Acer Altos 21000 User Guide

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System Guide

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Copyright  1999 by A c er Incorporated. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, transmit ted, 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 t his company.

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This company makes no representations or warranties, either expressed or implied, with respect to the contents hereof and specifically disclaims any warranties, merchantability or fitness for any particul ar pur pose. Any sof tware descri bed in t his m anual i s sold or licensed "as is". Should the programs prove defective following their purchase, t he buyer (and not thi s company, i ts distri butor, or its dealer) assumes the enti re cost of all necessary serv i ci ng, repai r, and any incident al or consequenti al dam ages resulti ng f rom any defect i n the software. F urther, this com pany reserves the ri ght to rev ise this publication and to make changes from time to time in the contents hereof without obligation to notify any person of such revision or changes.

All brand and product names mentioned in this manual are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective companies.

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

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

3. Unplug this product fr om the wal l outl et bef ore cleani ng. Do not use liquid cleaners 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 fal l, causing serious dam age 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 prot ect it f rom over heating, these openings m ust 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 r adiator or heat register , or i n a buil t-i n i nstallat ion unless proper v entilation is provided.

7. This product should be oper ated from the type of power indicated on the marki ng label. If you are not sure of the type of power available, c onsul t your dealer or local power company.

8. This product is equipped with a 3-wire grounding-type plug, a plug hav ing a thir d (grounding) pin. This plug will only fit into a grounding-type power outlet. This i s a safety f eature. If you are unable to insert the plug into the outlet, contact your electri cian to replace your obsolete out l et. Do not def eat the pur pose of t he grounding-type plug.

9. Do not allow anythi ng to rest on the power cord. Do not locate this product where persons will walk on the cord.

iii

10. If an ex t ension cord i s used with thi s product, m ake sure t hat t he total amper e rating of the equipment plugged into the ex tension 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 am per es.

11. Never push objects of any kind int o this product thr ough cabinet slots as they may touch dangerous voltage points or short out parts that could result in a fire or electric shock. Never spill liqui d of any kind on the product.

12. Do not attempt to service this product yourself, as opening or remov i ng cov er s may ex pose you to dangerous v ol t age point s 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 t he followi ng c onditions:

a. When the power cord or plug is damaged or fr ay ed b. If liqui d has been spil led into the pr oduc t c. If t he pr oduc t has been exposed to rain or water d. If the pr oduct does not oper ate norm al l y when t he oper ati ng

instructions are followed. Adjust only those controls that are covered by the operating instructions since improper adjustment of other controls m ay result in dam age and will often require extensive work by a qualified technician to restore the product to normal c ondition.

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

damaged

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

indicat ing a need for service

14. Replace battery with the sam e type as the product's battery we recomm end. Use of anot her batt ery m ay present a ri sk of f i re or explosion. Refer battery replacement to a qualified serviceman.

15. War ning! Batt ery may expl ode if not handl ed properly. Do not recharge, disassemble or dispose of in fire. Keep away from children and dispose of used battery promptly.

16. Use only the proper ty pe of power supply cord set (prov ided in your keyboard/manual accessories box) for thi s uni t. It should be a detachable type: UL listed/CSA certified, type SJT, rated 6A 125V minimum, VDE approved or its equivalent. Maximum length is 15 feet (4.6 meters).

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Note:

This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a C lass B digital device, pursua nt 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 se paration be tween 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 inte rface ca bles, if any, must be used in order to comply with the emission limits.

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Getting Started

This system gui de aims to giv e you al l the necessary inform ation to enable you to set up and operat e the AcerAlt os 21000 system .

Manual St ructure

This system gui de c onsi sts of fi ve chapter s and an i ndex.

Chapter 1 Getting Started

This chapter hel ps you get start ed. I t illustrates how to prepare the system f or instal lati on, connec t the cabl es, and start up the syste m .

Chapter 2 System Housing

This chapter describes the assembly and disassembly of the system housing. It also shows you how to install the main board, power supply, fan module, storage devices, and other housing components.

Chapter 3 System Boards

This chapter describes the main board, t he memor y board, the SCSI backpl ane board, and the LCD display module. Al so, It introduces the system’s unique features and powerful architecture. It includes a brief introduction of the new generation Int el Penti um I I Xeon processor that forms the heart of the Ac er A ltos 21000 system.

Chapter 4 BIOS Utility

This chapter explains the BIOS parameter functions. It tells how to configur e the system by setti ng the parameters.

vii

Chapter 5 Diagnostics and Utilities

This chapter describes the software utilities that enhance the system’s operation and remote operation functions.

Appendix A LCD Module Event Log List

This chapter shows lists of error messages that can be displayed in the LCD display m odule.

Conventions

The following are the conventi ons used in t his manual:

Text entered by user

Option Items

Represents text input by the user. Represents options that you can

select on the screen.

, , , etc. Represent the actual k ey s that you

have t o pr ess on the keyboar d.

NOTE

Gives bits and pieces of additional infor mation related to the cur r ent topic.

CAUTION

Gives precautionary measures to avoid possible hardware or software problems.

IMPORTANT

Reminds you to take specific actions relevant to the accompl ishment of procedures.

viii

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Chapter 1 Getting Started

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

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

1.1.2 Checki ng the Package Contents ..........................1-2

1.1.3 Preparing the System Unit...................................1-3

1.2 Basic Connections...............................................................1-4

1.2.1 Connecting a Keyboard........................................1-4

1.2.2 Connecting a Mouse............................................ 1-5

1.2.3 Connecting a VGA Monitor.................................. 1-6

1.3 System Startup................................................................... 1-7

1.4 Power-on Problems............................................................. 1-8

Chapter 2 System Housing

2.1 Ext er nal and Internal S tructure............................................2-2

2.1.1 Front P anel..........................................................2-2

2.1.2 Rear Panel ..........................................................2-4

2.1.3 LCD Display M odule............................................2-6

2.1.4 Inter nal Components.......................................... 2-12

2.2 Opening t he Housi ng P anels............................................. 2-14

2.2.1 Removing the Left and Right Panels.................. 2-14

2.2.2 Openi ng the Front Panel Door ........................... 2-15

2.3 Installing and Removing Storage Devices......................... 2-17

2.3.1 Instal ling and Removing a 3.5-inch Storage

Device............................................................... 2-17

2.3.2 Instal ling and Removing a 5.25-inch

Storage Device.................................................. 2-20

2.4 Installing a Hot-swappable SCSI Dr ive.............................. 2-23

2.5 Installing and Removing a Hot - swappable Redundant

Power Supply Module ....................................................... 2-25

2.6 Installing and Removing a Hot - swappable Redundant

Housing Fan ..................................................................... 2-29

2.7 Installing an Expansi on B oar d ...........................................2-32

2.8 Removing and Install i ng the Thermal Air Guide................ 2-34

2.8.1 Removing the Thermal Air Guide....................... 2-34

2.8.2 Reinstalling the Thermal Air Guide.................... 2-35

2.9 Cable Connections............................................................ 2-37

Chapter 3 System Boards

3.1 Main Board .........................................................................3-1

3.1.1 Layout .................................................................3-3

3.1.2 Jum per s and Connect or s..................................... 3-4

3.1.3 Instal ling and Removing an Intel Pentium II

Xeon CPU............................................................3-7

3.1.4 Instal ling and Removing the Termi nation

Board.................................................................3-10

3.1.5 Instal ling and Removing a V RM ( V oltage

Regulator Module)............................................. 3-12

3.2 Memory Board.................................................................. 3-14

3.2.1 Layout ...............................................................3-14

3.2.2 Mem or y Configurat ions...................................... 3-14

3.2.3 Removing and Installing the Memory Board.......3-15

3.2.4 Instal ling and Removing a DIMM....................... 3-17

3.3 SCSI Back plane Board...................................................... 3-18

3.3.1 Features............................................................ 3-18

3.3.2 Layout ...............................................................3-19

3.3.3 Hard Disk ID Switch Settings............................. 3-20

3.3.4 Dual Channel Configur ation............................... 3-21

3.4 LCD Display Module.......................................................... 3-22

Chapter 4 BIOS Utility

4.1 Entering Setup.................................................................... 4-2

4.2 System Information.............................................................4-3

4.2.1 Processor ............................................................4-4

4.2.2 Processor Speed .................................................4-4

4.2.3 Bus Frequency..................................................... 4-5

4.2.4 L1 Cache.............................................................4-5

4.2.5 L2 Cache.............................................................4-5

4.2.6 Fl oppy Dr ive A..................................................... 4-5

4.2.7 Fl oppy Dr ive B..................................................... 4-5

4.2.8 IDE Pr imary Channel Master ...............................4-5

4.2.9 IDE Pr imary Channel Slave................................. 4-5

4.2.10 Total Memory ....................................................4-6

4.2.11 Serial Port 1.......................................................4-6

4.2.12 Serial Port 2.......................................................4-6

4.2.13 Parallel Port....................................................... 4-6

4.2.14 Pointing Device .................................................4-6

4.2.15 Memory Parity Mode.......................................... 4-6

4.2.16 Onboard USB .................................................... 4-7

4.3 Product I nformation............................................................. 4-8

4.3.1 Product Name......................................................4-8

4.3.2 System S/N ......................................................... 4-8

4.3.3 Main Board ID......................................................4-9

4.3.4 Main Board S/N................................................... 4-9

4.3.5 System BIOS Version.......................................... 4-9

4.3.6 System BIOS ID.................................................. 4-9

4.3.7 BIOS Release Date .............................................4-9

4.4 Disk Drives........................................................................4-10

4.4.1 Fl oppy Dr ives .................................................... 4-12

4.4.2 IDE Drives......................................................... 4-12

4.5 Power Management ..........................................................4-16

4.5.1 Power Management Mode................................. 4-16

4.5.2 ACPI BIOS ........................................................ 4-17

4.6 Startup Configurat ion........................................................ 4-18

4.6.1 Fast POST Mode............................................... 4-18

4.6.2 Silent Boot.........................................................4-19

4.6.3 Num Lock After Boot......................................... 4-19

4.6.4 Memory Test .....................................................4-19

4.6.5 Initialize SCSI Before IDE..................................4-19

4.6.6 System Boot Drive............................................. 4-20

4.6.7 Boot From IDE CD-ROM ...................................4-20

4.6.8 Single Processor MP Table................................ 4-20

4.6.9 MP Table Compliant.......................................... 4-21

4.6.10 CPU Clock Ratio.............................................. 4-21

4.7 Advanced Confi gur ation.................................................... 4-22

4.7.1 Onboard Devices Configuration......................... 4-23

4.7.2 PnP/P CI System Configuration.......................... 4-29

4.7.3 Mem or y /Cache Confi gur ation ............................ 4-32

4.7.4 Non-PnP I S A Devic e Configurat ion ................... 4-33

4.7.5 System Event Configur ation ..............................4-36

xii

4.8 System Security Setup...................................................... 4-42

4.8.1 Disk Drive Cont r ol.............................................. 4-42

4.8.2 Setup Password.................................................4-43

4.8.3 Power-on Password........................................... 4-47

4.9 Date and Ti me ..................................................................4-48

4.9.1 Date................................................................... 4-49

4.9.2 Time..................................................................4-49

4.10 Remote Diagnostic Configurati on.................................... 4-50

4.11 Load Setup Default Settings............................................ 4-51

4.12 Abort Set tings Change ....................................................4-52

Chapter 5 Diagnostics and Utilities

5.1 Advanced Server Manager.................................................. 5-1

5.2 Remote Diagnostic Manager ............................................... 5-3

Appendix A LCD Module Event Log List

xiii

Introduction

The AcerAltos 21000 is a powerful 64-bit quad-processor system loaded with a host of new and innovat i v e features. The system of fers a new standard for flexible productivity ideal for local or wide area networks and multi-user server envir onments.

Intel Pentium II Xeon Processor with the Intel 450NX Chipset

The Pentium II Xeon processor, like its predecessors, the Pentium Pro and Pentium II processors, implements a Dynamic Execution micro-architecture - a unique combination of multiple branch prediction, data f low analysis, and speculative execution. Thi s means that the Pentium II Xeon can deliver higher performance than the Pentium Pro processor while maintaining binary compatibility with all previous Intel Architecture processors.

Also, the Pentium II Xeon processor is avail able in 512K, 1MB, and 2MB L2 cache options with the introduction of the Slot 2 socket. Unlike Sl ot 1 Pentium IIs, which access the L2 at half the pr ocessor speed, the Slot 2 accesses the L2 at f ull processor clock speed. An addition t o the Pentium II Xeon processor is the Int el 450NX chipset, for servers with four or more processors, which supports a 100MHz front-side bus, USB (four ports), a south bridge to the ISA bus, provi des up to 8GB of mem ory support and m ult iple 32- bit and 64-bi t PCI buses.

In addition to meeti ng the mission-critical and fast system response tim e requirements of enterprise serv ers, the AcerAl tos 21000 is fault tolerant and capable of preventing faults from occurring. It also demonstrates graceful performance scalability when the system confi gur ation is expanded.

Introduction xv

System Architecture

Xeon-CPU1 512K/1M/2M Cache

450NX

800MB

MIOC

RCGs + MUXs

1234567

9101112131415

2/4 Way Interleave ECC Memory

Xeon-CPU2 512K/1M/2M Cache

64bit @ 100MHz GTL

F16 Bus 400MB/s

32 bit PCI Slot * 3

Xeon-CPU3 512K/1M/2M Cache

Deschute FSB 800MB/s

133MB/s

PCI Bus

PIIX4e

CD-ROM

ISA

BMIDE HDD

Slot*1

USB

I/O

S I/O

BIOS

APIC

KBC

I/O

PCI Expander

Bridge

VGA

A.S.M. R.D.M.

Xeon-CPU4 512K/1M/2M Cache

133MB/s

PCI Bus

bit

PCI

Slot * 4

LAN

Dual Ultra2

The system inc ludes a m ai n and m em ory subsystems with four Slot 2 processors and voltage regulators for the processors. The memory subsystem runs in 100 MHz ti mi ng and has a max im um siz e of up to 4GB.

Six PCI and 1 PCI/ISA shared slots are also incorporated for fast expandable I/O capabilities.

There are two LVD SCSI (Ultra-2) channels for high performance storage devi ces and one Narrow SCSI channel f or backup ( i.e., tape drives) or CD-ROM devices.

A high-speed 10/100Mbi t Ethernet controll er and a PCI VGA dev ice are also provided.

For more information about the main board see secti on 3.1.

xvi AcerAltos 21000 System Guide

Server Management

The system comes with the ASM Pro f eature that m onitors voltage stability and CPU temperature, prevents data loss by prompt ECC memory error reporting, maximizes system resources by indicating the PCI bus utilization, and promotes eff i ci ency by m i ni m i zi ng system downtime.

A feature related to ASM Pro is Remote Diagnostic Management (RDM) that permits system diagnosis from a remote site through a modem. RDM facilitates the fixing of detected problems, changing system conf igurations or reboot ing in the event of system fai lure.

Hot-swappable Redundant Power Supply Subsystem

The system comes with a power backplane that holds up to three 430watt power supply modules. The power subsystem supports a redundant conf iguration such t hat even i f one power supply fail s, the remaining two continue to work t ogether to supply 860-watt power to a full y-confi gured system . You can also replace a faul ty power supply module without opening the system housing or shutting down the system. See section 2.5 for more information.

Hot-swappable Redundant Housing Fan

The system comes with four housing f ans that v entilate the system housing. In the event t hat any one of the fans f ails to operate, you can simpl y replace it without shutti ng down the system. See secti on

2.6 for more information.

Security

The system housing comes with mechanical security locks on the front panel to prevent unauthori z ed ac c ess to the internal c omponents and system use. Also, a microswitch l ocated on the left side of the housing panel warns you of i ntrusion.

Introduction xvii

The system BIOS protec ts the CMO S dat a and other system sof tware with a power-on password, keyboard password, setup control, disk drive control, and monit or c ontrol.

xviii AcerAltos 21000 System Guide

Chapter 1 Getting Started

This chapter tells how to install and set up the system. It gives instructions on how to select a site for the system, pr epar e the system for use, connect basic peripherals, and start up the system.

1.1 Preinstallation Requirements

1.1.1 Selecting a Site

Before unpacki ng and installing t he system, select a suit able site for the system f or max im um eff i ciency. The system i s suitable t o set up in an office environment.

Consider the f ollowing f ac tors when choosing a site for t he system:

•

Near a grounded power outlet

•

Clean and dust-f r ee

•

Sturdy surf ac e free f r om v ibration

•

Well-ventilated and away from sources of heat

•

Secluded from electromagnetic fields produced by electrical devices such as air conditi oner s, r adio and TV transm itters, etc.

Getting Started 1-1

1.1.2 Checking the Package Contents

Check the f ollowing it ems from the package:

•

AcerAlt os 21000 System

•

AcerAlt os 21000 System Guide

•

CD-ROM Driver Kits

•

System keys (hung inside the fr ont panel door)

If any of the above items are7 damaged or missing, contact your dealer immediately.

Save the boxes and packing materials for future use.

1-2 AcerAltos 21000 System Guide

1.1.3 Preparing the System Unit

Do the following to begin setting up the system:

1. Unlock the front wheels and mov e the system to your desired site.

The system housing design allows for easy transport in spi te of its size. I t comes with four wheels that facilitate short-distance transits. The t wo f ront wheels each include a lev er to l ock the wheels after you have positioned the system into place.

Front Wheel Lever

Unlock

Lock

2. After mov ing, lock the wheels by pressing down the levers.

Make sure to unlock the wheels w hen you want to move the system again.

3. Connect the system power cabl e into the power supply modul es on the rear panel. S ee sect ion 2.5.

Getting Started 1-3

1.2 Basic Connections

The system unit, keyboar d, mouse, and monitor constitute the basic system. Before connecting any other peripherals, connect these peripherals first to t est if the basi c system is running properly.

1.2.1 Connecting a Keyboard

1-4 AcerAltos 21000 System Guide

1.2.2 Connecting a Mouse

Getting Started 1-5

1.2.3 Connecting a VGA Monitor

1-6 AcerAltos 21000 System Guide

1.3 System Startup

After making sure that you have set up the system properly and connected all the required cables, you may now apply power to the syste m.

Turning On the System Power

To power on the system, press the power switch on the front panel (see section 2.1.1). The system starts up and displays a welcome message. After that , a seri es of power-on self-test (PO ST ) m essages appear on the LCD display screen. The PO ST messages indicate i f the system is runni ng well or not. See Appendi x A for a list of LCD messages.

If the system does not turn on or boot after pressing the power switch, go to the next section for the possible causes of the boot failure.

Aside from the self-t est m essages, you can determ i ne i f the system i s in good condit ion by checking if the followi ng oc c ur r ed:

•

Power indicator LE D on the front bez el light s up (green)

•

Power, Num Lock, and Caps Lock LED indicators on the keyboard li ght up

•

Power supply power LED locat ed at t he back of the system l i ghts up (green)

Getting Started 1-7

1.4 Power-on Problems

If t he system does not boot af ter you have applied power, check t he following fact or s that might have caused the boot failur e.

The pointi ng symbol ( ☛ ) indi cates a possible cause of the pr oblem . The check mark ( ✔ ) t ells you how to correct the problem.

The external power cable may be loo sely connected .

☛

Check the power cable connect ion from the power source to the

✔

power socket on the rear panel. Make sure that each cable is properly connected to each power supply.

No power comes from the grounded power outlet.

☛

Have an electrician check your power outl et.

✔

Loose or improperly connected i nternal power cables.

☛

Refer to section 2.5.1 for the cable connections and check the

✔

internal cable connections. If you are not confident to perform this step, ask a qualified technician to help you.

Make sure all power cords are disconnected from the electrical outlet before performing this task.

If you have gone through the preceding act ions and the system still fails t o boot, ask your dealer or a qualified technician f or as s is tance.

1-8 AcerAltos 21000 System Guide

Chapter 2 System Housing

The system housing is a heavy-duty steel chassis in a twin-tower design. The spacious housing boasts high expansion capability and flex ible configurati on. It can be converted to fit into a rack mount cabinet by using t he Rack M ount Ki t . F or m ore i nf orm at ion about t he rack mount k it, please refer to your dealer.

System Housing 2-1

2.1 External and Internal Structure

2.1.1 Front Panel

The system front panel is divided into two sections. The left front panel consists of the diskett e/CD- ROM/ tape dr ive bays, power switch, LED indicators, and LCD display screen.

The right part contains the hot-swappable SCSI hard disk driv e bays with 8 drive trays for SCSI dri ves.

One pair of system keys are hung inside the front panel door. A dditional duplicate keys can be found at the back of t he system.

7 8 9

2-2 AcerAltos 21000 System Guide

11 12 13

# Item Description

1 LCD Display Screen Indicates boot status as well as any

BIOS check point errors encountered upon system initialization. Refer to section 2.1.3 for more information.

2 3.5-inch Diskette

Drive

3 CD-ROM Dr ive Also a SCSI CD-ROM dr ive comes

4 5.25-inch Drive Bays Two empty 5.25-inch dri ve bays all ow

5 Ventilation Exhausts heat built-up inside the

6 SCSI HDD Bays Eight empty SCSI HDD ba y s a llow

7 Power Switch The power switch turns the system on. 8 System Power LED Lights up (green) when the power is

9 System HDD Ac c ess

LED

10 RDM Active LED Lights up (yellow) when an error

11 SCSI HDD Po wer

Status

12 SCSI HDD Bu s y Lights up when the HDD is c u rrently

13 SCSI HDD Failure Lights up (or ange) when the HDD

A 3.5-inch diskette drive comes with the basic system.

with the basic system.

installat i on of additional devices.

housing.

installat ion of hot-swap SCSI drives.

on. This also denotes that the system is running on a good supply of AC power.

Lights up (green) when at least one of the hard disks is currently accessing.

condition occurs i n t he system. Light s u p ( g reen) when the HDD is

connected and ready to go.

accessing.

installed on the backplane board is bad.

System Housing 2-3

2.1.2 Rear Panel

The rear panel includes the system fan, the connectors for the keyboard, mouse, VGA moni tor, printer, and serial devices, the slot openings for expansion boards, and the power supply.

4 5

12 13

14 15

PS/2 keyboard port Connects to PS/2 keyboards.

Video port Connects to CRT monitors.

PS/2 mouse port Connects to the PS/2 mouse.

Item Description

2-4 AcerAltos 21000 System Guide

Parallel port Connects to parallel devices (e.g.,

Item Description

printer).

USB ports Connects to USB devices.

LAN port Connects to the network cable.

COM 2 port Connects to serial devices (e.g., serial

mouse).

Hot-swap redundant fan fail LED 2

COM 1 port Connects to serial devices (e.g., serial

Lights up (green) when the hot-swap redundant fan is working properly.

mouse).

Hot-swap redundant fan fail LED 1

Hot-swappable redundant Power Supply Modules

Power supply power LED

Power supply fan fail LED

Power cable

Lights up (green) when the hot-swap redundant fan is working properly.

Removable and installable even when the system is operating. See section

2.5. Lights up (green) when the power

supply is on. Lights up (Yellow) when one of the

power supply fans is faulty Connects to the power cable.

connector

Fan module fail LED Lights up (Yellow) when one or two

fans are faulty.

Fan module (includes two fans)

The fan module is used in place of the third power supply m odul e if one is not available.

The powe r supply has two cooling fans. If both fans fail to operate, the power supply

module will shut do wn. The LED indicators of the power supply module will be turned off.

If the fans are functioning properly and the power supply fails, the fans will keep

operating.

System Housing 2-5

Hot-swap redundant Fan cage

Expansion slots Expansion cards installation. See

SCSI knock-out port Allows installation of an external SCSI

Item Description

Allows the system fan to be removed and installed even when the system is operating. See section 2.6.

section 2.7.

port.

2.1.3 LCD Display Module

The LCD display is an 8-line by 16-c haract er screen that i ndic ates the boot status as well as any BIOS c heckpoint error s encountered upon system initialization. Normally, the system BIOS and the microcontroller firmware send the LCD display messages that appear on the screen. However, if you hooked up a special purpose driv er to control the LCD modul e, this driv er defines the messages. See the driver manual for more information. For a lists of LCD messages from the system BIOS, please refer to Appendix A.

Main Menu

> H/W Monitor Event Log Reset System Help <Menu> - Select <Enter> - E xecute

The main menu consists of four submenus. To access these submenus, press the Select button (lef t button) to choose and then press the Enter button (r ight button) to activate the submenu.

2-6 AcerAltos 21000 System Guide

H/W Monitor Submenu

> Tem per ature Voltage Fan Power Fuse Main Menu

The H/W monitor submenu has f ive it ems. To access t hese i tems, press the Select button (left button) to choose and then press the Enter button ( r ight button) to access the menu it em.

Temperature

CPU1: 35 DEG.C CPU2: 35 DEG.C CPU3: 35 DEG.C CPU4: 35 DEG.C

<Enter> Back

This item displays the CPU tem perature reading. I t will only display the number of av ailable CPUs i nsi de the system. Whenever the CPU temperat ure ex ceeds the requi red t hreshold, an error m essage will be displayed and logged into the Event Log for later viewing.

Voltage

CPU1 : 2.00 V CPU2 : 2.02 V CPU3 : 2.02 V CPU4 : 1.98 V CPU12L2 : 2. 50 V CPU34L2 : 2. 54 V <Enter> Next

5V : 5.04 V 5STBY : 4.95 V

3.3V : 3.27 V

3.3STBY : 1.98 V

→

12V : 11.90 V

2.8SCSI : 2.80 V <Enter> Back

System Housing 2-7

This item displays the voltage reading of the CPU, L2 cache, and others. It will only display the number of available CPU inside the system. Whenever the voltage exceeds the required threshold, an error message will be displayed and logged into the Event Log for later viewing.

Fan

HFAN1: OK HFAN2: OK HFAN3: OK HFAN4: OK HFAN5: OK HFAN6: OK <Enter> Back

This item displays the hot-swap redundant f an condition. It will only display the num ber of avail able hot-swap redundant fan installed in the system. If any of the f ans stop working, an error m essage will be displayed and logged into the Event Log for later viewing.

Power

Power Fan SPS1: OK OK

SPS2: OK OK FM3 : OK OK

FM: Fan Module <Enter> Back

2-8 AcerAltos 21000 System Guide

This item displays the hot-swap redundant switching power supply and fan m odule c ondit i on. I t will only display the number of available hot-swap redundant switching power supplies and fan modules installed in the system. I f any of t he SPS or fan modules malfunction, an error message will be displayed and logged into the Ev ent Log for later viewing.

Fuse

KB/Mouse : OK USB1 : OK USB2 : OK SCSI1 : OK SCSI2 : OK

<Enter> Back

This item displays the fuse condit ion for the keyboard, mouse, USB devi ces, and SCSI devices. If any of the fuses break down, an error message will be displayed and logged into the Event Log for later viewing.

Event Log Submenu

Event: 6 12:31 10/29’1998 PS/2 Keyboard Interface Error

>Down Up Back

The Event Log monitors and records any event that occurs during boot-up and during t he operation of the system. W henev er an ev ent occurs, the event log will immediately display the event and then log it into the ev ent log table.

System Housing 2-9

An event is any malf unction or breakdown in the norm al operation of the system. Eac h event is displayed one by one. To display other event s, press the Select button (lef t butt on) t o choose down or up and then press the Enter button (right button) to view other events. Choose Back to go back to t he main m enu.

Reset System Submenu

RESET SYSTEM?

> Yes No

This submenu resets the system operation. Press the Select button (lef t button) to choose and then pr ess the Ent er button (right button) to confi r m.

Help Submenu

> Navigation System Tips System Info.

Main Menu

Provides useful information regarding the operation of the LCD display screen. Press the Select button (left button) to choose and then press the Enter butt on ( r ight button) to confi r m.

2-10 AcerAltos 21000 System Guide

Replacing the LCD Display Screen

The system housing can be configured as a stand-alone tower housing or a rack mounted housing (please refer to the AcerAltos Rack Installation Guide for more information on rack installation). Wi th each confi gurati on, the LCD di splay screen is pl aced dif f erently . For more information about the rack mount installation and confi gur ation, please refer to its user’s guide.

To replace t he LCD display screen:

1. Turn off the power to t he system unit and unpl ug all cables.

2. Carefully pull out the LCD displ ay screen. There is a connector at the back of the LCD display.

3. Disconnect t he LCD c onnec tor.

4. Connect the LCD connector at the back of t he new LCD display screen.

5. Attach the LCD display screen to t he housi ng.

System Housing 2-11

2.1.4 Internal Components

The housing is symmetrically div ided into the left and right panels. The system’s internal components are accessible through these panels.

Left Panel

The main part of the left panel houses the system board, memory board, and expansion boar ds. On the rear end of the lef t panel are the keyboard, mouse, video, parallel, and serial ports, and the slot openings for installation of IS A and P CI expansion boards.

The front panel display occupies the upper front section of the left panel. The secti on below the fr ont panel displ ay acc omm odates one

3.5-inch and three 5.25-inch drives. These devices on the front section are ex ternally ac c essible.

Here is a diagram of the system com ponents on the lef t panel of the system housing.

Hot-swappable

Redundant Fans

Thermal Air Guide

Expansion

Slots

System Board and

Memory Board

Hot-swappable

Redundant Fans

5.25-inch

Drive Bays

LCD Display Screen

3.5-inch Drive Bay

Ventilation

2-12 AcerAltos 21000 System Guide

Right Panel

The power subsystem fills up most of the rear right panel. It consi sts of a power backplane boar d and a metal rack t hat holds up to three 430-watt redundant power supply modules. A f an module should be install ed whenever a power supply is rem oved t o provi de the system with regular cooling. See section 2.5 for details on the power subsystem.

The lower section allows installat ion of a S CS I backplane board and a set of eight hot-swappable SCSI dri ve tray s.

Here is a diagram of the components that reside on the right panel.

SCSI Drive Tray Bays

SCSI Backplane Board

Power Supply Module Bays

Power Supply Backplane Board

System Housing 2-13

2.2 Opening the Housing Panels

The system housing has one f ront door and two side panels. Always observe the following ESD (electrostatic discharge) precautions before i nstalling any system component:

1. Do not remove any system com ponent from i t s packaging unl ess you are ready to i nstall it .

2. Wear a wrist grounding strap before handling electronic components. Wrist grounding straps are available at most electronic component stor es.

DO NOT attempt the pr ocedures in t he follow ing sections unless you are confident of your capability to perform them. Otherwise, ask a service technician for assistance.

2.2.1 Removing the Left and Right Panels

A microswitch is allocated on the lef t side of the housing panel. It helps indicate whether the panel is removed or intact.

To remove the l eft or right panel:

1. Turn off the power to t he system unit and unpl ug all cables.

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

wheels by pressing down the lever s.

3. Remove the screws of the left or right panel. Set the screws

aside. You will need them when replacing t he panels.

4. Pull out the panel and detach it.

2-14 AcerAltos 21000 System Guide

Right Panel

Left Panel

2.2.2 Opening the Front Panel Door

A security l ock secures the f ront door to protect against unauthori zed access.

To open the front door:

1. Insert the key to t he l ock and t urn i t cl ock wise until i t poi nt s to t he unlocked ic on.

System Housing 2-15

2. Pull open the front door .

Removing the Front Panel Door

The doors are attached to the main housing by screwless hinges. Follow these steps to remove t he door :

1. Unlock the door with the key (when necessary).

2. Open it to more than a 45° angle.

3. Lift it up a little, then move it away from the housi ng.

2-16 AcerAltos 21000 System Guide

2.3 Installing and Removing Storage Devices

The housing supports one 3.5-inch and f our 5. 25-i nch i nter nal stor age devi ces. The empty drive bays on the upper front panel al l ows you to install additional drives such as a CD-ROM drive, digital audio tape (DAT) drive or another hard disk drive.

Your basic system comes with a CD-ROM drive and a 3.5-inch diskette drive already installed.

2.3.1 Installing and Removing a 3.5-inch Storage

Device

The housing comes with a driv e guide f or install ing 3.5-inch storage devi ces.

To i nstall a 3.5-inch storag e device:

1. Open the front panel door and remove the left panel. See

section 2.2 for more information on opening t he housi ng panels.

2. Attach the dr ive guide to the ex ternal device as shown below.

System Housing 2-17

3. Secure the drive with f our screws.

4. Insert the drive into the bay.

2-18 AcerAltos 21000 System Guide

5. Sec ure the dri v e with a screw. The screw hole is l ocated on the side of the housi ng.

6. Connect the power cable and signal cable to the ex ternal device.

7. Close the left panel.

To remo ve a 3.5-inch storage device:

1. Open the front panel door and remove the l eft panel. See sect ion

2.2 for more information on opening the housing panel s.

2. Disconnect the power and signal cabl es.

3. Detached the external dev ice by remov ing the screw located on the side and then gently pulli ng out the dev ice.

4. Remov e the four screws and detach the 3.5-i nch drive f rom the drive guide.

System Housing 2-19

2.3.2 Installing and Removing a 5.25-inch Storage Device

The housing comes with a dr iv e gui de for instal ling 5.25- inch inter nal storage devices.

To i nstall a 5.25-inch storag e device:

1. Open the front panel door and remove the left panel. See

section 2.2 for more information on opening t he housi ng panels.

2. Remove t wo screws to detach the metal cover.

2-20 AcerAltos 21000 System Guide

3. Attach the drive guides on the sides of the external device as shown below.

4. Insert the drive into the bay.

System Housing 2-21

5. Secure the drive with two screws as shown below.

6. Connect the power cable and signal cables to the ext er nal device.

7. Close the left panel.

To remo ve a 5.25-inch storage device:

1. Open the front panel door and remove the l eft panel. See sect ion

2.2 for more information on opening the housing panel s.

2. Disconnect the power and signal cabl es.

3. Det ached the ex ternal dev i ce by rem ov ing the screws and gently pulli ng out the dev ice.

4. Remove four screws to detach the dri ve from the drive guide.

2-22 AcerAltos 21000 System Guide

2.4 Installing a Hot-swappable SCSI Drive

Remove all jumper connectors on the SCSI drive before installing it into the system. Also, for Single-Ended (SE) SCSI drives, remove the terminator jumper before connecting the SCSI drive to the system. For the location of the jumper connectors and the terminator jumper, please refer to your hard drive’s instructions or manual.

The system supports up to ei ght hot-swappable drive trays. Follow these steps to install a hot-swap SCSI drive:

1. Open the front panel door.

2. Use your finger to rel ease the dri v e t ray as shown below and then pull it out.

System Housing 2-23

3. Secure the hard disk drive with four screws.

4. Install t he tray int o the dr ive bay, pushing i t gent ly unt il i t reaches the connector on t he bac k plane board.

5. Push the lever back until it c licks into place.

2-24 AcerAltos 21000 System Guide

2.5 Installing and Removing a Hot-swappable Redundant Power Supply Module

The power subsystem consists of a power backplane and hotswappable power supply modules. These components are held in place by a m etal rack enclosure.

The backplane and t he rack allow instal lati on of up to t hree 430-watt power supply modules in a hot-swappable redundant conf i gurat ion. A redundant power configuration enables a fully-configured system to continue runni ng even if one power supply fail s. The remaini ng two power supply modules still satisfy up to 860-watt of system power requirement.

If fans fail to operate, the power supply module will shut down. The LE D indicator s of the power supply m odule will be turned off.

If the fans are functioning properly and the power supply fails, the fans will keep operating.

The power subsystem prov ides a standby cur rent and a r em ote on/ of f feature to support cold reboot f rom a rem ote site. S ee Chapter 5 for an overview of the remot e diagnostic m anagement (RDM).

The power supply subsystem should supply a minimum 860W (2 power supply modules) DC power to the whol e system . An addi ti onal power supply module can also be added for fail-safe redundancy.

System Housing 2-25

To Install a power supply module:

1. Insert the power supply into the housing.

Make sure that the power supply is properly inserted.

2-26 AcerAltos 21000 System Guide

2. Secure the power supply wit h the screw knobs on both sides.

3. Connect a power cable to the power. Plug it into an electrical

socket. You will see a green light when the power supply is functioning properl y .

System Housing 2-27

The power supply supplied with the system accepts input voltage of 100V~240V, 50~60Hz.

To remo ve a power supply module:

1. Detach the power cable from the electrical outlet and also from the power supply. The power indicator light turns off.

2. Unscrew the screw knobs and carefull y pull out the power supply until it detaches f r om the housing.

Make sure the power supply subsystem is supplying a minimum of 860W (2 pow er supply modules) to the system.

2-28 AcerAltos 21000 System Guide

2.6 Installing and Removing a Hot-swappable Redundant Housing Fan

Four housing f ans are distribut ed inside t he housing to cool down the system. They are hot-swappable and redundant. You can simply take one out and put a new one in if a f an f ail s to operate. You don’t even have to shut down the system.

To ch ange a rear hot-swap housing fan:

1. Turn the screw knob counterclockwise to open the housing fan

cage.

System Housing 2-29

2. Push down the clip and pull out the housing fan.

Clip

3. Sli de in a new housing fan. The power i ndicator lights up.

4. Close the housing fan cage and tur n the screw knob clockwise to lock it.

2-30 AcerAltos 21000 System Guide

To change a front hot-swap housing fan:

1. Remov e the lef t panel. See section 2. 2 for more inform ation on opening the housing panel s.

2. Push down the clip and pull out the housing fan.

Clip

3. Insert a new one.

4. Close the left panel.

System Housing 2-31

2.7 Installing an Expansion Board

Follow these steps to install a PCI expansion board:

1. Rem ove the lef t panel of the housing. See section 2. 2 for more infor mation on opening the housing panels.

2. Remove the bracket cover opposite an em pt y PCI slot. S av e t he screw for later use.

2. Align t he boar d with the slot.

3. Insert the board i nto the slot until it c ompletel y fits i n.

4. Secure the board with a screw.

2-32 AcerAltos 21000 System Guide

5. Follow the sam e steps when installi ng an ISA board. Just make sure that you rem ove the brac k et cover opposi te an ISA slot.

System Housing 2-33

2.8 Removing and Installing the Thermal Air Guide

On the left side of the housing, a m etal therm al air guide di rects the hot air from the i nside to the f an ex hausts on the rear of the housing. The air guide helps in maintaining good air circulation within the housing.

To avoid electric shock and damage to the system, DO NOT perform the following procedure while the system is ON.

2.8.1 Removing the Thermal Air Guide

Follow these steps to remove t he thermal air guide:

1. Unplug all power cables from the wall socket.

2. Open the left panel door. Refer to section 2.2 f or instruct ions on

opening the door.

3. Rem ov e the two screws that secure the air gui de to the housing.

Save the screws.

4. Careful ly remove the ai r guide from the housing and set it asi de.

2-34 AcerAltos 21000 System Guide

2.8.2 Reinstalling the Thermal Air Guide

Follow these steps to replace the thermal air guide back into the housing:

1. Position the air guide in it s pl ac e as shown below.

2. Make sure that the air guide f its properly in place.

System Housing 2-35

3. Secure the air guide with two screws.

4. Reattached the left panel door.

2-36 AcerAltos 21000 System Guide

2.9 Cable Connections

The power backplane is com plete with connectors to accom modate the power cables for all the system components. Each cable is labeled with a c able num ber , and each c able’s poi nt (head and tai l ) is also numbered, because each cable can only fi t one way and is not interchangeable. For a list of all the cables and their respective connectors, please refer to the power cabl e list in t his section.

The figure below illustrates the power cables that connect to the system board and the SCSI backplane board.

SCSI Backplane

Board

C4:P

CN9

CN# - System board connectors C# - Cable number P# - Cable point (head and tail)

Power Backplane Board

C1:P

C2:P

C3:P

C4:P

C1:P2 CN15

C2:P2 CN15

C3:P2 CN22

System Board

System Housing 2-37

All power cables come with yellow stickers telling you which connectors to attach to the system board and to the power backplane.

Make sure to connect the cables correctly; otherwise, the system may not power up.

Power Cable List

CN# - Sy stem board connectors C# - Cable number P# - Cable point (head and tail)

1. System B oar d and S CS I Backplane Board P ower Connect ion

Cable # System Board SCSI

Backplane

Board

Power Backplane

C1 CN8 (C1:P2) J1 (C1:P1) C2 CN15 (C2:P2) J2 (C2:P1) C3 CN22 (C3:P2) J3 (C3:P1) C4 CN9 (C4:P5) J4 (C4:P6)

2. I2C Status Connector

Cable # System Board SCSI Backplane Board

C5 CN50 CN10

3. LCD Display Module Cable Connection

Cable # System Board LCD Display Module

C6 CN16 CN1

4. Switchi ng P ower Supply Status Connector

Cable # System Board SCSI Backplane Board

C7 CN28 J5

Board

2-38 AcerAltos 21000 System Guide

5. Floppy Disk Drive, IDE Devices, and SCSI Device Connectors

Cable # System Board Devices

C11 CN39 Floppy Di sk Drive C12 CN42 IDE Devices C13 CN41 50-pin SCSI Devic es

6. LVD SCSI Channel A and B Connector

Cable # System Board SCSI Backplane Board

C14 CN48 CN12

System Housing 2-39

Chapter 3 System Boards

The system boards consist of the main board, the mem ory board, the SCSI backplane board, and the LCD display modul e. This chapter discusses the system board configurations in detail.

3.1 Main Board

The mai n boar d has the foll owing major components:

•

Four Slot 2 CPU (Central Processing Unit) connectors that support one, two, three, or four Intel Penti um II Xeon proc essors and the next gener ation of P entium proc essors:

• Intel Pentium II Xeon running at 400 with integrated 512K and 1MB L2 write-back c ac he

• Intel Pentium II Xeon running at 450 with i ntegrated 512K, 1MB, and 2MB L2 writ e- bac k c ac he

• One VRM (Voltage Regulator Module) for each CPU and one VRM for the L2 cache of t wo CPUs

•

256-KB Flash ROM for system BIOS

•

Supports two PCI buses through one PXB (PCI Expander Bridge)

•

System clock/calendar with battery backup

•

One 68-pin Wide SCS I connector for each SCSI channel

• One narrow SCSI connector for connecting legacy SCSI devices, such as SCSI CD-ROM, DA T drives, etc.

•

Serv er management functi ons

•

PCI SVGA on- boar d, supports up to 1024 x 768 resolut ion

• Onboard 2MB V GA RAM

•

Enhanced IDE hard di sk and diskette drive int er faces

•

PCI local bus IDE (Integrat ed Devic e E lectronics) controller

System Boards 3-1

•

One PCI enhanced IDE interfaces that support up to two IDE devices

•

One ISA and seven PCI slots (one PCI-/ISA-shared)

•

One dual channel PCI Ultra/Wide and LVD (Ultra2) SCSI controller

•

I2O ready

•

One 10/100 Ethernet LAN chip on board with W ake-up on LAN (W OL) funct ion

•

External ports

•

PS/2 key boar d and mouse ports

•

Two buffered high-speed serial ports

•

One SPP/ECP/EPP high-speed parallel port

•

Two USB ports

•

VGA port

•

Front panel LCD/LED int er face

3-2 AcerAltos 21000 System Guide

3.1.1 Layout

1. PS/2 Mouse port

2. PS/2 Keyboard port

3. Video port

4. Parallel port

5. USB ports

6. LAN port

7. COM2 port

8. LAN controller chipset

9. COM1 port

10. VGA controller chipset

11. PCI slots 1 to 7

12. BIOS chipset

13. ISA slot

14. IRQ Mapper chipset

15. PCI Expander Bridge (PXB) chipset

16. Battery

17. AIC7896 SCSI controller

18. Wide SCSI interface channel B

19. Wide SCSI interface channel A

20. Narrow SCSI interface

21. IDE connector

22. FDD connector

23. Buzzer

24. PIIX4e (PCI to ISA Bridge) chipset

25. Memory board slot

26. Memory and I/O Controller (MIOC)

27. RDM connector

28. Front panel bard connector

29. Power supply status/control connector

30. Power connector 3

31. Power connector 2

32. Power connector 1

33. Slot 2 sockets 1 to 4*

34. VRM sockets 1 to 6*

From top to bottom.

System Boards 3-3

3.1.2 Jumpers and Connectors

The figure below shows the jumper and connector locations on the system board.

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

3-4 AcerAltos 21000 System Guide

Jumper Settings

Jumper Setting Function

BIOS Logo

JP2

1-2

2-3

JP5 1-2

2-3*

JP19 5-6 & 2-3*

4-5 & 1-2

JP20 1-2*

2-3

Acer OEM

Password Security

Check password Bypass password

Housing Door Open Alarm

Use LM80 Only Reserved

VGA

Auto VGA selection Disable on-board VGA

Connector List

Connector Function

CN1 HDD LED connector CN3 Reserved CN4 Voltage Regulator Module (VRM) 1 connector CN5 Fan connector 4 CN7 Fan connector (reserved)

CN8 Power cable connector CN10 Slot 2 CPU 1 thermal connector CN11 Voltage Regulator Module (VRM) 2 connector CN12 PS/2 Keyboard (below) & PS/2 Mouse (above) port CN13 Power LED connector CN14 Slot 2 CPU 2 thermal connector CN15 Power cable connector

Default setting

System Boards 3-5

Connector Function

CN16 LCD (front panel) connector CN17 USB connector CN18 Voltage Regulator Module (VRM) 3 connector CN19 Slot 2 CPU 3 thermal connector CN20 Voltage Regulator Module (VRM) 4 connector CN21 Parallel port (t op) , VGA port (bottom) CN22 Power cable connector CN23 Voltage Regulator Module (VRM) 5 connector CN24 LAN (RJ-45) port CN25 Reserved CN26 Slot 2 socket 4 thermal connector CN27 Fan connector for Slot 2 socket 3 CN28 Power status/control connector CN29 Voltage Regulator Module (VRM) 6 connector

CN31 & 32 RDM (Remote Diagnostic management) connector

CN33 Fan connector (reserved) CN34 RDM LED connector CN35 HDD act ivity indication from Add -on card

CN36 Housing Intrusion Switch connector ( l eft panel) CN37 Fan connector 2 CN38 Reserved CN39 FDD connector CN40 Power button connector CN41 Narrow SCSI connector CN42 IDE connector

These connectors (CN35 and CN44) are used for accepting the HDD activity information

from the storage adapters. If the storage adapter's information is not passed to the main board via these connectors, the activities of the HDD which w as connected to the a dapter will not be reflected on LCD Display Module .

3-6 AcerAltos 21000 System Guide

Connector Function

CN43 Feature connector CN44 HDD act ivity indication from Add -on card (see

CN35) CN45 Fan connector 1 CN46 Wake-on-LAN connector CN47 Wide SCSI connector channel B CN48 Wide SCSI connector channel A CN49 Serial ports 1 (above) and 2 (below) CN50 Backplane board connector (connects to CN10)

JP1 CPU 1 fan connector JP10 CPU 2 fan connector JP12 CPU 3 fan connector JP13 CPU 4 fan connector JP14 MIOC chipset fan connector JP18 PXB U64 fan connector JP21 Reserved JP22 Reserved JP23 Reserved (Right door intrusion connector)

3.1.3 Installing and Removing an Intel Pentium II Xeon CPU

Intel’s Penti um II Xeon CPU is a Slot 2 processor that uses a 330contact connect or which i s a bit l onger that a Sl ot 1 processor. O ther than the size, t he m aj or i m provement of the S lot 2 processor is at t he L2 cache. Pentium II Xeon processors access the L2 cache at f ull clock speed, 400 MHz or 450 MHz, whereas a Slot 1 processor accesses the L2 at only half the CPU’s clock speed. Thus, Slot 2 processor signifi cant l y boost perf or m ance and speed. Here are som e of the ot her features of the Pentium II Xeon processor:

0.25 micron P6 microarchitecture core

•

System Boards 3-7

• 100 MHz System Bus and 60ns buffered EDO memory support

• New System managem ent f eatures v ia S ystem Management bus

(Smbus)

The system board comes with four Slot 2 CPU sockets and their respective retention mechanism to secure the CPU.

Installing an Intel Pentium II Xeon processor

Follow these steps to install a Pentium II Xeon processor:

1. At tach the fansink modul e to the Pentium II Xeon processor and secure it with four screws.

2. Rem ove the lef t panel of the housing. See section 2. 2 for more infor mation on opening the housing panels.

3. If there is an existi ng terminat ion board instal led in the CPU sl ot, remove it. Refer to section 3.1.4 for removing a termination board.

3-8 AcerAltos 21000 System Guide

4. Insert the Pentium II Xeon processor into an empty Slot 2 socket.

5. Carefully press down the Pentium II Xeon processor until it is properly i nsert ed.

6. Use the retention mechanism cover to secure the processor as shown below.

The retention mechanism cover only fi ts one way. Both shafts of the retention mechanism and the retention mechanism cover have a O and a OO sign. Match the O on t he cover with the O on the retention mechani sm f i rst, then hook ed them t ogether and then insert the OO side to the retention mechanism and make sure they are clipped.

System Boards 3-9

7. Connec t the heatsink cables to the m ain board. Ref er to secti on

3.1.2 f or the locati on of the thermal and f an c onnec tors.

Refer to the VRM LED guide (section 3.1.5) for installing VRMs. A V RM LE D with green light indic ates that a VRM has t o be ins talled in its socket.

3.1.4 Installing and Removing the Termination Board

When you are not using all the Slot 2 sockets, you must install a termination board i nto each empty sl ot.

Installing a Termination Board

Follow these steps to install the ter mination board:

1. Position t he termination board over the empt y sl ot.

2. Carefully insert the golden fingers of the termination board into

the slot until the board fits com pletely.

3. Use the retention mechanism cover to secure the processor by

pressing it down until it loc k s.

3-10 AcerAltos 21000 System Guide

The retention mec hanism cov er onl y f its one way. Both shaf ts of the retention mechanism and the retention mechanism cover have a O and a OO sign. Matc h the O on the cover with the O on the retention mechanism first, then hooked them together and then insert the OO side to the retention mechanism and make sure they are clipped.

Removing an Intel Pentium II Xeon processor

Follow these steps to remove a Pentium I I Xeon processor:

1. Remove the thermal and fan connector and then unclip the retention mechanism c over.

System Boards 3-11

2. Flip up both of the pl astic ears of t he Penti um II Xeon processor. This procedure detac hes the pr oc essor from the socket .

3. Carefully lift up the Pentium II Xeon processor and remove it.

3.1.5 Installing and Removing a VRM (Voltage

Regulator Module)

Each Pentium II Xeon processor requires two VRMs (Voltage Regulator Modules), one for t he pr oc essor and another one for the L2 cache. However, two L2 caches share one VRM. If y ou are i nstalling two Pentium II Xeon processor, you need three VRM s: t wo VRMs for each processor and one VRM for both of the L2 cache to share. Refer to section 3.1.2 for the location of the VRM sockets. The following table shows the VRM socket allocation:

VRM Socket Slot 2 Socket

VRM Socket 1 (CN4) CPU 1 VRM Socket 2 (CN11) L2 cache of CPU 1 and 2 VRM Socket 3 (CN1 8 ) CPU 2 VRM Socket 4 (CN2 0 ) CPU 3 VRM Socket 5 (CN23) L2 cache of CPU 3 and 4 VRM Socket 6 (CN2 9 ) CPU 4

3-12 AcerAltos 21000 System Guide

VRM LED

There is one LED indicator for each VRM module. Before system power-on, an LED would l ight up (green) i f a VRM i s required for the processor or the L2 cache. If you see a red li ght af t er power-on, then it m eans that the VRM is bad and that it needs to be replaced.

To install a VRM:

1. Find an empty VRM socket and fli p the lev er bac k .

2. Carefully insert a VRM into the socket. This process will automatically lock the VRM in place.

To remo ve a V RM :

1. Push down both the locking mechanisms.

2. Take out t he V RM .

System Boards 3-13

3.2 Memory Board

The memory board comes al ready instal led wit h the basic system . A total of 16 168-pin DIMM sockets reside on the board. The sockets accept 64-MB, 128-MB, and 256-MB DIMMs f or a max im um of 4 GB memor y conf igur ati on. T he Mem ory Control I nterface consists of one RAS/CAS Generator (RCG) and two Data Path Multiplexer (MUX) chipsets which belong to the Intel 450NX chi pset.

Each of t he sockets represents one independent bank, which allows you to instal l DIMMs with differ ent capacities to form a c onfigurat ion.

3.2.1 Layout

MUX chipset

RCG chipset

MUX chipset

3.2.2 Memory Configurations

Ever y f our sl ots of m em ory ( slot 1- 4, 5-8, 9-12, and 13-16) f or m s a 4way interleav ing group. You m ust conf igure four identical EDO/ECC buff ered DIMMs in a group for your system to work properl y. Please contact your dealer f or a l i st of qual i f i ed DIMM s. Use of non- quali f i ed DIMMs may cause your system to malfunction.

The table below shows the working memory configurations.

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Bank 0 Bank 1 Bank

2-3

Bank

4-7

Bank

8-11

Bank 12-15

Total Memory

64M*1 64M*1 64M*2 256M 64M*1 64M*1 64M*2 64M*4 512M 64M*1 64M*1 64M*2 64M*4 64M*4 768M 64M*1 64M*1 64M*2 64M*4 64M*4 64M*4 1024M 64M*1 64M*1 64M*2 64M*4 128M*4 1024M 64M*1 64M*1 64M*2 64M*4 128M*4 128M*4 1536M 128M*1 128M*1 128M*2 512M 128M*1 128M*1 128M*2 128M*4 1024M 128M*1 128M*1 128M*2 128M*4 64M*4 1280M 128M*1 128M*1 128M*2 128M*4 64M*4 64M*4 1536M 128M*1 128M*1 128M*2 128M*4 128M*4 1536M 128M*1 128M*1 128M*2 128M*4 128M*4 128M*4 2048M 256M*1 256M*1 256M*2 1024M 256M*1 256M*1 256M*2 256M*4 2048M 256M*1 256M*1 256M*2 256M*4 64M*4 2304M 256M*1 256M*1 256M*2 256M*4 64M*4 64M*4 2560M 256M*1 256M*1 256M*2 256M*4 128M*4 2560M 256M*1 256M*1 256M*2 256M*4 128M*4 128M*4 3072M 256M*1 256M*1 256M*2 256M*4 256M*4 3072M 256M*1 256M*1 256M*2 256M*4 256M*4 256M*4 4096M

3.2.3 Removing and Installing the Memory Board

Follow these steps to remove t he memory boar d:

1. Remove t he si de panel, see section 2.2. 1 for mor e instructions.

2. Remove the thermal air guide, see section 2.8 for more instructions.

3. Gently pull out the memory board using both hands.

System Boards 3-15

Follow these steps to install the memory board:

1. Align the memory board with the memory board slot on the system board.

Install the memory board with the component side up.

2. Insert the board i nto the slot until it fits into place.

3. Insert one end of the metal brac ket into the hole l ocated at the

back of t he housi ng.

4. Align t he c lamp rai l with the board edge.

5. Secure the m etal bracket with a screw as shown below.

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3.2.4 Installing and Removing a DIMM

Installing a DIMM

To install a DIMM, al ign it with the socket and press it down unti l the holding clips secure the DIMM in place.

The DIMM socket is slotted to ensure proper installation. If you slip in a DIMM but does not completely fit, you may have inserted it the wrong way. Reverse the orientation of the DIMM.

Removing a DIMM

To remove a DIMM, press the holding clips on both sides of the socket outward to release the DIMM.

Place your forefingers on the top of the DIMM before you press the holding clips to gently disengage the DIMM from the socket.

System Boards 3-17

3.3 SCSI Backplane Board

The SCSI backpl ane board provi des a convenient i nterface between the SCSI dri ves and the system board. It includes ei ght SCSI drive slots to accommodate the drive trays and two SCSI channels to connect to the system board or SCSI controller boar d.

3.3.1 Features

The backplane board has the foll owing major features:

•

“Hot-swap” feature that allows replacem ent of a defective hard drive even while the system is in full operation. This feature requires a RAID cont r oller board and RAI D dr iver s.

•

2 channel configurations which support 4 SCSI hard drives per channel configurati on

•

Indicates hard disk drive failure through a f r ont panel board LED

•

Supports ultra-2 SCSI SCA (Single Connector Att achment) disk driv es

•

SCSI ID strapping that allows wide SCSI HDD ID configuration through the backplane switches, instead of configuring the individual dr ive IDs

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3.3.2 Layout

CN10

C connector

: I

CN12

: SCSI

SCSI Slot ID Switches

CN14

LED Boards

: Connects to

CN9

: Power

CN11

: Combined

LED connector

CN13

: SCSI

Channel B

CN1-CN4

SCSI Driv e Slo t 1 to

CN5-CN8

SCSI Driv e Slo t 5 to

: Channel A

: Channel B

System Boards 3-19

3.3.3 Hard Disk ID Switch Settings

The backplane board c omes with eight ID switc hes that allow you to define up to 16 hard disk IDs.

The illustration below shows the switch settings with the corresponding hard disk I Ds.

ID Switch

Setting

Hard Disk ID

ID Switch

Setting

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3.3. 4 Dual Channel Configuration

In a dual-channel configuration, channel A supports the devices in slots 1 to 4, and channel B support s the devic es i n sl ots 5 to 8.

CN48

: SCSI Channel

A connector

CN12

: SCSI Channel

A connector

System

Board

CN47

: SCSI Channel

B connector

SCSI Backplane Board

CN13

: SCSI Channel

B connector

SCSI channel A for Slot 1 to 4

SCSI channel B for Slot 5 to 8

System Boards 3-21

3.4 LCD Display Module

The system includes a front panel modul e that serv es as an interf ace to the internal system components and relays external messages through the LCD display screen. Refer to section 2.1.3 for more information.

The fi gure bel ow shows the LCD display m odule connec ti ons wit h t he system board.

CN16

CN1

3-22 AcerAltos 21000 System Guide

Chapter 4 BIOS Utility

The BIOS Utility allows you to view your system’s configuration settings.

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 m essage.

The Setup program loads configuration val ues into the bat t ery-backed nonvolatile memory called CMOS RAM. This memory area is not part of the system RAM.

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

BIOS Utility 4-1

4.1 Entering Setup

To enter Setup, press the key combi nation + + .

You must press + + system is booting. This key combination does not work during any other time.

The BIOS Utility main menu then appears:

BIOS Utility

System Information

Product Information

Disk Drives

Power Management

Startup Configuration

Advanced Configuration

System Security

Remote Diagnostic Configuration

↑↓←→ = Move highlight bar, ↵

Date and Time

Load Default Settings Abort Settings Change

= Select, Esc = Exit

while the

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

4-2 AcerAltos 21000 System Guide

4.2 System Information

The fol lowing screen appears if you select System Inform ation from the mai n menu:

System Information Page 1/2

Processor.......................Pentium II Xeon™

Processor Speed.................xxx MHz

Bus Frequency...................xxx MHz

L1 Cache........................xx KB, Enabled

L2 Cache........................xxx KB, Enabled

Floppy Drive A..................x.xx MB, x.x-inch

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

IDE Primary IDE Primary

Total Memory....................xxx MB

1st 2nd 3rd 4th

PgDn/PgUp = Move Screen, Esc = Back to Main Menu

The System I nformat ion menu shows the current basic configurati on of your system.

Channel Master ......None

Channel Slave .......None

Bank ......................None

Bank ......................EDO

The comm and line at the bottom of the m enu tell s you how to m ove from one screen to another and retur n to the mai n menu.

Press

to move to the next page or to return to the previous

page. Press

to return to the main menu.

BIOS Utility 4-3

The following screen shows page 2 of the System Information m enu.

System Information Page 2/2

Serial Port 1 ..................... 3F8h, IRQ 4

Serial Port 2 ..................... 2F8h, IRQ 3

Parallel Port .................... 378h, IRQ 7

Pointing Device ................... Installed

Memory Parity Mode ................ Disabled

Onboard USB ....................... Disabled

PgDn/PgUp = Move Screen, Esc = Back to Main Menu

The following sections ex plain the parameters.

The parameters in the System Information screens show default settings. These settings are non-configurable from these screens. Select other configuration options from the BIOS Utility main menu to change the settings.

4.2.1 Processor

The Processor parameter specifies the type of processor currently install ed in your system. The system is designed t o support the Intel Pentium II Xeon CPU.

4.2.2 Processor Speed

The Processor Speed parameter specifies the speed of the CPUs currently install ed in your system. T he system supports Intel Pent ium II Xeon processors running at 400 and 450 MHz.

4-4 AcerAltos 21000 System Guide

4.2.3 Bus Frequency

The Bus Frequency parameter specifies the system external clock. The bus frequency c an be either 66 or 100 MHz.

4.2.4 L1 Cache

This parameter specifies the first-level or the internal memory size (i.e., the memory i ntegrated int o the CPU), and whether i t is enabled or disabled.

4.2.5 L2 Cache

This parameter specifies the second-level cache memory size currently supported by the system, and whether it is enabled or disabled.

4.2.6 Floppy Drive A

This parameter specif i es the t ype of dri ve designated as Fl oppy Dri ve A.

4.2.7 Floppy Drive B

This parameter specifies the system’s current F loppy Drive B settings.

4.2.8 IDE Primary Channel Master

This parameter specif ies the current confi guration of the I DE device connected to the master port of the primary IDE channel .

4.2.9 IDE Primary Channel Slave

This parameter specif ies the current confi guration of the I DE device connected to the sl ave port of the pri mary IDE channel.

BIOS Utility 4-5

4.2.10 Total Memory

This parameter specifies the total system memor y . The memory size is automatically detected by BIOS during the POST. If you install additional memory, the system automatically adjusts this parameter to display t he new m emory size.

1st Bank/2nd Bank/3rd Bank/4t h Bank

These parameters indicate the type of memory installed in the system.

4.2.11 Serial Port 1

This parameter indicates the serial port 1 addr ess and IRQ setting.

4.2.12 Serial Port 2

This parameter indicates the serial port 2 addr ess and IRQ setting.

4.2.13 Parallel Port

This parameter indicates the parallel port address and IRQ setting.

4.2.14 Pointing Device

The BIOS utility automatically detects if there is a mouse connected to the system. If there is, this parameter displays the setting. Otherwise, this is set to

None

Installed

4.2.15 Memory Parity Mode

This paramet er indicates the setti ng of the mem ory parity mode. I t may be set to

4-6 AcerAltos 21000 System Guide

Enabled

Disabled

4.2.16 Onboard USB

This parameter specifies whether the onboard USB controller is enabled or not.

BIOS Utility 4-7

4.3 Product Information

The Product Infor mation contains general data about t he system . It includes the product name, serial number, BIOS v ersion, etc. This information is necessary for troubleshooting and may be required when asking for technical support.

The following screen shows the Product Information item s:

Product Information Page 1/1

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

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

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

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

System BIOS Version.................... vx.xx

System BIOS ID......................... xxx.xx xxx-xx

BIOS Release Date...................... xx/xx/xx

Esc = Back to Main Menu

4.3.1 Product Name

This parameter specifies the official name of the system.

4.3.2 System S/N

This parameter specifies the system’s serial number.

4-8 AcerAltos 21000 System Guide

4.3.3 Main Board ID

This parameter specifies the system board’s identific ation number.

4.3.4 Main Board S/N

This parameter specifies the system board’s serial number.

4.3.5 System BIOS Version

This parameter specifies the version of the BIOS utility.

4.3.6 System BIOS ID

This parameter specifies the identi fication number of the BIOS ut ility.

4.3.7 BIOS Release Date

This parameter specifies the official date the BIOS version was released.

BIOS Utility 4-9

4.4 Disk Drives

The Disk Driv es menu lets you confi gure the system hard disk and disk drive settings. If your hard disk supports the enhanced IDE features, y ou may set the functions using this menu.

The following screen shows the Disk Drives parameters and their default settings:

Disk Drives Page 1/1

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

Floppy Drive B ........... [xx-MB, xx-inch]

IDE Primary Channel Master



IDE Primary Channel Slave



↑↓ = Move Highlight Bar, → ← = Change Setting, F1 = Help

The triangle mark t hat precede an item w ithin a menu indicates that there is a detailed menu f or that particular item. Select the item to display the menu.

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From t he Disk Driv es screen, sel ect the I DE Pri mary Channel Master or IDE Primary Channel Slave items to display their respective menus.

Selecti ng the I DE Pr i m ary Channel Master i t em displ ays the f ol l owing menu:

IDE Primary Channel Master Page 1/1

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

↑↓ = Move Highlight Bar, → ← = Change Setting, F1 = Help

The parameters for the IDE Primary Channel Slave menu are the same as in the above screen.

BIOS Utility 4-11

4.4.1 Floppy Drives

To confi gure t he f i rst f l oppy dr ive (dri ve A), highl ight the F l oppy Dri ve A parameter. Press appropriate value.

Possible settings for the Fl oppy Dr ive par ameters:

•

[ 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]

or to view the options, then select the

Follow the same procedure to conf i gure f l oppy dr ive B. Choose if y ou do not have a second floppy dri ve.

None

4.4.2 IDE Drives

There are two IDE drive option items under the Disk Drives menu. Select the IDE Prim ary Channel Master item if you want to conf igure an IDE dev ice set as m aster. Sel ect the I DE Pri mary Channel Sl av e item if you want to c onfigure an I DE devic e set as slave.

To configure an IDE device designat ed as master:

1. Select the IDE Primary Channel Master option to display its

menu.

2. Highli ght the paramet er T ype, t hen press

IDE drive types with their respective values for cylinder, head, sector, and size.

or to display the

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You may do any of the f ollowing:

• Select the type that c or r esponds to your IDE hard disk drive.

• If you do not know the ex act type of your IDE device, sel ect

the the installed IDE drive type.

option to let the BIOS utility automatically detect

Auto

• You m ay sav e the v al ues under the opti on tim e you boot the system , the BI OS utility does not hav e to auto-configure your IDE drive as it detects the saved disk infor mation during POST.

User

. The next

We recommend that you copy the IDE disk drive values and keep them in a safe place in case you have to reconfigur e the disk in the futur e.

• If you have instal led an IDE hard disk that was previously formatted but does not use the disk native parameters or structure, i.e., the di sk may be f ormatted according to the user-specified number of cylinders, heads, and sectors, select the information.

•

If t her e is no devi c e c onnec ted, choose

To configure an IDE device designat ed as slave:

1. Select the IDE Primary Channel Slave option to display its menu.

2. Highli ght the paramet er T ype, t hen press IDE drive types with their respective values for cylinder, head, sector, and size. Ref er to the above procedure f or conf i guring a master device to c onfigure t he sl ave device.

option. Then enter the appropriate drive

User

None

or to display the

BIOS Utility 4-13

Hard Disk Block M ode

This func tion enhances di sk perform ance dependi ng on the har d disk in use. If you set this parameter to automatically detects if the installed hard disk drive supports the Block Mode function. If supported, it allows data transfer in block (multi ple sectors) at a rate of 256 byt es per cycle. To disregard the feature, change the setting to

Advanced PIO Mode

Disabled

, the BIOS utility

Auto

When set to install ed hard disk supports the function. If supported, it allows for faster data recovery and read/write timing that reduces hard disk activity time. This results in better hard disk performance. To disregard the feature, change the setting to

Hard Disk Size > 504 MB

When set to install ed hard disk supports the function. If supported, i t al l ows 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 DOS, Windows 3.x, and Windows 95 environments. Other operating systems require this parameter t o be set to

, the BIOS utility automatically detects if the

Auto

Disabled

, the BIOS utility automatically detects if the

Auto

Disabled

4-14 AcerAltos 21000 System Guide

Acer Altos 21000 User Guide

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual

Introduction

1.1 Preinstallation Requirements

1.2 Basic Connections

1.3 System Startup

1.4 Power-on Problems

2.1 External and Internal Structure

2.2 Opening the Housing Panels

2.3 Installing and Removing Storage Devices

2.4 Installing a Hot-swappable SCSI Drive

2.7 Installing an Expansion Board

2.9 Cable Connections

3.1 Main Board

3.2 Memory Board

3.3 SCSI Backplane Board

3.4 LCD Display Module

BIOS Utility 4-1

4.1 Entering Setup

4.2 System Information

4.3 Product Information

4.4 Disk Drives