
Hercules III User Manual Rev A.2
www.diamondsystems.com
Page
38
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Memory Shadow
These parameters should only be modified by advanced users. These settings can adversely affect
system performance and reliability.
9.2
BIOS Console Redirection Settings
For applications where the Video interfaces are not used, the textual feedback typically sent to the monitor can be
redirected to a COM port. In this manner, a system can be managed and booted without using a video
connection.
The BIOS allows the following configuration options for Console Redirection to a COM port.
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COM port address: Disabled (default), COM port A, or COM port B.
If Console Redirection is enabled here, the associated COM port (with “A” here referring to COM 1 and
“B” referring to COM 2) is enabled regardless of the COM port settings elsewhere.
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“Continue CR after POST”: Off (default), or On.
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Determines whether or not the system is to wait for a carriage return over the COM port before continuing
(after POST is completed and before OS starts loading).
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Baud Rate: 19.2K (default), 300, 1200, 2400, 9600, 38.4K, 57.6K, 115.2K.
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Console Connection: Direct (default) or Modem.
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Console Type: PC ANSI (default), VT100, VT100 (8-bit), PC-ANSI (7-bit), VT100+, or VT-UTF8.
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Flow Control: CTS/RTS (default), XON-XOFF, None.
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Number of video Pages to support: 1(default) to 8.
Note: Console Redirection only works for text-based interaction. If the OS enables video and starts
using direct video functions (which would be the case with a Linux X-terminal or Windows, for example),
Console Redirection has no effect and video is then required.
10. SYSTEM I/O
10.1
Ethernet
The Ethernet chip is the Intel 82574 and Topcliff integrated MAC.
The Hercules III Software CD includes Ethernet drivers for Windows XP, Windows CE, and Linux. The latest
drivers can also be downloaded from National Semicondu
ctor’s website, listed in the Additional Information
section of this document. (Search for “DP83815” to locate the product folder on the website).
A DOS utility program is provided for testing the chip and accessing the configuration EEPROM. Each board is
factory-configured for a unique MAC address using this program. To run the program, boot the computer to DOS
because the program will not run properly in a DOS window. In normal operation this program is not required.
Additional software support includes a packet driver with software to allow a full TCP/IP implementation.