Acer AAR300 User Manual

Altos R300

User’s guide

Altos R300 User’s guide

Changes may be made periodically to the information in this publication without obligation to notify any person of such revision or changes. Such changes will be incorporated in new editions of this manual or supplementary documents and publications. This company makes no representations or warranties, either expressed or implied, with respect to the contents hereof and specifically disclaims the implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.

Record the model number, serial number, purchase date, and place of purchase information in the space provided below. The serial number and model number are recorded on the label affixed to your computer. All correspondense concerning your unit should include the serial number, model number, and purchase information.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of Acer Incorporated.

Model Number : _________________________________

Serial Number: ___________________________________

Purchase Date: ___________________________________

Place of Purchase: ________________________________

Acer and the Acer Logo are registered trademarks of Acer Inc. Other company’s product names or trademarks are used herein for identification purposes only and belong to their respective companies.

iii

Notices

FCC notice

This device has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This device 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 device does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the device off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures:

• Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna

• Increase the separation between the device and receiver

• Connect the device into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected

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

Notice: Shield cables

All connections to other computing devices must be made using shielded cables to maintain compliance with FCC regulations.

Notice: Peripheral devices

Only peripherals (input/output devices, terminals, printers, etc.) certified to comply with the Class B limits may be attached to this equipment. Operation with noncertified peripherals is likely to result in interference to radio and TV reception.

Caution! Changes or modifications not expressly approved by the manufacturer could void the user’s authority, which is granted by the Federal Communications Commission, to operate this system.

Use conditions

This part complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1) this device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) this device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.

Notice: Canadian users

This Class B digital apparatus meets all requirements of the Canadian Interference-Causing Equipment Regulations.

Remarque à l’intention des utilisateurs canadiens

Cet appareil numérique de la classe B respected toutes les exigences du Règlement sur le matériel brouilleur du Canada

Important safety information

Checking the power cords

Warning! To avoid electrical shock, do not attempt to modify or use the supplied AC power cord(s), if they are not the exact type required.

If a power cord(s) supplied is not compatible with the AC wall outlet in your region, get one that meets the following criteria:

• The power cord must be properly rated for the AC voltage in your region.

• The power cord plug cap must have an electrical current rating that is at least 125% of the electrical current rating of the product.

• The power cord plug cap that plugs into the wall socket-outlet must have a grounding-type male plug designed for use in your region.

• The power cord must have safety certifications for your region, and shall be marked with the certification markings.

• The power supply cord(s) is the main disconnect device to AC power. The socket outlet(s) shall be near the equipment and shall be readily accessible for disconnection.

Multiple power cords

Warning! To avoid electrical shock, disconnect all AC power cords before accessing system internals.

Earth grounded socket outlets

Warning! To avoid electrical shock, the system power cord(s) must be plugged into socket-outlet(s) that is/are provided with a suitable earth ground.

Precautionary reminders

• Power supply modules

Power supply modules have double-pole/neutral fusing.

• Ventilation considerations

The equipment rack must provide sufficient airflow to the front of the system to maintain proper cooling. The rack selected and the ventilation provided must be suitable to the environment in which the system will be used.

•Fans

To avoid injury do not touch moving fan blades.

• Cooling and airflow

For proper cooling and airflow, always install all access covers before turning on the system. Operating the system for longer than five minutes without the covers in place can cause overheating and damage to system components.

• Temperature limits

The operating temperature of the system, when installed in the rack, must not go below 10°C (50°F) or rise above 35°C (95°F). Extreme fluctuations in temperature may cause a variety of system problems, and safety limits may be broken.

• Lifting and Moving

Do not attempt to lift or move the system by the handles on the power supplies.

• System covers

The system cover is an integral part of this product. If you need to open your system to install new components, always remember to reinstall the system cover before turning on the system.

vii

Important safety instructions

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

1 Follow all warnings and instructions marked on the product.

2 Unplug this product from the wall outlet before cleaning. Do not use

liquid cleaners or aerosol cleaners. Use a damp cloth for cleaning.

3 Do not use this product near water.

4 Do not place this product on an unstable cart, stand, or table. The product

may fall, causing serious damage to the product.

5 Slots and openings in the housing 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. The openings should never be blocked by placing the product on a bed, sofa, rug, or other similar surface. 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.

6 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.

7 Do not allow anything to rest on the power cord. Do not locate this

product where persons will walk on the cord.

8 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 the fuse rating.

9 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.

10 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.

11 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

viii

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 service personnel 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.

12 Replace the 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 service personnel.

13 Warning! Batteries may explode if not handled properly. Do not

disassemble or dispose of them in fire. Keep them away from children and dispose of used batteries promptly.

14 Use only the proper type of power supply cord set (provided in your

accessories box) for this unit.

Important installation instructions

Since Altos R300 is also considered to be rack-mountable, instructions addressing suitable installation of the equipment in a rack are required to be supplied by the equipment manufacturer. Through the use of simple statements in the installation instructions, the following general hazards shall be addressed. These potential hazards are considered common to most rack installations:

1 Elevated operating ambient temperature

The details should be provided so that consideration shall be given to installing the equipment in an environment compatible with the manufacturer’s maximum rated ambient temperature 35°C (95°F).

2 Reduced air flow

Installation of the equipment in a rack shall be such that the amount of airflow required for safe operation of the equipment is not compromised.

3 Mechanical loading

Mounting of the equipment in the rack shall be such that a hazardous condition is not achieved due to uneven mechanical loading.

4 Circuit overloading

Consideration should be given to connection of the equipment to the supply circuit and the effect that overloading circuits may have on overcurrent protection and supply wiring. Appropriate consideration of the equipment nameplate rating should be used when addressing this concern.

5 Reliable earthing

Reliable earthing of the rack mounted equipment should be maintained.

Laser compliance statement

The CD-ROM drive in this system is a laser product. The CD-ROM drive’s classification label (shown below) is located on the drive.

CLASS 1 LASER PRODUCT CAUTION: INVISIBLE LASER RADIATION WHEN OPEN. AVOID EXPOSURE TO BEAM.

Notices iii

FCC notice iii Important safety information v Important safety instructions vii Important installation instructions ix Laser compliance statement x

1 System overview 1

Overview 3

Processors 3 Memory 4 System chipsets 4 Expansion slot 5 Hardware management support 5

Features summary 6

Weight 7 Power consumption 7 Thermal dissipation 8

2 System tour 9

External and internal structure 11

Front panel 11 Rear panel 12 Internal components 13

System board 14

Mainboard layout 14

Disk drives 17

Floppy disk drive 17 CD-ROM drive 18 Hard disk drive 19

Preinstallation requirements 20

Selecting a site 20 Checking the package contents 20

Basic connections 21

Connecting the PS/2 keyboard 21 Connecting the PS/2 mouse 22 Connecting the VGA monitor 23 Connecting the power cable 24

Connecting option 25

USB devices 25 Network 26

Turning on your system 27

Contents

Power-on problems 27

Turning off your system 29

3 Upgrading your system 31

Installation precautions 33

ESD precautions 33 Preinstallation instructions 33 Post-installation instructions 34

Opening your system 35

Removing the system cover 35 Replacing the system cover 36

Installing an expansion card 37

To install a PCI card on PCI slot 1 37 To install a PCI-SCSI card on PCI slot 2 39

Removing or installing the hard disk drive 41

Installing SCSI hard disks 45

Removing and installing the CPU 47

Removing the CPU 47 Installing the CPU 48

Removing and installing memory modules 50

Removing a DDR DIMM 50 Installing a DDR DIMM 51

4 BIOS Setup utility 53

BIOS Setup utility 55 Entering Setup 56 System Summary 58 Product Information 60 Devices and I/O Ports 61

Console Redirection 63 Serial Port Setup 66 USB Setup 67 IDE Primary Master Device 68 IDE Secondary Master Device 71

Start Options 73

Startup Sequence 75 Date and Time 76 System Security 77

Setting and changing the password 79

Removing a password 80 Advanced Setup 81

Memory/Cache Options 82

PnP/PCI Options 83

CPU Frequency 86

Memory Settings 88 Power Management 89 Error Log 90

View Event Log 91 Save Settings 92 Restore Settings 93 Load Default Settings 94 Exit Setup 95

Appendix A: ASM quick installation guide 97

Installing ASM 99

System requirements 99

System setup 100

Appendix B: Altos R300

Rack installation guide 103

System rack installation 105

Vertical mounting hole pattern 107 Screw types used 108 Installing cage nuts 109 Installing the system into the rack 110

To install the system into a four-post rack 110

To install the system into a two-post rack 115

1 System overview

The Altos R300 is a 1U, high-density, rack-mountable single-processor system loaded with a host of new and innovative features. The system offers a new standard for flexible productivity ideal for local or wide area networks and multi-user server environments.

Overview

The Altos R300 system is a PCI bus based processor system built on an optimized baseboard. It comes with a single socket 478 processor slot utilizing an Intel with the Server Works GC-SL core logic chipset consisting of three distinct components: CMIC-SL, CIOBX2 and CSB5. The mainboard also integrates two Broadcom BCM 5703 10/100/1000 Base-T Gigabit Ethernet controllers solution for high performance network applications reducing power consumption.

For expandability, the system includes two 64-bit/100 MHz PCI-X bus slots and four DIMM slots that allow memory installation up to a maximum capacity of 4 GB.

For connectivity, the mainboard provides two USB (Universal Serial Bus) connectors, PS/2 interfaces for both mouse and keyboard, one UART serial port, one monitor port and two LAN ports.

For media storage, Altos R300 supports one slim-type CD-ROM drive, one slim-type floppy disk drive and a hard disk drive.

The system is fully compatible with Windows 2000 Server, SCO OpenServer 5.0.6, Unixware 7.1.1, NetWare 6, and Red Hat Linux 8.

Pentium® 4 processor or Intel® Celeron processor

Processors

The Intel® Pentium® 4 processor implements a new scalable system bus protocol. The system bus uses SST (Source-Synchronous Transfer) of addresses and data to improve performance for servers or workstations. With its on-die 512-KB level two (L2) cache implementing the Advanced Transfer Cache Architecture, the Intel processor delivers higher performance than previous Pentium III processors while maintaining binary compatibility with all previous

Architecture processors.

Intel

The mainboard supports FSB (front-side bus) speed up to 533 MHz.

Pentium® 4

1 System overview4

Memory

The four DIMM sockets on board accept 256-, 512-MB or 1-GB DDR (Double Data Rate) SDRAM for a maximum memory capacity of up to 4 GB.

For data integrity, the default setting for the ECC (error correcting code) function of the memory system in BIOS is enabled.

Note: The mainboard supports PC2100/DDR-266 SDRAM DIMMs.

Refer to “Mainboard layout” on page 14 for the location of these DIMM slots on the mainboard.

System chipsets

Server Works chipset

The Server Works GC-SL(Grand Champion – Super Lite) chipset is specifically designed to meet the needs of high performance systems. It consists of the following components:

• CMIC-SL (north bridge) is responsible for communication between the processor, the memory bus, and the IMB (inter-module bus) bus. It runs directly to the processor bus at 133MHz and integrates the functions of main memory controller for DDR. IMB interface unit runs at 400MHz and connects to CIOBX2, and one narrowversion of IMB (Thin-IMB) connects to South Bridge CSB5.

• CIOBX2 (I/O bridge) is a peripheral chip that performs PCI bridging function between the IMB and the 2 PCI-X buses.

• CSB5 (south bridge) integrates the LPC interface that links super I/O functions like keyboard and mouse interface, floppy disk controller, advanced digital data separator, serial port, on-chip 12 mA AT bus drivers, one floppy direct drive support, and IPM (intelligent power management) support.

LAN subsystem

Integrated in your system are two Gigabit Ethernet controllers, BCM5703 10/100/1000BASE-T Ethernet LAN controllers. With sophisticated 64-bit PCI component and combination of triple-speed Ethernet transceiver, the LAN subsystem enables high-level command processing and multiple solutions for high-performance network applications.

Video subsystem

The ATI Rage XL harbors 2D and 3D display capabilities that bring life to multimedia and work applications. It also supports hardware DVD decoding. With remarkable color depth and high resolution of up to 1280 x 1024 it enhances every visual experience on your system.

The onboard ATI Rage XL chipset comes with 8 MB SDRAM and supports up to 1280 x 1024 display mode at true color.

Expansion slot

PCI bus

The mainboard has two 64-bit/100 MHz PCI-X bus slots one onboard and another on riser card.

Hardware management support

The mainboard supports a power management function that conforms to the power saving standards of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Energy Star program. It also offers Plug-and-Play features which help save users from configuration problems, making the system more user-friendly.

Additional features include hardware support for ASM (Acer Server Manager). ASM performs server management tasks. It detects problems in the CPU thermal condition, CPU working voltage detection (±12V/±5V/3.3V/1.5V), and PCI bus utilization calculation. It also detects if the CPU fan or the chassis fan malfunctions.

1 System overview6

Features summary

The system has the following major components:

• FC-PGA (Flip-Chip Pin Grid Array) 478 processor socket that supports :

•Intel

• Server Works GC-SL chipset which includes the north, south and I/O bridge

• Onboard dual Broadcom BCM 5703 10/100/1000 Base-T Gigabit Ethernet controllers

• Four DIMM sockets that accept 256-, 512-MB and 1-GB DDR 266 SDRAM DIMMs for a maximum memory capacity of 4 GB

• Storage support for:

• One slim-type CD-ROM drive

• One slim-type floppy disk drive

• Two 64-bit/100 MHz PCI-X slots

• NS PC87414-ICK Super I/O chipset

• ATI Rage XL video chipset

• System clock/calendar with battery backup

• Auxiliary power connector for ATX power supply

• Advanced Server Management (ASM) controller chipsets

• External ports:

• 2 USB ports (front) • Serial port

• PS/2-compatible keyboard port • 2 LAN ports (RJ-45)

• PS/2-compatible mouse port • Monitor/VGA port

Pentium® 4 processor up to 3.06 GHz

(533 MHz system bus)

Celeron processor up to 2.2 GHz

(400 MHz system bus) or above

Weight

The table below lists the weight of individual components used in the deployment of this system in third-party racks.

Item Weight in kg Weight in lbs

Fully configured system (with rack mount kit)

Rack mount kit 3.1 kg 6.82 lbs

CPU and heat sink 0.6 kg 1.32 lbs

Hard disk drive 1kg 2.2 lbs

Power supply module 1.3 kg 2.86 lbs

Floppy disk drive 0.16 kg 0.35 lbs

CD-ROM drive 0.3 kg 0.66 lbs

PCI card 0.04 ~ 0.4 kg 0.09 ~ 0.88 lbs

13 kg 28.6 lbs

Power consumption

The server power supply is rated for a maximum 200W DC output. Maximum input AC power consumption is approximately 307W.

• Using 110V AC power, a fully loaded system can consume up to

2.944A

• Using 200V AC power, a fully loaded system can consume up to

1.619A

Deployment of ultra-dense 1U servers represent a significant power requirement. A simple formula to calculate server power requirements for an installation is:

(Number of servers) x (307W) = maximum power requirements for servers

1 System overview8

Thermal dissipation

Altos R300 has the following cooling systems:

• Three 4-cm CPU fans

• One rear chassis fan

A fully configured Altos R300 server under maximum workload can produce approximately 900 BTU/hr. Air temperature measurements around the system may vary as much as 25°C (45°F) from front to back. Deployment of multiple ultra-dense servers will produce a significant amount of heat. For example, 42 server under maximum workload can generate as much as 37,820 BTU/hr.

2 System tour

This chapter discusses the features and components of your system. Instructions on how to set up your system and connect basic and optional peripherals are also explained.

External and internal structure

Front panel

No. Icon Description

1CD-ROM drive

2 CD-ROM drive indicator

3 CD-ROM drive eject button

4 CD-ROM drive emergency eject hole

5 Floppy disk drive indicator

6 Floppy disk drive

7 Floppy disk drive eject button

8 System event indicator

9 Hard disk activity indicator

10 Reset button

11 Power button

12 Power indicator

13 USB ports (2 ports)

14 Rack mount bracket thumbscrew

2 System tour12

Rear panel

No. Icon Color Description

1 Power cable socket

2 Add-on low profile PCI card bracket

thumbscrew

3 Fan blower

4 Add-on low profile PCI card bracket

5 Add-on PCI card bracket

6 Add-on PCI card bracket thumbscrew

7 Rear system fan

8 Teal or

turquiose

9 Black Gigabit LAN 1 port

10 Black Gigabit LAN 2 port

11 Blue Monitor/VGA port

12 Green PS/2 mouse port

13 Purple PS/2 keyboard port

Serial port

No. Icon Color Description

14 Power supply indicator

15 System event indicator

Internal components

No. Item

1 Power supply

2 Slim type floppy disk drive (top)

Hard disk drive (bottom)

3 Slim type CD-ROM drive (top)

Hard disk drive (bottom)

4 DIMM sockets

5 Air baffle

6 Mainboard

2 System tour14

System board

Mainboard layout

The mainboard becomes accessible once you open the system. It should look like the figure shown below.

Item Description

BT1 Battery

CN1 LED board connector

CN2 Secondary IDE connector

CN3 Primary IDE connector

CN4 PSU (power supply unit) 12V input connector

Item Description

CN5 24-pin ATX power supply connector

CN6 USB connector

CN7 Slim-type FDD connector

CN12 ARMC (Altos Remote Management Card) connector

CN13 Wake on LAN connector

CN16 Lattice chip (not functioning)

CN17 Gigabit LAN port(RJ-45)

CN18 Gigabit LAN port (RJ-45)

CN19 Serial port

CN20 Monitor/VGA port

CN21 SCSI LED connector

CPU CPU socket

DIMM1 to DIMM4

HFAN1 CPU cooling fan 1 connector

HFAN2 CPU cooling fan 2 connector

HFAN4 3-pin fan connector

JK1 PS/2 keyboard port

JK2 PS/2 mouse port

JP2 CMOS clear jumper

JP3 ASR (automatic server restart) disable jumper

JP4 Boot block jumper

JP5 HDD power connector

DIMM slots

Item Description

JP6 IMB training jumper

JP7 I2C bus connector

2 System tour16

LAN1 and LAN2

LED5 Event LED

LED6 Power LED

P1 PCI slot (for debug card purpose only)

PCI slot 1 and PCI slot 2

SW1 NMI (non-maskable interrupt) switch

SYSTEM FAN3 3-pin fan connector

U25 CMIC-SL (north bridge)

U26 CSB5 (south bridge)

U27 CIOBX2 (I/O bridge)

U35 ATI Rage XL VGA chipset

U44 Flash BIOS

Broadcom BCM5703 Gigabit chips

64-bit/100 MHz PCI-X slots (3.3v)

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