Acer G500 User Manual

Acer Altos G500

User’s guide

Copyright © 2001 Acer Incorporated
All Rights Reserved.

Acer Altos G500
User’s guide

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

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

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

Model Number : _________________________________

Serial Number: ___________________________________

Purchase Date: ___________________________________

Place of Purchase: ________________________________

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

iii

Notices

FCC notice

This device has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B
digital device pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to
provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential
installation. This device generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency
energy, and if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may
cause harmful interference to radio communications.

However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular
installation. If this device does cause harmful interference to radio or television
reception, which can be determined by turning the device off and on, the user
is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following
measures:

• Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna

• Increase the separation between the device and receiver

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

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

Notice: Shield cables

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

Notice: Peripheral devices

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

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

iv

Use conditions

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

Notice: Canadian users

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

Remarque à l’intention des utilisateurs canadiens

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

.

Important safety instructions

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

1 Follow all warnings and instructions marked on the product.

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

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

3 Do not use this product near water.

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

product may fall, causing serious damage to the product.

5 Slots and openings in the 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.

6 This product should be operated from the type of power indicated

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

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

this product where persons will walk on the cord.

8 If an extension cord is used with this product, make sure that the

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

9 Never push objects of any kind into this product through cabinet

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

10 Do not attempt to service this product yourself, as opening or

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

11 Unplug this product from the wall outlet and refer servicing to

qualified service personnel under the following conditions:

a When the power cord or plug is damaged or frayed

b If liquid has been spilled into the product

c If the product has been exposed to rain or water

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.

12 Replace the battery with the same type as the product's battery we

recommend. Use of another battery may present a risk of fire or
explosion. Refer battery replacement to a qualified serviceman.

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

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

v

vi

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

your accessories box) for this unit. It should be a detachable type:
UL listed/CSA certified, type SPT-2, rated 7A 125V minimum, VDE
approved or its equivalent. Maximum length is 15 feet (4.6
meters).

Laser compliance statement

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

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

Notices iii

FCC notice iii
Important safety instructions iv
Laser compliance statement vi

1 System overview 1

Overview 3

Processors 3
Memory 3
System chipsets 4
Expansion slots 5
Hardware management support 6

Features summary 7

2 System tour 9

External and internal structure 11

Front panel 11
Rear panel 12

Internal components 13
Keyboard 15
Mouse 17
Disk drives 18

3.5-inch floppy drive 18

CD-ROM drive 19
Setting up your system 20

Preinstallation requirements 20
Basic connections 21

Connecting the PS/2 keyboard 21

Connecting the PS/2 mouse 22

Connecting the VGA monitor 23

Connecting to the network 24

Connecting the power cable 25
Turning on your system 26

Power-on problems 27
Turning off your system 28
Connecting options 29

Printer 29

USB devices 30

Contents

3 Upgrading your system 31

Installation precautions 33

ESD precautions 33
Preinstallation instructions 33
Post-installation instructions 34

Opening your system 35

Opening the front panel door 35
Removing the front panel door 35
Opening the side panel 36

Mainboard layout 38

Installing the VGA card retainer 41

Installing and removing storage devices 44

Replacing the 3.5-inch floppy drive 44
Replacing a 5.25-inch storage device (optional) 45

Removing and installing the CPU 48

Removing a CPU 48
Installing a CPU 51

Removing and installing memory modules 53

Removing a DIMM 53

Installing a DIMM 54
Installing expansion cards 56
Installing an external redundant system fan (optional) 58

4 BIOS Setup utility 59

BIOS Setup utility 61
Entering Setup 62
System Information 64
Product Information 66
Disk Drives 67

IDE Channel Type 69
Onboard Peripherals 71
Power Management 74
Boot Options 77
Date and Time 79
System Security 80

Setting and changing the password 81

Removing a password 83
IPMI Configuration 84
RDM Configuration 87
Load Default Settings 90
Abort Settings Change 91
Exit Setup 92

Appendix A: ASM Pro quick installation guide 93

Installing ASM Pro 95

System requirements 95
System setup 95
Installing ASM Pro Console 96
Installing ASM Pro Server Agent 96

Installing RDM 103

System requirements 103
Connecting communication peripherals 104

RDM Console setup 107
Installing AWM and Microsoft Internet
Information Service (IIS) 109

System requirements 109

Installing AWM 109

Setting up Microsoft IIS 110

Running AWM 111

Index 113

Contents

1 System overview

The Acer Altos G500 server model is a
powerful dual-processor system loaded with
a host of new and innovative features. The
system offers a new standard for flexible
productivity ideal for local or wide area
networks and multiuser server environments.

Overview

The Acer Altos G500 server model utilizes a PCI bus based dual­processor mainboard built on an ATX baseboard. It comes with a dual
FC-PGA (Flip-Chip Pin-Grip Array) processor socket utilizing the Intel
Pentium® III processor integrated with the VIA Pro 266T chipset. The
mainboard also integrates the Intel
chipset that supports WOL (Wake on LAN) for better remote site
management.

For expandability, the mainboard includes one AGP (Accelerated
Graphics Port) bus, five PCI bus slots and four DIMM sockets that allow
memory installation up to a maximum of 4 GB using 1-GB DDR SDRAM
(double data rate Synchronous DRAM) modules.

For connectivity, the mainboard provides two USB (Universal Serial Bus)
connectors, PS/2 interface for both mouse and keyboard and other
standard features such as two UART NS16C550 serial ports, enhanced
parallel port with Enhanced Parallel Port (EPP)/Extended Capabilities
Port (ECP) support and one RJ-45 network port.

The system is fully compatible with MS-DOS V6.X, Novell Netware, Red
Hat Linux, Windows NT 4.0, Windows 2000, and SCO Unixware.

®

82550 10/100 Mbps PCI Ethernet

®

3

Processors

The Pentium III processor delivers higher performance than previous
Pentium processors while maintaining binary compatibility with all
previous Intel Architecture processors.

The mainboard supports 100 or 133 MHz GTL+ host bus frequencies for
one Pentium III processor running at 933 Mhz, 1 GHz, 1.13 GHz,

1.26 GHz and future generation of Pentium III processors.

Memory

The four DIMM sockets on board accept 128-, 256-, 512-MB and 1-GB
DDR SDRAM modules for a maximum memory upgrade capacity of up
to 4 GB. For data integrity, the default setting of the ECC (error­correcting code) function of the memory system in BIOS is enabled.

4

Note: The DDR SDRAM module should work under 3.3 volts only;
5-volt memory devices are not supported.

The mainboard supports 266 MHz DDR-SDRAM (PC-2100) module.

1 System overview

System chipsets

VIA Pro266T chipset

The VIA Pro266T chipset was specifically designed to meet the needs of
high performance systems. It consists of two components: VT8653
(north bridge) and VT8233 (south bridge).

• VT8653 (north bridge) provides the host interface, memory system
control interface, PCI interface, and AGP interface to boost
graphics performance.

• VT8233 (south bridge) integrates super I/O functions like keyboard
and mouse interface, floppy disk controller, advanced digital data
separator, two compatible serial ports (UARTs), one parallel port,
on-chip 12 mA AT bus drivers, one floppy direct drive support, and
Intelligent Power Management (IPM) support.

SCSI subsystem

The dual-channel AIC-7899 single-chip host adapter delivers Ultra
160/m SCSI data transfer rates which double the Ultra-2 SCSI data
transfer rate of up to 160 MByte/s. With two channels, it delivers a
total of 320 MByte/s bandwidth. In addition, the AIC-7899 features a
66 MHz, 64-bit PCI interface that supports zero wait-state memory
which also operates on 33 MHz, 32-bit PCI buses. It supports up to 15
devices on a 12-meter cable (or 25 meters in a point-to-point
configuration), making it ideal for both clustering and RAID
configurations.

LAN subsystem

Another cost-effective feature for network solutions is the integration
of Intel’s 82550 10/100 Mbps Fast Ethernet controller which supports:

• Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) 1.0B-based
power management

• wake on Magic Packet

• wake on Interesting Packet

• advanced System Management Bus (SMB) based manageability

• Wired for Management (WfM) 2.0 compliance

• IP checksum assist

• PCI 2.2 compliance

• PC 2001 compliance

Expansion slots

AGP bus

AGP is solely developed for the purpose of supporting 3D graphic
applications. The AGP Pro (50) slot has a 32-bit wide channel that runs
at 66 MHz, which translates into a total bandwidth of 266 MBps. This
is twice the bandwidth of PCI buses (133 MBps). AGP also accesses the
main memory directly allowing 3D textures to be stored in main
memory rather than video memory.

5

PCI bus

The mainboard has five PCI buses that support 32-bit/33 MHz PCI
devices. The PCI bus is the key interface that communicates between
the north and the south bridge.

6

1 System overview

Hardware management support

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

Additional features include hardware support for ASM Pro (Advanced
System Manager Pro) and RDM (Remote Diagnostic Management).
ASM detects problems in the CPU thermal condition, CPU working
voltage detection (±12V/±5V/3.3V/1.5V), and PCI bus utilization
calculation. It also detects if the CPU fan or the chassis fan
malfunctions. Meanwhile, RDM allows execution of the RDM
diagnostic program from a remote RDM station to fix detected
problems or to reboot the system.

Features summary

The mainboard has the following major components:

• FC-PGA dual socket that supports a Pentium III processor running
at 933 MHz,1 GHz, 1.13 GHz and1.26 GHz and future generations
of Pentium III CPUs

• VIA Pro266T chipset which includes the north and the south bridge

• Onboard Intel 82550 10/100 Mbps LAN chip with WOL support

®

• Adaptec

• Channel A - one 68-pin ULTRA 160/m SCSI connector

• Channel B - one 68-pin ULTRA 160/m SCSI connector

• Four DIMM sockets that accept 128-, 256-, 512-MB and 1-GB DDR­SDRAM with a maximum memory upgrade capacity of 4 GB

• One AGP bus and five PCI bus slots

• System clock/calendar with battery backup

• IDE disk drive interfaces

• Super I/O chipset

• Auxiliary power connector for 280-watts SPS and ATX power
supply

• Hardware support for ASM Pro (Advanced System Manager Pro)
and RDM (Remote Diagnostic Management)

• External ports:

• Two USB connectors • RJ-45 jack

• PS/2-compatible keyboard port • Parallel port

• PS/2-compatible mouse port • Two serial ports

AIC-7899 Dual Channel SCSI controller chipset supports:

7

8

1 System overview

2 System tour

This chapter discusses the features and
components of your system.

External and internal structure

Front panel

Note: One pair of system keys are hung inside the front panel
door. Additional duplicate keys can be found at the back of the
system.

11

No. Item

1Power indicator

2 Hard disk activity indicator

12

No. Item

3 System status indicator

4Keylock

5 Front panel

Rear panel

2 System tour

No. Item No. Item

1 System fan 4 I/O connectors

2 Power cable socket 5 Monitor/VGA port

No. Item No. Item

3 Housing fan 6 Expansion slots

Internal components

13

No. Item

1 CD-ROM Headphone/Earphone port

2 CD-ROM Increase/Decrease volume button

3 CD-ROM activity indicator

4 CD-ROM tray

5 CD-ROM Play/Forward button

6 CD-ROM Stop/Eject button

14

No. Item

7 Floppy drive eject button

8 Floppy drive tray

9 Floppy drive activity indicator

10 Power button

11 Power indicator

12 Hard disk activity indicator

13 System status indicator

14 5.25-inch half-height bays

15 Expansion slots

16 Housing fan

17 Power supply

2 System tour

15

Keyboard

Your system comes with a PS/2 keyboard. The keyboard has full-sized
keys that include separate cursor keys, two Windows keys, and twelve
function keys.

No. Component Function

1 Function keys

(F1 - F12)

2 Scroll Lock When activated, the screen moves one line

3 Num Lock When activated, the keypad is set to

Access most of the computer’s controls like
screen brightness, volume output and the
BIOS Setup utility.

up or down when you press the up arrow
or down arrow respectively. Take note
that Scroll Lock may not work with some
applications.

numeric mode, i.e., the keys function as a
calculator (complete with arithmetic oper­ators such as +, -, x, and /).

16

No. Component Function

4 Cursor keys Also called the arrow keys. These keys let

you move the cursor around the screen.
They serve the same function as the arrow
keys on the numeric pad when the Num
Lock is toggled off.

2 System tour

5 Application key

6 Palm rest

(detachable)

7 Windows logo key Start button. Combinations with this key

8 Caps Lock When activated, all alphabetic characters

Opens the applications context menu
(same function as clicking the right button
of the mouse).

Provides a comfortable place to rest your
hands while typing.

perform special functions, such as:

• Windows + Tab: Activate the next
Taskbar button

• Windows + E: Explore My Computer

• Windows + F: Find Document

• Windows + M: Minimize All

• Shift + Windows + M: Undo Mini­mize All

• Windows + R: Displays the Run dia­log box

typed appear in uppercase (same function
as pressing Shift + <letter>).

17

Mouse

Your PS/2 mouse has one ratchet wheel and two buttons: a left button
and a right button. Quickly pressing and releasing the buttons is called
clicking. Sometimes, you will need to do a double-click (clicking the
same button twice quickly) or a right-click (clicking the right button
quickly).

The ratchet wheel in between the two buttons is added to provide
easier scrolling capability. By simply moving the wheel with your index
finger, you can quickly move through multiple pages, lines, or
windows. The wheel may also function as a third button allowing you
to quickly click or double-click an icon or a selected item.

Note: If you are left-handed, refer to your Windows manual for
instructions on how to set up your mouse for left-handed use.

18

2 System tour

Disk drives

Your system comes with the following disk drives:

3.5-inch floppy drive

Your system’s 3.5-inch floppy drive can handle 720-KB and 1.44-MB
capacity diskettes.

Floppy diskettes are compact, lightweight, and easy to carry around.
Here are some tips on how to take care of your diskettes:

• Always make backup copies of the diskettes that contain
important data or program files.

• Keep diskettes away from magnetic fields and sources of heat.

• Avoid removing a diskette from the floppy drive when the drive
activity indicator is on.

• Write-protect your diskettes to prevent accidental erasure. To do
this, slide the write-protect tab to the write-protect position (1).

Sliding the write-protect tab to the not-write-protect position (2)
will allow you to store and modify data in your diskettes.

• When you put a label on a 3.5-inch diskette, make sure that the
label is properly attached (flat on the surface) and within the
labeling area (area with a slight surface depression) on the
diskette. An improperly attached label may cause a diskette to get
stuck in the floppy drive when you are inserting or removing it.

19

CD-ROM drive

Your system comes with a CD-ROM drive. This drive is located on the
front panel of your system. The CD-ROM drive allows you to play
different types of compact discs (CDs) and video CDs.

CDs, like diskettes, are also compact, lightweight, and easy to carry
around. However, they are more delicate than diskettes and must be
handled with extra care.

To insert a CD into your system’s CD-ROM drive:

1 Gently push the Stop/Eject button located on the front panel.

2 When the disc tray slides open, insert the CD. Make sure that the

label or title side of the disc is facing upward.

Caution! Hold the disc by the edges to avoid leaving smudges or
fingerprints.

3 Push the Stop/Eject button again to close the tray.

To take care of your CDs:

• Keep your discs in a disk case when not in use to avoid scratches or
other damage. Any kind of dirt or damage can affect the data on
the disc, impair the disc lens reader on the CD-ROM drive, or stop
the system from successfully reading the disc.

• When handling discs, always hold them by the edges to avoid
smudges or fingerprints.

• When cleaning discs, use a clean, dust-free cloth and wipe in a
straight line from the center to the edge. Do not wipe in a circular
motion.

• Clean your CD-ROM drive periodically. You may refer to a cleaning
kit for instructions. Cleaning kits can be purchased in any system
or electronics shop.

20

2 System tour

Setting up your system

Preinstallation requirements

Selecting a site

Before unpacking and installing the system, select a suitable site for
the system for maximum efficiency. Consider the following factors
when choosing a site for the system:

• Near a grounded power outlet

• Clean and dust-free

• Sturdy surface free from vibration

• Well-ventilated and away from sources of heat

• Secluded from electromagnetic fields produced by electrical
devices such as air conditioners, radio and TV transmitters, etc.

Checking the package contents

Check the following items from the package:

• Acer Altos G500 ystem

• Acer Altos G500 User’s guide (with system binder)

• CD-ROM driver kits

• System keys (hung inside the front panel door)

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

Save the boxes and packing materials for future use.

Basic connections

The system unit, keyboard, mouse, and monitor constitute the basic
system. Before connecting any other peripherals, connect these
peripherals first to test if the system is running properly.

Connecting the PS/2 keyboard

Plug the plug the keyboard cable into the PS/2 keyboard port

(purple) located on the rear panel of your system.

21

22

2 System tour

Connecting the PS/2 mouse

Plug the PS/2 mouse cable into the PS/2 mouse port (green port)
located on the rear panel of your system.

Connecting the VGA monitor

To connect the VGA monitor, simply plug the monitor cable into the

monitor/VGA port (blue port) located on the rear panel of your
system.

23

24

2 System tour

Connecting to the network

You can connect your computer to a Local Area Network (LAN) using a
network cable. To do so, simply plug the network cable into the

network port (black port) located on the rear panel of your
system.

Note: Consult your operating system manual for information on
how to configure your network setup.

25

Connecting the power cable

Plug the power cable into the power cable socket located on the rear
panel of your system. Then plug the other end of the power cable into
a power outlet. The figure below shows a complete connection of the
whole system

26

2 System tour

Turning on your system

After making sure that you have set up the system properly and
connected all the required cables, you can now power on your system.

To power on the system, press the power button on the front panel.
The system starts up and displays a welcome message. After that, a
series of power-on self-test (POST) messages appears. The POST
messages indicate if the system is running well or not.

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

Aside from the POST messages, you can determine if the system is in
good condition by checking if the following occurred:

• Power indicator on the front bezel lights up (green)

• Power, Num Lock, and Caps Lock indicators on the keyboard light
up

Power-on problems

If the system does not boot after you have applied power, check the
following factors that might have caused the boot failure.

• The external power cable may be loosely connected.

Check the power cable connection from the power source to the
power cable socket on the rear panel. Make sure that the cable is
properly connected to the power source and to the power cable
socket.

• No power comes from the grounded power outlet.

Have an electrician check your power outlet.

• Loose or improperly connected internal power cables.

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

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

Note: If you have gone through the preceding actions and the

system still fails to boot, ask your dealer or a qualified technician
for assistance.

27

28

2 System tour

Turning off your system

To turn off your computer, on the Windows taskbar click on the Start
button, point to Shut Down..., select Shut down from the dropdown
window then click on OK. You can then turn off all peripherals
connected to your computer.

If you cannot shut down your computer, press the power button for at
least four seconds. Quickly pressing the button may put the computer
in a Suspend mode only.

Connecting options

Printer

Your system supports serial, parallel and USB printers.

To connect a parallel printer, plug the printer cable into the parallel/

printer port (burgundy port) located on the rear panel of your
system.

29

Note: If you are using a serial printer, connect the printer cable
into either serial port 1 or serial port 2. In the same manner,
connect a USB printer by plugging the printer cable into either
USB ports. The serial and USB ports are both located on the
system’s rear panel.

30

2 System tour

USB devices

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

Your system comes with two USB ports located on the rear panel. These
ports allow you to connect additional serial devices to your system
without using up its system resources.

To connect a USB device, simply plug the device cable into either USB

ports (black port) located on the rear panel of your system.

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

3 Upgrading your

system

This chapter contains basic information
about your mainboard that you will find
helpful when performing the instructions of
the upgrade process which are also
discussed in this chapter.

Installation precautions

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

ESD precautions

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

1 Do not remove a component from its protective packaging until

you are ready to install it.

2 Wear a wrist grounding strap and attach it to a metal part of the

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

Preinstallation instructions

33

Always observe the following before you install any component:

1 Turn off your system and all the peripherals connected to it.

2 Unplug all cables from the power outlets.

3 Open your system according to the instructions on page 35.

4 Follow the ESD precautions described above when handling a

computer component.

5 Remove any expansion board(s) or peripheral(s) that block access

to the DIMM socket or other component connector.

See the following sections for specific installation instructions on the
component you want to install.

34

Warning! Failure to properly turn off the computer before
you start installing components may cause serious
damage.
Do not attempt the procedures described in the following
sections unless you are a qualified service technician.

3 Upgrading your system

Post-installation instructions

Observe the following after installing a computer component:

1 See to it that all components are installed according to the

described step-by-step instructions.

2 Replace any expansion board(s) or peripheral(s) that you have

previously removed.

3 Connect the necessary cables.

4 Replace the side panel.

5 Turn on the system.

35

Opening your system

Caution: Before you proceed, make sure that you have turned
off your system and all peripherals connected to it. Read the
“Preinstallation instructions” on page 33.

You need to open your system before you can install additional
components. The system housing has one front panel door and one
removable side panel. See the following section for instructions.

Opening the front panel door

A security lock secures the front panel door to protect your system unit
against unauthorized access.

To open the front panel door:

1 Insert the key into the lock and turn it clockwise until it points to

the unlocked icon.

2 Pull open the front panel door.

Removing the front panel door

The front panel door is attached to the main housing by screwless
hinges. Follow these steps to remove the door:

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

2 Open it to more than a 45° angle.

36

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

3 Upgrading your system

Opening the side panel

A microswitch is located on the side panel. It helps indicate whether
the panel is removed or intact.

1 Turn off your system unit and unplug all cables.

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

3 Open then remove the front panel door. Refer to page 35 for

more detailed instructions.

4 Remove the two front screws with a Phillips screwdriver. Keep

them in a safe place for later use.

5 Pull out the panel handle to remove the side panel.

37

38

3 Upgrading your system

Mainboard layout

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

Item Description

BU1 Internal buzzer

BT1 Battery

CNX3 Intelligent Platform Management Bus (IPMB)

CNX4 Power status

CN1 20-pin ATX power supply connector

CN2 Above: PS/2 mouse port

Below: PS/2 keyboard port

CN3 6-pin AUX power supply connector

CN4 USB ports

CN5 Above: Parallel port

Left (from backside): Serial port 2
Right (from backside): Serial port 1

CN6 CPU 1 fan connector

39

CN7 - CN10 DIMM 1 - DIMM 4 slots

CN11 LAN jack (RJ-45)

CN12 Primary IDE connector

CN13 Secondary IDE connector

CN14 FDD connector

CN17 CPU 2 fan connector

CN18 System fan 3 connector

CN19 AGP slot

40

Item Description

CN20 Multi connector

1, 2 : Power button
3, 4, 5, 6 : Event LED
7, 9, 11 : Power LED
8, 10, 12,14 : HDD LED
19, 20 : Intrusion sensor
21-22 : Reserved

CN21 Wake on LAN connector

CN22 SCSI LED connector

CN28 SCSI channel B connector (68-pin)

(Ultra 160/m)

CN30 System fan 1 connector

CN31 System fan 2 connector

CN33 SCSI channel A connector (68-pin)

(Ultra 160/m)

JP14 Clear CMOS

1-2 : Normal
2-3 : Clear

3 Upgrading your system

PCI1-PCI5 PCI 1 to PCI 5 slots

SW1 (1) On: Password Disable

SW1 (2) Reserved

SW1 (3) SCSI channel A terminator

1-2 : On
2-3 : Off

SW1 (4) SCSI channel B terminator

1-2 : On
2-3 : Off

UX13 IPMI chipset (Intelligent Platform

Management Interface, for BIOS)

41

Item Description

U6 CPU 1 socket

U10 VIA Pro266T chipset (VT8653, north bridge)

U14 CPU 2 socket

U22 Flash ROM (BIOS)

U23 Intel® 82550 LAN chipset

U32 VIA Pro266T chipset (VT8233, south bridge)

U44 Super I/O chipset (SMSC 47M102)

U47 SCSI chipset (Adaptec AIC-7899W)

Settings in bolface are the default factory settings.

Installing the VGA card retainer

To maintain the stability of the VGA card connection to the mainboard,
please check if a VGA card retainer is installed on your system. If the
card retainer is not present, refer to the instructions below for the
installation process:

Note: The VGA card retainer is included in your system’s package
contents. If it is missing or damaged, contact your computer
dealer immediately.

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3 Upgrading your system

1 Press your fingers on the card retainer wedge clip to detach it from

the rod portion of the retainer.

2 Slip the wedge through the card retainer rod (1).

Peel off the adhesive cover from the flat portion of the card
retainer (2).

43

3 Press the adhesive side of the card retainer to the side of the VGA

slot (1).
Adjust the wedge to the VGA card height by pressing its clip to
move it downward (2). Make sure that the wedge properly secures
the VGA card into place.

44

3 Upgrading your system

Installing and removing storage devices

Your system supports one 3.5-inch and five 5.25-inch internal storage
devices. The empty drive bays allow you to install additional drives
such as a CD-ROM drive, a digital audio tape (DAT) drive or another
hard disk drive. These would provide your system additional storage
capacity.

Note: Your basic system already comes pre-installed with a CD­ROM drive and a 3.5-inch floppy drive.

Replacing the 3.5-inch floppy drive

1 Remove the housing panels. Refer to page 36 for more detailed

instructions.

2 Disconnect the power and signal cables from the old drive.

3 Detach the old 3.5-inch drive with the drive frame from the

housing by removing the two chassis screws. Keep the screws for
later use.

4 Remove the four frame screws that hold the old drive to the drive

frame then pull out the drive.

5 Install a new 3.5-inch drive to the drive frame and secure it with

the four frame screws you have previously removed.

6 Insert the new drive into the drive bay and secure it with the two

chassis screws you have previously removed.

7 Connect the power and signal cables to the new drive.

8 Replace the housing panels.

Replacing a 5.25-inch storage device (optional)

45

Note: If you are installing a new drive in an empty drive bay, skip
steps 2 to 4.

To replace a 5.25-inch storage device:

1 Remove the housing panels. Refer to page 36 for more detailed

instructions.

2 Detach the power and signal cables from the drive.

46

3 Upgrading your system

3 Detach the 5.25-inch drive frame from the housing by removing

the two screws chassis. Keep the screws for later use.

4 Remove the four frame screws that hold the old drive to the drive

frame then pull out the drive.

5 Install a new 5.25-inch drive to the drive frame and secure it with

the four frame screws you have previously removed.

47

6 Insert the drive frame with the newly-installed 5.25-inch drive into

the drive bay and secure it with the two chassis screws you have
previously removed.

7 Connect the power and signal cables to the drive.

8 Replace the housing panels.

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3 Upgrading your system

Removing and installing the CPU

Your system’s Pentium III processor comes in a FC-PGA 370-pin package.
The FC-PGA package is designed for the new breed of sleek, high
performance, small form factor PCs.

Your mainboard supports a Pentium III processor running at 933 MHz,
1 GHz, 1.13 GHz and1.26 GHz and future generations of Pentium CPUs
on a 100 or 133 MHz system bus.

Caution: Always observe the ESD precautions when installing or
removing a system component. Refer to page 33.

Removing a CPU

Follow these steps to remove a CPU:

1 Remove the housing panels. See page 36 for more detailed

instructions.

2 Locate the CPU socket on the mainboard.

49

3 Detach the fan/heatsink cable connector (1).

4 Insert a flat screwdriver into the fan/heatsink metal bracket (2)

and pry it outward (3).

5 Detach the metal bracket from the socket (4) then remove it from

the other side (5).

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3 Upgrading your system

6 Pull out the fan/heatsink from the CPU(1).

7 Raise the socket lever up to a 90° angle (2) before detaching the

CPU from its socket (3).

Caution: The heatsink becomes very hot when the system is on.
NEVER touch the heatsink with any metal or with your hands.

51

Installing a CPU

Before you proceed make sure that there is no CPU installed in the CPU
socket. Follow the steps below to install a CPU:

1 Locate the CPU socket on the mainboard.

2 Secure the CPU fan to its base with the four screws provided.

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3 Upgrading your system

3 Align the CPU to its socket, making sure that pin 1 (indicated by

the notched corner) of the CPU connects to hole 1 of the socket
(on the bottom right corner) (1).

4 Insert the CPU into the socket (2), then press down the socket lever

to lock the CPU into place (3).

5 Reattach the metal brackets to the CPU (1 to 3), then plug the fan/

heatsink cable into the fan connector on the mainboard (4).

53

Removing and installing memory modules

The four 184-pin memory sockets onboard support DDR SDRAM
modules. You may install 128-, 256-, 512-MB and 1 GB DDR SDRAM for
a maximum memory upgrade capacity of up to 4 GB.

The DDR SDRAM module should work under 2.5 volts only; 5-volt
memory devices are not supported. The mainboard supports 266 MHz
DDR-SDRAM ( PC-2100) modules.

Each of the memory sockets is independent from the others. This
independence allows you to install memory modules with different
capacities to form different configurations.

Removing a DIMM

Before you can install a new DIMM in a socket, remove first any
previously installed DIMM from that socket.

1 Open the front panel and remove the side panel of the housing.

See page 36 for more information on opening the housing panels.

2 Locate the DIMM socket on the mainboard.

3 Press the holding clips on both sides of the socket outward to

release the DIMM (a).

54

4 Gently pull the DIMM upward to remove it from the socket (b).

Note: Place your forefingers on the top of the DIMM before
pressing the holding clips to gently disengage the DIMM from the
socket.

3 Upgrading your system

Installing a DIMM

Before you can install a new DIMM in a socket, remove first any
previously installed DIMM from that socket.

1 Locate the DIMM socket on the mainboard.

2 Open the clips on the socket.

3 Align then insert the DIMM into the socket.

4 Press the holding clips inward to lock the DIMM in place.

55

Note: The DIMM socket is slotted to ensure proper installation. If
you insert a DIMM but it does not fit easily into the socket, you
may have inserted incorrectly. Reverse the orientation of the
DIMM and insert it again.

Reconfiguring your system memory

The system automatically detects the amount of memory installed.
Run Setup to view the new value for total system memory and make a
note of it.

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3 Upgrading your system

Installing expansion cards

There are two kinds of expansion slots available on your mainboard:
PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) and AGP (Accelerated
Graphics Port).

To install an expansion card:

1 Remove the housing panels. Refer to page 36 for more detailed

instructions.

2 Locate an empty expansion slot on the mainboard.

3 Remove the metal bracket opposite the selected empty expansion

slot by removing the screw that holds the bracket to the housing
then pulling out the bracket.

4 Remove the expansion card from its protective packaging.

5 Align the card in the empty bracket. Make sure that the card is

properly seated.

57

6 Insert the bracket with the card into the selected slot then secure it

with the screw you have previously removed.

7 Replace the housing panels.

Note: When you turn on the system, the BIOS Setup utility
automatically detects and assigns resources to the new device
(applicable only to Plug-and-Play expansion cards).

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3 Upgrading your system

Installing an external redundant system fan (optional)

An additional external redundant fan can be installed behind the
system housing. This allows the system to still operate properly in case
the internal system fan malfunctioned.

To install an external redundant fan:

1 On the rear panel, use a screwdriver to push open the plastic peg

located below the internal system fan module.

2 Insert the redundant fan into the fan cage and attach the fan cage

to the system housing with the four screws provided.

3 Insert the fan cable into the peg hole and attach the cable to the

mainboard.

4 BIOS Setup

utility

This chapter gives information about the
system BIOS and discusses how to configure
the system by changing the settings of the
BIOS parameters.

BIOS Setup utility

The BIOS Setup utility is a hardware configuration program built into
your computer's Basic Input/Output System (BIOS). Since most
computers are already properly configured and optimized, there is no
need to run this utility. However, if you encounter configuration
problems and get the "Run Setup" message, you will need to run this
utility.

The Setup program loads the configuration values in a battery-backed
nonvolatile memory called CMOS RAM. This memory area is not part
of the system RAM which allows configuration data to be retained
when power is turned off.

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

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

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62

4 BIOS Setup utility

Entering Setup

Power on the computer to start the system POST (Power On Self Test)
process. While booting, press the key combination Ctrl+Alt+Esc
simultaneously.

The Basic Setup Utility main menu will appear.

Note: You must press Ctrl+Alt+Esc while the system is booting.
This key combination does not work during any other time.

The system supports two Setup Utility levels: Basic and Advanced.

If you are an advanced user, you may want to check the detailed
configuration of your system. Detailed system configurations are
contained in the Advanced Level. To view the Advanced Level, press F8
while viewing the Basic Setup main menu.

The Key Help Guide (press <Alt+H> to activate) shows you how to
move around the BIOS setup screen:

• Use the Up and Down arrow keys to move around the Setup
Utility screen.

•Use the Left and Right arrow keys to move to the next page or to
return to the previous page if the setup screen has more than one
page available.

• Use the Page Up, Page Down, +, or - keys to select the options if
they are available.

• Press Esc to return to the Main menu.

Note: A parameter with an asterisk (*) mark indicates that the
parameter appears only when you are in the Advanced Level.
Also, grayed items on the screens have fixed settings and are not
user-configurable.

Basic Setup Utility main menu

Advanced Setup Utility main menu

63

The parameters on the screens shown in this User’s guide display
default system values. These values may not be the same as those in
your computer. The grayed-out items on the screens have fixed settings
and are not user-configurable.

In the descriptive table following each of the main menu option
screens, the settings in boldface are the default and suggested
parameter settings.

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4 BIOS Setup utility

System Information

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

Parameter Description

Processor Type of processor currently installed in your system

Processor Speed Clock speed of the processor currently installed in

your system

Parameter Description

Level 1 Cache Total amount of first-level or the internal fast

accessed memory size (i.e., the memory integrated
into the CPU)

Level 2 Cache Total amount of second-level cache memory size

that comes with the CPU. The available cache sizes
are 256 or 512 KB.

65

Floppy Drive A
Floppy Drive B

IDE Primary
Channel Master

IDE Primary
Channel Slave

IDE Secondary
Channel Master

IDE Secondary
Channel Slave

Total Memory Total amount of onboard memory. The memory

1st/2nd/3rd bank Type and size of DRAM installed in DIMM sockets 1,

Serial port 1 Serial port 1 address and IRQ setting

Serial port 2 Serial port 2 address and IRQ setting

System’s current diskette drive A and drive B
settings

Current configuration of the IDE device connected
to the master port of the primary IDE channel

Current configuration of the IDE device connected
to the slave port of the primary IDE channel

Current configuration of the IDE device connected
to the master port of the secondary IDE channel

Current configuration of the IDE device connected
to the slave port of the secondary IDE channel

size is automatically detected by BIOS during the
POST. If you install additional memory, the system
automatically adjusts this parameter to display the
new memory size.

2, and 3 respectively. The None setting indicates
that there is no DRAM installed

Parallel port Parallel port address and IRQ setting

PS/2 mouse Pointing device installation setting. Displays None

if no pointing device is installed

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4 BIOS Setup utility

Product Information

Product Information displays general data about the system, such as
the product name, serial number, BIOS version, etc. These information
is necessary for troubleshooting and may be required when asking for
technical support. These entries are for your reference only and cannot
be changed.

The following shows how the Product Information screen appears:

Parameter Description

Product Name Official name of the system

System S/N System’s serial number

Mainboard ID Mainboard’s identification number

Mainboard S/N Mainboard’s serial number

System BIOS Version Version of the BIOS utility

SMBIOS Version Version of the SMBIOS

Disk Drives

Select Disk Drives to input configuration values for the system disk
drives. The following shows the Disk Drives screen:

Parameter Description Option

67

Floppy Drive A
Floppy Drive B

Selects the floppy disk drive type 1.44 MB, 3.5-inch

None
360 KB, 5.25-inch

1.2 MB, 5.25-inch
720 KB, 3.5-inch

2.88 MB, 3.5-inch

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Parameter Description Option

4 BIOS Setup utility

IDE Primary
Channel Master
and Slave

IDE Secondary
Channel Master
and Slave

These items let you select the IDE
hard disk parameters that your
system supports.

Auto. Enables BIOS to
automatically detect the
parameters of installed HDDs
during the POST (power-on self­test).

User. HDD parameters manually
configured.

None. No HDD is connected to the
system.

Note: The IDE CD-ROM is always
automatically detected.

Auto

User
None

IDE Channel Type

The following screens appear if you select any of the the IDE drive
parameters from the Disk Drives screen:

69

Parameter Description Option

Device
Detection
Mode

Device Type Indicates a hard disk type device

Cylinder Specifies the number of cylinders in your

Head Specifies the number of heads in your hard

Sector Specifies the number of sectors in your hard

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

hard disk, and is automatically set
depending on your Type parameter setting.

disk, and is automatically set depending on
your Type parameter setting.

disk, and is automatically set depending on
your Type parameter setting.

Auto

User
None

User Input

User Input

User Input

70

Parameter Description Option

Size Specifies the size of your hard disk, in MB. User Input

4 BIOS Setup utility

Hard Disk
LBA Mode

When set to Auto, the BIOS utility
automatically detects if the installed hard
disk supports the function. If supported, it
allows you to use a hard disk with a
capacity of more than 528 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, Windows 95, Windows
98, Windows NT 3.5 and above, and
Windows 2000. Other operating systems
require this parameter to be set to
Disabled.

Auto
Disabled

Onboard Peripherals

Onboard Peripherals allows you to configure the onboard
communication ports and the onboard devices. Selecting this option
displays the following screen:

71

Parameter Description Option

Serial Port 1 Enables or disables serial port 1 Enabled

Disabled

Base Address Sets the I/O base address of

serial port 1

IRQ Sets the IRQ (interrupt request)

channel of serial port 1

3F8h
2F8h
3E8h
2E8h

4
11

72

Parameter Description Option

Serial Port 2 Enables or disables serial port 2 Enabled

Base Address Sets the serial port 2 I/O base address 2F8h

IRQ Sets the IRQ channel of serial port 2 3

Parallel Port Enables or disables the parallel port Enabled

4 BIOS Setup utility

Disabled

3E8h
2E8h

10

Disabled

Base Address Sets a logical base address for the

parallel port. This parameter is
configurable only if the Parallel Port
parameter is enabled.

IRQ Assigns an interrupt for the parallel

port. This parameter is configurable
only if the Parallel Port parameter is
enabled.

If you install an add-on card that has
a parallel port whose address conflicts
with the onboard parallel port, a
warning appears on the screen.
Check the parallel port address of the
add-on card and change the address
to one that does not conflict.

Operation
Mode

ECP DMA
Channel

Sets your parallel port’s operation
mode. This parameter is configurable
only if the Parallel Port parameter is
enabled.

Assigns a DMA channel for the ECP
parallel port function. This
parameter is configurable only if you
select the Extended Capabilities Port
(ECP) as the operation mode.

378h
278h

7
5

Extended
Capabilities Port
(ECP)

Enhanced Parallel
Port (EPP)

Bi-directional
Standard Parallel

Port (SPP)

Parameter Description Option

73

Floppy Disk
Controller

IDE
Controller

PS/2 Mouse
Controller

USB Host
Controller

USB Legacy
Mode

Onboard
Ethernet Chip

Enables or disables the onboard
floppy disk controller

Enables or disables the onboard
primary, secondary or both IDE
interfaces

Enables or disables the onboard PS/2
mouse controller

Enables or disables the onboard USB
host controller

Activates or deactivates the USB
keyboard connected to your system.
When activated, the USB keyboard
functions in a DOS environment.

Enables or disables the onboard
Ethernet controller

Enabled
Disabled

Both
Primary
Secondary
Disabled

Enabled

Disabled

Disabled

Enabled

Enabled

Disabled

74

4 BIOS Setup utility

Power Management

The Power Management menu allows you to configure the system’s
power management feature.

The following screen shows the parameters on the Power
Management screen:

Parameter Description Option

Power
Management
Mode

IDE Hard Disk
Standby Timer

Allows you to reduce power consumption.
When this parameter is set to Enabled, you
can configure the IDE hard disk and system
timers. Setting it to Disabled deactivates
the power-management feature and its
timers.

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

Enabled

Disabled

Off

1 minute
15 minutes

Parameter Description Option

75

System Sleep
Timer

Sleep Mode Lets you specify the power-saving mode

Power Switch
< 4 sec.

System Wake­up Event

Modem ring
indicator

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

that the system will enter after a specified
period of inactivity.

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

When set to Power off, the system
automatically turns off when the power
switch is pressed for less than 4 seconds.
When set to Suspend, the system enters
the suspend mode when the power switch
is pressed for less than 4 seconds.

The system wake-up event allows the
system to resume operation when the
modem ring indicator is enabled.

When enabled, any fax/modem activity
wakes up the system from suspend mode.

Off

On

Standby

Suspend

Power off

Suspend

Disabled

Enabled

PCI Power
Management

RTC Alarm Allows you to set a certain time on a

Resume Day If RTC alarm is enabled, the system will

Resume Time If RTC alarm is enabled, the system will

Enables or disabled the PCI power
managment function

certain day to wake-up your system from
suspend mode.

resume operation on the day indicated
here.

resume operation at the time indicated
here.

Enabled

Disabled

Disabled

Enabled

User input

User input

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Parameter Description Option

4 BIOS Setup utility

Restart on AC
Power Failure

When power failure occurs and this setting
is enabled, the system will be turned on,
when the power comes back, if the system
was on.

When power failure occurs and this setting
is disabled, the system remains off when
the power comes back, even if the system
was on before the power failure occurs.

Disabled

Enabled

Boot Options

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

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

Parameter Description Option

Boot Sequence This parameter allows you to specify the

boot search sequence during POST.

1st. The system checks this drive first.
2nd. The system then checks this drive if it

can not boot from the 1st specified drive.
3rd. If the 1st and 2nd searches fail then

system boots from this drive.
BIOS will display an error message if the

drive(s) specified is not bootable.

77

Fast Boot Allows the system to boot faster by

skipping some POST routines

Disabled

Auto

78

Parameter Description Option

4 BIOS Setup utility

Silent Boot Enables or disables the Silent Boot

function. When set to Enabled, BIOS is in
graphical mode and displays only an
identification logo during POST and while
booting. After booting the screen displays
the operating system prompt (such as DOS)
or logo (such as Windows 95). If any error
occurs while booting, the system
automatically switches to text mode.

Even if your setting is Enabled, you may
also switch to text mode while booting by
pressing the Delete key when you see the
"Press DELETE key to enter setup" message
on the screen.

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

Num Lock
After Boot

Memory Test When set to Enabled, this parameter

Release All
Blocked
Memory

Allows you to activate the Num Lock
function upon booting

allows the system to perform a RAM test
during the POST routine. When set to
Disabled, the system detects only the
memory size and bypasses the test routine.

When set to Enabled, this parameter
allows the system to bypass testing the
defective memory banks detected earlier

Enabled

Disabled

Enabled

Disabled

Enabled

Disabled

Disabled

Enabled

Boot from
LANDesk (R)
Service Agent

When enabled, it intervenes in the
LANDesk Service Agent boot process.

Disabled

Enabled

79

Date and Time

The real-time clock keeps the system date and time. After setting the
date and time, you do not need to enter them every time you turn on
the system. As long as the internal battery remains good
(approximately seven years) and connected, the clock continues to
keep the date and time accurately even when the power is off.

Parameter Description

Date Set the date following the weekday-month-day-year

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

Weekday: Sun, Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat
Month: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct,

Nov, Dec
Day: 1 to 31
Year: 1980 to 2079

Time Set the time following the hour-minute-second format.

Valid values for hour, minute, and second are:
Hour: 00 to 23
Minute: 00 to 59
Second: 00 to 59

80

4 BIOS Setup utility

System Security

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

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

Parameter Description Option

Supervisor
Password

User Password Secures your system against

Password on
Boot

Prevents unauthorized access to
the BIOS utility. The Present
setting allows you to set a
Supervisor password.

unauthorized use. Once you set
this password, you have to type it
whenever you boot the system.
User password is available only
when a Supervisor password is set.
The Present settings allows you to
set a User password.

User is required to enter User
password during boot up.

None

Present

None
Present

Disabled

Enabled

Parameter Description Option

81

Disk Drive
Control

Floppy Drive Sets the control level of the

Hard Disk
Drive

The disk drive control features
enable or disable the read/write
functions of disk drives. These
features can also control the
diskette drive boot function to
prevent loading operating
systems or other programs from a
certain drive while the other
drives remain operational.

Normal

floppy drive

Sets the controller of the IDE drive Normal

Write Protect All
Sectors

Write Protect Boot
Sectors

Disabled

Write Protect All
Sectors

Write Protect Boot
Sectors

Disabled

Setting and changing the password

To set or change a Supervisor/User password:

1 Enable the Supervisor Password or User Password parameter in the

System Security menu by pressing the Up or Down arrow key to
select Present. The corresponding password window appears:

82

Supervisor Password window

User Password window

4 BIOS Setup utility

2 Type a password then press Enter. The password may consists of

up to seven alphanumeric characters.

Note: Be careful when typing your password because the actual
characters do not appear on the screen; password characters
appear as asterisks (*).

83

3 Retype the password to verify your first entry then press Enter.

4 Highlight the Set or Change Password option then press Enter.

5Press Esc to return to the System Security screen.

6Press Esc to exit Setup. The Exit Setup screen appears.

7 Choose Yes to save your settings and exit Setup. Your password

will be saved to CMOS.

Removing a password

To remove your Supervisor/User password:

1 Disable the Supervisor Password or User Password parameter in

the System Security menu by pressing the up or down arrow key
to select None.

2Press Esc to return to the System Security menu.

3Press Esc to exit Setup. The Exit Setup screen appears:

4 Choose Yes to save your settings and exit Setup. Your previous

password will be removed from CMOS.

84

4 BIOS Setup utility

IPMI Configuration

Intelligent Platform Management Interface

The system event log enables you to record and monitor events that
occur in your system like system temperature changes, fan stops, and
others. This feature also allows you to specify the appropriate settings
for your system’s event handling.

The following table describes the parameters in the IPMI configuration
screen. Settings in boldface are the default and suggested parameter
settings.

Parameter Description Option

IPMI
Specification
Version

IPMI BIOS
Version

Specifies the version of Intelligent Platform
Management Interface (IPMI)

Shows the version of IPMI BIOS

Parameter Description Option

85

BMC Firmware
Version

System Event
Logging

Clear Event
Log Area

Existing Event
Log Number

Remaining
Event Log
Number

View Event
Logs

Event Control

BIOS POST BIOS checks the bad processors and

Memory ECC ECC (error correcting code) tests the

Specifies the version of BaseBoard
Management Controller (BMC) Firmware

Enables or disables the event logging
function of your system

Clears the event log whenever the event
log area is full

Number of events currently located in the
event log area

Number of spaces that are still available
for logging system events

Opens the system event log file for viewing

memory modules during POST. When this
parameter is enabled, BIOS will stop POST
operation whenever it finds a bad
processor or memory. Otherwise, if
disabled the system will continue running.

accuracy of data as it passes in and out of
memory. This parameter enables or
disables the monitoring of this function.

Enabled

Disabled

Disabled

Enabled

Disabled

Enabled

Enabled

Disabled

PCI Devices PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) is

a 32-bit bus that supports a 64-bit
extension for new processors, such as
Pentium processors. It can run at clock
speeds of 33 or 66 MHz. This parameter
monitors the activity of this bus when set
to Enabled.

AC Power
Lost/Recovery

BMC will log AC power lost and recovery
event.

Enabled

Disabled

Enabled

Disabled

86

Parameter Description Option

4 BIOS Setup utility

Hardware
Watchdog

BIOS POST
Watchdog

If system hardware reset fails, BMC will
power off system for 10 seconds, then
power on again. It will try twice. If system
still fails to power on, BMC will perform
CPU reduction or power off the system.

BIOS will have a watchdog for POST. If
POST hangs up, BMC will reset the system.
It will try twice. If POST still hangs up, BMC
will power off the system.

Enabled

Disabled

Enabled

Disabled

RDM Configuration

Parameter Description Option

87

RDM v4.5 BIOS
Version

Console
Redirection

Shows the version number of the RDM
BIOS

This parameter lets you enable or disable
the connection to the RDM manager
station. If enabled and conditions are met,
the RDM-enabled server automatically
dials the RDM manager station using the
phone number specified in the Remote
Console Phone No. parameter when the
server reboots. Once the connection is
established, both the RDM server and RDM
manager station display the same screen
which enables the RDM manager station to
function the same as the server console.
Setting this to Disabled deactivates the
RDM manager station.

Disabled
Enabled

88

Parameter Description Option

4 BIOS Setup utility

Hidden
Partition

Communication
Protocol

COM Port Baud
Rate

Remote
Console Phone
No.

If you want the hidden partition to
become accessible, set this parameter to
Enabled. When enabled, the server boots
to the hidden partition.

This parameter specifies the parity, stop
bits, and data length for the COM port to
use for the RDM connection. This is fixed
at N(none), 8, 1 setting and is non­configurable.

This parameter lets you set the transfer
rate of the COM for the RDM connection.
The parameter setting depends on your
modem specification; therefore, before
you change the setting of this parameter,
check the documentation that came with
your modem.

This parameter allows you to set the phone
number of the RDM manager station that
the RDM module must dial once RDM is
activated and the Remote Console is
enabled. To set, simply highlight the
parameter and enter the Remote Console
phone number.

If the remote console phone number is
using an (X) line, then you must enter six
commas (,) after the phone number and
before the extension number, if any.
When entering the extension number, we
recommend that you insert a comma after
each number. The commas specify delay.

If this parameter is left blank, the Remote
Console calling function is disregarded.

Disabled
Enabled

N

8
1

9600
57600

User input

Dial Out Retry
Times

This parameter lets you specify the
maximum number of times the RDM server
must retry to connect to the RDM manager
station once the server fails and RDM is
activated. If the server has completed the
specified number of tries and the
connection still fails, the server bypasses
RDM and goes into normal mode.

2
4
8
Infinite

Parameter Description Option

Emergency Management

89

RDM Work
Mode

Waiting Mode
Password

Paging Times Allows you to set the number of times that

Paging No. Allows you to set the pager number that

When detecting system failure, the RDM
module will take some actions according to
the enabled mode.

Waiting: Page and wait for the RDM
Station to call in

Reboot: Page, then reboot
Disabled: No action
Note: If Waiting is selected, the password

must be set to at least three alphanumeric
characters.

Prevents unauthorized access to the server User input

the RDM module must dial when the
server fails or hangs

the RDM module must dial when the
server fails or hangs

Disabled
Waiting
Reboot

1

2
4
8

User input

90

4 BIOS Setup utility

Load Default Settings

Use this option to load the default settings for optimized system
configuration. When you load the default settings, some of the
parameters are grayed-out with their fixed settings. These grayed
parameters are not user-configurable.

The following dialog box appears when you select Load Default
Settings from the main menu:

Select Yes to load the default settings.

Select No to ignore the message and return to the BIOS Setup utility
main menu.