Nec Direction SP B Series 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 “NEC CSD”) and/or its licensors. NEC CSD and/or its licensors, as appropri­ate, reserve all patent, copyright and other proprietary rights 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 NEC CSD product(s) discussed in this document are warranted in accordance with the
terms of the Warranty 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 NEC CSD.

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 NEC CSD is prohibited.

As an ENERGY STAR partner, NEC Computer Systems Division (NEC CSD) has determined that this product meets the ENERGY STAR

guidelines for energy efficiency.

FaxFlash is a service mark NEC Computer Systems Division (NEC CSD), Packard Bell NEC, Inc.
Direction is a trademark of Packard Bell NEC, Inc.
NEC and MultiSync are registered trademarks of NEC Corporation, used under license.
ENERGY STAR is a U.S. registered trademark.
All other product, brand, or trade names used in this publication are the trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective trademark

owners.

First Printing — April 1998

Copyright 1998

NEC Computer Systems Division

Packard Bell NEC, Inc.

1414 Massachusetts Avenue

Boxborough, MA 01719-2298

All Rights Reserved

Contents

Page

Preface......................................................................................................................... xi

Abbreviations............................................................................................................... xiii

Section 1 Technical Information

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

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

System Cache/Memory ......................................................................................... 1-2

Chipset ................................................................................................................. 1-2

PCI Local Bus ...................................................................................................... 1-3

Expansion Bus ............................................................................................... 1-3

BIOS.................................................................................................................... 1-3

Plug and Play Support.................................................................................... 1-4

iii

CMOS Memory/Real-Time Clock Battery............................................................. 1-4

DMA/IRQ Settings............................................................................................... 1-4

IDE Ports ............................................................................................................. 1-6

I/O Ports ............................................................................................................... 1-6

Sound System....................................................................................................... 1-6

U.S. Robotics Modem Board (Optional)...................................................................... 1-7

Diskette Drive.............................................................................................................. 1-7

Hard Drive................................................................................................................... 1-7

CD-ROM/DVD Drive.................................................................................................. 1-7

Zip Drive ..................................................................................................................... 1-7

Power Supply .............................................................................................................. 1-7

Power Management..................................................................................................... 1-8

Section 2 Setup Utility

Configuration Information............................................................................................ 2-1

When to Use Setup...................................................................................................... 2-1

How to Start Setup...................................................................................................... 2-2

How to Use Setup ....................................................................................................... 2-2

Menu Bar.............................................................................................................. 2-3

Legend Bar........................................................................................................... 2-4

Selecting a Menu Item .......................................................................................... 2-4

Displaying a Submenu........................................................................................... 2-4

iv Contents

Getting Help......................................................................................................... 2-4

Main Menu.................................................................................................................. 2-4

Advanced Menu........................................................................................................... 2-6

Peripheral Configuration Submenu........................................................................ 2-6

IDE Configuration Submenu................................................................................. 2-8

Floppy Options Submenu...................................................................................... 2-10

DMI Event Logging Submenu............................................................................... 2-11

Video Configuration Submenu.............................................................................. 2-11

Resource Configuration Submenu......................................................................... 2-12

Security Menu ............................................................................................................. 2-12

Power Menu................................................................................................................ 2-13

Boot Menu .................................................................................................................. 2-13

Hard Drive Submenu............................................................................................. 2-14

Removable Devices Submenu................................................................................ 2-15

Removable Format Submenu................................................................................. 2-15

Exit Menu.................................................................................................................... 2-15

Section 3 Option Installation

General Rules for Installing Options............................................................................. 3-1

Precautions.................................................................................................................. 3-2

Removing the Access Cover......................................................................................... 3-3

Replacing the Access Cover......................................................................................... 3-4

Expansion Boards........................................................................................................ 3-5

Expansion Slot Locations...................................................................................... 3-5

Expansion Board Installation................................................................................. 3-6

Expansion Board Removal.................................................................................... 3-7

Memory Upgrade......................................................................................................... 3-8

DIMM Removal.................................................................................................... 3-9

DIMM Installation................................................................................................ 3-10

Video Upgrade ............................................................................................................ 3-11

Data Storage Devices................................................................................................... 3-11

Device Slots.......................................................................................................... 3-12

Device Preparation................................................................................................ 3-12

Device Cables....................................................................................................... 3-13

Diskette Drive Signal Cable............................................................................ 3-14

IDE Signal Cables.......................................................................................... 3-14

System Power Cables..................................................................................... 3-15

Contents v

Device Cabling...................................................................................................... 3-16

Cabling an IDE Device................................................................................... 3-16

Cabling an Accessible 5 1/4-Inch Device ........................................................ 3-16

Storage Device Installation.................................................................................... 3-17

Removing the Front Panel.............................................................................. 3-17

Removing the CD-ROM/DVD Drive.............................................................. 3-18

Installing a 3 1/2-Inch Device......................................................................... 3-19

Installing a 5 1/4-Inch Device......................................................................... 3-22

Replacing the Front Panel............................................................................... 3-24

Adding External Options.............................................................................................. 3-24

Parallel Printer ...................................................................................................... 3-24

RS-232C Device Connection................................................................................. 3-25

Section 4 Maintenance and Troubleshooting

Maintenance ................................................................................................................ 4-2

System Cleaning.................................................................................................... 4-2

Keyboard Cleaning................................................................................................ 4-3

Mouse Cleaning.................................................................................................... 4-3

Troubleshooting........................................................................................................... 4-5

Diagnosing and Solving Problems ......................................................................... 4-5

Beep Codes........................................................................................................... 4-11

CMOS Battery Replacement................................................................................. 4-12

Section 5 Disassembly and Reassembly

Disassembly................................................................................................................. 5-2

System Access Cover............................................................................................ 5-2

Expansion Board Removal.................................................................................... 5-2

Front Panel Removal............................................................................................. 5-3

Side Panel Removal .............................................................................................. 5-4

Device Cage Removal........................................................................................... 5-4

Diskette Drive Removal........................................................................................ 5-4

5 1/4-Inch Device Removal................................................................................... 5-5

Optional 3 1/2-Inch Hard Disk Drive Removal...................................................... 5-6

Standard 3 1/2-Inch Hard Disk Drive Removal...................................................... 5-7

Fan Assembly Removal......................................................................................... 5-8

DIMM Module Removal....................................................................................... 5-8

Power Supply Removal......................................................................................... 5-9

vi Contents

System Board Removal......................................................................................... 5-10

Illustrated Parts Breakdown......................................................................................... 5-12

Appendix A System Specifications

Appendix B Connector Pin Assignments

Serial Interface Connectors.......................................................................................... B-4

Parallel Interface Connector......................................................................................... B-5

Power Supply (Primary)............................................................................................... B-6

Keyboard and Mouse Connectors................................................................................. B-6

Front Panel .................................................................................................................. B-7

Diskette Drive Interface Pin Assignments..................................................................... B-8

IDE Interface Connectors ............................................................................................ B-9

DIMM Sockets............................................................................................................ B-10

AGP Connector........................................................................................................... B-11

ISA Expansion Bus Connector Pin Assignments........................................................... B-12

PCI Expansion Bus Connector Pin Assignments........................................................... B-14

Universal Serial Bus (USB) Connectors....................................................................... B-15

Appendix C System Resources

IRQ Settings................................................................................................................ C-1

Viewing System Resources .......................................................................................... C-2

Locating the Jumper..................................................................................................... C-2

Clearing Your Password ....................................................................................... C-3

Recovering the BIOS............................................................................................ C-4

Figures

Figure 3-1 Releasing the Cover.................................................................................... 3-4

Figure 3-2 Aligning the Tabs........................................................................................ 3-4

Figure 3-3 Locating Expansion Slots............................................................................ 3-6

Figure 3-4 Removing the Slot Cover............................................................................ 3-6

Figure 3-5 Installing a Board........................................................................................ 3-7

Figure 3-6 Removing a DIMM..................................................................................... 3-10

Figure 3-7 Installing a DIMM ...................................................................................... 3-11

Figure 3-8 Locating Device Slots................................................................................. 3-12

Figure 3-9 System Board Cable Connectors................................................................. 3-13

Contents vii

Figure 3-10 Diskette Drive Signal Cable....................................................................... 3-14

Figure 3-11 IDE Signal Cable ...................................................................................... 3-15

Figure 3-12 Power Cable Connectors........................................................................... 3-15

Figure 3-13 Connecting IDE Device Cables ................................................................. 3-16

Figure 3-14 Connecting an Accessible 5 1/4-Inch Device ............................................. 3-17

Figure 3-15 Releasing the Front Panel.......................................................................... 3-18

Figure 3-16 Locating the Device Cage Screw............................................................... 3-18

Figure 3-17 Locating Device Slots............................................................................... 3-19

Figure 3-18 Removing the Bracket Screws................................................................... 3-20

Figure 3-19 Aligning the Holes and Tabs...................................................................... 3-20

Figure 3-20 Securing the Disk...................................................................................... 3-21

Figure 3-21 Inserting the Device.................................................................................. 3-21

Figure 3-22 Removing the Blank Panel ........................................................................ 3-22

Figure 3-23 Installing the Device.................................................................................. 3-23

Figure 3-24 Locating the Parallel Port.......................................................................... 3-25

Figure 3-25 Locating Serial Ports................................................................................. 3-26

Figure 4-1 Removing the Mouse Ball Cover................................................................. 4-4

Figure 4-2 Locating the Battery ................................................................................... 4-12

Figure 5-1 Removing a Board...................................................................................... 5-3

Figure 5-2 Releasing the Front Panel............................................................................ 5-3

Figure 5-3 Locating the Device Cage Screw................................................................. 5-4

Figure 5-4 Locating the Two Diskette Drive Clips ....................................................... 5-5

Figure 5-5 Removing the 5 1/4-Inch Device Screws..................................................... 5-6

Figure 5-6 The 3 1/2-Inch Device Bracket Screws ....................................................... 5-6

Figure 5-7 Removing the Securing Screw..................................................................... 5-7

Figure 5-8 Removing the Drive.................................................................................... 5-8

Figure 5-9 Removing a DIMM..................................................................................... 5-9

Figure 5-10 Removing the Power Supply Screws......................................................... 5-10

Figure 5-11 Removing the System Board Screw........................................................... 5-11

Figure 5-12 Direction SP B-Series Desktop Illustrated Parts Breakdown ..................... 5-15

Figure 5-13 Direction SP B-Series Minitower Illustrated Parts Breakdown .................. 5-19

Figure B-1 System Board Connectors and Slots........................................................... B-2

Figure B-2 System Board External Connectors ............................................................ B-2

viii Contents

Figure C-1 Locating the Jumper................................................................................... C-2

Tables

Table 1-1 System Features........................................................................................... 1-1

Table 1-2 System Memory Map................................................................................... 1-3

Table 1-3 Interrupt Level Assignments......................................................................... 1-5

Table 1-4 DMA Assignments....................................................................................... 1-5

Table 2-1 Setup Key Functions.................................................................................... 2-4

Table 3-1 Sample Memory Configurations................................................................... 3-9

Table 4-1 NEC CSD Service and Information Telephone Numbers.............................. 4-1

Table 4-2 Problems and Solutions................................................................................ 4-5

Table 4-3 Beep Code Descriptions............................................................................... 4-11

Table 5-1 Disassembly Sequence.................................................................................. 5-1

Table 5-2 Direction SP B-Series Desktop Field-Replaceable Parts List......................... 5-12

Table 5-3 Direction SP B-Series Minitower Field-Replaceable Parts List...................... 5-16

Table 5-4 Direction SP B-Series Memory Options ....................................................... 5-20

Table 5-5 Direction SP B-Series Documentation.......................................................... 5-20

Table B-1 System Board Connectors............................................................................ B-1

Table B-2 System Board Internal Connectors............................................................... B-3

Table B-3 System Board Connector Numbers and Types ............................................. B-3

Table-B-4 RS-232C Serial Port Connector Pin Assignments ........................................ B-4

Table B-5 Parallel Port Connector Pin Assignments..................................................... B-5

Table B-6 Primary Power Supply Connector Pin Assignments...................................... B-6

Table B-7 Keyboard and Mouse Connector Pin Assignments ....................................... B-6

Table B-8 Front Panel Connector Pin Assignments....................................................... B-7

Table B-9 Diskette Drive Connector Pin Assignments.................................................. B-8

Table B-10 IDE/PCI Connector Pin Assignments......................................................... B-9

Table B-11 DIMM Socket Pin Assignments................................................................. B-10

Table B-12 AGP Connector Pin Assignments............................................................... B-11

Table B-13 ISA Expansion Slot Pin Assignments......................................................... B-12

Contents ix

Table B-14 PCI Expansion Pin Assignments.................................................................B-14

Table B-15 USB Connectors........................................................................................B-15

Table C-1 System Board Jumper Settings..................................................................... C-3

Preface

This service and reference manual contains technical information necessary for servicing and
repairing Direction SP B-Series systems. The manual includes system setup information,
procedures for installing options, and troubleshooting. The manual is written for
NEC CSD-trained customer engineers, system analysts, service center personnel, and
dealers.

The manual is organized as follows:
Section 1 — Technical Information, provides an overview of the computer features,

hardware design, interface ports, and internal devices.
Section 2 — Setup Utility, includes procedures for configuring the system through the

Setup utility program
Section 3 — Option Installation, provides installation procedures for adding optional

expansion boards, diskette and hard disk storage devices, system memory, and processor
updates.

xi

Section 4 — Maintenance and Troubleshooting, includes recommended maintenance
information, lists possible computer problems and their solutions, and has battery
replacement procedures.

Section 5 — Disassembly and Reassembly, includes computer disassembly and
reassembly procedures.

Appendix A — System Specifications, provides a list of the system specifications
including dimensions, weight, environment, safety compliance, power consumption, and
memory.

Appendix B — Connector Pin Assignments, provides a list of the internal and external
system board connector pin assignments.

Appendix C — System Resources, includes information on IRQ settings and system board
jumpers.

Abbreviations

xiii

A ampere
AC alternating current
AT advanced technology

(IBM PC)
BBS Bulletin Board Service
BCD binary-coded decimal
BCU BIOS Customized Utility
BIOS basic input/output system
bit binary digit
BUU BIOS Upgrade Utility
bp i bits per inch
bps bits per second
C capacitance
C centigrade
Cache high-speed buffer storage
CAM constantly addressable memory
CAS column address strobe
CD/ROM compact disk-ROM
CG character generator
CGA Color Graphics Adapter
CGB Color Graphics Board
CH channel
clk clock
cm centimeter
CMOS complementary metal oxide

semiconductor
COM communication
CONT contrast
CPGA ceramic pin grid array
CPU central processing unit
DAC digital-to-analog converter
DACK DMA acknowledge
DC direct current
DIP dual in-line package
DLAB Divisor Latch Address bit
DMA direct memory access

DMAC DMA controller
DOS disk operating system
DRAM dynamic RAM
ECC error checking and correction
EDO extended data output
EGA Enhanced Graphics Adapter
EPROM erasable and programmable

ROM

EVGA Enhanced Video Graphics

Array
F Fahrenheit
FAX facsimile transmission
FCC Federal Communications

Commission
FG frame ground
FM frequency modulation
FP fast page
FRU field-replaceable unit
GB gigabyte
GND ground
HEX hexadecimal
HGA Hercules Graphics Adapter
Hz hertz
IC integrated circuit
ID identification
IDE intelligent device electronics
IDTR interrupt descriptor table

register
in. inch
INTA interrupt acknowledge
IPB illustrated parts breakdown
IR infrared
IRR Interrupt Request register
ISA Industry Standard Architecture
ISR In Service register
I/O input/output

xiv Abbreviations

IPC integrated peripheral controller
ips inches per second
IRQ interrupt request
K kilo (1024)
k kilo (1000)
KB kilobyte
kg kilogram
kHz kilohertz
lb pound
LED light-emitting diode
LSB least-significant bit
LSI large-scale integration
M mega
mA milliamps
max maximum
MB megabyte
MDA Monochrome Display Adapter
MFM modified frequency modulation
MHz megahertz
mm millimeter
ms millisecond
MSB most-significant bit
NASC National Authorized Service

Center
NC not connected
NMI Non-maskable Interrupt
ns nanosecond
NSRC National Service Response

Center
PAL programmable array logic
PC personal computer
PCB printed circuit board
PCI Peripheral Component

Interconnect

PLCC plastic leaded chip carrier
PLL phase lock loop
p-p peak-to-peak
PPI programmable peripheral

interface
PROM programmable ROM
QFP quad flat pack
RAM random-access memory
RAMDAC RAM digital-to-analog

converter
RAS row address strobe
RGB red green blue
RGBI red green blue intensity
ROM read-only memory
rpm revolutions per minute
R read
RTC real-time clock
R/W read/write
S slave
SCSI Small Computer System

Interface
SG signal ground
SIMM single inline memory module
SPM standard page mode
SRS Sound Retrieval System
SVGA Super Video Graphics Array
SW switch
TAC Technical Assistance Center
TSC Technical Support Center
TTL transistor/transistor logic
tpi tracks per inch
USB universal serial bus
V volt
Vac volts, alternating current

PDA personal digital assistant
PFP plastic flat package
PIO parallel input/output
pixel picture element

Vdc volts, direct current
VESA video electronics standards

association

VFC VESA-compliant feature

connector
VGA Video Graphics Array
VRAM video RAM
W watt
W write

Abbreviations xv

Section 1

Technical Information

This section provides an overview of the NEC Direction™ SP B-Series computers. These
systems include the Intel® Pentium® II processor with MMX™ technology. Table 1-1
describes the available features of the different models. The subsections that follow provide
more detailed information on the system features.

Table 1-1 System Features

Feature Direction SP B350 Direction SP B400

Processor Intel Pentium II

350-MHz MMX
System RAM 32 MB to 384 MB 32 MB to 384 MB
Secondary Cache 512 KB, pipeline burst 512 KB, pipeline burst
Chipset Intel 440BX Intel 440BX
Graphics AGP graphics board AGP graphics board
Video Memory 4 MB SGRAM 4 MB SGRAM
Sound Crystal Semiconductor CS4611

and CS4236
Hard Disk 4.3 GB - 16.8 GB 4.3 GB - 16.8 GB
CD-ROM Drive 32x or DVD 32x or DVD
Power Supply 235 W 235 W

Intel Pentium II
400-MHz MMX

Crystal Semiconductor CS4611
and CS4236

SYSTEM BOARD

The system board contains most of the components that provide system functions. The
following subsections provide a description of these components.

Processor

The system board uses a 350-MHz or 400-MHz Intel Pentium II processor with MMX
technology. The MMX processor improves audio, video, and 3D graphics performance.

The processor is packaged in a Single Edge Contact (SEC) cartridge and the cartridge plugs
into the system board’s slot 1.

1-2 Technical Information

System Cache/Memory

To utilize the processor’s power, the system features an optimized 64-bit memory interface
and provides support for a second level cache to compliment the processor’s internal cache.

High-performance features include:

pipeline 32-bit addressing



64-bit data





512-KB of pipeline burst secondary cache; direct mapped write-back and
write-through organization.

The system comes with 32 to 384 MB of main system memory. Three sockets on the
system board support up to 384 MB of high-speed memory using industry-standard gold­plated dual in-line memory modules (DIMMs).

The system supports PC100 Synchronous DRAM (SDRAM) only.
The system supports the following DIMM configurations:



1-Mbit by 64 or 1-Mbit by 72 (8-MB DIMM)



2-Mbit by 64 or 2-Mbit by 72 (16-MB DIMM)
4-Mbit by 64 or 4-Mbit by 72 (32-MB DIMM)





8-Mbit by 64 or 8-Mbit by 72 (64-MB DIMM)



16-Mbit by 64 or 16-Mbit by 72 (128-MB DIMM).

Chipset

The Intel 440BX chipset provides DMA, memory, and bus control. The chipset includes the
following chips:



Intel 82443BX PCI/AGP (PAC)  provides bus-control signals, address paths,
and data paths for transfers between the processor’s host bus, PCI bus,
Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP), and main memory.



Intel 82371EB PCI ISA IDE Xccelerator (PIIX4E)  implements the
PCI-to-ISA bridge, PCI IDE functionality, Universal Serial Bus (USB) host/hub
functions, and enhanced power management.

Technical Information 1-3

B

B

B

B

B

B

PCI Local Bus

The 32-bit industry-standard PCI bus is a highly-integrated input/output (I/O) interface that
offers the highest performance local bus available for the Pentium II processor. The PCI bus
supports burst modes that send large chunks of data across the bus, allowing fast displays of
high-resolution images.

The high-bandwidth PCI local bus eliminates data bottlenecks found in traditional systems,
maintains maximum performance at high clock speeds, and provides a clear upgrade path to
future technologies.

The PCI bus contains two embedded PCI devices: the PCI local bus IDE interface and the
PCI video/graphics controller. The PCI bus also contains a connector for attaching the bus
expansion board.

Expansion Bus

The expansion bus contains one ISA slot, three PCI slots, one PCI/ISA slot, and one AGP
video slot. The PCI ISA IDE Xccelerator chip (PIIX4E) provides the logic that enables the
ISA bus functions. With 24-bit memory addressing, a 16-bit data path, and an eight MHz

clock, the ISA bus is designed to support all peripherals compatible with the IBM AT
standard. For PCI functions, the Xcelerator chip provides 32-bit memory addressing, 32-bit
data path, and a 33-MHz clock speed.



BIOS

The BIOS (Basic Input Output System) is stored in the Intel 28F002 Flash EPROM. The
Flash EPROM is reprogrammable and allows fast, economical BIOS upgrades.

The system memory map in shown in Table 1-2.

Table 1-2 System Memory Map

Memory Address Size Function

100000-18000000 383 M
E8000-FFFFF 96 K
E0000-E7FFF 32 K

C8000-DFFFF 96 K

A0000-C7FFF 160 K
00000-9FFFF 640 K

Extended Memory
System BIOS
System BIOS (Available as UMB)

Available high DOS memory (open to ISA and
PCI bus)

Video memory and BIOS
Conventional memory

1-4 Technical Information

Plug and Play Support

The system comes with Plug and Play BIOS technology. Plug and Play eliminates
complicated setup procedures for installing Plug and Play expansion boards.

To add a Plug and Play expansion board, simply power off the system, install the board, and
power on the system. There are no jumpers to set and no system resource conflicts to
resolve. Plug and Play automatically configures the board for the system. The system also
supports non-Plug and Play boards.

Plug and Play is controlled by the Plug and Play BIOS and the system’s operating system.
The Plug and Play BIOS is stored in the Intel 28F002 Flash EPROM on the system board.

The Plug and Play BIOS adds several steps to the POST process. During POST, the Plug
and Play evaluates the configuration of installed boards and assigns available system
resources to the devices. On completion of Plug and Play POST, the operating system
checks to see if there are any additional resources required, then assigns available resources
to the devices.

CMOS Memory/Real-Time Clock Battery

The 82371EB PCI ISA IDE Xcelerator (PIIX4E) on the system board stores system
information in non-volatile CMOS memory. The chip also contains the system’s real-time
clock. Both are maintained by a 3-volt coin cell lithium battery on the system board. The
battery is replaceable.

DMA/IRQ Settings

The system automatically configures interrupts requests (IRQ), direct memory access
(DMA) channels, and other parameters when adding PCI boards with minimal user
intervention.

Table 1-3 and Table 1-4 list system IRQ and DMA default settings.

Technical Information 1-5

Table 1-3 Interrupt Level Assignments

IRQ System Resource

NMI I/O channel check
00 Reserved, internal timer
01 Reserved, keyboard controller
02 Reserved, cascade interrupt from slave PIC
03 COM2*
04 COM1*
05 Sound/User available
06 Diskette drive
07 LPT1*
08 Real-time clock
09 PCI/User available
10 User available
11 Windows Sound System*/User available
12 PS/2 mouse port (if present, else user available)
13 Reserved, numeric processor
14 Primary IDE (if present, else user available)
15 Secondary IDE (if present, else user available)

* Default; setting can be changed.

Table 1-4 DMA Assignments

DMA Resource

00 Audio
01 Audio/Parallel port
02 Diskette drive
03 ECP parallel port/Audio
04 Reserved, cascade channel
05 Available
06 Available
07 Available

1-6 Technical Information

IDE Ports

The system board provides two fast IDE ports: primary channel and secondary channels.
Each port supports two devices for a total of four IDE devices. The system board allows

the connection of an IDE CD-ROM drive for system configuration flexibility without the
addition of a controller.

The IDE ports feature an enhanced IDE interface which supports up to 10 MB per second
32-bit wide data transfers on the high-performance PCI local bus. The standard hard disk
and Zip drive (in some systems) are connected to the primary channel. The CD-ROM drive
is attached to the secondary channel.

I/O Ports

The system board features an enhanced parallel port, two buffered high-speed serial ports,
and two Universal Serial Bus (USB) ports.

The enhanced parallel port supports Enhanced Capabilities Port (ECP) and Enhanced
Parallel Port (EPP) modes for devices that require ECP or EPP protocols. These protocols
allow high-speed bi-directional transfer over a parallel port and increase parallel port
functionality by supporting more devices.

The two buffered high-speed serial ports use a fast 16C550 UART which supports transfer
rates up to 115.2 kilobits (Kb) per second. These ports allow the installation of high-speed
serial devices for faster data transfer rates.

The two USB ports allow additional new plug and play serial devices without removing the
system cover. Simply plug the USB device into the port. The speed varies between
12 megabits per second (Mbps) for printers and 1.5 Mbps for mice and keyboards. Up to
127 USB devices can be connected to the computer.

The combination of the enhanced parallel port, buffered serial ports, and USB ports ensure
optimum performance for future peripheral devices and operating systems.

Sound System

The system board features the Crystal Semiconductor CS4236B audio codec and CS4611
PCI audio accelerator. The CS4236B integrates an internal FM music synthesizer and
joystick logic. The chip also provides the following features.



Advanced power management



Symmetrical mixer



Support for DirectSound

™



Full-duplex audio



Sound Blaster®, Sound Blaster Pro, and Windows Sound System™ compatibility

Technical Information 1-7

The CS4611 enables burst mode transfers of audio data between the system bus and the
device’s internal DMA engine and stream processor. The chip provides optimized digital
audio processing.

The optional AWE64D PCI sound board replaces the integrated Crystal audio system. It
provides FM synthesis and 64 simultaneous voices.

U.S. ROBOTICS MODEM BOARD (OPTIONAL)

Two modem boards are available: the U.S. Robotics® x2-capable Winmodem and the U.S.
Robotics x2-capable Sportster. Each modem board contains fax and modem capabilities.
The Winmodem provides fax and modem capabilities. The Sportster provides modem, fax,
full-duplex speakerphone, and voicemail capabilities. Each board provides receive transfer
rates of 56 Kbps (kilobytes per second) for data and 14.4 Kbps for fax.

DISKETTE DRIVE

The system comes standard with a 1.44-MB high-density diskette drive preinstalled in the
3 1/2-inch accessible device slot (drive A). The drive is connected to the system board via a
two-connector cable.

HARD DRIVE

The system supports up to three IDE hard drives, the standard hard drive, and two optional
hard drives (if a Zip drive does not come standard with the system).

CD-ROM/DVD DRIVE

The drive can be used to load programs from a CD or it can be used to play audio CDs. The
drive operates at different speeds depending on whether the CD contains music or data. The
drive is fully compatible with Kodak Multisession Photo CDs™ and standard CDs.

The drive is connected to the secondary IDE/PCI port on the system board.

ZIP DRIVE

Some systems come with the Iomega® Zip 100 ATA drive. The Zip drive provides
removable 100-MB data disks and has a data transfer rate up to 1.4 MB per second.

POWER SUPPLY

The 235-watt power supply is mounted inside the system unit. It supplies power to the
system board, option boards, diskette drives, hard drives, keyboard, and mouse. A fan
inside the power supply provides system ventilation. The power supply has several cables
for attaching to the various devices requiring power.

1-8 Technical Information

POWER MANAGEMENT

The Advanced Power Management (APM) program, located on the 82371EB PCI ISA IDE
Xcelerator (PIIX4E) chip, reduces system power consumption when there is no activity
detected from the keyboard, mouse, diskette drive, CD-ROM/DVD drive, or hard disk
drive after a predefined period of time. As soon as activity is detected, the system resumes
where it left off.

In the CMOS Setup utility, an inactivity timer is available for setting the length of time
before the sytem enter a low-power mode.

Section 2

Setup Utility

This section describes the Setup utility program that allows the system configuration
information to be viewed and changed.

NOTE:

the correct system parameters for the
configuration. Unless setting the time and date,
setting security features, customizing the system,
or adding optional hardware, Setup does not
need to be run.

CONFIGURATION INFORMATION

System configuration information is stored in nonvolatile memory. A nonvolatile memory
device retains its data when system power is turned off.

The system ships from the factory with

Nonvolatile memory is a complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) chip 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.

WHEN TO USE SETUP

The Setup utility allows the user to view and set system parameters. Use the Setup utility
program:



to set the time and date.



to update or check system parameters when adding or removing expansion
options.



to change or set power management features.



to correct a hardware discrepancy when the Power-On Self-Test (POST) displays
an error message and a prompt 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 the diskette drive, hard
disks, and devices connected to the printer port and serial ports.

2-2 Setup Utility

to customize the system with security features such as passwords.





to set system parameters after replacing the CMOS battery.

HOW TO START SETUP

To start the Setup utility, follow these steps:

1.

Turn on or reboot the system.

2.

Press F2 after POST begins, but before the system boots up. You have about five
seconds to press F2.

Setup’s Main Menu window appears similar to the following screen.

NOTE

:

The screen shown is typical of a system.
The actual settings on the Main Menu depend
upon the hardware installed in the system.

HOW TO USE SETUP

The Setup utility has a Main Menu window and six top-level menus with submenus.
The Main Menu window contains the following areas:



A title line  the top line of the Main Menu. This line displays the Setup utility
name and copyright message.

Setup Utility 2-3

The menu bar  the line under the Setup title line. The menu bar contains six



top-level menus to set system parameters.
A Main Menu summary window  the area on the left side of the screen. This



area provides a summary of Main Menu Setup parameters. Some Main Menu
parameters can be set from this window or they can be set from submenus.

The help and navigation window  the area on the right side of the screen. This



area provides help information for the Setup option currently selected. The
navigation keys provide a summary of commands available for making selections.

The General Help window  a window that appears any time during Setup after



pressing F1. This help window provides general information about using Setup.

The following subsections describe how to use the Main Menu window to set system
parameters.

Menu Bar

The menu bar at the top of the Main Menu window lists these menus:



Main  Use the Main menu for basic system configuration. For example, select
“Main” to verify processor type and speed and to set the system time and date.
Use this menu to check memory parameters.

Advanced  Use the Advanced menu to set serial port and printer port addresses



and interrupts, diskette drive, and hard drive parameters, and to enable/disable the
system’s IDE and diskette drive interfaces.

The Advanced menu also provides submenu items for setting keyboard features,
video configurations, and DMI event logging.



Security  Use this menu to set User and Administrator Passwords and the
Unattended Start feature.



Power — Use the Power menu to set power management parameters.



Boot — Use this menu to set boot options.



Exit  Exits the Setup utility with various save or discard options.

A Maintenance Menu appears when the system is in configure mode. See Appendix C for
information on putting the system in configure mode. This menu allows you to change the
processor speed and to clear user and supervisor passwords.

To select an option from the menu bar, use the left and right arrow keys. See “Exiting
Setup” in this section for a description on exiting the Main Menu.

2-4 Setup Utility

Legend Bar

Use the keys listed in the legend bar on the bottom of the Setup menu to make the
selections or exit the current menu. Table 2-1 describes the legend keys and their alternates.

Table 2-1 Setup Key Functions

Key Function

F1 Provides help for the parameter field being displayed.
Esc Exits the menu.
← or → arrow keys
↑ or ↓ arrow keys
Enter Executes a command or selects submenu.

Selects next menu.
Moves cursor up and down for item selection.

Selecting a Menu Item

To select a menu item, use the up/down arrow keys to move the cursor to the desired field.
Then press

Enter

. The Exit Saving Changes command in the Exit Menu saves the values

currently displayed in all the menus.

Displaying a Submenu

To display a submenu, use the up/down arrow keys to move the cursor to the desired
submenu. Then press

Enter

. A pointer (a right-pointing triangle) marks all selectable

submenus.

Getting Help

A Field Help window or Item Specific Help window on the right side of each menu displays
the help text for the currently selected Setup option. It updates as the cursor moves to each
new field.

Pressing F1 on any menu brings up the General Help window that describes the legend keys
and their functions.

Esc

Press

to exit the current window.

MAIN MENU

This section describes the Main Menu parameters. Other menu parameters are available by
selecting submenus. Use the arrow keys to move the cursor to a parameter and press
to select a submenu. Items with lighter text are not available.

Enter

BIOS Version



This field displays your system’s BIOS version number.

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 (external) cache.



System Memory and Memory Banks 0 - 2

Setup Utility 2-5

This field displays the total amount of memory installed on your system board and
in which banks the memory is installed.



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



L2 Cache ECC Support
This option allows error checking on data accessed from the L2 cache.



System Time and Date
These two fields specify the correct time and date. To change them, press

highlight the field you want to change, then press the + or – keys to change the
setting.

Tab

to

2-6 Setup Utility

To return to the Main Menu, press

. To move to the Advanced Menu, press the right

Esc

arrow key.

ADVANCED MENU

This section describes the Advanced Menu parameters. Other menu parameters are available
by selecting submenus. Use the arrow keys to move the cursor to a parameter and press

to select a submenu. Items with lighter text are not available.

Enter

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” or “No” (default).

Reset Configuration Data



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

NumLock



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.”

Peripheral Configuration Submenu

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



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 (for example, 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.

!

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

. The following options appear:

Enter

Setup Utility 2-7

NOTE: If you select the Enabled option, you can
see additional options that allow you to specify
the Base I/O address and IRQs for the port you
are configuring.



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 can
see additional options that allow you to specify
the Base I/O address and IRQs for the port you
are 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).

!

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



Audio
This option configures the onboard audio system. Select “Enabled” (default) or

“Disabled.”



Legacy USB Support
This option configures support for legacy USB devices. Select “Enabled” or

“Disabled” (default).

To return to the Advanced Menu, press

Esc

.

2-8 Setup Utility

IDE Configuration Submenu

This submenu 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,” “ATAPI Removable,” or
“None.”

The standard hard drive (drive C) shipped with the system is configured as “Primary IDE
Master.” The standard
CD-ROM drive is configured as “Secondary IDE Master.”

NOTE

:

Jumpers on the IDE device must be set
to the master or slave device (see the
documentation that comes with the device).



IDE Controller
This option configures the system’s integrated IDE controller. Select from

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



Hard Disk Pre-Delay
This option set the time delay to allow the hard disk to spin up. The choices in

seconds are “3,” “6,” “9,” “12,” “15,” “21,” and “30.”

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.

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.

Setup Utility 2-9

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
 Disabled (default).



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 or
disable (default) this option. This option cannot be changed when “Auto” is
selected.

!

CAUTION: Do not change the
translation mode setting from the option selected
when the hard drive was formatted. Changing the
option after formatting could result in corrupted
data!



Transfer Mode
This option specifies the method for transferring data between the hard drive and

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

 Standard (default)
 Fast PIO 1
 Fast PIO 2
 Fast PIO 3
 Fast PIO 4
 FPIO 3 and Bus Mastering
 FPIO 4 and Bus Mastering.

2-10 Setup Utility

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).

To return to the Advanced Menu, press

Esc

.

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
Controller, Diskette A:, and Floppy Write Protect options.



Floppy Disk Controller
This option configures the system’s diskette drive controller. Select “Enabled”

(default) or “Disabled.”



Diskette A:
These fields specify the capacity and physical size of Diskette Drive A. To change

these, highlight the field for the drive, press

Enter

options:

 Disabled
 360KB, 5.25 inch

. Select Floppy Disk

Enter

and select from the following

 1.2MB, 5.25 inch
 720KB, 3.5 inch
 1.44/1.25 MB, 3.5 inch (default)
 2.88 MB, 3.5 inch.

If you add an optional 5.25-inch diskette drive to your system, select Floppy B
and change the parameter to 1.2 MB, 5.25 inch.



Floppy Write Protect
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 Advanced Menu, press

Esc

.