Molecular Imager® Gel Doc™ XR+ 

Installation Guide
To install your Gel Doc XR+, perform these seven steps 
in the following order:
1. Unpack the Gel Doc XR+ system.

2. Install Image Lab™ software.

3. Set up the universal hood.

4. Install the camera.

5. Connect the cables.

6. Load the camera driver.

7. Calibrate the system.

1 Unpack the Gel Doc XR+ System

The Gel Doc XR+ system arrives in multiple containers labeled with several part numbers. The
universal hood and the parts pictured below are all you need to assemble and calibrate your
system.

Gel Doc XR+ System Components

Part No. Component Pictures
for Windows/Mac (170-8195)
170-8199 Gel Doc XR+ Installation Kit contains
this installation guide, the Image Lab
software CD, the standard filter, the
white Lens Flat Field Calibration disc,
a Focus Calibration Target, and a
system label

170-8180 Universal hood (includes an accessory

box, with 6 ft. and 10 ft. USB cables,
power cord, and thumbscrew)

170-8181 Gel Doc XR+ camera (includes camera

with attached lens and power supply)

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Molecular Imager Gel Doc XR+ System Installation

2 Install Image Lab Software

Before assembling your Gel Doc XR+ system, install Image Lab software on
the computer you intend to use with the system. You must be in the
“administrator” user group to install software.

Windows
1. Place the Image Lab software CD into a CD drive. The installation should start
automatically. If not, open “My Computer” and click your CD drive icon.

2. Double-click setup.exe to install the software.

The Image Lab software icon appears on your desktop. There is no need to start
the software now. Instead, follow the instructions below to assemble and
calibrate your system.

Macintosh
1. Insert the Image Lab software CD into a CD drive.

2. Double-click the CD icon on your desktop to see the folder contents.

3. Double-click the Image Lab.dmg file.

4. Drag the Image Lab application icon into the Applications folder.
There is no need to start the software now. Instead, follow the instructions below to assemble
and calibrate your system.

3 Set Up the Universal Hood

The components from the universal hood accessory box and the hood itself are everything you
need to assemble the universal hood.
1. Lift the top lid and the cardboard sides off the main
box. Carefully lift the universal hood from the bottom
foam, and place it on a workbench. Level the hood by
adjusting the rubber feet, if necessary.
CAUTION: The universal hood should be carried by at least
two people, holding the instrument from the bottom. 
Be sure that the door and drawer are completely closed
before lifting. A
2. The filter slider on the right side of the camera support
(A) aligns the filter with the hole on top of the hood.
There are three selectable filter positions. Move the
filter selector so that it is in the Filter 1 position.

3. Open the hood door. Locate the standard filter 

(170-8081) in the Installation Kit. While looking up into
the hood (B), thread the filter clockwise onto the ring B
that is currently centered under the hole.

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 Molecular Imager Gel Doc XR+ System Installation

4 Install the Camera

Now you will need the camera, power supply, and thumbscrew.
1. Place the camera on the bench
C
sideways as shown (C), and remove
the lens cap. Screw the thumbscrew
onto the camera bracket two or
three turns.

2. Lift the camera to the top of the

universal hood and slide the
thumbscrew through the slot in the
vertical camera bracket (D). This
orients the camera so the camera
Thumbscrew
lens can be centered in the gasket.

3. Make sure that the camera lens is

upright and seated on the gasket D
(E). Tighten the thumbscrew.

4. There is an adhesive-backed label

with the name of your camera
system in the Installation Kit. Read
Thumbscrew in
the label sheet instructions to see vertical slot of
where and how to place the label on the camera bracket
the universal hood. Placing this label
on your system makes it easy for
you to tell Technical Support which
type of camera you are using,
should you ever require assistance.

Thumbscrew

Gasket

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Molecular Imager Gel Doc XR+ System Installation

5 Connect the Cables

You’ll find the cables in the universal hood accessory box.
CAUTION: Do not turn the system on until the Image Lab software is installed and all cables
are connected. Be sure the power source is grounded and is protected by a circuit breaker.
1. Plug the camera power cable into the camera power supply connector labeled “6V DC,”
and the other end to a wall outlet.

2. Connect the motorized zoom lens (MZL) cable connector to the rear panel oblong
connector labeled “LENS” on the universal hood.

3. Connect one end of the 6 ft. USB cable to the USB port labeled “USB 2.0” on the
camera. Connect the other end to the port on the rear panel of the universal hood
labeled “TO CAMERA”.

4. Connect the 10 ft. USB cable from the universal hood connector labeled “TO PC” to the
computer.

5. Connect the main power cable to the rear of the universal hood power module and then
to a wall power outlet.

Back
GelofDoc
Gel Doc Camera
camera

Gel Doc
camera with
MZL cable

1 From camera to wall outlet

3 6 ft. USB cable from camera

to “To Camera” connector
on universal hood

Rear of universal
hood enclosure

4 10 ft. USB cable to computer

2 Oblong connector
marked “LENS”

5 Power cable
to wall outlet

To Camera To PC
Universal hood power switch

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 Molecular Imager Gel Doc XR+ System Installation

6 Install the Camera Drivers

NOTE: Do not launch your Image Lab software until this process is complete.
Once the camera is plugged in, and the universal hood power switch is turned on, (refer to the
drawing on page 4 for its location) a computer running Windows will detect the camera, and
display a “Found New Hardware Wizard” screen. If your computer has Windows XP installed,
the following screens will display. If your computer runs Vista or Windows 7, see the screens
on page 7. (Macintosh driver installation requires no intervention.)

Windows XP
The wizard starts at a welcome screen. Follow
these steps to install the camera driver.
1. Click “No, not this time,” and then click
“Next” to continue.
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2. Select “Install software automatically,” and

then click “Next” to continue.
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3. Click “Continue Anyway,” Windows will

install the first camera driver. Click on the
“Finish” button when it appears.

A message appears briefly on the lower right
corner of the screen indicating “Your new
hardware is ready to use.” The wizard starts
again, this time to install the second driver.

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Molecular Imager Gel Doc XR+ System Installation

4. Click “No, not this time,” and then click

“Next” to continue.

5. Select “Install software automatically,” and

then click “Next” to continue.

6. Click “Continue Anyway,” Windows will

install the second camera driver.

7. Click on the “Finish” button when it

appears.

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 Molecular Imager Gel Doc XR+ System Installation

Windows Vista
1. After the power is turned on, the PC will
automatically recognize the imager, and
this screen prompts you to install the
drivers. Click “Locate and install driver
software.” Vista finds the drivers
automatically. 
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2. You may see this screen. If you do, click

“Install this driver software anyway.” The
drivers will be installed.

3. Click on the Finish button when it

appears. A message appears briefly on
the lower right corner of the screen
indicating “Your new hardware is ready to
use.”

NOTE: Windows Vista may prompt you to go through the driver installation a second time. If
this happens, repeat steps 1 through 3, until you receive a “Your new hardware is ready to use”
message.

Windows 7
During the installation process you may see
the following warning. This warning can be
ignored, because it appears even when the
driver has been installed correctly.

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Molecular Imager Gel Doc XR+ System Installation

7 Calibrate the System

The Instrument Calibration wizard performs several procedures required to calibrate your
system, based on the illumination sources and accessories you choose. Once these
calibrations are performed, your image focus remains correct, whether you view an entire
sample or a small section of a gel or blot. While some of these calibrations can be skipped,
performing calibrations for all accessories that you have is required for accurate results.
The Instrument Calibration wizard appears automatically when a Gel Doc XR+ system is
detected the first time. The wizard need only be used once, as your system is installed. The
calibrations remain valid over the life of the instrument.
1. Start Image Lab software by clicking on the desktop
software icon. (If your systems runs a Macintosh
operating system, open your Applications Folder to
click on the software icon.) The New Instrument Found
screen displays the system name and serial number. 
Click “Next” to continue.
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2. Specify all accessoryillumination options and any

optional filter you have installed in the instrument.
If you aren’t sure which illumination options you have, click
on the question mark buttons to the right of each option. You
will see an illustration and part number of each option. 

There is also a dropdown list of filter options. The question
mark to the right of filter options includes application
information and part numbers. Choose the filter you have
installed in the universal hood.

3. Click “Next” to continue.

The illumination and filter options you have chosen will determine which calibration screens
are presented in the wizard.

4. Perform the steps on the Focus Calibration screen

to calibrate your system focus.
NOTE: This step may take up to seven minutes.

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 Molecular Imager Gel Doc XR+ System Installation

As the system is calibrating, various screens display that

help track your progress.
The wizard also tells you which filter selection to use as
you proceed through the various steps.
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If any illumination option was selected in step 2, the

tallest option displays in the Focus Calibration with
Height Offset screen. The focus height for the other
options are interpolated by the software.

5. Place the indicated illumination option and then

the Focus Calibration Target in the imager. After
following the listed steps, click the “Start
Calibration” button.
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6. This step acquires a dark image correction image,

which is required to reduce the background
intensity in your images.
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7. The Lens Flat Field calibration corrects for the

non-uniformity inherent in any lens. This requires a
special Lens Flat Field Calibration disc to be
installed in filter position 2. Once this is installed,
click “Start Calibration.”

NOTE: After completing this step, remove the Lens Flat

Field Calibration disc and replace the filter normally in
position 2, if any.
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Molecular Imager Gel Doc XR+ System Installation

8. This calibration only displays if you have selected

the White Light Conversion Screen in Step 2.
Perform the steps listed on the screen, then click
the “Start Calibration” button. The wizard prompts
you to move the correct filter into position. When
you select “OK,” the system performs the
calibration.
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9. The Orange Light Flat Field calibration corrects for

the distortion inherent in a UV light source, when
using orange light applications like EtBr and
SYPRO Ruby. If you do not have this accessory,
skip this calibration.
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10.The last screen of the wizard displays a setup

summary which indicates which options have
been calibrated.
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The Instrument Calibration wizard is only used during system installation. Click on “Instrument
Setup” under the Edit menu to display your calibrations. These calibrations need not be
changed unless you add accessories, such as a new light source. Recalibrate your system to
use any new accessories by using the Instrument Setup screen.
Now that your Gel Doc XR+ system is unpacked, assembled, and calibrated, refer to the
instruction manual (10017218) on the software CD for detailed instructions to operate the
system.

Mac and Macintosh are trademarks of Apple Inc. Windows XP, Windows 7, and Windows Vista
are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.

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Molecular Imager Gel Doc XR+ System Installation

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