inch hard drive and provides a visual representation of the removal procedure: Steps 1.

  • Page 22: Hdd/Odd Bracket

    About this task The following images indicate the location of the 3.5-inch hard drive and provides a visual representation of the installation procedure: Steps 1. Place the hard drive into the hard-drive bracket and align the tabs on the bracket with the slots on the hard drive. 2.
  • Page 23 About this task The following image indicates the location of the HDD/ODD bracket and provides a visual representation of the removal procedure. Disassembly and reassembly...

  • Page 24: Installing The Hdd/Odd Bracket

    Steps 1. Release the ODD power and SATA cables from tabs on the side of the ODD bracket. 2. Remove the single #6-32 screw securing the ODD bracket to the chassis. 3. Lift the ODD bracket from the chassis. 4. Push the ODD to unlock it. 5.
  • Page 25 Disassembly and reassembly...
  • Page 26 Steps 1. Align and place the ODD bracket on the system unit chassis and connect the ODD SATA and power connectors 2. Push the ODD bracket into the chassis. 3. Snap the ODD bracket aligning the holes on the ODD bracket with that on the chassis. 4.

  • Page 27: Optical Drive

    Optical drive Removing the Optical Disk Drive Prerequisites 1. Follow the procedure in Before working inside your computer. 2. Remove the side cover. 3. Remove the 3.5 in. HDD. 4. Remove the HDD/ODD bracket. About this task The following images indicate the location of the ODD and provides a visual representation of the removal procedure. Disassembly and reassembly...

  • Page 28: Installing The Optical Disk Drive

    Steps 1. Remove the single M2x3 screw securing the optical drive to the bracket. 2. Remove the optical drive from the bracket. Installing the Optical Disk Drive Prerequisites If you are replacing a component, remove the existing component before performing the installation procedure. About this task The following images indicate the location of the Optical Disk Drive and provide a visual representation of the installation procedure:...

  • Page 29: Memory Module

    Steps 1. Insert the optical drive into the ODD bracket. 2. Replace the single M2x3 screw securing the optical drive to the bracket. Next steps 1. Install the HDD/ODD bracket. 2. Install the 3.5 in. HDD. 3. Install the side cover.

  • Page 30: Installing The Memory Modules

    NOTE: Note the slot and the orientation of the memory module in order to replace it in the correct slot. NOTE: If the memory module is difficult to remove, gently ease the memory module back and forth to remove it from the slot.

  • Page 31: Graphics Card

    Next steps 1. Install the bracket. 2. Install the side cover. 3. Follow the procedure in After working inside your computer. Graphics card Removing the graphics card Prerequisites 1. Follow the procedure in Before working inside your computer. 2. Remove the side cover.

  • Page 32: Installing The Graphics Card

    Steps 1. Lift the pull tab to open the PCIe door. 2. Push and hold the securing tab on the graphics-card slot and lift the graphics card from the graphics-card slot. 3. Lift and remove the graphics card from the system board. Installing the graphics card Prerequisites If you are replacing a component, remove the existing component before performing the installation procedure.

  • Page 33: Coin Cell Battery

    Next steps 1. Install the side cover. 2. Follow the procedure in After working inside your computer. Coin cell battery Removing the coin-cell battery Prerequisites 1. Follow the procedure in Before working inside your computer. CAUTION: Removing the coin-cell battery resets the BIOS setup program’s settings to default. It is recommended that you note the BIOS setup program’s settings before removing the coin-cell battery.

  • Page 34: M.2 2230 Solid State Drive

    About this task The following images indicate the location of the coin-cell battery and provides a visual representation of the installation procedure. Insert the coin-cell battery into the socket with the positive side (+) labeled facing up and snap the battery in the socket. Next steps 1.

  • Page 35: Installing The 2230 Solid-State Drive

    Steps 1. Remove the screw (M2x3) that secures the 2230 solid-state drive to the system board. 2. Slide and lift the solid-state drive from the M.2 card slot on the system board. Installing the 2230 solid-state drive Prerequisites CAUTION: Solid-state drives are fragile. Exercise care when handling the solid-state drive. If you are replacing a component, remove the existing component before performing the installation procedure.

  • Page 36: M.2 2280 Solid State Drive

    Steps 1. Locate the notch on the 2230 solid-state drive. 2. Align the notch on the 2230 solid-state drive with the tab on the M.2 card slot. 3. Slide the 2230 solid-state drive into the M.2 card slot on the system board. 4.

  • Page 37: Installing The 2280 Solid-State Drive

    Image: Steps 1. Remove the screw (M2x3) that secures the 2280 solid-state drive to the system board. 2. Slide and lift the solid-state drive from the M.2 card slot on the system board. Installing the 2280 solid-state drive Prerequisites CAUTION: Solid-state drives are fragile.

  • Page 38: Wlan Card

    Steps 1. Locate the notch on the 2280 solid-state drive. 2. Align the notch on the 2280 solid-state drive with the tab on the M.2 card slot. 3. Slide the 2230 solid-state drive into the M.2 card slot on the system board. 4.

  • Page 39: Installing The Wlan Card

    Steps 1. Remove the single (M2x3) screw that secures the wireless card to the system board. 2. Slide and lift the wireless-card bracket off the wireless card. 3. Disconnect the antenna cables from the wireless card. 4. Slide and remove the wireless card at an angle from the wireless-card slot. Installing the WLAN card Prerequisites If you are replacing a component, remove the existing component before performing the installation procedure.
  • Page 40 Steps 1. Connect the antenna cables to the WLAN card. The following table provides the antenna-cable color scheme for the wireless card supported by your computer. Table 3. Antenna-cable color scheme Connectors on the wireless card Antenna-cable color Main (white triangle) White Auxiliary (black triangle) Black...

  • Page 41: Sd Card

    SD card Removing the media card reader Prerequisites 1. Follow the procedure in Before working inside your computer. 2. Remove the side cover. 3. Remove the front bezel. 4. Remove the HDD/ODD bracket. About this task The following images indicate the location of the front cover and provide a visual representation of the removal procedure. Steps 1.

  • Page 42: Power Supply Unit

    Steps 1. Place the SD card reader on the system board ensuring the SD card reader sits flush on the connector on the system board. 2. Replace the two M3x5 screws securing the SD card reader to the system board. 3.
  • Page 43 Disassembly and reassembly...

  • Page 44: Installing The Power-Supply Unit

    Steps 1. Lay the computer on the right side. 2. Disconnect the power cables from the system board and remove them from the routing guides on the chassis. 3. Remove the three (#6-32) screws that secure the power-supply unit to the chassis. 4.
  • Page 45 Disassembly and reassembly...
  • Page 46 Disassembly and reassembly...

  • Page 47: Heatsink Assembly

    Steps 1. Slide the power-supply unit into the chassis until the securing tab snaps into position. 2. Replace the three screws (#6-32) that secure the power-supply unit to the chassis. 3. Route the power cable through the routing guides on the chassis and connect the power cables to their respective connectors on the system board.

  • Page 48: Installing The Heatsink Assembly

    Steps 1. Insert a flat head screw driver along the four marked edges of the fan shroud and gently push towards the fan to disengage the fan shroud from the heatsink assembly. 2. Lift and remove the fan shroud from the system unit. 3.

  • Page 49: Processor

    Steps 1. Align the screw holes on the processor fan and heat-sink assembly with the screw holes on the system board. 2. In the sequential order (1->2->3->4), tighten the captive screws that secure the processor fan and heat-sink assembly to the system board.
  • Page 50 3. Remove the heatsink assembly. NOTE: The processor might still be hot after the computer is shut down. Allow the processor to cool down before removing About this task The following images indicate the location of the processor and provides a visual representation of the removal procedure: Steps 1.

  • Page 51: Installing The Processor

    Installing the processor Prerequisites If you are replacing a component, remove the existing component before performing the installation procedure. About this task The following images indicate the location of the processor and provides a visual representation of the installation procedure: Steps 1.

  • Page 52: System Board

    Next steps 1. Install the heatsink assembly. 2. Install the side cover. 3. Follow the procedure in After working inside your computer. System board Removing the system board Prerequisites 1. Follow the procedure in Before working inside your computer. NOTE: Your computer’s Service Tag is stored in the system board.
  • Page 53 Disassembly and reassembly...
  • Page 54 Disassembly and reassembly...

  • Page 55: Installing The System Board

    Steps 1. Lay the computer on the right side. 2. Remove the screw (#6-32) that secures the front I/O-bracket to the chassis and remove the front I/O-bracket. 3. Disconnect the 4-pin power supply ATEX connector from the system board. 4. Disconnect the 6-pin power supply ATEX connector from the system board. 5.
  • Page 56 Disassembly and reassembly...
  • Page 57 Steps 1. Slide the front I/O-ports on the system board into the front I/O-slots on the chassis and align the screw holes on the system board with the screw holes on the chassis. 2. Align the front I/O-bracket with the slots on the chassis. 3.
  • Page 58 7. Install the memory modules. 8. Install the HDD/ODD Bracket. 9. Install the front bezel. 10. Install the side cover. 11. Follow the procedure in After working inside your computer. NOTE: Your computer’s Service Tag is stored in the system board. You must enter the Service Tag in the BIOS setup program after you replace the system board.

  • Page 59: Chapter 4: System Setup

    Boot menu Press <F12> when the Dell logo appears to initiate a one-time boot menu with a list of the valid boot devices for the system. Diagnostics and BIOS Setup options are also included in this menu. The devices listed on the boot menu depend on the bootable devices in the system.

  • Page 60: Boot Sequence

    Boot Sequence allows you to bypass the System Setup–defined boot device order and boot directly to a specific device (for example: optical drive or hard drive). During the Power-on Self Test (POST), when the Dell logo appears, you can: ● Access System Setup by pressing F2 key ●...
  • Page 61 Table 4. System setup options—System information menu (continued) General-System Information PCI Information SLOT2 Displays the PCI information of the computer. SLOT3 Displays the PCI information of the computer. SLOT5_M.2 Displays the PCI information of the computer. Processor Information Processor Type Displays the processor type.
  • Page 62 Table 5. System setup options—System Configuration menu (continued) System Configuration SATA Operation Configure operating mode of the integrated SATA hard drive controller. Drives Enable or disable various drives on board. SATA-0 Displays the SATA device information of the computer. SATA-1 Displays the SATA device information of the computer.
  • Page 63 Table 7. System setup options—Security menu (continued) Security SMM Security Mitigation Enable or disable SMM Security Mitigation Table 8. System setup options—Secure Boot menu Secure Boot Secure Boot Enable Enable or disable the secure boot feature. Secure Boot Mode Modifies the behavior of Secure Boot to allow evaluation or enforcement of UEFI driver signatures.
  • Page 64 System Logs BIOS Events Display BIOS events. Table 14. System setup options—SupportAssist System Resolution menu SupportAssist System Resolution Auto OS Recovery Threshold Control the automatic boot flow for SupportAssist System Resolution Console and for Dell OS Recovery tool. System setup...

  • Page 65: Updating The Bios

    Steps 1. Go to www.dell.com/support. 2. Click Product support. In the Search support box, enter the Service Tag of your computer, and then click Search. NOTE: If you do not have the Service Tag, use the SupportAssist feature to automatically identify your computer. You can also use the product ID or manually browse for your computer model.

  • Page 66: Updating The Bios From The F12 One-Time Boot Menu

    One-Time boot menu on the computer. Most of the Dell computers built after 2012 have this capability, and you can confirm by booting your computer to the F12 One-Time Boot Menu to see if BIOS FLASH UPDATE is listed as a boot option for your computer. If the option is listed, then the BIOS supports this BIOS update option.

  • Page 67: Assigning A System Setup Password

    CAUTION: The password features provide a basic level of security for the data on your computer. CAUTION: Anyone can access the data that is stored on your computer if it is not locked and left unattended. NOTE: System and setup password feature is disabled. Assigning a system setup password Prerequisites You can assign a new System or Admin Password only when the status is in Not Set.

  • Page 68: Clearing Cmos Settings/Rtc Reset

    1. Key in your computer's service tag number into the locked BIOS/system setup screen. 2. Convey the code generated to the Dell Tech Support agent. 3. The Dell Tech Support agent will provide a 32 character Master System Password that can be used to access the locked BIO/system setup.

  • Page 69: Chapter 5: Troubleshooting

    Real-Time Clock (RTC Reset) The Real Time Clock (RTC) reset function allows you or the service technician to recover Dell Inspiron, systems from No POST/No Power/No Boot situations. The legacy jumper enabled RTC reset has been retired on these models.

  • Page 70: System Diagnostic Lights

    System diagnostic lights Power-supply diagnostics light Indicates the status of the power-supply in either of the two sates: ● Off: No Power ● On: Power is supplied. Power button light Table 16. Power button LED status Power button LED state System state Description ●...

  • Page 71: Diagnostic Error Messages

    Then, shut down the computer, reinstall the hard drive, and restart the computer. Run the Hard Disk Drive tests in Dell Diagnostics. HARD-DISK DRIVE CONTROLLER FAILURE 0 The hard drive does not respond to commands from the computer.
  • Page 72 Then, shut down the computer, reinstall the hard drive, and restart the computer. If the problem persists, try another drive. Run the Hard Disk Drive tests in Dell Diagnostics. INSERT BOOTABLE MEDIA The operating system is trying to boot to non-bootable media, such as an optical drive.

  • Page 73: System Error Messages

    The operating system cannot find a specific track on the hard drive. SHUTDOWN FAILURE A chip on the system board may be malfunctioning. Run the System Set tests in Dell Diagnostics. If the message reappears, Contact Dell. TIME-OF-DAY CLOCK LOST POWER System configuration settings are corrupted. Connect your computer to an electrical outlet to charge the battery.

  • Page 74: Recovering The Operating System

    It enables you to diagnose hardware issues, repair your computer, back up your files, or restore your computer to its factory state. You can also download it from the Dell Support website to troubleshoot and fix your computer when it fails to boot into their primary operating system due to software or hardware failures.

  • Page 75: Updating The Bios In Windows

    Backup media and recovery options It is recommended to create a recovery drive to troubleshoot and fix problems that may occur with Windows. Dell proposes multiple options for recovering Windows operating system on your Dell PC. For more information. see...
  • Page 76 5. Press and hold the power button for 20 seconds to drain the flea power. 6. Install the battery. 7. Install the base cover. 8. Connect the power adapter to your computer. 9. Turn on your computer. NOTE: For more information about performing a hard reset, see the knowledge base article 000130881 www.dell.com/support. Troubleshooting...

  • Page 77: Chapter 6: Getting Help And Contacting Dell

    Getting help and contacting Dell Self-help resources You can get information and help on Dell products and services using these self-help resources: Table 20. Self-help resources Self-help resources Resource location Information about Dell products and services www.dell.com My Dell app...

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