Acer 2100 User Manual

AcerPower 2100

User’s Guide

ii

Document EDITION PART NUMBER DATE
History First Edition May 1998

Copyright
Notice Copyright © 1996, 1997, 1998 by Acer America Corporation. All rights reserved. No part of this

publication may be reproduced, transmitted, transcribed, stored in a retrieval system, or translated into
any language or computer language, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, magnetic,
optical, chemical, manual or otherwise, without the prior written permission of Acer America Corporation.

Programs Copyright © 1996, 1997, 1998 Acer America Corporation.
All rights reserved.

Printed in U.S.A

Trademarks Acer and the Acer logo are registered trademarks of Acer Incorporated.

Intel is a registered trademark of Intel Corporation.

Windows, Windows NT, Windows 95, Windows 98, and DOS are registered trademarks of Microsoft
Corporation.

Other brand and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.

Disclaimer Acer and its suppliers make no representations or warranties, either expressed or implied, with respect to the

without obligation to notify any person of such revisions or changes. Acer reserves the right to make changes to the products described in
this manual at any time and without notice.

contents hereof and specifically disclaim any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.
Further, Acer reserves the right to revise this publication and to make changes from time to time in the contents hereof

AcerPower 2100 User’s Guide

iii

Warranty/Limitation of Liability

Any software described in this manual is licensed "as is" and Acer and its suppliers disclaim any and all warranties,
express or implied, including but not limited to any warranty of non-infringement of third party rights, merchantability
or fitness for a particular purpose. Acer does not warrant that the operation of the software will be uninterrupted or
error free. Should the programs prove defective, the buyer (and not Acer, its distributor, or its dealer) assumes the
entire cost of all necessary service, repair, and any incidental or consequential damages resulting from any defect in
the software. Please see the Acer Limited Product Warranty for details of Acer’s limited warranty on hardware
products. IN NO EVENT SHALL ACER BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT OR CONSEQUENTIAL
DAMAGES, INCLUDING LOSS OF PROFITS OR DATA, EVEN IF ACER HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE
POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.

Software License

Acer grants you a personal, non-transferable, non-exclusive license to use the software that accompanies your
computer system only on a single computer. You may not (a) make copies of the software except for making one (1)
backup copy of the software which will also be subject to this license, (b) reverse engineer, decompile, disassemble,
translate or create derivative works based upon the software, (c) export or re-export the software to any person or
destination which is not authorized to receive them under the export control laws and regulations of the United States,
(d) remove or alter in any way the copyright notices, or other proprietary legends that were on the software as
delivered to you or (e) sublicense or otherwise make the software available to third parties. The software is the
property of Acer or Acer’s supplier and you do not have and shall not gain any proprietary interest in the software
(including any modifications or copies made by or for you) or any related intellectual property rights. Additional
restrictions may apply to certain software titles. Please refer to any software licenses that accompany such software
for details.

Join Us to Fight Against Piracy

The Acer Group has been implementing a policy to respect and protect legitimate intellectual property rights. Acer
firmly believes that only when each and every one of us abides by such policy, can this industry provide quality
service to the general public.

Acer has become a member of the Technology Committee of the Pacific Basin Economic Council which is
encouraging the protection and enforcement of legitimate intellectual property rights worldwide. Moreover, in order
to ensure quality service to all of our customers, Acer includes an operating system in Acer computer systems which is
duly licensed by the legitimate proprietors and produced with quality.

Acer commits itself and urges all of its customers to join the fight against intellectual property piracy wherever it may
occur. Acer will pursue the enforcement of intellectual property rights and will strive to fight against piracy.

Acer Year 2000 Compliance Statement

This product, AcerPower 2100, is Year 2000-compliant and carries the "NSTL Hardware
Tested Year 2000 Compliant" logo. This product has been tested both by Acer's internal
test labs and NSTL using NSTL's YMARK2000 certification test. These tests certify that
this product will successfully make the year 2000 transition.

For more details, check the Acer Year 2000 Resource Center at
http://www.acer.com/year2000

DMI 2.0 Compliance Statement

This product, AcerPower 2100, has been fully tested and passed the DMI 2.0 conformance
requirements.

AcerPower 2100 User’s Guideiv

IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS

1. Read these instructions carefully. Save them for future reference.

2. Follow all warnings and instructions marked on the product.

3. Unplug this product from the wall outlet before cleaning. Do not use liquid or aerosol

cleaners. Use a damp cloth for cleaning.

4. Do not use this product near water.

5. Do not place this product on an unstable cart, stand, or table. The product may fall,

causing serious damage to the product.

6. Slots and openings in the cabinet and the back or bottom are provided for ventilation;

to ensure reliable operation of the product and to protect it from overheating, these
openings must not be blocked or covered. This product should never be placed near or
over a radiator or heat register, or in a built-in installation unless proper ventilation is
provided.

7. This product should be operated from the type of power indicated on the marking

label. If you are not sure of the type of power available, consult your dealer or local
power company.

8. This product is equipped with a 3-wire grounding-type plug, a plug having a third

(grounding) pin. This plug will only fit into a grounding-type power outlet. This is a
safety feature. If you are unable to insert the plug into the outlet, contact your
electrician to replace the outlet. Do not defeat the purpose of the grounding-type
plug.

9. Do not allow anything to rest on the power cord. Do not locate this product where

persons will walk on the cord.

10. If an extension cord is used with this product, make sure that the total ampere rating

of the equipment plugged into the extension cord does not exceed the extension cord
ampere rating. Also, make sure that the total rating of all products plugged into the
wall outlet does not exceed 15 amperes.

v

vi

11. Never push objects of any kind into this product through cabinet slots as they may

touch dangerous voltage points or short out parts that could result in a fire or electric
shock. Never spill liquid of any kind on the product.

12. Do not attempt to service this product yourself, as opening or removing covers may

expose you to dangerous voltage points or other risks. Refer all servicing to qualified
service personnel.

13. Unplug this product from the wall outlet and refer servicing to qualified service

personnel under the following conditions:

a. When the power cord or plug is damaged or frayed

b. If liquid has been spilled into the product

c. If the product has been exposed to rain or water

d. If the product does not operate normally when the operating instructions are

followed. Adjust only those controls that are covered by the operating
instructions since improper adjustment of other controls may result in damage
and will often require extensive work by a qualified technician to restore the
product to normal condition.

e. If the product has been dropped or the cabinet has been damaged

f. If the product exhibits a distinct change in performance, indicating a need for

service

AcerPower 2100 User’s Guide

14. Use only the proper type of power supply cord (provided in your keyboard/manual

accessories box) for this unit. It should be a detachable type: UL listed/CSA certified,
type SVT/SJT, rated 6A 125V minimum. Maximum length is 15 feet (4.6 meters).

15. Replace battery with the same type as the product’s battery we recommend. Use of

another battery may present a risk of fire or explosion. Refer battery replacement to a
qualified technician.

The battery may explode if not handled
properly. Do not recharge, disassemble or
dispose of in fire. Keep away from children and
dispose of used battery promptly.

vii

viii

FCC Class B Radio Frequency

Interference Statement

Note:

This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital
device, pursuant to Part 15 of 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 off and on, the
user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following
measures:

1. Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.

2. Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.

3. Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the

receiver is connected.

4. Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/television technician for help.

Notice 1:

The changes or modifications not expressly approved by the party responsible for
compliance could void the user's authority to operate the equipment.

Notice 2:

Shielded interface cables, if any, must be used in order to comply with the emission limits.

AcerPower 2100 User’s Guide

CD-ROM Safety Warning

DANGER

INVISIBLE RADIATION WHEN OPEN.

AVOID EXPOSURE TO BEAM.

Caution on Lithium Batteries

CAUTION

Danger of explosion if battery is incorrectly replaced. Replace only with the same or

equivalent type recommended by the manufacturer. Discard used batteries according to

the manufacturer’s instructions.

ix

Table of Contents

Introduction

Overview......................................................................................................................2

About This Manual .......................................................................................................3

Chapter 1 Getting Started

1.1 Preinstallation..................................................................................................... 1-1

1.1.1 Selecting a Site............................................................................................. 1-1

1.1.2 Unpacking Components ............................................................................... 1-1

1.2 Features.............................................................................................................. 1-2

1.2.1 Front Panel................................................................................................... 1-2

1.2.2 Rear Panel.................................................................................................... 1-3

1.3 Connecting System Components......................................................................... 1-4

1.3.1 Connecting the Keyboard .............................................................................1-4

1.3.2 Connecting the Monitor ............................................................................... 1-5

1.3.3 Connecting the Mouse .................................................................................. 1-6

1.3.4 Connecting the Printer (Optional) ................................................................ 1-7

1.3.5 Complete System Connections...................................................................... 1-8

1.3.6 Connecting Multimedia Components (Optional)........................................... 1-9

1.3.6 Connecting to the Network......................................................................... 1-10

1.3.7 Connecting the Fax/Modem (Optional) ...................................................... 1-11

1.3.8 Connecting USB Devices (Optional)........................................................... 1-12

1.4 Turning On Your Computer.............................................................................. 1-13

1.5 Turning Off Your Computer ............................................................................. 1-13

1.6 Troubleshooting................................................................................................ 1-14

1.7 Error Messages................................................................................................. 1-16

1.7.1 Software Error Messages............................................................................ 1-16

1.7.2 System Error Messages............................................................................... 1-16

1.7.3 Correcting Error Conditions....................................................................... 1-19

Chapter 2 System Board

2.1 Major Components.............................................................................................. 2-2

2.2 Layout................................................................................................................. 2-4

2.3 Jumpers and Connectors ..................................................................................... 2-5

2.3.1 Jumper and Connector Locations.................................................................. 2-5

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xi

2.3.2 Jumper Settings ............................................................................................2-6

2.3.3 Onboard Connector Functions.......................................................................2-7

2.4 IDE Hard Disk Support .......................................................................................2-8

2.5 Video Function ....................................................................................................2-8

2.6 Audio Function..................................................................................................2-11

2.7 USB ..................................................................................................................2-11

2.8 LAN Function ...................................................................................................2-12

2.9 Hardware Monitoring Function .........................................................................2-12

2.10 Modem Ring-in Function.................................................................................2-12

2.11 Wake-on LAN Function ..................................................................................2-13

Chapter 3 BIOS Utility

3.1 Entering Setup..................................................................................................... 3-2

3.2 System Information .............................................................................................3-4

3.2.1 Processor ......................................................................................................3-4

3.2.2 Processor Speed............................................................................................3-5

3.2.3 Internal Cache ..............................................................................................3-5

3.2.4 External Cache .............................................................................................3-5

3.2.5 Floppy Drive A.............................................................................................3-5

3.2.6 Floppy Drive B .............................................................................................3-5

3.2.7 IDE Primary Channel Master........................................................................3-6

3.2.8 IDE Primary Channel Slave..........................................................................3-6

3.2.9 IDE Secondary Channel Master....................................................................3-6

3.2.10 IDE Secondary Channel Slave .................................................................... 3-6

3.2.11 Total Memory.............................................................................................3-6

3.3 Product Information ............................................................................................ 3-7

3.3.1 Product Name...............................................................................................3-8

3.3.2 System S/N...................................................................................................3-8

3.3.3 Main Board ID.............................................................................................. 3-8

3.3.4 Main Board S/N............................................................................................3-8

3.3.5 System BIOS Version ...................................................................................3-8

3.3.6 DMI BIOS Version....................................................................................... 3-8

3.4 Disk Drives .........................................................................................................3-9

3.4.1 Floppy Drives ...............................................................................................3-9

3.4.2 IDE Drives..................................................................................................3-10

3.5 Onboard Peripherals.......................................................................................... 3-14

3.5.1 Serial Port 1................................................................................................3-14

3.5.2 Parallel Port ................................................................................................3-15

xii

3.5.3 Onboard Device Settings............................................................................ 3-17

3.6 Power Management .......................................................................................... 3-18

3.6.1 Power Management Mode.......................................................................... 3-19

3.6.2 Power Switch < 4 sec.................................................................................. 3-20

3.6.3 Schedule Resume from Suspend................................................................. 3-20

3.6.4 System Wake-Up Event.............................................................................. 3-21

3.7 Boot Options ..................................................................................................... 3-21

3.7.1 Boot Sequence........................................................................................ 3-22

3.7.2 First Hard Disk Drive............................................................................. 3-22

3.7.3 Primary Display Adapter........................................................................ 3-22

3.7.4 Fast Boot................................................................................................ 3-22

3.7.5 Silent Boot ............................................................................................. 3-22

3.7.6 Num Lock After Boot............................................................................. 3-23

3.7.7 Memory Test.......................................................................................... 3-23

3.7.8 Configuration Table ............................................................................... 3-23

3.7.9 Boot from LanDesk Service Agent.......................................................... 3-23

3.8 Date and Time.................................................................................................. 3-24

3.8.1 Date ........................................................................................................... 3-24

3.8.2 Time .......................................................................................................... 3-24

3.9 System Security................................................................................................. 3-25

3.9.1 Setup Password .......................................................................................... 3-26

3.9.2 Power-on Password .................................................................................... 3-29

3.10 Advanced Options........................................................................................... 3-30

3.10.1 Memory/Cache Options............................................................................ 3-31

3.10.2 PnP/PCI Options ...................................................................................... 3-33

3.11 Load Default Settings...................................................................................... 3-36

3.12 Abort Settings Change.................................................................................... 3-36

3.13 Exiting Setup.................................................................................................. 3-37

Chapter 4 Installing Optional Components

4.1 Installation Precautions ....................................................................................... 4-1

4.1.1 ESD Precautions .......................................................................................... 4-1

4.1.2 Pre-installation Instructions.......................................................................... 4-2

4.1.3 Post-installation Instructions ........................................................................4-3

4.2 Removing and Replacing the Housing Cover....................................................... 4-4

4.2.1 Removing the Housing Cover....................................................................... 4-4

4.2.2 Replacing the Housing Cover .......................................................................4-6

4.3 Disassembling and Reassembling the System...................................................... 4-7

4.4 Replacing the Hard Disk Drive ........................................................................... 4-9

AcerPower 2100 User’s Guide

xiii

4.5 Installing and Removing Expansion Boards.......................................................4-11

4.5.1 Installing a PCI Card..................................................................................4-11

4.6 Installing Additional Memory............................................................................4-13

4.6.1 Installing a DIMM ......................................................................................4-14

4.6.2 Removing a DIMM .....................................................................................4-15

4.6.3 Reconfiguring the System ...........................................................................4-15

4.7 Upgrading the CPU...........................................................................................4-15

4.7.1 Removing the Pentium II CPU.................................................................... 4-16

4.7.2 Installing a Pentium II CPU........................................................................ 4-17

4.7.3 Installing the Celeron CPU.........................................................................4-19

List of Figures

Figure 1-1 Front Panel .............................................................................................. 1-2

Figure 1-2 Rear Panel................................................................................................1-3

Figure 1-3 Connecting the Keyboard.........................................................................1-4

Figure 1-4 Connecting the Monitor ..........................................................................1-5

Figure 1-5 Connecting the Mouse.............................................................................1-6

Figure 1-6 Connecting the Parallel Printer ............................................................... 1-7

Figure 1-7 Complete System Connections.................................................................. 1-8

Figure 1-8 Connecting Multimedia Components ...................................................... 1-9

Figure 1-9 Connecting to the Network .....................................................................1-10

Figure 1-10 Connecting the Telephone Line and Handset to the Fax/Modem...........1-11

Figure 1-11 Connecting USB Devices....................................................................1-12

Figure 2-1 System Board Layout................................................................................ 2-4

Figure 2-2 System Board Jumper and Connector Locations .......................................2-5

Figure 4-1 Jumper Setting Label Location.................................................................4-3

Figure 4-2 Removing the Screws...............................................................................4-4

Figure 4-3 Removing the Housing Cover...................................................................4-5

Figure 4-4 Replacing the Housing Cover...................................................................4-6

Figure 4-5 Securing the Screws.................................................................................4-6

Figure 4-6 Detaching the Metal Cover.......................................................................4-7

Figure 4-7 Removing the Drive Frame with CD-ROM, hard disk, and 3.5-inch Diskette

Drives .......................................................................................................................4-8

Figure 4-8 Removing the Hard Disk Drive ................................................................ 4-9

Figure 4-9 Removing a Hard Disk Drive from the Bracket.......................................4-10

Figure 4-10 Attaching a Hard Disk Drive to the Bracket......................................... 4-10

Figure 4-11 Attaching a Hard Disk Drive to the Bracket......................................... 4-11

Figure 4-12 Installing a PCI Card........................................................................... 4-12

Figure 4-13 Installing a DIMM............................................................................... 4-14

Figure 4-14 Removing a DIMM.............................................................................. 4-15

Figure 4-15 Disconnecting the heatsink cable from the system board...................... 4-16

Figure 4-16 Pressing the Latches and Detaching the CPU....................................... 4-17

Figure 4-17 Inserting the Clip Ends into the Processor Holes................................. 4-18

Figure 4-18 Installing the Pentium II CPU ........................................................... 4-18

Figure 4-19 Installing the Pentium II CPU ........................................................... 4-19

Figure 4-20 Installing the Celeron Processor......................................................... 4-20

Figure 4-21 Installing the Retention Module......................................................... 4-21

List of Tables

Table 1-1 System Error Messages ........................................................................... 1-17

Table 1-1 System Error Messages (continued)........................................................ 1-18

Table 2-1 SW1 Settings ............................................................................................2-6

Table 2-2 SW2 Settings ............................................................................................2-6

Table 2-3 Onboard Connectors ................................................................................. 2-7

Table 2-4 IDE Hard Disk Configuration ................................................................... 2-8

Table 2-5 Supported Video Resolutions..................................................................... 2-9

Table 3-1 Parallel Port Operation Mode Settings..................................................... 3-16

Table 4-1 Memory Configurations ......................................................................... 4-13

AcerPower 2100 User’s Guidexiv

Conventions

The following conventions are used in this manual:

, ,

Represents the actual keys that you have
to press on the keyboard.

NOTE

Gives bits and pieces of additional
information related to the current topic.

WARNING

Alerts you to any danger that might
result from doing or not doing specific
actions.

CAUTION

Suggests precautionary measures to
avoid potential hardware or software
problems.

IMPORTANT

Reminds you to take specific action
relevant to the accomplishment of the
procedure at hand.

TIP

Tells how to accomplish a procedure
with fewer steps through little shortcuts.

Introduction

xv

Acer has been on the leading edge of microcomputer systems development for both
corporate and home computing needs for 20 years, as the OEM of choice for many of the
world’s leading computer companies. Acer is committed to meeting the world’s demand
for state-of-the-art computers  at the best prices.

Your AcerPower desktop configuration provides high-speed performance in a small
footprint  making it perfect for small offices or general business use.

The system board features the common functions offered by a high-performance board. It
has a power-management function that conforms to the power-saving standards of the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Energy Star program. It also supports
Plug-and-Play features.

Overview

The AcerPower 2100 system supports Intel Pentium II processors and the Intel Celeron
processor. The Celeron processor is Intel's Pentium II cost-down solution. It has two ISA
and two PCI slots for future expansion. The system memory is expandable to 256 MB via
two onboard 168-pin DIMM (double in-line memory module) sockets.

The system also features a 3-D video function with AGP (Accelerated Graphics Port)
support and a 3-D audio function.

Aside from the standard I/O (input/output) interfaces such as one serial port, one parallel
port, and PS/2 keyboard and mouse ports, the system also offers two USB (Universal
Serial Bus) ports, one VGA (Video Graphics Accelerator) port, one Feature connector,
one mono Microphone-in port, one stereo Line-in port, one Line-out port, and one
Game/MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) port. These additional ports are
included to enable the system to accommodate additional peripherals.

The system is fully compatible with MS-DOS V6.X, OS/2, SCO UNIX, Windows NT, and
Windows 95/98 operating systems.

About This Manual

This manual is divided into four chapters. A brief description of these chapters is
provided below.

AcerPower 2100 User’s Guide

2

Chapter 1 Getting Started

Describes the different parts of the system unit. It tells you how to select a site and set up
the basic system. It includes a simple troubleshooting section and a list of system error
messages with the corresponding corrective actions.

Chapter 2 System Board

Describes the system board and all its major components. It contains information about
the system board layout, jumper settings, jumper and connector locations and functions.

Chapter 3 BIOS Utility

Explains the BIOS and tells how to configure the system by setting BIOS parameters.

Chapter 4 Installing Optional Components

Describes how to remove and replace the system housing, and to install the optional
components into the housing. It gives brief instructions accompanied by mechanical
illustrations showing how to perform each described procedure.

Introduction

3

Chapter 1 Getting Started

1.1 Preinstallation

The preinstallation process involves the following activities:

• Selecting a site

• Unpacking components

1.1.1 Selecting a Site

Consider the following when selecting a site for your computer:

• Determine the best site for your system. Cable paths should not run near equipment

that might cause electromagnetic or radio frequency interference such as radio
transmitters, television sets, copy machines, or heating and air conditioning
equipment.

• Route cables away from personnel and equipment traffic.

• Avoid dusty areas and extremes of temperature and humidity.

1.1.2 Unpacking Components

Unpack the contents of each box carefully. Save all packing materials in case you need to
move or ship the system in the future.

Check that all items are present and in good condition. Contact your dealer immediately
if anything is missing or damaged.

Chapter 1 - Getting Started 1-1

1.2 Features

The basic configuration consists of a system unit, a monitor, a keyboard, a CD-ROM
drive, a diskette drive, a fixed disk drive and a mouse.

1.2.1 Front Panel

Figure 1-1 shows the system unit front panel.

2

1

3

4

5

6

1. 3.5-inch floppy disk drive 4. Power/suspend indicator

2. CD-ROM drive 5. Network active indicator

3. Power button 6. Hard disk/message indicator

Figure 1-1 Front Panel

AcerPower 2100 User’s Guide1-2

1.2.2 Rear Panel

Figure 1-2 shows the system unit rear panel.

15

1

2

14

12

13

11

10

9

8

7

6

5

4

3

1. Game/MIDI port 9. USB Port

2. Microphone-in port 10. Parallel port

3. Line-in port 11. Monitor/VGA Port

4. Line-out port 12. Add-on card brackets

5. Network port 13. Fan

6. PS/2 keyboard port 14. System power socket

7. PS/2 mouse Port 15. Power Switch

8. Serial port

Figure 1-2 Rear Panel

Chapter 1 - Getting Started 1-3

1.3 Connecting System Components

Do not turn on the power until you finish connecting the system components.

The following sections show how to connect each component to the system.

1.3.1 Connecting the Keyboard

Plug the keyboard cable into the keyboard socket on the rear panel. See Figure 1-3.

Figure 1-3 Connecting the Keyboard

AcerPower 2100 User’s Guide1-4

1.3.2 Connecting the Monitor

Plug the monitor signal cable into the VGA connector on the rear panel.

Figure 1-4 Connecting the Monitor

Chapter 1 - Getting Started 1-5

1.3.3 Connecting the Mouse

Plug the mouse cable into the mouse connector on the rear panel.

Figure 1-5 Connecting the Mouse

AcerPower 2100 User’s Guide1-6

1.3.4 Connecting the Printer (Optional)

If you have a parallel printer, connect it to the parallel port on the rear panel. See Figure
1-6.

Figure 1-6 Connecting the Parallel Printer

If you have a serial printer or other serial
peripheral, connect it to the serial port
(COM1).

Chapter 1 - Getting Started 1-7

1.3.5 Complete System Connections

After connecting all the components, plug one end of the power supply cable into the
system power socket. Plug the other end of the power supply cable into a wall outlet.
Figure 1-7 shows the complete system connections.

Figure 1-7 Complete System Connections

AcerPower 2100 User’s Guide1-8

1.3.6 Connecting Multimedia Components (Optional)

Your system also supports optional multimedia features. Connect multimedia components
as shown in Figure 1-8.

Figure 1-8 Connecting Multimedia Components

Chapter 1 - Getting Started 1-9

1.3.6 Connecting to the Network

You can connect your system to the network via the onboard RJ45 port.

Figure 1-9 Connecting to the Network

AcerPower 2100 User’s Guide1-10

1.3.7 Connecting the Fax/Modem (Optional)

Your system also supports the optional fax/modem feature. Connect the telephone line
and handset as shown in Figure 1-10.

Figure 1-10 Connecting the Telephone Line and Handset to the Fax/Modem

Chapter 1 - Getting Started 1-11

1.3.8 Connecting USB Devices (Optional)

The USB ports on the rear panel enable the system to support additional serial devices
without using up your system resources.
To connect a USB device, simply plug the device cable into a USB port marked on
the rear panel. See the following figure:

Figure 1-11 Connecting USB Devices

Most USB devices have a built-in USB port which allows you to daisy-chain other devices.

AcerPower 2100 User’s Guide1-12

1.4 Turning On Your Computer

After you have connected all peripherals and cables, follow these steps to turn on your
computer:

1. Turn on all peripherals connected to the system such as monitor, printer, fax,

speakers, etc.

2. Press the power button located on the front of the system unit.

When the system finishes booting, the computer is now ready for use.

1.5 Turning Off Your Computer

1. Turn off all peripherals connected to the system such as the monitor, printer, fax,

speakers, etc.

2. Press the power button located on the front of the system unit for at least four seconds.

Quickly pressing the button puts the system in Suspend mode only.

3. Unplug the system if you are going to do any of the following:

• not use the system for a long period of time

• open the system

• install system component(s)

Opening and installing components without
unplugging the system may result in serious
damage both to the system and the component.
Unplugging the system ensures that there is no
standby current on the system board. Not doing
so may damage your system.

Chapter 1 - Getting Started 1-13

1.6 Troubleshooting

If you encounter a hardware problem, review the following suggestions before calling for
service.

General Failure

• Are all cables securely plugged in?

• Are all system components and peripherals turned on?

• Is the system main power switch on?

• Is the power outlet burned out? You may check this by plugging in and turning on

some other piece of equipment.

• Are any cables damaged? Are they properly routed and coiled? Entwined cables may

cause signal interference.

Front Panel Light Doesn't Work

• Check inside the system unit and make sure that the front panel LED connector is

correctly plugged in (refer to section 2.3 Jumpers and Connectors).

"Garbage" or Nothing Appears on the Screen

• Is the monitor turned on? Is the screen brightness adjusted properly?

Never open the monitor case. The CRT monitor
retains very high voltage levels, even after the
power is turned off. Refer all monitor service to
qualified service technicians.

AcerPower 2100 User’s Guide1-14

Keyboard is Dead

• Is the keyboard cable plugged in? Turn off the system unit and plug in the keyboard.

Do not plug or unplug the keyboard while the
power is on.

Printer Doesn't Work

• Is the printer power turned on?

• Is the printer cable connected to the correct port (serial or parallel)? Is the pin signal

interface correct?

• Are your application and the printer configured for the same operating values? Be

sure there is no conflict with any port on the add-on card.

• Is the printer out of paper or jammed? Check the printer’s status indicator lights.

• Are the printer cables tangled? To prevent signal interference, neatly fold or coil

excess cable length.

Add-on Card Fails Intermittently

• Do two add-on cards have conflicting addresses?

If You Receive an Error Message

• Read the corrective actions in Table 1-1 in section 1.7.

Chapter 1 - Getting Started 1-15

1.7 Error Messages

In the event that you receive an error message, do not continue using the computer. Note
the message and take corrective action immediately. This section describes the different
types of error messages and suggests corrective measures.

There are two general types of error messages:

• Software

• System

1.7.1 Software Error Messages

Software error messages are returned by your operating system or application. These
messages typically appear after you boot the operating system or when you run your
applications. If you receive this type of message, consult your application or operating
system manual for help.

1.7.2 System Error Messages

A system error message indicates a problem with the computer itself. These messages
normally appear during the power-on self-test, before the operating system prompt
appears. Table 1-1 lists the system error messages.

AcerPower 2100 User’s Guide1-16

Table 1-1 System Error Messages

Error Message Corrective Action

Bad CMOS Battery Replace battery. Contact your dealer.
CMOS Checksum

Error
Floppy Drive

Controller Error
Floppy Drive Error Floppy may be bad. If not, check the

DRAM Configuration
Error

Equipment
Configuration Error

Hard Disk Controller
Error

Hard Disk 0 (1, 2, 3)
Auto Detection
Failed

I/O Parity Error Contact your dealer.
PS/2 Keyboard

Error or No
Keyboard
Connected

PS/2 Keyboard
Interface Error

Memory Error Check DIMMs on the system board.

Memory Size
Mismatch

Run Setup. See Chapter 3.

Check and connect the cable to the floppy
drive or controller.

floppy drive and replace if necessary.
Check and modify DRAM configuration to

agree with Table 4-1.
Run Setup. See Chapter 3.

Check and connect the cable to the hard
disk drive or controller.

Replace the hard disk drive controller.
Check the HDD cable connections and
CMOS setup configuration.

Check and connect the keyboard to the
system unit.

Contact your dealer.

Contact your dealer.
Run Setup. See Chapter 3.

Chapter 1 - Getting Started 1-17

Table 1-1 System Error Messages (continued)

Error Message Corrective Action

Onboard Serial 1 Conflict Run Setup and disable Onboard Serial

1. See Chapter 3.

Onboard Serial 2 Conflict Run Setup and disable Onboard Serial

2. See Chapter 3.

Onboard Parallel Port
Conflict

PS/2 Pointing Device
Error

PS/2 Pointing Device
Interface Error

Press F1 key to continue
or Ctrl-Alt-Esc for Setup

Press Esc to turn off
NMI, any key to reboot

Protected Mode Test Fail Contact your dealer.
RAM BIOS Error Contact your dealer.
Real Time Clock Error Run Setup. See Chapter 3.
Shadow RAM Fail Contact your dealer.
System Memory Address

Error

Run Setup and disable Onboard
Parallel Port. See Chapter 3.

Check or connect the pointing device.
Contact your dealer.

Contact your dealer.
Press or .

Press to disregard NMI error.
Press any key to reboot the system.

Check DIMMs on system board or
contact your dealer.

AcerPower 2100 User’s Guide1-18

1.7.3 Correcting Error Conditions

As a general rule, the "Press F1 to continue" error message is caused by a configuration
problem which can be easily corrected. An equipment malfunction is more likely to cause
a fatal error, i.e., an error that causes complete system failure.

Here are some corrective measures for error conditions:

1. Run Setup. You must know the correct configuration values for your system before

you enter Setup, which is why you should write these values down when the system is
correctly configured. An incorrect Setup configuration is a major cause of power-on
error messages, especially for a new system.

2. Remove the system cover according to the directions in the system housing

installation guide. Check that the system board and any expansion boards are set
correctly.

3. Check that all connectors and boards are secure. Consult the system housing

installation guide for assistance.

If you have purchased a new hard disk drive
and cannot access it, it may be because your
disk is not physically formatted. Physically
format the disk using the FDISK and FORMAT
commands.

If you follow the corrective steps above and still receive an error message, the cause may
be an equipment malfunction.

If you are sure that your configuration values are correct and your battery is in good
condition, the problem may lie in a damaged or defective chip. Contact an authorized
service center for assistance.

Chapter 1 - Getting Started 1-19

Chapter 2 System Board

This chapter describes the system board and all its major components, including:

• Details about the system board layout

• Jumper and connector locations and functions

• Jumper settings

The system board supports the Intel Pentium II processor with MMX (MultiMedia
eXtensions) technology and the Celeron processor. The Pentium II comes in a card
design with 512-KB second-level cache already integrated. The Celeron processor is
Intel's Pentium II cost-down solution. It comes without or with 128-KB second-level
cache. Both are capable of handling multimedia functions and enhancing the
performance of 32-bit applications.

The system memory is upgradable to 256 MB via the two onboard 168-pin DIMM
(Double In-line Memory Module) sockets. These sockets accommodate 8-, 16-, 32-, 64­and 128-MB DIMMs.

The board also incorporates a 3-D video controller with AGP (Accelerated Graphics Port),
4-MB SGRAM (Synchronous Graphics Random Access Memory), and a 3-D audio
controller to fully support multimedia functions.

Onboard I/O (input/output) interfaces are comprised of a UART (Universal Asynchronous
Receiver-Transmitter) 16C550 serial port, a parallel port with SPP (Standard Parallel
Port)/ECP (Extended Capabilities Port)/EPP (Enhanced Parallel Port) support, and PS/2
keyboard and mouse ports. Two USB (Universal Serial Bus) ports, one VGA (Video
Graphics Accelerator) port, one Feature connector, one mono Microphone-in port, one
stereo Line-in port, one Line-out port, and one Game/MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital
Interface) port are also added to the board design to enable the system to support
additional peripherals.

For expansion, the board comes with two PCI (Peripheral Component Interface) slots.

Chapter 2 - System Board 2-1

Special features such as PnP (Plug-and-Play) support, Power Management, Wireless
Communication, Hardware Monitoring, Wake-on Ring, and Wake-on LAN (Local Area
Network) functions are also supported. These functions are individually discussed in this
chapter.

The system is fully compatible with MS-DOS V6.X, OS/2, SCO UNIX, Windows NT, and
Windows 95/98 operating systems.

2.1 Major Components

The system board has the following major components:

• A CPU (Central Processing Unit) connector that supports either of the following:

• Pentium II processor running at 266, 300, 333, 350, 400, and 450 MHz

• Celeron processor running at 266,300, and 333 MHz

• Two DIMM sockets that accept 8-, 16-, 32-, 64-, and 128-MB Standard DRAMs,

with Parity Check or Error Correction Code (ECC) feature. These sockets allow
memory upgrade of up to 256 MB

• PCI local bus IDE (Integrated Device Electronics) controller

• 3-D audio controller

• AGP-compliant 3-D video graphics accelerator with 4-MB SGRAM

• One Feature connector

• One Wake-on LAN connector

• One Modem ring-in connector

• One Modem connector

• Two PCI enhanced IDE interfaces that support up to four IDE devices

• External ports

AcerPower 2100 User’s Guide2-2

• PS/2 keyboard and mouse ports

• One buffered high-speed serial port

• One SPP/ECP/EPP high-speed parallel port

• Two USB ports

• One standard VGA port

• One mono Microphone-in port

• One stereo Line-in port

• One stereo Line-out port

• One Game/MIDI port

• One riser card

• Two PCI slots

Chapter 2 - System Board 2-3

2.2 Layout

123458927101213151472623616171911

1822212025

24

Figure 2-1 shows the locations of the major components on the system board.

1 RJ-45 LAN port 15 DIMM sockets
2 PS/2 keyboard port 16 CPU connector
3 PS/2 mouse port 17 Voltage regulators
4 Serial port 18 AIO board connector
5 USB port

6 Riser card slot
7 Ultra I/O controller 20 FDD connector
8 Parallel port 21 IDE1 connector
9 VGA port 22 IDE2 connector
10 System BIOS chipset 23 Power connector
11 3-D AGP video controller 24 CD-in connector
12 Video memory 25 Battery
13 PCI/AGP/memory controller 26 PCI IDE controller
14 Buzzer 27 Ethernet controller

Figure 2-1 System Board Layout

19 Sound Blaster compatible audio

controller

AcerPower 2100 User’s Guide2-4

2.3 Jumpers and Connectors

2.3.1 Jumper and Connector Locations

Figure 2-2 shows the jumper and connector locations.

Figure 2-2 System Board Jumper and Connector Locations

The blackened pin of a jumper or a connector
represents pin 1.

Chapter 2 - System Board 2-5

2.3.2 Jumper Settings

The following table lists the possible jumper settings:

Table 2-1 SW1 Settings

Switch Setting Function

1

On*
Off

2

On
Off*

3 4 5 6 Core/Bus Clock Ratio

On Off Off On 3.5
Off On On On 4
Off On Off On 4.5
Off Off On On

Table 2-2 SW2 Settings

Switch Setting Function

4

On*
Off

1 2 3 Note

Off Off Off Required

VGA IRQ Assignment

Disabled
Enabled

Bus Frequency

66 MHZ
100 MHz

Password

Check
Bypass

5

* Default

AcerPower 2100 User’s Guide2-6

2.3.3 Onboard Connector Functions

Table 2-3 lists the different connectors on the system board and their respective functions.

Table 2-3 Onboard Connectors

Connector Function

CN1 Modem ring-in connector
CN2 Wake-on LAN connector
CN7 VGA port
CN9 Printer/parallel port
CN13 Serial port
CN14 USB ports
CN15 FDD connector
CN16 IDE1 connector
CN17 Voice modem connector
CN18 IDE2 connector
CN19 Mouse port
CN23 Keyboard port
CN25 CD-in connector
CN26/JP9 Power connector
CN28 LAN (RJ45) port
CN29 AIO board connector
JP1 Power LED connector
JP5 Turbo LED connector
JP6 Power switch connector
JP8 Thermal sensor connector
JPX1*
FN2* 2-pin fan connector

3-pin fan connector

*

You cannot use FN2 and JPX1 at the same time. Refer to Figure 4-19 for the

installation of the fansink with two connectors.

Chapter 2 - System Board 2-7

2.4 IDE Hard Disk Support

The board comes with an enhanced IDE controller that supports PIO mode 4 and Ultra
DMA (Direct Memory Access) mode data transfers. In addition, two EIDE interfaces are
mounted on the system board supporting a maximum of four IDE hard disks, or any other
IDE devices. See Figure 2-2 for the location of the IDE interfaces.

Connect the cables according to the IDE hard disk configuration in Table 2-4. Follow the
instructions in the housing installation manual on how to install a hard disk in the system.

Table 2-4 IDE Hard Disk Configuration

IDE Connector Master Slave

IDE1 (CN16) Hard disk 0 Hard disk 1
IDE2 (CN18) Hard disk 2/

IDE CD-ROM drive

Hard disk 3

2.5 Video Function

The onboard video controller is capable not only of enhancing video display, but
supporting 3-D video applications as well. The video controller features the Accelerated
Graphics Port (AGP) design - the latest bus architecture that is considered to be the best
solution for 3-D applications. AGP offers greater bandwidth; thus, it is capable of
speeding up the VGA bus in order to meet the requirement of 3-D applications.

The board comes with 4-MB video memory. Larger video memory allows you to display
higher resolutions and more colors.

The following table lists the video resolutions supported by the onboard VGA:

AcerPower 2100 User’s Guide2-8

Table 2-5 Supported Video Resolutions

Resolution bpp Vertical Freq.

(Hz)

640 x 480 8/16/24/32 60 31.5
640 x 480 8/16/24/32 72 37.4
640 x 480 8/16/24/32 75 37.5
640 x 480 8/16/24/32 85 43.3
640 x 480 8/16/24/32 90 48.0
640 x 480 8/16/24/32 100 52.9
640 x 480 8/16/24/32 120 63.7
640 x 480 8/16/24/32 160 84.1
640 x 480 8/16/24/32 200 100.2
800 x 600 8/16/24/32 48 33.8
800 x 600 8/16/24/32 56 35.2
800 x 600 8/16/24/32 60 37.8
800 x 600 8/16/24/32 70 44.5
800 x 600 8/16/24/32 72 48.0
800 x 600 8/16/24/32 75 46.9
800 x 600 8/16/24/32 85 53.7
800 x 600 8/16/24/32 90 57.1
800 x 600 8/16/24/32 100 62.5
800 x 600 8/16/24/32 120 76.0
800 x 600 8/16/24 160 99.6
800 x 600 8/16 200 125.9
1024 x 768 8/16/24/32 43 35.5
1024 x 768 8/16/24/32 60 48.4
1024 x 768 8/16/24/32 70 56.5
1024 x 768 8/16/24/32 72 58.2
1024 x 768 8/16/24/32 75 60.0
1024 x 768 8/16/24/32 85 68.7
1024 x 768 8/16/24/32 90 76.2

Horizontal

Freq. (KHz)

Chapter 2 - System Board 2-9

Table 2-5 Supported Video Resolutions

Resolution bpp Vertical Freq.

(Hz)

1024 x 768 8/16/24/32 100 79.0
1024 x 768 8/16/24 120 96.7
1024 x 768 8/16 140 113.3
1024 x 768 8 150 120.6
1152 x 864 8/16/24/32 43 45.9
1152 x 864 8/16/24/32 47 44.9
1152 x 864 8/16/24/32 60 54.9
1152 x 864 8/16/24/32 70 66.1
1152 x 864 8/16/24/32 75 75.1
1152 x 864 8/16/24/32 80 76.4
1152 x 864 8/16/24 85 77.1
1152 x 864 8/16 100 90.2
1152 x 864 8/16 120 108.7
1280 x 1024 8/16/24 43 50.0
1280 x 1024 8/16/24 47 50.0
1280 x 1024 8/16/24 60 64.0
1280 x 1024 8/16/24 70 74.6
1280 x 1024 8/16/24 74 77.9
1280 x 1024 8/16/24 75 80.0
1280 x 1024 8/16 85 91.2
1280 x 1024 8/16 90 96.1
1280 x 1024 8/16 100 106.7
1600 x 1200 8/16 52 68.0
1600 x 1200 8/16 58 75.0
1600 x 1200 8/16 60 76.2
1600 x 1200 8/16 72 89.7
1600 x 1200 8/16 75 93.8

Horizontal

Freq. (KHz)

AcerPower 2100 User’s Guide2-10

You may disable the onboard video function
in the BIOS Utility. For more details on
BIOS, see Chapter 3.

2.6 Audio Function

The board provides a complete 3-D audio solution via the onboard 3-D video controller
and the following audio connectors:

• Mono microphone port

• Stereo line-in port

• Stereo line-out port

• Game/MIDI port

• CD-in connector

• Modem connector

These connectors enable the system to accommodate external audio devices. For
instructions on how to connect the external audio devices, refer to section 1.3.6.
Connecting Multimedia Components.

2.7 USB

USB (Universal Serial Bus) is a new serial bus design that is capable of cascading
low-/medium-speed peripherals (less than 12 Mbps) such as a keyboard, mouse, joystick,
scanner, printer and modem/ISDN. With USB, complex cable connections at the back
panel of your PC can be eliminated.

Chapter 2 - System Board 2-11

The board comes with two USB ports (CN14). See Figure 2-1 or Figure 2-2 for the
location of the ports.

2.8 LAN Function

The system supports LAN connection by integrating a 10/100 Base-TX Ethernet
controller and an RJ45 network port.

The system uses a PS/2-type SPS (Switch Power Supply) which provides a 5V/1A standby
power via the onboard connector JP9 (see Figure 2-2 for the location of the connectors).
The onboard LAN relies on this standby power for its operation. Once it receives a
“magic packet”1, the system automatically wakes up. These magic packets are sent via
management software that supports remote wake-up capability.

2.9 Hardware Monitoring Function

The Hardware Monitoring function allows you to check the system resources, either
locally or in a computer network, by using software such as Intel LDCM (LAN Desk
Client Manager). Intel LDCM is a desktop management program that offers the SMART
(System Monitoring Analysis and Reporting Technology) monitor function for checking
local or network connected systems. In addition, it also enables the PC products and
applications to be OS (operating system) independent.

To enable the Hardware Monitoring function, you need to install Intel LDCM. Contact
your dealer for information on the availability of the software. Refer to the software
documentation for more details on the Hardware Monitoring function.

1

Magic packet is defined as a 16 bit "00000000011111111" header + NIC card Mac address. This packet passes

through the Ethernet wire. Once received by the LAN chip and an identical MAC address has been detected, the
LAN chip will start the WOL process.

AcerPower 2100 User’s Guide2-12

2.10 Modem Ring-in Function

The Modem Ring-in function enables the system to resume from suspend mode by
monitoring the fax/modem (or any device of similar type) activities. Any signal or
activity detected from the Modem ring-in connector automatically returns the system to
normal operation. Refer to Figure 2-2 for the location of the Modem ring-in connector
(CN1) on the system board.

2.11 Wake-on LAN Function

The system supports the Wake-on LAN feature via the onboard Wake-on LAN connector
(CN2). This special feature allows the system to be activated via a network. Common
network functions, such as remote access, file sharing, etc. are also supported.

Chapter 2 - System Board 2-13

Chapter 3 BIOS Utility

Most systems are already configured by the manufacturer or the dealer. There is no need
to run Setup when starting the computer unless you get a Run Setup message.

The Setup program loads configuration values into the battery-backed nonvolatile memory
called CMOS RAM. This memory area is not part of the system RAM.

If you repeatedly receive Run Setup messages,
the battery may be bad. In this case, the system
cannot retain configuration values in CMOS. Ask
a qualified technician for assistance.

Before you run Setup, make sure that you have saved all open files. The system reboots
immediately after you exit Setup.

Chapter 3 - BIOS Utility 3-1

3.1 Entering Setup

To enter Setup, press the key combination .

You must press

simultaneously
while the system is booting. This key combination
does not work during any other time.

The Setup Utility main menu then appears:

Setup Utility

• System Information

• Product Information

• Disk Drives

• Onboard Peripherals

• Power Management

• Boot Options

• Date and Time

• System Security

• Load Default Settings

• Abort Settings Change

The system supports two BIOS Utility levels: Basic and Advanced. The above screen is
the BIOS Utility Basic Level screen. This allows you to view and change only the basic
configuration of your system.

If you are an advanced user, you may want to check the detailed configuration of your
system. Detailed system configurations are contained in the Advanced Level. To view the
Advanced Level, press . The following screen shows the Setup Utility Advanced Level

main menu.

AcerPower 2100 User’s Guide3-2

Setup Utility

• System Information

• Product Information

• Disk Drives

• Onboard Peripherals

• Power Management

• Boot Options

• Date and Time

• System Security

• Advanced Options*

• Load Default Settings

• Abort Settings Change

The key works only when you are in the
main menu. This means that you can
activate the Advanced Level only when you
are in the main menu.

The command line at the bottom of the menu tells you how to move within a screen and
from one screen to another.

• To select an option, move the highlight bar by pressing or then press .

• Press to move to the next page or to return to the previous page.

• To change a parameter setting, press or until the desired setting is found.

• Press to return to the main menu. If you are already in the main menu, press

again to exit Setup.

The parameters on the screens show default values. These values may not be the same as
those in your system.

Chapter 3 - BIOS Utility 3-3

The grayed items on the screens have fixed settings and are not user-configurable.

3.2 System Information

The following screen appears if you select System Information from the main menu.

System Information Page 1/2

Processor .......................... Pentium II

Processor Speed .................... 266 MHz

Internal Cache .................... 32 KB, Enabled

External Cache ..................... 512 KB, Enabled

Floppy Drive A ..................... 1.44 MB, 3.5-inch

Floppy Drive B ..................... None

IDE Primary Channel Master.......... Hard Disk, xxxx MB

IDE Primary Channel Slave........... None

IDE Secondary Channel Master ....... IDE CD-ROM

IDE Secondary Channel Slave ........ None

Total Memory ....................... 64 MB

1st Bank ......................... SDRAM, 32 MB

2nd Bank ......................... SDRAM, 32 MB

The System Information menu shows the current basic configuration of your system.

3.2.1 Processor

The Processor parameter specifies the type of processor currently installed in your system.
The system supports Pentium II and Celeron processors.

AcerPower 2100 User’s Guide3-4

3.2.2 Processor Speed

The Processor Speed parameter specifies the speed of the processor currently installed in
your system.

3.2.3 Internal Cache

This parameter specifies the first-level or the internal memory (i.e., the memory integrated
into the CPU) size, and whether it is enabled or disabled.

3.2.4 External Cache

This parameter specifies the second-level cache memory size currently supported by the
system.

3.2.5 Floppy Drive A

This parameter specifies the system’s current floppy drive A settings. For information on
how to configure the floppy drives, see section 3.4.1.

3.2.6 Floppy Drive B

This parameter specifies the system’s current floppy drive B settings. For information on
how to configure the floppy drives, see section 3.4.1.

Chapter 3 - BIOS Utility 3-5

3.2.7 IDE Primary Channel Master

This parameter specifies the current configuration of the IDE device connected to the
master port of the primary IDE channel. For information on how to configure the IDE
devices, see section 3.4.3.

3.2.8 IDE Primary Channel Slave

This parameter specifies the current configuration of the IDE device connected to the
slave port of the primary IDE channel. For information on how to configure the IDE
devices, see section 3.4.3.

3.2.9 IDE Secondary Channel Master

This parameter specifies the current configuration of the IDE device connected to the
master port of the secondary IDE channel. For information on how to configure the IDE
devices, see section 3.4.3.

3.2.10 IDE Secondary Channel Slave

This parameter specifies the current configuration of the IDE device connected to the
slave port of the secondary IDE channel. For information on how to configure the IDE
devices, see section 3.4.3.

3.2.11 Total Memory

This parameter specifies the total amount of onboard memory. The memory size is
automatically detected by BIOS during the POST (Power-On Self Test). If you install
additional memory, the system automatically adjusts this parameter to display the new
memory size.

AcerPower 2100 User’s Guide3-6

1st Bank

This parameter indicates the type of DRAM installed in the DIMM 1 socket. The None
setting indicates that there is no DRAM installed. For the location of the DIMM sockets,
refer to Figure 2-1.

2nd Bank

This parameter indicates the type of DRAM installed in the DIMM 2 socket. The None
setting indicates that there is no DRAM installed. For the location of the DIMM sockets,
refer to Figure 2-1.

3.3 Product Information

The screen below appears if you select Product Information from the main menu.

Product Information

Product Name .......................... xxxxxxxxx

System S/N ............................xxxxxxxxx

Main Board ID ......................... xxxxxxxxx

Main Board S/N ........................ xxxxxxxxx

System BIOS Version ................... V3.2

DMI BIOS Version ...................... 2.1

The Product Information menu contains the general data about the system, such as the
product name, serial number, BIOS version, etc. This information is necessary for
troubleshooting (may be required when asking for technical support).

Chapter 3 - BIOS Utility 3-7

3.3.1 Product Name

This parameter specifies the official name of your system.

3.3.2 System S/N

This parameter specifies your system’s serial number.

3.3.3 Main Board ID

This parameter specifies your system board’s identification number.

3.3.4 Main Board S/N

This parameter specifies your system board’s serial number.

3.3.5 System BIOS Version

This parameter specifies the version of your system’s BIOS utility.

3.3.6 DMI BIOS Version

The Desktop Management Interface (DMI) BIOS allows you to check your system
hardware components without actually opening your system. Hardware checking is done
via software during start up. This parameter specifies the version of the DMI BIOS utility
installed in your system.

AcerPower 2100 User’s Guide3-8

3.4 Disk Drives

Select Disk Drives from the main menu to configure the drives installed in your system.

The following screen shows the Disk Drives menu:

Disk Drives

Floppy Drive A ........... [xx-MB xx-inch]

Floppy Drive B ........... [None ]

• IDE Primary Channel Master

• IDE Primary Channel Slave

• IDE Secondary Channel Master

• IDE Secondary Channel Slave

3.4.1 Floppy Drives

To enter the configuration value for the first floppy drive (drive A), highlight the Floppy
Drive A parameter. Press or to view the options and select the appropriate value.

Possible settings for the Floppy Drive parameters are:

• [ None ]

• [360 KB, 5.25-inch]

• [1.2 MB, 5.25-inch]

• [720 KB, 3.5-inch]

• [1.44 MB, 3.5-inch]

• [2.88 MB, 3.5-inch]

Chapter 3 - BIOS Utility 3-9

Follow the same procedure to configure floppy drive B. Choose None if you do not have a
second floppy drive.

3.4.2 IDE Drives

To configure the IDE drives connected to your system, select the parameter that represents
the channel and port where the desired hard disk to configure is connected. The options
are:

IDE Primary Channel Master

This parameter lets you configure the hard disk drive connected to the master port of IDE
channel 1.

IDE Primary Channel Slave

This parameter lets you configure the hard disk drive connected to the slave port of IDE
channel 1.

IDE Secondary Channel Master

This parameter lets you configure the hard disk drive connected to the master port of IDE
channel 2.

IDE Secondary Channel Slave

This parameter lets you configure the hard disk drive connected to the slave port of IDE
channel 2.

AcerPower 2100 User’s Guide3-10

The following screen appears if you select any of the IDE Drive parameters:

IDE Primary/Secondary
Channel Master/Slave

Type........................... [ Auto ]

Cylinder ..................... [ XXXX ]

Head......................... [ XXXX ]

Sector....................... [ XXXX ]

Size......................... [ XXXX ] MB

Hard Disk Size > 504MB......... [ Auto ]

*Hard Disk Block Mode........... [ Auto ]

*Advanced PIO Mode.............. [ Auto ]

*Hard Disk 32 Bit Access........ [Enabled]

*DMA Transfer Mode.............. [ Auto ]

*CD-ROM Drive DMA Mode.......... [Disabled]

Type

This parameter lets you specify the type of hard disk installed in your system. If you want
BIOS to automatically configure your hard disk, select Auto . If you know your hard disk
type, you can enter the setting manually.

Setting this parameter also sets the Cylinder, Head, Sector, and Size parameters.

Cylinders

This parameter specifies your hard disk’s number of cylinders, and is automatically set
depending on your Type parameter setting.

Heads

This parameter specifies your hard disk’s number of heads, and is automatically set
depending on your Type parameter setting.

Chapter 3 - BIOS Utility 3-11

Sectors

This parameter specifies your hard disk’s number of sectors, and is automatically set
depending on your Type parameter setting.

Size

This parameter specifies the size of your hard disk, in MB.

Hard Disk Size > 504 MB

When set to Auto , the BIOS utility automatically detects if the installed hard disk
supports the function. If supported, it allows you to use a hard disk with a capacity of
more than 504 MB. This is made possible through the Logical Block Address (LBA)
mode translation. However, this enhanced IDE feature works only under a DOS or
Windows 3.x/95/98 environment. Other operating systems require this parameter to be
set to Disabled.

Hard Disk Block Mode

This function enhances disk performance depending on the hard disk in use. If you set
this parameter to Auto , the BIOS utility automatically detects if the installed hard disk
drive supports the Block Mode function. If supported, it allows data transfer in block
(multiple sectors) at a rate of 256 bytes per cycle. To disregard the feature, change the
setting to Disabled.

This parameter appears only when you are in the Advanced Level.

Advanced PIO Mode

When set to Auto , the BIOS utility automatically detects if the installed hard disk
supports the function. If supported, it allows for faster data recovery and read/write

AcerPower 2100 User’s Guide3-12

timing that reduces hard disk activity time. This results in better hard disk performance.
To disregard the feature, change the setting to Disabled.

This parameter appears only when you are in the Advanced Level.

Hard Disk 32-bit Access

Enabling this parameter improves system performance by allowing the use of the 32-bit
hard disk access. This enhanced IDE feature works only under DOS, Windows 3.x/95/98,
and Novell NetWare. If your software or hard disk does not support this function, set this
parameter to Disabled.

This parameter appears only when you are in the Advanced Level.

DMA Transfer Mode

The Ultra DMA and Multi-DMA modes enhance hard disk performance by increasing the
transfer rate. However, besides enabling these features in the BIOS Setup, both the Ultra
DMA and Multi-DMA modes require the DMA driver to be loaded. By setting this
parameter to Auto , BIOS automatically sets the appropriate DMA mode for your hard
disk.

This parameter appears only when you are in the Advanced Level.

CD-ROM Drive DMA Mode

Set this parameter to Enabled to enable the DMA mode for the CD-ROM drive. This
improves the system performance since it allows direct memory access to the CD-ROM.
To deactivate the function, set the parameter to Disabled .

This parameter appears only when you are in the Advanced Level.

Chapter 3 - BIOS Utility 3-13

3.5 Onboard Peripherals

The Onboard Peripherals menu allows you to configure the onboard devices. Selecting
this option from the main menu displays the following screen:

Onboard Peripherals

Serial Port 1 .......................[Enabled ]

Base Address .....................[3F8h]

IRQ ..............................[ 4 ]

Parallel Port .......................[Enabled ]

Base Address .....................[378h]

IRQ ..............................[ 7 ]

Operation Mode ...................[Bi-Directional]

ECP DMA Channel ................[ - ]

• Onboard Device Settings

3.5.1 Serial Port 1

This parameter allows you to enable or disable serial port 1.

Base Address

This function lets you set a logical base address for the serial port. The options are:

• 3F8h

• 2F8h

• 3E8h

• 2E8h

IRQ

This function lets you assign an interrupt for the serial port. The options are IRQ 4 and

3.

AcerPower 2100 User’s Guide3-14

The Base Address and IRQ parameters are
configurable only if the Serial Port parameter is
enabled.

3.5.2 Parallel Port

This parameter allows you to enable or disable the parallel port.

Base Address

This function lets you set a logical base address for the parallel port. The options are:

• 3BCh

• 378h

• 278h

IRQ

This function lets you assign an interrupt for the parallel port. The options are IRQ 5 and

7.

The Base Address and IRQ parameters are
configurable only if the Parallel Port is enabled.

If you install an add-on card that has a parallel port
whose address conflicts with the parallel port on
board, a warning message appears on the screen.

Check the parallel port address on the add-on card
and change the address to one that does not conflict.

Chapter 3 - BIOS Utility 3-15

Operation Mode

This item allows you to set the operation mode of the parallel port. Table 3-1 lists the
different operation modes.

Table 3-1 Parallel Port Operation Mode Settings

Setting Function

Standard Parallel Port (SPP) Allows normal speed one-way operation
Standard and Bidirectional Allows normal speed operation in a two-

way mode

Enhanced Parallel Port (EPP) Allows bidirectional parallel port

operation at maximum speed

Extended Capabilities Port
(ECP)

Allows parallel port to operate in
bidirectional mode and at a speed higher
than the maximum data transfer rate

AcerPower 2100 User’s Guide3-16

ECP DMA Channel

This item becomes active only if you select Extended Capabilities Port (ECP)
as the operation mode. It allows you to assign DMA channel 1 or DMA channel 3 for the
ECP parallel port function (as required in Windows 95).

3.5.3 Onboard Device Settings

The Onboard Device Settings menu allows you to configure the device controllers
available onboard. Selecting this option from the Onboard Peripherals menu displays the
following screen:

Onboard Device Settings

Floppy Disk Controller ..............[Enabled ]

IDE Controller ......................[Both ]

PS/2 Mouse Controller ...............[Enabled ]

USB Host Controller .................[Enabled ]

USB Legacy Mode ...................[Disabled]

Onboard Audio Chip ..................[Enabled ]

Onboard Ethernet Chip ...............[Enabled ]

Floppy Disk Controller

This parameter lets you enable or disable the onboard floppy disk controller.

IDE Controller

Set this parameter to Primary to enable only the primary IDE channel; Secondary to
enable only the secondary IDE channel; Both to enable both primary and secondary IDE
channels; or Disabled to disable the onboard IDE controllers.

Chapter 3 - BIOS Utility 3-17

PS/2 Mouse Controller

This parameter enables or disables the onboard PS/2 mouse controller.

USB Host Controller

This parameter lets you enable or disable the USB controller on board. When enabled, it
activates the USB function of the system. When disabled, it deactivates the function.

USB Legacy Mode

This function, when enabled, lets you use a USB keyboard in a DOS environment. Set
this to Disabled to deactivate the USB keyboard function in DOS environment. This
parameter is configurable only if the USB Host Controller parameter is enabled.

Onboard Audio Chip

This parameter lets you enable or disable the onboard audio controller. If you installed an
audio card into your system, you must disable this parameter for the card to work
properly.

Onboard Ethernet Chip

This parameter lets you enable or disable the onboard ethernet controller. If you installed
an ethernet card into your system, you must disable this parameter for the card to work
properly.

3.6 Power Management

The Power Management menu lets you configure the system power-management feature.

AcerPower 2100 User’s Guide3-18

The following screen shows the Power Management parameters and their default settings:

Power Management

Power Management Mode ...............[Enabled ]

IDE Hard Disk Standby Timer ......[Off]

System Sleep Timer ...............[Off]

Sleep Mode .....................[----]

Power Switch < 4 Sec.................[Suspend]

Schedule Resume from Suspend.........[Disabled]

Resume Time........................[--:--:--]

System Wake-Up Event

Modem Ring Indicator...............[Enabled]

3.6.1 Power Management Mode

This parameter allows you to reduce power consumption. When this parameter is set to

Enabled, you can configure the IDE hard disk and system timers. Setting it to
Disabled deactivates the power-management feature and its timers.

IDE Hard Disk Standby Timer

This parameter allows the hard disk to enter standby mode after inactivity of 1 to 15
minutes, depending on your setting. When you access the hard disk again, allow 3 to 5
seconds (depending on the hard disk) for the disk to return to normal speed. Set this
parameter to Off if your hard disk does not support this function.

System Sleep Timer

This parameter automatically puts the system to power-saving mode after a specified
period of inactivity. Any keyboard or mouse action, or any activity detected from the IRQ
channels resumes system operation.

Chapter 3 - BIOS Utility 3-19

Sleep Mode

This parameter lets you specify the power-saving mode that the system will enter after a
specified period of inactivity. The options are Standby or Suspend mode.

This parameter becomes configurable only if the System Sleep Timer is enabled. Any
keyboard or mouse action, or any enabled monitored activity occurring through the IRQ
channels resumes system operation.

3.6.2 Power Switch < 4 sec.

When set to Power Off, the system automatically turns off when the power switch is
pressed. When set to Suspend, the system enters the suspend mode.

3.6.3 Schedule Resume from Suspend

This parameter allows you to set a certain time to wake-up your system from suspend
mode. The default setting is Disabled.

Resume Time

If Schedule Resume from Suspend is enabled, the system will resume operation on the
time indicated here.

3.6.4 System Wake-Up Event

This parameter lets you specify the activity that will resume the system to normal
operation.

AcerPower 2100 User’s Guide3-20

Modem Ring Indicator

When Enabled, any fax/modem activity wakes the system from Sleep mode.

3.7 Boot Options

This option allows you to specify your preferred settings for bootup.

The following screen appears if you select Boot Options from the main menu:

Boot Options

Boot Sequence
1st [Floppy Disk]
2nd [Hard Disk]
3rd [CD-ROM]

First Hard Disk Drive .................[IDE]

Primary Display Adapter ...............[Auto]

Fast Boot .............................[Auto ]

Silent Boot ...........................[Enabled ]

Num Lock After Boot ...................[Enabled ]

Memory Test ...........................[Disabled]

*Configuration Table ...................[Enabled ]

*Boot from LANDesk Service Agent .......[Disabled]

The parameter marked with ‘*’ will only
appear if you access the advanced
configuration level in the Main Menu. Please
refer to section 3.1 for more information.

Chapter 3 - BIOS Utility 3-21

3.7.1 Boot Sequence

This parameter allows you to specify the boot search sequence. To change the order of
devices, simply press or

3.7.2 First Hard Disk Drive

This parameter specifies whether the BIOS utility will boot from an IDE hard disk drive
or a SCSI hard disk drive. The system will automatically boot from an IDE hard disk if
your system does not have a SCSI hard disk drive. The default setting is IDE .

3.7.3 Primary Display Adapter

Setting this parameter to Onboard enables the onboard video controller. Normally, the
onboard video controller is considered as the primary display adapter. If you installed a
video card into your system, set this parameter to Auto . BIOS will automatically disable
the onboard video controller and consider the video card as the primary display adapter.

3.7.4 Fast Boot

Setting this parameter to Auto allows the system to boot faster by skipping some POST
routines. Select Disabled to return to the normal booting process.

3.7.5 Silent Boot

This parameter enables or disables the Silent Boot function. When set to Enabled , BIOS
is in graphical mode and displays only an identification logo during POST and while
booting. Then, the screen displays the operating system prompt (as in DOS) or logo (as in
Windows 95). If any error occurred while booting, the system automatically switches to
the text mode.

AcerPower 2100 User’s Guide3-22

Even if your setting is Enabled , you may also switch to the text mode while booting by
pressing after you hear a beep that indicates the activation of the keyboard.

When set to Disabled , BIOS is in the conventional text mode where you see the system
initialization details on the screen.

3.7.6 Num Lock After Boot

This parameter allows you to activate the Num Lock function upon booting. The default
setting is Enabled.

3.7.7 Memory Test

When set to Enabled , this parameter allows the system to perform a RAM test during
the POST routine. When set to Disabled , the system detects only the memory size and
bypasses the test routine. The default setting is Disabled.

3.7.8 Configuration Table

This parameter allows you to enable or disable the appearance of the configuration table
after POST but before booting. The configuration table gives a summary of the hardware
devices and settings that BIOS detected during POST.

3.7.9 Boot from LanDesk Service Agent

The LanDesk Service Agent is a pre-boot agent that enables the system to be booted from
a remote management server. It allows the Configuration Manager to take control of the
system configuration before the system’s operating system boots. You may find remote
booting useful when installing, repairing, or upgrading system’s OS and other installed
applications.
Set this parameter to Enabled to allow the system to boot from LanDesk Service Agent.
Otherwise, select disabled.

Chapter 3 - BIOS Utility 3-23

3.8 Date and Time

The following screen appears if you select the Date and Time option from the main menu:

Date and Time

Date ..................... [WWW MM DD, YYYY]

Time ..................... [HH:MM:SS]

3.8.1 Date

Highlight the items on the Date parameter and press or to set the date following
the weekday-month-day-year format.

Valid values for weekday, month, day, and year are:

• Weekday Sun, Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat

• Month 1 to 12

• Day 1 to 31

• Year 1980 to 2079

3.8.2 Time

Highlight the items on the Time parameter and press or to set the time following
the hour-minute-second format.

AcerPower 2100 User’s Guide3-24

Valid values for hour, minute, and second are:

• Hour 00 to 23

• Minute 00 to 59

• Second 00 to 59

3.9 System Security

The Setup program has a number of security features to prevent unauthorized access to the
system and its data.

The following screen appears if you select System Security from the main menu:

Chapter 3 - BIOS Utility 3-25

System Security

Setup Password ................. [ None ]

Power-on Password .............. [ None ]

3.9.1 Setup Password

The Setup Password prevents unauthorized access to the BIOS utility.

Setting a Password

1. Make sure that switch no. 2 of SW1 is set to Off (bypass password).

You cannot enter the BIOS utility if a Setup
password does not exist and switch no. 2 of SW1
is set to On (password check enabled).

By default, switch no. 2 of SW1 is set to Off
(bypass password).

2. Enter the BIOS utility and select System Security.

3. Highlight the Setup Password parameter and press or . The following screen

appears:

AcerPower 2100 User’s Guide3-26

Setup Password

Enter your new Password twice. Password
may be up to 7 characters long.

Enter Password ................. [XXXXXXX]

Enter Password again ........... [XXXXXXX]

Set or Change Password

4. Type a password. The password may consist of up to seven characters. Then press

.

Be very careful when typing your password
because the characters do not appear on the
screen.

5. Retype the password then press .

6. After setting the password, highlight the Set or Change Password option.

7. Press to return to the System Security screen.

8. Press to return to the main menu.

9. Press to exit the BIOS utility. A dialog box appears asking if you want to save

the CMOS data.

10. Select Yes to save the changes and reboot the system.

11. After rebooting, turn off the system then open the housing.

12. Set switch no. 2 of SW1 to On to enable the password function.

Chapter 3 - BIOS Utility 3-27

The next time you want to enter the BIOS utility, you must key-in your Setup password.

Changing or Removing the Setup Password

Should you want to change your setup password, do the following:

1. Enter the BIOS utility and select System Security.

2. Highlight the Setup Password parameter and press or . The Setup Password

menu appears.

3. From the Setup Password menu, highlight the Set or Change Password option.

4. Enter a new password.

5. Press to return to the System Security screen.

6. Press to return to the main menu.

7. Press to exit the BIOS utility. A dialog box appears asking if you want to save

the CMOS data.

8. Select Yes to save the changes.

To remove the password, simply select the Setup Password parameter from the System
Security menu and set it to None .

Bypassing the Setup Password

If you forget your setup password, you can bypass the password security feature by
hardware. Follow these steps to bypass the password:

1. Turn off and unplug the system.

AcerPower 2100 User’s Guide3-28

2. Open the system housing and set switch no. 2 of SW1 to Off to bypass the password

function.

3. Turn on the system and enter the BIOS utility. This time, the system does not require

you to type in a password.

You can either change the existing Setup
password or remove it by selecting None . Refer
to the previous section for the procedure.

3.9.2 Power-on Password

The Power-on Password secures your system against unauthorized use. Once you set this
password, you have to type it whenever you boot the system. To set this password, enter
the BIOS utility, select System Security, then highlight the Power-on Password parameter.
Follow the same procedure as in setting the Setup password.

Make sure switch no. 2 of SW1 is set Off to enable
the Power-on password.

Operation Mode

This function lets you enable or disable the password prompt display. When set to

Normal , the password prompt appears before system boot. When set to Keyboard
Lock , the password prompt does not appear; however, your system will not respond to

any keyboard or mouse input until you enter the correct password.

The default setting is Normal.

Chapter 3 - BIOS Utility 3-29

3.10 Advanced Options

The Advanced Options selection is available
only in the Advanced Level.

The Advanced Options menu allows you to configure the system memory, onboard
peripherals, and PCI device settings.

Do not change any settings in the Advanced
Options if you are not a qualified technician
to avoid damaging the system.

The following screen shows the Advanced Options parameters:

Advanced Options

• *Memory/Cache Options

• *PnP/PCI Options

AcerPower 2100 User’s Guide3-30

3.10.1 Memory/Cache Options

Selecting Memory/Cache Options from the Advanced Options menu displays the
following screen:

Memory/Cache Options

*Internal Cache (CPU Cache) .........[Enabled ]

*External Cache ....................[Enabled ]

*Cache Scheme ....................[Write-back]

*Memory at 15MB-16MB Reserved for ..[System]

*Memory Parity Mode .................[Disable]

This menu lets you configure the system memory.

Internal Cache (CPU Cache)

This parameter enables or disables the primary cache memory, i.e., the CPU memory.
The default setting is Enabled.

Chapter 3 - BIOS Utility 3-31

External Cache

This parameter enables or disables the secondary cache memory.

The default setting is Enabled.

Cache Scheme

This parameter display the cache scheme in Write-back mode. Write-back updates the cache
but not the memory when there is a write instruction. It updates the memory only when
there is an inconsistency between the cache and the memory.

Memory at 15MB-16MB Reserved For

To prevent memory address conflicts between the system and expansion boards, reserve
this memory range for the use of either the system or an expansion board.

Some VGA cards have required settings for
this feature. Check your VGA card manual
before setting this parameter.

Memory Parity Mode

This parameter allows you to enable or disable the ECC (Error Checking and Correction)
feature. The ECC feature enables BIOS to detect and correct data errors. Disable this
parameter if you want to disregard the function.

AcerPower 2100 User’s Guide3-32

3.10.2 PnP/PCI Options

The PnP/PCI Options allows you to specify the settings for your PCI devices. Selecting
this option displays the following screen:

PnP/PCI Options

*PCI IRQ Setting ..........[ Auto ]

*PCI Slot 1 .............[--] [--] [--] [--]

*PCI Slot 2 .............[--] [--] [--] [--]

*PCI Slot 3 .............[--] [--] [--] [--]

*PCI IRQ Sharing ............ [Yes]

*VGA Palette Snoop ......... [Disabled]

*Plug and Play OS ........... [Yes]

*Reset Resource Assignments . [No ]

PCI IRQ Setting

Select Auto to let BIOS automatically configure the plug-and-play (PnP) devices installed
in your system. Otherwise, select Manual.

INTA INTB INTC INTD

Refer to your manual for technical
information about the PCI card.

Chapter 3 - BIOS Utility 3-33

PCI Slots

When you set the PCI IRQ Setting parameter to Auto , these parameters specify the auto­assigned interrupt for each of the PCI devices. If you set the PCI IRQ Setting parameter
to Manual , you need to specify the interrupt that you want to assign for each PCI device
installed in your system.

PCI IRQ Sharing

Setting this parameter to Yes allows you to assign the same IRQ to two different devices.
To disable the feature, select No.

If there are no IRQs available to assign for
the remaining device function, we
recommend that you enable this parameter.

VGA Palette Snoop

This parameter permits you to use the palette snooping feature if you installed more than
one VGA card in the system.

The VGA palette snoop function allows the control palette register (CPR) to manage and
update the VGA RAM DAC (Digital Analog Converter, a color data storage) of each
VGA card installed in the system. The snooping process lets the CPR send a signal to all
the VGA cards so that they can update their individual RAM DACs. The signal goes
through the cards continuously until all RAM DAC data has been updated. This allows
the display of multiple images on the screen.

Some VGA cards have required settings for this
feature. Check your VGA card manual before
setting this parameter.

AcerPower 2100 User’s Guide3-34

Plug and Play OS

When this parameter is set to Yes , BIOS initializes only PnP boot devices such as SCSI
cards. When set to No, BIOS initializes all PnP boot and non-boot devices such as sound
cards.

Set this parameter to Yes only if your operating
system is Windows 95 (or higher).

Reset Resource Assignments

Set this parameter to Yes to avoid IRQ conflict when installing non-PnP or PnP ISA
cards. This clears all resource assignments and allows BIOS to reassign resources to all
installed PnP devices the next time the system boots. After clearing the resource data, the
parameter resets to No.
Refer to section 4.3.2 for instructions on installing and configuring ISA cards.

Chapter 3 - BIOS Utility 3-35

3.11 Load Default Settings

You need to reload the BIOS default settings every time you make changes to your system
hardware configuration (such as memory size, CPU type, hard disk type, etc.); otherwise,
BIOS will keep the previous CMOS settings. Selecting this option displays the following
dialog box:

Do you want to load default settings?

[Yes] [No]

Choosing Yes enables BIOS to automatically detect the hardware changes that you have
made in your system. This option also allows you to restore the default settings.

Choosing No returns you to the main menu without loading the default settings.

3.12 Abort Settings Change

Selecting the Abort Settings Change option from the main menu displays the following
dialog box:

Do you want to abort settings change?

[Yes] [No]

Choosing Yes discards all the changes that you have made and reverts the parameters to
their previously saved settings.

Choosing No returns you to the main menu. BIOS retains all changes that you have
made.

AcerPower 2100 User’s Guide3-36

3.13 Exiting Setup

To exit the BIOS utility, simply press . The following dialog box appears:

Do you really want to exit SETUP?

[Yes] [No]

Select Yes to exit Setup. Select No to return to the main menu. If you have made
changes in the parameter settings, the following dialog box appears:

Settings have been changed.

Do you want to save CMOS settings?

[Yes] [No]

Select Yes to save your changes before you exit Setup. Select No to discard all changes
and exit Setup.

Chapter 3 - BIOS Utility 3-37

Chapter 4 Installing Optional
Components

4.1 Installation Precautions

Before you install any system component, we recommend that you read the following
sections. These sections contain important ESD precautions, pre- and post installation
instructions.

4.1.1 ESD Precautions

Electrostatic discharge (ESD) can damage your processor, disk drives, expansion boards,
and other components. Always observe the following precautions before you install a
system component:

1. Do not remove a component from its protective packaging until you are ready to

install it.

2. Wear a wrist grounding strap and attach it to a metal part of the system unit before

handling components. If a wrist strap is not available, maintain contact with the
system unit throughout any procedure requiring ESD protection.

Chapter 4 - Installing Optional Components 4-1

4.1.2 Pre-installation Instructions

Always observe the following before you install a system component:

1. Turn off the system power and all the peripherals connected to the unit before

opening it. Read section 1.5 for information on how to properly turn off the system.

Make sure that the system is unplugged..

2. Open the system according to the instructions in the housing installation manual.

3. Follow the ESD precautions in section 4.1.1 before handling a system component.

4. Remove any expansion boards or peripherals that block access to the DIMM sockets

or CPU socket.

5. See the following sections for specific instructions on the component you wish to

install.

Do not attempt the procedures described in
the following sections unless you are a
qualified service technician.

AcerPower 2100 User’s Guide4-2

4.1.3 Post-installation Instructions

jumper settings

Observe the following after installing a system component:

1. See to it that the components are installed according to the step-by-step instructions

in their respective sections.

2. Unplug the system unit.

3. Make sure you have set all the required jumpers. See section 2.3.2 for the correct

jumper settings or refer to the jumper setting label pasted inside the system cover.

label

Figure 4-1 Jumper Setting Label Location

4. Replace any expansion boards or peripherals that you removed earlier.

5. Replace the system cover.

6. Connect the necessary cables and turn on the system.

Chapter 4 - Installing Optional Components 4-3

4.2 Removing and Replacing the Housing
Cover

Before you proceed, make sure that you
have turned off the system and all
peripherals connected to it. Read section

4.1.2 for pre-installation instructions.

This section tells you how to open the housing cover when you need to install additional
components inside the system unit.

4.2.1 Removing the Housing Cover

1. Turn off power to the system unit and unplug all cables.

2. Place the system unit on a flat, steady surface.

3. Remove three screws from the rear panel. Set the screws aside. You will need them

when replacing the housing cover.

Figure 4-2 Removing the Screws

AcerPower 2100 User’s Guide4-4

4. Push the housing cover slightly backward as indicated in Figure 4-3.

5. Pull the housing cover upward and remove it from the chassis.

Figure 4-3 Removing the Housing Cover

Chapter 4 - Installing Optional Components 4-5

4.2.2 Replacing the Housing Cover

1. Replace the housing cover as shown in Figure 4-4.

Figure 4-4 Replacing the Housing Cover

2. Secure the housing cover with the necessary screws.

Figure 4-5 Securing the Screws

AcerPower 2100 User’s Guide4-6

4.3 Disassembling and Reassembling the
System

When upgrading, you may need to disassemble your system in order to access the system
board and other components inside the system.

To disassemble the system:

1. The metal cover inside the housing gives additional support to the housing’s

structure. To remove the metal cover, remove two screws located on the inner side of
the metal bracket (the screw attaches the metal bracket to the riser card). Insert two
fingers into the hole and gently draw it back as you lift it up.

Metal Cover

Riser Card

Figure 4-6 Detaching the Metal Cover

Chapter 4 - Installing Optional Components 4-7

2. Disconnect the drive cables then pull the disk frame holding the CD-ROM drive, hard

drive, and the 3.5-inch diskette drive.

Figure 4-7 Removing the Drive Frame with CD-ROM, hard disk, and 3.5-inch

Diskette Drives

3. When the drives have been removed, you can now access the system board and the

riser card.

To reassemble the system:

To reassemble the system, simply reverse the procedure. However, before you reassemble
your system, make sure that you have installed all necessary components and connected
the cables.

AcerPower 2100 User’s Guide4-8

4.4 Replacing the Hard Disk Drive

1. Detach the hard disk drive bay from the disk drive metal frame by removing the

screw as shown below.

Figure 4-8 Removing the Hard Disk Drive

Chapter 4 - Installing Optional Components 4-9

2. Remove the necessary screws to detach the hard disk drive from the bracket.

Figure 4-9 Removing a Hard Disk Drive from the Bracket

3. Attach the new hard disk drive to the hard disk drive bay with the necessary screws.

Figure 4-10 Attaching a Hard Disk Drive to the Bracket

AcerPower 2100 User’s Guide4-10