MaxVision MaxPac 8230 Maintenance Manual

MaxPac Dual/Triple-Screen

8230 XRA2/3-Series

User Operation and Maintenance Guide

Operating and Maintaining Your

MaxPac Dual/Triple-Screen 8230 XRA2/3-Series

High-Performance Transportable Workstation

MaxVision Corporation

495 Production Avenue

Madison, AL 35758, USA

Part Number: 209-0048-0

ii MaxPac Dual/Triple-Screen 8230 XRA2/3-Series User Operation and Maintenance Guide

Warranties and Liabilities

MaxVision Corporation warrants that the Product, in the course of its normal use, will conform to MaxVision's
specifications and be free from defects in material and workmanship for a period of twelve (12) months from the date of
the original sale. Such warranty commences on the purchase date appearing on the invoice. The original end user is
entitled to customer support through telecommunication during normal MaxVision business hours and email support to be
responded to as support staff are available. Such support shall be limited to hardware operations and the software
required operating such hardware. Upon written request and subject to the availability of MaxVision personnel, additional
support may be provided by MaxVision in its sole discretion on a time and materials basis.

Limited Warranty for Software. MaxVision warrants to the original end user only that the Software as delivered at the
time of purchase will perform in MaxVision hardware, and that the original diskettes or compact disks are free from
defects in material and workmanship under normal use, for a period of thirty (30) days from the date of original sale,
provided the Software is used with a MaxVision unit. MaxVision makes no warranty that the Software will work in
combination with any hardware or software products provided by third parties, that the operation of the Software will be
uninterrupted or error-free, or that all defects in the Software will be corrected. This limited warranty is void if failure of the
Software has resulted from accident, abuse, or misapplication. MaxVision's entire liability, and your sole and exclusive
remedy shall be, at MaxVision's option, either to (a) correct or help you work around or avoid a reproducible Error or (b)
replace defective diskettes or compact disks. Any replacement Software will be warranted for the remainder of the original
Limited Software Warranty Period.

Limited Warranty for the Product. MaxVision warrants to the original end user only that all Products sold by MaxVision
will be free from defects in material and workmanship and conform substantially to the applicable standards set forth in
the Documentation, under normal use, for a period of 365 days from the date of original sale. This limited warranty is void
if failure of the Product has resulted from accident, abuse, or misapplication. If MaxVision confirms a Product is defective
after you have obtained a Return Materials Allowance Number for such Product and, at your expense, have returned the
Product to MaxVision for inspection, MaxVision will, at its election, repair or replace such Product at no charge to you.

Replacement Product may be either new or remanufactured. In the event that the Product returned is not defective, you
will be responsible for freight costs for return shipment to you. The foregoing warranty shall not apply to Product that has
been (a) damaged by accident, Acts of God, shipment, improper installation, abnormal physical or electrical stress,
misuse or misapplication, as determined by MaxVision in its sole reasonable discretion, or (b) modified without
MaxVision's express written acceptance of such modification for warranty purposes. MaxVision reserves the right to
charge additional fees for repairs or replacements performed outside the Warranty Period. Any replaced or repaired
components, subassemblies or units as well as spare parts are warranted for thirty (30) days or the remainder of the
original warranty period, whichever is longer. MaxVision shall not be responsible for any software, firmware, information or
memory data of yours contained in, stored on, or integrated with any Products returned to MaxVision pursuant to any
warranty under this Agreement.

Disclaimer of Warranties. EXCEPT AS SPECIFICALLY PROVIDED ABOVE, NEITHER MAXVISION NOR ITS
LICENSORS OR SUPPLIERS PROVIDES ANY WARRANTY OF ANY KIND FOR THE SOFTWARE OR THE
PRODUCT, WHETHER EXPRESS, IMPLIED, STATUTORY OR OTHERWISE, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO
WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, AND NON-INFRINGEMENT OF
THIRD PARTY RIGHTS. EXCEPT AS SET FORTH IN THIS AGREEMENT, THE ENTIRE RISK AS TO THE QUALITY
AND PERFORMANCE OF THE SOFTWARE AND THE PRODUCT IS WITH YOU. If a disclaimer of implied warranties is
not permitted by law, the duration of any such implied warranty is limited to ninety (90) days from the date of purchase by
the original end user. Some jurisdictions do not allow the exclusion of implied warranties or limitations on how long an
implied warranty may last, so such limitations or exclusions may not apply to you. This limited warranty gives you specific
legal rights, and you may also have other rights which vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction.

Liability Exclusions and Limitations. IN NO EVENT SHALL MAXVISION OR ITS LICENSORS OR SUPPLIERS BE
LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, EXEMPLARY OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES OF ANY KIND
(INCLUDING LOST PROFITS, LOSS OF USE OR INTERRUPTION OF BUSINESS), OR FOR LEGAL FEES, ARISING
OUT OF THE USE OF THE SOFTWARE OR THE PRODUCT, REGARDLESS OF THE FORM OF ACTION, WHETHER
IN CONTRACT, TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE), STRICT PRODUCT LIABILITY OR OTHERWISE, EVEN IF
MAXVISION OR ITS LICENSORS OR SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH
DAMAGES. IN NO EVENT WILL COMPANY'S AGGREGATE LIABILITY HEREUNDER EXCEED THE PURCHASE
PRICE PAID BY YOU. This limitation shall apply notwithstanding any failure or inability to provide the limited remedies set
forth above. Some jurisdictions do not allow the exclusion or limitation of incidental or consequential damages, so the
above limitation(s) or exclusion(s) may not apply to you.

MaxPac Dual/Triple-Screen 8230 XRA2/3-Series User Operation and Maintenance Guide iii

Proprietary Rights-Contracts with Certain U.S. Government Agencies. If the Software is acquired under the terms of
a Department of Defense or civilian agency contract, the Software is "commercial item" as that term is defined at 48
C.F.R. 2.101 (Oct. 1995), consisting of "commercial computer software" and "commercial computer software
documentation" as such terms are used in 48 C.F.R. 12.212 of the Federal Acquisition Regulations and its successors
and 48 C.F.R. 227.7202-1 through 227.7202-4 (June 1995) of the DoD FAR Supplement and its successors. All U.S.
Government end users acquire the Software with only those rights set forth in this Agreement.

Export Restrictions. You acknowledge that the laws and regulations of the United States restrict the export and re-export
of certain commodities and technical data of United States origin, including the Product and the Software, in any medium.
You agree that you will not knowingly, without prior authorization if required, export or re-export the Software or the
Product in any medium without the appropriate United States and foreign government licenses.

Severability. You acknowledge and agree that each provision of this Agreement that provides for a disclaimer of
warranties or an exclusion or limitation of damages represents an express allocation of risk, and is part of the
consideration of this Agreement. Invalidity of any provision of this Agreement shall not affect the validity of the remaining
provisions of this Agreement.

General. This Agreement is the entire agreement between you and MaxVision relative to the Product and the Software,
and supersedes all prior written statements, proposals or agreements relative to its subject matter. It may be modified only
by a writing executed by an authorized representative of MaxVision. No MaxVision reseller or sales representative is
authorized to make any modifications, extensions or additions to this Agreement. This Agreement is governed by the laws
of the State of Alabama without application of the principles of conflicts or choice of laws. The application of the United
Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods to this Agreement is expressly excluded.

Copyright

The materials in this document are the copyrighted works of MaxVision Corporation, copyright © 2005-2006. All rights
reserved. Email [e-mail] for permission to duplicate and otherwise re-use.

Trademarks

MaxVision, and MaxPac are registered trademarks, and MaxPro and TeraPac are trademarks, of MaxVision Corporation.
Microsoft and Windows are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. Intel and Pentium are registered trademarks
and Xeon is a registered trademark of Intel Corporation. Other trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of
their respective owners.

Regulatory Approvals

EN60950, EN55024, EN55022, FCC, Part 15, EN61000-3-2 & EN61000-3-3.

Warnings

Changes or modifications to this device that are not approved by the party responsible for compliance could void the
user’s authority to operate the equipment.

To reduce the risk of electrical shock, do not attempt to open the device unless instructed to do so. Do not use any tool for
purposes other than instructed.

A Lithium Ion battery is included with the system motherboard. This battery is used for the Real Time Clock (RTC) circuit.
The expected lifetime of the battery is approximately 5 years. There is a danger of explosion if this battery is incorrectly
replaced. Replace only with the same or equivalent type recommended by the motherboard manufacturer. Dispose of
used batteries according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

iv MaxPac Dual/Triple-Screen 8230 XRA2/3-Series User Operation and Maintenance Guide

Contents

Legal and Related Information

Warranties and Liabilities..................................................................................................................................... ii

Copyright............................................................................................................................................................. iii

Trademarks ......................................................................................................................................................... iii

Regulatory Approvals.......................................................................................................................................... iii

Warnings ............................................................................................................................................................. iii

Chapter 1: Quick Start Setup.................................................................................................................................. 1

Documentation Conventions............................................................................................................................... 2

Inspecting the Shipment...................................................................................................................................... 2

Unpacking the System ........................................................................................................................................ 3

Setting-Up Your MaxPac..................................................................................................................................... 4

Powering-Up Your MaxPac................................................................................................................................. 9

Registering/Activating Your OS ........................................................................................................................ 12

Shutting Down the System................................................................................................................................ 12

Chapter 2: Setting-Up the Software/Devices/Network/RAID Array...................................................................13

Setting-Up the Network ..................................................................................................................................... 14

Setting-Up the Graphics.................................................................................................................................... 14

Adjusting the Screens ....................................................................................................................................... 15

Setting Up Video Input for Picture-in-Picture .................................................................................................... 15

Configuring the RAID Array (with Separate System Drive) .............................................................................. 17

Configuring the RAID Array (with Hot Spare and System Partition on RAID Array)........................................ 31

Chapter 3: Module Replacement and Upgrade Procedures............................................................................. 42

Introduction ....................................................................................................................................................... 43

Required Tools and Techniques ....................................................................................................................... 43

Names and Types of Screws ............................................................................................................................ 43

Flat Panel Display Module (Left-Hand Screen)................................................................................................. 44

Flat Panel Display Module (Right-Hand Screen) .............................................................................................. 45

Flat Panel Display Module (Center Screen)...................................................................................................... 46

Opening the Display Assembly into its Service Position................................................................................... 50

Memory ............................................................................................................................................................. 52

PCI Cards (General) ......................................................................................................................................... 53

PCI Express Card (Secondary card for third screen and Projector Port) ......................................................... 54

PCI Express Card (Primary).............................................................................................................................. 55

Auxiliary Power Distribution Assembly.............................................................................................................. 57

Main Power Distribution Board ......................................................................................................................... 58

Hard Drive Magazine (also Individual Hard Drives).......................................................................................... 58

Optical Drive (CD/DVD) .................................................................................................................................... 60

Optical Drive (CD/DVD) Backplane .................................................................................................................. 60

External Cooling Fan Assembly........................................................................................................................ 62

CPU Cooling Fans ............................................................................................................................................ 63

Main Power Supply Unit (PSU)......................................................................................................................... 64

Motherboard...................................................................................................................................................... 66

MaxPac Dual/Triple-Screen 8230 XRA2/3-Series User Operation and Maintenance Guide v

Appendix A: Creating and Using Backup Images (Including Restoring Your OS)......................................... 76

Introduction ....................................................................................................................................................... 76

Appendix B: Regular System Maintenance ........................................................................................................ 85

Cleaning Interior Dust ....................................................................................................................................... 85

Replacing the Lithium Battery ........................................................................................................................... 85

Maintaining (Cleaning) the "Baghdad Filters" ................................................................................................... 85

Resetting the Motherboard BIOS...................................................................................................................... 89

Appendix C: Screws and Required Tools ........................................................................................................... 91

Screws............................................................................................................................................................... 91

Required Tools.................................................................................................................................................. 92

Appendix D: Contacting MaxVision Support (RMA and Serial Numbers) ....................................................... 93

Repairing/Replacing Products/Accessories ...................................................................................................... 93

Contacting Technical Support and RMA Numbers ........................................................................................... 93

MaxPac Dual/Triple-Screen 8230 XRA2/3-Series User Operation and Maintenance Guide 1

Chapter 1: Quick Start Setup

2 MaxPac Dual/Triple-Screen 8230 XRA2/3-Series User Operation and Maintenance Guide

Documentation Conventions

Icons

 The information icon is used to annotate important information.

 The exclamation icon is used to annotate cautionary information.

Fonts

 Italics font is used for emphasis, book titles, commands, and path and file names.

 Bold may be used to emphasize text, highlight menu items, and denote the titles of dialog boxes.

 Menu > Command identifies the path used to select a menu command.

 Courier font is used for program listings and for any text messages that the software displays

on the screen.

 Note: describes important information, warnings, or unique commands.

 “Select” means click the left mouse button on the indicated item.

 “Click-left” (or just “click”) means click the left mouse button on the indicated item.

 “Click-middle” means click the middle mouse button on the indicated item.

 “Click-right” means click the right mouse button on the indicated item.

 “Double-click” means click twice consecutively with the left mouse button.

 “Drag-left” (or just “drag”) means press and hold the left mouse button on the indicated item, then

move the cursor (pointer) to the destination and release the button.

 “Shift-click-left” means press and hold the <Shift> key then click the left mouse button on the

indicated item.

 “Ctrl-click-left” means press and hold the <Ctrl> key then click the left mouse button on the

indicated item.

Inspecting the Shipment

MaxPac systems are packaged to withstand the roughest of treatment during shipping. Any boxes,
foam core padding, and anti-static bags should be stored safely away in case you need to ship the
system for any reason in the future. Inspect the box the system arrived in. If there is any unusual
damage to the box, make note of the damage on the delivery form and contact MaxVision support
(see Appendix D for more details).

MaxPac Dual/Triple-Screen 8230 XRA2/3-Series User Operation and Maintenance Guide 3

Unpacking the System

MaxPac 8230 XRA2/3-Series systems are always shipped in an associated Pelican case. Depending
on the configuration of your system – two or three screens and up to four disk drives – the
Pelican/MaxPac combination may weigh between 84 lbs and 99 lbs (including the packaging). If you
are unable to lift this weight safely, you should obtain assistance in unpacking and moving the system.

1) Place the cardboard packing box containing the Pelican case and MaxPac system on the floor.
Remove the packing slip from the outside of the box and save it for later use as discussed below.

2) Clear an area on a desk or table on which to place the MaxPac system.

Note: In order to raise or lower the handle on the Pelican case, use your thumb to slide the release
catch to the right (if looking toward the back of the case as shown in Figure 1-1).

Figure 1-1. Use the release catch to operate the handle on the Pelican case

3) Place the Pelican case flat on its back on the floor and open it (Figure 1-2).

Figure 1-2

Figure 1-2. Open the Pelican case containing the MaxPac System

4) With the aid of a colleague, carefully tip the case such that its lid is on the floor as shown in
Figure 1-3 (note that the case was rotated 180
tipped for the purposes of these photographs).

o

from the view shown in Figure 1-2 prior to it being

Figure 1-3

4 MaxPac Dual/Triple-Screen 8230 XRA2/3-Series User Operation and Maintenance Guide

5) Have two people (one on each side) carefully slide the MaxPac out of the case (Figure 1-4).

Note: This process can be GREATLY facilitated by taking hold of the handle on top of the Pelican
case and tilting the case forward towards the lid resting on the floor. This will cause the MaxPac
to gently slide out of the case.

Figure 1-4

6) Slide the MaxPac all the way out until it is resting on the lid of the Pelican case (Figure 1-5).

7) Have two people (one on each side) lift the MaxPac system. Keeping your back straight, bending
at the knees and using your legs as much as possible, take the system out of the box and place it
on the cleared area noted in point (2) above.

Check the Packing List and Confirm Documentation

1) Carefully open the accessory box (delivered as a separate item) containing the keyboard, mouse,
power cord, MaxVision's extreme "Baghdad Filters", documentation packet, and any special­order cabling or other items.

2) Check the packing slip to ensure that everything is as you expect with regard to the main system
and the contents of the accessory box. Pay particular attention to any special options you may
have requested, such as memory upgrades or specific graphics or sound subsystems.

3) Check the contents of the envelope containing the documentation associated with your system. In
addition to this manual along with any user guides and manuals associated with special upgrade
options you may have ordered (such as graphics cards), a basic MacPac 8230 XRA2/3-Series
documentation pack will include:

 Windows® XP license and CD-ROM.
 Motherboard manual.
 Recovery CD (see also Appendix A).

Figure 1-5

Setting-Up Your MaxPac

Location

Your MaxPac 8230 XRA2/3-Series system needs to be positioned in a location with the capacity to
safely support at least 62 lbs to 76 lbs depending on its configuration. The unit should be
unobstructed so as to permit the free flow of cooling air through the intake fans at the sides of the
unit and exhaust air from the vents at the front of the unit.

MaxPac Dual/Triple-Screen 8230 XRA2/3-Series User Operation and Maintenance Guide 5

Power Requirements

MaxPac 8230 XRA2/3-Series power supplies are auto-sensing 100 to 240 VAC, 50 to 60Hz units.
Ensure that the supplied power is sufficient, stable, and without spikes or surges for operation of your
MaxPac and other required equipment.

Attaching the Filters

1) Stand the MaxPac system upright on the table; also, remove the two "Baghdad Filters" from the
accessory box (Figure 1-6).

Figure 1-6

2) The rear portion of the filter assembly is already attached to the main chassis. Present the front
portion of the left-hand filter assembly (including its filter element) to the rear portion of the
assembly on the main chassis. Use the flanges to engage the left-hand side of the assembly as
shown in Figure 1-7, and then engage the Velcro on the right-hand side of the assembly to its
counterpart on the main chassis.

3) Similarly, present the right-hand filter assembly and filter element to the rear portion of the
assembly, which is already attached to the main chassis. Use the flanges to engage the right­hand side of the assembly as shown in Figures 1-8 and 1-9, and then engage the Velcro on the
left-hand side of the assembly to its counterpart on the main chassis.

Figure 1-7

Figure 1-8

Figure 1-9

6 MaxPac Dual/Triple-Screen 8230 XRA2/3-Series User Operation and Maintenance Guide

Opening the Screens (Dual-Screen System)

1) If you have a dual-screen system, press down on the release catch located at the lower left-hand
side of the system (Figure 1-10).

Figure 1-10

2) While continuing to press down on the release catch, pull the second screen away from the
system; unfold this second screen completely as shown in Figure 1-11.

Note: You may hear a squeaking noise when you unfold the second screen. This is caused by
the polyurethane clutch and is part of the friction mechanism that holds the screen steady. Do
NOT apply any lubricants to this mechanism, because they may degrade the polyurethane.

Opening the Screens (Triple-Screen System)

1) If you have a triple-screen system, press down on the release catch located at the lower right­hand side of the system (Figure 1-12).

2) While continuing to press down on the release catch, pull the left-hand screen away from the
system until it is completely unfolded (Figure 1-13).

Figure 1-11

Figure 1-12

Figure 1-13

MaxPac Dual/Triple-Screen 8230 XRA2/3-Series User Operation and Maintenance Guide 7

3) Now pull the left-hand edge of the right-hand screen away from the system (Figure 1-14).
Continue to pull this screen until it is completely unfolded (Figure 1-15).

Note: You may hear a squeaking noise when you unfold the second and third screens. This is caused by
the polyurethane clutches and is part of the friction mechanism that holds the screens steady. Do NOT
apply any lubricants to these mechanisms, because they may degrade the polyurethane.

Tilting the System

1) Place one hand underneath the system and the other hand on top of the system (Figure 1-16).
Press down lightly with the hand on top of the system while gently pulling the bottom of the
system forward with your other hand.

Figure 1-14

Figure 1-15

Figure 1-16

2) Tilt the system back. While holding the top of the system with one hand, reach under the system
with the other hand, grasp the bases of the two integrated support stands, squeeze the bases
together, and pull the support stands down (Figure 1-17).

Note: The stands are spring-loaded and will expand outward when you release them. The
support stands can be set to various positions depending on the required viewing angle of the
system/screens (the most extreme extended position is generally used only for maintenance
purposes).

Figure 1-17

8 MaxPac Dual/Triple-Screen 8230 XRA2/3-Series User Operation and Maintenance Guide

Accessing and Connecting the Keyboard, Mouse, etc.

1) Return to the accessory box containing the keyboard, mouse, and power cord (Figure 1-18) and
place these items on the table in front of the system (Figure 1-19)

Figure 1-18

2) Plug the keyboard into the PS2 connector in the lower right-hand corner of the main interface
panel, which is on the right-hand side of the system (Figure 1-20).

Figure 1-20

3) The mouse may be plugged into the PS2 connector located next to the keyboard connector as
shown in Figure 1-21. Alternatively, you may remove the green USB-to-PS2 connector from the
end of the mouse cable and then plug the mouse into one of the USB ports located just above the
two PS2 ports.

Figure 1-19

Figure 1-21

4) Plug the power cord into the main power input port, which is located on the left-hand side of the
system, and then plug the other end of the cable into a suitable power outlet. Observe the main
(hard) power switch located to the right of the power input port (Figure 1-22).

MaxPac Dual/Triple-Screen 8230 XRA2/3-Series User Operation and Maintenance Guide 9

Figure 1-22

Powering-Up Your MaxPac

1) Ensure that the main (hard) power switch – the switch located just to the right of the main power
input connector – is in its ON position (Figure 1-23).

Note: When the unit is being moved or serviced, you should ensure that the main power switch
is in its OFF position.

Figure 1-23

2) Press and release the soft power switch located at the top of the system immediately behind the
center display screen (Figure 1-24)

3) Due to extensive system initialization and verification checks, the BIOS boot-up process can take
a significant amount of time, especially in the case of systems with large amounts of memory. In
the case of a system containing 8 GB of RAM, for example, it can take 45 seconds before all
three LEDs above the numerical keypad on the keyboard flash to indicate that the system is at a
point where information should start to appear on the main display.

Figure 1-24

Note: Even if nothing appears on the main display, the fact that the three LEDs flash on the

keyboard indicate that the system is alive.

10 MaxPac Dual/Triple-Screen 8230 XRA2/3-Series User Operation and Maintenance Guide

Logging On for the First Time

1) Following the initial BIOS boot-up sequence, you will be presented with the Windows XP
Professional Startup screen:

2) After a few seconds – and assuming this is the first time you have powered-up your system –
you will be presented with the Windows XP Professional Setup Wizard dialog. Follow the
on-screen instructions provided by the setup wizard; these will include:

• Accepting the license agreement.

• Confirming (or modifying) the region and/or language settings.

• Entering your company name and organization name.

• Entering the product key (that is, the OS license number). This license number will be found

on the OS license sticker attached to your machine. This sticker will be located on the base of
the machine (in this context, the term "base" refers to the bottom of the system when it is
standing on the table as illustrated earlier in this manual).

• Entering the name you wish to be associated with this system. Assuming that you intend to

connect your system to a network, this is the name that will appear on the network, and thus
it must be unique to your network (you may wish to obtain this name from your network
administrator).

• Entering a password for the system and confirming it.

• Specifying the date and time zone settings associated with your system’s location.

• Specifying your network settings (it is strongly recommended that you select the default

Typical option, otherwise you should leave this step to your network administrator).

• Entering the names of your workgroup and computer/network domains (ask your network

administrator to provide you with these details).

3) Once you have completed all of the steps presented by the setup wizard, click the Finish button,
which will cause the system to automatically reboot itself.

MaxPac Dual/Triple-Screen 8230 XRA2/3-Series User Operation and Maintenance Guide 11

4) Observe the default MaxVision desktop appear on the screen:

5) Note that, upon this first reboot, all three screens may not initially be active (although the screen
drivers are loaded for both graphics boards, in rare cases they may not be enabled and/or
properly configured). Alternatively, the screens may all be active, but they may be improperly
ordered such that the mouse cursor leaps from screen to screen in a non-intuitive way.

In such a case, right-mouse-click on a blank area of an active screen/desktop, select the
Properties item from the resulting pop-up menu, then select the Settings tab, and then set up
the three screens as shown in Figures 1-25 and 1-26.

If the ordering of the screens is not as shown below, simply drag the screen icons into the correct
position. Ensure that the center screen (number '1') is set to be the primary display. When you've
finished making chances, click the Apply button.

Figure 1-25

Figure 1-26

12 MaxPac Dual/Triple-Screen 8230 XRA2/3-Series User Operation and Maintenance Guide

Registering/Activating Your OS

1) At some stage after you’ve powered up your system for the first time as discussed in the previous
section, a small “xx days left for activation” pop-up will appear in the lower right-hand corner of
the screen:

2) Clicking on the “X” will dismiss this pop-up (it will return to bug you later). Alternatively, clicking
on the body of this pop-up will result in the “Let’s activate Windows” dialog appearing on your
screen.

3) Select one of the three options (Activate over the internet, Activate by phone, or Remind me

later), then click the Next button and follow the on-screen directions.

Note: It is recommended that you register and activate your OS as soon as possible. After the 30

day grace period has expired, the system won’t even let you logon until you do register and
activate the OS.

Shutting Down the System

In order to shut the system down gracefully you must perform the following steps:

1) Close down any applications that are currently running.

2) Use the Start > Shut Down command.

3) Select one of the following options in the pull-down menu:

• Restart Shutdown and restart the system.

• Shutdown Shutdown the system.

• Log Off Log off the current user session.

4) Click the OK button.

“Dos and Don’ts”

1) Always disconnect the external AC power source when removing or installing system components
(and always turn the main power switch to its OFF position when you disconnect AC power).

2) In the case of extreme dust conditions, it is imperative that you use (and maintain) the oil-based
"Baghdad Filters" supplied with your system (see also the discussions on maintaining these filters
as presented later in this manual).

MaxPac Dual/Triple-Screen 8230 XRA2/3-Series User Operation and Maintenance Guide 13

Chapter 2: Setting-Up the
Software/Devices/Network/RAID Array

14 MaxPac Dual/Triple-Screen 8230 XRA2/3-Series User Operation and Maintenance Guide

Setting-Up the Network

In the majority of environments, it is sufficient to use the Windows XP defaults for the network. Simply
connect the network cable (Figure 2-1) and the system should auto-detect the presence of the
network and the data/communications light next to the network cable connector should start to flash.

Figure 2-1. Connecting the network cable

The easiest way to test your network connection is to invoke your web browser and visit a website
such as www.MaxVision.com. In the event of any problems or special requirements, you should first
consult your on-site IT representative (if the problems persist, contact MaxVision support as
discussed in Appendix D).

Setting-Up the Graphics

When you receive your MacPac dual/triple-screen X-Class system, you will find that the graphics
subsystem has been pre-installed with the following (recommended) characteristics:

• Color Quality: Highest (32-bit)

• Resolution: 2, or 3 x 20.1” displays: 1600 x 1200

Irrespective of the configuration, the graphics on your system will have been custom pre-configured to
suite your particular requirements.

MaxPac systems are available with a variety of different graphics cards depending on your unique
application. The standard configuration for a triple-screen system is to have the center and right-hand
displays controlled by a PCI Express-based NVIDIA Quadro FX4500. For the MaxPac 8230 series
the left-hand display and projector port are controlled by a second PCI Express-based NVIDIA
Quadro FX series board.

Note: OpenGL™ acceleration is now available on all displays controlled by PCI Express-based
NVIDIA Quadro FX series controllers. This allows the user to run applications requiring OpenGL
acceleration on all displays as long as all are controlled by the same NVIDIA Graphics driver.

If you do have a special graphics card, you may consult the manual associated with this card (this
manual will be included in your documentation package as discussed in Chapter 1) or contact
MaxVision support (as discussed in Appendix D) for more information.

MaxPac Dual/Triple-Screen 8230 XRA2/3-Series User Operation and Maintenance Guide 15

Adjusting the Screens

In the case of both dual- and triple-display configurations, each screen has a set of controls mounted
on the top of the display (Figure 2-2).

Figure 2-2. Top-down view of screen controls on dual- and triple-display systems

Observe the power button located to the right of the power light-emitting diode (LED). This is an
independent power button for the display/screen.

Pressing the MENU button will bring up a series of items on the screen. Use the up/down buttons to
move between these items; press and release the SEL button to select that item; and use the
right/left buttons to vary the settings.

Some custom configurations allow the display to be driven from multiple sources. In this case,
pressing the INPUT button selects between digital and analog inputs. These custom configurations
will come equipped with a special documentation addendum that details the actions of the INPUT
button; in the case of standard configurations, the source should always be set to “Digital.”

Setting Up Video Input for Picture-in-Picture

In the case of MaxPac 8230 XRA2 (dual-screen) systems, the right-hand monitor supports multiple
inputs: the default DVI-I input from the system and an external VGA input that can be used for
picture-in-picture monitoring purposes. In the case of MaxPac 8230 XRA3 (triple-screen) systems,
both the left- and right-hand monitors support this capability.

1) Observe the VGA connector associated with the left-hand screen (Figure 2-3). The external video
source would be fed into this connector as shown for the right-hand screen (Figure 2-4).

Note: For the purposes of this example, the video signal being used as input to the right-hand
screen originates from another PC. In reality, this input could come from any VGA video source
with a resolution no higher than 1024 x 768.

16 MaxPac Dual/Triple-Screen 8230 XRA2/3-Series User Operation and Maintenance Guide

Figure 2-3

Figure 2-4

2) In order to access the external video source, press the Menu button in the controls mounted on
the top of that display (Figure 2-2),and then use the left/right arrow buttons on this control panel
to access the Picture-in-Picture dialog (Figure 2-5)

Figure 2-5

Figure 2-6

3) Use this dialog to turn the Picture-and-Picture window On/Off and to specify characteristics such
as the size and position of the Picture-and-Picture window (located in the lower right-hand corner
of the screen in Figures 2-5 and 2-6).

Note: The video source and the Picture-in-Picture window must be set to the same resolution,
which must be less-than or equal-to 1024 x 768.

MaxPac Dual/Triple-Screen 8230 XRA2/3-Series User Operation and Maintenance Guide 17

Configuring the RAID Array (with Separate System Drive)

Note that these discussions reflect system configurations with a separate system drive as illustrated
in Figures 2-7 and 2-8). Configurations that have the system partition established on the RAID array
itself (leaving a hot-spare drive) are discussed later in this chapter.

When you take possession of your MaxPac 8230 XRA2/3, the RAID system will already have been
established, initialized, and verified. The instructions in this section are intended to address those rare
situations where you need to replace a degraded/failed drive or you wish to rebuild the RAID system
from the ground up.

Your MaxPac system can contain up to four SATA hot-swappable hard disk drives presented in a
4-drive disk caddy. This caddy is located on the lower left-hand side of the main chassis under the
"Baghdad Filter" assembly as shown in Figure 2-7 (the numbering of the disks is as shown in
Figure 2-8). In the case of a typical RAID 5 system, the upper disk is the system disk, while the
lower three disks are used to implement the RAID data array.

Figure 2-7 Figure 2-8

Installing the Web-Based 3ware Software

If you reload your operating system, then you will also need to reload the appropriate RAID driver
followed by 3ware's 3DM 2 web-based RAID management application as follows:

1) Power-up the system. The operating system will see the RAID controller as a new device and will
therefore prompt you to load the appropriate driver from the 3ware CD, which is provided with
your system.

2) Insert the 3ware CD. The auto-play function will bring up the 3ware Escalade Menu as shown in
Figure 2-9. Initially you should ignore this menu; don’t dismiss it, but instead use the operating
system's Device Manager utility to look for the 3ware driver on the CD and install it.

3) Once the 3ware driver has been loaded, return to the 3ware Escalade Menu and click the Install
3DM 2 button.

4) Approve the license agreement in the ensuing pop-up dialog.

5) Following acceptance of the license agreement, you may be presented with the operating
system's standard Welcome to New Connection Wizard dialog. In this case, use this dialog to
setup your network connection.

6) Following this wizard, 3ware's 3DM 2 software will be installed (when prompted to do so, allow
the installation script to place a 3DM 2 icon on your desktop).

18 MaxPac Dual/Triple-Screen 8230 XRA2/3-Series User Operation and Maintenance Guide

Figure 2-9

Building a New 3ware RAID 5 Array from Scratch

The discussions in this section assume that you have an existing system disk and – for one reason or
another – have installed three new/empty data disks.

1) Start to power-up the system. When you see the BIOS message "<Alt-3> to access 3ware BIOS
Manager" (Figure 2-10) press and hold the <ALT> (alternate) key and – while still holding this key
– press the number "3" key. This will invoke the 3ware BIOS manager; in most cases, you will be
presented with a warning screen as shown in Figure 2-11.

Figure 2-10

Figure 2-11

2) Press any key to continue, which will take you fully into the 3ware BIOS Manager. Observe that
the Create Unit option is selected by default. Use <Alt-A> to select all of the drives; asterisk "*"
characters appear to the left of each drive's port number to indicate that the drive has indeed
been selected (Figure 2-12)

MaxPac Dual/Triple-Screen 8230 XRA2/3-Series User Operation and Maintenance Guide 19

Figure 2-12

Figure 2-13

3) Ensure that the Create Unit item is still selected (the white box shown to the bottom left of the
screen in Figure 2-12), and then press the <Enter> key to invoke the Create Disk Array screen
(Figure 2-13).

4) Use the up/down arrow keys to highlight the RAID Configuration item, and then press the
<Enter> key to access an associated pop-up dialog (Figure 2-14).

5) Use the up/down arrow keys to highlight the RAID 5 option, and then press the <Enter> key to
select this option.

Figure 2-14

Figure 2-15

6) Use the up/down arrow keys to highlight the Stripe Size item, and then press the <Enter> key to
access an associated pop-up dialog (Figure 2-15).

7) Use the up/down arrow keys to highlight the 256 KB option, and then press the <Enter> key to
select this option.

8) Use the up/down arrow keys to highlight the Write Cache Setting item, and then press the
<Enter> key to access an associated pop-up dialog (Figure 2-16).

9) Use the up/down arrow keys to highlight the Enabled option, and then press the <Enter> key to
select this option.

20 MaxPac Dual/Triple-Screen 8230 XRA2/3-Series User Operation and Maintenance Guide

Figure 2-16

Figure 2-17

10) Use the up/down arrow keys to highlight the StorSave Profile item, and then press the <Enter>
key to access an associated pop-up dialog (Figure 2-17).

11) Use the up/down arrow keys to highlight the Protection option, and then press the <Enter> key
to select this option.

12) Use the up/down/right/left arrow keys to highlight the OK item (Figure 2-18) and then press the
<Enter> key to save your changes.

Figure 2-18

Figure 2-19

13) You will be presented with a warning dialog as shown in Figure 2-19. Press the Y (yes) to allow
the write cache to be enabled (note that this mode significantly improves performance, but it can
result in a loss of data in the event of a power failure, so MaxVision STRONGLY recommends the
use of an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) with your system).

14) At this point, you will be presented with a summary description of the RAID array you have
defined (Figure 2-20).

15) Press the <F8> key to request that your array be established and to exit the 3ware BIOS
setup utility.

MaxPac Dual/Triple-Screen 8230 XRA2/3-Series User Operation and Maintenance Guide 21

Figure 2-20

Figure 2-21

16) You will be presented with a warning screen as shown in Figure 2-21. Press the Y (yes) key in
order to establish your array and exit the 3ware BIOS setup utility. The system will automatically
reboot itself in order to make your new RAID array available to the operating system. During the
boot process you will see the BIOS report the existence of your new RAID array.

17) Once the system has booted up into Windows®, right-click on the My Computer icon and then
select the Manage option. In the ensuing Computer Management dialog, click on the Disk

Management item. As you have just created a new RAID array, this will automatically launch the
Initialize and Convert Disk Wizard as shown in Figure 2-22.

18) Click the Next button to be presented with the Select Disk to Initialize screen. Click the Disk 1
item as shown in Figure 2-23.

Figure 2-22. The Initialize and Convert Disk Wizard

22 MaxPac Dual/Triple-Screen 8230 XRA2/3-Series User Operation and Maintenance Guide

Figure 2-23

Figure 2-24

19) Click the Next button to be presented with the Select Disk to Convert screen. Click the Disk 1
item as shown in Figure 2-24.

20) Click the Next button to be presented with the Completing the Wizard screen as shown in
Figure 2-25, and then click the Finish button to perform the operations and exit the wizard.

21) Observe that the Disk Management area of the Computer Management dialog now shows Disk 1
as being a Dynamic disk that is – as yet – unallocated as shown in Figure 2-26.

Figure 2-25. The Completing the Wizard dialog

MaxPac Dual/Triple-Screen 8230 XRA2/3-Series User Operation and Maintenance Guide 23

Figure 2-26. Disk 1 is – as yet - unallocated

Note: In the case of the system used in this example, the system disk was 120 GB in size, while the

three data disks used to form the RAID array were each 400 GB in size.

Observe in Figure 2-26 that Disk 1 is shown as being approximately 800 GB in size, where 800 GB
equates to 2/3 of the 3 x 400 GB capacity of the data disks (the remaining 400 GB is used to provide
the RAID 5 redundancy).

22) Now, right-click on the Disk 1 item in the lower-right-hand portion of the screen, and then select
the New Volume option from the ensuing pop-up menu as shown in Figure 2-27.

24 MaxPac Dual/Triple-Screen 8230 XRA2/3-Series User Operation and Maintenance Guide

Figure 2-27. Select the New Volume option

23) Observe the New Volume Wizard appear as shown in Figure 2-28.

Figure 2-28. The New Volume Wizard