Epson Equity I User Manual Download

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Chapter 7

System-dependent Utilities

This chapter describes the utilities that are included on your diagnostics

diskette. These utilities are used exclusively by your Equity I+ system:

HELP
ROMBIOS
SYSTAT

Each utility is an MS-DOS command. You can copy the commands to your
hard disk or to a directory on another floppy disk. Then you can
execute the commands from the MS-DOS prompt without loading the
diagnostics diskette.

To run the utilities from your diagnostics diskette, select option 0 from

the OPERATION MENU before you run a diagnostics program. You see
this selection on the menu:

0 - Exit to DOS for more utilities

(After you run a diagnostics program, this selection changes to

0-Exit and

reset.

Selecting option 0 at this point resets your computer.)

The HELP Utility

Use the HELP command to ask for information on all the MS-DOS

commands and utility programs. This help function provides useful informa-
tion but is not intended to be a substitute for the MS-DOS manual.

The format of this command is:

HELP [command. . . ]

Type HELP only to see a menu of all commands. Type

HELP

followed by

the name of one or more MS-DOS commands, each separated by a space, to
bypass the menu and display the messages for each command.

7-1

Summary of Contents for Equity I

Page 1: ...EQUITYI User s Guide and Diagnostics EPSON ...

Page 2: ...EPSON Equity I User s Guide Y14499113001 ...

Page 3: ...ritten permission of Seiko Epson Corporation No patent liability is assumed with respect to the use of information contained herein While every precaution has been taken in the prep aration of this publication Seiko Epson Corporation assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions Nor is any liability assumed for damages resulting from the use of the information contained herein Further this pub...

Page 4: ...tional suggestions The user may find the following booklet prepared by the Federal Communications Commission helpful Television Interference Handbook This booklet is available from the U S Government Printing Office Washington DC 20402 Stock No 004 000 00450 7 Note If the interference stops it was probably caused by the computer or its periph eral devices To further isolate the problem Disconnect ...

Page 5: ...1 12 The Equity I character set 1 12 Setting the DIP Switches 1 13 DIP switch set 1 internal operations 1 14 DIP switch set 2 parallel and serial port operations 1 16 Turning On the Computer 1 18 Safetyrules 1 18 Initial setup procedure 1 19 Initial screen display 1 19 2 Using Your Equity I 2 1 Special Keys 2 1 Selecting Execution Speed 2 2 Resetting the Computer 2 3 Turning Off the Computer 2 4 U...

Page 6: ... Not Appear 4 1 The Computer Locks Up or Freezes 4 2 Floppy Disk Problems 4 2 Hard Disk Problems 4 3 Software Problems 4 3 Printer Problems 4 4 Option Card Problems 4 4 Appendixes A Changing Jumper Settings Jumper J1 Floppy Disk Controller Jumper J2 Parity RAM B Specifications Main Unit Keyboard Mass Storage Power Supply Environmental Requirements Physical Characteristics CPU Only Video and Displa...

Page 7: ... of DIP switches 1 13 1 12 DIP switch label 1 14 2 1 Equity I keyboard 2 1 2 2 Speed switch 2 3 2 3 Inserting diskettes 2 7 2 4 Write protect notch 2 8 2 5 Write protect switch 2 9 3 1 Back panel screws 3 2 Side screws under plastic inserts 3 3 Removing cover 3 4 Inserting option card 3 5 Removing access slot cover 3 6 Replacing the cover A 1 Jumper positions 3 2 3 2 3 3 3 4 3 5 3 A 1 A 2 A 2 Jump...

Page 8: ...l cards and external devices further expand the capabilities of your Equity I Its built in serial and parallel interfaces and five internal option slots let you connect almost any peripheral device you choose Here are some options you can use with your system Expanded memory option card 8087 math coprocessor Monochrome monitor Monochrome video card RGB red green blue color or enhanced color monito...

Page 9: ...n How to Use This Manual This user s guide explains how to set up and care for your Equity I It also describes how to connect optional equipment and start using your oper ating system You may not need to read everything in this book some sec tions may describe a particular option or accessory you do not have Follow the instructions in Chapter 1 to set up your system and turn on your Equity I Chapt...

Page 10: ...ur computer if you need to move or ship it later When you unpack your Equity I you should find the following The main unit and power cord The keyboard with detachable cable An MS DOS operating system diskette version 3 2 with an MS DOS manual A GW BASIC programming language diskette with a GW BASIC manual A diagnostics and system dependent utilities diskette and a Diagnostics manual This Equity I ...

Page 11: ...an easily support the weight of your system including all its components A flat hard surface Soft surfaces like beds and carpeted floors attract static electricity which erases data on your diskettes and can damage the computer s circuitry Soft surfaces also prevent proper ventilation Good air circulation Air must be able to circulate freely under the sys tem as well as behind it Leave several inc...

Page 12: ... up your system 3 Arranging the Components First decide how you want to arrange your system components The most common setup shown in Figure 1 1 is to lay the main unit flat and set the video monitor on top of it with the keyboard directly in front leaving enough space to insert diskettes into the disk drives Figure 1 1 System arrangement Of course if you have special computer furniture or want to...

Page 13: ...t any peripherals AC outlet Power inlet L I Parallel port OptiXard RS 232C serial port access slots Figure 1 2 Rear panel Here are brief descriptions of each of the ports l AC power outlet Auxiliary power outlet Some monitors and other types of peripherals can be plugged into the main unit here instead of a wall outlet The main unit s power switch controls the monitor or peripheral connected to th...

Page 14: ...s such as a modem or hard disk controller The front panel Now take a look at the front panel The components on the front panel are shown in Figure 1 3 with the covers open to show the switches and the keyboard cable socket To open each cover press down gently on the small handle Disk lock release button Disk drive LED lamp Power LED lamp I C ption l DIP switches I dr ve RESET Keyboard button CPU s...

Page 15: ...er When an oper ating system diskette is in the top drive or running on the hard disk you can press the RESET button to reboot it DIP switches These give the computer information about its keyboard coprocessor status memory size monitor type floppy disk drives and interface types You set them to match your system requirements CPU Speed switch Move this switch left for 4 77MHz or right for 10MHz 4 ...

Page 16: ...lines 1 If necessary connect the video monitor cable to your monitor Some cables are permanently attached to the monitor at one end 2 Connect the appropriate end of the video monitor cable to your mono chrome or color graphics card connector at the back of the main unit as shown in Figure 1 5 If the plug has retaining screws tighten them with a screwdriver Figure 1 5 Connecting the monitor cable T...

Page 17: ...ry outlet next to the power inlet at the back of the main unit The monitor s power consump tion must not be more than 80 watts When you check the DIP switch settings as defined later in this chapter be sure they are set correctly for the type of monitor you have If you have trouble getting a display check that the brightness and con trast controls on the monitor are set correctly Monitors usually ...

Page 18: ... main unit 3 Gently push the cable into the retaining clip and close the cover You can use the keyboard at different angles such as laying it flat on a desk or placing it on your lap You can also tilt the keyboard by adjusting the legs on the bottom Adjust the keyboard legs by turning the keyboard over reaching under the lip and pulling each of the legs upward until they lock into place as shown i...

Page 19: ...lease the cable Lift the tab on the connector and pull it straight out from the main unit 7 Connecting the Printer Your Equity I has both serial and parallel built in interfaces You can easily connect a printer or plotter that has either a serial or parallel interface Just follow the instructions below Parallel interface The parallel connector on the Equity I is a CentronicP compatible interface w...

Page 20: ...which cable you need consult your dealer One end of the printer cable has a 25 pin male D connector Refer to your printer manual to determine which end this is Connect this end to the socket marked PARALLEL on the back panel of the main unit If the plug has retaining screws tighten them with a small screwdriver Connect the other end of the cable to the printer To secure the cable tighten the squee...

Page 21: ...n correctly The printer output must also be redirected to the serial port instead of the parallel port Use the MS DOS SETMODE utility or the MODE command to make these changes See your MS DOS manual for instructions The Equity I character set The Equity I uses a special character set that assigns graphics and inter national characters to some of the ASCII codes In most cases if you try to print th...

Page 22: ... these switches for you However read this section to be sure the settings match your system configuration If you upgrade your computer later by adding a hard disk drive for example you may need to alter the DIP switch settings Note Set the DIP switches only while your computer is off Software pro grams check the settings each time you turn on the system so do not change the settings while a progra...

Page 23: ... ON 1 _ _ SECONDARY OFFOFF 1 SABLE ON ON I IDISABLE ONI Figure 1 12 DIP switch label When a switch is up it is on When a switch is down it is off To change a setting use a hard thin object such as a small screwdriver DIP switch set 1 internal operations The system functions controlled by each switch in set 1 are listed in Table 1 2 and described below Table 1 2 DIP switch set 1 1 14 ...

Page 24: ...and help the system address the adapter memory correctly Set these switches as follows l If you have a monochrome monitor and video card set both switches Off l If you have an enhanced graphics adapter set both switches on no mat ter what type of monitor you have l If you have a color graphics adapter and an RGB monitor set switch 5 on and switch 6 off l If you are using a composite video monitor ...

Page 25: ...l port you must set these two DIP switches so there is no conflict between the built in parallel port and the added card Table 1 3 shows you how to set the DIP switches If you install an option card that has only a parallel port you must designate this as the secondary port and leave the built in port as the pri mary port If you install a video card with a parallel port such as an IBM mono chrome ...

Page 26: ...by the manufacturer you must designate it as the primary port and designate the built in port as the secondary port If you install an option card or peripheral with a serial port not pre set you must designate it as the secondary serial port and the built in port as the primary serial port If you install two option cards with serial ports one is designated as the primary port and the other as the ...

Page 27: ...les from the computer while the power switch is on Never turn off or reset the computer when one of the drive lamps is on This can destroy data stored on a disk or make a whole disk unusable Always wait at least five seconds after you switch the power off before switching it on again Turning it off and on rapidly can damage the computer s circuitry Never leave a beverage on top of or next to your ...

Page 28: ...eed to do it again if you change your system time or date or serial port options See your Diagnostics manual for instructions Initial screen display After the computer completes its self test a message tells you how much RAM random access memory is available for example 640KB OK Then the following message displays Non system disk or disk error Insert system diskette in drive A and strike any key w...

Page 29: ...S manuals for instructions on how to prepare a hard disk for use If your hard disk has been properly prepared and set up to automatically boot MS DOS the message above does not appear Instead the operating system loads when you turn on the computer The date and time prompts display and then the system prompt c This indicates that the hard disk has been assigned as drive C 1 20 ...

Page 30: ...s operating speed and how to reset and turn off your computer It also explains how to use and care for your disks and disk drives Special Keys Certain keys serve special functions and are used in various ways by application programs Some of the more important keys are shown in Figure 2 1 Table 2 1 describes each of these keys as well as others with special functions Figure 2 1 Equity I keyboard 2 ...

Page 31: ...ers to the right Home End Within application programs control cursor location Paw UP Pg UP Page Down Pg Dn Num Lock Changes the function of the numeric cursor keys from numeric to cursor positioning changes when pressed again Esc Cancels the current command line or operation F1 F12 Perform special functions within application programs Print Screen Prints the screen display on a line printer Prt SC...

Page 32: ...ter You may occasionally need to reset the computer either to load a differ ent operating system or because a program has failed and the computer does not respond to your keyboard commands However resetting the computer causes all data in the computer s temporary memory RAM to be lost so if you have a problem you should reset the computer only as a last resort WARNING Do not reset the computer to ...

Page 33: ...onds then switch the power back on Turning Off the Computer Before you turn off your computer save your data exit the program you are using and remove all diskettes from the disk drives Turn off the monitor and peripherals and then turn off the main unit using the switch on the front panel Using Disks and Disk Drives The disk drives in your computer let you store your work and programs on removabl...

Page 34: ...ust as you play record and erase music on cassette tapes Choosing diskettes for the Equity I The standard floppy disk drive on the Equity I uses double sided double density 48 TPI tracks per inch diskettes These disks are compatible with those used for the IBM PC You can use diskettes prepared and used with one IBM compatible computer on the other For best results use only high quality diskettes w...

Page 35: ...They bend easily and do not rotate properly in their sleeves if they are damaged Never wipe brush or try to clean diskettes in any way Be careful when you label your diskettes Attach labels firmly but gently and only along the top of the disk next to the manufacturer s label Avoid placing several labels on top of one other They may prevent the diskette from spinning freely in the disk drive It is ...

Page 36: ...ve hold it with the label face up and the write protect notch to the left so that the read write slot is away from you Then slide it into the disk drive as shown in Figure 2 3 Be careful not to force the diskette into the slot When it is all the way in push in the disk lock release button to secure the diskette in the drive This enables the read write heads to access the diskette Figure 2 3 Insert...

Page 37: ...ta from it but you cannot store new data on the diskette or delete any files it contains If you try to change data stored on a write protected diskette an error message displays To write protect a 5 diskette cover the small rectangular notch shown in Figure 2 4 with an adhesive write protect tab Write protect tabs usually come with new 5 diskettes when you buy them 0a Figure 2 4 Write protect notc...

Page 38: ... preferably daily and keep them apart from the originals Your MS DOS manual describes how to make a backup of your MS DOS system disk To make regular backups of other MS DOS disks use the DU Disk Utility program or the DISKCOPY command Using a hard disk drive below gives more information on how to back up hard disks Using a single floppy disk drive Some Equity I systems have only one floppy disk d...

Page 39: ... disk is to write protect your source disk This allows you to read information but not write over it For more information on using a single floppy disk drive with MS DOS see your MS DOS manual Using a hard disk drive The Epson hard disk for Equity I has a capacity of 20 megabytes about 20 million characters This is equivalent to around 60 floppy disks Using the hard disk greatly reduces the number...

Page 40: ...S DOS utility programs to the hard disk using SELECT For instructions on running the diagnostics program see your Diagnos tics manual For instructions on how to use the MS DOS programs refer to your MS DOS manual If you plan to use an operating system other than MS DOS you also need to use that operating system to partition the hard disk and copy the system files to it Note Your MS DOS manual stat...

Page 41: ...onal slots Consult your Epson dealer for more information Before you install an option card in your main unit you need to remove the cover from your Equity I This chapter describes how to l Remove and replace the main unit s cover l Install and remove an option card Removing the Cover WARNING Never open the case of the Equity I while it is plugged into an electrical outlet Turn off the power switc...

Page 42: ...el screws The top cover is secured by two screws on each side of the computer as shown in Figure 3 2 The two screws on the left side of the unit are covered by small plastic inserts Gently remove the inserts with a small screwdriver then remove the screws on both sides of the computer Put the screws and inserts safely to one side Figure 3 2 Side screws under plastic inserts 3 2 ...

Page 43: ...n card manual to find out if the option card has to be in a specific slot Even though option cards are designed to fit only one way it is a good idea to examine the card first and follow the instructions closely 1 Determine which option slot you are going to use then remove the retaining screw and washer from the metal cover plate at the back of the slot Lift out the metal cover and put it in a sa...

Page 44: ... you remove the card later 3 Grip the card firmly by the top corners The contact pins should be pointing down and the components should face toward the inside of the main unit 4 Insert the card straight down into the slot as shown in Figure 3 4 Place the tab at the bottom of the retaining bracket into the corresponding notch at the back of the computer Figure 3 4 Inserting option card 5 Once the c...

Page 45: ...external device If you install an option card that has an exter nal connector for other equipment your video monitor for example you need to remove the metal access slot cover on the computer s back panel that corresponds to the option card slot Follow these steps 1 Hold the back panel of the computer with the inside facing you The individual access slot covers are held in position by a tab at the...

Page 46: ...me time slide the front edge beneath the top edge of the front panel Finally lower the back of the cover so that it is in position Figure 3 6 Replacing the cover 3 Secure the cover by replacing the screws on both sides of the main unit Snap the plastic inserts into the side feet 4 Replace the back panel and the three screws along the top edge 5 Return the computer to its original position and reco...

Page 47: ...087 math coprocessor l Serial and parallel ports l Monitors and display adapters l Disk drives See your Diagnostics manual for instructions Removing Option Cards To remove an option card first turn off the computer and unplug the power cord then detach any cable connected to the card Disconnect the monitor and keyboard and remove the main unit cover Then follow the option card installation instruc...

Page 48: ...mputer does not start up when you press the power switch on follow these steps to find a solution 1 Check to see if the power indicator on the main unit is lit If it is not remove any disks and turn the power off Wait five seconds and turn the power back on 2 If the lamp still does not come on turn the power switch off Then check to see that the power cable is securely connected to the electrical ...

Page 49: ...r to recalculate an entire spreadsheet than to simply enter a figure Also some BASIC programs that have a lot of calculations to perform can take several minutes or even hours to finish Be aware of the task the computer is performing and judge the time period accordingly 2 If the computer remains locked up follow the steps in Chapter 2 under Resetting the Computer Floppy Disk Problems There are ma...

Page 50: ... not function properly have an autho rized Epson service center check your hard disk Never open the air tight container that encloses the recording disk Software Problems If you have trouble with a software program check the following list of possible problems and solutions 1 The software program does not start First check that you are following the right procedure for the operating system you are...

Page 51: ...ter help it communicate properly with the computer Option Card Problems If you have installed an option card and get unexpected results double check the following points 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Is the option card installed correctly Did you follow the setup and operating instructions described in the option card manual Did you set any necessary DIP switches or jumpers on the option card See your option card...

Page 52: ...n B and the middle pin position B Figure A l shows both positions Position A Position B Figure A l Jumper positions To move a jumper from one position to another use needle nose pliers or tweezers to lift it off the board and gently move it to the other position Be careful not to lose the jumpers or leave them out of the computer Jumper J1 Floppy Disk Controller The built in floppy disk controller...

Page 53: ...d to remove the optional controller for any reason FRONT J2 6M and 6N 7M and 7N Figure A 2 Jumper locutions To disable the built in floppy disk controller you must first remove the cover of the main unit see Removing the Cover in Chapter 3 Then locate Jumper J1 on the main system board near the option slots as shown in Figure A 2 You may need to remove an option card from slot number five in order...

Page 54: ... and 7N require 4164 64KBitx1 chips When you insert the chips you must be absolutely certain that each one is installed correctly with the notch toward the back of the computer Once the chips are installed locate jumper J2 as shown in Figure A 2 To reach jumper J2 you need to remove the shielding over the power supply by removing the two screws shown in the diagram below Replace the shielding afte...

Page 55: ...le DMA controller with four channels two on the mother board one for refreshing and one for floppy disk controller two available for user peripherals including a hard disk controller Programmable interrupt controllers 8 interrupt levels Three programmable timer counters Real time clock calendar and 50 byte CMOS RAM for configuration battery back up Standard 8 bit parallel DB 25 female connector pr...

Page 56: ...z inch half height floppy disk drive double sided high density 720KB storage capacity Hard disk drive 3Gnch half height internal hard disk drive 20MB storage capacity formatted Power Supply Switching type fan cooled Output voltage 5 VDC 5 VDC 12 VDC 12VDC Auxiliary AC Power Requirements 115 230 VAC Power Rating 83W average 102W peak Environmental Requirements Temperature Operating range 25 to 90 F...

Page 57: ...alls in option slot Multiple graphics video card Supports Epson and IBM compatible mono chrome or color monitor monochrome text color graphics and HerculesTM mono chrome graphics switch selectable installs in option slot Enhanced graphics video card Supports Epson and IBM compatible mono chrome color or enhanced color monitor monochrome text 80 character x 25 line display Hercules text 80 characte...

Page 58: ...An extra copy of a program data file or diskette kept in case your working copy is damaged or lost Bit A binary digit 0 or 1 The smallest unit of computer storage The value of a bit represents the presence 1 or absence 0 of an electric charge Boot To load a program or an operating system Byte A sequence or group of eight bits that represents one character Character Anything that can print in a sin...

Page 59: ...rack of stored data and controls all input and output operations Cursor The highlighted marker which shows your position on the screen and moves as you enter and delete data Data Information stored or processed by a computer Data diskette A formatted diskette used to store files Diagnostics The tests and procedures the computer performs to check its internal circuitry and set up its configuration ...

Page 60: ...uity I has a storage capacity of 360KB File A group of related pieces of information called records or entries stored together on disk Text files consist of words and sentences Program files consist of code and are used by computers to interpret and carry out instructions Floppy disk See Diskette Format To prepare a new disk or erase an old one so it can receive information Formatting a disk divid...

Page 61: ...when electricity passes through it like the indicator lights on the front panel of the Equity I Main unit The Equity I computer Megabyte MB A unit used to measure storage space in a computer s memory or on a disk One megabyte equals 1 048 576 bytes Memory The area where your computer stores data Memory contents can be permanent and inalterable ROM or temporary RAM Microprocessor A small version of...

Page 62: ...ore memory or a hard disk drive Parallel The type of interface which transmits data in groups of bits See Inter face Serial Partition To divide a hard disk drive into separate sections for use by different operating systems Peripheral A device such as a printer or a modem connected to a computer that depends on the computer for its operation Port A physical input output socket on a computer where ...

Page 63: ...A portion of memory that can only be read and cannot be used for temporary storage ROM retains its contents even when you turn off the power RS 232C A widely used standard type of serial interface You can easily connect RS 232C compatible devices to the Equity I Sector A contiguous section of a disk track that provides an address at which the computer can access data Self test The initial diagnost...

Page 64: ...ided double density disk ette and 80 tracks on each side of a double sided high density diskette Write To store data on a disk Write protect To prevent a diskette from being overwritten by placing a write protect tab over the notch on the side of the diskette 5Gnch or setting the write protect switch 3M inch When a diskette is write protected you cannot erase change or record over its contents C 7...

Page 65: ...Serial I O B 1 Timer counter B 1 Video Graphic B 3 Cooling fan main unit 1 18 Copying files 2 9 Cover main unit 1 8 CPU B 1 2 C 2 CPU speed switch 1 6 Ctrl Alt Del 2 4 Ctrl key 2 2 Cursor C 2 C Cable connections 1 6 keyboard 1 6 1 9 parallel 1 10 12 serial 1 12 video monitor 1 7 Caps Lock key 2 2 Centronics compatible connector 1 10 Character set 1 12 Clock calendar B 1 CMOS C 1 Color graphics con...

Page 66: ... 2 Enter key 2 2 Environmental conditions 1 2 Environmental requirements humidity B 2 temperature B 2 Epson printers 1 10 Equity I cable connections 1 6 components arranging the 1 2 disk drive See Disk drive disk See Disk electromagnetic interference 1 17 environmental conditions 1 18 front panel 1 5 main unit See Main unit main unit cover 3 1 3 7 operating system 2 9 11 packing materials 1 1 powe...

Page 67: ...t B 2 socket 1 6 specifications B 2 special keys 2 2 L Labels disk 2 5 LED power 2 6 Location 1 2 M Magnetic fields 1 17 Magnetic surface of diskette 2 5 Main memory El Main unit Equity I arrangement of 1 2 cover removing the 3 1 3 cover replacing the 3 6 7 power switch 1 17 specifications B 1 Mass storage capacity B 2 Memory expansion card 3 3 connector for 3 3 installing 3 1 Modem C 4 Moderate e...

Page 68: ... 1 6 2 6 requirements B 2 sources 1 2 supply B 2 switch 1 6 Power cord 1 1 1 6 Power switch 1 17 Printer cable 1 11 character set 1 12 interface 1 10 12 parallel 1 10 12 problems 4 4 Print screen key 2 2 Program C 5 Protector sheets disk drive 1 2 R RAM A 3 C 5 Read Write head C 6 Rear panel 1 4 Registration cards 1 1 RESET button 1 6 2 4 Resetting the computer 2 3 Retaining screws 3 1 ROM B 1 RS ...

Page 69: ... B 1 Troubleshooting 4 1 4 Turning off the computer 2 4 Turning on the computer 1 17 19 U Unpacking the Equity I 1 1 Using the Equity I 2 1 12 V Video monitor See Monitor W Write protect disks 2 8 9 notch 2 8 switch 2 9 tab 2 8 tab removing 2 8 Writing on labels 2 4 Index 5 ...

Page 70: ...EPSON Diagnostics for the Equity TM I Y 1 4 4 9 9 1 0 2 2 0 0 ...

Page 71: ...been taken in the preparation of this pubhcatul Seiko Epson Corporation a sumcs nc respons hil ty for errors or onus Sims Nor 1s any liahihty assumed for damages resulting from the use of the information contamed hcrcm Further this puhhcnnon and features descrlhed hcrem are subject to change vathour not cc TRADEMARKS Epson is a regstered trademark of Seiko Epson Gxpumtion Equity is a trademark of ...

Page 72: ...l Unconditional Format Destructive Surface Analysis Non destructive Surface Analysis 2 1 2 1 2 3 2 5 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 2 1 3 3 1 3 1 3 3 3 5 3 6 3 8 4 Formatting a Diskette 4 1 5 Performing System Diagnostics Using the System Diagnostics Program Modifying the DEVICE LIST Selecting a test Resuming from an error System Board Check Memory Check Keyboard Check Monochrome Display Adapter and CRT Check ...

Page 73: ... 19 Random seek check Write read check Speedcheck Run all above checks Math Coprocessor Check 8087 Parallel Port Printer Interface Check Parallel Port on Video Adapter Check Serial Port RS 232C Check Alternate Serial Port Check Dot matrix Printer Check Hard Disk Drives and Controller Check Seek check Write read check Error detection and correction check Read verify check Run all above checks 5 19 ...

Page 74: ...and Messages A 1 B Power on Diagnostics System Device Check Clock and CMOS RAM Check RAM Check Keyboard Controller and Keyboard Check Floppy Disk Drive Seek Check Tables B 1 B 1 B 2 B 2 B 2 B 3 A 1 Error codes and messages A 1 ...

Page 75: ...you can format a diskette without exit ing diagnostics System diagnostics Use these programs whenever you add or remove optional devices or if you suspect that the system is defective You also run these diagnostics after moving the system from one place to another and after replacing the internal battery Prepare hard disk Use this program before moving the com for moving puter to another location ...

Page 76: ...s Chapters 2 through 6 describe each of the five programs individually and Chapter 7 describes the three system dependent utilities HELP ROMBIOS and SYSTAT Appendix A lists the error codes and messages that may appear during diagnostics checks and Appendix B explains the power on diagnostics messages Intro 2 ...

Page 77: ...s some built in diagnostics called the power on self test This test checks the RAM random access memory keyboard system board and peripherals before the computer begins normal operation For a complete description of the power on self test refer to Appendix B If the self test encounters a problem you see an error message The error messages are described in Appendix B If the self test finds a discre...

Page 78: ...MENU Option 3 Format diskette is included on the OPERATION MENU for convenience only This option lets you format diskettes for use by the System diagnostics tests without exiting from the diagnostics programs To use the extra utility programs on the diagnostics diskette which do not appear on this menu select 0 from the OPERATION MENU Then start the utility from the MS DOS prompt Exiting Diagnosti...

Page 79: ...ommands Each choice on the OPERATION MENU corresponds to an MS DOS command OPERATION MENU Choice MS DOS Command Setup SETUP Format hard disk HDFMTALL Format diskette FORMAT System diagnostics DIAGSYS Prepare hard disk for moving HDSIT The other MS DOS commands on the diagnostics diskette are SYSTAT ROMBIOS HELP You can copy these MS DOS commands with the exception of DIAGSYS to your hard disk or t...

Page 80: ... prepare your hard disk for moving follow these steps 1 Insert the diagnostics diskette into drive A 2 At the C prompt type A HDSIT 3 Press Enter To use the System diagnostics program DIAGSYS you must always boot the system with the diagnostics diskette in drive A If you attempt to start this program in any other way the tests may produce strange results 1 4 ...

Page 81: ...ange the default settings for the serial RS 232C port s The information you define with Setup is stored in the CMOS RAM which is backed up by a battery Whenever you turn on the computer it searches the CMOS RAM for the correct installation information If the computer discovers a difference between the information in CMOS RAM and the actual configuration it prompts you to run the Setup program Usin...

Page 82: ... making your selections on the submenu you can exit in one of the following ways l To exit the submenu without making any changes press f until the cursor block returns to the main menu or simply press ESC This cancels any changes you just made to the configuration l To set your changes press 1 to highlight SAVE SETTINGS and press Enter When you exit Setup the changes are written to the CMOS RAM a...

Page 83: ...ogram resets the computer using the new configuration If the computer displays a Setup error message during the power on self test run Setup again and check all your settings Setting the Real time Clock Your computer automatically keeps track of the time and date using a real time clock Because the clock is backed up by a battery it keeps track of the time and date even while the computer is turne...

Page 84: ...orrect press Enter If you enter an invalid time the computer beeps and the time does not change 3 To set the date move the cursor to Date and press Enter You see Enter the date in the exact form shown in the box using two digits for the month and the day and four digits for the year the program automatically inserts the dashes When the date is correct press Enter If you enter an invalid date the c...

Page 85: ...ort you can use the Primary serial port option to match the computer s parameters to the printer s switch settings so that you do not need to use a MODE command to set up the serial port when it is needed The process for changing the default serial port settings is identical for the primary and secondary serial ports This section uses the primary serial port as an example To alter the primary seri...

Page 86: ...Enter The number changes to either 7 or 8 whichever was not displayed before Press Enter again if you want to reselect the previous number To change the number of stop bits move the cursor to Stop bits and press Enter The number changes to either 1 or 2 whichever was not dis played before To reselect the previous number press Enter again When you finish changing serial port settings move the curso...

Page 87: ... disk for your operating system s Refer to your MS DOS manual for details on partitioning and formatting your hard disk for MS DOS You may need to reformat a hard disk later if you have a serious problem with the drive However before completely reformatting the disk use the Non destructive surface analysis test option 4 on the HARD DISK FORMAT MENU to decide if formatting is necessary If errors oc...

Page 88: ...h the bad tracks already flagged In all cases run Non destructive surface analysis before formatting the disk this routine finds all bad tracks that are not flagged If the analysis shows that all the tracks listed as bad are already flagged you can then use the Conditional format Normal option to format the disk If the analysis matches the list of bad tracks but they are not flagged run the Destru...

Page 89: ...20MB hard disk with no bad tracks the display looks like this Scanning finished Count of tracks flagged bad ZZ Count of tracks with other errors Count of good tracks 246Q The program then displays a warning about the consequences of pro ceeding with formatting WARNING ALL DATA WILL BE DESTROYED IN ALL PARTITIONS OF HARD DISK NOT JUST IN MS DOS PARTITION Do you want to start formatting Y N If there...

Page 90: ...nd you see the message Scanning cancelled Warning This drive has an unflagged error s or is unformatted Press ENTER to return to the menu Press Enter This may mean that the drive has never been formatted or that an error was not flagged If you see this message it is best to consult your dealer If you want to format the disk after receiving this error message do the following 1 If the drive is not ...

Page 91: ... interleave factor for format ting from the default value of three Only do this if the documentation with your hard disk recommends a different value You see this prompt Do you want default interleave of 3 Y N To accept the default press Y and Enter To change the value press N and Enter You see this prompt Enter interleave factor 1 16 Type the recommended value and press Enter The next screen allo...

Page 92: ... command If you make a mistake move the cursor block to the incorrect track and press C to alter the track data Or you can press D to remove the track from the table Change the track data just like you add a track When you have finished editing check the entries in the table once more When you are sure the table is correct press F The program displays a warning about the consequences of proceeding...

Page 93: ...gged tracks that produced write read errors For a 20MB hard disk with one flagged bad track you see this display Analysis finished Count of tracks flagged bad Count of tracks with write read errors Count of good tracks 2 59 No write read error was detected No data was destroyed Press ENTER to return to the menu If the program finds one bad track that is not flagged the summary above shows c ne tra...

Page 94: ...d To start the test press 4 and then Enter You see these messages Analyze Hard Disk Read Verify check for all tracks Current cylinder is xxxx As each track is checked the current cylinder is displayed The cylinder number counts down to zero as the disk is checked When the analysis is complete the program displays a summary of the status of the disk This summary lists these counts l Flagged bad tra...

Page 95: ...ctory and file allocation tables To format a diskette select option 3 from the OPERATION MENU If you have two diskette drives you see this message and prompt Format Diskette Format in which drive A B Press A or B and Enter Then this prompt displays Insert new diskette for drive A and strike ENTER when ready The A is B if you selected that drive Insert the diskette to be formatted and press Enter T...

Page 96: ...System diagnostics boot your system with the diagnostics diskette in drive A Then select option 4 from the OPERATION MENU If you start this program in any other way some tests may produce strange results You can test the following 13 devices each has a specific reference number 1 System 2 Memory 3 Keyboard 4 Monochrome display adapter and CRT 5 Color graphics adapter and CRT 6 Floppy disk drives a...

Page 97: ...nstalled in the system and looks something like this 9 Parallel port pr9 2 Serial port RS 22 Dot matrix pri 17 Hard disk drfires4 Is the DEVICE LfST corr If the list correctly describes your system press Y and then Enter If a device is missing from this list or if you wish to change the list press N and Enter Then follow the instructions below to modify the device list Note Once you confirm the DE...

Page 98: ...u Modify DEVICE LIST 1 Add devices 2 fiel te devices 0 Exit Enter selection number To add a device to the list press 1 and then Enter The program displays a list of other devices that are not currently included in the DEVICE LIST You see a menu similar to this Additional DEVICE LIST 5 Color graphics display adapter and CRT 7 Math coprocessor 8087 Alternate serial port 8 Parallel port on video adap...

Page 99: ...delete Type the number of the item you wish to delete and press Enter That item disappears from the DEVICE LIST on the screen You can delete as many devices as necessary When you finish deleting items press 0 and Enter to return to the Modify DEVICE LIST menu When you finish modifying the DEVICE LIST press 0 and then Enter The screen displays the modified DEVICE LIST for a final check If the list ...

Page 100: ... press Enter The tests for the device now start Resuming from an error If an error occures during a test the test stops at that point and an error code and error message are displayed If you want to record the problem you can print out the message on your printer You see this prompt Do you want a printout of the error message s Y N To continue without printing the error IIICSS I T press N and Ente...

Page 101: ...ponent on the system board including l The 8088 CPU chip l The system ROM l The real time clock CMOS RAM and battery l The main integrated circuits The checks made on the 8088 CPU chip are extremely comprehensive They ensure that the CPU instruction set is functioning correctly If an error is reported write down the error code and message or print them out and contact your Epson dealer Attempting ...

Page 102: ...ee the green indicator lights on the keyboard flash If no errors are detected you can then choose the correct keyboard layout Before checking the operation of the keys you must select the appro priate keyboard layout so that the test display matches the keys on your keyboard You see this menu KEYBOARD SELECT MENU l US ASCII United Kingdom French 4 German 5 Italian 6 Spanish 0 Exit Enter selection ...

Page 103: ...agrams of all the international keyboard layouts in the MS DOS manual If any key is incorrect press N and Enter Make a copy of the error code and message or print them out and contact your Epson dealer Monochrome Display Adapter and CRT Check Use this option to check the operation of a monochrome display adapter and monitor This test includes several checks that allow you to identify particular pr...

Page 104: ... of messages are displaced showing examples of all the possible display attributes normal intensity high intensity blinking reversed charac ters and underlining Check the information displayed on your screen and then respond to the prompt Is the display correct Y N Press Y and then Enter if the display is correct If the display attributes are not correct adjust the brightness and contrast on your ...

Page 105: ...ch the illustration press Y and Enter If you find a problem with the characters on the screen press N and then Enter to display the error message Video check To check the video output of your monochrome adapter press 4 followed by Enter This check displays two different screens black and intensified white First you see the black screen press any key to display the intensified white screen Then pre...

Page 106: ...apter and monitor This test includes several checks that allow you to identify particular problems related to the color display To run this check DIP switches 1 5 and 1 6 must be set correctly for a color monitor You can select the individual checks from this menu COLOR GRAPHICS ADAPTER AND CRT CHECK MENU 1 Color graphics adapter check z Attribute check Character set check 4 4 Gcolumn character se...

Page 107: ...f the display controller chip is also tested Attribute check To check the display attributes of the color graphics adapter card press 2 ad Enter Several messages are displayed showing examples of all the possible display attributes and colors Check the information displayed on your screen and respond to the prompt Is the display correct Y N Press Y and then Enter if the display is correct If the c...

Page 108: ...hecking the character fonts respond to the prompt Is the display correct Y N If the characters displayed match the illustration press Y and then Enter If you find a problem with the the characters on the screen press N an Enter to display the error message ...

Page 109: ...llustration press Y and Enter If you find a problem with the characters on the screen press N and Enter to display the error message 320x200 graphics mode check To check your 320x200 graphics mode press 5 and then Enter The screen displays three colored squares light green brown and red against a cyan background These four colors are Color Set 0 If they are correct press Y and then Enter The same ...

Page 110: ...aphics mode press 6 md Enter The screen displays three patterned squares against a black background as shown below r 640x200 GRAPHICS MODE CHECK Is the display correct Y N If the pattern on your screen are clear and distinct press Y and then Enter If any pattern is not displayed clearly first check the adjustment of your monitor and then make sure that both ends of the cable are plugged in firmly ...

Page 111: ... next page The eight display pages numbered 0 to 7 are displayed sequentially After the eighth page is displayed you see the prompt Is the display correct Y N If all eight pages are correct press Y and Enter If any page is filled with an incorrect number press N and Enter to display the error message Light pen check To check the function of a light pen connected to the color graphics adapter card ...

Page 112: ...ent CPU speed Color video check Option 9 Color video check displays 16 different screens each a differ ent color and a message indicating the color The screens show the following colors in the order specified below 9 Gray 10 Light blue 11 Light green 12 Light cyan 13 Light red 14 Light magenta 15 Yellow 16 White high intensity To start this test select option 9 from the menu the first screen is di...

Page 113: ... computer This test includes several checks that allow you to identify particular problems related to your floppy disk drives Before running these tests format a floppy disk to use for the tests that write data on the disk in the drive In a 360KB drive you can only use a 160KB floppy disk In a 720KB drive use only a 720KB diskette You can select the individual tests from this menu FLOPPY DISK DRIV...

Page 114: ...f each track it finds For example with a 360KB floppy disk the first message you see is Current track is 39 The track number counts down from 39 or 79 to 0 The seek is performed by each head so you see the count twice If no errors occur the menu is displayed Random seek check This test is identical to the sequential seek check except that the seek operation is performed on each track in random ord...

Page 115: ...ive Select option 4 from the menu to start this test You see a message similar to this The disk rotation speed should be more than 294 p rpm and less than 3p6 p rpm The computer spins the diskette for a few seconds then displays a message like this The disk rotation speed is now 3 J pl rpm Note The speed for a i60KR or 7XKB 3 G inch drive should hc 300 t pm This check permits I tolerance of I The ...

Page 116: ...s any errors that occur Parallel Port Printer Interface Check Use this option to test the operation of the secondary parallel printer port For example you would select this option to test the built in port if you have assigned it as the secondary port or if you have installed an IBM parallel port option card To perform the test you must insert a special loop back connector into the parallel port s...

Page 117: ...rt a special loop back connector into the RS 232C port so that the computer can check individual pins of the port Contact your dealer if you need a loop back connector Note that a different connector is required to test the parallel port When you select option 11 from the DEVICE LIST you see these prompts Attach loop back connector to serial port Enter Y to start this check when connector is attac...

Page 118: ... computer reports the transmitted and received data at the time of the error Alternate Serial Port Check Use this option to test the functions of an additional serial communica tions RS 232C port To perform the test you must insert a special loop back connector into the alternate serial port so that the computer can check individual pins of the port This test is identical to the check for the prim...

Page 119: ...ebcdefghiJklmopgrs tuvwxyz Bit Image data OOH FFH _ _ 1 The text data includes all the characters commonly used by programs that require foreign languages or graphic characters If your printer prints different characters than you see in the illustration you may need to take care with certain software The bit image data is sent to the printer using a command ESC K compatible with Epson and IBM prin...

Page 120: ... Check which drive C D Press C or D and then Enter Seek check This test checks the ability of the read write heads to locate any part of the hard disk This action by a read write head is called a seek During this test each head seeks each cylinder of the disk in sequence starting from the center Select option 1 from the menu to start this test The program displays the number of each cylinder it fi...

Page 121: ...eck the condition of the hard disk If this analysis shows no other problems with the disk follow these steps 1 Back up all the files on your hard disk 2 Re format the disk using option 2 Format hard disk on the OPERATION MENU 3 Re create the MS DOS partition with FDISK and format it with SELECT See your MS DOS manual 4 Restore your files Error detection and correction check This test checks the ab...

Page 122: ...n to 0 At the end of the test you see a table of the results of the test For example for a 20MB hard disk with no bad tracks you see BAD TRACKS READ ERROR TRACKS GOOD TRACKS 246 Press ENTER to return to the menu Press Enter when you have viewed the table Run all above checks To run all the tests on the menu in sequence press 5 and then Enter When you choose this option all checks for the hard disk...

Page 123: ...ds select option 5 from the OPERATION MENU You see a screen of information reminding you that the heads will not be unlocked until the computer is reset or switched off and on again The screen is displayed the heads are moved and the keyboard is disabled You can now turn the computer off and move it to the new location You can also secure the heads on your hard disk by executing the MS DOS HDSIT c...

Page 124: ...ON MENU before you run a diagnostics program You see this selection on the menu 0 Exit to DOS for more utilities After you run a diagnostics program this selection changes to 0 Exit and reset Selecting option 0 at this point resets your computer The HELP Utility Use the HELP command to ask for information on all the MS DOS commands and utility programs This help function provides useful informa ti...

Page 125: ...mmand names on the command line the help information for the first command is displayed Press ESC to see the help information for the next command When you press ESC after viewing the information for the last command MS DOS returns to the system prompt Caution The help information is stored in the HELP TXT file If you copy HELP COM to another diskette or to your hard disk you must also copy HELP T...

Page 126: ...are using Because computer systems are frequently updated it is a good idea to occasionally check with your dealer for update information To determine if a particular update applies to your system give your dealer the ROM BIOS version number of your computer The format of this command is ROMBIOS Example Type ROMBIOS at the command prompt and press Enter You see a message similar to EQUITY I ROM BI...

Page 127: ...Examples Type SYSTAT only and press Enter You see a screen similar to this To display the next screen page of information press Enter You see a screen similar to this 7 4 ...

Page 128: ...way your computer is set up Use the Setup program to correct your system parameters Checksum error found This error displays if you run SYSTAT before using Setup to define the system parameters Realtime clock has lost power The clock battery is losing power or is dead and needs to be replaced 7 5 ...

Page 129: ...ER ERROR 104 8254 TIMER COUNTER ERROR 105 8237 DMA CONTROLLER REGISTER ERROR 105 8237 DMA REFRESH ERROR 108 8048 SELFDIAGNOSTIC ERROR 109 8259 INTERRUPT CONTROLLERERROR 111 146818 CMOS BATTERYERROR 112 146818 CMOS CHECKSUMERROR 113 8088 INSTRUCTIONERROR Memory 201 MEMORY PARITY ERROR Keyboard 301 8048 ERROR 302 NON STANDARDOR DEFECTIVE KEYBOARD Monochrome display adapter and CRT 401 V RAM ERROR 40...

Page 130: ...601 FLOPPY DISK CONTROLLER ERROR 602 SEQUENTIAL SEEK ERROR 603 RANDOM SEEK ERROR 604 WRITE ERROR 605 READ ERROR Math coprocessor 8087 701 COPROCESSOR NOT INSTALLED 702 COPROCESSOR INITIALIZEERROR 703 COPROCESSOR INVALID OPERATION MASK ERROR 704 COPROCESSOR ST FIELDERROR 705 COPROCESSOR COMPARISON ERROR 706 COPROCESSOR ZERO DIVIDE MASK ERROR 707 COPROCESSOR ADDITION ERROR 708 COPROCESSORSUBTRACTION...

Page 131: ... LOW 11p2 TIMEOUTERROR 1183 VERIFYERROR Alternate serial port 12p1 ERROR DTR DSR DSR ALWAYS HIGH LOW 12g1 ERROR RTS CTS CTS ALWAYS HIGH LOW 12 32 TIME OUT ERROR WJ3 VERIFY ERROR Dot matrix printer 14pll status error type Hard disk drives and controller 17 31 SEEKERROR 17p12 WRITE ERROR 17 3 READERROR 17a5 ERRORDETECTION ERROR 17p16 ERROR CORRECTIONERROR A 3 ...

Page 132: ...the error is not serious the computer displays an error message and waits for you to resume further checking You see this prompt F1 key to resume Write down the error message and code number and then press F1 to resume Report the error message and code number to your dealer when requesting repairs System Device Check The computer first checks its internal devices such as the ROM If a malfunction i...

Page 133: ...e XXX indicates the amount of memory in which no malfunction is found This value increases continuously by 64KB up to the amount of RAM installed on the main board which is 640KB If the computer detects an error in the first 64KB area an error message is displayed and the com puter halts with no further information If there are faulty RAM chips in your system you see this message xxxxg 20l Memory ...

Page 134: ...found you see this message 6 1 Diskette error If this error occurs confirm that the system diskette is inserted into drive A If this number still appears after you insert the diskette you may then want to run the System diagnostics and select option 6 from the DEVICE LIST If the error persists consult your dealer about having the drive repaired B 3 ...

Page 135: ...heck 5 12 Character set check 40 column 5 14 80 column 5 13 Color video check 5 17 Graphics mode check 320 x 200 5 14 640 x 200 5 15 Light pen check 5 16 17 Screen paging check 5 16 Sync check 5 18 Color video check 5 17 Commands See MS DOS commands Conditional format normal hard disk 3 3 4 Coprocessor 8087 5 21 CPU chip 8088 5 6 CRT 5 8 5 11 D DATE command 2 1 2 3 Date setting 2 1 2 3 4 Destructi...

Page 136: ... Non destructive surface analysis 3 8 Read verify check 5 27 Seek check 5 25 Unconditional format 3 5 Write read check 5 25 26 HARD DISK FORMAT MENU 3 1 2 3 4 3 8 HDSIT 1 3 6 1 HELP utility 7 1 3 I Interface printer 5 21 K Keyboard check 5 7 8 B 2 L Light pen check 5 16 17 M Math coprocessor 8087 check 5 21 Messages A 1 3 Memory check 5 6 7 Mode graphics 5 11 5 14 15 Monochrome display Adapter and...

Page 137: ... B 3 Self test 1 1 B 1 3 Sequential seek check 5 19 Serial port RS 232C check 5 22 23 Serial port settings 1 1 Setting date 2 3 4 Setting real time clock 2 1 4 Setting time 2 3 4 SETUP command 1 3 2 1 Setup program Intro 1 1 2 3 2 1 6 Starting diagnostics 1 1 Speed check 5 20 Switches DIP 5 2 5 4 5 6 5 8 5 11 5 22 7 3 Sync check 5 11 5 18 SYSTAT utility 1 1 1 3 7 1 7 3 5 System Board check 5 6 Dev...

Page 138: ...mputer 3 Arranging the Components 5 Connecting the Video Monitor 2 Choosing I a Location 4 Connecting I the Power Cord 6 Connecting the Keyboard 7 Connecting a Printer 8 Setting the DIP Switches 9 Turning on the Computer ...

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