User manual ZEOS RATTLER

The COMPLETE GUIDE TO HIGH-PERFORMANCE COMPUTING WITH YOUR PANTERA 486 COMPUTER User's Guide R © Copyright 1994 ZEOS International All rights reserved Words by John Hartnett Illustrations by Steve Scofield Cover Design by MaryLou Ziebarth ZEOS International, Ltd. shall not be held liable for technical or editorial omissions or errors made herein; nor for incidental or consequential damages resulting from furnishing, performance, or use of this material. This document contains proprietary information protected by copyright. No part of this document may be photocopied or reproduced by mechanical, electronic, or other means in any form without prior written permission of ZEOS International, Ltd. Trademark Acknowledgments Adaptec is the trademark of Adaptec, Inc. IBM, XT, AT, and OS/2 are registered trademarks of International Business Machines Corporation. UNIX is a trademark of AT&T Laboratories. Phoenix is the trademark of Phoenix Technologies Ltd. Quadtel is the trademark of Quadtel Corp., A Phoenix Technologies Ltd. Co. Intel, 486SX, DX, DX2, and Pentium are trademarks of Intel Corporation. XENIX, MS-DOS, GW-Basic, OS/2, Windows, and Microsoft are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. All other brand and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies. Limitation of remedies and liabilities ZEOS' entire liability and customers' exclusive and sole remedy for damages from any cause whatsoever (including without limitation any nonperformance, misrepresentation, or breach of warranty) shall be limited to returning the products pursuant to the thirty (30) day satisfaction guarantee, or to repair or replace specific products or services that do not comply with the limited warranty given by ZEOS. Any products or services repaired or replaced by ZEOS pursuant to this paragraph shall be warranted as of the date of delivery in accordance with the terms and conditions herein for the duration of the one-year term of Limited Warranty given by ZEOS. In no event will ZEOS be liable for any damages caused, in whole or in part, by customer, or for any economic loss, physical injury, lost revenues, lost profits, lost savings or other indirect, incidental, special or consequential damages incurred by any person, even if ZEOS has been advised of the possibility of such damage for claims. Some states do not allow the exclusion or limitation of incidental or consequential damages for consumer products, and some states do not allow limitations on how long an implied warranty lasts, so the above limitations or exclusions may not apply to you. This warranty gives you specific legal rights, and you may also have other rights which vary from state to state. ZEOS provides no warranties whatsoever on software. 2 Customer Assurance Program Thirty (30) Day Satisfaction Guarantee on Certain Products. Any product (except for software, software disks, related documentation and consumables) purchased from ZEOS may be returned within thirty days from the date it was shipped by ZEOS for a full refund of the purchase price excluding original shipping charges. Returned products must be in as new condition, in original packing, complete with all warranty cards, manuals, cables and other materials as originally shipped; not modified or damaged. Any returned product must be shipped prepaid and insured. Any return must carry a ZEOS Return Merchandise Authorization (RMA) number, obtained from ZEOS, on the outside of each carton. Returns without RMA numbers will not be accepted. After thirty days from shipment, all sales are final and credit or refunds will not be given. 3 ZEOS Computer Systems One Year Limited Warranty All new ZEOS computer systems come with a One Year Limited Warranty which provides that the products ZEOS manufactures or assembles, other than items such as software, disks and related documentation, will remain in good working condition, free from defects in material and workmanship under normal use and service, for a period of one year from the date of shipment from ZEOS. This warranty is limited to the original purchaser and is not transferable. During this one year period, ZEOS will repair or replace, at its option, any defective product or parts at no additional charge to the customer, provided that the defective product or part is returned, shipment prepaid, to ZEOS. All replaced products and parts become the property of ZEOS. Replacement parts shall be similar new or serviceable used parts. This Limited Warranty does not extend to any products which have been damaged as a result of accident, misuse, abuse (such as incorrect voltages, power surges, improper or insufficient ventilation, failure to follow ZEOS' provided operating instructions, "acts of God" or other situations beyond the control of ZEOS), or as the result of service or modification by anyone other than ZEOS. Non-ZEOS installed parts or components are not covered, nor is damage to ZEOS provided components covered as a result of their installation. This warranty does not cover work performed by others, all warranty work must be performed by ZEOS. 4 FCC Compliance Statement For U.S. and Canadian Users Danger! Changes or modifications to this unit not expressly approved by the party responsible for compliance could void the user's authority to operate the equipment. This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15, Subpart B of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment on and off, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures. Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna. Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver. Connect the equipment into an outlet on a different circuit. Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help. 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. This equipment is a Class B digital apparatus which complies with the Radio Interference Regulations, C.R.C., c. 1374. Cet appareil numèrique de la classe B est conformè au Règlement sur le brouillage radioèlèctrique, C.R.C., ch. 1374. 5 6 Contents 1. The Big Picture ....................................................................... 10 Desktop System At A Glance .................................................. Vertical System At A Glance ................................................... How to Open a Desktop Case ................................................. How to Open a Vertical Case .................................................. Inside a Desktop System Unit ................................................. Inside a Vertical System Unit .................................................. 12 14 16 18 20 21 2. The Mainboard ........................................................................ 22 Mainboard Features ................................................................ 22 PCI Local Bus 32-Bit High Speed Expansion Slots .............................. Secondary Cache Subsystem ............................................................. Keyboard Selectable Speed ................................................................ Serial Port .......................................................................................... Parallel Port ........................................................................................ SCSI Port ........................................................................................... Energy Saving Low Power Mode ......................................................... 23 23 23 24 24 25 25 Mainboard Connectors ............................................................ 26 Mainboard Diagram ................................................................ 27 Mainboard Jumpers ................................................................ 28 FLASH1.............................................................................................. CLR1 .................................................................................................. CP1 and CP2 ..................................................................................... CLK1 .................................................................................................. 28 28 30 30 3. Using SETUP .......................................................................... 31 Main Menu .............................................................................. 32 System Time ...................................................................................... System Date ....................................................................................... Diskette Drive A: ................................................................................. Diskette Drive B: ................................................................................. Daylight Savings ................................................................................. Video System ..................................................................................... System Memory ................................................................................. Extended Memory .............................................................................. 33 33 33 33 33 33 34 34 7 Contents Fixed Disk Menu ..................................................................... 34 Fixed Disk 0 Type ............................................................................... 35 Fixed Disk 1 - 3 Control ..................................................................... 35 SCSI BIOS Enable Menu ........................................................ 36 SCSI BIOS Enabled............................................................................ Controller Address .............................................................................. Synchronous....................................................................................... Enhanced ........................................................................................... Parity .................................................................................................. Disconnect.......................................................................................... 36 36 36 37 37 37 Memory Control ...................................................................... 38 External Cache ................................................................................... 38 Memory Shadow ..................................................................... 38 System Shadow .................................................................................. 38 Video Shadow .................................................................................... 38 Shadow Memory Regions ................................................................... 38 Boot Sequence Menu.............................................................. 39 Keyboard Auto-repeat Rate ................................................................. Keyboard Auto-repeat Delay ............................................................... Key Click ............................................................................................ Numlock ............................................................................................. Summary screen ................................................................................ Floppy Check ...................................................................................... Floppy Swap ....................................................................................... Boot Sequence ................................................................................... SETUP prompt ................................................................................... POST errors ....................................................................................... 39 39 39 39 39 40 40 40 40 40 Advanced Menu ...................................................................... 41 Integrated Peripherals ......................................................................... 41 PCI Devices ........................................................................................ 42 Power Menu ............................................................................ 43 Security ................................................................................... 44 Set Supervisor Password .................................................................... Set User Password ............................................................................. Password on Boot ............................................................................... Diskette Access .................................................................................. Fixed disk boot sector ......................................................................... System Backup Reminder................................................................... Virus Check Reminder ........................................................................ 44 44 45 45 45 45 45 Exit Menu ................................................................................ 45 8 Contents 4. How to Add an Expansion Board .......................................... 46 5. How Disk Drives Work ............................................................ 48 How a Floppy Drive Works ...................................................... 49 How an IDE Hard Drive Works ................................................ 50 How a CD-ROM Drive Works .................................................. 51 6. How to Add System Memory ................................................. 52 Installing SIMMs ...................................................................... 54 7. How to Add System Cache Memory ..................................... 56 8. How to Install an Optional SCSI Controller Chip ................. 58 Hardware ................................................................................ 58 Software .................................................................................. 61 9. How to Install a New CPU ...................................................... 62 Mainboard Specifications .......................................................... 65 Mainboard Environmental Specifications ................................ 9-Pin Serial Port (J4) Pin Assignment ..................................... 25-Pin Serial Port (J3) Pin Assignment ................................... Parallel Port (J2) Pin Assignment ............................................ SCSI Port Pin Assignment ...................................................... 65 66 66 68 70 Handy Cheat Sheet..................................................................... 71 Glossary ...................................................................................... 73 9 Chapter 1 - The Big Picture 1. The Big Picture Welcome to the ZEOS User's Guide! The User's Guide works with the Before Calling ZEOS Technical Support guide and the Getting Started manual to help keep your system running trouble free, year after year. The User's Guide is divided into nine chapters. Chapter 1, The Big Picture , gives an overview of a typical desktop and vertical system. It also shows the major components inside the system unit case. Chapter 2, The Mainboard , gives detailed information about your mainboard. Chapter 3, Using SETUP , explains how to use the built-in SETUP features of your BIOS to configure your system. Chapter 4, How to Add an Expansion Board , shows how to add or change video adapter cards, controller cards, internal modems, and anything else that uses the expansion slots. Chapter 5, How Disk Drives Work , shows how to connect a floppy drive, IDE hard drive, or CD-ROM drive. Chapter 6, How to Add System Memory , shows how to add memory SIMMs. Chapter 7, How to Add System Cache Memory , shows how to increase your system cache to improve CPU throughput. 10 Chapter 1 - The Big Picture Chapter 8, How to Install an Optional SCSI Controller Chip, shows how to add a SCSI chip and connect SCSI devices to the mainboard. Chapter 9, How to Install a New CPU , shows how to upgrade your processor. Mainboard Specifications lists technical details about your mainboard. The Handy Cheat Sheet gives a short summary of some of the most needed or most forgotten commands. The Glossary gives short definitions of common computer terms. 11 Chapter 1 - The Big Picture Desktop System At A Glance Brightness Power LED Hard Disk (HDD) LED Contrast Monitor Power Switch System Unit Power Switch (the "ON" button) Drive bays with CD-ROM drive and 3.5" Floppy Drive Reset Button Keyboard Lock Turbo Button (not used) Turbo LED (not used) 12 Chapter 1 - The Big Picture AC Power Cable Cooling Fan Mouse Cable Connector (9-pin Serial COM1) AC Power Cable Secondary Serial Port (25-pin COM2) Keyboard Connector Video Connector Parallel Printer Port Connector (LPT1) 13 Chapter 1 - The Big Picture Vertical System At A Glance Hard Disk (HDD) LED Turbo LED (not used) Power LED System Unit Power Switch (the "ON" button) Turbo Button (not used) Keyboard Lock Reset Button Brightness Drive bays with CD-ROM drive and 3.5" Floppy Drive Contrast Monitor Power Switch 14 Chapter 1 - The Big Picture Cooling Fan Secondary Serial Port (25-pin COM2) AC Power Cable Mouse Cable Connector (9-pin Serial COM1) Keyboard Connector AC Power Cable Parallel Printer Port Connector (LPT1) Video Connector 15 Chapter 1 - The Big Picture How to Open a Desktop Case Caution Whenever you open the case or work inside the computer there is danger of electrostatic discharge. Electrostatic discharge can permanently damage your equipment. Always ground yourself by touching the system cabinet before touching any internal component. We strongly recommend using an antistatic wrist strap attached to cabinet ground. To open a desktop case: 1. Turn off the monitor and system unit power. Unplug the AC power cables and disconnect any other cables attached to the back of the system unit. 2. Remove the plastic bezel from the back of the case by pulling it away from the case. 3. Unscrew the five mounting screws at the back of the case that hold the case cover to the system unit chassis. 4. Slide the case cover back and up. Be careful not to snag any cables or connectors inside the case. 5. Set the case cover aside while you work on your system. 6. When through, reattach the case cover, screws, bezel, and cables in the reverse order. The figures show the plastic bezel, screw locations, and cover motion for a desktop case. 16 Chapter 1 - The Big Picture Mounting Screws Cover Chassis Plastic Bezel 17 Chapter 1 - The Big Picture How to Open a Vertical Case Caution Whenever you open the case or work inside the computer there is danger of electrostatic discharge. Electrostatic discharge can permanently damage your equipment. Always ground yourself by touching the system cabinet before touching any internal component. We strongly recommend using an antistatic wrist strap attached to cabinet ground. Opening a vertical case is almost identical to opening a desktop case. To open a vertical case: 1. Turn off the monitor and system unit power. Unplug the AC power cables and disconnect any other cables attached to the back of the system unit. 2. Remove the plastic bezel from the rear of the case by pulling it away from the case. 3. Unscrew the six mounting screws at the back of the case that hold the case cover to the system unit chassis. 4. Slide the case cover back and up. Be careful not to snag any cables or connectors inside the case. 5. Set the case cover aside while you work on your system. 6. When through, reattach the case cover, screws, bezel, and cables in the reverse order. The figures show the plastic bezel, screw locations, and cover motion for a vertical case. 18 Chapter 1 - The Big Picture Mounting Screws Cover Plastic Bezel Chassis 19 Chapter 1 - The Big Picture Inside a Desktop System Unit The mainboard is the large circuit board at the bottom of the system unit case. It is the heart of your system. All of the other components inside the case work for the mainboard. The power supply delivers electricity to the mainboard. The disk drives, keyboard connectors, and other parts of the system unit bring information to and from the mainboard. The figure below shows some of the most common components inside the system unit case. Expansion Boards Expansion Slots Power Supply Mainboard Hard Disk Drive CPU Floppy Drives, CD-ROM Drives, and Tape Backup Units 20 Chapter 1 - The Big Picture Inside a Vertical System Unit Floppy Drives, CD-ROM Drives, and Tape Backup Units Hard Disk Drive Power Supply Mainboard Expansion Slots Expansion Boards CPU Vertical systems have all the same components as desktop systems. The figure shows the mainboard and common components inside a vertical system unit case. 21 Chapter 2 - The Mainboard 2. The Mainboard The mainboard is the large circuit board located at the bottom of the system unit case. It is the heart of your computer system. This board contains the central processing unit (CPU), secondary cache subsystem, expansion slots, ports and connectors for other computer components, and the system main memory or RAM. Mainboard Features Your main board includes: Intel 80486DX, Intel 80486DX2, Intel DX4, or Intel Overdrive processors Small Computer System Interface (SCSI) host adapter socket Optional 128K or 256K secondary system cache Integrated floppy drive controller Two local bus IDE hard drive interface ports supporting up to 4 IDE devices Unidirectional or bidirectional Parallel Port Two full-function, RS232, 16450-compatible serial ports High-speed system memory; expandable from 2MB to 128MB Flash BIOS; relocatable to 32-bit high-speed RAM for faster performance Five 16-bit ISA expansion slots Three 32-bit PCI, local bus, high-speed expansion slots Clock/calendar with on-board battery backup Energy saving, low power "sleep" mode 22 Chapter 2- The Mainboard PCI Local Bus 32-Bit High Speed Expansion Slots The three PCI local bus, high speed expansion slots move information at up to 133 MB/s. This provides an extremely high performance, 32-bit interface to support high speed, local bus video adapter cards and other peripherals such as LAN adapters and hard disk drives. Secondary Cache Subsystem The secondary cache subsystem enhances the performance of the CPU. The integrated cache controller and a cache memory SIMM provide the secondary cache subsystem for the system. Either one 128K or one 256K cache SIMM provides the cache memory. Keyboard Selectable Speed You can increase system performance by activating Turbo mode with the keyboard. <+> activates turbo mode (default). <-> disables turbo mode. Note: Some Pantera 486 systems have a Turbo LED and Turbo button on the front of the case. The Turbo button and Turbo LED are not used on Pantera 486 systems. Only the keyboard command enables or disables turbo mode. 23 Chapter 2 - The Mainboard Serial Port Your mainboard has two RS232C asynchronous serial ports, which are generally referred to as COM1 (9-pin) and COM2 (25-pin) ports. The serial ports are used to attach mice, serial printers, external modems, or other serial peripheral devices. Both serial ports are 16450 UART compatible for higher data transfer rates. You can install up to two additional serial ports (COM3 and COM4) simultaneously in your system. However, MS-DOS does not manage more than two COM ports simultaneously very well. Therefore, while you can install and use four COM ports, do not attempt to use more than two at the same time or you may run into problems. Specifically, you should not try to use COM1 and COM3 at the same time, or COM2 and COM4 at the same time. Parallel Port The 25-pin parallel port is often called the printer port or Centronics port because it is generally used only for printers. However, the parallel interface has achieved a high level of standardization. Therefore, you should not experience any problems using the port to connect other peripheral devices designed to use a Centronics parallel interface. 24 Chapter 2 - The Mainboard SCSI Port The SCSI port is a parallel, multitasking interface which allows multiple peripherals to be connected to the same port. The SCSI port supports both SCSI-1 and SCSI-2 devices. The optional on-board SCSI host adapter allows you to connect and control up to seven peripheral devices such as SCSIcompatible disk drives, tape backup units, communications devices, and CD-ROM drives. The optional SCSI host adapter communicates with all of its related peripherals at the same time and several commands can be in progress at the same time. If commands cannot be implemented immediately, they are placed in a command queue (buffer) for later processing. The SCSI port is configured from the system SETUP program. For SCSI system setup parameters, refer to the SCSI Control Menu in Using SETUP. Energy Saving Low Power Mode The latest BIOS revision offers a power saving "green" feature in the system SETUP. The Power Menu allows you to set the power saving level for the CPU, instructing your CPU and hard drive to shut down when not in use. 25 Chapter 2 - The Mainboard Mainboard Connectors Connectors are used to attach devices to the mainboard. Attached devices can be internal like hard disk indicator lights, or external like serial and parallel ports. The most commonly used connectors are shown in the Mainboard Diagram. A detailed description is provided in the table below. Table 1. - Mainboard Connectors Connector J1 PS1 J2 J3 J4 J5 J7 J8 J15 J10 J11 J12 J14 J13 PS2 Keyboard Power Parallel COM2 COM1 Floppy drive Secondary hard drive Primary hard drive SCSI RESET SLEEP KBDLOCK SPEAKER HDD LED PCI Power Description Keyboard connection Power supply input Parallel printer port Communications port B (DB25/COM 2) Communications port A (DB9/COM 1) Floppy disk drive connector Secondary IDE hard drive connector Primary IDE hard drive connection SCSI device connector Reset switch input Low Power "Sleep Mode" LED output Keyboard lock input Speaker output Hard drive LED output Future PCI Power supply connection 26 Chapter 2 - The Mainboard Mainboard Diagram FLASH1 Jumper 16 bit ISA Expansion Slots BIOS Chip J1 Keyboard CLR1 Connector Jumper PS2 Parallel Alternate 32-bit PCI Port J2 Power Expansion Slots Supply Clock/Battery U7 Power Supply Connector PS1 25-pin Serial Port COM2 J3 9-pin Serial Port COM1 J4 Floppy Connector J5 SCSI Connector J15 Socket for SCSI Chip CP1 Jumper CP2 Jumper SIMM Socket for System Cache CPU with Heat Sink Secondary IDE Hard Drive Connector J7 Primary IDE Hard Drive Connector J8 RESET Keylock LED Connector Connector Low Power J12 LED J10 Connector J11 HDD LED Connector J13 CLK1 Jumper Power Connector for CPU fan SIMM sockets for System RAM Internal Speaker Connector J14 27 Chapter 2 - The Mainboard Mainboard Jumpers Jumpers are small groups of pins that can be connected or disconnected with jumper caps. To connect a jumper, place the jumper cap over the pins you wish to connect and gently press down. The mainboard uses only five jumpers. The mainboard stores most configurations in battery backed CMOS memory. The mainboard uses the SETUP program to reconfigure options stored in battery backed memory. The mainboard also uses the FLASH programming utility to update the system BIOS. FLASH1 The FLASH1 jumper allows or disallows re-programming of the FLASH BIOS with the FLASH utility program. The default or normal position is to allow programming with the FLASH program. CLR1 The CLR1 jumper holds or resets the CMOS battery backed SETUP memory. You should not clear the CMOS SETUP memory unless it becomes corrupted and cannot be reprogrammed with the SETUP program. To clear the CMOS memory, turn off system power , then momentarily place the jumper in the CLEAR position, then return the jumper to the NORMAL position. Your system will not operate with the jumper in the CLEAR position, so be sure to return the CLR1 jumper to the NORMAL position. 28 Chapter 2 - The Mainboard Mainboard Jumpers Diagram FLASH1 Normal allow BIOS reprogramming BIOS protect Normal retain CMOS CLR1 CMOS clear ONLY WITH POWER OFF! CP1 Normal All DX and Overdrive CPUs CLK1 Normal 33/66/100MHz CP1 Alternate 80486SX only CLK1 Alternate 25/50/75MHz CP2 Normal for all 5 volt CPUs Alternate for Intel DX4 and other 3.3 volt CPUs. Power must be supplied to PS2 power connector 29 Chapter 2 - The Mainboard CP1 and CP2 The CP1 and CP2 jumpers work together to identify the CPU installed in your system. Do not change these jumpers unless you change CPU chips. Normal position for CP1 is for all Intel DX and Intel Overdrive processors. The alternate position is for all Intel 80486SX processors. The normal position for CP2 is for all 5 volt CPUs. The alternate is for 3.3 volt CPUs like the Intel DX4. If you use the 3.3 volt setting, you must also connect 3.3 volts DC to the PS2 connector on the mainboard. CLK1 The CLK1 jumper sets the speed of the system clock. The normal speed is for all CPUs that run at 33, 66, or 100 MHz. The alternate position is for CPUs that run at 25, 50, or 75 MHz. Do not change this jumper unless you change CPUs. See the diagram, Mainboard Jumpers, for the location of these jumpers. 30 Chapter 3 - Using SETUP 3. Using SETUP The Extended BIOS Software System consists of several programs which work along with the system BIOS. Together, they provide additional system customization. You can access the Extended BIOS Main Menu by pressing F2 during system boot. Use the arrow keys to highlight and select the utility and then press Enter. The Main Menu allows you to choose between: Main Menu options Advanced System Setup Power Security Exit Each of the main screens allows you to choose several submenus. You navigate through the Extended BIOS software using the cursor keys and several function keys. You can also load the original factory default settings from ROM, load the current settings from battery backed CMOS, or save new changes to CMOS. Press F1 at any time for help. To make changes to SETUP values, use the arrow keys to select the desired item. The selected item will be highlighted. The + and - keys allow you to scroll through the available options. Only items surrounded by square brackets may be changed. Press F9 to load the SETUP defaults from ROM. Press F10 to load the previous settings from CMOS. Exit through the Exit menu. Press Enter to see a sub-menu, Esc to return to the previous menu. 31 Chapter 3 - Using SETUP Main Menu Your system setup has been configured at the factory for maximum performance and reflects all options you may have ordered. Generally, you need to run SETUP only if you change your system's hardware configuration, such as installing a different hard drive, or if the on-board battery fails. The SETUP Main Menu allows you to change: Time and date Video System System memory configuration Floppy drive types The Main Menu also offers you the following sub-menus: Fixed Disk SCSI BIOS Memory Control Memory Shadow Boot Sequence 32 Chapter 3 - Using SETUP Main Menu Options System Time Sets the real-time clock, using a 24-hour format. During the power-up sequence, the real time is read and saved in memory for use by the operating system. After boot up, the operating system updates the system time. System Date Sets the real-time date for month, day, and year. During the power-up sequence, this information is read and saved in memory for use by the operating system to determine the current date. After completing the power-up sequence, the operating system updates the current date. Diskette Drive A: Specifies the size and capacity of the floppy-disk drive installed as drive A. Options are: 360K, 720K, 1.2M, 1.44M, and 2.88M. Diskette Drive B: Specifies the size and capacity of the floppy-disk drive installed as drive B. Daylight Savings Allows the system clock to adjust automatically for daylight savings time. The default is enabled. Video System This option can be set to one of the following: Monochrome 80 column Color Graphics (CGA 80 x 25) Enhanced Graphics Adapter or VGA (EGA/VGA)(default) 33 Chapter 3 - Using SETUP Main Menu Options System Memory Sets the system memory size. This is set to 640KB at the ZEOS factory. MS-DOS can manage conventional memory of 640KB without additional software. You should not need to change this value. Extended Memory Defines the size of extended memory in 64K increments. Extended memory is the total amount of memory not used as System Memory and for Shadow RAM (384K is allocated for Shadow RAM). For example, a system with 2MB (2048KB) installed (BIOS shadowed) will indicate 1024KB of extended memory [i.e.: 2048KB - (640KB + 384KB) = 1024KB]. Fixed Disk Menu The Fixed Disk Menu lists each of the installed hard/fixed disks. Your first, or primary hard drive is Fixed Disk 0. If you have additional hard drives installed or want to install more drives, they will be configured as Fixed Disk 1, 2, or 3. 34 Chapter 3 - Using SETUP Fixed Disk 0 Type Sets the hard drive 0 configuration. This option was set to Auto at the ZEOS factory prior to shipment. In most cases, this option is all you need. When Auto is selected, the system determines what kind of hard drive is installed and displays the drive parameters. You can choose Auto by pressing the Enter key. Note: Only change this option setting if you change your hard drive. Multi-Sector Transfer Determines the number of sectors per block for multiple sector transfers. Options are Disabled, 2, 4, 8, and 16. The default is 16. Some hard drives will not work properly if the number of sectors is set too high. If adding another hard drive, check the drive's documentation for the correct setting. LBA Mode Control Enables or disables Logical Block Addressing, allowing you to use large IDE hard drives. This must be enabled for IDE hard drives greater than 528 MB. Physical Drive Determines the physical address of the drive. Options are : Default, Primary Master, Primary Slave, Secondary Master, and Secondary Slave. The default is Default. Fixed Disk 1 - 3 Control If your system has more hard drives installed, again set these options to Auto. This sets the drive type for the additional hard drives. Never needlessly change the default setting. 35 Chapter 3 - Using SETUP SCSI BIOS Enable Menu The SCSI default configuration settings are appropriate for most system installations. Configuration changes are only necessary when using nonstandard (older) SCSI devices or nonstandard peripheral expansion cards. SCSI BIOS Enabled Enables or disables the integrated SCSI BIOS. Controller Address The on-board SCSI controller always uses IRQ11, non-DMA. If other attached devices are using IRQ11, change their settings to a different IRQ. The SCSI I/O port default address is 340h (primary). The alternate address is 140h, but is not supported at this time. Synchronous This parameter selects whether synchronous data transfer with SCSI targets should be initiated. When disabled, the system will still respond to negotiations initiated by SCSI targets. This option is generally used when an older SCSI device is installed which doesn't recognize synchronous negotiation. The default is enabled. Note: Some SCSI devices like CD-ROM drives may require this parameter to be disabled. 36 Chapter 3 - Using SETUP Enhanced Enable this option if you are using a hard drive larger than 1GByte. This option enables enhanced mode disk geometry translation. If the BIOS detects a drive capacity greater than 1GByte, it uses 255 head/ 63 sector translation. Otherwise it uses 64 head/ 32 sector translation. This option also allows for higher synchronous transfer rates of 6.67 MBytes/sec. or 10 MBytes/sec. Parity Enables parity checking by the on-board SCSI controller. Parity is supported by most SCSI devices. If this option is disabled, the SCSI controller still generates parity, but no interrupt will be generated on parity errors. Disconnect Enables a SCSI device to disconnect from the on-board controller if it will take a long time to complete a requested operation, and later reconnect when ready to finish. Use this feature to improve bus use in multitasking environments. Single task environments like DOS usually work smoother when this option is disabled. However, some tape backup units will operate better when this option is enabled, even under DOS. The default is disabled. 37 Chapter 3 - Using SETUP Memory Control The memory control sub-menu allows you to make detailed changes to your system memory configuration. External Cache This option permits you to enable or disable the external cache memory. You can select between External Cache Disabled, 128K, 256K, or 512K of cache. For systems without external cache installed, set this to disabled. For systems with an external cache SIMM installed, set this option to the size of your cache SIMM. Memory Shadow Shadowing is the technique of mirroring or copying portions of the computer's slower, read-only memory into much faster system memory. Shadowing key portions of memory generally improves system performance. System Shadow System shadow is always enabled. Video Shadow Enables or disables copying of the video BIOS into RAM. Shadowing the video BIOS may improve your video response time. The default is enabled. Shadow Memory Regions Allows you to choose which specific memory regions will be shadowed. The default is for all specific regions disabled. 38 Chapter 3 - Using SETUP Boot Sequence Menu The boot sequence sub-menu allows you to speed up boot time by disabling certain standard computer boot procedures. Keyboard Auto-repeat Rate Defines the rate the keyboard repeats when a key is pressed and held. The number displayed represents the number of repetitions per second the keyboard will generate. The default is 30 times per second. Keyboard Auto-repeat Delay Defines time delay between the time a key is depressed and the time the key begins to repeat. The default is 1/2 second. Key Click When selected, provides an audible feedback whenever a key is pressed. Numlock This options defines how the Num Lock key should be defined on power up. The Num Lock key is used to determine whether the cursor keys or the numeric keys are active on the keypad. Normally, the BIOS sets the Num Lock (numeric keys active) if the system detects a compatible keyboard on power up. Auto On Off Sets the Num Lock (numeric keys active) if the system detects a compatible keyboard on power up (default) Selects the numeric keys regardless of the keyboard Selects the cursor movement keys regardless of the keyboard Summary screen When enabled, the system BIOS displays a summary screen of your computer configuration at boot . When disabled, the system BIOS skips this display at boot. The default is disabled. 39 Chapter 3 - Using SETUP Floppy Check When enabled the system checks that each floppy drive configured in CMOS memory is operational. Disabling floppy seek skips this step, speeding up boot time. Floppy Swap For systems that boot using DOS, allows you to swap the drive designation for floppy drives A: and B:. Enabled swaps the drives. Disabled uses the drives as they are installed. Note: Not implemented on all systems. Boot Sequence During boot the computer looks for an operating system stored on the floppy boot drive or logical drive C on an installed hard drive. Disk drive boot sequence determines which drive is checked first. The default is [A: then C:], meaning the system will check floppy drive A first, then if no operating system is present, it will look on drive C. If you normally boot from the hard disk C, setting this option to [C: then A:] or [C: only] will speed your boot time. SETUP prompt When enabled, the system displays the message "Press F2 to enter SETUP" on boot. When disabled this step is skipped on boot. POST errors When enabled, the system pauses whenever it finds an error during bootup and displays the message "Press F1 to continue or F2 to enter SETUP." When disabled the system ignores POST errors during boot. The default is enabled. 40 Chapter 3 - Using SETUP Advanced Menu Warning! Setting these items incorrectly could disable your system. Never needlessly change from the defaults. The Advanced Menu offers the following options: Large Disk DOS Compatibility Enables or Disables large disk DOS compatibility, enabling you to use very large IDE hard drives. Note: Not implemented on all systems. Integrated Peripherals This menu allows you to set the addresses, interrupts and DMA channels for your serial and parallel ports. It also allows you to swap your floppy drive designations. Com Port A: When either Com Port 1 or Com Port 2 is set to Auto, the system will automatically set the interrupts for both ports. Otherwise this option allows you to set the interrupt and I/O address of the COM1 serial port. Com Port B: When either Com Port 1 or Com Port 2 is set to Auto, the system will automatically set the interrupts for both ports. Otherwise this option allows you to set the interrupt and I/O address of the COM2 serial port. 41 Chapter 3 - Using SETUP Parallel Port Sets the parallel port designation. The default setting of Auto allows the system to automatically assign the first available parallel port designation to the on-board parallel port (usually LPT1). Otherwise allows you to specify the parallel port address. Mode Allows you to specify the parallel port as Uni-directional (default) or Bi-directional. PCI Devices The PCI Devices sub-menu allows you to set specifications for the PCI bus and for PCI devices connected to the bus. If you are inserting a PCI controller card into one of your PCI slots, this screen allows you to set the interrupt for the slot. The top row of the table at the bottom of the screen explains which of the four steering interrupts (0 through 3) needs an interrupt entry. For example, a card inserted in PCI slot 6 needs an interrupt entered on Interrupt Steering Register 0. Note: For more help setting PCI bus master interrupts, call ZEOS Technical Support at 1-800-228-5390. 42 Chapter 3 - Using SETUP Power Menu The latest BIOS revision offers a power saving "green" feature in the system SETUP. The Power Menu allows you to set the power saving level for the CPU. DISABLED turns CPU power saving feature off. HIGH sets CPU power saving level at 10 minutes. MEDIUM sets the CPU power saving level at 20 minutes. LOW sets the CPU power saving level at 30 minutes. For example, when the power level is set to HIGH, after 10 minutes of system inactivity the CPU will power down and instruct the hard drive to begin its power down sequence. Some hard drives will power down almost immediately, while others can take as long as 45 minutes to fully power down. See your hard drive manufacturer's documentation for detailed information on the drive's power down timer. Keep in mind, the Power menu in SETUP only sets power saving features for the CPU and hard drive, not for the video card and monitor. To set video power saving features, see your video card manufacturer's documentation. (For most systems this will mean activating a special screen saver in Windows.) 43 Chapter 3 - Using SETUP Security The system security options allow you to password-protect system access. Whenever a password is entered, you must reenter the proper password to access the system. To protect yourself from forgetting your passwords, we strongly recommend writing them down and storing for safekeeping. Warning If you forget the password, your system will not operate. You will have to completely clear the CMOS memory and re-enter your entire system configuration. Write down your password and store it in a safe place. The following security items are available: Set Supervisor Password Set User Password Password on Boot Diskette Access Fixed disk boot sector System Backup Reminder Virus Check Reminder Set Supervisor Password Allows you to enter a system supervisor password. Set User Password Allows you to enter a system user password. You can only enter a user password if a supervisor password is also entered. 44 Chapter 3 - Using SETUP Password on Boot When enabled, the system asks you for a password on boot. The system will only boot if the correct supervisor or user password is entered. The default is disabled. Diskette Access Specifies which level of password is required to access the floppy drives. This option prevents unauthorized copying of information. The default is Supervisor. Fixed disk boot sector When enabled, write protects the boot sector on your hard drive to protect against viruses. System Backup Reminder When enabled, displays boot reminder message to back up your system every day, week, or month. The default is disabled. Virus Check Reminder When enabled, displays boot reminder message to scan for viruses every day, week, or month. The default is disabled. Exit Menu Offers Exit and Save options for the SETUP program. 45 Chapter 4 - How to Add and Expansion Board 4. How to Add an Expansion Board The expansion slots on your mainboard are designed to accept a wide variety of cards or boards. Components such as scanners, tape backup units, video capture devices, and many others use expansion cards (also called expansion boards) to communicate with the CPU on the mainboard. Often adding these components is as easy as opening the case, slipping the new card into an empty expansion slot, and connecting the component to the card. To add an expansion board: 1. Turn off the monitor and system unit power and unplug the AC power cords from the wall outlet. 2. Open the system unit case (see How to Open a Desktop Case, earlier). 3. Find an empty expansion slot or, if you are replacing an expansion card already in your system (such as when upgrading your video card), locate the old card. 4. Unscrew the mounting screw and remove the blank bracket by sliding it up. If you are removing an old expansion card, carefully lift it straight up. 5. Set any jumpers or switches on the new card. See the expansion board's documentation for the correct jumper settings. 6. Slide the new board into place. Press firmly so the edge connector on the card slides all the way into the expansion slot. 46 Chapter 4 - How to Add an Expansion Board Mounting screw Expansion slot 7. Screw in the mounting screw. 8. Connect any internal cables to the expansion card. 9. Close the system unit case, and turn on the power. Many expansion boards require you to run diagnostic or installation software before the new board will work properly. Look in your expansion board installation instructions for more detailed information. 47 Chapter 5 - How Disk Drives Work 5. How Disk Drives Work There are three main types of disks for storing files - floppy, hard, and compact disks. Floppy disks are small, relatively slower, portable disks. Most people use floppy disks to transfer files or install new programs onto their hard drives. Floppy disks fit into the floppy disk drives mounted in your system unit. Although there are some combination drives, most floppy disk drives are designed to hold only one size of disk. Hard, or fixed disks, are permanently mounted inside your system unit case. They are very fast, hold a lot of files, and are not removable without disassembling your system. Compact disks fit into CDROM drives. Compact disks can store very large amounts of information. Floppy, hard, and CD-ROM disk drives all fit into the drive bays in your system unit. This chapter shows how some of the most common drives connect to the mainboard. Most drives have two connections - a power connection, and a data connection. For detailed installation and configuration information, always check the disk drive's documentation. 48 Chapter 5 - How Disk Drives Work How a Floppy Drive Works Floppy drives have two primary connectors, a ribbon cable called the data cable, and a power connection to the power supply. The ribbon cable connects the back of the floppy drive with the floppy controller port J5 on the mainboard. Data ribbon cables often have two connectors. If you have more than one floppy drive on your system, they often share the same ribbon cable. The data cable also has a red stripe. Whenever connecting or disconnecting the ribbon cable, be sure to attach the cable connectors so the red stripe is pointing toward pin 1 of the connector. Pin 1 is often labelled with a small triangle or filled in corner. Primary Floppy Drive Connector DC Power from Power Supply Floppy Drive Second Floppy Drive Connector Floppy Drive Ribbon Data Cable Red Stripe Pin 1 Red Stripe Pin 1 Mark on Cable Connector Floppy Drive Cable Connector J5 Mainboard 49 Chapter 5 - How Disk Drives Work How an IDE Hard Drive Works IDE (Integrated Drive Electronics) hard drives are the most common hard drives and are the most likely to be installed on your system. IDE devices have most of the electronics or "smarts" built into the drive, rather than installed on a separate controller card or on the motherboard. IDE hard drives have two main connections, a ribbon cable called the data cable, and a power connection to the power supply. The ribbon cable attaches to the back of the drive and connects to the IDE controller port J7 or J8 on the mainboard. Whenever connecting or disconnecting the ribbon cable, be sure to attach the data cable so the red stripe points toward pin 1 on the connector. Most drives also have configuration jumpers at the back of the drive for setting drive identification and resistors. See your hard drive user's guide for complete information. DC Power Connector Second Hard Drive Connector Hard Drive Floppy Drive Cable Connector J5 Red Stripe First Hard Drive Connector Hard Drive Ribbon Data Cable Mainboard SIMM Sockets for System RAM IDE Hard Drive Connector J8 50