Epson 486SX User Manual Download

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Keyboard Problems

If you are having trouble with the keyboard, check the

following:

1. If the screen displays a keyboard error message when you

turn on or reset the computer, make sure the keyboard is

securely connected to the computer. See “Connecting the

Keyboard” in Chapter 1 for instructions.

2. If the cursor keys do not work properly, the num lock

function may be on. When num lock is on, the keys on the

numeric keypad work only as numbers. If the

Num Lock

indicator in the upper right corner of the keyboard is lit,

press

to turn off the function.

If you want to change the initial setting of the num lock

function, see “Using the Keyboard and Speaker Options” in

Chapter 2.

3. If nothing happens when you type on the keyboard, see

“The Computer Does Not Respond,” above.

4. If you still have trouble with your keyboard, run the

keyboard diagnostic tests described in Appendix C.

B-14

Troubleshooting

Summary of Contents for 486SX

Page 1: ......

Page 2: ...it different from that to which the receiver is connected 0 Consult the dealer or an experienced radio TV technician for help WARNING The connection of a non shielded equipment interface cable to this equipment will invalidate the FCC Certification of this device and may cause interference levels which exceed the limits established by the FCC for this equipment It is the responsibility of the user...

Page 3: ...EPSON User s Guide ...

Page 4: ...mitted in any form or by any means electronic mechanical photocopying recording or otherwise without the prior written permission of Epson America Inc No patent liability is assumed with respect to the use of information contained herein Nor is any liability assumed for damages resulting from the use of the information contained herein Further this publication and features described herein are sub...

Page 5: ...he marking label If you are not sure of the type of power available consult your dealer or local power company Connect all equipment to properly grounded earthed power outlets If you are unable to insert the plug into the outlet contact your electrician to replace your obsolete outlet Avoid using outlets on the same circuit as photocopiers or air control systems that regularly switch on and off Do...

Page 6: ...g is damaged B If liquid has entered the product C If the product does not operate 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 operation D If the product ...

Page 7: ...Importantes Mesures de S wit6 V ...

Page 8: ...vi ...

Page 9: ...VGA Interface 1 4 Using a Display Adapter Card 1 5 4 Connecting a Printer or Other Device 1 7 Using the Parallel Interface 1 7 Using the Serial Interface 1 9 5 Connecting the Keyboard 1 10 6 Connecting the Mouse 1 11 7 Connecting the Power Cord 1 13 8 Turning On the Computer 1 14 Turning Off the Computer 1 16 Chapter 2 Running the Setup Program Automatic Configuration 2 2 Starting the Setup Progra...

Page 10: ...MS DOS or Another Operating System 3 1 Copying the Reference and Utility Files 3 2 Locking the Computer s Cover 3 3 Special Keys on the Keyboard 3 4 Stopping a Command or Program 3 5 Resetting the Computer 3 6 Using a Power on Password 3 7 Changing a Power on Password 3 8 Deleting a Power on Password 3 9 Preparing the Hard Disk for Moving 3 10 Chapter 4 Enhancing System Operations Using AUTOEXEC B...

Page 11: ... and Removing Options Main System Board 6 3 Jumper Settings 6 4 Changing the Jumper Settings 6 7 Option Cards 6 8 Installing Option Cards 6 10 Removing an Option Card 6 12 Memory Modules 6 13 Installing Memory Modules 6 14 Chapter 7 Installing and Removing Drives Using the Correct Drive Bay 7 2 Setting the IDE Hard Disk Drive Jumpers 7 3 Changing the Jumper Settings 7 4 Installing or Removing a Dr...

Page 12: ...s A 9 Option 3 Non destructive Surface Analysis A 11 Exiting the Hard Disk Format Menu A 13 Appendix B Troubleshooting Identifying Your System B 1 Error Messages B 2 The Computer Won t Start B 5 The Computer Does Not Respond B 6 Restoring the Power Supply B 9 Password Problems B 10 Removing a Password B 11 Setting a New Password B 13 Keyboard Problems B 14 Monitor Problems B 15 Diskette Problems B...

Page 13: ...rting System Diagnostics C 2 Selecting an Option C 4 Modifying the Device List C 5 Selecting a Test C 7 Resuming From an Error C 8 Error Messages C 11 Appendix D Specifications CPU and Memory D 1 Controllers D 2 Interfaces D 2 Power Supply D 3 Mass Storage Bays D 4 Keyboard D 4 Power Source Requirements D 5 Environmental Requirements D 6 Physical Characteristics D 6 System Memory Map D 7 Glossary ...

Page 14: ...ctions in this manual refer to both models except where specified Your computer has six option slots five 16 bit and one 8 bit for installing additional devices such as a modem or a network card Additionally the computer supports up to five drives three externally accessible drives and two internal drives Your computer offers several other outstanding features CI Memory caching copies portions of ...

Page 15: ...des a built in math coprocessor Check with your authorized Epson dealer for information on optional equipment Operating Systems and Other Software You probably chose a version of MS DOS to use with your computer However you can run another operating system such as OS 2 UNIX or XENIX Note This manual covers basic operating instructions for using your computer but does not explain how to install or ...

Page 16: ...do not need to read everything in this book to use your computer see the following chapter summaries to find the sections you need Chapter 1 provides simple step by step instructions for setting up your system Chapter 2 describes how to run the Setup program to define your computer s configuration Do this before you use your computer You may need to run it again later if you change the configurati...

Page 17: ...ow to install and remove disk drives Appendix A describes how to perform a low level format on a hard disk Appendix B contains troubleshooting tips Appendix C covers the system diagnostic tests you can run to diagnose hardware problems Appendix D contains the specifications for your computer At the end of the manual you ll find a glossary and an index 4 Introduction ...

Page 18: ...operation of Epson products Assistance in locating your nearest Authorized Epson Reseller or Service Center Sales of ribbons supplies parts documentation and accessories for your Epson product Customer Relations Epson technical information library fax service Product literature with technical specifications on our current and new products If you purchased your computer outside of the United States...

Page 19: ...may want to leave this manual s back cover foldout open so you can refer to the illustrations identifying the different parts Before you begin make sure your computer is turned off by pressing the power button on the right side of the front panel It is off when the button pops out 7 Choosing a Location Setting Up Your System 1 1 ...

Page 20: ...puter so air can move freely Moderate environmental conditions Select a cool dry area and protect your computer from extremes in temperature humidity dust and smoke Avoid direct sunlight or any other source of heat Appropriate power sources Connect all your equipment to the appropriate power source See Power Source Requirements in Appendix D for more information You need one outlet for the compute...

Page 21: ...the card out part way Then pull it all the way out Save any protector cards you remove you may want to reinsert them later if you transport your computer 3 Connecting a Monitor If you have a VGA monitor or a multi frequency monitor with an analog connector you can connect it to the computer s built in VGA port See Using the VGA Interface below If you have any other type of monitor skip to Using a ...

Page 22: ... access turn the monitor and computer around so the backs of both components are facing you 3 If necessary connect the monitor cable to the monitor Your monitor may have a permanently attached cable 4 Examine the connector end of the monitor cable and position the plug to match the orientation of the monitor port marked with a monitor icon Then insert the plug into the port as shown below 1 4 Sett...

Page 23: ... you insert the plug 5 If the connector has retaining screws be sure to tighten them 6 Plug the monitor power cord into the monitor s power inlet as shown below 7 Plug the other end of the power cord into a properly grounded earthed electrical outlet Setting Up Your System 1 5 ...

Page 24: ...DA Multi mode graphics adapter MGA Enhanced graphics adapter EGA Hercules graphics card CGA Color graphics adapter CGA Multi mode graphics adapter MGA Enhanced graphics adapter EGA EGA Enhanced graphics adapter EGA Monochrome or color VGA Video graphics array VGA Extended VGA Super VGA adapter switches or jumpers on the card are set properly For example you may need to change a setting to select c...

Page 25: ...g a Printer or Other Device Your computer has both parallel and serial interfaces To connect a printer or other peripheral device to one of these interfaces follow the instructions below Epson offers a full range of printers ask your dealer for more information Using the Parallel Interface The parallel interface on your computer is Centronics compatible and uses a DB 25S connector To connect your ...

Page 26: ...the parallel port marked with a special icon then insert it into the port as shown below If the plug has retaining screws be sure to tighten them 4 Connect the other end of the cable to the printer as shown below To secure the cable squeeze the clips at each side of the printer port 1 8 Setting Up Your System ...

Page 27: ... a compatible cable To connect a serial device follow the same steps as above for connecting a parallel device but insert the connector into the serial port marked with a special icon as shown below Note Additional steps may be necessary to set up the serial port so it functions properly If you are using the port for a printer you need to direct printer output to the serial port not the parallel p...

Page 28: ...r so the arrow indicator on the housing faces up Insert the connector into the port marked with the keyboard icon as shown below Caution Although the connectors and ports for the keyboard and mouse are physically identical they cannot be used interchangeably Be sure to plug the keyboard only into the keyboard port 1 10 Setting Up Your System ...

Page 29: ...ur computer has an auxiliary port for an IBM PS 2 compatible mouse that uses a miniature DIN 6 pin connector If your mouse has this type of connector you can connect it to the built in port on your computer Note If you have a mouse that requires a different interface port you can connect it to the built in serial port or install an option card to provide the interface You also need to change the s...

Page 30: ... with its port marked with a mouse icon Insert the connector as shown below interchangeably Be sure to plug the mouse only into the 3 After you connect a mouse you may need to add commands to your MS DOS CONFIG SYS file to enable your computer to use it See your MS DOS and mouse manuals for instructions 1 12 Setting Up Your System ...

Page 31: ...nto the AC power inlet on the back panel as shown below WARNING To avoid an electric shock be sure to plug the cord into the computer before plugging it into the electrical outlet 2 Plug the other end of the power cord into a properly grounded earthed electrical outlet Setting Up Your System 1 23 ...

Page 32: ...allows the computer to clear and reset its memory Do not leave a beverage on top of or next to your computer or any of its components Spilled liquid can damage the circuitry of your equipment Always turn off the power disconnect the computer s power cord and wait 30 seconds before you remove the cover Only remove the cover to access internal devices Follow these steps to turn on your system 1 Make...

Page 33: ...our system such as adding a disk drive you may need to wait a few minutes for your computer to complete power on diagnostics the first time you turn it on When the system has successfully completed its self test you see a prompt to insert a system diskette Do not insert a diskette at this point If necessary use the controls on your monitor to adjust the brightness and contrast until characters on ...

Page 34: ...f your system reverse the sequence of steps you followed to turn it on Turn off the computer first then turn off the monitor and any peripheral devices Now go on to Chapter 2 and follow the instructions to run the Setup program 1 16 Setting Up Your System ...

Page 35: ...password Ll Extended memory caching Q Processor speed Cl Keyboard and speaker options Ll Real time clock s time and date Lt Hard disk drive configuration Cl Diskette drive type s Ci Serial and parallel port settings The configuration you define with Setup is stored in the computer s CMOS RAM which is backed up by a battery Whenever you turn on the computer it searches the CMOS RAM for the correct ...

Page 36: ... you install even more memory Setup configures it as extended memory also Note To run certain application programs you may need to reduce the amount of base memory from 640KB to 512KB or 256KB Check the documentation that came with your software to see if this is necessary If you do need to change the amount of base memory you must set jumpers on the computer s main system board See Changing the J...

Page 37: ...repare hard disk for moving 0 Exit to DOS for more utilities If an error message appears when you turn on the computer see Continuing From an Error Message below 4 The Setup option is highlighted To select it press CEnter The screen displays the main Setup menu Exit Display Password Cache memory Processor speed Keyboard Sound Real time clock Hard disk drive Diskette drive Serial Parallel Running t...

Page 38: ...ext to the diamond indicates the condition causing the error There may be more than one error listed in the message Here are some of the error messages you may see Time is invalid HDD and or HDC failed initialization Memory size is incorrect correction made Cacheable range is adjusted Incorrect configuration Checksum is incorrect HDD is incorrect Some errors such as Time is invalid do not allow yo...

Page 39: ...te drive Serial Parallel You should check all the settings in the Setup program to make sure they are correct for your system The default value for the setting that caused the error may not be the correct one for your configuration Note If you choose N or press m instead of selecting Y to set a default value the Setup program does not change the setting that caused the error and the screen display...

Page 40: ...tup program and you want to use the numeric keypad press G to turn it back on Follow the instructions in the rest of this chapter to use the Setup program to define your computer s configuration Setting the Display Adapter Type The Setup program can usually detect the exact type of display adapter you are using with your computer If you have connected a VGA monitor to the built in VGA port the Set...

Page 41: ...pes of cards set the jumper to indicate which one is your primary monitor type See Chapter 6 for instructions on changing jumper settings 1 At the main Setup menu highlight Display A submenu appears identifying the current display adapter type such as the following VGA If the display adapter type is correct for your system you can skip the rest of this section 2 To change the display adapter setti...

Page 42: ...deo input try selecting CGA 80 column If the resulting resolution is poor run Setup again and select CGA 40 column tl If you have a monochrome display adapter MDA an MGA or a Hercules MGA attached to a monochrome monitor choose Monochrome 80 column Also set the color mono switch on the MGA card to mono tl If you have any other combination of monitor and display adapter card select EGA MCGA VGA o r...

Page 43: ...ry time you turn on or reset your computer If you do not enter it correctly you cannot access your system If you want to use your computer as a network server you can set your password to operate in network server mode See Using Your Computer as a Network Server in Chapter 4 for more information Follow these steps to set a power on password and turn on network server mode if necessary 1 At the mai...

Page 44: ...otal of seven characters You can use the backspace key to delete mistakes Do not use characters requiring the m key such as or in your password The computer does not recognize the m key when you use your password to access the system Caution Be sure to remember the password you enter or write it down and keep it in a safe place If you cannot remember your password you will not be able to access th...

Page 45: ...and turn network server mode on or off highlight SAVE SETTINGS and press w to return to the main Setup menu Note If you forget your password there is a way to disable the password function See Password Problems in Appendix B for instructions Setting the Extended Memory Caching Extended memory caching allows your system to work much faster When you cache portions of memory the computer copies infor...

Page 46: ...e with your memory card to see if this is necessary To check or change the extended memory cache setting follow these steps 1 At the main Setup menu highlight Cache memory You see the following cache memory table Extended memory caching 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15MB The table indicates the range of extended memory currently installed in your system You see ON or OFF in the first three areas because ...

Page 47: ...t SAVE SETTING and press w to return to the Setup menu Setting the Processor Speed Your computer s processor can operate at two speeds high or low High speed is 25 MHz or 50 MHz depending on your model and low speed simulates 8 MHz The processor is set to operate at high speed where it can access memory faster unless you change it to low or set the speed to change automatically when necessary When...

Page 48: ... selecting the default operating speed through the Setup program you can change the speed temporarily by entering a keyboard command or running the ESPEED program See Changing the Processor Speed in Chapter 4 for details Follow these steps to set your processor speed 1 At the main Setup menu highlight Processor speed The current status appears Speed High If the displayed setting is correct skip th...

Page 49: ...ons The default setting is Enabled on since it serves a useful purpose in many applications however you may prefer to disable the speaker The Initial num lock option determines whether num lock is on or off when you turn on your computer When num lock mode is on you can use the numeric keys on the keypad to enter numbers To turn num lock mode off just press IsLock The Num Lock light on the keyboar...

Page 50: ...ut you can make the rate faster or slower Follow these steps to check or change the keyboard and speaker options At the main Setup menu highlight Keyboard Sound The current settings appear Speaker Enabled Initial num lock ON KB repeat rate Normal If the displayed settings are appropriate for you skip the rest of this section To change any of the settings press I The cursor block moves into the sub...

Page 51: ...e Real time Clock The real time clock in your computer continuously tracks the time and date even when the computer is turned off The first time you run Setup use the Real time clock option to set the time and date You may need to use this option again later to adjust your clock for daylight savings time The computer automatically changes the date for leap years You can also change the real time c...

Page 52: ...r been set the submenu contains a template for you to fill in Time x x x x x x Date xx xx xxxx 2 Press m to move the cursor block into the submenu 3 To set or change the time press m again You see this template hh mm ss hh stands for hours mm stands for minutes and ss stands for seconds 4 Using a 24 hour clock enter the time in the exact format shown in the box Type two digits for each part the Se...

Page 53: ...four digits for the year the Setup program automatically inserts the hyphens For example to set the date for March 29 1992 you would type the following 03291992 You can use the backspace key to make corrections When the date is correct press IEnter If you enter an invalid date for example a number greater than 12 for the month or greater than the number of days in that month the computer ignores y...

Page 54: ...r indicates the type of hard disk installed in your computer See your hard disk documentation for the correct drive type number or for a list of the drive s parameters which you can use to identify the drive type number Then consult the Hard disk drive types table on page 2 24 for a list of the types you can use in your computer The None following Drive 2 indicates that there is no second hard dis...

Page 55: ...r each drive the number of cylinders the number of read write heads the number of sectors the precompensation cylinder and the landing zone the cylinder on which you park the heads when moving the computer It also displays the total storage capacity in megabytes 3 If you want to change the settings for drive 1 which is drive C on most computers press IEnter to highlight Drive 1 If you want to chan...

Page 56: ...mber appears Type 34 Now select the drive type number that matches your hard disk configuration in the Hard disk drive types table You can enter the drive type in one of two ways Ci Type the drive type number and press IEnter The screen displays the new number and settings CI Use the cursor keys to scan through the drive type numbers This is a handy way to verify new hard disk settings before you ...

Page 57: ...ngs list the number of sectors the precompensation cylinder and the landing zone If you enter a parameter incorrectly press or L to highlight the parameter and then enter it again The Setup program does not allow you to enter the total storage capacity it calculates the storage capacity based on what you enter for the number of cylinders heads and sectors After you type the landing zone number and...

Page 58: ...es of hard disk drives you can use in your computer Check this table and the documentation supplied with your hard disk to find the correct type number for the hard disk drive s installed in your computer Hard disk drive types 2 24 Running the Setup Program ...

Page 59: ...Hard disk drive types continued Running the Setup Program 2 25 ...

Page 60: ...Hard disk drive types continued l Supported in translate mode l With Western Digital ESDI controller 2 26 Running the Setup Program ...

Page 61: ...n the screen match your diskette drive configuration you can skip the rest of this section 2 To change a setting press IEnter The cursor block moves into the diskette drive submenu and you see the following Not installed 360 KB drive 720 KB drive 3 5 1 2 MB drive 1 44 MB drive 3 5 You also see themessage Selected drive light is ON This tells you that the light on the diskette drive currently selec...

Page 62: ...an option card with its own serial or parallel port you may want to designate the built in port as secondary and the additional port as primary The Setup program lets you designate ports as primary and secondary so there is no conflict between the built in port and the additional port Here are some guidelines Cl If you install an option card with a port pre set as primary by the manufacturer you m...

Page 63: ...erial port setting be sure Serial is highlighted and press IEnter If you want to change the parallel port setting highlight Parallel and press Enter The cursor block moves into the submenu Use L or 1 to highlight the appropriate setting for the port you selected and press IEnter The screen displays the new setting Note If you add an option card with a parallel or serial port and highlight a settin...

Page 64: ...rallel interface settings Reviewing Your Settings When you finish using the Setup program to define your computer s configuration use to highlight Exit at the main Setup menu and press IEnter The following Setup summary appears on the screen Memory Base memory 640 KB Extended memory 3072 KB Password Power on password not installed Network server mode OFF Display type Detected VGA EGA MCGA VGA or o...

Page 65: ...m lock Keyboard repeat rate Time Date Drive A Drive B 13 40 38 03 29 1992 not installed 1 44 MB None Enabled ON Normal Serial Parallel Primary Primary If you have never set the real time clock the entry at the top of the screen flashes to remind you to set the time and date See Setting the Real time Clock on page 2 17 for instructions Running the Setup Program 2 31 ...

Page 66: ...e Total capacity MB 0 0 0 0 0 0 Check each Setup summary screen to see if all the information is correct You can press m to display the previous screen or to display the next screen If anything is incorrect highlight Change settings and press m The main Setup menu appears and you can change the appropriate settings Leaving the Setup Menu If you did not change any settings or you want to cancel the...

Page 67: ...m follow the installation instructions in that manual Once you have installed MS DOS you should always boot the computer from the hard disk or the MS DOS Startup diskette when you are finished running Setup First remove the Reference diskette from drive A If you do not have a hard disk insert the Startup diskette Then reset your computer to make sure it performs all the commands in the CONFIG SYS ...

Page 68: ...ssword 0 Preparing a hard disk for moving Installing MS DOS or Another Operating System After you connect the components of your system and run the Setup program you must install the operating system on your computer The instructions in this manual assume that you are using MS DOS with your computer but you can install another operating system such as OS 2 or UNIX See the documentation that came w...

Page 69: ...or instructions on using these files The Reference diskette also contains files for the Setup program and the System diagnostics program Because you should always run these programs from the Reference diskette do not copy these files to your hard disk The Utility diskettes contain VGA drivers that allow you to display graphics in certain high resolution modes If you want to use any of these extend...

Page 70: ...unning MS DOS or application programs These special keys are described in the table below Special key functions Moves the cursor one tab to the right in normal mode and one tab to the left in Shift mode Changes the letter keys from lower to uppercase changes back to lowercase when pressed again The numeric symbol keys on the top row of the keyboard and the symbol keys in the main part of the keybo...

Page 71: ...ric cursor keys from entering numbers to positioning the cursor 1 changes back when pressed again I Prints the screen display on a printer Cancels the current command line or operation Perform special functions within application programs Generates the System Request function in some application programs used with Alt Controls scrolling in some applications Suspends the current operation Terminate...

Page 72: ...a you did not save Resetting the Computer Occasionally you may want to clear the computer s current settings or its memory without turning it off You can do this by resetting the computer For example if an error occurs and the computer does not respond to your keyboard entries you can reset it to reload your operating system and try again However resetting erases any data in memory that you have n...

Page 73: ... correct the problem you probably need to turn it off and on again Remove any diskette s from the diskette drive s Turn off the computer and wait five seconds If you do not have a hard disk insert the system diskette in drive A Then turn on the computer Using a Power on Password If you set a power on password when you ran the Setup program you must enter it every time you turn on or reset the comp...

Page 74: ...s a zero the keyboard locks up and you cannot use the computer Reset the computer and try to enter the correct password again Note If you do not know the correct password see Password Problems in Appendix B Changing a Power on Password To change your power on password follow these steps 1 If you do not have a hard disk insert your system diskette in drive A 2 Turn on or reset the computer At the k...

Page 75: ...f you do not have a hard disk insert your system diskette in drive A 2 Turn on or reset the computer At the key prompt enter your current password followed by a forward slash For example if your password is 123 type 123 3 Press B A happy face character appears and then the computer loads the operating system The next time you turn on or reset the computer it does not request a password and loads t...

Page 76: ... your hard disk drive does not do this or if you are not sure that it does be sure to run HDSIT Follow these steps 1 Exit any program you are using and make sure the MS DOS command prompt appears on the screen 2 If you copied HDSIT to your hard disk as described at the beginning of this chapter type c and press Enter to log onto the root directory of the hard disk If you did not copy HDSIT to driv...

Page 77: ...OS and your application programs you may find that there are commands you need to run frequently You can automate the execution of these commands by listing them in a special file called a batch file When you type the name of the batch file and press IEnter MS DOS executes the commands in the file just as if you had typed each command from the keyboard If you have a word processing program that ca...

Page 78: ... and using batch files Changing the Processor Speed Your computer s processor can operate at two speeds high and low High speed is 25 MHz or 50 MHz depending on your model and low speed simulates an 8 MHz processor speed At high speed the computer can access memory faster than at low speed The default setting is high speed unless you changed it in Setup to low or to change automatically Note When ...

Page 79: ...that can run only on a diskette or that requires a key disk try to load the program at high speed If this works you do not need to set the speed to change automatically If you can t load the program on high set the speed to change automatically tl If you are using a copy protected program that does not require a key disk but requires a special procedure to install it on a hard disk set the speed t...

Page 80: ...eed to low when the computer accesses a diskette To enter these commands hold down the m key and the m key and press the m m or m key located on the numeric keypad The commands do not work if you use the characters on the main keyboard Note You can use the commands listed above while you are running a program However if the program uses one of the same commands for another function you cannot use ...

Page 81: ... EXE from your Reference diskette onto your hard disk if you have not already done so and run the program from there If you do not have a hard disk insert your Reference diskette in drive A and log onto drive A before you enter the command to start the program To run the ESPEED program type the following at the MS DOS command prompt and press I ESPEED You see the following messages Usage ESPEED H ...

Page 82: ...ton or turn off the computer Entering the ESPEED command in a batch file You may want to run the ESPEED program by including the command in a batch file For example let s say you have a program called SLOWDOWN which requires a slower processor speed You could include the following commands in a batch file to start the SLOWDOWN program ESPEED A SLOWDOWN You could name the batch file SLOW BAT Whenev...

Page 83: ...inch program disk which you need to use to boot the computer Or you may have an application program that requires you to leave the 5 inch key disk in drive A while you run the program For these situations you can reverse the drive assignments to make the top drive B and the bottom drive A There are two ways to do this tl Insert the diskette in drive B and turn on the computer The drive automatical...

Page 84: ...d disk drive copy the file AFDD EXE from the Reference diskette onto your hard disk if you have not already done so then you can run the program from there To run AFDD type the following at the command prompt and press I AFDD You see messages such as the following New Assign Present Drive A 1 44MB 1 2MB Drive B 1 2MB 1 44MB S et and Reboot Any other key to abort If you inserted the Reference diske...

Page 85: ...is the master computer in a network and provides storage space for the other computers connected to it It can also write files to and read files from the other computers making it the most powerful computer in the network Even if no one is typing commands at the network server keyboard the server can process commands sent to it from other computers If you use your computer as the network server yo...

Page 86: ...ld if network server mode was turned off The password prompt is hidden to prevent unauthorized users from knowing that a password is required You do not have to set a password in network server mode to use your computer as a network server but it is helpful See Setting the Power on Password in Chapter 2 for instructions on setting the password and enabling network server mode Then read the next se...

Page 87: ...sword 2 Type your password and press IEnter The screen does not display what you type Now you should be able to use your computer Press a key such as Enter to see if the keyboard accepts your command If you entered an incorrect password the computer does not respond Type the correct password press IEnter and try using the computer again Note You cannot change or delete a power on password in netwo...

Page 88: ...a memory management program to convert the computer s extended memory to expanded memory If you selected a memory management software package when you bought your computer you can use it with any version of MS DOS Just follow the instructions included with the package If you are using MS DOS version 4 01 or 5 0 and you did not get a memory manager you can use the MS DOS program EMM386 SYS or EMM38...

Page 89: ...to use all of the capabilities of your monitor and built in VGA display adapter The device drivers provide VGA features such as these Q Resolutions of 800 x 600 or 1024 x 768 non interlaced in graphics modes with 16 colors Li Resolutions up to 640 x 480 in graphics modes with 256 colors Cl 132 column text mode in 16 colors Ll Graphics cursor movement performed by the built in VGA hardware Note To ...

Page 90: ...r contain device drivers for various application programs as well as special utilities that allow you to enhance VGA performance See the VGA Utilities booklet for more information about VGA device drivers and utilities 4 14 Enhancing System Operations ...

Page 91: ...s you perform the procedures described in this chapter and in Chapters 6 and 7 observe the following precautions to avoid damaging your equipment or injuring yourself Ll While this manual provides detailed instructions for installing a variety of optional equipment do not attempt a procedure if you have any reservations about performing it ask your dealer for assistance tl Always turn off the comp...

Page 92: ...ctor to remove it from a socket Cl When plugging a connector or a component into a socket be sure to position it correctly Carefully align any connector pins with the corresponding holes in the socket before you push in the connector Otherwise you can severely damage the equipment Li Always replace the computer s cover before you turn on the power or the computer may overheat Removing the Cover Re...

Page 93: ...ect any peripheral device cables that are connected to the computer including the keyboard cable Turn the computer around so you are facing the back panel If necessary unlock the computer s cover See Chapter 3 for instructions Loosen the three thumbscrews on the computer s back panel by turning them counterclockwise as shown below The screws disengage but don t come all the way off Accessing Inter...

Page 94: ...nd off the computer Removing the Front Panel You must remove the computer s front panel if you need to install or remove a disk drive from the external drive bay or if you need to remove the subassembly from the computer Follow these steps 1 Turn the computer so you are facing the front panel 5 4 Accessing Internal Components ...

Page 95: ...abs 3 Once these tabs are free grasp the sides of the front panel and pull it straight toward you to disengage the two tabs at the bottom as shown below Be careful not to pull the panel off at an angle this may bend or pop off the power and RESET buttons If a button pops off carefully place it back onto its post Accessing Internal Components 5 5 ...

Page 96: ...xt to the power supply Follow these steps 1 Turn the computer so you are facing the front panel 2 Disconnect the power supply and drive cables from the backs of all the drives installed in your computer as shown below Note which cables are connected to which drives so you can easily reconnect them later 5 6 Accessing Internal Components ...

Page 97: ...s from the clasp 4 Grasp the back of the subassembly by the edge on its upper left side as shown below and lift up the back end 5 Pull the subassembly forward slightly to release it from the two pins beneath the front panel opening Then lift it out of the computer and place it on your work surface Accessing Internal Components 5 7 ...

Page 98: ...the front panel 2 Hold the subassembly at a slight angle and guide the front of it down through the opening in the front of the computer as shown below 3 Fit the two holes in the lower front of the subassembly over the two posts on the front of the computer case as shown above 5 8 Accessing Internal Components ...

Page 99: ...er the subassembly all the way down 5 If necessary connect the diskette drive cable to the FDD socket on the main board then connect the hard disk drive cable to the HDD socket beside it These sockets are located to the right of the memory card 6 Gather the power supply and drive cables in the clasp on the side of the subassembly Snap the clasp shut Accessing Internal Components 5 9 ...

Page 100: ... the power button RESET button and drives that extend out from the front of your computer case Also align the front panel tabs with the corresponding notches in the case Then guide the front panel straight onto the computer case as shown below 3 Press the front panel onto the computer to fully insert all the tabs into the notches on the computer case If all the front panel tabs do not snap into po...

Page 101: ...the cover 3 Slide the cover forward until the front edge overlaps the top edge of the front panel 4 Tighten the three thumbscrews on the back panel to secure the cover to the computer 5 Lock the computer s cover if desired See Chapter 3 6 Reconnect your monitor printer keyboard and any other peripheral devices you have Then reconnect the power cord to the back of the computer and to an electrical ...

Page 102: ... before use Check the manual that came with your drive to see if it is already formatted and then if necessary follow the instructions in Appendix A to format the new hard disk If you have added a hard disk drive and you want to load MS DOS or another operating system from that drive you need to install the operating system on it See the documentation that came with your operating system for instr...

Page 103: ...ms however you can test the following with the System diagnostics program on your Reference diskette Ll System memory Lt Math coprocessor Ci Serial and parallel ports tl Disk drives Q Monitors and display adapters Cl Dot matrix printers See Appendix C for instructions Accessing Internal Components 5 13 ...

Page 104: ...emory modules also called SIMMs single inline memory modules allow you to increase the amount of memory in your computer This chapter describes the types and amounts of SIMMs you can install on the memory card in your computer If you want to install memory modules it is best to ask your dealer to do it for you You can however follow the instructions in this chapter to install them yourself Note It...

Page 105: ...ly you must have an authorized Epson dealer or Service Center do it for you This chapter also explains how to change the jumper settings inside the computer You need to change jumper settings if you add memory modules install certain types of option cards or want to change the way your computer operates In addition you ll find an illustration of your main system board which shows the location of t...

Page 106: ...ry components on your main system board VGA monitor parallel port port _ I A a option slots 1 l 4 llbll IWI lull I 25 MHz system only keyboard port CN2 37 power w supply connectors icroprocessor diskette drive connector FDD JP5 JP6 JP9 JP10 JP11 JP12 JP13 JP14 JP15 connector drive connector HDD Installing and Removing Options 6 3 ...

Page 107: ...emory tl Enable or disable the power on password function U Enable or disable the built in VGA display adapter tl Change the operation of the input output ready signal If you increase your computer s memory by installing memory modules you must set a group of jumpers to indicate the amount of memory you now have If you have the 25 MHz model and you had your 80486SX microprocessor chip replaced wit...

Page 108: ...assword Enables the power on password i A Color monitor is installed B Monochrome monitor is installed Enables the built in VGA display adapter Disables the built in VGA display adapter so you can use a display adapter on an option card in your computer as your primary adapter JP7 A B 1_ JP15 A B l Factory setting Enables the built in mouse connector Disables the built in mouse connector so you ca...

Page 109: ...emory l Factory setting Jumper settings for alternate 25 MHz microprocessor Jumper Jumper Function number setting JP2 A B 80487SX installed NMI signal 80486SX installed NMI signal 80487SX installed FERR signal 80486SX installed FERR signal Factory setting these jumpers are not used for the 50 MHz microprocessor 6 6 Installing and Removing Options ...

Page 110: ...move a jumper from one position to the other use needle nose pliers or tweezers to pull it off its pins and gently move it to the desired position Be careful not to lose the jumper Caution Be careful not to bend the jumper pins or damage any surrounding components on the main system board 3 Replace any option cards you removed See Installing an Option Card below 4 Follow the instructions in Chapte...

Page 111: ...er limits for all six slots The table below lists the power limits Option slot power limits Maximum current 5 volts 12 Volts 5 Volts and 12 Volts For each slot 7 Amps 1 5 Amps 0 5 Amps For all six slots 16 Amps 3 Amps 0 5 Amps Caution Although the computer s power supply is protected against excessive power loads you could still damage the main system board if you install an option card that draws...

Page 112: ...ard occupies as long as it fits in the slot For example you can place some 8 bit cards in a 16 bit slot However you must follow these guidelines when deciding which slot to use Ll An S bit card with an additional tab along the bottom must go into an 8 bit slot il If you install a disk drive that uses a controller card place the card as close as possible to the drive it is controlling Ll Some optio...

Page 113: ...ard you may need to change the settings of jumpers JP4 and JP6 If this is the case see page 6 4 for instructions 2 Remove the retaining screw from the top of the metal option slot cover hold on to the screw so it doesn t fall into the computer Lift out the slot cover Keep the screw to secure the option card to the computer Store the slot cover in a safe place in case you remove the option card lat...

Page 114: ...y Check the option card instructions 4 Grip the card firmly by the top corners and make sure the connectors point down as shown below 5 Insert the card into the slot guiding it straight down Once the connectors enter the slot push the card downward firmly but carefully to insert it fully You should feel the card fit into place If the card does not go in smoothly do not force it pull it all the way...

Page 115: ...s 1 Remove the screw securing the card to the back of the computer and pull it straight up and out of the slot 2 Cover the option slot opening with the original metal slot cover and secure it with the retaining screw 3 If you are removing an option card that controls a mouse you need to change the setting of jumper JP7 on the main system board If you are removing a display adapter card you may nee...

Page 116: ... your own SIMMs by carefully following the instructions in this section Before you install SIMMs check the following guidelines to ensure that they will work properly D Use SIMMs that operate at 80ns nanosecond or faster access speed Be sure all the SIMMs you install have the same access speed Ll Use the correct SIMM configuration to add the amount of memory you want See the table on the next page...

Page 117: ...uter Do not install SIMMs in any other configuration Remember that the memory card already contains 4MB soldered SIMM configurations 1 Bank 1 j Bank 2 1 Bank 3 Total memory 1 M M M M 8MB M M M M K K K K 9MB M M M M K K K K K K K K 10MB M M M M M M M M 12MB M M M M M M M M M M M M 16MB K 256KB SIMM installed M 1 MB SIMM installed Once you determine where to the add memory modules do the following t...

Page 118: ...to the bracket at the front of the computer case as shown below 2 Grasp the top of the card and pull it straight up and out of its socket 3 Gently place it on your work surface with the component side facing up 4 Follow the instructions in the next section s to install or remove SIMMs as necessary Installing and Removing Options 6 15 ...

Page 119: ... the bottom of the board are toward you The sockets are labeled as shown below 2 It is easiest to install SIMMs in the left sockets first Position each SIMM with the notched edge toward the top of the socket and insert it on the right side of the tabs at an angle as shown below tab 6 16 Installing and Removing Options ...

Page 120: ...again Make sure the SIMM is fully inserted into the socket and that the pins on the retaining posts extend through the holes in both ends 4 Repeat steps 2 and 3 for each SIMM you want to install 5 Set the appropriate main system board jumpers to indicate the total amount of memory you now have See Jumper Settings on page 6 4 for instructions 6 Reinstall the memory card as described on page 6 19 In...

Page 121: ...your work surface so the connectors at the bottom of the board are toward you 2 Remove SIMMs from the right sockets first Use your fingers or two small screwdrivers to pull away the tabs that secure the SIMM at each end Be careful not to pull the tabs too far or they may break As you pull away the tabs the SIMM falls to the right at an angle Release the tabs and carefully remove the SIMM from the ...

Page 122: ...e memory card in your computer 1 Hold the card by its top corners and guide it straight down into its socket on the main system board as shown below 2 Secure the memory card bracket to the front of the computer case with the retaining screw 3 Replace the computer s cover as described in Chapter 5 Then see Post installation Setup Procedures at the end of that chapter for information on updating the...

Page 123: ...nstructions although some of the steps in this chapter may not apply See the manual that came with your drive for more information This chapter describes how to do the following CI Use the correct drive bay 0 Set the IDE Integrated Drive Electronics jumpers on a hard disk drive Ll Install or remove a drive in the external drive bay Ct Install or remove an internal drive Before you perform any of t...

Page 124: ...figurations Ll One third height drive and two half height drives U One third height drive and one full height drive You can install either two half height drives or one full height hard disk drive in the internal bay If you are installing a hard disk it is best to install it in the internal bay This reserves the more accessible external bay for any drives you may want to add later If you prefer ho...

Page 125: ...rive The jumpers tell the computer whether you are using one hard disk drive or two Note You do not need to set any jumpers if you are removing your only hard disk drive If you are installing only one hard disk drive see Changing the Jumper Settings below to check your drive s jumpers If you are removing one hard disk drive and leaving another in your computer you need to change the jumper setting...

Page 126: ...nnector jumpers The instructions in this section describe setting the jumpers on the factory installed hard disk drive The jumpers on your drive may be in a slightly different location but you set them the same way See the documentation that came with your hard disk drive for the proper settings 7 4 Installing and Removing Drives ...

Page 127: ...eful not to drop the jumper or damage the pins as you install it If you are going to use only one hard disk drive make sure the jumper is set in position DS If you ll be using two hard disk drives install two jumpers on the master drive in positions SP and DS Do not install any jumpers on the slave drive To install or remove a drive in the internal drive bay see page 7 14 To install or remove a dr...

Page 128: ...ive bay there is a plastic guide with four support grooves as shown below You select the appropriate grooves for your drive depending on the size of your drive and where you want to locate it third height drive I half height drive The third height diskette drive that comes with your computer is installed in the grooves at the top of the bay Note If you are installing a 3M inch drive that does not ...

Page 129: ...ter for each drive you will install Lt two metal drive brackets Ci four retaining screws with attached flat washers tl two nuts with attached star washers 0 small wrench 2 Attach one bracket to each side of the drive as shown below Loosely secure each bracket with two retaining screws Installing and Removing Drives 7 7 ...

Page 130: ... the drive bay by sliding it along the drive brackets A diskette drive or other externally accessible device should extend out of the bay and its faceplate should be flush with the front panel A hard disk drive should fit all the way into the bay If necessary replace the front panel as described in Chapter 5 to check the drive s position 7 When the drive position is correct remove the two nuts sec...

Page 131: ...connector 9 Locate the appropriate drive cable for the drive If you installed a diskette or tape drive go to step 10 If you installed a hard disk drive go to step 12 10 If you are connecting diskette drive A use the connector labeled FDD1 on the end of the diskette drive cable If you are connecting diskette drive B use the middle connector labeled FDD2 If you are connecting a tape drive use the ca...

Page 132: ...h the gap in the interface as shown below Then push in the connector divider 11 To remove the slot cover for the drive you just installed turn the front panel so you are facing the inside Press outward on the slot cover tabs as shown below and pop the slot cover out 7 10 Installing and Removing Drives ...

Page 133: ...et with the missing pin as shown below The push in the connector Note If you are installing your first IDE hard disk drive you must also connect the hard disk drive cable connector to the HDD socket on the main system board See the main system board illustration in Chapter 6 to locate the connector Be sure to thread the cable through the clasp on the left side of the subassembly 13 Replace the com...

Page 134: ...ive bay 1 Disconnect the power supply and drive cables from the back of the drive you want to remove as shown below 2 Use the small wrench to remove the two nuts securing the metal drive brackets to the front of the drive bay as shown below 7 12 Installing and Removing Drives ...

Page 135: ... Then disconnect the cable from the main system board If the drive you removed was accessible from the front of the computer you need to reinstall the front panel slot cover for that drive Turn the front panel so you are facing the inside Then press the slot cover into the slot until it snaps into place between the tabs on both sides Replace the computer s front panel and cover as described in Cha...

Page 136: ...stall it in the position farthest from the power supply power supply If you are installing or removing a hard disk drive in the position next to the power supply first remove the front panel and subassembly as described in Chapter 5 The following procedures explain how to do these tasks LI Remove a drive CI Install a drive tl Connect the drive cables 7 14 Installing and Removing Drives ...

Page 137: ...nternal drive 1 Disconnect the power supply and drive cables from the drive if you have not already done so as shown below drive cable power cable 2 Remove the four screws securing the drive to the internal drive bay Installing and Removing Drives 7 15 ...

Page 138: ...om its connector on the main system board First remove the cable from the clasp on the left side of the subassembly Then disconnect the cable from the main system board connector I 4 If you need to connect the drive cable on your remaining drive see Connecting the Cables below Installing a Drive Follow these steps to install a new drive or reinstall a drive you removed 1 Position the drive so its ...

Page 139: ... so that the four holes on the drive are aligned with the corresponding holes in the drive bay Then secure the drive with four retaining screws 3 Connect the drive and power supply cables as described below Installing and Removing Drives 7 17 ...

Page 140: ...t the power supply cables to the drive s in the external drive bay Align the notched corners of the cable connector with the notched corners of the drive socket as shown below Then push in the connector 3 Locate the cable for each drive installed in the internal drive bay If you removed the subassembly earlier also reconnect the drive cables to the drive s in the external bay See page 7 9 for inst...

Page 141: ... Connect the cable as described below then skip to step 5 To connect the cable align the cable connector with the drive interface so the row in the connector with the blocked hole lines up with the row in the interface with the missing pin as shown below Then push in the connector missing pin Installing and Removing Drives 7 1 9 ...

Page 142: ...the cable to the HDD socket matching the notch on the socket to the tab on the cable notch tab If you have difficulty reaching the socket you can remove the memory card just be sure to reinstall it before you go on to step 5 5 Replace the computer s front panel and cover as described in Chapter 5 then see Post installation Setup on page 5 12 to update your configuration 7 20 Installing and Removin...

Page 143: ...ting system manual to prepare your hard disk for use If you have installed a hard disk that came with its own format utility use that program to physically format the disk You may need to use the procedure in this chapter to physically format a hard disk if you have installed a non Epson hard disk in your computer that has never received the low level format and did not come with its own format ut...

Page 144: ...ns check your operating system manual for procedures you can perform to reorganize your data If those procedures or a commercial defragmenting utility do not solve the problem you may want to reformat the disk as described in this chapter Choosing the Type of Format Follow these steps to display the formatting options 1 Insert the Reference diskette in drive A 2 Turn on or reset the computer It au...

Page 145: ...estructive surface analysis checks the disk for unflagged bad tracks without destroying data You cannot run the Non destructive surface analysis on a disk that has never been formatted The type of format you choose depends on whether you are reformatting a disk that has been used or formatting a new disk for the first time See the recommendations below Formatting a New Disk Many hard disk drives c...

Page 146: ... an Option When using this program you often need to select an option from a menu There are two ways to do this LI Use the arrow keys I L t to highlight the option and press IEnter tl Type the number of the option and press IEnter You can select most options that appear on the screen using either method Starting the Formatting Process If you have more than one hard disk drive you see this prompt E...

Page 147: ...disk or N to skip the scanning process If you select Y the program scans the disk and displays these messages during the process Scanning for flagged bad tracks Head nnn Cylinder nnnnn You see the head and cylinder numbers decrease as the program progresses After scanning the disk the program displays the results such as the following Scanning finished Count of tracks flagged bad 1 Count of tracks...

Page 148: ...16 Enter the recommended number from 1 through 16 which equals the maximum sector number for the drive minus 1 Then press Enter 3 Next you see this prompt Accept recommended skewed sectors per head in format 0 Y N For an Epson hard disk drive accept the recommended value of 0 For another type of drive use the value recommended in the documentation for the drive To accept the default select Y To en...

Page 149: ...the table you see the following options at the bottom of the table Defective Track Table Move box cursor to desired track with cursor key A Add track C Change track D Delete track F Finish editing Enter command To add a bad track follow these steps 1 Press Al You see this prompt Enter cylinder number 1 nnnn 2 Type the number of the cylinder containing the bad track and press Enter You see this pro...

Page 150: ... all the bad tracks press m without typing a value Then check the entries in the defective track table When you are sure the table is correct press m The program displays a warning about the consequences of proceeding with formatting as described in the next section Formatting the Disk When you are ready to start formatting the disk you see the following warning WARNING ALL DATA WILL BE DESTROYED ...

Page 151: ...ed Flagging bad tracks Cylinder is nnnn head is nn Format completed Press Enter to return to the menu Press m to return to the Hard Disk Format Menu Option 2 Destructive Surface Analysis You can perform a Destructive surface analysis of your hard disk to accurately locate any bad tracks and flag them if they are not flagged The test operates by a complex process of writing reading and verifying in...

Page 152: ...nu You see these messages Analyze Hard Disk Read Save Write Read Restore Read check for all tracks Current cylinder is nnnn As the program checks each track it counts the cylinder numbers nnnn down to zero When the test is complete the program displays a disk status report such as the following Analysis finished I Count of tracks flagged bad n Count of tracks with write read errors n Count of good...

Page 153: ...der Head 237 2 Confirm to register the tracks in the Write Read Error Track Table as bad tracks Do you want to register the error tracks as bad tracks Y N To flag the error tracks as bad select Y You see a list of the tracks as they are flagged and these messages Flagging bad tracks Cylinder is 237 head is 2 Press Enter to return to the menu Press m to return to the Hard Disk Format Menu Physicall...

Page 154: ... all tracks Current cylinder is nnnn As the program checks each track it counts the cylinder numbers down to zero When the test is complete the program displays a status report such as the following Analysis finished Count of tracks flagged bad n Count of tracks with read verify errors n Count of good tracks nnnn No read verify error was detected If the program finds tracks with errors the screen ...

Page 155: ...system on the hard disk to prepare it for use Remove the Reference diskette from drive A and then follow the instructions in your operating system manual The installation process automatically partitions and formats the hard disk If you ran only the Non destructive surface analysis remove the Reference diskette from drive A and press the RESET button to load the operating system Physically Formatt...

Page 156: ... When you request technical assistance from your dealer a qualified service person or the Epson Customer Resource Center be ready to provide your computer s serial number on its back panel its configuration including the type of disk drives monitor and option cards and the names and version numbers of any software programs you are using If you are able to use MS DOS you can obtain your MS DOS vers...

Page 157: ... your Startup diskette in drive A Type VER and press IEnter The screen displays the MS DOS version number Write down the number so you can give it to your dealer Error Messages Your computer s built in memory ROM contains a series of diagnostics programs called power on diagnostics which your computer runs automatically every time you turn it on These programs check internal devices such as ROM RA...

Page 158: ...below it directs you to the proper troubleshooting section in this appendix If you do not see an error message read the section that covers your problem Power on diagnostics error messages I Error code Message System board 101 102 103 105 106 107 108 Real time clock 161 162 System board error System board error System board error System board error System board error System board error System boar...

Page 159: ...ard or system unit error 304 Keyboard or system unit error Monitor 401 CRT error 501 CRT error Diskette drive s and controller 601 Diskette error Parallel port printer interface 901 Serial port RS 232C port 1101 Action Parallel port error Serial port error Run Setup see Chapter 2 See Keyboard Problems See Monitor Problems I See Diskette Problems or Diskette Drive Problems See Printer Problems See ...

Page 160: ... Disk 1 error Auxiliary device failure Auxiliary device failure Auxiliary device failure Action I See Hard Disk Drive Problems See Mouse Problems The Computer Won t Start If your computer does not start when you turn on the power check the following 1 Is the power light on If not remove any diskettes and turn off the power Make sure the power cord is securely connected to both the AC inlet on the ...

Page 161: ...trical outlet is working and all the connections are secure but your computer still won t start call your dealer Note If the computer starts but you can t see anything on the screen see Monitor Problems below The Computer Does Not Respond If your computer locks up and does not respond when you type on the keyboard follow these steps 1 Some operations take longer than others to complete For example...

Page 162: ...r software be causing the problem If you are running an application program see Software Problems later in this appendix 5 The problem could be caused by your keyboard See Keyboard Problems later in this appendix 6 If you want to stop whatever the computer is doing and return to the MS DOS command prompt hold down the key and press lereakl or press cl See Chapter 3 for more information on stopping...

Page 163: ... set incorrectly you see a CRT error message If you are using two different video cards set jumper JP10 to the primary monitor type See Changing the Jumper Settings in Chapter 6 for instructions 10 If your computer suddenly stops operating its power supply thermal detection circuits may have detected excessive operating temperatures and automatically shut down the power This protects your system f...

Page 164: ...ve the computer s cover and check both inside and outside the computer for blockage Make sure there is ample room around your system for air circulation Cl An overload of the power supply limitations Check the table on page 6 8 to see if you have exceeded the option slot power limits See your option card manual s for the power requirements for your option card s 3 After you correct the problem cau...

Page 165: ...u cannot change or delete a power on password and remain in network server mode 3 If you do not know the current power on password and you do not want to set a new one see Removing a Password below 4 If you do not know the current power on password and you want to set a new one see Setting a New Password below 5 If you are setting a password and you see the following message you need to change a j...

Page 166: ...word later without having to reset a jumper See Disabling an existing password below for instructions If you disable the password function you cannot set a new password unless you disable the existing password at that time If you do not want to use a password anymore follow the instructions under Disabling the password function below Disabling an existing password If you do not know your power on ...

Page 167: ...assword function by setting jumper JP5 to position B 5 If you do not have a hard disk insert the system diskette in drive A Turn on the computer again You do not see the key prompt and the computer loads the operating system Later if you want to create a power on password run Setup and enter a password The jumper is already in the correct position Disabling the password function If you do not want...

Page 168: ...setting and highlight EXIT AND SAVE when you leave Setup 4 After you exit Setup you see this message TURN OFF POWER AND CORRECT JUMPER SETTING TO ENABLE PASSWORD CHECKING 5 Remove the Reference diskette and turn off the computer Then follow the instructions under Changing the Jumper Settings in Chapter 6 to enable the password function by setting jumper JP5 to position B 6 If you do not have a har...

Page 169: ...ock function may be on When num lock is on the keys on the numeric keypad work only as numbers If the Num Lock indicator in the upper right corner of the keyboard is lit press G to turn off the function If you want to change the initial setting of the num lock function see Using the Keyboard and Speaker Options in Chapter 2 3 If nothing happens when you type on the keyboard see The Computer Does N...

Page 170: ...if the screen displays any text 4 If the monitor s power light still does not come on check the electrical outlet for power Turn off your monitor and unplug it from the outlet Then plug a lamp into the outlet and turn it on to see if the outlet supplies power 5 Make sure your monitor is connected to the computer See Connecting a Monitor in Chapter 1 or your monitor manual for instructions 6 Make s...

Page 171: ...ter 6 for instructions If you are using one or more display adapter cards you may need to change the setting of jumper JP6 This jumper tells the computer whether you are using a color or monochrome monitor and is set for color at the factory If JP6 is set incorrectly you see a CRT error message If you are using two different types of video cards set jumper JP6 to the primary monitor type See Chang...

Page 172: ...ur diskette drive See Diskette Drive Problems below 4 Check to see if you have inserted the right type of diskette For example are you trying to read a 1 44MB diskette in a 720KB diskette drive 5 If your diskette is the right type for your drive see if it is write protected On a 5 inch diskette there may be a write protect tab over the notch on its side or there may be no notch On a 3Winch diskett...

Page 173: ...rsists try removing the diskette and reinserting it If the error message still occurs you may have a defective diskette Use the COPY command to copy the files from the bad diskette to a new diskette 9 If you see no error messages but there is something wrong with the data in a file the operating system or an application program may have updated the storage information on the diskette incorrectly T...

Page 174: ... connections to make sure you have installed the drive correctly 3 Did you run the Setup program to define the correct type of diskette drive as part of your computer s configuration See Chapter 2 for instructions 4 If you still have trouble with the drive run the Diskette drive and controller diagnostic tests described in Appendix C If the diagnostics program indicates an error contact your Epson...

Page 175: ...tion that seems most likely to include your problem For example if you suddenly cannot use data on your disk see Accessing Data on the Drive Caution If your hard disk has data on it be very careful performing any procedure that may erase data such as formatting the disk Always be sure to back up your data before you reformat or repartition the disk drive Consult your dealer if you have any questio...

Page 176: ... use that program if not follow the instructions in Appendix A Note that a physical format is different from the software based logical formatting commands such as the MS DOS SELECT or FORMAT commands If you re sure your hard disk has had a physical format see Preparing the Drive below for more information Preparing the Drive Before you can store data on a new hard disk which has already been phys...

Page 177: ...r dealer Accessing Data on the Drive If you have been using your hard disk drive successfully for some time and notice a reduction in performance the data on the disk may have become fragmented You may want to back up all your data and then use a disk compaction utility to reorganize the files on your disk Contact your dealer for information If you still have trouble with your hard disk you can ba...

Page 178: ... properly at the faster speed some must run at the slower speed Check your software manual to see if this is the case and change the processor speed if necessary See Changing the Processor Speed in Chapter 4 for instructions and information on using copy protected programs 3 If you entered an MS DOS command that you want to stop there are special key combinations you can type to cancel the command...

Page 179: ...nter uses the parallel port you may see error 901 if your printer uses the serial port you may see error 1101 1 If your printer does not work at all check that the printer has power and is properly connected to the computer Also make sure your printer has paper in it See Chapter 1 or your printer manual for instructions 2 Check the printer s DIP switch or control panel settings These settings help...

Page 180: ... application programs such as word processors must be set up properly before they can use a printer Check your program manual to see what customizing may be required 6 If you are using an application program that requires a printer driver make sure the correct driver is installed See your application program manual for instructions Also see your printer manual for additional instructions on using ...

Page 181: ...after installing the card See Chapter 2 Did you install a network option card in your computer Some network option cards require your computer to generate an early input output ready signal to operate properly If you have trouble using your network card set jumper JP15 on the main system board to position A to enable the early input output ready signal Then try using the network card again If it s...

Page 182: ...r 6 for instructions If you control your mouse with the Microsoft mouse driver 7 0 and the cursor is not operating properly or freezes within a program you may need to install the MOUSE7PT EXE program Follow the instructions below Using the MOUSE7PT EXE Program The MOUSE7PT EXE program creates an additional mouse driver which you can load for any program that has trouble controlling the cursor You...

Page 183: ...ursor problem When you name the new driver be sure to make the extension COM If you included the file MOUSE SYS in your CONFIG SYS file repeat step 5 to modify MOUSE SYS as well Just substitute SYS for COM 6 Before you can use your mouse with the program you need to load the new mouse driver into the computer s memory There are two ways to do this Ci Type the name of the new mouse driver at the MS...

Page 184: ...hey may be installed in the wrong sockets they may be the wrong type of SIMM or they may not be inserted all the way Keep in mind that the memory count does not include the 384KB of memory between 640KB and 1MB If your dealer installed the SIMMs for you contact your dealer do not attempt to correct the problem yourself If you installed the SIMMs see Memory Modules in Chapter 6 and make sure you ha...

Page 185: ...ram to make sure the math coprocessor is listed as installed on the Exit display If it is listed as not installed your dealer may have installed the math coprocessor incorrectly See Chapters 2 and 6 for more information Caution Do not attempt to remove the microprocessor yourself Contact your dealer to remove it for you 3 If your math coprocessor is listed as installed in the Setup program but sti...

Page 186: ...the error messages you may see during testing You can test the following devices each of which is identified by specific reference numbers 1 System board 2 Memory 3 Keyboard 4 Monochrome display adapter and CRT 5 Color graphics adapter and CRT 6 Diskette drives and controller 7 Math coprocessor 9 Parallel port printer interface 11 Serial port RS 232C port 12 Alternate serial port 14 Dot matrix pri...

Page 187: ...k_l to turn off the function 4 Press 131 or use 1 to select System diagnostics and then press ml When you start the System diagnostics program the computer checks any peripheral devices connected to the system Then you see a list of the devices available for testing This list includes only the devices that are currently installed for example DEVICE LIST 1 System board 2 Memory 3 Keyboard 5 Color g...

Page 188: ... your device list should include item 4 Monochrome display adapter and CRT After you confirm the Device List you can test only those items If you want to add a device later return to the Operation Menu and reselect System diagnostics Note After you install MS DOS or another operating system you should always boot the computer from your hard disk or from the system diskette to use it When you finis...

Page 189: ...ption and press m to select it For example you may see this menu 1 Run test one time 2 Run test multiple times 0 Exit Suppose the first option is highlighted If you want to select that option just press m because it is already highlighted If you want to select option 2 you can either press ol or 21 this causes the cursor block to move to that option Then press I to select it Note You can press m a...

Page 190: ...lay adapter and CRT 7 Math coprocessor 12 Alternate serial port 21 Alternate parallel port 81 Parallel port on video adapter 0 Exit to DEVICE LIST Highlight the item you wish to add and press IEnter You can add as many devices as necessary When the Device List is complete select 0 Exit To remove a device from the list select 2 Delete device The screen displays the current Device List Select the it...

Page 191: ...esting of essential functions only in most cases running a test once is sufficient To perform the test once select 1 The program may display a submenu of tests for the device you selected To perform the test multiple times select 2 You see this prompt Terminate checking if an error detected Y N Select Y to terminate checking if the device produces an error or N to repeat the tests regardlessof an ...

Page 192: ...om an Error If an error occurs during a test the test stops at that point and an error message appears If you want to record the problem you can print the message using your printer You see this prompt Do you want a printout of the error message s Y N To continue without printing the error message select N Before you request a printout be sure your printer is ready and contains paper Then select Y...

Page 193: ...ee all of the tests listed when you run System diagnostics some tests appear only if you have installed the device Tests that check the operation of parallel or serial ports require you to use a special connector in order to test the port Contact your dealer to obtain the connector For a complete list of the error messages these tests may display see the table at the end of this appendix System di...

Page 194: ...checks Tests all types of color monitors Diskette drive s and Sequential seek check Tests operation of the controller Random seek check diskette drive s Write read check requires a formatted Disk change check diskette for some tests Run all above checks Math coprocessor Tests the operation of the math coprocessor Parallel port printer interface Tests the primary parallel port requires a loop back ...

Page 195: ... the operation of the hard disk drive s Tests the secondary parallel port similar to primary parallel port test Tests the parallel port included on a video adapter requires a loop back connector contact your dealer Error Messages The following table lists all the error messages that may appear during System diagnostics testing System diagnostics error messages Error code Message System board 101 C...

Page 196: ...nstruction error 114 Protect mode error 1 115 Protect mode error 2 Memory 201 Memory parity error Keyboard 301 Keyboard controller error keyboard error 302 Keyboard is non standard or keyboard is defective Monochrome display adapter and CRT 401 Error in adapter check 402 Video signal error 403 Error in attribute check 404 Error in character set check 406 Error in graphics mode check 408 Error in s...

Page 197: ...oller 601 602 603 604 605 606 607 Math coprocessor 701 702 Diskette drive controller error Sequential seek error Random seek error Write error Read error Disk change check remove error Disk change check insert error 703 704 705 706 707 708 709 Coprocessor not installed Coprocessor initialize error Coprocessor invalid operation mask error Coprocessor st field error Coprocessor comparison error Copr...

Page 198: ...l always low 1101 control signal always high 1102 Timeout error 1103 Verify error Alternate serial port d Dot matrix printer 1401 status Hard disk drive s and controller 1701 Seek error 1702 Write error 1703 Read error 1704 Head error 1705 Error detection error 1706 Error correction error Alternate parallel port 2101 Error pin p Parallel port on video adapter 81nn Error pin p 1 Performing System D...

Page 199: ...nd 0 wait state memory access at high speed 4MB RAM standard soldered onto the memory card base memory of either 256KB 512KB or 640KB selectable through jumpers memory expandable using 256KB or 1MB SIMMs up to 16MB maximum SIMMs must be 80ns or faster access speed 128KB includes system and VGA BIOS 0 wait state access speed automatically copies both ROM BIOS and video ROM into RAM Standard for 50 ...

Page 200: ...also supports optional Epson tape drive controller on main system board Supports up to two drives embedded controller interface on main system board VGA adapter with 1MB of video memory built into main system board non interlaced mode only supports up to 800 x 600 or 1024 x 768 non interlaced pixels in 16 colors or up to 640 x 480 pixels in 256 colors multi frequency monitor required for resolutio...

Page 201: ...it 8 MHz bus speed Internal operation controllable by software 200W fan cooled automatic input voltage sensing thermally protected 98 to 132 VAC and 195 to 264 VAC 47 to 63 Hz 5 VDC at 22 Amps 12 VDC at 6 8 Amps 12 VDC at 50 Amps 5 VDC at 50 Amps Option slotpower limits Mass Storage Bays Up to five drives maximum two half height or one full height internal drives one third height and two half heig...

Page 202: ...tion Operating range Non operating Storage range range Temperature 41 to 95 F 4 to 140 F 4 to 140 F 5 to 35 C 20 to 60 C 20 to 60 C Humidity 20 to 80 10 to 90 10 to 90 non condensing Altitude 330 to 9900 ft 330 to 11880 ft 330 to 39600 ft 100 to 3000 m 100 to 3600 m 100 to 12000 m Maximum 68 F 20 C 104 F 40 C 134 F 57 C wet bulb Physical Characteristics Width 17 inches 432 mm Depth Height Weight 1...

Page 203: ...40 Volt power source requirements AC plug Plug type Reference standards Power cord Europe 240V 10A to 16A CEE 7 7 IEC 83 IEC 127 HD21 HAR 1 00 mm2 300V 10A UK 240V 10A BS 1362 BS 1363A IEC 83 IEC 127 HD 21 EN 60 320 1 ASTA mark HAR 1 00 mm 300V 10A Australia 240V 10A ASC112 IEC 127 HD 21 HAR 1 00 mm2 300V 10A North Americ 240V 15A a 1 ANSI C73 20 NEMA 6 15 P IEC 83 UL 198 6 UL CSA Listed Type SJT ...

Page 204: ...0h c Video memory 64KB EGA or VGA 000A0000h 640KB Conventional system memory 640KB 00000000h l The system BIOS and VGA BIOS are contained in one 128KB EPROM The 64KB system BIOS and 32KB VGA BIOS ROM are shadowed in RAM after the system completes power on diagnostics The system and VGA BIOS ROM area in the 000E0000h through 000F0000h range is shadowed at 000E0000h after the system completes power ...

Page 205: ...II American Standard Code for Information Interchange A standardized coding system for representing characters such as numbers letters and graphic symbols An ASCII character occupies one byte of storage Many different computers printers and programs can use files transmitted in ASCII code Asynchronous A method of data transmission in which one machine sends data one character at a time to another ...

Page 206: ...ype of file that lets you execute a series of commands by typing one command In MS DOS batch files are text files with the filename extension BAT In a batch file each command is entered on a separate line When you type the filename MS DOS executes all the commands in that file sequentially BIOS Basic Input Output System Routines in ROM Read Only Memory that handle basic input output functions of t...

Page 207: ...monochrome graphics at 640 x 200 resolution or four color graphics at 320 x 200 resolution Character Anything that can be printed in a single space on the page or the screen includes numbers letters punctuation marks and graphic symbols CMOS Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor A type of low power silicon chip Code A system of symbols for representing data or instructions Also any software prog...

Page 208: ...nter Control code A command generated when you hold down and press another key on the keyboard that instructs the computer to perform a specific function Conventional memory The memory in your computer up to 640KB used by your operating system and application programs Also called base memory or main memory Coprocessor See Microprocessor Copy protected program A type of program that cannot be copie...

Page 209: ...disk is equal to the number of cylinders times the number of heads Data Information such as text or graphics stored or processed by a computer Data diskette A formatted diskette on which you store data files as opposed to program files Default Any value or setting that takes effect when the computer is turned on or reset A default value stays in effect unless you override it temporarily by changin...

Page 210: ...a particular area on a disk part of a structure for organizing files into groups A directory listing shows the name location and size of the files in the directory A directory can contain both files and subdirectories Disk The collective term for diskettes and hard disks Disk drive The physical device that allows the computer to read from and write to a disk A diskette drive has a disk slot into w...

Page 211: ...tore twice as much data as the standard density format A 5Winch double density diskette can store 360KB of data A 3M inch double density diskette can store 720KB of data Drive designator The letter name of a disk drive followed by a colon for example C EGA Enhanced Graphics Adapter A type of display adapter card that allows you to display high resolution graphics on a compatible monitor It can dis...

Page 212: ...resolutions up to 800 x 600 or 1024 x 768 non interlaced in 16 colors and resolutions up to 640 x 480 in 256 colors Extension A suffix of characters that you can add to a filename to better identify it File A group of related pieces of information called records or entries stored together on a disk Text files consist of words and sentences Program files consist of codes and are used by computers t...

Page 213: ...t can process data more rapidly and store many more files than a diskette Also called fixed disk Hardware Any physical component of a computer system such as a monitor printer keyboard or CPU High density A type of format that allows you to store more data than on single or double density diskettes A 5ti inch high density diskette can store 1 2MB of data A 3M inch high density diskette can store 1...

Page 214: ...ification a protocol that allows certain application programs to use memory that MS DOS cannot use Main system board The board built into your computer containing the circuitry the computer requires to operate Math coprocessor A microprocessor that enables the computer to process certain mathematical calculations and display graphic images faster In this computer the 50 MHz model includes a built ...

Page 215: ...at 25 MHz or 50 MHz and can simulate an 8 MHz operating speed Memory The area where your computer stores data Memory contents are either permanent ROM or temporary RAM Memory module A small circuit board that contains memory chips You can add 256KB or 1MB memory modules to the memory card inside the computer to expand the computer s memory A memory module is commonly called a SIMM single inline me...

Page 216: ...amber as opposed to a color monitor which can display in multiple colors Mouse A hand held pointing device with one or more buttons When you slide the mouse over a flat surface in a certain direction the cursor moves in the same direction on the screen MS DOS Microsoft Disk Operating System The operating system most commonly used with your computer See also Operating system Network server The mast...

Page 217: ...ecutes commands Depending on the model you have your computer can run at 25 MHz or 50 MHz and can simulate an 8 MHz operating speed Operating system A collection of programs such as MS DOS MS OS 2 or UNIX that manages a computer s operations The operating system determines how programs run on the computer and supervises all input and output Option card A circuit board you install inside the comput...

Page 218: ... for odd parity or even for even parity Partition 1 The area defined on a hard disk for use by an operating system 2 to divide a hard disk into separate sections or logical drives You can define a primary partition and one or more extended partitions on a hard disk P a t h n a m e The directory name s you specify to locate a file For example the pathname for the file SALES stored in the subdirecto...

Page 219: ... instructions and tells a computer what to do and how to do it Prompt A message the screen displays to request information or tell you what action you need to perform next See also Command prompt RAM Random Access Memory The portion of the computer s memory used to run programs and store data while you work All data stored in RAM is erased when you turn off or reset the computer so you must store ...

Page 220: ...g system Resetting erases all information in RAM RGB Red Green Blue A type of color monitor ROM Read Only Memory The portion of the computer s memory that can only be read and cannot be used for temporary storage ROM retains its contents even when you turn off the power Root directory The top level directory in MS DOS designated by a backslash All other directories are subdirectories of the root d...

Page 221: ...terface that transmits data one bit at a time See Interface and ParalIel Shadow RAM The feature that enables the computer to copy the ROM BIOS and video ROM into the RAM area of memory to speed up processing S MM See Memory module Software The programs that enable your computer to perform the tasks and functions you indicate Subdirectory A directory or group of files that branches down from anothe...

Page 222: ...ng system and allows you to boot the computer Tracks Addressable concentric circles on a disk resembling the grooves on a record which help to divide the disk into separate accessible areas UNIX An operating system that supports multitasking and is suited to multi user environments UNIX is compatible with a range of computers from personal computers to mainframes See also Operating system VGA Vide...

Page 223: ...rotect the data on a diskette from being changed by placing a write protect tab over the notch on the side of a 5 inch diskette or by setting the write protect switch on a 3Winch diskette When a diskette is write protected you cannot erase change or record over its contents Glossary 19 ...

Page 224: ...2 7 15 7 18 Cache memory Intro 1 2 11 13 D 2 Cards display adapter see Video cards memory see Memory card option see Option cards video see Video cards CGA card see Video cards CGA emulation 2 6 8 Clock real time 2 17 19 D 1 Clock calendar RAM D l CMOS RAM 2 1 D 1 D 6 Color graphics adapter and CRT check C 2 3 C 9 Color graphics adapter CGA card see Video cards Command stopping 3 5 CONFIG SYS 1 12...

Page 225: ...tting types 2 27 28 specifications D 2 4 types 7 2 3 D 2 Diskettes copying 3 1 inserting 2 2 problems B 17 19 system 3 1 Display adapter see VGA port Display adapter cards see Video cards Display drivers Intro 3 2 6 9 Display screen see Monitor Dot matrix printer check C 10 Drive bays 7 2 3 Drives see Diskette drive see Hard disk see Tape drive E EDLIN 4 1 2 EGA card see Video cards EGA emulation ...

Page 226: ...pers 7 3 5 loading MS DOS from 2 33 master drive 7 34 mounting frames 7 3 7 7 8 Hard disk parking the heads 3 9 partitions A 2 B 21 physically formatting A 1 13 preparing for moving 3 9 preparing for use 5 12 problems A 2 B 20 22 removing 7 1 20 setting types 2 20 26 slave drive 7 3 5 specifications D 2 3 types 2 23 26 7 2 3 HDSIT 3 2 3 9 Help where to get Intro 5 Hercules card see Video cards Her...

Page 227: ...4 12 manager 4 12 modules see SIMMs problems B 29 specifications D l D 6 Memorycard connector 6 3 installing 6 19 removing 6 15 MGA card see Video cards Microprocessor 6 3 4 6 6 MODE 1 9 Modem connecting 1 9 MODETEST 4 14 Monitor analog 4 13 Connecting 1 3 7 interface D 2 multi frequency Intro 3 1 3 4 13 port 1 3 7 6 3 D 2 problems B 15 16 setting jumpers 1 6 7 6 4 7 B 8 type 1 3 1 6 7 2 6 9 Monoc...

Page 228: ...disk A 2 B 21 Password see Power on password Physical characteristics D 4 Physical formatting A 1 13 Port keyboard 1 10 6 3 D 3 monitor 1 3 7 6 3 D 2 mouse 1 11 12 6 3 D 3 parallel 1 7 9 6 3 D 2 serial 1 9 6 3 D 2 tests C 9 10 Power button 1 15 connecting power cord 1 2 1 13 limits 6 8 source 1 2 supply 6 8 B 9 D 3 Power on diagnostics B 2 5 Power on password changing 3 7 8 deleting 3 8 disabling ...

Page 229: ... 11 13 hard disk drive configuration 2 20 26 keyboard options 2 15 17 leaving the program 2 32 33 Setup program math coprocessor 2 2 2 31 memory 2 2 2 11 13 2 29 network server mode 2 9 11 parallel interface 2 28 30 power on password 2 9 11 processor speed 2 13 15 real time clock 2 17 19 running 2 1 33 6 13 14 serial interface 2 28 30 speaker option 2 15 17 starting the program 2 26 summary 2 29 3...

Page 230: ...ies VGA utilities Intro 3 3 2 4 13 14 VGAMODE 4 14 Video cards CGA 1 6 2 6 9 color graphics adapter and CRT check C 1 C 9 compatibility 1 6 EGA 1 6 2 6 9 Hercules graphics card 1 6 2 6 9 Video cards installing 1 6 7 6 8 12 jumpers for 6 5 MCGA 2 6 9 MDA 1 6 2 6 9 MGA 1 6 2 6 9 monochrome display adapter and CRT check C 1 C 9 parallel port on video adapter check C 10 problems B 26 removing 6 12 set...

Page 231: ...e release release button power optional RESET drive bay button power inlet option card slots mouse I serial parallel port keyboard port port V G A Port power light TURBO speed light hard disk access light monitor port ...

Page 232: ...nsert the Reference diskette in drive A and then turn on or reset your computer the first screen you see is the Operation Menu Under some circumstances the first screen you see may be the Setup Utility screen shown below E x i t Display Password Fast boot Auto speed Real time clock Hard disk drive Diskette drive Serial Parallel If you are trying to run the Setup program you can continue from this ...

Page 233: ...ing menu Change settings Exit without saving EXIT AND SAVE 2 Press I to highlight Exit without saving then press I You see the Operation Menu On this menu you can use the arrow keys to highlight the name of the program you want to run and press Enrsrl 3 Now follow the remaining steps in the appropriate section of your User s Guide to use the program you selected Copyright Q 1992 by Epson America I...

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Epson 486SX, User Manual

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