Acer ALTOS 500 User Manual

Acer Altos 500

System Guide

Copyright 1998 by Acer Incorporated. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, transmitted, transcribed, stored in a retrieval system, or translated into any language or computer language, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, magnetic, optical, chemical, manual or otherwise, without the prior written permission of this company.

Disclaimer

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 particular purpose. Any software described in this manual is sold or licensed "as is". Should the programs prove defective following their purchase, the buyer (and not this company, its distributor, or its dealer) assumes the entire cost of all necessary servicing, repair, and any incidental or consequential damages resulting from any defect in the software. Further, this company reserves the right to revise 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.

IMPORTANT SAFETY

INSTRUCTIONS

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 from the wall outlet before cleaning. 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 fall, causing serious damage to the product.

6.Slots and openings in the cabinet and the back or bottom are provided for ventilation; to ensure reliable operation of the product and to protect it from overheating, these openings must not be blocked or covered. 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.

7.This product should be operated from the type of power indicated on the marking label. If you are not sure of the type of power available, consult your dealer or local power company.

8.This product is equipped with a 3-wire grounding-type plug, a plug having a third (grounding) pin. This plug will only fit into a grounding-type power outlet. This is a safety feature. If you are unable to insert the plug into the outlet, contact your electrician to replace your obsolete outlet. Do not defeat the purpose of the grounding-type plug.

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

10.If an extension cord is used with this product, make sure that the total ampere rating of the equipment plugged into the extension cord does not exceed the extension cord ampere rating. Also, make sure that the total rating of all products plugged into the wall outlet does not exceed 15 amperes.

11.Never push objects of any kind into this product through cabinet slots as they may touch dangerous voltage points or short out parts that could result in a fire or electric shock. Never spill liquid of any kind on the product.

12.Do not attempt to service this product yourself, as opening or removing covers may expose you to dangerous voltage points or other risks. Refer all servicing to qualified service personnel.

13.Unplug this product from the wall outlet and refer servicing to qualified service personnel under the following conditions:

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

b.If liquid has been spilled into the product

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

d.If the product does not operate normally when the operating instructions are followed. Adjust only those controls that are covered by the operating instructions since improper adjustment of other controls may result in damage and will often require extensive work by a qualified technician to restore the product to normal condition.

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

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

14.Replace battery with the same type as the product's battery we recommend. Use of another battery may present a risk of fire or explosion. Refer battery replacement to a qualified serviceman.

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

16.Use only the proper type of power supply cord set (provided in your keyboard/manual accessories box) for this unit. 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).

FCC Class A Radio Frequency

Interference Statement

WARNING!

This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class A digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference when the equipment is operated in a commercial environment. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instruction manual, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. Operation of this equipment in a residential area is likely to cause harmful interference in which case the user will be required to correct the interference at his own expense.

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:

If the EUT was tested with special shielded cables, the operator’s manual for such product shall also contain the following statement or its equivalent:

Shielded interface cables and/or AC power cord, if any, must be used in order to comply with the emission limits.

About this Manual

Getting Started

This system guide aims to give you all the necessary information to enable you to operate the Altos 500 system.

Manual Structure

This system guide consists of four chapters.

Chapter 1 System Housing

This chapter describes the assembly and disassembly of the system housing. It also shows you how to install housing components.

Chapter 2 System Board

This chapter describes the main board. Also, It introduces the system’s unique features and powerful architecture.

Chapter 3 BIOS Utility

This chapter explains the BIOS parameter functions. It tells how to configure the system by setting the parameters.

Chapter 4 SCSI/VGA Combo Card

This chapter describes the function and installation of the SCSI/VGA combo card.

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Conventions

The following are the conventions used in this manual:

Text entered by user		Represents text input by the user.
Option Items		Represents options that you can
		select on the screen.
,	, , etc.	Represent the actual keys that you
		have to press on the keyboard.

NOTE

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

CAUTION

Gives precautionary measures to avoid possible hardware or software problems.

viii

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 System Housing

Standalone System.......................................................................	1-1
Features ....................................................................................	1-2
Front Panel .....................................................................	1-2
Rear Panel .....................................................................	1-3
Internal Structure .............................................................	1-4
Opening the Housing Panels ........................................................	1-5
Front Panel .....................................................................	1-5
Left Panel .....................................................................	1-6
Installing Disk Drives and Hot-Swap Cage ...................................	1-7
3.5-inch Drive...................................................................	1-7
5.25-inch Drives ...............................................................	1-8
Hot-Swap Cage................................................................	1-9
Hard Disk Drive Tray......................................................	1-13
Installing a System Board ...........................................................	1-14
Installing an Expansion Board ....................................................	1-15
Installing a CPU or Memory Board .............................................	1-16
LVD SCSI Backplane Board .......................................................	1-17
Jumpers and Connectors...............................................	1-18

Chapter 2 System Board

Major Components .......................................................................	2-2
System Board Layout with Network Connector ...............	2-3
System Board Layout without Network Connector ..........	2-4

Jumpers and Connectors .............................................................	2-5
Jumper and Connector Locations with a Network
Connector...............................................................	2-5
Jumper and Connector Locations without a
Network Connector ................................................	2-6
Jumper Settings ..............................................................	2-7
Connector Functions .......................................................	2-7
ESD Precautions ..........................................................................	2-8
Installing the Pentium II processor ...............................................	2-9
Attaching the Processor Fan Sink...................................	2-9
Installing a Pentium II Processor...................................	2-12
Removing a Pentium II Processor.................................	2-14
Memory Upgrade........................................................................	2-15
Memory Configurations .................................................	2-15
Installing a DIMM...........................................................	2-16
Removing a DIMM.........................................................	2-16
Reconfiguring the System .............................................	2-17
Installing Expansion Cards.........................................................	2-17
Installing PCI Cards.......................................................	2-17
Installing ISA Cards.......................................................	2-18
Installing an AGP Card..................................................	2-19
Error Messages ..........................................................................	2-20
Software Error Messages..............................................	2-21
System Error Messages ................................................	2-21
Correcting Error Conditions...........................................	2-23

Chapter 3 BIOS Utility

Entering Setup ..............................................................................	3-2
System Information .......................................................................	3-4
Processor .....................................................................	3-5
Processor Speed .............................................................	3-5
Internal Cache Size..........................................................	3-5
External Cache ................................................................	3-5
Floppy Drive A..................................................................	3-5
Floppy Drive B..................................................................	3-5
IDE Primary Channel Master ...........................................	3-6
IDE Primary Channel Slave .............................................	3-6
IDE Secondary Channel Master ......................................	3-6
IDE Secondary Channel Slave.........................................	3-6
Total Memory ...................................................................	3-6
Serial Port 1 .....................................................................	3-7
Serial Port 2 .....................................................................	3-7
Parallel Port .....................................................................	3-7
PS/2 Mouse .....................................................................	3-7
Product Information ......................................................................	3-8
Product Name..................................................................	3-8
System S/N .....................................................................	3-8
Main Board ID ..................................................................	3-8
Main Board S/N................................................................	3-9
System BIOS Version ......................................................	3-9
DMI BIOS Version............................................................	3-9
Disk Drives..................................................................................	3-10
Floppy Drives .................................................................	3-10

LS-120 Drive Compatible As .........................................	3-11
IDE Drives ..................................................................	3-11
Onboard Peripherals ..................................................................	3-16
Serial Ports 1 and 2.......................................................	3-16
Parallel Port ..................................................................	3-17
Onboard Device Settings ..............................................	3-18
Power Management ...................................................................	3-20
Power Management Mode ............................................	3-20
Power Switch < 4 sec....................................................	3-21
System Wake-up Event.................................................	3-21
Boot Options...............................................................................	3-22
Boot Sequence..............................................................	3-22
First Hard Disk Drive .....................................................	3-23
Fast Boot ..................................................................	3-23
Silent Boot ..................................................................	3-23
Num Lock After Boot .....................................................	3-23
Memory Test .................................................................	3-24
Configuration Table .......................................................	3-24
Boot from LANDesk Service Agent ...............................	3-24
Date and Time............................................................................	3-25
Date .............................................................................	3-25
Time .............................................................................	3-26
Advanced Options ......................................................................	3-27
Memory/Cache Options.................................................	3-27
PnP/PCI Options ...........................................................	3-29
CPU Frequency.............................................................	3-32

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System Security ..........................................................................	3-34
Setup Password.............................................................	3-34
Power-on Password.......................................................	3-37
Disk Drive Control ..........................................................	3-38
Load Default Settings..................................................................	3-40
Abort Settings Change................................................................	3-40
Exit Setup ..................................................................................	3-41

Chapter 4 SCSI/VGA Combo Card

Card Layout .....................................................................	4-1
Jumper Settings...............................................................	4-2
Connector Functions........................................................	4-2
Card Installation ...............................................................	4-2

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Chapter 1 System Housing

This chapter describes the features of the IDM housing and tells you how to install the basic system components such as disk drives, a system board, or expansion boards. Descriptive illustrations accompany the installation procedures.

If you receive a complete system, the basic components are already installed.

Standalone System

For a standalone system, rotate the feet outward to stabilize the housing.

Getting Started

1-1

Features

Front Panel

Panel Door

Keylock

1-2	Altos 500 System Guide

Rear Panel

COM port slots

System Board

connectors

Expansion Port

Slots

Power Supply

Power Socket

SCSI Expansion

Slots

Housing Fan

Expansion Slots

System Housing

1-3

Internal Structure

The figure below shows the housing internal structure and some of the basic system components.

Power Supply

5.25-inch Drive Bays

3.5-inch Drive Bay

Housing Fan

		Power Switch
	Expansion	Power LED
	Expansion
	Card Slots
		Hard Disk Drive LED
	Backplane Board	System Status LED
	Backplane Board
	Hot-Swap Cage	Removable Hard Disk
	Hot-Swap Cage	Drive Trays
	(SCSI)	Drive Trays
	(SCSI)

1-4	Altos 500 System Guide

Opening the Housing Panels

Front Panel

Keylock

Unlock the housing with the key and then pull the panel to access the drive trays.

System Housing

1-5

Left Panel

To remove the left panel:

1.Use a screw driver to remove the two screws securing it to the rear panel.

2.Pull the panel handle to slide the left panel open.

Left panel

screws

Left Panel Handle

1-6	Altos 500 System Guide

Installing Disk Drives and Hot-Swap Cage

Turn off the power switch and unplug the power cord before installing or removing diskette drives.

3.5-inch Drive

1.Open the front panel and remove the left panel of the housing. See the Opening the Housing Panels section for more information.

2.Remove the screws attaching the 3.5-inch drive frame (2 pieces) to the housing.

3.Secure a 3.5-inch drive on the drive frame with four screws as shown below.

System Housing

1-7

4. Insert the drive into the drive bay and secure it with two screws.

5. Connect the diskette drive cables.

5.25-inch Drives

You may install a CD-ROM, digital audio tape (DAT), hard disk, diskette drive or any other 5.25-inch device into the drive bay.

1.Open the front panel. See the Opening the Housing Panels section for more information.

2.Remove the screws attaching the 5.25-inch drive frame (2 pieces) to the housing.

3.Attach the drive guides on the sides of a 5.25-inch drive with two screws on each side.

1-8	Altos 500 System Guide

4.Insert the drive into the drive bay and secure it with two screws.

5.Connect the signal and power cables to the drive.

Hot-Swap Cage

The hot-swap cage box includes the following components:

•One hot-swap cage (with back plane board attached)

•Three hard disk drive tray

•One system board connector cable

•Two Hard disk drive fault LED connector cable

To install the hot-swap cage into the housing:

1.Open the front panel and remove the left panel of the housing. See the Opening the Housing Panels section for more information.

System Housing

1-9

2.Attach the drive guides on the sides of the hot-swap cage with two screws on each side.

3.Insert the hot-swap cage into the housing and secure the hot-swap cage with two screws.

1-10	Altos 500 System Guide

4.Attach the power cable, the SCSI terminator, the HDD fault LED cable, and the system board connector cable to the backplane board and attach the other end of the connector cable to the system board. For the location of the SCSI connector, please refer to the system board manual.

Single Hot-swap Cage Configuration

Power connector

SCSI Terminator

System board connector cable

CN3: Connect to system board’s HDD Fault LED

There are two kinds of HDD Fault LED cable supplied. The cable with two 4-pin connector should be use with AcerAltos 1100 and AcerAltos 11000 systems. The other cable with AcerPro Station 7000.

System Housing

1-11

Cascading Hot-swap Cage Configuration

Power connector

CN3: Connect to 2nd CN8 hot-swap cage HDD Fault LED connector

SCSI Connector

cable

Power connector

CN3: Connect to system board’s HDD Fault LED connector

CN1: To system

board connector

1st hot-swap

CN1

2nd hot-swap

SCSI Terminator

The SCSI connector cable and the threeconnector HDD fault LED cable is an optional item needed for installing two hot-swap cages. Consult your dealer for the availability of this cable.

System Board Connector Cable

Connect this side to	Red Strip
the 1st hot-swap	Red Strip
	Connect this side to
	the system board

1-12	Altos 500 System Guide

SCSI Connector Cable

Connect this side to

the 1st hot-swap

Red Strip

Connect this side to the 2nd hot-swap

Hard Disk Drive Tray

1.Use your finger to release the drive tray as shown below and then pull it out.

2.Place a hard disk on the tray. Secure it with four screws and four metal support braces as shown below.

System Housing

1-13

4.Insert the tray into the hot-swap cage and then close the lever as shown below.

Installing a System Board

The housing accommodates various system board sizes. You can rearrange the pegs on the system board plate to fit the board that you wish to install.

System Board

Align the system board holes to the pegs with the external ports facing the rear of the housing. Secure the board with eight screws.

1-14	Altos 500 System Guide

Installing an Expansion Board

1.Remove an expansion slot bracket cover. Save the screw to secure the expansion board.

2.Align an expansion board with the open slot and insert the golden fingers into the expansion bus connector.

3.Secure the board with the screw.

System Housing

1-15

Installing a CPU or Memory Board

Follow these steps to install a CPU or memory board if your system board does not include them.

1.Remove a bracket opposite the CPU or memory board slot.

2.Insert the board into the slot.

Make sure that the board is properly seated in the slot.

3.Secure the board with a screw.

4.Align the plastic support bar with the board edge.

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