Mitsubishi Electronics MS540 User Manual

OWNER’S HANDBOOK

MS540

apricot

MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC

C PA M

O C

Apricot MS540 Owner’s Handbook

MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC

Intel and Pentium are registered trademarks of Intel Corporation.

Microsoft U.S. and other countries.

Soundblaster is a registered trademark of Creative Labs Inc.

Any other trademarks referred to within this document but not listed above are hereby recognised and acknowledged.

Apricot Computers Ltd. have a policy of continuous research and development and therefore reserve the right to amend or modify this handbook, or parts thereof that are subject to specification change, without notice.

Any software described in this manual that has been furnished with the computer is supplied subject to a license agreement. The software may be used or copied only in accordance with the terms of this agreement. It may be an offence punishable by law to copy any disk or part of a disk supplied for any purpose other than the purchaser’s personal use unless specifically authorised within the licence agreement.

and Windows

® 95 are registered trademarks of Microsoft in the

Published by Apricot Computers Limited 3500 Parkside Birmingham Business Park Birmingham B37 7YS

MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC

Printed in the United Kingdom

OWNER’S MANUAL CONTENTS

1 THE BEGINNING

Connections 1/1 Turning on and booting up 1/2 Energy saving features 1/3 Installing other software 1/4 Turning the power off 1/5 Cleaning and transporting 1/6

2 THE SYSTEM DRIVES

Using the floppy drive 2/1 Using a CD-ROM drive 2/3 The Hard disk drive 2/5 Software backup 2/7

3 EXPANSION

Configuring a card 3/2 Installing a card 3/6

CONTENTS

4 MEMORY UPGRADES

Adding system memory 4/1 Adding cache memory 4/5 Adding video memory 4/7

5 MULTIMEDIA FEATURES

The device drivers 5/1 The CD-ROM drive 5/1 The sound connections 5/2 The Remote control 5/4 Television card (if fitted) 5/6 Radio card (if fitted) 5/7

CONTENTS/1

CONTENTS

6 TROUBLESHOOTING

Problems when starting 6/1 Restoring the Software 6/3 Checklist 6/3 System disk drives 6/5 Television card 6/6 Software security 6/6

A THE SYSTEM UNIT

Anti-static precautions A/1 Opening the system unit A/2 The components inside A/3 Drive specification A/4 Physical characteristics A/5

B SYSTEM MOTHERBOARD

General specification B/1 Board layout B/2 External ports/connections B/4 Jumper configurations B/6 Replacing CMOS battery B/8

C SYSTEM BIOS AND SET-UP

Entering set-up C/1 Control keys C/1 Set-up runs on its own C/2 Opening screen C/3 Sub-menu pages C/4 Error messages C/11

CONTENTS/2

1 THE BEGINNING. . .

10101

You should read this chapter even if you do not read any other. It provides important basic information to help you in using your computer. It is the minimum you need to know in order to start work straight away. Computers are very easy to use providing you establish a routine with a few basic disciplines.

Note particularly the information given in the section ‘Energy Saving Features’.

Connections

Individual details of the rear port connections are shown in the appendix B ‘System Motherboard’, but an overall view is given here.

THE BEGINNING

1 Mains in socket 2 Power out to monitor 3 System security loop

4 Rear audio panel *a 5 Keyboard port 6 PS/2 mouse port

7 Serial port (COM1) 8 Serial port (COM2) *c 9 Parallel/printer port

10 Monitor connection *b

*a See chapter ‘Multimedia’ for details on connections. *b Looped to TV card when that is fitted. *c Not available when system supplied with remote control.

The Security loop (3) above can be used for an alarmed loop cable or a padlocking

mechanism, to help deter either unauthorised removal of the system, or its cover.

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THE BEGINNING

Turning on and booting the computer

Turning the power on

If you have a TV card fitted, check the chapter ‘Multimedia’ for important information. To turn on the computer, press the lower

OWER

P show that the system unit is powered. Remember that the monitor has its own power control (see the monitor’s User’s Guide for details) and that it may take a few moments to warm up.

If nothing happens when the P the system unit and monitor power cords are securely connected and that the AC power supply is switched on. See also the chapter on ‘Troubleshooting’.

Power-on self-test

Whenever the computer is turned on, the ‘power-on self test’ (POST) routine checks the actual set-up of the computer against that recorded in its internal configuration memory. During this time, various messages are displayed. Further information on the computer’s Basic In/Out System (BIOS) and its setting up can be found in Appendix C, ‘System BIOS and set-up’.

The boot sequence

Provided that POST succeeds without any serious errors, the computer attempts to find its operating system to start it going, that is, it attempts to boot. By default, the computer will first look for a system diskette, then for a bootable hard disk partition or area.

button. The green POWER ON light should come on to

OWER

button is pressed, check that

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System diskette

A system diskette is a diskette bearing at least the rudiments of an operating system. If the computer finds such a diskette in the diskette drive, it boots from it. If it finds a non-system diskette, the computer will ask you to replace it.

Bootable Hard disk

Most computers with a hard disk containing pre-installed software normally arrive set up with a single ‘partition’. The operating system already in place or pre-installed on this, the C: drive, and it is usually made ‘active’, i.e. the bootable hard disk.

THE BEGINNING

Caution

Changing or splitting the partition on a hard disk totally erases all the programs and data recorded on that disk. Always make a backup copy of the contents of the hard disk before you start to make any serious alterations to the hard disk set-up. It cannot be undone afterwards !.

Inexperienced or new users should take a few moments to run one or more

of the many tutorials in the HELP menu. This is accessible in Windows 95

by clicking on the START button in the bottom left of the screen.

Comprehensive help and tutorials are available in Windows 95 and in most

of the currently available Windows applications.

Energy Saving features

All models in this range are designed to exceed the requirements of the latest US Environmental Protection Agency’s ‘Energy Star’ programme for energy-efficient computers.

If the system is left unattended for more than a predetermined length of time, it will go into ‘Low power mode’. The screen will go blank, some components will slow down, software is running very slowly, etc. This is meant to happen.

To restart the system, just move the mouse or press a keyboard key. Everything will return to the exact state in which it was left.

Do not press the violet ‘standby’ button at this point. It does not restore from ‘low power’. Its function is to put the system into, or out of, the ‘standby’ state only.

Warning

The energy saving features built into this computer are designed to be used with the monitor supplied with the system. If you wish to use another, or older monitor it may not be compatible and permanent damage may be caused. Check with your Apricot dealer.

Leaving the system unattended for longer periods will cause a further stage of ‘standby’ to come into operation. The processor will pause its operation (software will go ‘on hold’), the cooling fans will

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THE BEGINNING

stop and then the hard drive will spin down, etc. In this mode the computer system consumes very little power at all, typically below 20W.

To restart the system, press the violet ‘Standby’ button on the facia. As the monitor is in a controlled ‘off’ state, it may take a moment or two to fully return to normal.

‘Standby’ can also be initiated or restored by means of the standby button on the Remote control. (Details of the remote control are given in a comprehensive help file in Windows). From the main unit the standby state can also be entered manually by pressing the violet standby button on the front bezel at any time.

If you have a modem or network card fitted, there is no cause for concern, as an incoming call or an E-Mail message will trigger the correct parts of the system to full operation by their arrival, even if the system is unattended, the monitor may even stay blank. The system could then return to ‘Standby’.

There is a ‘message’ light on the front of the system that will be flashing if a message has arrived while you were away.

All the Energy Saving features and activities can be enabled or disabled as needed. Greater detail is to be found in the ‘Apricot Power Management’, application and its HELP, in Windows 95. (This also gives more details of the requirements of the Energy Star Program).

Caution

Energy Saving uses features in the Apricot software built into Windows 95, supplied with the system. It will not be fully compliant if another operating system (e.g. UNIX) is subsequently installed, although there are some default EPA compliant settings available in the BIOS.

Installing other software

With a CD-ROM drive in your system it may be a good idea to purchase all software in that format if possible. It can often be cheaper and of course CDs are easier to store, being far less bulky.

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THE BEGINNING

Some manufacturers still only supply their software on 3.5 inch floppy disks and these would of course have to use the floppy disk drive.

Guidance on using either the CD drive, or the floppy drive, is given in chapter 2 ‘The system drives’. The only thing you need to know is the name of the program on the disk that does the work. The software’s accompanying literature should tell you, but it is usually either ‘SETUP’ or ‘INSTALL’.

From the ‘start’ button in Windows select ‘run’ and then enter details in the box, first the drive letter, either D: or A: followed by the programme name.

EXAMPLES Software from CD and the name is ‘setup’ = d:setup

or, from floppy, and the name is ‘install’ = A:install

Note

A ‘drive letter’ is always followed with a colon to tell the computer that it is a reference to a disk drive. Capitals do not always need be used.

Typical software you might install could be anything from Word Processing, Accounting, Publishing, Education plus of course, games.

Turning the power off

Before turning off the computer, run through the following simple checklist ;

• Quit or exit from all the applications you are running, making

sure to save any files you have altered or created. Unless you save it, information held in the computer’s memory will be lost when you turn off the computer.

• Select ‘Shut Down’ from the Start menu in Windows. Windows

will then tell you when it is safe to switch off. This procedure

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THE BEGINNING

will close down all your applications in an orderly manner and will prompt you to save any unsaved work in the process.

• You should always turn off any attached peripherals first.

However, there is no need to turn off the monitor (if it is powered from the system unit).

• To turn off the computer, simply press the P

The power indicator on the system goes out. If the monitor is powered from the system unit, it will be turned off at the same time.

• After you turn the computer off, wait at least 5 seconds before

turning it on again. The computer may not initialise itself properly if you turn it off then on again in quick succession.

Note

With the system’s Energy saving features available and in operation, it is possible and may be more practical especially with a modem in your system, to press ‘Standby’ rather than go through Shutdown and turn the power off.

Cleaning and Transporting

Your Apricot computer requires little physical maintenance other than occasional cleaning, but you must take care when transporting it to avoid damage to some of its more delicate components, particularly the hard disk.

Warning

Turn off the system unit and unplug all power cords before cleaning or moving the computer.

OWER

button again.

Cleaning the computer

Do not use solvents or abrasives, they might damage the system unit surfaces.

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THE BEGINNING

Do not use aerosols or sprays near any part of the system, in particular, air vents or grills, ports, or removable-media drives, as

microscopic droplets can remain in the air for some time and then penetrate and cause irreparable damage.

The system unit

• Occasionally wipe the system unit with a soft, slightly damp,

lint-free cloth.

• Occasionally wipe the air vents on the rear and sides of the

system unit. Dust and fluff can block the vents and limit the airflow. A small, clean, soft brush may be useful.

• Occasionally clean the removable media drives using a special

disk cleaning kit. These are available from many sources.

The monitor

Occasionally wipe the monitor with a soft, slightly damp, lint-free cloth. It is best to use anti-static glass cleaner on the monitor screen. Do not spray glass cleaner directly onto the screen, it could run down inside the case and damage the circuitry.

The keyboard

When necessary, clean the keycaps with a slightly damp cloth and a minimum amount of a non-abrasive cleaning agent.

Regularly check the keyboard cable for wear and tear, particularly near table or shelf edges.

Take care not to spill any liquid or drop small objects, e.g. paper clips or staples, onto the keyboard. Follow these steps if this should happen to the keyboard and it stops working ;

1. Switch off and unplug the keyboard.

2. If the liquid is sticky or viscous, unplug the keyboard and call your supplier or an authorised maintainer.

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THE BEGINNING

3. If the liquid is thin and clear, try unplugging the keyboard, turning it upside down to let the liquid drain out, and drying it for at least 24 hours at room temperature. If the keyboard does not work, call your supplier or an authorised maintainer.

4. If a solid object drops between the keys, turn the keyboard upside down and shake it gently. Do not probe between the keys as this may cause serious damage.

The mouse

The mouse is the most heavily used component of many systems, particularly within Windows and is susceptible to damage, but a little care should minimise this.

Dust and fluff often accumulates in the ball tracking mechanism of the mouse and should be checked for regularly. To clean the mouse:

1. Unplug the mouse, turn it upside down and locate the plastic cover that holds the ball in place. Depending on the model, the plastic cover can be removed either by rotating it counterclockwise or by sliding it forward slightly.

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2. Remove the cover and set it aside.

3. Cupping one hand over the underside, turn the mouse back the right way up. The ball should drop into your hand.

4. Blow gently into the mouse to remove any dust that has collected there.

5. Inside the mouse there are three small rollers. Using a cotton swab moistened with a solvent cleaner, gently wipe off any oil or dust that has collected on the rollers, rotating them to reach all of their surfaces.

6. Use clear water, or water with a mild detergent, to clean the ball. Then dry it with a clean, lint-free cloth.

7. Put the ball back in its socket and replace the plastic cover. It should click into place.

The mouse cable should also be regularly checked for wear and tear, especially near table or shelf edges.

Transporting the computer

Use common sense when handling the computer. Hard disks in particular can be damaged if the computer is dropped or handled roughly. As a precaution, back up your data from the hard disks to tape or floppy disks before moving the computer. (See the Hard disk section of the chapter ‘System drives’).

Do not try to move the computer while it is plugged into the AC power supply or with any other cables, network, printer etc., still attached.

When lifting and carrying the computer, grip the metal underside of the system unit. Do not lift the unit by the plastic side trims or the front bezel. Never attempt to use the door as a carrying handle.

Never attempt to lift the system unit with a monitor on top.

Do not leave floppy disks or CDs in the drives while moving the

system as irreparable damage could occur to either drives or disks.

If you need to transport the computer any great distance, use the original packing materials.

THE BEGINNING

Warning

If you intend to use the computer in another country, read the information in the Power Connection Guide before doing anything else.

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2 THE SYSTEM DRIVES

This chapter contains useful information about the drives that are currently fitted in your computer, either behind the front drop-down panel or, in the case of the Hard drive, inside the system.

Using the floppy disk drive

The floppy disk drive is usually configured in the system BIOS as drive A:, with a capacity of 1.44 Mbytes.

Virtually all software still supplied on floppy disk is now sent out in HD (or 1.44 MB) format from the manufacturer. This is the type of drive fitted to your Apricot computer. This drive will however read the common older type of DS-DD (or 720KB). the immediately obvious physical differences are shown below.

THE SYSTEM DRIVES

The true high density floppy has the ‘HD’ logo near the window and an extra hole beside the label, to enable the drive to identify it. The other hole, that exists on both disks, is for a write protect tab (on the underside) which, if closed, will prevent the system from writing any data onto the disk.

Do not try to force the format of a DS-DD disk to the higher format of 1.44 Mbytes as this will lead to many formatting errors, with a very high risk of losing all data placed on that disk. This is due to the ‘HD’ disk having a very different magnetic surface.

2/1

THE SYSTEM DRIVES

COMPACT

Disks should always be kept away from bright sunlight, dust, moisture and any strong magnetic fields, e.g. do not place them on the monitor, printer, or near a telephone. It is common to store them in a lockable “disk-box”, away from the computer itself. Avoid opening the metal window on the disk as this exposes the magnetic surface to contamination which could damage the data or cause the disk to become useless.

Hint

It is always a good idea to keep a few spare ready formatted disks handy for saving work or backing up your software. Information on formatting disks and software backup can be found in the Windows 95 help pages.

Inserting a floppy disk

1. Pull down the drive bezel and identify the floppy drive. Test the button to ensure there are no disks in the drive.

2. Insert the disk with the metal window first, with the label side uppermost into the drive. This will push open the drive door, which will stay open, leaving the disk just visible.

3. Push the disk gently home until it “clicks” into place. The drive button will also move outwards slightly.

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4. The system should now be able to access the disk and the

EMERGENCY

EJECT HOLE

BUSY

INDICATOR

EJECT

BUTTON

COMPACT

DISC DRAWER

HEADPHONE JACK

AND HEADPHONE LEVEL

information it may contain. While the system is accessing the disk, the “drive in use” LED should be lit.

Pressing the button, when the drive is not in use, will eject the floppy disk.

Using a CD-ROM drive

Unless either a second hard drive has been installed, or the existing hard drive has been given more than one partition then the CDROM drive is usually drive D:.

There has recently been a vast increase in the amount of multimedia software supplied on CD format due to its large capacity, typically 600 Mbytes plus.

With the appropriate software, a CD-ROM drive can retrieve multimedia data from CD-ROM discs, pictures from Multisession Photo-CD discs and also play commercial audio CDs.

THE SYSTEM DRIVES

Although the drive has its own headphone jack, with associated volume level control, for use in playing audio CD’s, you can plug in the power speakers at the rear socket, or use the system’s front audio output socket for headphones. It is also possible if you want, to link the main headphone socket via a cable, to your Hi-fi system, and play sounds files, CDs, etc., at higher power.

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THE SYSTEM DRIVES

COMPACT

Warning

The laser beam inside the CD-ROM drive is harmful to the eyes if looked at directly. Do not attempt to remove the drive cover or otherwise disassemble the CD-ROM drive. If a fault occurs, call an authorised maintainer.

Keep CDs well away from dust, moisture and temperature extremes and avoid touching the surface of the CD. Store them in solid containers wherever possible. Replacement plastic CD containers are available from most large record stores.

Inserting a compact disc

1. Pull down the front drives bezel and identify the CD drive.

2. Press the

EJECT

button on the front of drive.

3. Place the CD centrally face up on the platter.

EJECT

4. If the platter ejected fully, push the push the front of the platter, and it will be drawn back into the

button again, or gently

drive.

Note

Wait a few seconds for the CD to spin up to full speed before attempting either to play the audio tracks or to read data from it.

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THE SYSTEM DRIVES

COMPACT

To remove a compact disc, press the eject button and then lift out the CD. It is best to close the draw, to prevent dust getting in, unless you intend to put in a new CD.

Do not attempt to move the computer while a CD is in the drive, as serious damage may be caused to both the CD and the drive, especially if the drive is active at the time.

To remove a CD manually (for example, during a power failure) you must first ensure that the computer is turned off. Insert a thin metal rod (such as an unwound paper clip) into the emergency eject hole. Push carefully and firmly (see below).

The hard disk drive

All modern computers are fitted with a ‘hard’ disk drive (HDD). These can have very large capacities. They have delicate, sealed and air-tight, mechanisms. They operate within microscopic tolerances and spin at high speed.

Caution

Try not to jar or move the computer while the system is powered up as this could cause irreparable damage to the delicate drive surface.

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THE SYSTEM DRIVES

The primary hard drive

Your Apricot computer is supplied with one internal or ‘primary’ hard drive (HDD) designated as the C: drive. Windows 95 will normally be installed on this drive.

Data is stored on the HDD in Directories and Subdirectories, now referred to in Windows 95 as ‘folders’. More details on directories and folders will be found in the Windows 95 guide, as will information on software utilities, such as one to compress the software into a smaller space (referred to later in this chapter), or one to defragment your files and make them quicker to access.

The HDD will have only one partition and this will have been made ‘active’ i.e. the bootable disk. Partitions are like dividing panels or false walls in a large office, they cut the area into smaller sections, each one then becomes almost independent.

A secondary hard drive

Computers can have two hard disk drives, designated as Master and Slave, and the Apricot system BIOS is capable of handling this.

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Any slave drive will be supplied completely blank, but should be supplied with full instructions. Fitting and setting up a second hard drive is not difficult, but there can be many issues to be resolved, only one of which is drive type. There are these facts to consider ;

• Handling and fixing the delicate module

• Master to slave compatibility

• Jumpers and links on the drives

• Partitioning and formatting

• Existing ribbon cable re-connection and/or extension

If you do not feel confident about installing a second hard drive you may wish to have your supplier or an authorised engineer complete this task for you.

THE SYSTEM DRIVES

DriveSpace

It is possible, as an alternative to the expense of fitting a second HDD, to use disk utility software such as DriveSpace within Windows 95, which increases the usable capacity of your HDD. It can more than double the usable size of the drive using software compression technology. See the Windows 95 HELP for details on using this utility. Remember it is advisable to backup your software first.

Software backup

Within Windows 95 there is considerable Help on numerous topics including backing up, or making a security copy of, your software. It is vital to maintain a discipline of regular backup of your data. Power cuts or hard disk failure are just two reasons.

Your operating system or applications e.g. word processing software, can be simply reinstalled from your master disks or CD’s. The letters or files you have created would be lost permanently. Your files may not be very large, but they will be impossible to replace once lost.

Copy your data files to floppy disks, or use proprietary utilities designed to do software backups, such as the one in Windows 95. Do this regularly and then keep the back-up in a safe place. It is good practice to perform a back-up regularly using two or more sets of disks, rotated for safety.

Quite a few companies manufacture backup units, accompanied by dedicated software, some of which can backup your complete hard disk two or three times over on to one small tape cassette and in a comparatively short time. These are mostly used in networked office environments, but there are much simpler and more economic versions designed for personal or home use.

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3 SYSTEM EXPANSION

Your computer can accept various Expansion cards or boards. Most are simple to install with the benefit of the ‘Plug and Play’ features, explained in the guide to Windows 95. (Look out for the ‘Plug and Play’ symbol on the packaging of these add-in boards). You can extend the capabilities of the computer, for example,-

• A graphics/movie card can provide more specialised video functions than those offered by the on-board EVGA system.

• A modem card can provide a connection to the Internet or a bulletin board via a telephone line.

• A network card can provide a connection to an office or business network fileserver and possibly mainframe.

• A television card can enable you to watch TV on your monitor and capture individual frames.

This computer system has room for five expansion boards ;

one, full length Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) card. two, half length ISA cards. one, half length Peripheral Component Interface (PCI) card. one, either full length ISA or full length PCI card.

SYSTEM EXPANSION

These can be arranged into the internal Riser card generally as shown in this rear view (the blanking plates have been removed for simplicity of showing the layout).

FULL PCI

FULL ISA

1/2 ISA

1/2 PCI

AUDIO REAR CONNECTIONS

(IF FITTED)

10101

3/1

SYSTEM EXPANSION

Configuring the card

Part of the installation procedure for many expansion cards involves setting up or configuring the card so it works correctly in the system. To configure, you assign values to various settings on the card, which enable the card to communicate with the computer. The chosen settings MUST be registered in the BIOS see appendix C ‘System BIOS and set-up’ and the section ‘ISA Legacy resources’.

Many cards require that you specify at least two of the following ;

• Interrupt request level (IRQ)

• Direct memory access (DMA) channel

• Base input/output (I/O) port address

• Base memory address

The important thing to understand is that the settings used by the card must be different to existing hardware in the computer. That is the settings must not conflict with other cards or a component on the motherboard.

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Some settings are done by jumpers and/or switches on the card and are best done before installation, others are configured by running installation software after the card has been fitted inside the computer. Some cards use a mixture of both methods.

The documentation accompanying the card should tell you what is required. Remember to check any diskettes supplied with the card for README or other help files, before you start. If you are in any doubt consult the supplier or manufacturer.

Cards often come with pre-configured or default settings. It is best to rely on these settings as much as possible, and change them only if they conflict with other devices.

ISA Interrupt request level (IRQ)

The interrupt request level or IRQ (the two terms are used interchangeably) is the line over which the expansion card sends a signal to get the attention of, or interrupt, the processor. Many of these are reserved for components on the computer’s motherboard. Some interrupts are fixed, others can be re-assigned. The following table lists the interrupts used by the computer and shows which may be available for use by expansion cards.

IRQ Default assignment Available?

IRQ0 System timer No

IRQ1 Keyboard controller No

IRQ2 System No

IRQ3 Serial port 2/Remote controller No

IRQ4 Serial port 1 Optionally

IRQ5 Audio (if fitted) Yes

IRQ6 Diskette controller No

SYSTEM EXPANSION

IRQ7 Parallel port Optionally

IRQ8 Real time clock No

IRQ9 Yes

IRQ10 Yes

IRQ11 Yes

IRQ12 Mouse No

IRQ13 Coprocessor No

IRQ14 Primary ATA/IDE interface No

IRQ15 Secondary ATA/IDE interface No

With the BIOS Set-up utility IRQ4 is available if you disable serial port1. Similarly, if you have no intention of using the parallel port, you can disable it with the BIOS Set-up utility, completely freeing IRQ7 for use by an expansion card. Do not disable ports unless you have no intention of using them.

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