Installing a Powered Serial Port Expansion Card

Two powered serial ports, COM 1 and COM 2, are standard on the computer. Some models have a powered serial port expansion card installed that supplies two additional powered serial ports, COM 3 and COM 4. If your computer is not configured with a powered serial port expansion card, you may purchase one from HP.

Figure 2-25Powered Serial Ports

Table 2-5Powered Serial Ports

Item

Description

Supports

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

+5V

+12V

 

 

 

 

1

COM 1

Yes

Yes

 

 

 

 

2

COM 2

Yes

Yes

 

 

 

 

3

COM 3 (optional)

Yes

Yes

 

 

 

 

4

COM 4 (optional)

Yes

Yes

NOTE: The powered serial ports are configured for power in the Computer Setup utility. Refer to Configuring Powered Serial Ports on page 32 for more information.

To install a Powered Serial Port expansion card:

1.Remove/disengage any security devices that prohibit opening the computer.

2.Remove all removable media, such as optical discs or USB flash drives, from the computer.

3.Turn off the computer properly through the operating system, then turn off any external devices.

4.Disconnect the power cord from the power outlet and disconnect any external devices.

CAUTION: Regardless of the power-on state, voltage is always present on the system board as long as the system is plugged into an active AC outlet. You must disconnect the power cord to avoid damage to the internal components of the computer.

28 Chapter 2 Hardware Upgrades