Acer Altos 900 User Manual Download

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AcerAltos 900

User’s Guide

Summary of Contents for Altos 900

Page 1: ...AcerAltos 900 User s Guide ...

Page 2: ...arks of Adaptec Inc SCSISelect is a trademark of Adaptec Inc Intel and Pentium are registered trademarks of Intel Corporation IBM is a registered trademark and PS 2 is a trademark of International Business Machines Corporation MS DOS is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation Other brand and product names are trademarks and or registered trademarks of their respective holders Disclaimer Ac...

Page 3: ... grants you a personal non transferable non exclusive license to use the software that accompanies your computer system only on a single computer You may not a make copies of the software except for making one 1 backup copy of the software which will also be subject to this license b reverse engineer decompile disassemble translate or create derivative works based upon the software c export or re ...

Page 4: ...r indicated on the marking label If you are not sure of the type of power available consult your dealer or local power company 8 This product is equipped with a 3 wire grounding type plug a plug having a third grounding pin This plug will only fit into a grounding type power outlet This is a safety feature If you are unable to insert the plug into the outlet contact your electrician to replace the...

Page 5: ...ate normally when the operating instructions are followed Adjust only those controls that are covered by the operating instructions since improper adjustment of other controls may result in damage and will often require extensive work by a qualified technician to restore the product to normal condition e If the product has been dropped or the cabinet has been damaged f If the product exhibits a di...

Page 6: ...r installation If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures 1 Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna 2 Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver 3 Connect the equipment into an outle...

Page 7: ... 2 3 Positioning the System 1 7 1 3 Connecting Components 1 9 1 4 Installing Options 1 13 1 4 1 ESD Precautions 1 13 1 4 2 Opening the System 1 14 1 4 3 Installing Expansion Boards 1 16 1 4 4 Installing Drives 1 18 Chapter 2 System Board 2 1 2 1 Features 2 1 2 2 Major Components 2 2 2 2 1 System Board Layout 2 3 2 3 Jumpers and Connectors 2 4 2 3 1 Jumper and Connector Locations 2 4 2 3 2 Jumper S...

Page 8: ...5 2 8 Second level Cache Module 2 16 2 9 SCSI Feature 2 17 2 9 1 Using the SCSI Feature 2 17 2 10 Error Messages 2 18 2 10 1 Software Error Messages 2 18 2 10 2 System Error Messages 2 18 2 10 3 Correcting Error Conditions 2 21 Chapter 3 BIOS Utility 3 1 3 1 Entering Setup 3 2 3 2 Basic System Configuration 3 3 3 2 1 Date and Time 3 5 3 2 2 Diskette Drives 3 6 3 2 3 Hard Disk Drives 3 6 3 2 4 Syst...

Page 9: ...iguration 3 16 3 4 1 PCI IRQ Setting 3 17 3 4 2 VGA Palette Snoop 3 18 3 5 Non PnP ISA Card Configuration 3 18 3 5 1 System Resources Used by Non PnP ISA Cards 3 20 3 5 2 Expansion ROM Region 3 20 3 5 3 I O Region 3 20 3 6 Power Saving Configuration 3 21 3 6 1 Power Management Mode 3 22 3 6 2 System Wakeup Events 3 22 3 7 System Security Setup 3 23 3 7 1 Disk Drive Control 3 23 3 7 2 Onboard Commu...

Page 10: ...ded Translation 4 23 4 4 2 The DOS 1 Gbyte Limit 4 24 4 4 3 When to Use Extended Translation 4 24 4 5 SCSI Troubleshooting Checklist 4 26 4 6 BIOS Startup Messages 4 26 4 6 1 Device connected but not ready 4 28 4 6 2 Start unit request failed 4 28 4 6 3 Disk Drive Configuration Problems 4 29 Chapter 5 EISA Configuration Utility ECU 5 1 5 1 EISA Configuration Utility 5 1 5 1 1 Functions 5 1 5 1 2 M...

Page 11: ...x A System Resources A 1 A 1 Memory Map A 1 A 2 System I O Address Map A 2 A 3 Interrupt Channels A 4 A 4 Basic System Configuration 1 2 A 5 A 5 Basic System Configuration 2 2 A 5 A 6 Advanced System Configuration 1 1 A 6 A 7 PCI System Configuration A 7 A 8 System Security A 8 A 9 EISA Configuration Utility A 9 Index ...

Page 12: ...the Housing 1 18 1 14 Securing the Diskette Drive to the Upper Drive Frame 1 19 1 15 Securing the Diskette Drive to the Lower Drive Frame 1 20 1 16 Installing a 3 5 inch Diskette Drive 1 21 1 17 Connecting the 3 5 inch Diskette Drive Cables 1 22 1 18 Installing a 5 25 inch Drive 1 23 1 19 Connecting the 5 25 inch Drive Cables 1 24 1 20 Installing a Fixed Disk Drive 1 25 1 21 Connecting the Fixed D...

Page 13: ...7880 4 9 4 6 Boot Device Options Screen 4 10 4 7 SCSI Device Configuration Screen for AIC 7880 4 11 4 8 Advanced Configuration Options Screen 4 16 4 9 SCSI Disk Utilities Screen for AIC 7880 4 20 5 1 ECU Main Menu 5 5 5 2 Important EISA Configuration Information 5 6 5 3 Add or Remove Boards 5 8 5 4 View or Edit Details 5 9 5 5 Examine Switches or Print Report 5 10 5 6 Save and Exit 5 11 5 7 Examin...

Page 14: ...tings 3 25 3 3 Serial Port 2 Settings 3 25 3 4 Parallel Port Settings 3 26 3 5 Parallel Port Operation Mode Settings 3 27 4 1 Default Settings for SCSI Controller and All Devices 4 2 5 1 Keyboard Function Keys 5 2 A 1 System Memory Map A 1 A 2 System I O Address Map A 2 A 3 Interrupt Channels A 4 A 4 Basic System Configuration 1 2 A 5 A 5 Basic System Configuration 2 2 A 5 A 6 Advanced System Conf...

Page 15: ...ances These features include Intel Pentium Processor 512 KB Pipeline Burst write back second level cache 16 MB or 32 MB of system RAM expandable to 192 MB Total of seven I O expansion slots 3 EISA 4 PCI Integrated Fast SCSI 2 controller on the PCI bus Integrated SVGA controller with 1 MB of video memory Two 16550 compatible UART serial ports One parallel port that supports EPP ECP features 200 MB ...

Page 16: ... information related to the current topic WARNING Alerts you to any damage that might result from doing or not doing specific actions CAUTION Suggests precautionary measures to avoid potential hardware or software problems IMPORTANT Reminds you to take specific action relevant to the accomplishment of the procedure at hand TIP Tells how to accomplish a procedure with minimum steps through little s...

Page 17: ...atures and Functions of the Front Panel Feature Function Speed Indicator LED Unused LED location Not implemented Fixed Disk Drive LED Indicates fixed disk drive activity for fixed drives Power LED Indicates that power is applied to the system 3 5 inch Diskette Drive Accommodates a 3 5 inch diskette Drive Bays Holds the diskette drives and fixed disk drives Power Button Turns the system on or off R...

Page 18: ...Altos 900 User s Guide 1 2 1 Speed Indicator LED Not Used 5 3 5 inch Diskette Drive 2 Fixed Disk Drive LED 6 Power Button 3 Power LED 7 Reset Button 4 5 25 inch Drive Bay Figure 1 1 System Unit Front Panel ...

Page 19: ...Socket Connects the power cable Parallel Port Connects a parallel printer Serial Ports Connects serial peripherals SCSI Port Connects peripheral devices for high speed parallel data transfer Safety Latch Locks chassis Keyboard Connector Connects a PS 2 compatible keyboard Mouse Connector Connects a PS 2 compatible mouse ...

Page 20: ...User s Guide 1 4 1 Safety Latch 6 Video Port 2 Power Socket 7 Power Supply Outlet 3 Serial 1 Port 8 Serial 2 Port 4 SCSI Port 9 Keyboard Connector 5 Parallel Port 10 Mouse Connector Figure 1 2 System Unit Rear Panel ...

Page 21: ...site for the system 1 Find a place that is comfortable for you Avoid dusty areas of extreme temperature and humidity 2 Cable paths should not run near equipment that might cause electromagnetic or frequency interference such as radio transmitters television sets copying machines heaters or air conditioners 3 Find a location close to an electrical outlet Avoid using extension cords 4 Leave enough s...

Page 22: ...ains the base system with one 3 5 inch diskette drive installed video board and an accessory tray Additional peripherals and configurations may be installed depending upon model The accessory tray contains the following AcerAltos 900 User s Guide this manual Power Cord Keyboard and mouse Acer StartUp CD software bundle Warranty Package Mounting hardware for peripherals ...

Page 23: ...Chapter 1 System Housing 1 7 1 2 3 Positioning the System Arrange the legs of the system so that the system is stable and secure in the standing position Figure 1 3 Positioning the System Bottom View ...

Page 24: ... both sides with the left side being the more important of the two When standing the system with left ventilation holes facing the wall leave 2 4 inches of space from the wall to allow air circulation To stand the system with left ventilation holes facing out place the system close to the wall and position the legs as in Detail B ...

Page 25: ...that the system is turned off before connecting any system components NOTE Each component plug is keyed allowing it to be inserted in one direction Follow these steps to connect the component 1 Plug the keyboard into the keyboard connector Figure 1 5 Connecting the Keyboard ...

Page 26: ...AcerAltos 900 User s Guide 1 10 2 Connect the mouse into the mouse connector Figure 1 6 Connecting a Mouse ...

Page 27: ...Chapter 1 System Housing 1 11 3 Connect the monitor cable into the video socket Figure 1 7 Connecting a Monitor ...

Page 28: ...serial printer or other serial peripheral connect it to a serial port Serial 1 or Serial 2 Figure 1 8 Connecting a Printer 5 Plug the female end of the power connector into the system power socket and the other end into a grounded electrical outlet 6 Plug the monitor power cable into a grounded electrical outlet ...

Page 29: ...peripherals first before you turn on the system 1 4 1 ESD Precautions Integrated circuits ICs on expansion boards are sensitive to static electricity To avoid damaging the chips from electrostatic discharge ESD observe the following precautions 1 Do not remove a board from its packaging until you are ready to install it 2 Wear a wrist grounding strap before handling electronic components Wrist gro...

Page 30: ... 1 At the rear of the system remove the plastic lock and turn the safety latch to unlock the system housing 2 Pull the front panel release latches on each side of the front panel 3 Pull the front panel and detach it completely from the housing The next figure shows the inside components ...

Page 31: ...Chapter 1 System Housing 1 15 1 3 5 inch Fixed Drive Bays 2 Power Supply 3 Expansion Board Brackets 4 5 25 inch Drive Bays 5 3 5 inch Drive Bays Figure 1 10 Inside Components ...

Page 32: ...xpansion Boards Figure 1 11 Removing a Bracket 1 Study the expansion board installation guide and configure any jumpers as directed 2 Remove a bracket from any empty expansion slot Save the screw to secure the new board Keep the bracket for future use ...

Page 33: ...ure 1 12 Installing a Board 3 Gently insert the board into the expansion slot Make sure that the board is properly inserted 4 Secure the board with the screw NOTE Do not neglect this last step The board may use the screw for grounding ...

Page 34: ...AcerAltos 900 User s Guide 1 18 1 4 4 Installing Drives Installing a 3 5 inch Diskette Drive PUSH DOWN PULL OUT Figure 1 13 Detaching the Drive Frames from the Housing ...

Page 35: ...5 inch diskette drive 1 Detach the 3 5 inch diskette drive frames from the housing 2 Detach the upper drive frame from the lower drive frame 3 Secure a 3 5 inch diskette drive to the upper drive frame Figure 1 14 Securing the Diskette Drive To the Upper Drive Frame ...

Page 36: ...AcerAltos 900 User s Guide 1 20 4 Attach the upper drive frame to the lower drive frame and click it into place Figure 1 15 Securing the Diskette Drive to the Lower Drive Frame ...

Page 37: ...Chapter 1 System Housing 1 21 5 Insert the drive frame into the 3 5 inch drive bay and click it into place Figure 1 16 Installing a 3 5 inch Diskette Drive ...

Page 38: ...AcerAltos 900 User s Guide 1 22 6 Connect the diskette drive cables Figure 1 17 Connecting the 3 5 inch Diskette Drive Cables ...

Page 39: ...Chapter 1 System Housing 1 23 Installing a 5 25 inch Drive Figure 1 18 Installing a 5 25 inch Drive ...

Page 40: ...install a 5 25 inch drive follow these steps 1 Insert a drive into an available 5 25 inch drive bay 2 Secure the drive on both sides with the required screws Figure 1 19 Connecting the 5 25 inch Drive Cables 3 After installing the diskette drive connect the power supply and the drive cable ...

Page 41: ...Chapter 1 System Housing 1 25 Installing a Fixed Disk Figure 1 20 Installing a Fixed Disk Drive ...

Page 42: ... one 3 5 inch 1 inch high fixed disk drive into the drive bay To install a fixed disk follow these steps 1 Insert a fixed disk drive into an available drive bay 2 Secure it on both sides with the necessary screws Figure 1 21 Connecting the Fixed Disk Drive Cables 3 Connect the fixed disk drive cables ...

Page 43: ...ices The board has three memory banks each bank composed of two 72 pin SIMM sockets supporting a maximum system memory of 192 MB when using 32 MB SIMMs The SIMM sockets support both Fast Page Mode SIMMs or Acer s EDO ECC SIMMs A second level cache socket is installed with a 512 KB synchronous SRAM module A 50 pin Fast SCSI II interface and a 68 pin Fast Wide SCSI interface come with the system boa...

Page 44: ...orts 512 KB second level write back cache Three EISA and four PCI expansion slots RTC chip that contains clock calendar plus 128 bytes CMOS RAM with battery backup 50 pin Fast SCSI II and 68 pin Fast Wide SCSI interfaces IDE and diskette drive interfaces Power connector for 200 watt switching power supply Onboard VGA chipset with 1 MB DRAM External ports PS 2 compatible keyboard port PS 2 compatib...

Page 45: ...egulator 3 Cache module socket 4 Fan connector 1 5 CPU socket 6 Fan connector 2 7 CPU voltage regulator 8 Buzzer 9 Video RAM upgrade socket 10 Video RAM 11 EISA slots 12 Keyboard controller 13 PCI slots 14 PS 2 mouse connector 15 PS 2 keyboard connector Figure 2 1 System Board Layout ...

Page 46: ...Locations Figure 2 2 shows the jumper locations on the system board The blackened pin on a jumper represents pin 1 Figure 2 2 Jumper Locations Jumpers are prefixed JP Connectors are prefixed CN FA1 and FA2 are fan connectors On this figure the blackened pin of a jumper represents pin 1 ...

Page 47: ...ON Use SCSI Setup Utility to set terminator ON or OFF Cache Size JP3 1 2 2 3 256 KB 512 KB SCSI Selection JP6 1 2 2 3 16 bit 8 bit BIOS Version JP8 1 2 2 3 Acer Generic Password Security JP9 1 2 2 3 Enabled Disabled PC Sound Source JP10 1 2 2 3 Buzzer Speaker Front Panel Reset JP11 1 2 2 3 Enabled Disabled 256 KB BIOS JP12 1 2 2 3 Reserved Enabled fixed setting Default setting ...

Page 48: ...3 2 3 2 3 2 3 1 2 1 2 3 4 2 3 1 2 3 4 2 3 2 3 3 4 Bus Freq Core Freq Ratio 50 MHz 75 MHz 3 2 60 MHz 150 MHz 5 2 60 MHz 120 MHz 2 1 60 MHz 90 MHz 3 2 66 MHz 166 MHz 5 2 66 MHz 133 MHz 2 1 66 MHz 100 MHz 3 2 Default setting Figure 2 3 illustrates the related settings of JP13 JP14 JP15 and JP16 when selecting the CPU type Figure 2 3 JP13 JP14 JP15 and JP16 Settings ...

Page 49: ...er connector for 200 watt SPS CN4 Power connector for 300 watt SPS CN5 Parallel port connector CN6 Diskette drive connector CN7 IDE drives connector CN8 Reserved CN9 Reserved CN10 Faulty drive LED connector CN11 Fast SCSI II narrow SCSI connector CN12 Wide SCSI connector CN13 VGA daughter board connector CN15 Power LED and keylock connector CN16 Hard disk LED connector CN17 Speaker connector CN18 ...

Page 50: ... system component from its packaging unless you are ready to install it 2 Wear a wrist grounding strap before handling electronic components Wrist grounding straps are available at most electronic component stores DO NOT attempt the procedures in the following sections unless you are confident of your capability to perform them Otherwise ask a service technician for assistance ...

Page 51: ... connector and a VGA daughter board This saves one bus slot for another expansion board The daughter board carries an external video port To reinstall if removed simply plug the daughter board into CN13 and secure the bracket with a screw Figure 2 4 Installing a VGA Daughter Board External VGA Port VGA Connector CN13 ...

Page 52: ...ull up the socket lever 2 Insert the CPU making sure that pin 1 of the CPU connects to pin 1 of the socket Be careful not to bend any pins 3 Push down the socket lever Figure 2 5 Installing an Intel Pentium Processor 4 Change the settings of jumper JP1 for the correct CPU voltage and jumpers JP4 JP5 and JP7 for the CPU frequency Refer to Table 2 1 and Figure 2 2 for jumper locations and settings ...

Page 53: ...a particular memory configuration as long as the SIMMs in each bank are of the same type Always install SIMMs in pairs For example for a total memory of 16 MB install two 8 MB SIMMs into the sockets marked S6 and S5 bank 1 or S2 and S1 bank 3 You can not use a single 16 MB SIMM alone for 16 MB memory Always install SIMMs starting from an inner socket For example install SIMMs in socket S6 before s...

Page 54: ...S1 Memory 8MB 8MB 16MB 8MB 8MB 8MB 8MB 32MB 16MB 16MB 32MB 16MB 16MB 8MB 8MB 48MB 8MB 8MB 8MB 8MB 16MB 16MB 64MB 16MB 16MB 16MB 16MB 16MB 16 MB 96MB 32MB 32MB 32MB 32MB 128MB 32MB 32MB 32MB 32MB 32MB 32MB 192MB The above configurations are only some of the available memory combinations You can use other combinations as long as you follow the rules for upgrading memory See section 2 7 1 ...

Page 55: ...a 45o angle into a socket with the gold pins pointing down Be careful when inserting SIMMs to avoid damaging the SIMM or the socket 2 Gently push the SIMM to a vertical position until the pegs of the socket slip into the holes on the SIMM and the holding clips lock the SIMM into position The SIMM should be at a 90o angle when installed Figure 2 6 Installing a SIMM ...

Page 56: ... 2 7 4 Removing a SIMM Follow these steps to remove a SIMM 1 Press the holding clips on both sides of the SIMM outward to release it 2 Push the SIMM downward to a 45o angle 3 Pull the SIMM out of the socket Figure 2 7 Removing a SIMM ...

Page 57: ...mory error message appears indicating that the total memory does not match the value stored in CMOS 2 Press b a during the power on self test POST routine to run Setup During POST a message indicating a wrong memory configuration appears 3 Press twice to exit Setup and reboot the system The system boots with the new memory configuration 4 Run the ECU to register any new memory capacity ...

Page 58: ...t for a synchronous pipeline burst cache module The cache module socket supports 512 KB 3 3V cache module Follow these steps to install a cache module 1 Position the cache module on top of the socket such that its component side faces the CPU 2 Insert the cache module carefully until the gold pins of the module fit into place Figure 2 8 Installing a Synchronous Cache Module ...

Page 59: ...te and a 68 pin Wide SCSI interface that transfers at 20 MB s Wide SCSI are also onboard to accommodate various SCSI devices 2 9 1 Using the SCSI Feature Follow these steps to use the SCSI feature 1 Install a SCSI device in the system and connect it to the SCSI interface on the system board See Figure 2 1 for the location 2 Enter the BIOS utility to set the corresponding SCSI parameters 3 Enter th...

Page 60: ...oftware Error Messages Software error messages are returned by your operating system or application These messages typically occur after you boot the operating system or when you run your application If you receive this type of message consult your application or operating system manual for help 2 10 2 System Error Messages A system error message indicates a problem with the computer itself A mess...

Page 61: ...tch Run Setup and select the proper drive type Diskette Drive B Type Mismatch Run Setup and select the proper drive type Equipment Configuration Error Modify DRAM configuration to agree with one of the options in Table 2 3 Hard Disk Controller Error Run Setup Hard Disk 0 Error Check all cable connections Replace hard disk Hard Disk 1 Error Check all cable connections Replace hard disk Keyboard Err...

Page 62: ...hnical assistance Onboard Serial Port 1 Conflict Run Setup and disable the port Onboard Serial Port 2 Conflict Run Setup and disable the port Onboard Parallel Port Conflict Run Setup and disable the port Pointing Device Error Check and connect pointing device Pointing Device Interface Error Replace the pointing device or contact your dealer Press F1 key to continue or b a for Setup Press F1 or b a...

Page 63: ...n is a major cause of power on error messages especially for a new system 2 Run the ECU 3 Remove the system cover following the directions in the System Housing chapter Check that the jumpers on the system board and any expansion boards are set correctly 4 If you cannot access a new disk it may be because your disk is not properly formatted Use the appropriate operating system s format utility 5 C...

Page 64: ...AcerAltos 900 User s Guide 2 22 ...

Page 65: ... configuration values into the battery backed nonvolatile memory called CMOS RAM This memory area is not part of the system RAM If you repeatedly receive Run Setup messages the battery may be bad In this case the system cannot retain configuration values in CMOS Ask a qualified technician for assistance Before running Setup have the following information ready Diskette drive type The standard type...

Page 66: ...ty Basic System Configuration Advanced System Configuration PCI System Configuration Non PnP ISA Card Configuration Power Saving Configuration System Security Load Setup Default Settings Move Highlight Bar Select Esc Exit and Reboot The parameters on the screens show default values These values may not be the same as those in your system The grayed items denoted with asterisks on the screens have ...

Page 67: ...xx xx xx Hard Disk 1 xxx MB None xx xx xx Base Memory 640 KB Extended Memory xxxx KB Total Memory xxxx KB Math Coprocessor Installed Video Display VGA EGA Move Highlight Bar Change Setting PgDn PgUp Move Screen F1 Help Esc Exit The command line at the bottom of the menu tells you how to highlight items change settings and move from one screen to another Press w or y on the cursor edit keypad to hi...

Page 68: ... Bits 1 Bits Data Length 8 Bits Enhanced IDE Features Hard Disk Block Mode Disabled Hard Disk Size 504MB Disabled Large Memory Support Mode Normal Num Lock After Boot Enabled Memory Test Disabled Auto Configuration Mode Disabled Fast Boot Mode Disabled Move Highlight Bar Change Setting PgDn PgUp Move Screen F1 Help Esc Exit The following sections explain the different parameters and their settings...

Page 69: ...ck continues to keep the date and time accurately even when the power is off Date Highlight the items on the date parameter and press x or z to set the date following the month day year format Valid values for month day and year are Month 1 to 12 Day 1 to 31 Year 00 to 99 Time Highlight the items on the time parameter and press x or z to set the time following the hour minute second format Valid v...

Page 70: ... Drive B Choose None if you do not have a second diskette drive 3 2 3 Hard Disk Drives Move the highlight bar to the hard disk 0 parameter to configure the first hard disk drive C Press x or z to display the hard disk types with their respective values Select the type that corresponds to your hard disk drive Follow the same procedure for the other hard disks if any Choose None if you do not have o...

Page 71: ...save the values under the option User Cylinder Head Sector Hard Disk 0 xx MB User xx xx xx The next time you boot the system the BIOS utility does not have to auto configure your hard disk as it detects the saved disk information during POST We recommend that you copy the IDE disk drive values and keep them in a safe place in case you have to reconfigure the disk in the future Follow the same proc...

Page 72: ...ors of the drive under the appropriate columns Be sure to have the correct hard disk information beforehand 4 Choose Yes when asked if you want to save CMOS data 3 2 4 System Memory The system automatically detects the total amount of onboard memory during the POST and sets the memory parameters accordingly If you install additional memory the system automatically adjusts the Total Memory paramete...

Page 73: ...0 columns x 25 rows CGA 80 columns x 25 rows VGA EGA 3 2 7 Communication Settings The Communication Settings parameters allow you to set the baud rate parity stop bit and data length for the first serial port COM 1 The values for this parameter are Baud rate 110 to 9600 bits per second BPS Parity odd even or none Stop bit 1 or 2 stop bits Data length 7 or 8 bit data word The baud rate maximum valu...

Page 74: ... a hard disk with a capacity of more than 504 MB This is made possible through the Logical Block Address LBA mode translation Other operating systems require this parameter to be set to Disabled To prevent data loss set this parameter set to Enabled if you are using a hard disk with more than 504 MB capacity that was previously configured through LBA mode If you use a hard disk configured through ...

Page 75: ...tions 3 2 12 and 3 2 13 3 2 12 Auto Configuration Mode When enabled this parameter automatically sets the system configuration values to their optimized settings At the same time it causes the Memory Test parameter to be fixed to Disabled and the shadow RAM regions for system and video BIOS to Enabled See sections 3 2 11 and 3 3 1 This parameter is Disabled by default 3 2 13 Fast Boot Mode When en...

Page 76: ...onfiguration option allows you to configure the advanced system memory functions To avoid damaging the system do not change any settings in the Advanced Configuration unless you are a qualified technician The following screen shows page one of the Advanced System Configuration parameters ...

Page 77: ...ed D0000h D3FFFh Disabled D4000h D7FFFh Disabled D8000h DBFFFh Disabled DC000h DFFFFh Disabled Internal Cache CPU Cache Enabled External Cache Enabled ECC Parity Mode Selection ECC Operation of ECC None Memory at 15MB 16MB Reserved for System Use Move Highlight Bar Change Setting PgDn PgUp Move Screen F1 Help Esc Exit The grayed parameters denoted with asterisks are not user configurable ...

Page 78: ...to Configuration Mode and the Fast Boot Mode parameters on page 2 of the Basic System Configuration menu are enabled Otherwise you can choose to disable this item The remaining address ranges are for I O ROM functions 3 3 2 Internal Cache CPU Cache This parameter enables or disables the internal cache memory This item is fixed to Enabled and is not user configurable if you enabled the Auto configu...

Page 79: ...e this parameter if you installed SIMMs without parity Operation of ECC This parameter is not user configurable 3 3 5 Memory at 15MB 16MB To prevent memory address conflicts between the system and expansion boards reserve this memory range for the use of either the system or an expansion board Before setting this parameter check your add on card manual to determine if your add on card needs this m...

Page 80: ... specify the settings for your PCI devices PCI System Configuration Page 1 1 PCI IRQ Setting Auto INTA INTB INTC INTD PCI Slot 1 PCI Slot 2 PCI Slot 3 PCI Slot 4 11 VGA Palette Snoop Disabled Onboard SCSI Enabled Boot Device Enabled Move Highlight Bar Change Setting PgDn PgUp Move Screen F1 Help Esc Exit ...

Page 81: ...u set this parameter to Manual and you enabled the onboard SCSI make sure that you assign the onboard SCSI IRQ to PCI Slot 4 PCI Slots These parameters allow you to specify the appropriate interrupt for each of the PCI devices You can assign IRQ3 IRQ4 IRQ5 IRQ7 IRQ9 IRQ10 IRQ11 IRQ12 IRQ14 or IRQ15 to the slots To avoid conflicts make sure that the interrupt you assign in any of the PCI slots is n...

Page 82: ...our system Check your VGA card manual for more information about this function The default setting is Disabled 3 4 3 Onboard SCSI This parameter allows you to enable or disable the onboard SCSI controller Boot Device This parameter allows you to enable or disable the onboard SCSI boot priority The default setting is Enabled 3 5 Non PnP ISA Card Configuration The Non PnP ISA Card Configuration para...

Page 83: ...and are not user configurable Non PnP ISA Card Configuration Page 2 2 I O Region 100h 10Fh No 200h 20Fh No 300h 30Fh No 110h 11Fh No 210h 21Fh No 310h 31Fh No 120h 12Fh No 220h 22Fh No 320h 32Fh No 130h 13Fh No 230h 23Fh No 330h 33Fh No 140h 14Fh No 240h 24Fh No 340h 34Fh No 150h 15Fh No 250h 25Fh No 350h 35Fh No 160h 16Fh No 260h 26Fh No 360h 36Fh No 170h 17Fh No 270h 27Fh No 370h 37Fh No 180h 18...

Page 84: ...able for add on card use It allows you to manually assign specific regions to non PnP cards so that the system will not use those regions when it automatically configures PnP cards 3 5 3 I O Region The items under this parameter allow you to reserve 16 byte I O address ranges for non PnP cards When the system configures PnP cards the address ranges that you marked will not be used for other cards ...

Page 85: ...he following screens show the Power Saving Configuration parameters and their default settings Power Saving Configuration Page 1 1 Power Management Mode Disabled IDE Fixed Disk Standby Timer OFF System Standby Timer OFF System Wakeup Events IRQ 0 Disabled IRQ 8 Disabled IRQ 1 Enabled IRQ 9 Disabled IRQ 3 Disabled IRQ 10 Disabled IRQ 4 Disabled IRQ 11 Disabled IRQ 5 Disabled IRQ 12 Enabled IRQ 6 Di...

Page 86: ... to return to the normal speed Set this parameter to Off if your hard disk does not support this function System Standby Timer This parameter sets the system to a fast on power saving mode It automatically enters the standby mode after a specified period of inactivity Any keyboard or mouse action or any enabled monitored activities occurring through the IRQ channels resume system operation See sec...

Page 87: ... Parallel Port Base Address 3BC IRQ 7 Operation Mode Enhanced Parallel Port EPP Mode ECP DMA Channel Onboard PS 2 Mouse IRQ12 Enabled Setup Password None Power On Password None Move Highlight Bar Change Setting PgDn PgUp Move Screen F1 Help Esc Exit 3 7 1 Disk Drive Control The disk drive control features allow you to enable or disable the read write functions of a disk drive These features can al...

Page 88: ...Disables all diskette functions Hard Disk Drive Setting Description Normal Hard disk drive functions normally Write Protect All Sectors Disables the write function on all sectors Write Protect Boot Sector Disables the write function only on boot sector Disabled Disables all hard disk functions System Boot Drive Setting Description Drive A then C System boots from drive A to C Drive C then A System...

Page 89: ...ith address 3F8h 2F8h COM2 with address 2F8h 3E8h COM3 with address 3E8h 2E8h COM4 with address 2E8h Disabled Disables serial port 1 Serial Port 2 Base Address This parameter enables serial port 2 as COM2 and sets its base address Table 3 3 Serial Port 2 Settings Setting Function Serial 2 2F8h COM2 with address 2F8h 3F8h COM1 with address 3F8h 2E8h COM4 with address 2E8h 3E8h COM3 with address 3E8...

Page 90: ...t with address 3BCh 378h IRQ 7 Corresponds to the parallel port with address 378h 278h IRQ 5 Corresponds to the parallel port with address 278h Disabled Disables the parallel port To deactivate the parallel port select the Disabled option If you install an add on card that has a parallel port whose address conflicts with the parallel port onboard the system automatically disables the onboard funct...

Page 91: ...operation at maximum speed Extended Capabilities Port ECP Allows parallel port to operate in bidirectional mode and at a speed higher than the maximum data transfer rate ecp dma channel This item becomes active only if you select Extended Capabilities Port ECP as the operation mode It allows you to select DMA channel 1 or DMA channel 3 as required in Windows95 3 7 3 Onboard PS 2 Mouse IRQ12 This p...

Page 92: ... password prompt appears 2 Type a password The password may consist of up to seven characters Exercise caution when typing your password because the characters do not appear on the screen 3 Press e A prompt asks you to retype the password to verify your first entry 4 Retype the password then press e After setting the password the system automatically sets the Setup Password parameter to Present Th...

Page 93: ...Setup Default Settings Use this option to load the default settings for the optimized system configuration When you load the default settings some of the parameters are grayed out with their fixed settings These grayed parameters are not user configurable If you want to change the settings of these items disable the Fast Boot Mode parameter in the Basic System Configuration menu The following dial...

Page 94: ... if the battery loses power or the CMOS chip is damaged you will know what values to enter when you rerun Setup Press to leave the system configuration setup If there is any change in the BIOS utility functions the following screen appears Do you want to save CMOS data Yes No Use the arrow keys to select your response Select Yes to store the new data in CMOS Select No to retain the old configurati...

Page 95: ...allows you to change SCSI controller settings without opening the computer or changing jumpers 4 1 1 Default Values Table 4 1 lists the settings you can change with the SCSISelect utility and the default value for each setting Some settings apply globally to the SCSI controller and all SCSI devices on the bus other settings apply individually to each device on the bus ...

Page 96: ...xtended BIOS Translation for DOS Drives 1 Gbyte Disabled Display Ctrl A Message During BIOS Initialization Enabled Multiple Lun Support Enabled BIOS Support for More Than 2 Drives 1 Enabled BIOS Support for Bootable CD ROM Enabled BIOS Support for Int13 Extensions Enabled Support for Ultra SCSI Speed Disabled Individual Settings for Each SCSI Device Default Value Initiate Sync Negotiation Yes Maxi...

Page 97: ...evices e g SCSI ID Perform low level formatting on new SCSI disk devices 4 1 3 Running the SCSISelect Utility To start SCSISelect press Ctrl A when the following is displayed during power up or reset Press Ctrl A for SCSISelect Utility Your screen may show the key sequence as Ctrl Hot Key instead of Ctrl A The correct sequence is Ctrl A This message appears after BIOS and POST information displays...

Page 98: ...figure the host adapter or run the SCSI disk utilities Select the option and press Enter Press F5 to switch between color and monochrome modes Options SCSI Disk Utilities Configure View Host Adapter settings AIC 7880 Ultra Ultra W at Bus Device 00 10h Figure 4 1 Options Menu Screen Use the and keys and the Enter key to make selections in the SCSISelect utility Press Esc at any time to return to th...

Page 99: ...CSI termination Advanced users can access Boot Device Options SCSI Device Configuration and Advanced Configuration Options through this menu Arrow keys to move cursor Enter to select option Esc to exit default Adaptec AIC7880 Ultra Ultra W SCSISelect TM Utility v1 2 AIC 7880 Ultra Ultra W at Bus Device 00 10h Configuration SCSI Bus Interface Definitions Host Adapter SCSI ID 7 SCSI Parity Checking ...

Page 100: ...CSI ID 7 We recommend that you not change this setting Some operating system software will not run unless the SCSI controller ID is set at ID 7 Arrow keys to move cursor Enter to select option Esc to exit default Adaptec AIC7880 Ultra Ultra W SCSISelect TM Utility v1 2 AIC 7880 Ultra Ultra W at Bus Device 00 10h Configuration SCSI Bus Interface Definitions Host Adapter SCSI ID 7 SCSI Parity Checki...

Page 101: ...the previous menu SCSI Parity Checking Select this option to enable or disable SCSI Parity Checking on the SCSI controller Figure 4 4 displays your choices The default setting is Enabled Arrow keys to move cursor Enter to select option Esc to exit default Adaptec AIC7880 Ultra Ultra W SCSISelect TM Utility v1 2 AIC 7880 Ultra Ultra W at Bus Device 00 10h Configuration SCSI Bus Interface Definition...

Page 102: ...ny attached SCSI devices do not support SCSI parity Most currently available SCSI devices do support SCSI parity Use the cursor and Enter keys to make selections Press Esc at any time to return to the previous menu Host Adapter SCSI Termination This option allows you to configure host controller SCSI termination Figure 4 5 shows the choices available if you have an AIC 7880 The default setting is ...

Page 103: ... Low OFF High ON Figure 4 5 Host Adapter SCSI Termination Selection for AIC 7880 Use the cursor and Enter keys to make your selection Since the system contains both wide 68 pin SCSI devices and narrow 50 pin SCSI devices termination must be set to allow each section of the SCSI bus to be terminated The narrow device in this system is terminated causing the LOW byte on the motherboard to be turned ...

Page 104: ...r Defaults Please run SCSI Disk Utilities to get present devices in your system Boot Target ID 0 Boot Lun Number 0 Boot Device Configuration Options Listed Below Have NO EFFECT if Multiple Lun Support is Disabled Figure 4 6 Boot Device Options Screen SCSI Device Configuration This option allows you to configure certain parameters of each SCSI device on the SCSI bus A screen similar to Figure 4 7 a...

Page 105: ... 20 0 20 0 20 0 20 0 Enable Disconnection yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes Initiate Wide Negotiation yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes Options Listed Below Have NO EFFECT if the BIOS is Disabled Send Start Unit Command no no no no no no no no SCSI Device ID 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Initiate Sync Negotiation yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes Maximum Sync Transfer Rate 20 0 20 0 20 0 20 0 20 0 20 0 20 0 20 ...

Page 106: ...s it The default setting is yes Data is transferred in asynchronous mode if neither the SCSI controller nor the SCSI peripheral negotiates for synchronous data transfers Some older SCSI 1 devices do not support synchronous negotiation This may cause your computer to operate erratically or hang if Initiate Sync Negotiation is enabled Set Initiate Sync Negotiation to no for these devices Maximum Syn...

Page 107: ...es whether the SCSI controller allows a SCSI device to disconnect from the SCSI bus sometimes called Disconnect Reconnect Disconnect Reconnect allows the SCSI controller to perform other operations on the SCSI bus while the SCSI device is temporarily disconnected When set to yes the SCSI device may disconnect from the SCSI bus The SCSI device however may choose not to disconnect even if permitted ...

Page 108: ...Unit Command SCSI command 1B is sent to the SCSI device most devices do not require this Enabling this option reduces the load on your computer s power supply by allowing the SCSI controller to power up SCSI devices one at a time when you boot your computer Otherwise the devices all power up at the same time Most devices require you to set a jumper before they can respond to this command When set ...

Page 109: ...the lowest SCSI ID When this device responds to the SCSI controller the Start Unit Command is sent to the next highest SCSI ID with a setting of yes The process continues until all supported devices respond to the SCSI controller If many drives are set to yes for Send Start Unit Command the boot time varies depending on how long it takes each drive to spin up ...

Page 110: ...dvanced Configuration Options Options Listed Below Have NO EFFECT if the BIOS is Disabled Host Adapter BIOS Configuration Utility Reserves BIOS Space Enabled Support Removable Disks Under BIOS as Fixed Disks Boot Only Extended BIOS Translation for DOS Drives 1Gbyte Disabled Display Ctrl A Message During BIOS Initialization Enabled Multiple Lun Support Enabled BIOS Support for More Than 2 Drives MS...

Page 111: ...s the boot device are treated as a hard disk drive All Disks All removable media drives supported by the BIOS are treated as hard disk drives Disabled No removable media drives are treated as hard disk drives In this situation software drivers are needed because the drives are not controlled by the BIOS Support for removable media drives means only that the SCSI controller BIOS allows you to use a...

Page 112: ...rack See the section Disk Drives Over 1 Gbyte in this chapter for more information on this option This option should be left Disabled for most operating systems except DOS Windows Display Ctrl A Message During BIOS Initialization This option allows entering the SCSI Select utility during BIOS initialization The default setting is Enabled Multiple Lun Support This option allows access to multiple l...

Page 113: ... Speed This option enables wide SCSI data transfers at 40 MB sec Most hard disk drives or other SCSI devices do not currently support a communication rate this high If enabled be sure the device is capable of running at this rate The default setting is Disabled 4 2 2 SCSI Disk Utilities When you select SCSI Disk Utilities from the Options menu the SCSISelect utility scans the SCSI bus and lists al...

Page 114: ...AIC 7880 Ultra Ultra W SCSI ID 8 No device SCSI ID 9 No device SCSI ID 10 No device SCSI ID 11 No device SCSI ID 12 IBM DORS 32160W SCSI ID 13 No device SCSI ID 14 No device SCSI ID 15 No device Figure 4 9 SCSI Disk Utilities Screen for AIC 7880 When you highlight a disk device by moving to it with the cursor keys and press Enter a small menu window appears You then select Format Disk or Verify Me...

Page 115: ...movable media drives that were previously used with a non Adaptec SCSI controller A low level format destroys all data on the drive Be sure to back up your data before performing this operation You cannot abort a low level format once it is started Verify Disk Media The Verify Disk Media utility scans the selected device s media for defects If the utility finds bad blocks it prompts you to reassig...

Page 116: ...Bus Device xx xxh given in hex If the Device number is high move the AHA 2940 to a PCI slot at the other end of the motherboard and rerun SCSISelect to see if the number is lower Refer to your system documentation for further details on determining the PCI slot number and slot number order in the system This step is a recommended solution for most PCI motherboards You can also simply switch the AH...

Page 117: ...ajor operating systems As disk drives have recently grown beyond 1 GByte in formatted capacity they have run up against the DOS 1024 cylinder limit To continue its support for all SCSI disk drive capacities under DOS Adaptec has included an extended translation scheme for the AIC 7880 SCSI controllers This feature supports disk drives of up to 8 GBytes capacity under DOS Extended BIOS Translation ...

Page 118: ...nd 63 sectors extending the disk drive capacity limit under DOS to 8 GBytes If you have already partitioned a large disk drive with one translation method conversion to another method will erase your data Be sure to back up your disk drive prior to any change in the translation method used 4 4 3 When to Use Extended Translation With MS DOS 5 0 and Above NetWare 386 versions 3 0 and above and the v...

Page 119: ...utility as you normally would The cylinder size increases to 8 MBytes when you enable extended translation The size of the partition you request must therefore be a multiple of 8 MBytes If you request a partition size that is not a multiple of 8 MBytes fdisk rounds up to the nearest whole multiple of 8 MBytes Questions and Answers About Extended Translation What happens if I enable extended transl...

Page 120: ...SI device documentation Is pin 1 orientation maintained throughout the SCSI bus Are the PCI bus and slot parameters set correctly in your computer s Setup program The PCI bus is designed to assign IRQ port address and BIOS address settings automatically to the SCSI controller But you may need to assign some of these values manually in the Setup program Is each SCSI device including the SCSI contro...

Page 121: ...a large capacity drive with invalid partition information in the master boot record Extended BIOS Translation is used only with MS DOS 5 0 or above You do not need to enable this option if you are using another operating system such as OS 2 or UNIX If you are using a drive larger than 1 GByte under MS DOS 5 0 or above and this message appears do the following 1 Run the SCSISelect utility and set E...

Page 122: ... from a SCSI drive 1 Run the SCSISelect utility and access SCSI Device Configuration Locate the host controller s SCSI ID and set Send Start Unit Command to yes 2 Exit the SCSISelect utility and request data from the drive again 3 If the message still appears follow the drive manufacturer s instructions to make sure the drive is set to spin up when the power is switched ON 4 6 2 Start unit request...

Page 123: ... SCSI disk controller for example an IDE drive Standard hard disk drives can be set to the installed or not installed state by the Setup program supplied with the host computer The Setup program allows you to select the number of standard hard disks that are recognized by the computer regardless of whether they are physically installed SCSI drives are not controlled through the Setup program If bo...

Page 124: ...ues on a SCSI controller in a Setup program or on a SCSI device Doing this ensures that the new initial values are loaded Be sure that the SCSI bus is properly terminated See the section Setting SCSI Bus Termination Be sure that the intended boot disk has an active partition and has been formatted Check cable connections and pin 1 orientation Using a Standard Drive as C and a SCSI Drive as D Use t...

Page 125: ... controllers Be sure that the SCSI drive to be used as drive C is set to SCSI ID 0 Check the disk drive manual for information on setting the SCSI ID for that device You can also use the SCSISelect utility to determine the SCSI addresses of peripherals on the SCSI bus Set the SCSI drive to be used as drive D to SCSI ID 1 Check the drive manual for information on setting the SCSI ID for that device...

Page 126: ... or SCSI Controller Cannot Always Find the Drives Check SCSI parity for consistency and be sure SCSI termination is set correctly Check cable length and integrity Check pin 1 orientation If the SCSI controller LED remains on when the computer hangs the host adapter may be interfering with your computer s operation It may be installed in a motherboard slot that does not support First Party DMA i e ...

Page 127: ...tile memory where it is available whenever you use your computer 5 1 1 Functions The ECU does the following Configures memory and main board options Supports EISA and ISA boards PCI devices and plug and play ISA boards Automatically detects EISA boards PCI devices and plug and play ISA boards installed in the computer Helps you configure ISA boards by providing the appropriate switch and jumper se...

Page 128: ...1 Keyboard Function Keys Key Function Tab or y Moves the cursor to the next field j Tab or w Moves the cursor to the previous field w or y Moves the cursor between items within a list e Selects an item Cancels the most recent action w or y Scrolls a screen g Moves the cursor to the top of a list d Moves the cursor to the bottom of a list b g Moves the cursor to the beginning of a menu b d Moves th...

Page 129: ... the left button again to make a selection 3 If a scroll bar appears on the right side of the screen place the mouse cursor over the arrow at the top or at the bottom of the scroll bar then click and hold the left mouse button to scroll up or down the page 5 1 3 Getting Help The EISA Configuration Utility automatically displays information about each choice on the ECU main menu and the second leve...

Page 130: ...button on the System Configuration menu Use Diskette Maker in Acer StartUp to make an ECU diskette then insert the ECU diskette into drive A and reboot the system 2 System messages display then the ECU logo screen appears Press any key to continue 3 A welcome screen appears Press Enter to leave the Welcome screen and display the ECU main menu Steps in Configuring Your Computer see Figure 5 1 ...

Page 131: ... report Step 5 Save and exit Select ENTER Cancel ESC Figure 5 1 ECU Main Menu Steps in Configuring Your Computer The five selections on the ECU main menu are briefly described below Specific tasks such as configuring your computer for the first time section 5 4 adding or removing boards section 5 5 and configuring memory section 5 6 are discussed in detail later in this chapter All the ECU screens...

Page 132: ...r requires a new approach to configuration Please take just a few minutes to read all of the screens in this step Step 1 for more information You may return to these screens at any time by pressing F1 and selecting EISA configuration from the help menu Press ENTER to continue Next ENTER Previous F9 Done F10 Welcome to EISA Figure 5 2 Important EISA Configuration Information Take a few moments to r...

Page 133: ...ribe the ECU process and how the process differs for EISA and ISA boards Use the up and down arrow keys to read a short explanation of each of the configuration steps Step 2 Add or Remove Boards Each time you add or remove a configurable board you must reconfigure the computer using the ECU program When you select this item the screen displays a list of the boards and options installed in your com...

Page 134: ...emove boards Figure 5 3 Add or Remove Boards See the section Adding or Removing Boards for a detailed procedure Step 3 View or Edit Details The ECU also allows you to view or edit your system configuration information You may have to edit your system settings when you add or remove boards when you make other hardware changes or when there are device assignment conflicts Figure 5 4 shows a sample V...

Page 135: ...tem Ports EISA Reserved Devices EISA Reserved Devices System Memory Functions Base System Memory Enabled 8 16 MB System Memory 16 MB System Memory with 15 16MB System Use 16 64 MB System Memory Enabled 64 128 MB System Memory Enabled 128 192 MB System Memory Enabled 192 256 MB System Memory Enabled 256 320 MB System Memory Enabled 320 384 MB System Memory Enabled Mouse Port Enabled Keyboard Port E...

Page 136: ...y of the switch and jumpers settings or you can print the information to a TXT file see the section Configuring Your Computer for the First Time for details You must PHYSICALLY verify that the switches and jumpers of each board marked with an arrow are set as required These settings cannot be detected or changed by this program To view the required settings for the highlighted board press ENTER Pi...

Page 137: ... your changes before exiting this program If you choose to save this program will save the new configuration in your computer s nonvolatile memory and in a SYSTEM CHL and SYSTEM SCI files in your current directory and then your computer will be restarted for you The files will not be created if you are running on a CD If you choose to discard the configuration any changes you have made will be los...

Page 138: ...nnot be detected or changed by this program To view the required settings for the highlighted board press ENTER Pick up the board and compare its settings to the required settings Change the board settings to match the required settings System AcerAltos Server Slot 1 Empty Slot 2 Empty Slot 3 Empty Embedded PCI SCSI Controller Step 4 Examine switches or print report View ENTER Print F7 Done F10 Fi...

Page 139: ...ion then press Enter to print a hard copy of the switch and jumper settings and other configuration information If you do not have a printer select Print all configuration settings to a file or Print settings for selected board or option to a file A Print Information to TXT File screen appears If you want to print the switch and jumper settings to a different diskette insert a diskette in drive A ...

Page 140: ...and Exit In order to complete the configuration process you must save your configuration In this step you must select whether to save your configuration or to discard your changes before exiting this program If you choose to save this program will save the new configuration in your computer s nonvolatile memory and in a SYSTEM CHL and SYSTEM SCI files in your current directory and then your comput...

Page 141: ... Each time you add or remove a board you must reconfigure the computer using the EISA Configuration Utility program Adding Boards Follow these steps when adding a board 1 Select Step 2 Add or remove boards from the ECU main menu Press Enter to display the following screen ...

Page 142: ...e ECU main menu displays 4 Select Step 4 Examine switches or print report then press Enter Step 2 Add or remove boards Listed are the board and options detected in your computer Press INSERT to add the boards or options which could not be detected or which you plan to install Press DEL to remove the highlighted board from your configuration Press F7 to move the highlighted board to another slot Pr...

Page 143: ...The Print Settings screen appears If you have a printer attached to your computer select Print all configuration settings or Print settings for selected board or option then press Enter to print a hard copy of the switch and jumper settings and other configuration information If you do not have a printer select Print all configuration settings to a file or Print settings for selected board or opti...

Page 144: ...n the reboot screen appears press Enter 13 Turn off the computer and remove the ECU diskette if not running from CD Removing a Board Follow these steps when you remove a board 1 Select Step 2 Add or remove boards from the ECU main menu 2 Select the board that you want to remove from the configuration and press c A remove confirmation screen appears 3 Press Enter The Add or Remove Boards screen rea...

Page 145: ...em for 96 MB of memory 1 Highlight Step 3 View or edit details from the ECU main menu then press Enter The View or Edit details screen displays a sample screen is shown in Figure 5 4 2 Use the up and down arrow keys to highlight the memory function you wish to configure In this example your basic system configuration is installed with 16 MB therefore the 16 64MB System Memory parameter is the firs...

Page 146: ...b key or the up and down arrow keys to move between fields Use the plus and minus keys to change resources Enabled These are the resources used by this choice Use the PLUS and MINUS keys to change items marked with a plus minus symbol Memory Address 16M Memory Amount 0 Done F10 Cancel ESC d On the above screen the Memory Address field shows the beginning memory address 16M the Memory Amount field ...

Page 147: ...ources Change the Memory Amount field as described below 64MB is the total amount that can be configured within each memory function parameter Therefore for the 64 128MB parameter change the Memory Amount field to 32M Memory Address 64M Memory Amount 32M ____ Total 96M Press F10 to return to the View or Edit Details screen 4 Your system is now configured with 96 MB of memory as follows 8 16 MB Sys...

Page 148: ... Any changes that you made are lost 9 When the reboot screen appears press Enter 10 Turn off the computer and remove the ECU diskette if not running from CD 5 7 Viewing or Editing Configuration Details The ECU also allows you to view or edit your system configuration information You may have to edit your system settings when you add or remove boards when you made any other hardware changes or when...

Page 149: ...int next to the selection indicates that a board is locked View additional system information This option allows you to choose from a menu of options for displaying detailed information about system specifications and resources including Board specifications Displays information about the identification and physical characteristics of your boards System specifications Displays system statistics an...

Page 150: ... verify your computer s configuration only when you select the Verify push button on the Step 3 View or edit details screen Note that the Verify push button displays only when the program is in Manual verification mode Maintain SCI files menu This option allows you to select from a menu of options regarding System Configuration Information SCI files Select Open to display a previously created Syst...

Page 151: ...n information SYSTEM SCI file however does exist Press ENTER to use this backup SCI file to restore your configuration Press ESC if you prefer to reconfigure your system and you do not want to load the backup Use backup SCI file Do not use backup SCI file Select ENTER Cancel ESC If you have previously run the ECU from floppy disk and saved your system configuration select Use backup SCI file For s...

Page 152: ...AcerAltos 900 User s Guide 5 26 ...

Page 153: ...KB I O expansion ROM Reserved for ROM on I O adapters 00D4000 00D7FFF 16 KB I O expansion ROM Reserved for ROM on I O adapters 00D8000 00DBFFF 16 KB I O expansion ROM Reserved for ROM on I O adapters 00DC000 00DFFFF 16 KB I O expansion ROM Reserved for ROM on I O adapters 00E0000 00E7FFF 32 KB for SCSI BIOS Reserved SCSI BIOS 00E8000 00EFFFF 32 KB Reserved onboard video RAM BIOS 00F0000 00FFFFF 64...

Page 154: ...070 07F Real time clock NMI mask 080 09F DMA page register speed status register 0A0 0BF Interrupt controller 2 0C0 0DF DMA controller 2 0F0 Clear math coprocessor 0F1 Reset math coprocessor 0F8 0FF Math coprocessor 4F0 AEN4 enables onboard VGA enabled Flash ROM programming IRQ12 enabled 3 5 inch diskette 3 mode selection DMA channel 1 selection DMA channel 3 selection 4F1 ASM data read write port...

Page 155: ...d Address Range hex Device 0CFC PCI configuration data regulation 1F0 1F7 Hard disk 278 27F Parallel port 3 2F8 2FF Serial port 2 378 37F Parallel port 2 3B0 3BF Parallel port 1 3C0 3CF EGA VGA SVGA 3D0 3DF CGA VGA SVGA 3F0 3F7 Diskette drive controller 3F7 3FF Serial port 1 ...

Page 156: ...Channel Function IRQ0 Timer output 0 IRQ1 Keyboard IRQ2 Reserved IRQ3 Serial port 2 IRQ4 Serial port 1 IRQ5 Reserved IRQ6 Diskette drive IRQ7 Parallel port IRQ8 Real time clock IRQ9 Reserved IRQ10 Reserved IRQ11 Reserved IRQ12 PS 2 mouse IRQ13 Math coprocessor IRQ14 IDE IRQ15 Reserved ...

Page 157: ...1 None Base Memory is always 640 KB while the total amount is determined by configuration Math coprocessor is always installed Video display is automatically detected Table A 5 Basic System Configuration Page 2 2 Parameter Default Setting Baud Rate 9600BPS Parity None Stop Bits 1 Data Length 8 Hard Disk Block Mode Disabled Hard Disk Size 504 MB Disabled Large Memory Support Mode Normal NUM Lock Af...

Page 158: ... Setting E0000h FFFFFh Enabled C0000h C7FFFh Enabled C8000h CBFFFh Disabled CC000h CFFFFh Disabled D0000h D3FFFh Disabled D4000h D7FFFh Disabled D8000h DBFFFh Disabled DC000h DFFFFh Disabled Internal Cache Enabled External Cache Enabled ECC Parity Mode Selection ECC Memory at 15 MB 16 MB System Use ...

Page 159: ... System Configuration Parameter Default Setting PCI IRQ Setting Auto PCI Slots 1 2 and 3 Not Configured PCI Slot 4 11 VGA Palette Snoop Disabled Onboard SCSI Enabled Boot Device Enabled PCI slot 4 and the onboard SCSI controller share the same IRQ ...

Page 160: ...rive Control Diskette Drive Normal Fixed Disk Drive Normal System Boot Drive Drive A then C On board Communication Ports Serial Port 1 3F8h Serial Port 2 2F8h Parallel Port 3BC IRQ 7 Operation Mode Enhanced Parallel Port Onboard PS 2 Mouse Enabled Setup Password None Power On Password None ...

Page 161: ...se System Memory 640 KB Base Memory 8 16 MB Extended Memory 16 MB Ext Memory with 15 16 MB System Use Peripheral Device Status Mouse Port Enabled Keyboard Port Enabled Floppy Disk Controller Enabled IDE HDD Interface Disabled Parallel Port Enabled Serial Port 1 9 pin Enabled as COM1 3F8h Serial Port 2 25 pin Enabled as COM2 2F8h ...

Page 162: ...AcerAltos 900 User s Guide A 10 ...

Page 163: ...nents keyboard 1 9 monitor 1 11 mouse 1 10 printer 1 12 connector locations 2 4 connector functions 2 7 CPU 2 3 2 5 2 6 2 10 installation 2 10 Pentium 2 10 socket 2 3 upgrade 2 10 voltage regulator 2 3 ZIF socket 2 1 2 2 2 10 CPU core local bus clock ratio 2 6 D date 3 4 disassembly 1 14 disk drive control 3 23 diskette drive installing 3 5 inch 1 18 diskette drive type 3 1 diskette drives 3 6 DRA...

Page 164: ...2 1 2 11 fixed disk drive cables connecting 1 26 front panel features 1 1 G getting started 1 5 H hard disk block mode 3 4 3 10 hard disk size 504 MB 3 4 3 10 hard disk drives 3 6 I IDE 2 2 3 7 enhanced IDE feature 3 10 hard disk configuration 3 6 type 3 7 IDE fixed disk standby timer 3 22 installing options 1 13 installing expansion boards 1 16 installing drives 1 18 installing a 5 25 inch drive ...

Page 165: ...7 PCI local bus 2 1 ports 2 1 2 2 EPP ECP 2 2 external 2 2 keyboard 2 1 2 2 mouse 2 1 2 2 parallel 2 1 2 2 serial 2 1 2 2 positioning the system 1 7 POST 2 15 3 7 power on password 3 29 power saving configuration 3 21 power management mode 3 21 3 22 IDE fixed disk standby timer 3 22 system standby timer 3 22 power button 1 LED 1 socket 1 supply 1 2 2 processor 1 2 1 2 2 2 10 R rear panel features ...

Page 166: ...3 2 14 system reconfiguring 2 15 memory 3 8 system board connector functions 2 7 connector locations 2 4 jumper locations 2 4 jumpers and connectors 2 4 jumper settings 2 5 2 6 layout 2 3 system housing vents 1 8 system security setup 3 23 disk drive control 3 23 onboard communication ports 3 25 onboard PS 2 mouse IRQ 12 3 27 power on password 3 27 setup password 3 28 system standby timer 3 22 sys...

Page 167: ... release note is divided into the following sections Notes RDM LED Location RDM Connector Locations RDM BIOS Utility The EISA Configuration Utility for AA900 Diskette Notes 1 IMPORTANT Do not run the aflash utility from within the RDM hidden partition The system will not boot if you do this 2 The RDLMP EXE utility may indicate the BIOS version as unknown instead of version 1 3 This is normal behav...

Page 168: ...eplaces Table 2 5 in the User s Guide It shows how to configure memory for a maximum system memory of 384 MB using 64 MB SIMMs The system ships with ECC EDO memory Do not combine FPM memory and ECC EDO memory in the same memory bank Bank 1 Bank 2 Bank 3 Total S1 S2 S3 S4 S5 S6 Memory 8 MB 8 MB 16 MB 8 MB 8 MB 8 MB 8 MB 32 MB 8 MB 8 MB 8 MB 8 MB 8 MB 8 MB 48 MB 16 MB 16 MB 16 MB 16 MB 64 MB 16 MB 1...

Page 169: ...a bus master slot RDM LED Location The figure below shows the location of the RDM LED indicator This indicator remains lit on whenever RDM is activated The figure below replaces the figure on page 1 2 of the AcerAltos 900 User s Guide For more information about RDM hardware including how to reinstall the RDM module and LED refer to the Remote Diagnostic Manager RDM User s Guide The RDM module and ...

Page 170: ...P N 46 AA983 002 4 of 22 August 22 1997 RDM Connector Locations The figure below shows the location of the RDM connectors CN8 and CN9 on the system board ...

Page 171: ...t time or any time you change your configuration by adding or removing an EISA or ISA board The program stores the configuration information in the computer s nonvolatile memory where it is available whenever you use your computer Functions The ECU does the following Supports EISA and ISA boards PCI devices and plug and play ISA boards Automatically detects EISA boards PCI devices and plug and pla...

Page 172: ...ppears 3 Press Hto display the Main Menu Figure 1 ECU Main Menu Getting Help The ECU automatically displays information about each choice on the Main Menu and the second level menus The utility also allows you to access an online help once you begin the configuration process Press O to display the help menu Press _to remove the help menu on the screen Making Menu Selections You can use the keyboar...

Page 173: ... Moves the cursor to the beginning of a menu Moves the cursor to the end of a menu Inserts screen options or selections Using the mouse Follow these steps to use the mouse when making menu selections 1 Position the cursor over the desired option then click on the left mouse button to select it 2 When a sub menu appears click on the left button again to make a selection 3 If a scroll bar appears on...

Page 174: ...u configure the system Follow this steps to set the date and time 1 Run ECU See the Running ECU section 2 From the Main Menu select Set Date to display the following screen Figure 2 Set Date 3 Type in a new date and press The program then returns you to the Main Menu 4 From the Main Menu select Set Time to display the following screen Figure 3 Set Time 5 Type in a new time and press Date 01 01 199...

Page 175: ...Configuration Information Steps in configuring your computer Step 1 Important EISA configuration information Step 1 Important EISA configuration information Step 2 Add or remove boards Step 3 View or edit details Step 4 Examine switches or print report Step 5 Save and exit Your new EISA computer requires a new approach to configuration Please take just a few minutes to read all of the screens in t...

Page 176: ...ormation 9 To print the information select Print by pressing The Print Settings screen appears Figure 7 Print Settings Step 4 Examine switches or print report Print Settings You must PHYSICALLY verify that the switches and jumpers of each board marked with an arrow are set as required These settings cannot be detected or changed by this program To view the required settings for the highlighted boa...

Page 177: ... Select Step 5 Save and exit then press to display the screen as in the following page Figure 8 Save and Exit 13 To save your changes select Save the configuration and restart the computer then press To discard the changes choose the option Discard the configuration and return to the main menu Any changes that you made are lost 14 When the reboot screen appears press 15 Turn off the computer and r...

Page 178: ...documentation that came with the board Read the label on the board EISA boards are usually labeled EISA Look at the connectors ISA board connectors have only one row of contacts and may have one board key slot EISA board connectors have two rows of contacts and several board key slots Locate the Configuration CFG File The CFG file contains descriptions of system resources required by the board It ...

Page 179: ...ss to display the following screen Figure 9 Maintain System Configuration Diskette 5 Select Copy update CFG files the press A list of CFG files from your System Configuration diskette appears 6 Press to display the Change Directory screen then press to display the Change Diskette screen Figure 10 Change Diskette 7 Remove the System Configuration diskette and insert the option configuration diskett...

Page 180: ...stem Configuration diskette is newer a dialog box appears to confirm file replacement Press to keep the newer version 10 Press to copy the CFG file s to the System Configuration diskette after which a Copy Complete message appears 11 Press to return to the Maintain System Configuration Diskette screen 12 Select the option Return to the main menu then press 13 From the Main Menu select the option C...

Page 181: ...d device controllers detected 5 Select Add by pressing The Add screen appears with instructions on how to locate the diskette that contains the CFG file for your board s 6 Press to display the screen Select a Configuration CFG File to Add Step 2 Add or remove boards Listed are the board and options detected in your computer Press INSERT to add the boards or options which could not be detected or w...

Page 182: ...CFG file select Generic ISA Adapter from the System Configuration diskette and press See the Using the Generic ISA CFG File section for instructions on using this option 8 When the Add Confirmation screen appears read the board manufacturer s comments then press when done The Add screen then appears with a list of the physical slots in the system 9 Select an appropriate slot s to install the board...

Page 183: ...ssary 14 Install the ISA board s Adding PCI Devices and PnP ISA Boards Follow these steps to install a PCI device or a PnP ISA board 1 Turn off the computer if it is on and install the board s Follow the installation instructions in the board documentation 2 Run ECU See the Running ECU section PCI devices and PnP ISA boards do not require a corresponding CFG file The configuration information is a...

Page 184: ...s The screen Steps in Configuring Your Computer appears 4 Select Step 2 Add or remove boards and press 5 From the Step 2 Add or Remove Boards screen select Add by pressing The Add screen then appears with instructions on how to locate the diskette that contains the CFG file for your board s 6 Press to display the screen Select a Configuration CFG File to Add See next page Figure 14 Select a Config...

Page 185: ...to the configuration 10 Press The screen Steps in Configuring Your Computer reappears Add Confirmation Board Name Generic ISA Adapter Manufacturer s Comments Use this generic adapter to reserve the resources for any ISA adapter for which a CFG file does not exist Determine the appropriate resource selections for IRQs DMAs port addresses and memory just as you would in any ISA computer system and s...

Page 186: ...ep Edit ENTER Edit Resources F6 Advanced F7 Done F10 Edit ENTER Edit Resources F6 Advanced F7 Done F10 System Server Motherboard Base System Memory Enabled System BIOS Enabled Extended Memory Enabled Memory at 15M 16M 15 16M System use Special Ports Enabled Parallel Port Base Address Enabled as LPT1 3Bch Operation Mode Standard Parallel Port ECP DMA Channel Disabled Serial Port 1 Enabled as COM1 3...

Page 187: ...d Menu 19 Select Lock unlock boards and press The Lock unlock Boards screen appears with a list of the slots and the boards installed 20 Select the Generic ISA Adapter board from the list then press An exclamation point appears next to the board indicating that it is locked You must lock the Generic ISA Adapter board to reserve the selected system resources and prevent the ECU from using them to r...

Page 188: ...ration is not correct 3 When the ECU logo screen and the welcome screen appears press to display the Main Menu 4 Select Configure computer from the Main Menu then press The screen Steps in Configuring Your Computer appears 5 Select Step 2 Add or remove boards and press 6 From the list of boards that appear select the board that you want to remove from the configuration and press A remove confirmat...

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