AM-6060 Computer Owner's Manual, Rev. 00
Chapter 3 - Getting Started
This chapter contains two types of information: basic concepts about the way your computer is set up and
operates, and general procedures for working with it. Specific topics include:
•
Booting the computer.
•
The CMOS setup procedure.
•
Device names and the System Disk.
•
Disk accounts and user names.
•
Logging on to the computer and transferring between disk accounts.
•
Your terminal keyboard.
•
Working with streamer tapes.
BOOTING THE COMPUTER
Booting is the process the computer goes through whenever you turn the power on or press the Reset
button. When you boot, a pre-programmed circuit built into the computer, called a PROM
(Programmable Read-Only Memory), tells the CPU where to look on the disk for the software necessary
to get the computer up and running. The CPU reads this software from the disk, loads it into the
computer's internal storage area, its "memory," and executes its instructions.
Among the files transferred into system memory when you boot is the system initialization command
file. The system initialization file is a special command file containing commands that define to the
operating system (AMOS) all the hardware connected to your system. As the computer boots, it reads
these commands and "builds" the operating system in memory correctly for your hardware configuration.
You can change the system initialization file whenever you want to add more hardware to your system.
If you want to learn more about the system initialization file and how to modify it, read Chapter 5 of this
book. Read the System Operator's Guide to the System Initialization Command File for more details.
As the computer processes the commands in the system initialization file, each line of the file displays on
the operator terminal. When all of the commands in the initialization file have been processed
successfully, the computer is up and running. The last command in any system initialization file is
MEMORY 0
. When you see
MEMORY 0
on the operator terminal, and the front panel status display
changes to a zero, the computer has finished booting.
AM-6060 CMOS SETUP PROCEDURE
When booting, the AM-6060 uses data stored in its CMOS parameters to find the primary and alternate
boot devices, the system monitor and initialization files to use, and other system options. The CMOS
RAM is provided on the AM-301-10 board; it is battery backed up and write-protected for data integrity.
