NEC DIRECTION L User Manual

PROPRIETARY NOTICE AND LIABILITY DISCLAIMER

The information disclosed in this document, including all designs and related
materials, is the valuable property of NEC Computer Systems Division, Packard
Bell NEC, Inc. (hereinafter “NECCSD”) and/or its licensors. NECCSD and/or its
licensors, as appropriate, reserve all patent, copyright and other proprietary righ ts
to this document, including all design, manufacturing, reproduction, use, and
sales rights thereto, except to the extent said rights are expressly granted to
others.

The NECCSD product(s) discussed in this document are warranted in accordance
with the terms of the Warr anty Statement accompanying each product. However,
actual performance of each such product is dependent upon factors such as system
configuration, customer data, and operator control. Since implementation by
customers of each product may vary, the suitability of specific product
configurations and applications must be determined by the customer and is not
warranted by NECCSD.

To allow for design and specification improvements, the information in this
document is subject to change at any time, without notice. Reproduction of this
document or portions thereof without prior written approval of NECCSD is
prohibited.

FaxFlash and Direction are trademarks of NEC Computer Systems Division, Packard Bell, NEC.
NEC is a registered trademark of NEC Corporation; MultiSync is a registered trademark of NEC

Technologies, Inc.; these trademarks are used under license by NEC Computer Systems Division,
Packard Bell, NEC.

All other product, brand, or trade names used in this publication are the trademarks or registered

trademarks of their respective trademark owners.

First Printing — August 1997

Copyright 1997

NEC Computer Systems Division

Packard Bell NEC, Inc.

1414 Massachusetts Avenue

Boxborough, MA 01719-2298

All Rights Reserved

Contents

Using This Guide

Text Conventions...................................................... xiii

Related Documents ................................................... xiv

1 Introducing Your Computer

Front Features .......................................................... 1-2

System Controls and Lamps................................. 1-3

Diskette Drive A.................................................. 1-4

CD-ROM Reader................................................. 1-5

Back Features........................................................... 1-7

External Connectors............................................. 1-9

Power Supply Features ........................................ 1-12

Zip Drive............................................................. 1-12

Microphone ......................................................... 1-14

Speakers.............................................................. 1-14

Mouse ................................................................. 1-15

2 Using Your Computer

System Operation ..................................................... 2-1

Starting Up.......................................................... 2-2

Shutting Down..................................................... 2-3

Setting the Date and Time.................................... 2-4

Using Diskettes.................................................... 2-4

Using CDs........................................................... 2-5

Handling Compact Discs................................. 2-6

Loading a CD................................................. 2-7

Removing a CD .............................................. 2-8

Using Your System’s Audio Functions ................. 2-8

Power Management ............................................. 2-8

Protecting Your System ....................................... 2-9

Setting a Password.......................................... 2-9

Using a Password ........................................... 2-10

Contents iii

Productivity.............................................................. 2-11

Saving Your Work............................................... 2-11

Backing Up Your Work ....................................... 2-12

Printing a Document ............................................ 2-12

Display Properties .................................................... 2-13

System Care ............................................................. 2-15

Protecting Your System from Damage.................. 2-15

Keeping Your System in Good Condition ............. 2-16

Moving or Shipping Your System ........................ 2-17

Battery Replacement................................................. 2-18

Online Documentation............................................... 2-21

Where to Go from Here............................................. 2-21

3 Understanding System Features

Standard Features ..................................................... 3-1

System Chassis......................................................... 3-2

System Board Components ....................................... 3-2

Processor............................................................. 3-2

Drive Interfaces ................................................... 3-2

Ports.................................................................... 3-3

System Memory................................................... 3-3

Intel Xcelerator Multifunction Controller.............. 3-3

Flash ROM.......................................................... 3-3

Plug and Play ...................................................... 3-4

Graphics and Multimedia Features....................... 3-4

Accelerated Graphics Port interface (AGP) ..... 3-4

Video Support ................................................ 3-4

Audio ............................................................. 3-5

Super I/O Controller ............................................ 3-5

USB Ports ........................................................... 3-6

Dual IDE Channels.............................................. 3-6

Power-Saving Feature.......................................... 3-6

Options and Upgrades............................................... 3-7

Network Interface Card........................................ 3-7

Modem................................................................ 3-7

Removable Storage.............................................. 3-7

Keyboard............................................................. 3-8

iv Contents

Audio .................................................................. 3-8

Power Backup ..................................................... 3-8

4 System BIOS and Utilities

System BIOS and the Setup Utility............................ 4-1

The Setup Utility ................................................. 4-2

When to Use Setup ......................................... 4-2

How to Start Setup ......................................... 4-3

How to Use Setup........................................... 4-3

Maintenance Menu .............................................. 4-4

Processor Speed.............................................. 4-4

Clear All Passwords........................................ 4-4

Main Menu.......................................................... 4-4

Processor Type ............................................... 4-5

Processor Speed.............................................. 4-5

Cache RAM ................................................... 4-5

Total Memory................................................. 4-5

BIOS Version ................................................. 4-6

Language........................................................ 4-6

System Time and Date .................................... 4-6

Floppy Options Submenu................................ 4-6

IDE Devices ........................................................ 4-7

Primary/Secondary IDE Master/Slave

Submenus...................................................... 4-8

Advanced Menu................................................... 4-11

Resource Configuration Submenu ................... 4-12

Peripheral Configuration Submenu.................. 4-13

Keyboard Configuration Submenu .................. 4-15

Video Configuration Submenu ........................ 4-16

DMI Event Logging Submenu......................... 4-16

Security Menu ..................................................... 4-18

How to Set a Password ................................... 4-19

How to Disable Password Protection............... 4-20

Unattended Start............................................. 4-20

Power Menu ........................................................ 4-21

Boot Menu........................................................... 4-22

Hard Drive Submenu ...................................... 4-24

Contents v

Removable Devices Submenu.......................... 4-24

Exit Menu ........................................................... 4-25

BIOS Flash Utility.................................................... 4-26

Video Drivers ........................................................... 4-27

5 Installing Options

Option Installation .................................................... 5-1

Safety Precautions ............................................... 5-2

Cover Removal and Replacement .............................. 5-3

Removing the Access Cover................................. 5-4

Replacing the Access Cover ................................. 5-7

Expansion Boards..................................................... 5-8

Installing an Expansion Board.............................. 5-10

Removing an Expansion Board ............................ 5-12

DIMM Upgrade........................................................ 5-12

Removing a DIMM.............................................. 5-15

Installing a DIMM............................................... 5-16

Video Upgrade.......................................................... 5-17

Data Storage Devices................................................ 5-18

Locating Device Slots .......................................... 5-18

Preparing the Device............................................ 5-19

Device Cables...................................................... 5-20

Diskette Drive Signal Cable ............................ 5-21

IDE Signal Cables .......................................... 5-22

System Power Cables...................................... 5-23

Cabling Storage Devices ...................................... 5-23

Cabling an IDE Device ................................... 5-24

Cabling a Diskette Drive................................. 5-25

Installing Storage Devices.................................... 5-26

Removing the Front Panel ............................... 5-27

Installing a 3 1/2-Inch Device.......................... 5-28

Installing the 5 1/4-Inch Device....................... 5-31

Accessing the CD-ROM Reader...................... 5-33

Replacing the Front Panel ............................... 5-33

Adding External Options........................................... 5-34

Connecting a Parallel Printer................................ 5-34

Connecting a Serial Device .................................. 5-36

vi Contents

6 Setting System Board Jumpers

Locating the Jumper.................................................. 6-1

Clearing Your Password ........................................... 6-2

Recovering the BIOS ................................................ 6-4

7 24-Hour Information Services

NECCSD FaxFlash Service ...................................... 7-2

NECCSD Bulletin Board Service.............................. 7-3

America Online Service............................................. 7-6

Compuserve Online Service ...................................... 7-7

E-Mail/Fax Technical Support Service...................... 7-8

Internet..................................................................... 7-9

NECCSD Technical Support Services....................... 7-10

8 If You Have a Problem

Problem Checklist..................................................... 8-2

Solutions to Common Problems................................. 8-3

System Problems ................................................. 8-3

Diskette Drive Problems ...................................... 8-5

Monitor Problems................................................ 8-6

Keyboard/Mouse Problems .................................. 8-7

CD-ROM Problems ............................................. 8-7

Speaker Problems ................................................ 8-8

Microphone Problems .......................................... 8-8

Getting Help ............................................................. 8-8

Getting Help from Your Company........................ 8-9

Getting Help from Your NECCSD Dealer............ 8-9

Getting Help from NECCSD Technical Support... 8-9
NECCSD Warranty/Non-Warranty

Repair Service.................................................... 8-10

A Setting Up a Healthy Work Environment

Making Your Computer Work for You...................... A-1

Arrange Your Equipment .......................................... A-3

Adjust Your Chair .................................................... A-4

Adjust Your Input Devices........................................ A-6

Contents vii

Adjust Your Monitor ................................................ A-8

Vary Your Workday ................................................. A-10

Preexisting Conditions and Psychosocial Factors....... A-11

Checking Your Comfort: How Do You

Measure Up?........................................................... A-12

Checking Your Chair ........................................... A-12

Checking Your Keyboard..................................... A-12

Checking Your Mouse ......................................... A-12

Checking Your Monitor ....................................... A-12

Checking You...................................................... A-13

B Limited Warranty

How Long is the Warranty? ...................................... B-1

Who is Protected?..................................................... B-1

What is Covered And What is Not Covered? ............. B-1

What We Will Pay for and What We Will

Not Pay For............................................................. B-2

How You Can Get Warranty Service......................... B-3

Year One........................................................ B-3

Years Two and Three...................................... B-3

For Customer Service And Other Information,

Telephone [phone]...................................... B-4

Limitation of Damages and Implied Warranties ......... B-5

How State Law Relates to the Warranty.................... B-5

C System Specifications

Standard Features ..................................................... C-1

Processor............................................................. C-1

Second Level Cache............................................. C-2

Memory............................................................... C-2

Chipset................................................................ C-5

Intel 82443LX PCI/A.G.P. Controller (PAC) .. C-5

Intel 82371AB PCI ISa IDE

Xccelerator (PIIX4)....................................... C-6

Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP).................... C-8

Universal Serial Bus (USB) Support .................... C-8

viii Contents

IDE Support ........................................................ C-9

Super I/O Controller ............................................ C-9

Serial Ports.......................................................... C-10

Parallel Port......................................................... C-10

Floppy Controller ................................................ C-10

Keyboard & Mouse ............................................. C-10

Interrupt Requests (IRQs).................................... C-11

Audio Support ..................................................... C-12

OPL3-SA3 Audio System ............................... C-12

OPL4-ML Wavetable Synthesizer................... C-12

Audio Connectors ........................................... C-13

CD-ROM Audio Connector ............................ C-13

Expansion Slots................................................... C-13

BIOS................................................................... C-13

Video Support and Monitor.................................. C-14

Power Supply ...................................................... C-14

Power Consumption........................................ C-15

DC Voltage .................................................... C-15

Environmental Specifications ............................... C-16

Ambient Temperature ..................................... C-16

Humidity ............................................................. C-16

D System Board, Connectors, and Error Messages

System Board ........................................................... D-1

Connectors ............................................................... D-2

Rear Panel Connectors......................................... D-3

Internal Connectors.............................................. D-4

Error Messages......................................................... D-6

Beep Codes............................................................... D-11

Index

Contents ix

Using This Guide

The NEC Direction L-Series User Manual provides a quick
reference to information about your computer.

This manual contains the following information:

Chapter 1, Introducing Your Computer, provides a look



at system components. See this chapter to familiarize
yourself with your system.

Chapter 2, Using Your Computer, explains how to start



up and shut down your system, use your system
components, and care for your system.

Chapter 3, Understanding System Features, provides a



quick overview of the various features of your system.



Chapter 4, System BIOS and Utilities, describes the
system BIOS Setup utility program and other utilities
you can use to configure your system. This chapter
provides detailed information about BIOS settings,
including security and power management parameters.

Chapter 5, Installing Options, provides installation



instructions and in some cases, removal procedures for
the options.



Chapter 6, Setting System Board Jumpers, provides
information on changing jumper settings when
reconfiguring your system.



Chapter 7, 24-Hour Information Services, lists the
services available to you for information and help, and
describes how to access the services.

Using This Guide xi

Chapter 8, If You Have a Problem, contains



troubleshooting tips for solving simple problems and
provides information on where you can find help when
you cannot solve a problem yourself.

Appendix A, Setting Up a Healthy Work Environment,



contains guidelines to help you use your computer
productively and safely. This appendix also instructs
you on how to set up and use your computer to reduce
your risk of developing nerve, muscle, or tendon
disorders.

!

Prolonged or improper use of a computer
workstation may pose a risk of serious injury. To
reduce your risk of injury, set up and use your
computer in the manner described in Appendix A,
Setting Up a Healthy Work Environment.

WARNING







xii Using This Guide

Appendix B, Limited Warranty, provides warranty
information, policies, and restrictions.

Appendix C, System Specifications, provides a technical
description of your computer and its components.

Appendix D, System Board, Connectors, and Error
Messages provides a technical description of the system
board, connectors, and describes system error messages.

TEXT CONVENTIONS

This manual uses the following text conventions.

Warnings, cautions, and notes have the following



meanings:

W arnings alert you t o situations that coul d result in
serious personal injury or loss of life.

Cautions indicate situations that can damage the
hardware or software.

!

WARNING

!

CAUTION

NOTE

Notes give important information about the

material being described.



Names of keyboard keys are printed as they appear on
the keyboard, for example,

Text or keystrokes that you enter appear in boldface



type. For example, press



Filenames are printed in uppercase letters.

Ctrl, Alt

Enter

.

Enter

, or

Using This Guide xiii

.

RELATED DOCUMENTS

In addition to this guide, the following printed
documentation ships with your NEC Direction L-Series
system:

NEC Direction L-Series Quick Setup



Quick Setup contains information for quickly getting
your system up and running. Read this information to set
up the system for the first time.

How Does Your Workplace Measure Up?



This brochure provides information for setting up and
using your computer productively and safely.
Information includes guidelines to reduce the risk of
injury associated with using a computer.



NEC Direction L-Series Release Notes

This document provides you with additional information
about your computer that was not available at the time
your user’s guide was printed.

Your system ships with additional documentation depending
on your configuration and any options you selected. See the
documentation specific to devices such as your monitor,
speakers, and video graphics board for detailed information
about them.

In addition to the documentation that ships with the system,
the following documentation is available from NECCSD:



xiv Using This Guide

NEC Direction L-Series Service and Reference Manual

This manual provides information for maintaining,
troubleshooting, and repairing NEC Direction L-Series
systems. This guide also includes hardware and interface
information for programmers, engineers, and others who
need to know how the systems are designed.

NECCSD FaxFlash™ Service



NECCSD FaxFlash is an automated service that sends
the latest information about NECCSD and its products
directly to a fax machine. The service is available
24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

With FaxFlash, you can obtain product literature and
technical information bulletins. By using FaxFlash, you
can be kept up-to-date on the latest technical information
for your system.

See Chapter 7 for information about using FaxFlash.

Using This Guide xv

Introducing Your

1

Computer

!

Prolonged or improper use of a computer
workstation may pose a risk of serious injury. To
reduce your risk of injury, set up and use your
computer in the manner described in Appendix A,
Setting Up a Healthy Work Environment.

Your NEC Direction L-Series multimedia computer comes
with state-of-the-art, high-performance components for

delivering years of service. Based on an Intel
Pentium II® processor with MMX™ technology, your

system has the power and speed to tackle all today’s
computing needs and most of tomorrow’s.

After setting up your system, take the time to familiarize
yourself with your computer. This chapter provides a brief
look at the features of your system.

WARNING

®

NOTE

This guide covers both desktop and mini tower
models of the NEC Direction L-Series system.
Features are identical for desktop and minitower
systems; only their orientation differs.

Introducing Your Computer 1-1

FRONT FEATURES

Daily contact with your system is through the controls on
the front panel. The following figures show the control
features on the front of the system.

Front features — desktop models

1-2 Introducing Your Computer

Front panel features — minitower models

System Controls and Lamps

System controls let you select specific system operations;
the lamps let you know the status of system operation. Your
computer has the following controls and lamps:



Power button
Turns the system on and off.



Reset button
Lets you restart your system manually when it does not
respond to keyboard commands.

Introducing Your Computer 1-3

!

Resetti ng your system can resul t i n t he loss of dat a.
Press the reset button only when all other methods
of restarting your computer fail.

System power lamp



Lights when the system is turned on.



Disk lamp
Lights when the hard disk drive is active, reading or
writing data.

Do not turn off the system, unless absolutely
necessary, while the di sk l amp is lit. To do so can
damage your hard disk or data.

CAUTION

!

CAUTION

Diskette Drive A

Your diskette drive has the following features:



Diskette drive busy lamp
Lights when the diskette drive is active, reading or
writing data on a diskette.

To prev ent damage to y our di skette dr iv e and data,
do not turn off the system or remove a diskette
while the diskette drive busy lamp is lit.

1-4 Introducing Your Computer

!

CAUTION



CD-ROM Reader

Your computer comes with a high-speed ATAPI CD-ROM
reader. The CD-ROM reader operates at different speeds
depending on whether the CD you are using contains data
or music. High-speed operation lets you get your data faster
and see smoother animation and video.

Diskette drive eject button
Lets you remove a diskette from the diskette drive.

Diskette drive features

NOTE

The CD-ROM reader in your system might
look different from the one shown in the following
figure. The features depend upon the model you
purchased.

Introducing Your Computer 1-5

CD-ROM reader features



Headphone jack
Allows the connection of an optional set of stereo
headphones through a mini-jack plug.

Volume control knob



Controls the volume of the optional headphones.
Open/close button



Opens and closes the CD tray. Press this button when
the computer power is on to insert or remove a CD.



CD tray
Provides a surface for loading a CD into the reader.
Press the open/close button to open or close the CD tray.



CD busy lamp
Lights when reader is retrieving data, music, or
graphics/audio from a CD. Do not eject the CD or turn
off the system when the lamp is on.



Emergency eject hole
Allows you to remove a CD manually if normal methods
fail with the open/close button or through sound
software.

1-6 Introducing Your Computer

BACK FEATURES

Setting up your system is mainly done through external
connectors on the back of the computer. The following
figures show these connectors.

Note that the minitower and desktop models differ only in
orientation.

Rear features — desktop models

Introducing Your Computer 1-7

Audio connectors — desktop models

1-8 Introducing Your Computer

Rear features — minitower models

External Connectors

Your peripheral components attach to connectors on the
back of your computer. This is where you connect the
monitor, keyboard, mouse, speakers, and printer.

Audio connectors — minitower models

NOTE

Your system might have additional boards not
shown in the previous figures. Boards and board
locati ons vary dependi ng on the model and opt ions you
purchased.

Introducing Your Computer 1-9

Keyboard port



Connect the keyboard that comes with your computer to
this port. The keyboard port supports a personal system

®

(PS)/2

-compatible, 104-key keyboard with a 6-pin

mini DIN connector.



Mouse port
Attach the mouse that comes with your computer to this
port. The mouse port supports a PS/2-compatible
mouse.



Parallel port
Use this port to connect a parallel printer with a 25-pin
connector to the system.

Serial ports (COM1 and COM2)



Attach a serial device with a 9-pin connector to each
serial port. Serial devices include a pointing device,
serial printer, or modem.



Universal serial bus (USB) ports
Use these ports to connect a wide range of new USB
devices, such as printers, mice, joysticks, keyboards, and
telecommunication devices. The speed varies between
12 megabits per second (Mbps) for printers and

1.5 Mbps for mice and keyboards. You can daisy chain
up to 127 devices using USB ports.



Audio connectors
Depending on the model, these connectors are either
integrated on the system board or on a sound board. The
audio connectors include line out, line in, and
microphone in jacks, and a MIDI/game port.

 The line out jack connects powered speakers and

other powered output devices.

 The line in jack connects stereo audio devices, such

as an amplifier or a cassette or minidisc player for
playback or recording.

1-10 Introducing Your Computer

 The microphone in jack connects a microphone or

telephone headset. Connect the microphone that
comes with your system to this jack.

 The MIDI/game port lets you attach a digital

musical instrument for creating your own musical
instrument digital interface (MIDI) files or a joystick
or gamepad for playing games.

Video connector



Attach the signal cable from your monitor to this
connector. This connection supports an NEC

®

MultiSync

monitor or other video graphics array

(VGA)-compatible monitor with a 15-pin connector.
The video board in your system depends on your system

configuration. See the documentation that comes with
your computer for detailed information about the board.

NOTE

Your system comes with an Accelerated
Graphics Port (A.G.P.) video board. A.G.P. is a new
high-performance interface for graphics-intensive
applications, such as 3D applications.

SCSI port (SCSI models only)



This port is on the SCSI adapter board that comes
installed in an expansion slot on SCSI models. The Wide
SCSI interface allows connection of up to 15 SCSI
devices. See the documentation that comes with your
computer for information about your SCSI adapter
board.

Introducing Your Computer 1-11

Fax/modem ports (some models)



Some models come with a fax/data/voice modem board.
The fax/modem allows the connection of a phone line to
the computer for fax, data communications, and
speakerphone functions. This is your connection to
information services worldwide.

See the fax/modem documentation that comes with your
system to connect and use your fax/modem.

Power Supply Features

The system power supply has the following features.

Power supply fan



Keep this area clear for proper ventilation. The power
supply fan cools system components and prevents them
from overheating.

Voltage selector switch



Sets the voltage for your system to 115 volts or 230
volts.

Set the switch correctl y f or the v olt age in your ar ea.
Most wall outlets in the United States and Canada
are 115 volts.

Zip Drive

Some models come with an Iomega® Zip™ drive. The Zip
drive lets you expand the storage capacity of your hard disk
quickly and easily, 100 megabytes (MB) at a time.

1-12 Introducing Your Computer

!

CAUTION

Use the Zip drive to back up work, archive old files and
email, organize your work, transport your work, and more.
With 100-MB Zip disks, you get an unlimited storage
capacity. The Zip drive features include a release
button/data lamp. Press this button to release a Zip disk
from the drive. The data lamp lights to indicate drive
activity or status.

!

To prev ent damage to your Z ip drive and data, do
not turn of f the system or rem ove a Zi p disk while
the data lamp is lit.

CAUTION

Zip drive features (on Zip models only)

Introducing Your Computer 1-13

Microphone

All systems come with a microphone. Use it to record voice
and sound into your audio files.

Microphone

Speakers

All systems come with a pair of high-quality, stereo
speakers that you can arrange to suit your work
environment. See the documentation that comes with your
speakers to set up your speakers and to adjust sound.

1-14 Introducing Your Computer

Mouse

In addition to the right and left mouse buttons, your mouse
features a cursor movement wheel. The cursor movement
wheel lets you scroll vertically and horizontally and zoom in
to view data on the screen..

Mouse features

Introducing Your Computer 1-15

2

Using Your Computer

This chapter provides the information you need to start
using your computer. Information includes:

System operation





Productivity
Video display properties



System care



Moving or shipping your system





Battery replacement



Online documentation.

NOTE

Check the additional documentation that
comes with your computer for information about
using your monitor, speakers, graphics board, and
any other devices that you purchased (such as a
fax/data/voice modem).

Read Windows Help files for information about
using your mouse and customizing the settings.

SYSTEM OPERATION

In this section, you can find the following information:



starting up and shutting down your system
setting the date and time



Using Your Computer 2-1

Starting Up

using system features such as the CD-ROM reader



using power management and security features.



Press the power button to start up your system. The power
lamp lights green to indicate that the system is on.

Several configuration messages appear on the screen at
startup. These messages are part of your system’s Power­On Self-Test (POST). Your computer is checking your
hardware for any changes since the last startup. One beep
indicates that the system has successfully completed the
power-on test.

NOTE

You can bypass the POST memory test by

pressing the space bar.

If a problem occurs, a series of beeps may sound. If this
happens repeatedly after powering on, power off the system
and turn to Chapter 8. This chapter provides some helpful
hints on obvious system problems.

NOTE

that system sett ings have changed, run Setup (see
Chapter 4).

On models loaded with the Windows NT® operating
system, press
so. The log-on box appears for entering a password.

2-2 Using Your Computer

If the system displays a message indicating

Ctrl-Alt-Del

when prompted on-screen to do

Shutting Down

Follow these steps to shut down (power off) your computer.

1.

2.

3.

4.

Save your work. See the documentation that comes with
your application.

Exit the application program.
Close any open applications. If you have programs in

the taskbar, click on them and close them.
Make sure that the hard drive and diskette drives are off.

If the hard drive light or diskette drive light is lit, it
indicates that the drive is in use.

!

To protect the integrity of your data, shut down all
applications before turning off the power. Unless
absolutely necessary, never power off the system:

• without exiting properly

CAUTION

• when the hard drive light or diskette drive

light is lit.

5.

Press the Start button on the Windows® taskbar, then
highlight and click “Shut Down.” Selecting Shut Down
gives you several choices in the pop-up submenu. Click

Yes

“Shut down the computer,” then click the

Enter

press

6.

Windows displays the message “It’s now safe to turn off

to shut down the computer.

button or

your computer.”

7.

Turn off power to your monitor.

Using Your Computer 2-3

NOTE

If you are unable to exit using the Windows
Start button, you can use the power button on the
front of t he system to power off. Press and hold i n
the power button f or about ten seconds to shut down
the system manually.

Setting the Date and Time

Use the following steps to set the system date and time
within Windows 95 or Windows NT.

Double click the system clock on the taskbar.

1.

Set the time by entering the current hour, minutes, and

2.

seconds in the appropriate fields, hh:mm:ss. Move from
field to field with the Tab key or Shift-tab to move from
right to left.

Set the date by entering the month and year in

3.

appropriate fields. To select the day, click on the
numeric day of the calendar.

Using Diskettes

Follow these steps to insert a 3.5-inch diskette in the
standard diskette drive.

Holding the diskette at its top edge, insert it into the

1.

diskette drive:





Insert the diskette all the way into the drive until you

2.

hear a click.

2-4 Using Your Computer

label side facing right in desktop systems.
label side up in minitower systems.

NOTE

If your diskette did not come formatted, you
must f ormat it bef ore storing inf ormati on on it. See
your operating system documentation for
information about formatting a diskette.

!

Do not f ormat your hard dr ive. F ormatti ng the hard
drive erases all preinstalled applications.

CAUTION

To remove a diskette from the diskette drive, press the
release button on the 3.5-inch diskette drive.

Do not remove a diskette from the drive when the



diskette drive lamp is lit. To do so can damage both the
data on the diskette and the drive.

Using CDs



Do not turn off the system power while the diskette is
being accessed.



Do not reset the system (except as a last resort) when the
diskette drive is in use.

See the following sections for information about handling,
loading, and removing CDs.

Using Your Computer 2-5

Handling Compact Discs

To protect your CDs from damage, use the following
guidelines when you handle them.

Always pick up the disc by its edges.



Do not touch the surfaces of the disc. Handle it by the



edges and, if necessary, by putting your finger through
the hole.



Do not write on or apply labels to either side of the disc.



Keep the disc away from direct sunlight or high
temperatures. Clean fingerprints or dust from the disc by
wiping it with a soft dry cloth.



Gently, brush the cloth from the center of the disc
toward the edge.

2-6 Using Your Computer

Handling a CD

Loading a CD

Cleaning a CD

!

Do NOT use benzene, paint thi nner, recor d cleaner,
static repellent, or any other chemical on the disc.
Chemicals and cleaners can damage the disc.

To insert a CD into the CD-ROM reader, follow these
steps:

CAUTION

1.

Press the open/close button. A CD tray slides out from
the reader.

2.

Remove the CD from its protective case. Hold the CD
by its center hole and outer edges to avoid touching its
surface.

3.

Place the CD, printed side up, into the circular area of
the tray.

4.

Press the open/close button again. The reader
automatically slides into the tray.

Using Your Computer 2-7

Removing a CD

To remove a CD, simply press the open/close button and
remove the CD when the tray slides out. Press the
open/close button again to close the reader tray.

Using Your System’s Audio Functions

Multimedia systems come with all the audio functions and
components you need to produce fine stereo output. See the
separate documentation included with these devices.

The integrated audio components in multimedia systems
provide support for industry sound standards including
Sound Blaster™ , Windows Sound System™, and
MPU-401 to provide all the functionality required for your
multimedia applications.

Power Management

Your system provides an energy-saving Advanced Power
Management feature, which reduces power consumption
when your computer is idle. You can set the length of this
idle time in your system’s Setup utility.

Enter the Setup utility by pressing F2 when the

1.

following bootup message appears.

The Main menu appears. Use your right arrow key to

2.

select the Power menu. The Power Management option
is factory set to “Disabled.”

Press

3.

box appears.
Use your arrow keys to select “Enabled.”

4.

Follow the on-screen prompts to change the options.

5.

You can set the Inactivity Timer for up to a 16-minute
delay.

2-8 Using Your Computer

Press <F2> to enter SETUP

to select Power Management. A sub-menu

Enter

Use the up and right arrow keys to select Exit.

6.

Select “Exit Saving Changes.” Press

7.

At the prompt, to confirm exiting setup, press

8.

Exit the Setup utility.

NOTE

When you want to resume work after your
computer has entered power-saving mode, just
move your mouse or press a key, and your
computer is active again.

Protecting Your System

Your system’s security features provide protection against
unauthorized access to your system and data. This
protection includes a user and supervisor password.

Dual password security provides two levels of password
security. A “Supervisor password” allows access to the
system’s Setup utility for system configuration. A “User
password” allows system bootup only after the entry of a
password.

Enter

.

Enter

.

When you start up your system for the first time, you are
asked to enter a system password. The following section
explains the password procedure.

Setting a Password

Use the following procedure to set a password.

Turn on or reboot your system. Setup displays the

1.

following message:

Press F2. Setup’s Main menu appears.

2.

Press <F2> to enter SETUP

Using Your Computer 2-9

Using your arrow keys, select Security from the menu

3.

bar. The Security menu appears.
Select “Set Supervisor Password” or “Set User

4.

Password” with the arrow keys and press

NOTE

Enabling the Supervisor Password feature
requires that a password be entered before ent ering
the Setup Utility.

Enter

.

Setup displays a dialog box with the following
prompts:

Enter new password: [ ]
Confirm new password: [ ]

Type your password and press

5.

case-sensitive. Reenter your password and press
again.

Use the arrow keys to select Exit.

6.

Select “Exit Saving Changes.” Press

7.

At the prompt, to confirm exiting setup, press

8.

Your password takes effect the next time you power on
the system. You must enter a password the next time
you power on.

Using a Password

After you set your password in Setup and reboot the
system, a password prompt appears each time you power on
the system.

To use your password, type the password at the password
prompt and press

2-10 Using Your Computer

Enter

. Passwords are not

Enter

Enter

.

Enter

.

Enter

.

NOTE

appear on your screen. Enter your password
carefully.

If you enter the password incorrectly, your system does not
boot. You have three chances to enter the correct password.
After the third unsuccessful attempt, you must reboot your
system and try again.

PRODUCTIVITY

The following sections explain how to use your system to
maximize your productivity.

Saving Your Work

Save your work often! The time you take to periodically
save your data file as you work can save you time in the
end! By doing so, you can avoid losing a whole day’s work
or more when the unexpected happens, such as losing power
due to a power outage.

For security, characters you enter do not

Some applications provide automatic save options for
specified intervals of time as you work. For example, you
might want to save your work every 10 minutes. This
reduces the amount of lost information should you lose
power or experience some other problem.

In Windows programs, you can select a Save option from
the File menu. If you are creating a new file, you’ll need to
specify a name for your file and a location to store it (drive
and directory).

Always save your work before you exit an application. See
the application’s documentation for available save options.

Using Your Computer 2-11

Backing Up Your Work

Back up your work on a regular basis! Backup procedures
are important for the efficient and effective use of your
computer. Protect your program and data files with regular
backup procedures.

Make backup copies of your program and data files that are
on diskette and on the hard drive.

The standard practice for diskette backup is to copy each
diskette, store the original in a safe place, and use the copy
as your working diskette. See your operating system
documentation for information about copying diskettes. Use
your Zip drive or Ditto tape backup unit (if installed) to
backup your files.

Printing a Document

Before you can print out a document, you must



connect a printer to your computer



set up the printer.

If you have not connected a printer, see “Connecting a
Parallel Printer” in Chapter 5.

If you did not choose a printer when you initially set up
your computer, you’ll need to do that before you can print
(see your Windows documentation). If you are using a non­Windows program, you’ll need to set up a printer driver for
that program. See your printer documentation for printer
setup information.

Once your program is set up to work with your printer,
printing a file within a Windows application is easy:

Turn on your printer power.

1.

2-12 Using Your Computer

Be sure you have paper in your printer. See your printer

2.

documentation to load paper.
Check that the printer is “online” or “selected.” See your

3.

printer documentation for information about choosing
the online mode.

Select “Print” from the File menu of your Windows

4.

application. A Print dialog box appears.
Select how many print copies you want and the range of

5.

pages. To print one copy of all the pages, simply click
“OK.”

DISPLAY PROPERTIES

The following procedure describes how to load video
drivers to change the properties of your display. The display
properties that you can set include the screen resolution, the
number of colors displayed, and the video refresh rate.

For information about the resolutions, colors, and refresh
rates supported by your video drivers, see the separate
documentation that describes your video adapter.

NOTE

If your monitor is flickering or you change
your moni tor, check that the Moni t or ty pe param eter
is set correctly for your monitor.

From the Windows desktop, press the right mouse

1.

button and click on Properties.
The Display Properties window appears. Select the

2.

Settings tab.

Using Your Computer 2-13

NOTE

The appearance of your desktop may vary

slightly from the one shown.

NOTE

palette were set at the factory for optimum
perform ance. Before you change t hese settings, be
sure that your monitor and video adapter support
the new settings.

2-14 Using Your Computer

Display Properties Window

Both the screen resolution and the color

3.

4.

5.

SYSTEM CARE

Your system is a durable, dependable computer built for
heavy use. With protective measures and proper care, you
can prevent problems and promote the successful operation
and long life span of your computer.

Use the slide bar in the Display Area section of the
screen to select the screen resolution.

Select the number of colors you want to display from the
Color Palette section of the screen.

NOTE

If you are using Windows NT, you can click
on List All Modes. You get a list of all the modes
available for your video board.

Click “Apply” to test the new display settings. If you are
sure that the settings are correct, click “OK.”

Protecting Your System from Damage

There are several ways that you can protect your system
from possible damage. NECCSD strongly recommends the
following protective measures:



Connect a surge suppressor between your computer and
a grounded wall outlet. A surge suppressor protects your
system from sudden transient increases and decreases in
electrical power.

Be sure to connect all peripherals, such as your monitor
and printer, to the surge protector. The surge protector
should be the only device that you plug into the wall
outlet.

Using Your Computer 2-15

Avoid repeated power-on cycles. These subject the



system components to temperature variations and stress.
Disconnect your system from telephone and power lines



when an electrical storm threatens. If you have a
fax/modem, lightning can travel in on the phone line and
damage both the fax/modem and the system unit.
Lightning can also travel in on power lines and damage
your monitor and system unit.



Be sure that system power is off before you connect or
disconnect a cable. Never make cable changes when the
system power is on. To do so could damage your system
and its peripherals.



Use Setup options to limit access to your computer (see
“Security Menu” in Chapter 4). Use appropriate virus
detection software regularly to protect your system from
computer viruses.



Keep your computer away from direct sunlight and
extreme hot and cold temperatures.

You can find the operating and non-operating (storage)
temperatures in Appendix C.

After turning off the power, wait about five seconds for



the hard drive to spin down before you power on again.



Be sure that nothing is placed on top of your monitor’s
ventilation vents or the system’s power cables.



Prevent dust from entering your system by covering it
when it is not in use.

Keeping Your System in Good Condition

Maintain the condition of your system by periodically
following the general procedures listed next.

2-16 Using Your Computer

!

For safety, turn off and unplug your system,
monitor, and any external devices before cleaning
them.



Clean the outside of the computer with a soft clean cloth.
You can remove stubborn stains with a cloth slightly

dampened with a mild detergent. Never use a strong
cleaner or solvent on any part of the system.



Keep food and liquids away from your computer.
Periodically clean the keyboard with a vacuum cleaner



brush attachment. Do not use any liquid cleaners on the
keyboard as they can damage the keyboard.

If an object, such as a paper clip, falls into the keyboard,
turn the keyboard over and gently shake it.



Clean the monitor screen with a glass cleaner and wipe it
with a clean, lint-free cloth. You may use wet/dry
cleaning pads manufactured for monitor screens.

WARNING

Moving or Shipping Your System

Use these steps to prepare your system for moving or
shipping:

1.

Back up your hard drive files onto diskettes, Zip disks,
or tape cartridges.

Be sure to take precautions for storing and transporting
diskettes or cartridges so that they are not exposed to
magnetic fields or electrical impulses.

Using Your Computer 2-17

Remove any diskette from the diskette drive. If you have

2.

a CD in the CD-ROM reader, remove the CD. If you
have a Zip disk in a Zip drive, remove the disk.

Turn off the system unit and any external options

3.

connected to it.
Unplug the system unit power cable from the wall outlet

4.

or surge suppressor, then from the unit itself.
Unplug any external options from the wall outlets or

5.

surge suppressor, then disconnect them from the system
unit.

Pack the system components in the original shipping

6.

materials and cartons. If these are not available, be sure
to use adequate packing materials to protect the
components.

BATTERY REPLACEMENT

All system boards use a battery to maintain system
configuration information. Your system uses a coin-sized
battery mounted on the system board (see the following
figure). If it fails to maintain system configuration
information, replace it with an identically rated battery from
the same manufacturer.

Removing the battery from the system board
causes the computer to lose system configuration
information. Before removing the battery, run the
Setup Utility and print out or write down your system
configuration settings. Then you can restore your
system to its previous settings.

2-18 Using Your Computer

!

CAUTION

!

The batt ery can explode i f it is incorrect ly replac ed
or impr operly discarded. Use only the same batt ery
or an equivalent type recommended by the
manufacturer when replacing the battery.

Lithium acts as a catalyst when exposed to water
and causes spontaneous combustion on contact.
Discard used batteries according to the
manufacturer’s instructions.

WARNING

If you need to replace the battery, follow these steps:

1.

Turn off and unplug the computer and any external
components connected to it.

2.

Remove the system access cover. See Chapter 5.
Observe all safety precautions when removing the cover.

3.

Locate the battery on the system board. You may have
to remove any expansion boards in the way.

Using Your Computer 2-19

Locating the battery

Carefully pull the battery upward until there is sufficient

4.

space to slide the battery out of the socket. You can lift
the battery with a plastic screwdriver or orange wood
stick; however, be careful to avoid scratching the system
board.

Remove the battery and discard in accordance with the

5.

manufacturer’s instructions.
With the positive (+) side facing up, slide the new

6.

battery into the socket.
Replace any removed expansion boards.

7.

Replace the system access cover.

8.

Connect external peripherals and power cables

9.

Run the Setup Utility to reconfigure your system

10.

parameters (see Chapter 4).

2-20 Using Your Computer

ONLINE DOCUMENTATION

Most of your application programs include online help at
the touch of a button (usually the Help button). Many
programs also incorporate separate, complete online user’s
guides.

Windows 95 and Windows NT provide extensive online
help and “wizards” to guide you through procedures.

WHERE TO GO FROM HERE

Once you have your system up and running, we suggest that
you install your applications and study the documentation
that comes with them.

See the following quick reference chart to find information
about some of the things you might want to do.

Using Your Computer 2-21

Quick Reference to Information About Your Computer

WHAT YOU WANT TO FIND WHERE TO FIND IT

Basic information about my
computer

Setting a password “Setting a Password” in this chapter
Loading a CD “Loading a CD” in this chapter
Adding options Chapter 5, “Installing Options”
Understanding power

management
Accessing the World Wide Web “Microsoft Internet Explorer”
Protecting my system from

viruses
Changing video drivers “Display Properties” in this chapter.
Using support services “24-Hour Information Services,” Chapter 7
Taking care of my system “System Care” in this chapter
Troubleshooting tips “If You Have a Problem,” Chapter 8

“Introducing Your Computer,” Chapter 1

“Power Saving Feature,” Chapter 3, and “Power
Menu,” Chapter 4

“VirusScan” and “WebScan”

2-22 Using Your Computer

Understanding System

3

STANDARD FEATURES

Features

Your Direction L-Series computer is a 233-, 266-, or
300-MHz Intel

technology and 512 KB of pipeline burst cache memory.

All models come with the following features:

3.5-inch, 1.44-MB diskette drive





Memory — 32 to 192 MB of Synchronized Dynamic
Random Access Memory (SDRAM) Dual In-line
Memory Modules (DIMMs)



A hard disk drive: 3.2-gigabyte (GB), 4.3 GB, or 7.0
GB Ultra DMA/33, or a 4- or 9-GB ultra-wide SCSI



CD-ROM reader



Yamaha® audio subsystem

®

Pentium® II-based system with MMX

Altec™ Lansing® external speakers





NEC microphone



Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP) video port



NEC palmrest keyboard



Microsoft® IntelliMouse®.

Understanding System Features 3-1

Software installed on the hard disk includes:



Microsoft® Windows NT® or Windows® 95



MS Office 97



Appropriate drivers for your hardware
McAfee® VirusScan™, McAfee WebScan™



Adobe® Acrobat®.



®

SYSTEM CHASSIS

The chassis provides an enclosure for the system board,
power supply, three PCI, one ISA expansion slot, one set of
shared PCI/ISA slots, one specialized slot for the
Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP), and seven storage device
slots (two for hard drives).

SYSTEM BOARD COMPONENTS

Your computer’s system board has the following
components.

Processor

Processing for your system is provided by the Intel
Pentium II microprocessor at speeds of
233, 266, or 300 MHz.

Drive Interfaces



PCI EIDE

 EIDE/ATA (Hard Disk Drives)
 ATAPI (CD-ROM Readers, Tape Backup Units,

Zip drives)

SCSI (Adaptec)



 Fast SCSI, Ultra Wide SCSI

3-2 Understanding System Features

Ports

Your computer’s system board includes the following
connectors on the rear panel:

PS/2-style keyboard and mouse ports





Two Universal Serial Bus (USB) ports
Two serial ports (9-pin “D” style)



One parallel port



Audio — microphone in, line in, line out, MIDI/game



port.

System Memory

Your system’s standard memory configuration is 32 MB to
192 MB, depending upon the model you purchased. You
can expand the memory to a maximum of 384 MB. See
Appendix C for memory upgrade options.

Intel Xcelerator Multifunction Controller

Your computer uses an Intel PIIX4, which incorporates the
PC-to ISA bridge, a USB controller, a dual-channel IDE
interface, an enhanced DMA controller, an interrupt
controller, power management, and a real-time clock.

Flash ROM

See Appendix C for the interrupt level assignments (IRQ)
table.

With Flash ROM, a ROM BIOS change:



is fast and easily done using a Flash utility



eliminates the expensive replacement of ROM BIOS
chips, and reduces system maintenance costs



reduces inadvertent system board damage that can take
place when replacing ROMs

Understanding System Features 3-3

Plug and Play

facilitates adopting new technology while maintaining



corporate standards
gives network administrators company-wide control of



BIOS revisions.

Information on how to use the Flash utility is provided in
Chapter 4, System BIOS and Utilities.

The Intel/Phoenix BIOS is Plug and Play. It automatically
configures both PCI and Plug and Play devices. This
autoconfiguration feature allows you to insert or remove a
PCI or Plug and Play ISA add-in card and power up your
computer without complicated setting changes. The system
automatically configures interrupts, I/O space, and other
parameters. Any interrupts set to “Available” in the system
Setup can be used by the Plug and Play board.

At the Intel Web site noted in the previous section, you can
find the specifications and information on which versions of
PCI and Plug and Play are supported by your system’s
BIOS.

Graphics and Multimedia Features

The system provides the following multimedia features.

Accelerated Graphics Port interface (AGP)

The Intel 82443LX PCI/AGP Controller(PAC) supports



3.3 V AGP devices



data-transfer rates up to 500 MB/sec.

Video Support

Your system comes with a Accelerated Graphics Port video
board installed. For more information about your video
board see its documentation.

3-4 Understanding System Features

Audio

Your system’s integrated audio chip, the Yamaha OPL

®

YMF715, and optionally the Yamaha YMF704 Wavetable
Synthesizer on a module, integrates an enhanced stereo
controller with an interface for MPU401 and a game port. It
provides:



all the digital and analog mixing functions you need
to record and play sound

line, microphone, and monoaural inputs





Plug and Play compatibility
Sound Blaster Pro and Windows Sound System™



compatibility



Altec Lansing speakers complete the standard audio
components.

The Wavetable Synthesizer, available on some models,
integrates all the features of the YMF715 with a general
MIDI processor and wavetable ROM, able to generate up to
24 voices simultaneously.

Super I/O Controller

As standard equipment, your system provides the National
Semiconductor PC87307 Super I/O Controller, an ISA Plug
and Play multifunction I/O device that incorporates:



Two serial ports with
 Two UARTS, software compatible with the 16450

and 16450A

 16-byte FIFO buffer

Understanding System Features 3-5

USB Ports

Multimode bidirectional parallel port with



 Standard mode compatibility
 Enhanced Parallel Port (EPP) mode with BIOS and

driver support

 High-speed Extended Capabilities Port (ECP) mode



Floppy disk controller
Keyboard and mouse controller.



The two Universal Serial Bus (USB) ports allow you to add
serial devices without opening up the system; simply plug
them into the port.

The ports are hot-pluggable: You can plug in a



peripheral without shutting down the computer; the USB
determines system resources for each peripheral and
assigns them automatically.

If you attach an external USB hub, up to 127 devices



can be connected to a single PC.

Dual IDE Channels

The system board provides two independent bus-mastering
PCI IDE interfaces. They support such ATAPI devices as a
CD-ROM reader and Ultra DMA/33 hard drives. Up to
four IDE devices may be connected at a time.

Power-Saving Feature

An Advanced Power Management (APM) feature in the
BIOS can put the system into a power reduction mode of
operation. This feature reduces energy consumption, but
still allows the system to respond to requests from external
devices, such as modems or a network.

3-6 Understanding System Features

In Setup, you can adjust how long a period of inactivity will
elapse before the energy-saving Standby mode takes effect.
This is a convenient way to save power when you need to be
away from your computer for a short period of time.

Press a key or move the mouse and your system quickly
returns to full power and to where you left off.

OPTIONS AND UPGRADES

Your system supports a variety of options.

Network Interface Card

You can select any of the following cards to add networking
functions to your computer:



3COM 3C509B Combo card — 10Base T, ISA bus
Plug & Play, with RJ45, BNC, and AUI connectors



3COM 3C905-TX Fast Etherlink® card — 10Base T,
100Base-TX, 100Base-T4, PCI bus, with an RJ45
connector

Intel EtherExpress Pro/100 Ethernet LAN adapter —



10Base T, 100Base-TX, PCI bus, with an RJ45
connector.

Modem

U. S. Robotics® 56Kbps data/fax/voice modem.

Removable Storage



Iomega® Ditto™ 1.6/3.2 GB TR3 Internal Tape Backup
Unit (TBU), diskette drive-based controller



Seagate Hornet 8 TR-4 4/8 GB TBU, ATAPI-based



Seagate 4/8 GB SCSI DAT SCSI-based.

Understanding System Features 3-7

Keyboard

Microsoft Natural Keyboard

Audio

Altec Lansing ACS-410 Dolby® Surround Sound Stereo
speaker system with ACS-251 subwoofer

Power Backup

APC Model BF250 Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS)
power backup system

3-8 Understanding System Features

System BIOS and

4

SYSTEM BIOS AND THE SETUP UTILITY

Utilities

Your NEC Direction L-Series computer system is made up
of many different components that work together to keep the
system operating normally. This chapter provides
information on the NECCSD utilities available for your
system:

Setup utility



BIOS flash utility





Video drivers.

Configuration information is stored in a nonvolatile memory
chip, a device that retains its data when system power is
turned off. This chip is called a complementary metal-oxide
semiconductor (CMOS) chip, and it is backed up by a
battery on the system board. The battery supplies
continuous power to CMOS memory and maintains
configuration information when system power is off.

The system BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) is a set of
configuration instructions burned into the CMOS chip.
Your system ships from the factory with the BIOS set
correctly for your configuration. Unless you add optional
hardware, you do not need to run the Setup utility to operate
your system. However, you might wish to run Setup to set
features that customize your system, such as to add or
adjust security features.

System BIOS and Utilities 4-1

5

Installing Options

Your Direction L-Series system supports a variety of
industry-standard and NEC expansion options. You can
customize your computer with:

Monitors − your system supports the connection of a



VGA-compatible monitor such as the NEC MultiSync
XE and XP series and NEC CS series.

DIMM memory − your system comes with 32 MB to



192 MB of RAM upgradeable to 384 MB of memory.



Video memory − your system comes with a 4-MB video
board in the Accelerated Graphics Port slot.. Its video
memory may be upgradable; see the documentation for
your video board.

Drives − your system supports a total of seven storage



devices. In addition to the standard 3 1/2-inch, 1.44-MB
diskette drive, internal hard disk drive, and CD-ROM
reader, four other storage device slots are available.

OPTION INSTALLATION

Installation instructions for the following options are
provided in this chapter:



expansion boards



DIMM memory upgrade

Installing Options 5-1

video memory upgrade — see the documentation for



your video board
data storage devices



external options.



Installation of all options (except external options) requires
access cover removal. Procedures for removing the cover
are explained in this chapter.

Safety Precautions

Before opening your computer, see the grounding
instructions in Appendix D.

Take care when working inside the system and when
handling computer components. Avoid electric shock or
personal injury by observing the following warning.

Before remov ing the system access cover, turn off
the power and unplug any attac hed peri pheral s. The
system power cord should remain connected, with
the power off.

!

WARNING

Static electricity and improper installation procedures can
damage computer components. Protect computer
components by following these safety instructions.



5-2 Installing Options

Avoid carpets in cool, dry areas. Leave an option, such
as a board or chip, in its anti-static packaging until
ready to install it.

Dissipate static electricity before handling any system



components (boards, chips, and so on) by touching a
grounded metal object, such as the system’s unpainted
metal chassis.

If possible, use anti-static devices, such as wrist straps
and floor mats.

Always hold a chip or board by its edges. Avoid



touching the components on the chip or board.
Take care when connecting or disconnecting cables. A



damaged cable can cause a short in the electrical circuit.
Misaligned connector pins can cause damage to system
components at power-on.

When installing a cable, route the cable so it is not



pinched by other components and is out of the path of
the system covers. Prevent damage to the connectors by
aligning connector pins before you connect the cable.

When disconnecting a cable, always pull on the cable



connector or strain-relief loop; do not pull on the cable
itself.

COVER REMOVAL AND REPLACEMENT

The following sections explain how to remove and to
replace the access cover from your computer.

Note that the access cover is on the top of the desktop
model and on the right side of the minitower model.

Installing Options 5-3

NOTE

It is recommended that you place the
mini tower m odel on its side with the base over the
edge of a tabl e to rem ov e/repl ace the access cov er
and add options. In this position, the following
figures apply to the minitower as well as the
desktop.

Removing the Access Cover

The following procedure describes how to remove the
system access cover.

Turn off the computer.

1.

Disconnect the keyboard, mouse, monitor, and any other

2.

external options (such as a printer) from the rear of the
computer.

Label all cables to make reinstallation easier.

5-4 Installing Options

!

Electrostatic discharge can damage computer
components. Discharge stat ic el ectri cit y by touchi ng
a metal object before rem oving the system access
cover.

CAUTION

Loosen the thumb screw at the rear of the system by

3.

turning it counterclockwise. If you installed a lock on the
back of the system, unlock the lock and remove it.

Press in the release tabs located at the sides of the access
cover.

Loosening the screw and pressing the tabs

Installing Options 5-5

Slide the cover toward the rear until it stops. (If it is very

4.

tight, you can also carefully insert a screwdriver into the
slot adjacent to the fans at the back side of the cover,
and very gently rock the cover loose, taking care not to
scratch the system).

Sliding off the cover

5.

5-6 Installing Options

Lift it away from the system.

Replacing the Access Cover

Gently set the access cover inside the edge of the case,

1.

taking care not to bend the metal tabs as follows.

Align the tabs on the access cover with their



corresponding slots on the system.
Insert the tabs on the edge of the access cover into



their slots on the system.

Aligning the tabs

Slide the access cover forward to meet the front panel.

2.

Tighten the thumb screw.

3.

Installing Options 5-7

NOTE

The cover fits tightly. I f it does not slide all the
way to the front panel, pl ace one hand on the front
of the unit while you slide the cover forward from
the rear.

Reconnect all external peripherals.

4.

EXPANSION BOARDS

Your computer’s system board features several expansion
slots that can accommodate accessory adapter boards, such
as a sound board or TV board. Depending on the system
you purchased, some of these devices may be installed in
your system.

The Direction L-Series supports ISA Plug and Play
expansion boards, which allow you to install a board in an
expansion slot without changing the hardware settings.
There are no system resource conflicts to resolve. Plug and
Play automatically configures the board for the system.

Industry-standard 8-bit and 16-bit ISA, and 32-bit PCI
expansion boards are supported in the system unit. ISA
expansion boards can be Plug and Play or non-Plug and
Play boards.

PCI expansion boards run at one half the system host’s bus
speed. The PCI bus handles 32 bits of data at a time, being
wider as well as faster than the standard ISA bus. PCI
boards can send and receive data much faster, thereby
boosting system performance.

5-8 Installing Options

Your system has six expansion slots:

one ISA slot





three PCI slots
one set of shared ISA and PCI slots



one AGP slot.



The option board slot configuration accommodates the
following devices:

NOTE

The furt hest-ri ght slot ( as seen from the f r ont)
on the desktop model or highest slot on the
minitower is not used.

Slot 1 — Not used.





Slot 2 — Accommodates a video board.
Slot 3 — Accommodates an optional PCI board.





Slot 4 — Accommodates an optional PCI board.
Slots 5 — Accommodate an optional PCI board.





Slot 6 — Accommodates a PCI or ISA board.



Slot 7 (lowest slot on mini-tower, furthest-left slot on
desktop model) — Accommodates an optional ISA
board.

Installing Options 5-9

Installing an Expansion Board

Although Plug and Play boards are detected by the system,
and potential conflicts are resolved automatically, boards
which are not Plug and Play may require you to change
settings. Before installing the new board, check its
documentation and the Interrupt Request (IRQ) assignments
in Appendix C. This information ensures that your new
board does not conflict with any installed components.

Locating expansion slots

Follow these steps to install an expansion board.

1.

2.

5-10 Installing Options

Remove the access cover (see “Removing the Access
Cover”).

Follow any preinstallation instructions that come with
the expansion board (such as setting switches or jumpers
on the board).

Remove the screw securing an expansion slot cover and

3.

remove the cover.

Removing the slot cover

Save the screw for installing the expansion board. Be
sure to save the slot cover for future use.

!

A slot c over can damage the syst em board or any
option board i f it fall s into the system . Take car e to
keep the slot cover from f alling when rem oving the
screw.

If the slot cover does fall into the unit, remove it before
replacing the cover.

4.

Hold the board by its edges and insert it into the
expansion slot.

CAUTION

Installing Options 5-11

Press the board firmly into the expansion slot connector.

5.

Gently rock the board from side-to-side to seat it into the
connector.

Insert the screw removed in step 3 to secure the

6.

expansion board to the support bracket.
Attach any cables required by the expansion board.

7.

Replace the access cover (see “Replacing the Access

8.

Cover”).

Removing an Expansion Board

Follow these steps to remove a board.

Remove the access cover (see “Removing the Access

1.

Cover).
Label and remove any cables connected to the board.

2.

Remove the screw that secures the board to the support

3.

bracket.

4.

5.

DIMM UPGRADE

Your system comes factory-installed with 32 MB to 192
MB of main system memory,as three 168-pin sockets on the
system board for Dual In-line Memory Modules (DIMMs).

You may install memory in one, two, or three sockets and
the size and speed of the DIMMs may vary between
sockets. Single- and double-sided DIMMs are supported.

Before installing memory, read the detailed explanation of
memory types and configuration options in Appendix C.

5-12 Installing Options

Pull the board out of the connector. Gently rock the
board from side-to-side to release it from its connector.

Replace the access cover (see “Replacing the Access
Cover).

Depending on product upgrade availability, your system



memory can be upgraded to a total of 384 MB. When
upgrading your system memory, note the following
conditions:

Be sure to use 168-pin 3.3V DIMMs with gold-plated



contacts.
Bus speed of 66 MHz only is supported.





Non-Error Correcting and Checking (64-bit) and ECC
(72-bit) DIMMs are both supported. When ECC
memory is installed, the BIOS automatically detects its
presence, and offers the Setup option to enable ECC
mode.

NOTE

Although memory si z e and type may vary, the
SDRAM DIMMs must meet the Intel 4-clock, 66­MHz, unbuffered SDRAM DIMM specification for
either 64-bit or 72-bit SDRAM.

Use the following procedure to:



Check the memory installed in the system



Determine the DIMM configuration needed to increase
memory



Identify DIMM sockets.

NOTE

If any cables block access to the DIMM
sockets, label and disconnect them. If any boards
block access to the sockets, remove them.

Installing Options 5-13

Locate the three DIMM sockets, J7J1–Bank 0, J6J2-

1.

Bank-1 and J6J1–Bank 2. See Appendix D to identify
the sockets.

Any approved size DIMM can be installed in either

2.

socket The following table shows some example
configurations.

Sample Memory Configurations

BANK 0 BANK 1 BANK 2 TOTAL RAM

1 Mx64 (8) Empty (0) Empty (0) 8 MB (minimum)
Empty (0) 4 Mx64 (32) 8 Mx64 (64) 96 MB
16 Mx64

(128)
2 Mx72 (16) 2 Mx72 (16) 4 Mx72 (16) 64 MB (ECC)
2 Mx64 (16) Empty (0) 2 Mx64 (16) 32 MB
4 Mx64 (32) 4 Mx64 (32) 8 Mx64 (64) 128 MB
8 Mx64 (64) 1 Mx64 (8) 4 Mx64 (32) 104 MB
2 Mx64 (16) 4 Mx64 (32) 1 Mx64 (8) 56 MB
4 Mx64 (32) 8 Mx64 (64) 2 Mx64 (16) 112 MB
Empty (0) 16 Mx72

16 Mx64
(128)

16 Mx64
(128)

16 Mx72
(128)

16 Mx64
(128)

16 Mx72
(128)

Empty (0) 2 Mx64 (16) 144 MB

(128)

2 Mx64 (16) 8 Mx64 (64) 210 MB

4 Mx64 (32) 8 Mx64 (64) 224 MB

8 Mx72 (64) 1 Mx72 (8)8MB 200 MB (ECC)

16 Mx64

(128)

16 Mx72

(128)

16 Mx72
(128)

16 Mx64
(128)

16 Mx72
(128)

256 MB (ECC)

384 MB

384 MB (ECC)

5-14 Installing Options

Removing a DIMM

Use the following procedure to remove a DIMM.

Reduce static discharge by touching the system’s
metal chassis.

1.

Remove the access cover (see “Removing the Access
Cover).

2.

Locate the DIMM sockets.

3.

To remove a DIMM from its socket, press the plastic
clips at the outer edges of the socket away from the
DIMM.

4.

Carefully rock the DIMM to pull it from the socket.

!

CAUTION:

Removing a DIMM

5.

Store the module in an antistatic bag (available at
electronic supply stores) or a cardboard box.

Installing Options 5-15

(If necessary, repeat Steps 2 through 4 if an additional

6.

module was installed in the other DIMM socket.).

Installing a DIMM

Use the following procedure to install a DIMM.

Remove the access cover (see “Removing the Access

1.

Cover).
Locate the DIMM sockets.

2.

Remove any currently-installed DIMMs that are not

3.

needed. See “Removing a DIMM” in this chapter.

Bef ore instal l ing a DIMM, r educe stati c di scharge by
touching the system's metal chassis.

!

CAUTION

4.

5-16 Installing Options

To install a DIMM, align the module with an empty
socket. Make sure that the notches on the DIMM line up
with the keys in the sockets.

Insert the DIMM into the socket. Close the plastic clips

5.

at both ends of the socket.

Installing a DIMM

Replace any cables or boards that may have been

6.

removed.
Replace the access cover (see “Replacing the Access

7.

Cover).

Your system automatically detects the memory at bootup.

VIDEO UPGRADE

Your computer comes with an AGP video board.
See your video board’s documentation for information on

upgrade capabilities.

Installing Options 5-17

DATA STORAGE DEVICES

The system board in your computer supports the following
storage devices:

two diskette drives, including the standard 1.44-MB



diskette drive and a tape backup unit
up to four IDE drives.



Reduce static discharge by touching the system's
metal chassis.

Locating Device Slots

Your computer has seven storage device slots:



a 3.5-inch accessible device slot contains the standard

1.44-MB diskette drive

!

CAUTION





5-18 Installing Options

one internal 3.5-inch hard drive slot for the hard drive, a
second 3.5-inch hard drive slot is available

four accessible device slots
 One accessible 5.25-inch device slot contains the

standard CD-ROM reader.

 One accessible 5.25-inch device slot.
 Two accessible 3.5-inch device slots. (The lower

3.5-inch slot is not accessible on the desktop model.)

Preparing the Device

Before installing a storage device in the system, follow any
preinstallation instructions that come with the device. For
example, check the following:

Locating accessible devices



Diskette drive  remove any termination jumpers on the
optional diskette drive. See the documentation included
with the drive.



IDE device  check the jumper settings on the device
before installing it. See the documentation that comes
with the device for jumper setting information.

 An IDE device, such as an IDE hard disk or IDE

CD-ROM reader, must be set correctly as the first
(master) or second (slave) device on the IDE
channel.

Installing Options 5-19

The Setup Utility

The Setup utility program allows you to enter system
configuration information in the BIOS and control special
features of the system.

NOTE

down your current setup parameters and store the
information in a safe place. This lets you restore
your system to the current parameters if you ever
need to replace the battery.

When to Use Setup

The Setup utility lets you view and set system parameters.
Use the Setup utility program:



to set the time and date



to update or check system parameters when you add or
remove expansion options

We recommend that you print out or write



to change or set power management features



to correct a hardware discrepancy when the Power-On
Self-Test (POST) displays an error message and
prompts you to run Setup



to check the installation of optional memory by
comparing the amount of memory installed with the
amount of memory displayed by Setup



to change certain system operating parameters, such as
boot device sequence and keyboard parameters



to configure system connections for peripherals such as
a diskette drive, hard disks, and devices connected to the
printer port and serial ports

4-2 System BIOS and Utilities

to customize your system with security features such as



passwords
to set system parameters in the event that you need to



replace the CMOS battery.

How to Start Setup

To start the Setup utility, follow these steps:

Turn on or reboot the system.

1.

Press

2.

up, to start the memory test. You have about five
seconds to press

Setup’s Main Menu appears.

How to Use Setup

The bottom of all menus show the specific keys used to
navigate around the menus. Pressing the
Help screen. The right hand side of the menu is pop-up
item-sensitive help.

Use the left and right arrow keys (or cursor keys) to select
one of the menus (Main, Advanced, Security, etc.) and the
up and down arrows to move to an option within a menu.
Press
value either with the arrows or with the plus and minus
(+ or –) keys.

Some entries cannot be changed; their function is to report
the status of a system parameter. Other entries, when
marked with an arrow () symbol, lead to submenus when
you press the

after POST begins, but before the system boots

F2

before system boot continues.

F2

key brings up a

F1

to select an option or submenu. Change the

Enter

key.

Enter

System BIOS and Utilities 4-3

Use the
from the Setup program without changing any settings.
When exiting and the menu asks if you want to discard
configuration changes and exit now, be sure the menu’s
“Yes” field is highlighted.

If you make a mistake changing settings and you need to
change them again, press the
the Setup program. When the Setup Confirmation menu
asks you if you want to discard configuration changes and
exit now, press the Tab key or the right arrow key to
highlight the menu’s “No” field. With this choice, you
remain in the Setup program, and you can continue to
change settings, if necessary. Press the
confirm.

Maintenance Menu

This menu allows you to set the processor speed and clear
the Setup passwords. Setup displays this menu only when
the system is in configure mode. See Chapter 6 for
information on putting the system in configure mode. There
are two options available.

key to return to a previous menu or to “escape”

Esc

key from anywhere within

Esc

key to

Enter

Processor Speed

This field specifies your processor’s speed. Options are
233, 266, and 300.

Clear All Passwords

This field lets you clear the user and supervisor passwords.

Main Menu

The Main Menu options are described in the following
sections.

4-4 System BIOS and Utilities

Main Menu

Various menu options are available; others cannot be
changed. Brief explanations of each menu entry follow.

Processor Type

This field displays your computer’s processor type.

Processor Speed

This field displays your processor’s speed.

Cache RAM

This field displays the size of your system’s L2 cache.

Total Memory

This field displays the total amount of memory installed on
your system board.

System BIOS and Utilities 4-5

BIOS Version

This field displays your system’s BIOS version number.

Language

This field displays the current default language used by the
BIOS. Depending on the system you purchased, you may
choose a different display language from among the options
listed below.

English (US) — (default)



Italiano



Français



Deutsche





Español

System Time and Date

These two fields specify the correct time and date. To
change them, press the Tab key to highlight the field you
want to change, then press the + or – keys to change the
setting.

NOTE

Your comput er has been designed t o c or r ec tly

report the year 2000 and beyond.

Floppy Options Submenu

This submenu can be used to configure your system’s
diskette drives. To enter the submenu, highlight the Floppy
Options field, then press the
following options:

4-6 System BIOS and Utilities

key. You’ll see the

Enter

Diskette A:/B:



These fields specify the capacity and physical size of
Diskette Drive A and B (if included). To change these,
highlight the field for the drive, press the

Enter

key and

select from the following options:

 Disabled
 360KB, 5.25 inch
 1.2MB, 5.25 inch
 720KB, 3.5 inch
 1.44/1.25 MB, 3.5 inch (default for Drive A)
 2.88 MB, 3.5 inch.

If you add an optional 5.25-inch diskette drive to your
system, select Diskette B and change the parameter to

1.2 MB, 5.25 inch.

Floppy Write Protect



IDE Devices

This option enables or disables write protection for the
diskette drive(s). Choose the desired setting to enable or
disable (default) this option.

To return to the Main Setup Menu, press the

Esc

key.

The next four entries, Primary IDE Master and Slave and
Secondary IDE Master and Slave, refer to settings for IDE
devices. These fields report the presence of, and
identification for as many as four physical IDE devices, two
on each PCI/IDE connector.

System BIOS and Utilities 4-7

The submenus can be used to auto-configure or manually
configure the IDE devices, usually hard drives or CD-ROM
drives. Depending on the system you purchased, the
available options may include “User,” “Auto” (default),
“CD-ROM,” “IDE Removable” “ATAPI Removable” or
“None.”

The standard hard drive (drive C) shipped with the system
is configured as “Primary IDE Master.” The standard
CD-ROM reader is configured as “Secondary IDE Master.”
When the cursor is placed on one of these fields and
selected by pressing the

key, the IDE Device

Enter

submenu appears showing the drive parameters you can set.

NOTE

Jumpers on the IDE device must be set to t he
master or slav e dev i ce ( see the doc umentat ion that
comes with the device).

Primary/Secondary IDE Master/Slave Submenus

These entries let you check or change the following hard
disk drive parameters. They are not available if “Auto” is
selected.

Cylinders/Heads/Sectors fields.



Cylinders — If your device configuration type is set to
“Auto,” this field displays the number of cylinders for
your hard drive and cannot be changed. If the Type is set
to “User,” you must enter the correct number of
cylinders for your hard drive.

Heads — If your device configuration type is set to
“Auto,” this field displays the number of heads for your
hard drive and cannot be changed. If the Type is set to
“User,” you must enter the correct number of heads for
your hard drive.

4-8 System BIOS and Utilities

Sectors — If your device configuration type is set to
“Auto,” this field displays the number of sectors for
your hard drive and cannot be changed. If the Type is set
to “User,” you must enter the correct number of sectors
for your hard drive.

Maximum Capacity — This field displays the maximum
capacity of your hard disk drive, a value based on the
number of cylinders, heads and sectors.



Multi Sector Transfers
This option determines the number of sectors per block

for multiple sector transfers. Like the
Cylinders/Heads/Sectors options discussed above, you
cannot access this option if the configuration type is set
to “Auto.” If necessary, check the specification for your
disk drive to determine the best setting for optimum
drive performance. The options include:

 2 Sectors
 4 Sectors
 8 Sectors
 16 Sectors (default)
 Disabled.



LBA Mode Control
This option specifies the IDE translation mode. LBA

causes Logical Block Addressing to be used in place of
Cylinders/Heads/Sectors. You can enable (default) or
disable this option. This option cannot be changed when
“Auto” is selected.

System BIOS and Utilities 4-9

!

Don’t change the translati on mode setting from the
option select ed when the hard driv e was f ormatt ed.
Changing the opti on after f ormatti ng could result i n
corrupted data!

32 Bit I/O



This option enables (default) or disables 32 Bit IDE data
transfers between the processor and the IDE device.

Transfer Mode



This option specifies the method for transferring data
between the hard drive ans system memory. This option
cannot be changed when “Auto” is selected. The options
include:

 Standard
 Fast PIO 1

WARNING

 Fast PIO 2
 Fast PIO 3
 Fast PIO 4 (default).



Ultra DMA
This option sets the Ultra DMA Mode for the hard drive.

This option cannot be changed when “Auto” is selected.
The options include:

 Mode 0
 Mode 1
 Mode 2
 Disabled (default).

4-10 System BIOS and Utilities

To return to the Main Menu, press the
the Advanced Menu, press the right arrow key.

Advanced Menu

This menu features the following information fields or
options:

key. To move to

Esc

Advanced Menu



Plug & Play O/S
This option lets you specify whether a Plug and

Play-compatible operating system is being used in your
system. Choose “Yes” (default) or “No.”

System BIOS and Utilities 4-11

Reset Configuration Data



This option clears the BIOS configuration data on the
next boot. The options include “No” (default) or “Yes.”

Memory Cache



This option sets the state of the memory cache. The
options include “Enabled” (default) or “Disabled.”

Resource Configuration Submenu

This option allows you to reserve specific resources for use
by legacy ISA devices. To enter the submenu, highlight this
field, then press the

Memory Reservation (submenu)



Enter

This option lets you configure memory blocks for use by
legacy ISA devices. When selected, the submenu
displays a list of addresses from which specific
addresses can be selected.

Use the arrow (cursor) keys to highlight an upper
memory block, then press
(default) or “Reserved” with the cursor keys, then press

to change the setting.

Enter

key on your keyboard.

. Select “Available”

Enter

To return to the Resource Configuration submenu, press
the

Esc



IRQ Reservation Submenu
This option lets you reserve specific IRQs (interrupt

requests) for use by legacy ISA devices. To do so,
highlight this field, then press the
arrow (cursor) keys to highlight the specified IRQ, then
press
with the arrow keys, then press
setting.

4-12 System BIOS and Utilities

key.

key. Use the

Enter

. Select “Available” (default) or “Reserved”

Enter

to change the

Enter

!

An asterisk symbol appearing next to an option
indicates that the selected IRQ is set to conflict with
another device.

WARNING

To return to the Advanced Menu, press the
twice.

Peripheral Configuration Submenu

This submenu can be used to configure your system’s ports
or peripheral devices. To enter the submenu, highlight this

Enter

!

WARNING

field, then press the
following options appear:

Serial Port A/Serial Port B



These options let you configure your system’s Serial
Port A or Serial Port B. You can choose “Auto”
(default), “Enabled” or “Disabled.” The “Auto” setting
causes the Setup program to assign the first free COM
port (e.g., COM 1 3F8h, IRQ4 or COM2, 2F8h, IRQ3).
Note that if you set a specific serial port address, it does
not appear in the list of options for the other serial port.

An asterisk symbol appearing next to an option
indicates that the selected IRQ is set to conflict with
another device.

Esc

key

key on your keyboard. The

System BIOS and Utilities 4-13

NOTE

If you select the Enabled option, you’ll see
additional opt ions that al low you to specify the Base
I/O address and IRQs for the port you're
configuring.

Mode (Serial Port B)



If installed, this option sets the mode for “Serial Port B”
to “Normal.”

Parallel Port



This option configures the system’s parallel port.
Choose “Auto” (default), “Enabled” or “Disabled.” The
“Auto” setting causes the Setup program to assign
LPT 1 378h, IRQ7.

NOTE

If you select the Enabled option, you’ll see
additional opt ions that al low you to specify the Base
I/O address and IRQs for the port you’re
configuring.



Mode (Parallel Port)
This option sets the mode for the parallel port. The

options include “Output Only” (AT-compatible mode),
“Bidirectional” (PS/2-compatible mode), “EPP”
(Extended Parallel Port – high speed bidirectional) and
“ECP” (Enhanced Capabilities Port – high speed
bidirectional).

4-14 System BIOS and Utilities

!

An asterisk symbol appearing next to an option
indicates that the selected IRQ is set to conflict with
another device,

WARNING

To return to the Resource Configuration submenu, press
the

Esc

key on your keyboard. Then press

Esc

a second

time to return to the Advanced Menu.

Floppy Disk Controller



This option configures the system’s diskette drive
controller. Select “Enabled” (default) or “Disabled.”



IDE Controller
This option configures the system’s integrated IDE

controller. Select from “Primary,” “Secondary,” “Both”
(default) or “Disabled.”

To return to the Advanced Menu, press the

Keyboard Configuration Submenu

This submenu can be used to configure specific keyboard
features. To enter the submenu, highlight this field, then

Enter

press the



NumLock

key. The following options appear:

This option controls whether the NumLock key on the
keyboard is on or off at boot-up. The choices are “Auto”
(default), “On” or “Off.”

Esc

key.

System BIOS and Utilities 4-15

Key Click



This feature enables or disables the key click option.
Select “Enabled” or “Disabled” (default).

Keyboard Auto-Repeat Rate



This feature selects the key repeat rate, the rate at which
a key, when pressed and held, repeats itself. The eight
options range from 30 per second (default) to 2 per
second.

Keyboard Auto-Repeat Delay



This feature selects the delay before key repeats. The
four options include from ¼ second to 1 second. The
default is ½ second.

To return to the Advanced Menu, press the

Video Configuration Submenu

This submenu can be used to configure specific video
features. To enter the submenu, highlight the field, then
press the

key on your keyboard. The following option

Enter

appears:



Palette Snooping
This option controls the ability of a primary PCI

graphics controller to share a common palette with an
ISA add-in video board. Select “Enabled” or “Disabled”
(default).

To return to the Advanced Menu, press the

DMI Event Logging Submenu

This submenu can be used to view and modify DMI Event
Logs. To enter the submenu, highlight the DMI Event
Logging field, then press the
The following options appear:

Esc

Esc

key on your keyboard.

Enter

key.

key.

4-16 System BIOS and Utilities

Event Log Capacity/Event Log Validity



These fields indicate whether space is available in the
Event Log, and whether the contents of the log are valid.

View DMI Event Log



If there are no event logs stored, you cannot access this
log.

Clear All DMI Event Logs



This option clears the DMI Event Log after rebooting
the system. Choose “No” (default) or “Yes.”

Event Logging



This option enables logging of DMI Events. Choose
“Disabled” or “Enabled” (default).



Mark DMI Events as Read
This option is used to mark off all DMI Events as read.

If necessary, press the

key to access the

Enter

Confirmation dialog box and confirm your preference.

To return to the Advanced Menu, press the

Esc

key. Then
press the right arrow (cursor) key to move to the Security
Menu.

System BIOS and Utilities 4-17

Security Menu

The Security Menu can be used to set a user password
and/or a supervisor password.

Security Menu

A User Password controls access to the system and Setup
Utility Program at boot up. If the User Password feature
has been enabled, you’ll need to enter your User password
correctly whenever you boot the system before you’ll be
able to use it.

A Supervisor Password controls access to the BIOS and
Setup Utility Program. If the Supervisor Password feature
has been enabled, a Supervisor password must be entered
correctly before all options in the Setup Utility Program are
available (for example, to disable password protection).

4-18 System BIOS and Utilities

W hen a Supervi sor Password is enabled, access to
many features in the Setup Utility Program is
restricted.

How to Set a Password

Use the following steps to select the password feature you
want to set.

1.

Highlight the “Set User Password” or “Set Supervisor
Password” field, then press the
Password or Set Supervisor Password dialog box
appears on your monitor.

2.

Type a password (up to seven alphanumeric characters)
in the Enter New Password field, then press the
key. Your password should be easy for you to
remember, but hard for others to guess.

!

WARNING

Enter

key. The Set User

Enter

!

Be caref ul when typi ng your password, because y ou
won’t be able to see any of the characters you type.

3.

Retype your password in the Confirm New Password
field, then press the

4.

If the message “User Password Is Set” (or “Supervisor
Password Is Set”) appears in the Security Menu, the
password has been set up successfully.

WARNING

Enter

key.

System BIOS and Utilities 4-19

!

If the User Password Is Clear field (or Supervisor
Password Is Clear) appears in the Security Menu,
the corresponding password feature is disabled.
(Your system is not password protected.)

WARNING

How to Disable Password Protection

1.

From the Security Menu, highlight the “Set User
Password” or “Set Supervisor Password” field
(depending on which password you’re disabling).

2.

Type your password in the Enter Current Password

Enter

Enter

key.

field, then press the

3.

Don’t type anything in the Enter New Password field —
just press the

4.

Again, don’t type anything in the Confirm New
Password field — jus t press the

key.

Enter

key.

If the message “User Password Is Clear” (or “Supervisor
Password Is Clear”) appears in the Security Menu, the User
(or Supervisor) password feature is disabled.

Unattended Start

By enabling this feature and the User Password feature, the
system boots up and runs, but the keyboard and mouse are
locked and your keyboard LEDs flash on and off. To use
the keyboard and mouse, you need to enter the User
Password first. (A password is also required to boot from a
floppy disk.)

Press the right arrow (cursor) key to move to the Power
Menu.

4-20 System BIOS and Utilities

Power Menu

The Power Menu can be used to enable or disable the
system’s power management features. When the power
management option is enabled, the Power Menu displays
the options shown in the following screen.

Power Menu



Power Management
This feature lets you enable or disable BIOS power

management.

System BIOS and Utilities 4-21

Inactivity Timer



The Inactivity Timer lets you set the length of time that
the system needs to be inactive before entering its low­power or Standby mode. The low-power mode powers
down various devices in the system until you resume
using it. You can select from “Off,” “1,” “2,” “4,” “6,”
“8,” “12” or “16 minutes.” A setting of 1 minute
achieves maximum power savings, while a setting of
16 minutes allows maximum performance.

Fixed Disk



This option controls whether or not a spin down
command is issued to the hard drives when the system
goes into a low-power mode. Your choices are
“Enabled” (the default) or “Disabled.”



VESA Video Power Down
This option controls power to the monitor during the

low-power modes. Your choices are “Disabled” or
“Enabled” (default).

Press the right arrow (cursor) key to move to the Boot
Menu.

Boot Menu

The Boot Menu can be used to adjust the system’s boot
features. The Boot Menu features the following options:

Sett ing some i tem s in any menu to incorrec t v al ues
can cause your system to malfunction.

4-22 System BIOS and Utilities

!

CAUTION

Boot Menu



Restore on AC/Power Loss
This option specifies whether or not to restore power to

the system if it is turned on and there is a power failure.
The options are “Stay Off” which keeps the power off,
“Power On” which restores the system’s power, and
“Last State” which restores the previous power state.

On Modem Ring



This option specifies how the system responds when
power is off and the modem detects an incoming call.
The options are “Stay Off” (default) and “Power On.”



On LAN
This option controls how the system responds to a LAN

wake-up call. The options are “Stay Off” (default) and
“Power On.”

System BIOS and Utilities 4-23