Acer G610 User Manual 2

Acer Altos G610

User’s guide

Copyright © 2001 Acer Incorporated
All Rights Reserved.

Acer Altos G610
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 4
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 18
Disk drives 19

3.5-inch floppy drive 19

CD-ROM drive 20
Setting up your system 21

Preinstallation requirements 21
Basic connections 22

Connecting the USB keyboard 22

Connecting the PS/2 mouse 23

Connecting the VGA monitor 24

Connecting to the network 24

Connecting the power cable 25
Turning on your system 27

Power-on problems 28
Turning off your system 29
Connecting options 30

Printer 30

USB devices 30

Contents

3 Upgrading your system 33

Installation precautions 35

ESD precautions 35
Preinstallation instructions 35
Post-installation instructions 36

Opening your system 37

Opening the front panel door 37
Removing the front panel door 37
Opening the side panel 38

System boards 40

Mainboard layout 40
BPL5M jumpers and connectors 44
SAF-TE card layout 46

Installing and removing storage devices 47

Replacing the 3.5-inch floppy drive 47
BPL5M hot-swap cage components 48
Replacing a 5.25-inch storage device 52

Removing and installing the CPU 55

Removing a CPU 55
Installing a CPU 55

Removing and installing memory modules 58

Removing a DIMM 58

Installing a DIMM 59
Installing expansion cards 61
Hot-swappable redundant power supply module 63

Removing a 337-watt hot-swappable

redundant power supply module 63

Installing a 337-watts hot-swappable

redundant power supply module 64
Installing an external redundant system fan 66

4 BIOS Setup utility 67

BIOS Setup utility 69
Entering Setup 70
System Information 72
Product Information 74
Disk Drives 75

IDE Channel Type 77
Onboard Peripherals 80
Power Management 83
Boot Options 86
Date and Time 89
System Security 90

Setting and changing the password 91

Removing a password 93

IPMI Configuration 94
RDM Configuration 96
Advanced Options 100

Memory/Cache Options 101

PnP/PCI Options 102
Load Default Settings 105
Abort Settings Change 106
Exit Setup 107

Appendix A: ASM Pro quick installation guide 109

Installing ASM Pro 111

System requirements 111

System setup 111

Installing ASM Pro Console 112

Installing ASM Pro Server Agent 112
Installing RDM 119

System requirements 119

Connecting communication peripherals 120

RDM Console setup 123
Installing AWM and Microsoft Internet
Information Service (IIS) 125

System requirements 125

Installing AWM 125

Setting up Microsoft IIS 126

Running AWM 127

Contents

Appendix B: System rack installation guide 129

ESD precautions 130
System rack installation 131

Vertical mounting hole pattern 131
Screw types used 132
Installing the system into the rack 133

Index 145

1 System overview

The Acer Altos G610 server model is a
powerful dual-processor systems 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 G610 server model is a PCI bus based dual processor
system board built on an extended ATX baseboard. It comes with two
socket 370 processor slots utilizing two Intel
integrated with the Server Works LE north and OSB4 south bridge
chipsets. The dual channel SCSI architecture supports Ultra160 SCSI
with bandwidth of up to 160 MB/s for each channel. The system board
also integrates the Intel
supports WOL (Wake on LAN) for better remote site management.

For expandability , the system board includes four 64-bit/33 MHz PCI
bus slots, two 32-bit/33 MHz PCI bus slots, and four DIMM slots that
allows memory installation to a maximum of 4-GB using four 1024-MB
SDRAM (Synchronous DRAM) modules.

For connectivity, the system board supports two USB (Universal Serial
Bus) connectors, PS/2 interface for both mouse and keyboard, a video
port and other standard features such as two UART NS16C550 serial
ports, one enhanced parallel port with Enhanced Parallel Port (EPP)/
Extended Capabilities Port (ECP) support, a diskette drive interface,
and two embedded hard disk interfaces.

The system is fully compatible with MS-DOS V6.X, Novell Netware,
Novell, SCO UNIX Openserver, SCO Unixware, Linux, Sun Solaris,
Windows NT 4.0, and Windows 2000

®

82559 10/100 Mbps PCI Ethernet chipset that

®

Pentium® III processors

3

Processors

The Pentium III processor implements Dynamic Execution performance,
a multi-transaction system bus, and Intel MMX media enhancement
technology . Also, it offers Streaming SIMD (Single Instruction Multiple
Data) Extensions - 70 new instructions enabling advanced imaging, 3D,
streaming audio and video, and speech recognition applications. The
Pentium III processor delivers higher performance than previous
Pentium processors while maintaining binary compatibility with all
previous Intel Architecture processors.

This system board supports 100 or 133 MHz GTL+ host bus frequencies
for Pentium III processors running at 600 to 866 MHz, and future
generations of Pentium processors, too.

4

1 System overview

Memory

The four DIMM sockets on board allow memory upgrade to a
maximum of 4 GB using four 1024-MB registered SDRAM (Synchronous
DRAM) DIMMs. For data integrity , the default setting of the ECC (error ­correcting code) function of the memory system in BIOS is enabled.

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

The system board supports both 100 and 133 MHz registered SDRAMs
only; 66 MHz SDRAMs are not supported.

System chipsets

Server Works LE north and south bridge

The Server Works CNB30LE (champ north bridge) chipset incorporated
as the north bridge is in charge of the host bus interfacing and memory
bus control. The north bridge provides one 32-bit PCI bus running at 33
MHz and another secondary PCI bus running at 33/66 MHz.

The OSB4 (open south bridge) subset provides the legacy ISA interface,
USB port, ATA33, and SM bus. The BMC (Baseboard Management
Control) was embedded on the motherboard and connected with the
south bridge to provide the ASM and RDM functions and the industry
standard IPMI protocol as well.

SCSI subsystem

The dual-channel AIC-7899 single-chip host adapter delivers Ultra160
SCSI data transfer rates which doubles the Ultra-2 SCSI data transfer
rate of up to 160 MByte/sec. With two channels, it delivers a total of
320 MByte/sec 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 clustering and RAID configurations.

LAN subsystem

Another cost-effective feature for network solution is the integration
of Intel’s 82559 10/100 Mbps Fast Ethernet controller which supports:

• Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI)

• 1.20A 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, PC 98, and PC 99 compliance

Video subsystem

The ATI Rage XL harbors 2D and 3D display capabilities that bring life
to any multimedia and work applications. With remarkable color depth
and high resolutions of up to 1280x1024, it provides an enhanced
visual experience on your system.

The onboard ATI Rage XL chipset comes with 4 MB of video memory
and supports up to 1280x1024 display mode resolution at high colors.

5

Expansion slots

The system board has six PCI buses contained in two PCI segments:

• four 64-bit/33 MHz PCI bus slots (PCI slots 1 to 4)

• two 32-bit/33 MHz PCI bus slots (PCI slots 5 and 6)

6

1 System overview

Hardware management support

The system board supports a power-management function that
conforms to the power-saving standards of the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) Energy Star program.

Additional features include hardware support for ASM (Advanced
Server Manager) and RDM (Remote Diagnostic Management). ASM
detects problems in CPU thermal condition, CPU working voltage
detection (±12V/±5V/3.3V/1.5V/1.8V), 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 system board has the following major components:

• FC-PGA (Flip-Chip Pin Grid Array) processor socket that supports a
Pentium
future generations of Pentium CPUs

• Server Works LE chipset which includes the north and south bridge

• SCSI controller chipset Adaptec
64-bit LVD Ultra160 device connection in 64-bit/33 MHz PCI bus:

• Channel A- one 68-pin Ultra160 SCSI connector

• Channel B- one 50-pin fast SCSI and one 68-pin Ultra160 SCSI

• Onboard 10/100 Mb/s Intel

• Four DIMM sockets that accept 64-, 128-, 256-, 512-, and 1024-MB
SDRAMs with a maximum memory upgrade of 4 GB

• Supports six PCI slots:

• four 64-bit/33 MHz PCI slots

• two 32-bit/33 MHz PCI slots

• PCI SVGA onboard supports analog CRT monitors. Supports up to
1280x1024 resolution with 4-MB onboard VGA SDRAM

• System clock/calendar with battery backup

• IDE hard disk and diskette drive interfaces

• Auxiliary power connector for ATX power supply

• Super I/O, Advanced Server Management (ASM), and Remote
Diagnostic Management (RDM) controller chipsets

• External ports:

®

III processor running at 600/133 to 866/133 MHz and

®

AIC-7899 supports dual channel

connector

®

82559 LAN chip that supports WOL

7

• USB connector • RJ-45 jack

• PS/2-compatible mouse and

• Video port

keyboard port

• Serial port • Parallel port

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

4 Front panel

Rear panel

2 System tour

No. Item No. Item

1 Power indicator 4 System board connectors

2 Power cable connector 5 Monitor port

No. Item No. Item

3 Housing fan 6 Expansion slots

Internal components

13

No. Item No. Item

1 CD-ROM Headphone/

Earphone port

2 Volume tuner 13 Removable hard drive

3 CD-ROM activity indicator 14 Keylock

4 CD-ROM tray 15 Tape drive eject button

12 System status indicator

trays

14

No. Item No. Item

2 System tour

5 CD-ROM Stop/Eject

button

6 Floppy drive eject button 17 Drive indicator (amber)

7 Floppy drive tray 18 Media indicator (green)

8 Floppy drive activity

indicator

9 Power button 20 Expansion slots

10 Power indicator 21 Housing fan

11 Hard disk activity

indicator

16 Tape drive tray

19 Clean indicator (green)

22 Power supply

15

Keyboard

Your system comes with a USB 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 Caps Lock When activated, all alphabetic characters

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

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

16

No. Component Function

3 Windows logo key Start button. Combinations with this key

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

2 System tour

4 Application key

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

6 Palm rest

(detachable)

7 Num Lock When activated, the keypad is set to

8 Scroll Lock When activated, the screen moves one line

9 Volume control/

Mute knob

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

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.

Provides a comfortable place to rest your
hands while typing.

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

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

The volume control/mute knob controls
the speaker volume. Turn it clockwise or
counterclockwise to adjust the volume.
Press it to toggle between mute and
sound.

No. Component Function

10 Multimedia keys Allow you to do the following:

• Play/Pause button - press
to start playing the audio or video
file. Press again to pause.

• Stop button - press to stop play­ing the audio or video file.

• Forward button - press to skip
forward to the next file and start
playing.

• Backward button - press to skip
backward to the previous file and
start playing.

17

11 Internet/Suspend

keys

12 Programmable keys Access a URL (Web site) or launch any pro-

Consist of three buttons:

• Email button launches your
email application.

• Web browser button
launches your current default
browser.

• Suspend/Resume button
puts the system to sleep when
pressed. To wake the system press it
again.

gram, file or application in your system.
The fifth key is set to launch the Windows
Media Player.

To configure the settings of each key,
right-click on the Magic Keyboard icon
located on your Windows desktop.

18

2 System tour

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.

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).

19

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

20

diskette. An improperly attached label may cause a diskette to get
stuck in the floppy drive when you are inserting or removing it.

2 System tour

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 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 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.

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 G610 system

• Acer Altos G610 User’s guide (with system binder)

• CD-ROM driver kits

• System keys (hung inside the front panel door)

21

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

Save the boxes and packing materials for future use.

22

2 System tour

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 USB keyboard

Plug the USB keyboard cable into either USB ports (black port)
located on the rear panel of your system.

Note: If you are using a PS/2 keyboard, plug the mouse cable into
the PS/2 keyboard port located on the rear panel of your system.

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

23

Note: If you are using a USB mouse, plug the mouse cable into
either USB ports located on the rear panel of your system.

24

2 System tour

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.

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

Caution! Before you proceed, check the voltage range in your
area. Make sure that it matches your system’s voltage setting (see
the voltage setting switch located on the rear panel of your
system). If they don’t match, change your system’s voltage setting
according to your area’s voltage range.

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

26

2 System tour

a power outlet. The figure below shows a complete connection of the
whole system

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.

27

Note: If the system does not turn on or boot after pressing the
On/Off 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 supply power indicator located at the back of the system
lights up (green)

28

2 System tour

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

• No power comes from the grounded power outlet.
Have an electrician check your power outlet.

• The voltage selector switch may be set to the wrong voltage
range.

Verify the applicable voltage range in your area and set the
voltage selector switch accordingly .

• 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 fr om
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.

29

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.

Note: You do not need to turn off the main power switch every
time you turn off your computer. Turn off the main power switch
only if you will not use your computer for a long time or if your
computer needs servicing.

30

2 System tour

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.

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.

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.

31

Y our 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 at the rear panel of your system.

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

32

2 System tour

3 Upgrading your

system

This chapter contains basic information
about your system boards 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

35

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 37.
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 wish to install.

36

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 system cover.
5 Turn on the system.

37

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 35.

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.

38

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 37 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. .

39

40

3 Upgrading your system

System boards

Mainboard layout

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

Item Description

BT1 Battery

BU1 Buzzer

CN1/CN6/CN36 IPMI connectors

CN2 ITP port

CN3 ATX power supply connector

CN4 Upper: PS/2 mouse connector

Lower: PS/2 keyboard connector

CN5 Serial port connector

CN7 CPU 1 thermal connector

CN8 CPU 1 fan connector

CN9 RDN P.S. status connector

CN10 Upper: Parallel port

Lower left: Serial port
Lower right: VGA or monitor port

41

CN13/CN19/
CN20/CN23/CN28

CN14 USB1 and 2 connectors

CN15 LED/Switchboard connector (see page 43)

CN16 LAN Jack (RJ-45)

CN18 NMI switch

CN21 Primary IDE connector

CN22/CN31 BMC DB connectors

CN24 CPU 2 fan connector

CN25 CPU 2 thermal connector

Housing fan connectors

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3 Upgrading your system

Item Description

CN29 Narrow SCSI channel B connector

CN32 Wide SCSI channel B connector

CN33/CN34 External hard disk drive LED connectors

CN35/CN38 Wide SCSI channel A connector

CN37 Wake on LAN connector

CN40 Floppy disk drive connector

CN41 Event LED (HDD fail) connector

CN42

2

I

C connector

CN46 Speaker connector

CPU1 CPU 1 socket

CPU2 CPU 2 socket

DM1 to DM4 DIMM slots

JP5 Event clear connector

JP6 SCSI terminator

1-2: Disabled
2-3: On

JP7 Logo

1-2: Acer logo
2-3: OEM

JP8 Password settings

1-2 : Check password
2-3 : Bypass password

JP9 Speaker connector

JP10 CPU PST

1-2 : Terminator board

2-3 : CPU

Item Description

P1 to P4 64-bit/33 MHz PCI slots

P5 and P6 32-bit/33 MHz PCI slots

U10 Server Works LE north bridge

U20 Intel 82559 LAN chipset

U21 ATI Rage XL video chipset

U85 Adaptec AIC-7899 chipset

U92 Server Works OSB4 south bridge

U93 BIOS chipset

U99 SMC 47B277 super I/O chipset

Settings in bolface are the default factory settings.

LED/switchboard connector (CN15)

43

44

BPL5M jumpers and connectors

3 Upgrading your system

Label Setting Function

JP2 Short

Open

Label Description

CN1 For SAF-TE card use

Terminator Power Source both from
backplane and host

Only from Host

Label Description

CN2 For SAF-TE card use (or for terminator

board)

CN3 SCSI 68-pin P connector - In

CN4 Front power LED connector

45

CN5

JP1

JP3

2

I

C buffer connector

2

I

C buffer ID setting

Power connector

a

JP4 Power connector

JP5 3-pin FAN connector

S1

Slot 1 ID switch

b

S2 Slot 2 ID switch

S3 Slot 3 ID switch

S4 Slot 4 ID switch

S5 Slot 5 ID switch

Slot1 SCSI slot 1 connector

Slot2 SCSI slot 2connector

Slot3 SCSI slot 3 connector

Slot4 SCSI slot 4 connector

Slot5 SCSI slot 5 connector

a. For the SCSI backplane board's loading requirement, please insert an inde-

pendent power cable to each power connector on the backplane board.
The power cable should not connect to any other device.

b. When you use the LVD SCSI hot-swap cage to arrange your system hard

drives, please remove all the jumpers on each SCSI hard drive and use the
switches on the backplane board (S1~S5) to set the hard drive's ID.

46

SAF-TE card layout

Label Description

3 Upgrading your system

CN1 Connects to the

CN2 Connects to the SCSI 68-pin P connector

- Out

CN3 Connects to the SCSI 68-pin P connector

- In

U7

U9

47

Installing and removing storage devices

The Altos G610 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 38 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.

48

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 cable to the new drive.
8 Replace the housing panels.

3 Upgrading your system

BPL5M hot-swap cage components

The BPL5M hot-swap cage contents box includes the following
components:

• One hot-swap cage (with backplane board attached)

• Five hard drive trays

• One mainboard connector cable

• Two hard drive fault LED connector cables

Installing the BPL5M hot-swap cage into the housing:

1 Remove the housing panels. Refer to page 38 for more detailed

instructions.

2 Insert the BPL5M hot-swap cage into the housing and secure it

with the two screws provided. The hot-swap cage will occupy

three 5.25-inch drive bays.

3 Attach the power cable, the SCSI terminator, the HDD fault LED

cable, and the mainboard connector cable to the backplane board

and attach the other end of the connector cable to the mainboard.

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50

Note: Refer to “Mainboard layout” on page 40 for the location of
the SCSI connector.

4 Replace the housing panels.

System board connector cable

No. Item

1 Connects to the mainboard

3 Upgrading your system

2 Red strip

3 Connects to the hot-swap cage

IRemoving the BPL5M hot-swap cage from the housing

1 Remove the housing panels. Refer to page 38 for more detailed

instructions.

2 Remove the two screws that secure the hot-swap cage to the

housing.

51

3 Pull out the hot-swap cage from the housing.

Installing a hard disk into the BPL5M tray

1 Remove the BPL5M hot-swap cage from the housing. Refer to the

previous section for more detailed instructions.
2 Press your finger to the BPL5M hot-swap cage to release the drive

tray.

52

3 Remove the four tray screws to open the drive tray. Keep the

screws for later use.
4 When applicable, pull out any previously installed hard disk.
5 Install a hard disk on the drive tray then secure it with the four

tray screws you have removed earlier.

6 Insert the tray into the hot-swap cage with the lever still extended.

Make sure that the drive is properly inserted before closing the

lever.
7 Push the lever back until it clicks into place.

3 Upgrading your system

Replacing a 5.25-inch storage device (optional)

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 38 for more detailed

instructions.
2 Detach the power and signal cables from the drive.

53

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.

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3 Upgrading your system

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.

55

Removing and installing the CPU

Y our 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.

The system board supports a Pentium III processor running at 600/133
to 866/133 MHz, and future generations of Pentium CPUs.

Caution: Always observe the ESD precautions when installing or
removing a system component. Refer to page 35.

Removing a CPU

Follow these steps to remove a CPU:
1 Remove the housing panels. See page 38 for more detailed

instructions.
2 Locate the CPU socket on your system board.
3 Disconnect the 3-pin and 2-pin fan/heatsink cables from the system

board.
4 Unhook one side of the fan/heatsink metal bracket and gently lift

it before removing the other side.
5 Gently press the socket lever down to release the lever and then

pull it up to a 90° angle .
6 Pull out the CPU from the socket.

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 your system board.
2 Raise the socket lever up to a 90° angle.
3 Remove the new CPU from its protective packaging and insert it

into the CPU socket. Make sure that pin 1 (indicated by a notched

corner) of the CPU connects to hole 1 of the socket.

56

3 Upgrading your system

4 Push down the socket lever to lock the CPU into place.

Note: Install a terminator board into the CPU 2 socket if you only
install one CPU (must be installed in the CPU 1 socket). Also, make
sure to change jumper JP10 to setting 1-2 to indicate that you are
installing a terminator board into the CPU 2 socket. See
“Mainboard layout” on page 40 for the location of JP10.

5 Attach one side of the fan/heatsink metal bracket to the CPU

socket and then gently press down on the other side of the metal
bracket until it locks into place.

6 Connect the 3-pin and 2-pin fan/heatsink cables to the system

board. Refer to section “Mainboard layout” on page 40 for the
location of the fan/heatsink connectors.

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

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3 Upgrading your system

Removing and installing memory modules

The four 168-pin sockets on board support SDRAM-type DIMMs. You
may install 64-MB, 128-MB, 256-MB, 512-MB, or 1024-MB (single
density) DIMMs for a maximum of 4-GB system memory.

The SDRAM DIMMs should work under 3.3 volts only; 5-volt memory
devices are not supported. This mainboard supports both 100 and 133
MHz SDRAM. However, they cannot be used at the same time in the
system.

WARNING! Do not use both 100 MHz and 133 MHz SDRAM
together. Such a combination might cause your system to
malfunction. For a list of qualified DIMM vendors, please
contact your reseller.

Each of the DIMM sockets is independent from the others. This
independence allows you to install DIMMs 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 38 for more information on opening the housing panels.
2 Locate the DIMM socket on the system board.
3 Press the holding clips on both sides of the socket outward to

release the DIMM (a).

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.

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 system board.
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.

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60

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.

3 Upgrading your system

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.

61

Installing expansion cards

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

To install an expansion card:
1 Remove the housing panels. Refer to page 38 for more detailed

instructions.
2 Locate an empty expansion slot on the system board.
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.

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3 Upgrading your system

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).

Hot-swappable redundant power supply module (optional)

Note: The Acer Altos G500 system supports the installation of a
280-watt fixed power supply module while the Acer Altos G610
model accepts two 337-watt hot-swappable redundant power
supply modules.

The Acer Altos G610 model’s power subsystem consists of two hot­swappable power supply module bays that accepts two 337-watt hot­swappable redundant power supply modules. A redundant power
configuration enables a fully-configured system to continue running
even if one power supply fails.

Removing a 337-watt hot-swappable redundant power supply module

1 Remove the screw of the power supply module using a flat

screwdriver.
2 Lift up the module handle.
3 Push the lock with your thumb to release the power supply

module.

63

64

4 Gently pull out the power supply module.

3 Upgrading your system

Installing a 337-watts hot-swappable redundant power supply module

1 Insert the power supply into the housing.

Note: Make sure that the power supply is properly inserted.

2 Secure the power supply with the provided screw.

65

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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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70

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-configurableBasic Setup Utility main menu

Basic Setup Utility main menu

Advanced Setup Utility main menu

71

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

CPU/SDRAM Bus
Frequency

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

Specifies the value of FSB/memory bus frequency

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

Parameter Description

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

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

73

Diskette Drive A
Diskette 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 Bank
2nd Bank
3rd Bank

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.

Type and size of DIMM installed in DIMM sockets 1,
2, and 3 respectively. The None setting indicates
that there is no DIMM installed.

Parallel Port Parallel port address and IRQ setting

PS/2 Mouse Pointing device installation setting. Displays None

if no pointing device is installed.

74

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

75

Diskette Drive A
Diskette 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

76

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:

77

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4 BIOS Setup utility

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

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

Hard Disk
LBA Mode

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.

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

User
None

User Input

User Input

User Input

Auto
Disabled

Parameter Description Option

79

Hard Disk
Block Mode

Hard Disk 32­bit Access

Advanced
PIO Mode

DMA
Transfer
Mode

Enhances disk performance depending on
the hard disk in use. If you set this
parameter to Auto, the BIOS utility
automatically detects if the installed hard
disk drive suports the Block Mode function.
If supported, it allows data transfer in
blocks (multiple sectors) at a rate of 256
bytes per cycle.

Improves system performance by allowing
the use of the 32-bit hard disk access. This
enhanced IDE feature works only under
DOS, Windows 3.x, Windows 95, Windows
98, Windows NT , Windows 2000, and Novell
Netware. If your software or hard disk
does not support this function, set this
parameter to Disabled.

When set to Auto, the BIOS utility
automatically detects if the installed hard
disk supports the function. If supported, it
allows for faster data recovery and read/
write timing that reduces hard disk activity
time. This results in better hard disk
performance. To disregard the feature,
change the setting to Disabled.

The Ultra DMA and Multi-DMA modes
enhance hard disk performance by
increasing the transfer rate. However,
besides enabling these features in the BIOS
Setup, both the Ultra DMA and Multi-DMA
modes require the DMA driver to be
loaded.

Auto
Disabled

Enabled
Disabled

Auto
Mode 0
Mode 1
Mode 2
Mode 3
Mode 4
Disabled

Auto
Multiword

Mode 0, 1, 2
Disabled

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4 BIOS Setup utility

Onboard Peripherals

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

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

Serial Port 2 Enables or disables serial port 2 Disabled

3F8h
2F8h
3E8h
2E8h

4
11

Enabled

Parameter Description Option

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

3E8h
2E8h

IRQ Sets the IRQ channel of serial port 2 3

10

Parallel Port Enables or disables the parallel port Enabled

Disabled

81

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

Enhanced Parallel
Port (EPP)

Bi-directional
Extended

Capabilities Port
(ECP)

Standard Parallel
Port (SPP)

Floppy Disk
Controller

Enables or disables the onboard
floppy disk controller

Enabled
Disabled

82

Parameter Description Option

4 BIOS Setup utility

IDE
Controller

PS/2 Mouse
Controller

USB Host
Controller

USB Legacy
Mode

Onboard SCSI Enables or disables the onboard SCSI

Onboard
Ethernet Chip

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.

controller

Enables or disables the onboard
Ethernet controller

Both
Primary
Secondary
Disabled

Enabled

Disabled

Enabled

Disabled

Disabled

Enabled

Enabled
Disabled

Enabled

Disabled

Power Management

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

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

83

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

84

Parameter Description Option

4 BIOS Setup utility

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

Enabled

Disabled

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

Parameter Description Option

85

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.

Enabled

Disabled

86

4 BIOS Setup utility

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 it

boots from this drive.

BIOS will display an error message if the
drive(s) specified is not bootable.

Fast Boot Allows the system to boot faster by

skipping some POST routines

Disabled

Auto

Parameter Description Option

87

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 the text mode.

Even if your setting is Enabled, you may
also switch to the 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

Configuration
Table

POST Error
Stop

Displays preboot system configuration
table when enabled

When enabled, if the POST finds an error,
it will stop and the user has to press F1 to
continue. If disabled, even when the POST
finds an error, it will not stop

Enabled

Disabled

Enabled
Disabled

88

Parameter Description Option

4 BIOS Setup utility

Single
Processor MP
Table

MP Table
Version

Enabling this parameter allows BIOS to
create a multiprocessor (MP) table for
Windows NT use. In a single-processor
system running Windows NT, you may
disable this parameter to enhance system
performance. If you install another
processor for a dual (or multiprocessor)
system, enable this parameter and then
reinstall Windows NT.

In cases when this parameter is enabled
before installing Windows NT in a single­processor system, you may upgrade to a
multiprocessor system without reinstalling
Windows NT.

This parameter shows the multiprocessor
specification compliance version. The
default setting is V1.4. If you install an older
operating system, particularly SCO UNIX
V3.2.x.x or earlier,set this parameter to V1.1

Enabled
Disabled

V1.4

V1.1

89

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

90

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

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.

None

Present

None

Present