Replacing the storage media

Disposal of storage media

Delete confidential or technologically important data from the storage media before disposing of it. If a storage medium is defective, you must destroy it mechanically to prevent access to the data.

The old storage media must be disposed of in accordance with the national electronic waste regulations.

For new storage media, please contact your Beckhoff Sales only. Hard disks from Beckhoff are optimized for industrial applications. SSDs from Beckhoff have a considerably higher lifetime expectancy than commercially available SSDs.

Data transmission before replacement

If you want to exchange a storage medium according to Beckhoff's recommendation, you must copy the data from the old to the new storage medium. You can use the Beckhoff Service Tool (BST) for this purpose. BST is a graphical backup and restore program for devices with a Windows operating system. You can create an image of your operating system and use it to back up the operating system. Then you can restore the created image to a new data carrier. The BST is available on a bootable BST USB flash drive. This includes Windows and a backup tool. Select the size of the BST USB flash drive according to the size of the backup copy of your operating system. You can then keep the flash drive as a backup copy. For this purpose, the BST USB flash drives are designed for particularly long data preservation by means of special flash. For more information on the function of the BST, please refer to the corresponding manual.

If your storage medium is defective and there is no backup, Beckhoff Service can provide you with a fresh Windows image. For this to be possible, your Beckhoff device must already have been delivered with a valid operating system license. After installing the fresh image, the applications must be reinstalled.

You can also swap hard disks and SSDs that are in a removable frame and a RAID array during operation. In this case, you do not need to switch off the industrial PC before replacing it. For the replacement of hard disks and SSDs in a mounting adapter, contact Beckhoff Service. Your device comes with a red accessory cover that contains keys. Use the key pair without the black key cover to open a removable frame.

Chapter 7.2.1 Access to device components shows how to access the storage media.

Hard disk replacement

In the basic configuration, your industrial PC is equipped with a hard disk on top of the drive tower. Proceed as follows to replace the hard disk:

1. Loosen and remove the four UNC 3.5x6.35 screws from the mounting adapter (section A).

2. Remove the hard disk upwards from the mounting adapter (section B).

You have removed the hard disk.

3. Insert the new hard disk into the mounting adapter in the same orientation from above.

4. Screw the four UNC 3.5x6.35 screws on the mounting adapter again.

You have replaced the hard disk.

Optionally, you can order hard disks in a removable frame. In this case you have to remove the hard disk from the industrial PC via the front side. Follow the steps below:

1. Open the front flap (see chapter 3.2 Interface description).

2. Unlock the removable frame with the supplied key (section A).

3. Pull the key of the removable frame to unlock it (section B).

4. Open the removable frame (section C).

The hard disk is pushed out of the removable frame.

5. Pull the hard disk out of the removable frame (section D).

6. Insert the new hard disk into the removable frame in the same orientation.

7. Close the removable frame again.

8. Lock the removable frame again.

You have replaced the hard disk.

SSD replacement

Furthermore, you have the option to order your industrial PC with SSDs. According to your ordering option, the SSD is also either in a mounting adapter or in a removable frame.

If the SSD is in a mounting adapter on top of the drive tower, you have to proceed in the same way as for the hard disk when replacing it.

If the SSD is in a removable frame, you have to proceed as follows when replacing it:

1. Open the front flap (see chapter 3.2 Interface description).

2. Unlock the removable frame with the supplied key (section A).

3. Pull the key of the removable frame to unlock it (section B).

4. Open the removable frame (section C).

5. Pull the SSD out of the removable frame by the protruding Beckhoff sticker (section D).

6. Reinsert the new SSD in the same orientation.

7. Close the removable frame again.

8. Lock the removable frame again.

You have replaced the SSD.

Storage media in the mounting adapter

You can equip your industrial PC with additional hard disks and SSDs, which are permanently installed in 5¼-inch drive slots via mounting adapters. You cannot replace these storage media on your own. To replace the hard disks and SSDs in mounting adapters, contact Beckhoff Service (Chapter 10.1 Service and support).