Nec POWERMATE NETPC user Manual

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NEC Computer Systems Division,

A Division of Packard Bell NEC, Inc.

DECLARATION OF CONFORMITY

We, the Responsible Party

NEC Computer Systems Division

Packard Bell NEC, Inc.

1414 Massachusetts Ave.

Boxborough, MA 01719

(508) 264-8000

declare that the product

NEC

POWERMATE NETPC

is in conformity with part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation of this product is subject to the following two conditions: (1) this device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) this device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.

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 is a trademark of NEC Computer Systems Division, Packard Bell NEC, Inc. NEC is a registered trademark of NEC Corporation; MultiSync and PowerMate are registered

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

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

NEC Computer Systems Division

Packard Bell NEC, Inc.

1414 Massachusetts Avenue

Boxborough, MA 01719-2298

Using This Guide

The PowerMate NetPC System Administrator’s Guide provides a quick reference to information about the PowerMate NetPC computer.

The guide contains the following information:



Chapter 1, Setting Up the Computer, provides a brief look at system components and information on how to choose a site and set up the hardware. This chapter also explains how to start up and shut down the system and how to secure it against unauthorized access.

Chapter 2, Using NECCSD Utilities, describes the



various software utilities shipped with the system, including the Setup utility, Flash utility, LANDesk Client Manager, NEC Auto Backup utility, and the NEC Select Install program.



Chapter 3, Reviewing System Features, provides a quick overview of the various features of the system.



Chapter 4, 24-Hour Information Services, lists the services available to you for information and help, and describes how to access the services.



Chapter 5, 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 the computer productively and safely. This appendix also instructs you on how to set up and use the computer to reduce your risk of developing nerve, muscle, or tendon disorders.

Using This Guide ix

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 the computer in the manner described in Appendix A, Setting Up a Healthy Work Environment.

Appendix B, Specifications, provides a technical



description of the computer and its components.



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

Appendix D, System Board Jumpers, provides



information about the jumpers on the system board.

TEXT CONVENTIONS

This guide uses the following text conventions.



Warnings, cautions, and notes have the following meanings:

WARNING

x Using This Guide

Warnings alert you to situations that could result i n serious personal injury or loss of life.

WARNING

Cautions indicate situations that can damage the hardware or software.

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, type



File names are printed in uppercase letters. For example,

Ctrl, Alt

abc123

and press

, or

Enter

AUTOEXEC.BAT.

RELATED DOCUMENTS

In addition to this guide, the following printed documentation ships with the computer.

How Does Your Workplace Measure Up?



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



NEC PowerMate NetPC Release Notes

Release Notes provide you with additional information about the computer that was not available at the time this guide was printed.

Using This Guide xi

The system also comes with a Healthy Environment online document. This document complements the “How Does Your Workplace Measure Up?” brochure.

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

NEC PowerMate NetPC Series Service and Reference



Manual (part number 819-181873-000) This manual provides information for maintaining, troubleshooting, and repairing the computer. Spare parts lists, option installation procedures, and instructions on how to change jumper settings and the system battery are included for qualified NECCSD personnel. This guide also includes hardware and interface information for programmers, engineers, and others who need to know how the system is designed.

To purchase the service and reference manual, call NECCSD at 1-800-632-4565 (in the U.S.) or your local NECCSD sales provider (outside the U.S.).



NECCSD FaxFlash 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.

xii Using This Guide

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 “NECCSD FaxFlash Service” in Chapter 5 for information about using FaxFlash.

Using This Guide

Text Conventions...................................................... x

Related Documents ................................................... xi

1 Setting Up the Computer

Site Selection............................................................ 1-2

Installation................................................................ 1-3

Checking the Voltage Switch................................ 1-4

Selecting System Orientation................................ 1-6

Connecting Cables ............................................... 1-7

Preventing Internal Access ................................... 1-8

Operation ................................................................. 1-9

Starting Up.......................................................... 1-9

Shutting Down..................................................... 1-12

2 Using NECCSD Utilities

The Setup Utility ...................................................... 2-1

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

How to Start Setup .............................................. 2-3

How to Use Setup................................................ 2-4

Main Menu.......................................................... 2-5

Displayed Information..................................... 2-6

Language........................................................ 2-6

System Time/Date .......................................... 2-6

Floppy Options............................................... 2-6

Primary IDE................................................... 2-7

Advanced Menu................................................... 2-10

PnP O/S ......................................................... 2-10

Reset Configuration Data................................ 2-10

Memory Cache ............................................... 2-10

Memory Banks 0 and 1................................... 2-10

Resource Configuration .................................. 2-11

Contents iii

Peripheral Configuration................................. 2-12

Keyboard Configuration.................................. 2-15

Video Configuration........................................ 2-15

DMI Event Logging........................................ 2-16

Security Menu ..................................................... 2-16

User Password Is............................................ 2-16

Supervisor Password Is................................... 2-17

Set User or Supervisor Password .................... 2-17

Clear User Password....................................... 2-18

User Setup Access .......................................... 2-18

Using a Password ........................................... 2-18

Unattended Start............................................. 2-19

Power Menu ........................................................ 2-20

Boot Menu........................................................... 2-21

Exit Menu ........................................................... 2-23

Flash Utility.............................................................. 2-24

Landesk Client Manager ........................................... 2-25

PC Health Indicator ............................................. 2-26

Workstation Management ............................... 2-26

PC Health Meter............................................. 2-27

PC Health Description .................................... 2-27

Inventory............................................................. 2-28

DMI.................................................................... 2-29

Monitoring Capabilities ....................................... 2-29

NEC Auto Backup Utility ......................................... 2-30

NEC Select Install CD.............................................. 2-31

Operating System Restore.................................... 2-32

Selective Application Restore Program................. 2-40

3 Reviewing System Features

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

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

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

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

Interrupt Controller.............................................. 3-5

PCI Local Bus..................................................... 3-6

Flash ROM.......................................................... 3-6

iv Contents

Graphics Features................................................ 3-7

Motion Video Controller ................................. 3-7

Graphics Accelerator ...................................... 3-8

Video Support ................................................ 3-8

High-Speed Communication Ports........................ 3-9

RJ-45 Port........................................................... 3-10

IDE Port.............................................................. 3-10

USB Ports ........................................................... 3-10

Sound System...................................................... 3-11

Plug and Play Support ......................................... 3-11

4 24-Hour Information Services

NECCSD FaxFlash Service ...................................... 4-2

NECCSD Bulletin Board Service.............................. 4-4

NECCSD on America Online Service........................ 4-6

NECCSD on CompuServe Online Service................. 4-7

E-Mail/Fax Technical Support Service...................... 4-8

Internet..................................................................... 4-9

NECCSD Technical Support Services....................... 4-10

5 Solving System Problems

Finding Solutions to Common Problems.................... 5-1

System Problems ................................................. 5-2

Monitor Problems................................................ 5-3

Keyboard/Mouse Problems .................................. 5-4

Getting Help ............................................................. 5-5

Getting Help from Your Company........................ 5-5

Getting Help from Your NECCSD Dealer............ 5-5

Getting Help from NECCSD Technical Support

Center............................................................... 5-6

NECCSD Warranty/Non-Warranty Repair

Service.............................................................. 5-7

Contents v

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

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

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

Pre-Existing 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 System Specifications

System Processor................................................. B-1

PGa Processor Socket.......................................... B-1

Standard Random Access Memory (RAM)........... B-1

Cache Memory .................................................... B-2

Read Only Memory (ROM) ................................. B-2

Video Window RAM (WRAM) ........................... B-2

Calendar Clock.................................................... B-3

Input/Output (I/O) Facilities ................................ B-3

Device Slots......................................................... B-4

Graphics.............................................................. B-4

Sound System...................................................... B-5

Dimensions.......................................................... B-6

Power.................................................................. B-6

Operating Environment ........................................ B-6

vi Contents

C Limited Warranty

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

Who is Protected?..................................................... C-1

What is Covered and What is Not Covered?.............. C-1

What We Will Pay For and What We Will Not

Pay For ................................................................. C-2

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

Year One........................................................ C-3

Years Two and Three...................................... C-3

Limitation of Damages and Implied Warranties ......... C-4

How State Law Relates to the Warranty.................... C-4

for Information, Telephone 1-800-632-4565.............. C-5

D System Board Jumpers

Index

List of Tables

Navigation Keys ....................................................... 2-5

Supported Dimms..................................................... 3-4

Interrupt Level Assignments...................................... 3-5

Supported Refresh Rates........................................... 3-8

Contents vii

Setting Up the

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.

The PowerMate® NetPC is designed to enable central administration and management of your computer resources. NECCSD has designed the PowerMate NetPC so you can quickly set up the hardware and put your computer to work right away.

This chapter contains information on setting up the NetPC system and covers the following topics:

Site selection



WARNING



Installation



Startup and shutdown.

Setting Up the Computer 1-1

Hazardous voltage, current, and energy lev els are present inside the computer. Do not open the computer; access to the inside is restricted to qualified personnel. There are no user-serviceable parts inside. See Chapter 5 for servicing information.

SITE SELECTION

Your computer is designed to operate reliably in a normal office environment. Make sure the site is well ventilated, dust free, and away from heat sources. In addition, choose a site according to the following criteria:



Place the computer on a desktop or other raised, flat surface; do not put the computer on the floor.



Place the computer near a grounded, three-pronged power outlet.

WARNING

 In the United States and Canada, use a NEMA

 For other geographic regions, use a three-pronged



Make sure there is enough space around the computer for cooling and adequate air flow – about 3.93 in. (10 cm) clearance in back, 1.96 in.(5 cm) on each side, and 3.93 in. (10 centimeters) in front.

1-2 Setting Up the Computer

5-15R outlet for 100-120 VAC or a NEMA 6-15R outlet for 200-240 VAC.

power outlet applicable for the electrical code of the region.

 The computer has external vents for cooling and air

flow (see the following figure). To ensure proper cooling of the computer, keep all vents clear of obstructions.

 To ensure adequate air flow and reduce the risk of

overheating or fire, use the stand provided with your system for vertical (“tower”) placement of the computer.

INSTALLATION

Install the computer according to the following procedures and safety standards:



Computer vents

Check the voltage switch. Select the system orientation.

Setting Up the Computer 1-3

Connect cables



Prevent internal access.



Do not plug in the computer power cable unti l you connect all other ex ternal cables (keyboar d, mouse, monitor, LAN, and so on).

The following sections provide installation guidelines and procedures.

The push-button on/off power switch on the front panel of the computer does not turn off the AC power. To remove AC power from the computer, you must unplug the AC power cable from the power supply or the wall outlet.

WARNING

CAUTION

Checking the Voltage Switch

A 51-watt (rated) power supply is integrated into the computer. The voltage ratings for the power supply are provided in the following table.

Power Supply Voltage Rating

VOLTAGE INPUT FREQUENCY (HZ) CURRENT (AMPS) 100-127 60 2

200-240 50 1.25

1-4 Setting Up the Computer

Before connecting the power cable to the back panel of the computer, make sure that the voltage selector switch is set to the correct AC line source voltage for your region.



For line voltages between 100 and 127 VAC, set the line voltage selector on the power supply switch to 115V (115 VAC).

For line voltages between 200 and 240 VAC, set the line



voltage selector switch on the power supply to 230V (230 VAC).

Make sure that the correct voltage (115V or 230V) is visible on the switch (see the following figure). If necessary, use a flat-head screwdriver to set the switch.

Line voltage switch selector

Setting Up the Computer 1-5

Selecting System Orientation

The computer is designed to sit in a horizontal or vertical position on a desktop or other surface away from the floor. In the horizontal position, the computer supports standard 15-inch monitors.

Horizontal orientation

For vertical placement, use the stand provided in the computer shipping box.

To ensure stability, center the unit in the stand as shown in the foll owing figure. Do not place the unit in the v er ti cal posit ion wit hout t he stand. Dam age t o equipment and data may result if the computer accidentally tips over.

1-6 Setting Up the Computer

WARNING

Vertical orientation

Connecting Cables

The following figure shows the connector locations on the back of the computer for connecting the keyboard, mouse, monitor, and power cables.

The figure also shows the locations for other device cables in case you are installing additional hardware.

Setting Up the Computer 1-7

Turn of f and unplug the c om puter before connect ing any cables to the back of the computer. Equipm ent may be damaged if you connect cables while the power is on. Plug in the power cable only af ter all other device cables have been connected.

CAUTION

Preventing Internal Access

To prevent access to the inside of the computer, install a padlock in the small padlock slot in the back of the system (see the following figure).

1-8 Setting Up the Computer

Rear panel connectors

OPERATION

Chassis security

The following sections provide basic procedures for starting up and shutting down the computer.

Starting Up

Power on the system using the following steps.

Plug the monitor power cable into a grounded wall

outlet. Plug the computer’s power cable into the AC power-in

connector on the back panel of the computer and into a grounded wall outlet.

Setting Up the Computer 1-9

Ensure that t he power serv i ce c onnecti on i s thr ough a properly grounded outlet.

NECCSD recom mends that you pl ug the computer into a surge suppresser for protection against sudden transient incr eases or decreases in electrical power that could damage your computer’s power supply and result in loss of data.

If the computer does not turn on, press the power button on the front panel (see the following figure). Use the lamps on the front panel to verify that the power, hard disk drive, and LAN connections are working as follows:



Power-on (green)/Sleep mode (yellow)



Hard drive activity (green)



LAN activity (green).

CAUTION

1-10 Setting Up the Computer

Front panel controls and indicators

The power lamp lights green to indicate that the system is on. The NEC startup screen appears.

At the bottom of this screen, messages like the following appear:

Press <F2> key if you want to run Setup Press ESC to display POST

NOTE

These messages are part of your system’s Power-On Self-Test (POST). Your computer is checking your hardware for any changes since the last startup. If you want to see the messages displayed during POST, press ESC. If you want to go into the Setup Utility, press F2.

Setting Up the Computer 1-11

One beep indicates that the system has successfully completed the power-on test. After about five seconds, Windows starts up.

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 5, Solving System Problems. This chapter provides some helpful hints on obvious system problems.

NOTE

If the system displays a message i ndicating that system sett ings have changed, run Setup (see Chapter 2, NECCSD Utilities).

On PowerMate NetPC systems loaded with the Windows NT when prompted on-screen to do so. The log-on box appears for entering a password.

Shutting Down

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

4.0 operating system, press

Ctrl-Alt-Del

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

Exit the application program. Make sure that the hard disk drive is not in use. A lit

hard disk activity lamp indicates that the drive is in use.

1-12 Setting Up the Computer

Wait until a program is finished running before powering off the system.

Unless absolutely necessary, never power off the system when the system power lamp is yellow or when the hard disk activ ity lamp is lit. Information on the hard disk might be lost or damaged.

CAUTION

Press the Windows

Start

button, then point to and click “Shut Down.” Selecting “Shut Down” gives you several choices in the pop-up submenu. Select “Shut down the computer,” then click the

Yes

button or press

Enter

shut down the computer.

NOTE

A m essage appears inform ing you when it is

safe to turn off your system.

Turn off power to your monitor.

Power off the system by pressing the system unit power button.

This completes the system setup procedures. For information about system features, see Chapter 3, “Reviewing System Features.”

Setting Up the Computer 1-13

Using NECCSD

THE SETUP UTILITY

Utilities

This chapter provides information about the computer’s software tools and utility programs. These include:

Setup utility



Flash utility LANDesk® Client Manager



NEC Auto Backup utility



NEC Select Install CD.



The Setup utility program is used to configure the main components of the computer.

NOTE

correct system parameters for the configuration. Unless you add optional har dware, you do not need to run Setup to operate the system. However, you might wish to run the Setup utility to set features that customize the system, such as security features.

The system ships from the factory with the

Using NECCSD Utilities 2-1

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

NOTE

write down the current Setup param eters and store the inform ation in a safe place. This all ows you to restore the system t o the current paramet ers if you ever need to have the battery replaced.

When to Use Setup

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

NECCSD recommends that you print out or



set the time and date.



update or check system parameters when expansion options have been added or removed.



change or set power management features.



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

check the installation of optional memory by comparing



the amount of memory installed with the amount of memory displayed by Setup.

change certain system operating parameters, such as



boot device sequence and keyboard parameters.

2-2 Using NECCSD Utilities

configure system connections for peripherals, such as



devices connected to the printer port and serial ports. customize the system with security features such as



passwords, virus check reminder, and system backup reminder.

set system parameters in the event that the CMOS



battery has been replaced.

How to Start Setup

To start the Setup utility, follow these steps:

Turn on or reboot the system.

Press

after POST to start the memory test before the

system boots up. There is about five seconds in which to press

the system boot continues. Setup’s Main menu appears and looks similar to the

following screen.

before

Using NECCSD Utilities 2-3

Setup Main menu

How to Use Setup

Use the keys shown on the bottom of the Setup menu to make your selections or exit the current menu. The following table describes the navigation keys.

2-4 Using NECCSD Utilities

Navigation Keys

Main Menu

Key

F1 Provides help for the parameter field being

Esc Exits the menu Enter Executes Command or Selects submenu ↓ or ↑ arrow keys ← or → arrow keys + or – Selects parameter values in a menu F9 Loads the Default Configuration values for

F10 Save and Exit

Function

displayed.

Moves cursor up and down Selects next menu

this menu

Main menu items preceded by > contain a submenu of selectable fields for setting system parameters. To display a submenu, use the arrow keys to move the cursor to the submenu you want. Then press

Enter

Choose the Main menu by selecting Main menu in the legend bar. Other Main menu options are available by selecting submenus.

NOTE

See “How to Start Setup” for a look at a

typical Main menu screen.

Use the arrow keys to select one of the following Main menu options and press

to select a submenu. Items

Enter

with grayed-out text are not available. Explanations of each menu item follow.

Using NECCSD Utilities 2-5

Displayed Information

The following information is displayed in the Main menu. These fields are read-only and cannot be changed:

Processor type



Processor speed



Cache RAM



Total Memory BIOS version.



Language

Selects the current language used by the BIOS. Use this field to select English (the default) or French.

System Time/Date

Use this menu to set the current time and date. The settings remain in memory even after the system power is turned off.

To set the time, enter the current hour, minute, and seconds in hh:mm:ss, 24-hour format. For example, type for 1:30 P.M.

13:30:00

To set the date, enter the current month, day, and year in mm/dd/yyyy format. For example, type September 30, 1997.

Floppy Options

The parameters for this field appear only in Configuration mode as part of the BIOS recovery procedure described in Chapter 4. Unless you are recovering the system BIOS in Configuration mode, all the parameters for this field are set to “Disabled.”

2-6 Using NECCSD Utilities

09:30:1997

for

Primary IDE

The Primary IDE Master and Slave settings control the system’s hard disk drive.

The computer comes with the hard disk drive (drive C:) configured as the “Primary IDE Master.” The system can support a maximum of two IDE drives (master and slave) on the primary IDE channel. Menu choices include:

Primary Master



Primary Slave.



The default setting for existing installed Master devices is “Auto,” meaning that the system automatically detects the hard disk type and sets the remaining parameters. The default setting for existing installed Slave devices is “None.”

If a hard disk drive that does not feature auto IDE type detection has been installed (or the IDE hard disk was formatted on another system with parameters different than those reported by the drive), enter a parameter for each of the following fields.

Using NECCSD Utilities 2-7

W hen set to Auto Detected, the BI OS detects what the drive is capable of, not the translation mechanism that was used to format the drive.

If a drive i s run i n a mode other than the mode i n which it was partitioned and formatted, unpredictable results may occur, including data loss.

Type



Use this field to enter the hard disk drive type. The following options are available:

 “Auto” automatically configures the device.  “User” prompts the user to fill in the remaining

fields.

 “CD-ROM” configures a CD-ROM device.  “IDE Removable” configures a removable IDE

device, such as a tape drive or Zip drive.

CAUTION

 “ATAPI Removable” configures a removable

 “None” indicates that no device is selected.



Cylinders Enter the number of cylinders.



Heads Enter the number of read/write heads.



Sectors Enter the number of sectors per track.

2-8 Using NECCSD Utilities

storage device that uses the AT attachment packet interface (ATAPI) standard

Maximum Capacity



This read-only field displays the capacity of the hard disk drive installed in the system.



Multiple Sector Transfers Enter the number of sectors transferred per block. Choices include “Disabled” (no sectors chosen), “Standard” (one sector), 2, 4, 8, and 16 sectors.



LBA Mode Control When “Enabled” is selected, it causes logical block addressing to be used in place of cylinders, heads, and sectors.



Transfer Mode Enter the method for transferring the data between the hard disk drive and the system memory. The Setup menu only lists those options supported by the drive. Choices can include

 Standard  Fast PIO 1, Fast PIO 2, Fast PIO 3, or Fast PIO 4  FPIO3 and Bus Mastering  FPIO 4 and Bus Mastering.



Ultra DMA Mode This field sets the Ultra DMA mode, which allows a faster read/write file transfer rate (33 MB per second). Choices include Mode 0, Mode 1, and Mode 2. This setting should be disabled if an older hard disk drive is installed that is not supported by Ultra DMA mode.

Using NECCSD Utilities 2-9

Advanced Menu

Selecting “Advanced” from the Main menu displays a menu with the following options.

PnP O/S

The PnP field indicates if the computer’s operating system is configured to use Plug and Play devices. Choose “Yes” if you are using a system that has Plug and Play. The default is “Yes” for Windows 95 systems. For systems without Plug and Play (such as Windows NT 4.0), this field is set to “No.”

Reset Configuration Data

Use this setting to clear CMOS (by selecting “Yes” and rebooting) if the system parameters get corrupted. The default is “No.”

Memory Cache

Memory cache saves time for the CPU by holding data most recently accessed in regular memory (dynamic RAM or DRAM) in a special storage area of static RAM (SRAM), which is faster. Before accessing regular memory, the CPU first accesses the cache. If it does not find the data it is looking for, it accesses the regular memory.

The default for the Memory Cache is “Enabled.” This field controls both the primary and secondary caches. Setting the Memory Cache to “Disabled” will hurt performance, but might be required when running programs that utilize software-timing loops and need to be slowed down to execute properly.

Memory Banks 0 and 1

The two Memory Bank fields are read only. They display the total amount of memory in each DIMM bank.

2-10 Using NECCSD Utilities

Resource Configuration

Memory Reservation



Use this field to reserve specified blocks of upper memory for use by other ISA devices. Select “Reserved” to choose a memory block. The default for each block is “Available.”

The following list includes the available memory blocks:

 C800-CBFF  CC00-CFFF  D000-D3FF  D400-D7FF  D800-DBFF  DC00-DFFF  Memory Hole

The default setting for this parameter is “Disabled.” When set to “Enabled,” this parameter turns system RAM off to free address space for use with an option card. When enabled, memory choices are “Conventional” or “Extended.” Either a 128-KB conventional memory hole (starting at 512 KB) or a 1-MB extended memory hole (starting at 15 MB) is created in system RAM.



IRQ Reservation Use this field to reserve specified IRQs for legacy ISA cards. Select “Reserved” to choose an IRQ. The default for each IRQ is “Available.” The following list includes the available IRQs:

 IRQ 3  IRQ 4  IRQ 5  IRQ 7

Using NECCSD Utilities 2-11

 IRQ 10  IRQ 11  IRQ 15.

Peripheral Configuration

Adjustments must sometimes be made in the Setup Utility when peripheral devices are added, removed or changed.

Use the fields in the following list to configure the system when making any peripheral configuration changes.

Serial Ports A and B



Selectable parameters for this field are “Disabled,” “Enabled,” and “Auto.” The default setting for Serial Port A is “Enabled.” The default setting for Serial Port B is “Disabled.” The serial ports can be auto detected by choosing “Auto.” The “Auto” parameter enables the serial device, but the BIOS does not place its resources unless the “PnP OS” field described previously is set to “No.”

Use the Enabled setting if you want to choose a specific address for the serial port. The following options become available:

 Base I/O address

 Interrupt

 Serial Port B Mode

2-12 Using NECCSD Utilities

Available addresses include “3F8h” (Serial Port A default), “2F8h” (Serial Port B default), “3E8h,” and “2E8h.”

Available IRQs include “IRQ3” (Serial Port A default) and “IRQ4” (Serial Port B default).

If you are using an IrDA device, the Serial Port B Mode field should be “IrDA.” The default is “Serial.”

NOTE

When an option is selected for one serial port, that selection is not available for the second port.

Parallel Port



Selectable parameters for this field are Disabled, Enabled (default), and Auto. The parallel port device can be auto detected by choosing Auto. When Auto is selected, the first free LPT port is assigned. Setting this field to Auto enables the device, but the BIOS does not place its resources unless the “PnP OS” field described previously is set to “No.”

Select Enabled if you want to choose a specific address. The following options become available:

 Mode

Choices include: “ECP” for setting the parallel port to the Enhanced Capabilities Port (ECP) mode, “Disabled,” “Output Only,” and “Bi-directional” (sets the parallel port to input/output mode only). The default setting is “Bi-directional.”

 Base I/O address

Available addresses include “378h” (the default), “3BCh,” and “278h.”

 Interrupt

Available IRQs include “IRQ5” and “IRQ7” (the default).

Using NECCSD Utilities 2-13

 DMA channel

This field appears only when the Mode option is set to “ECP”; it does not appear when the Mode option is set to bidirectional (the default) or the other parameters. When Mode is set to ECP, DMA channel choices include “DMA3” (the default) and “DMA 1.”

Floppy Disk Controller



This field enables the diskette drive interface connector on the riser board. The default setting is “Disabled.”

IDE Controller



The IDE Controller field enables the IDE interface connector on the riser board. Choices include “Enabled” (default) and “Disabled.”



Audio This field (“Enabled” by default) enables the audio system on the system board. Choose “Disabled” if an external audio card is installed.



LAN This field configures the LAN device. The default setting is “Enabled.”



Legacy USB Support This field enables (the default ) or disables support for legacy Universal Serial Bus (USB) devices.



Hardware Monitor This field enables (the default) or disables the on-board hardware monitor device.

2-14 Using NECCSD Utilities

Keyboard Configuration

Use this field to adjust the following keyboard features:

Numlock



This field controls whether the Num Lock key on the keyboard is “On” or “Off” at bootup. The default setting for this field is “Auto.”

Key Click



This field turns audible key click on or off. The default is “Disabled.”

Keyboard Auto-Repeat Rate



This field sets the number of times per second to repeat a keystroke when the key is held down. Options include 2, 6, 10, 13.3, 18.5, 21.8, 26.7, or 30 clicks per second. The default is “30.”



Keyboard Auto-Repeat Delay This field controls the speed characters repeat when a keyboard key is held down. The higher the number the faster the repeat. Options include 1/4, 1/2, 3/4, or 1 second. The default is “1/2” second.

Video Configuration

The Video Configuration submenu includes the Palette Snooping field. This option enables card “snoop” (also called RAMDAC shadowing) write cycles to the ISA video card’s palette registers. This field can be either “Enabled” or “Disabled.” The default is “Disabled.”

This field should only be enabled if all of the following conditions occur:



An ISA card connects to the PCI graphics card via the VESA compatible feature connector.



The ISA card connects to a color monitor.

Using NECCSD Utilities 2-15

The card uses the RAMDAC on the PCI card.



The palette snooping feature is broken on the PCI card.



DMI Event Logging

This field keeps track of system events.

Event logging Capacity



For example, space available. Event Logging Validity



For example, valid. View DMI Log



Press



Clear all DMI Event Logs “No” is the default; select “Yes” to clear logs.



Event Logging The default setting for this field is “Enabled.”



Mark DMI Events As Read Press

to view the DMI log.

Enter

to mark DMI events.

Enter

Security Menu

The Security menu contains features that enable you to restrict access to the computer. The Security menu contains the following fields.

User Password Is

This read-only field lets you determine whether a User Password has been set. This field can be either “Clear” or “Set.” The default is “Clear” (no password has been set).

When both the User Password and Supervisor Password are enabled, only the Supervisor Password gives you full access to all Setup fields.

2-16 Using NECCSD Utilities

Supervisor Password Is

This read-only field lets you determine whether a Supervisor Password has been set. This field can be either “Clear” or “Set.” The default is “Clear” (no password has been set).

When both the User Password and Supervisor Password are Enabled, only the Supervisor Password gives you full access to all Setup fields.

Set User or Supervisor Password

The password fields allow you to enable a user-level password or supervisor-level password during POST and to enter Setup.

Use the following procedure to set a password.

Using the arrow keys, select Security from the menu bar.

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

Password” with the plus (+) or minus (-) keys.

NOTE

enabled, the Set up Utility can only be accessed by entering the password.

Once the Supervisor Password feature is

With the password field selected, press

Enter

. Setup

displays a dialog box with the following prompts:

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

Type the password (passwords are not case sensitive)

and press

. Reenter the password and press

Enter

again.

Using NECCSD Utilities 2-17

Enter

Use the arrow keys to select

Select Exit Saving Changes. Press

At the prompt, to confirm exiting setup, press

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

Clear User Password

Use this field to clear a User Password. To clear the password, highlight the field and press displays a confirmation window. Press password. If you do not want to clear the password, highlight

User Setup Access

Use this field to prevent a user from accessing the Setup utility. The default setting is “Enabled,” which allows the user to access Setup. To prevent the user from accessing Setup, highlight the field and press “Disabled” and press

Exit

Enter

in the confirmation window and press

. Then highlight

Enter

again.

Enter

. Setup to clear the

Enter

Using a Password

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

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

NOTE

appear on the screen. Enter the password carefully.

2-18 Using NECCSD Utilities

Enter

For security, characters you ent er do not

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

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 boot-up only after the entry of a password.

Unattended Start

This field controls the point at which the user password is required. The Unattended Start field can only be set if a user password is in effect.

When this field is set to Disabled (the default setting), the user is prompted for the password before the system can boot. The text string prompt “Enter Password (1)” is displayed.

When this field is set to Enabled and a user password is set, the system boots and runs, but the keyboard is locked. The user password must be entered to unlock it. The BIOS does not display any prompt string.

Using NECCSD Utilities 2-19

Power Menu

Power management reduces the amount of energy used after specified periods of inactivity. The Power menu provides the choice of operating the system in a full-on state or a full-power reduction state when idle.



Power Management This field allows you to enable or disable the power management options. Selecting “Enabled” also allows you to further configure the Power Management options.



Inactivity Timer This field sets the length of time before the computer powers down various system devices. Choices for inactivity time periods include Off, 5, 10, or 20 (the default) minutes and 1 or 2 hours.

Hard Drive



When this field is enabled, the hard disk drive is powered down during periods of inactivity. Choices include “Enabled”(default) and “Disabled.”

VESA Video Power Down



This field enables you to set the video power down level of inactivity. Choices include “Disabled,” “Sleep” (the most energy efficient setting), “Suspend,” and “Standby.” The default is “Standby.”

2-20 Using NECCSD Utilities

Boot Menu

The Boot menu allows you to configure the system’s boot process.

Scan User Flash Area



The field allows the BIOS to scan the Flash ROM. Selectable parameters for this field are Disabled and Enabled. The default is Disabled.

Restore On AC/Power Loss



This field enables you to decide whether the system automatically boots up or stays off after power is restored to the system (after an unexpected power loss). The default setting is “Power On,” which causes the system to automatically boot up after power restoration. Choose “Stay Off” if you want the system to stay off. “Last State” restores the previous power state before the power loss occurred.



On Modem Ring This field enables an external modem to work even when the system is in a power reduction state. Choosing “Power On” (the default) restores the system to full power so it can receive a modem ring. Choose “Stay off” if you do not want full power restored on a modem ring.



On LAN This field enables the system to be contacted via a LAN connection even when the system is in a power reduction state. Choosing “Power On” (default) restores the system to full power so the LAN connection can be made. Choose “Stay off” if you do not want full power restored.

Using NECCSD Utilities 2-21

On PME



This field controls how the system responds to a PCI Power Management Enable (PME) wake up event. The choices are “Power On” (the default) and “Stay Off.”



Boot Order These fields allow you to set the order in which the system’s drives boot up. The default order is:

 Hard disk

 LANDesk

Service or network

 Diskette drive.



Hard Drive This field lists the bootable hard disk drives in the system as well as bootable ISA boards. Use this field to change the booting order.



Removable Devices This field lists the bootable removable device drives (diskette, Zip, CD-ROM, etc.) in the system as well as their booting order. Use this field to change the booting order.

Boot Time Diagnostic screen



When set to enabled, this field allows you to display the Diagnostic Screen during boot up. The default setting is “Disabled.”



Floppy Check When set to “Enabled,” this field verifies the floppy type during boot up; “Disabled” (the default) speeds up the boot. This field is not applicable to the PowerMate NetPC.

2-22 Using NECCSD Utilities

Exit Menu

Virus Check Reminder



This field displays a reminder message during boot up at preset intervals (daily, once a week, or once a month). The default setting is “Disabled.”

System Backup Reminder



This field displays a reminder message during boot up at preset intervals (daily, once a week, or once a month). The default setting is “Disabled.”



Fixed Disk Boot Sector This field write protects the hard disk boot sector to protect against viruses. Your choices are “Normal” (the default) and “Write Protect.”

Selecting “Exit” from the menu bar displays the following exit options.

NOTE

Esc does not exit thi s menu. You m ust select one of the items from the menu to exit.



Exit Saving Changes Choose this option if you wish to save any changes made and exit the Setup program.

Exit Discarding Changes



Choose this option if you wish to exit the program without saving any changes made.



Load Setup Defaults Choose this option if you wish to load the original system BIOS default settings.



Load Custom Defaults Choose this option to load the custom defaults.

Using NECCSD Utilities 2-23



FLASH UTILITY

The system BIOS resides on a flash read only memory (ROM) chip in the system. The flash ROM can be updated with a very simple procedure.

Performing an update is done with a BIOS flash diskette. The diskette contains the latest version of the BIOS code. You can obtain the flash diskette from NECCSD or, if a modem is available, the latest BIOS can be downloaded from the NECCSD Bulletin Board Service (BBS). See “NECCSD Bulletin Board Service” in Chapter 4 for the procedure for logging onto the BBS to download information.

Save Custom Defaults Choose this option to save any changes as custom defaults. Normally, the BIOS reads the setup parameters from CMOS, but if the CMOS fails, the BIOS will read the custom defaults (if you set them). If not, the BIOS uses the factory default settings.

Discard Changes Choose this option if you wish to discard any changes made in the current session, but want to continue to enter new changes.

Update the BIOS from the BIOS flash diskette by using a configuration server such as Intel’s LANDesk Configuration Manager or proceed as follows.

NOTE

connect an ext ernal diskette driv e (with a separat e power supply) to the diskette driv e connec tor on the riser board.

2-24 Using NECCSD Utilities

The following procedure requires that you

Write down the Setup parameters currently set on the

system. Turn off the system.

Insert the flash diskette into drive A and turn on the

system. When the flash upgrade menu appears, choose “Update

Flash Memory Area from a file.” When the menu asks you to enter a path/filename, use

the arrow keys to select the “.bio” file and press The utility asks for a confirmation that you want to load

Enter

the new flash into memory. Select “Continue with Programming.”

After the upgrade completes, remove the upgrade

diskette. Reboot the system and start the Setup program. Press

to reset the BIOS defaults. Then, use the copy of the

Setup selections you made at the beginning of this procedure to set the parameters.

LANDESK CLIENT MANAGER

LANDesk Client Manager (LDCM) is a software program available on the NEC Select Install CD. LDCM uses the Desktop Management Interface (DMI) standard to manage components (network interface cards, memory, software applications) within a Client (local) or remote (workstation) PC system. It provides features for managing the resources of a local PC and can be used by system administrators to manage groups of computer systems.

See “NEC Select Install CD” for instructions on installing LANDesk Client Manager on the NetPC hard disk.

Using NECCSD Utilities 2-25

With Client Manager you can perform the following tasks:

review system inventory of workstation hardware and



software components view DMI-compliant component information



troubleshoot



receive notice of system events (for example, if the system is running low on memory, you are notified of the potential problem)

detect changes to CPU, memory, and hard disk



characteristics and alert you to these changes transfer files to and from client workstations



remotely reboot client workstations.



There are two main components of Client Manager: PC Health Indicator and Inventory.

PC Health Indicator

PC health indicator consists of three parts:



Workstation management



PC Health meter



PC Health description.

Workstation Management

Client Manager sets up a connection to all the workstations running on the network to allow the administrator to monitor the functions of each workstation.

The monitoring is in real time so that if an unhealthy workstation is fixed, you can refresh the screen to view the new correct PC health. You can also set the monitor to report only unhealthy workstations.

2-26 Using NECCSD Utilities

PC Health Meter

The PC Health meter is a traffic signal that provides a visual indicator of workstation health.

A red light indicates that a critical system event has



occurred. You are required to fix the problem immediately.

A yellow light or noncritical system event requires that



you monitor the situation. It may be a problem that could get worse and become a critical event.

A green light indicates everything is working fine with



the system.

PC Health Description

The description of PC health is determined by monitoring various system components for threshold levels. Some of the components that are monitored include:



drive space



prediction of hard drive failure with automatic data backup (see “NEC Auto Backup Utility for further information)



free virtual memory



temperatures power supplies

 

chassis opened



non-critical boot failure



boot virus detection.

Once a threshold level has been passed on a workstation, you can request notification of the problem and have it written into a log file.

Using NECCSD Utilities 2-27

Inventory

Client Manager Inventory views the hardware and software components of the workstation. The inventory consists of the following categories:

workstation summary



basic hardware



drives



memory

 

audio keyboard/mouse



video



system resources



I/O ports

 

operating system



network



applications



system files user information.



You can also view the current system configuration, edit user information, and create or restore file snapshots.

2-28 Using NECCSD Utilities

DMI

The Desktop Management Interface (DMI) is the industry-standard used to manage system components on the computer. The PowerMate NetPC uses this standad along with LANDesk Client Manager to ensure interoperability among different vendor’s computers. Examples of system components are network interface cards and software applications. System components provide a Management Information Format (MIF) file to be DMI-compliant. The information file describes component attributes that can be managed.

Client Manager can be used to “get” attribute information on system components. It can also be used to “set” attribute values in real time.

More information on DMI is available on the World Wide Web at

http:\\www.dmtf.org

Monitoring Capabilities

The PowerMate NetPC computer has a chip (NEC MagicEye™ technology) mounted on the system board that supports many new and advanced real-time monitoring capabilities used by DMI. This chip provides the following features:



an integrated temperature sensor with configurable interrupt generation based on upper and lower temperature limits



a power supply monitor with configurable interrupt generation based on upper and lower voltage limits



chassis intrusion detection with interrupt generation capabilities.

Using NECCSD Utilities 2-29

To take advantage of these features, DMI has expanded its interface in the following areas:

Interrupts may be enabled or disabled.



High and low limits can be set and are displayed for



temperature and power supply voltages. Current readings are displayed for temperature, power



supply voltages, and chassis state. Interrupts can be detected when “out of range”



conditions occur. User prompts are displayed to alert the user to a potentially harmful condition.

NEC AUTO BACKUP UTILITY

The NEC Auto Backup utility is a data management and backup program (available on the NEC Select Install CD) that operates in conjunction with LANDesk’s DMI and the Self-Monitoring Analysis and Reporting Technology (S.M.A.R.T) Hard Drive instrumentation. If the S.M.A.R.T. drive identifies a potential problem, the NEC Auto Backup utility automatically invokes the Cheyenne Backup program and backs up the entire file system to a user-selected backup device, such as a Zip drive, network drive, or tape.

NEC Auto Backup can also do regularly-scheduled backups and scan files for viruses during a backup operation.

NOTE

Cheyenne Backup must be preconf igured. See the NEC Auto Backup utility “Read Me” file for information about Cheyenne Backup.

2-30 Using NECCSD Utilities

For the NEC Auto Backup utility to work,

See “NEC Select Install CD” for instructions on installing the NEC Auto Backup utility on the NetPC hard disk.

NEC SELECT INSTALL CD

The system comes with an NEC Select Install compact disc (CD). This disk contains all the system software files. Use the NEC Select Install CD to download the operating system and application software from a hardware/software service platform, such as LANDesk Configuration Manager (LCM). Should a problem occur that causes data loss or corruption, you can restore the system files using the NEC Select Install CD.

The Select Install CD installs all or part of the computer’s software in two phases:



operating system (OS) restore program



selective application restore program.

The OS restore phase allows you to install Windows 95 or Windows NT from the LCM CD-ROM reader. If you need to do a full restore, start with phase one.

Phase two, the Selective Application Restore program, takes place while the OS is running and lets you choose the application software you want to install. Use phase two for installing selected applications from the LCM CD-ROM reader at any time.

Both the OS and application phases use easy-to-understand dialog boxes and screen messages so you can smoothly proceed through the installation process.

The following sections explain how to use the NEC Select Install CD with LCM.

Using NECCSD Utilities 2-31

Operating System Restore

OS Restore is the first phase of a full system installation. To perform an OS Restore, the System Administrator must create a service and download the operating system from the Select Install CD in the LCM CD-ROM reader. The Client (user) completes the restore process by selecting the service and running the OS Restore program on the PowerMate NetPC system.

Follow these steps to restore the original, factory-installed operating system using OS Restore.

Insert the NEC Select Install CD into the LCM

CD-ROM reader. Do a map connection to the CD-ROM reader.

From the LCM desktop, double click



and right click on the CD-ROM drive. (For example, right click on designated as drive E.)



In the popup menu, right click on E:/Properties screen appears.

My Computer

if the LCM CD-ROM reader is

Sharing

. The



In the Properties screen, click



Click the Share Name field. (For example, type the field.)



Click OK. This returns you to the Properties screen.

Using universal naming code (UNC), set up a service on

the LCM to run the OS Restore program (OSRESTOR.BAT).



Press Configuration Service Manager program from the Intel LANDesk submenu.

2-32 Using NECCSD Utilities

New Share

, then highlight

Start

Shared As

button, then type a name in the

Programs

CD-ROM

and select the

The Configuration Service Manager Connect screen

appears. Click the



Connect

button.

The Configuration Service Manager screen appears.

This screen has four tabs: Services, Menus, Users, and Activity Log.



Make sure the

button. The Service Wizard screen appears.

New

Type a Service Definition name (maximum of 25



Services

tab is selected, then click the

characters) in the Service Definition field. For example, type

Using the left mouse button, put a check mark in the



netpc-1

in the field.

“Setup applications and run programs” box by clicking once in the box.



Click the



In the Text and Description field, type in the service

button.

text that a user sees in the service boot menu (maximum of 80 characters). For example, type

NetPC System Setup

Type any additional information in the optional

Description of Service field that you want displayed when the user highlights the service.



Click the

button. The Confirmation Message

screen appears.



Put a check mark in the “Show a confirmation message” box by clicking once in the box. Then type the message in the text box.

If you do not want a Confirmation Message to

appear, make sure the default “Do NOT show a confirmation message” box is checked.

Using NECCSD Utilities 2-33

Click the



button. The Setup Applications and

Run Programs screen appears. Click the



button. The Preparing for Application

Add

Setup/Run Program screen appears. Put a check mark in the “Yes, the files are located on



the Configuration Server” box by clicking once in the box.



Using UNC, enter the full path and name for the CD-ROM’s OS Restore program. For example, type

\\LCM_0081\CD-ROM\OSRESTOR.BAT

. (If necessary, use the browse button to find the program.)

Click OK.



The program you are running appears in the Setup

Applications and Run Programs screen. Click the



Select the following optional settings:

button.

 Closing Message (type the message in the text

box, then click

)

 Administrator’s Note (type the note in the text

The Service Wizard Finish screen appears.

Click the



The new Service icon (in this example, “netpc-1”)

appears in the Configuration Service Manager screen.

If you click once on the icon, the Service properties

appear on the right side of the screen.

2-34 Using NECCSD Utilities

box, then click

Finish

button.

Add the new Service to a previously created menu



that a user sees (for example, NetPC Main Menu).  Click the

Menus

tab.

 Highlight the menu in the Available Menus list.  Click

Edit

In the Menu Editor screen, Available Service appears

on the lower left, and Displayed Services is on the lower right.

In Available Service, highlight the new Service and



click the

button. This adds the service to the

Add

Displayed Services list.



Click OK.

The new Service loads into the data base, and its icon

appears in the Configuration Service Manager screen in the Services window.

Press the File pull down menu, then select



Yes

click

NOTE

This complet es the steps done by the System Admini strator. The remai ning steps are done by the Client (user) on the PowerMate NetPC.

Exit

and

Turn on the NetPC. At the prompt, press the spacebar to

remotely log onto the LCM. Enter the User logon name and password.

An Intel screen for the previously defined LANDesk Configuration menu appears with the new Service.

Highlight the Service name, then press

Using NECCSD Utilities 2-35

Enter

If a Confirmation Message window appears, click

continue. The Operating System Restore Welcome screen appears.

Welcome Screen

Click

program). A License Agreement screen appears with three options:

Back, Reject, and Accept.

The



The



The of the license and allows you to continue.

2-36 Using NECCSD Utilities

Continue

button returns you to the Welcome screen.

Back Reject Accept

to continue (or

to exit the

Exit

button terminates the restoration process.

button signals that you accept the terms

Click

to continue.

The Restore Mode screen appears (see the following figure) with three options: Back, Auto, and Custom.

The



button returns you to the License

Back

Agreement screen. The



button selects a restore process designed

Auto

for local PCs configured with CD-ROM readers.

The Auto button does not f unc ti on i n the PowerMat e NetPC system. Do System failure may result.

The

Custom



WARNING

not

press the Auto button.

button selects a restore process for system administrators who want control of restore functions in networking environments.

10.

Click

Custom

(instead of

Auto

) on the Restore Mode screen so you do not partition and format the hard disk before restoring the OS (see the following figure).

Restore Mode Screen

Using NECCSD Utilities 2-37

After you click

Custom

, a Partitioning the Hard Drive screen appears with options allowing you to retain the present partition structure (by selecting

Skip

) or partition the hard disk using FAT16 or FAT32 (by selecting

Continue

The Continue button does not function in the PowerMate NetPC system. Do Continue button. System failure or data corruption may result.

WARNING

not

press the

11.

Click the Hard Drive screen to retain the present partition structure on the hard disk.

The Format Mode screen appears with four options: Back, Exit, Quick, and Full.



2-38 Using NECCSD Utilities

Skip

Click screen.

Click

Partitioning the Hard Drive Screen

(instead of

Back

to return to the Partition Information

Exit

to terminate the restore process.

Continue

) on the Partitioning



Click Click

to do a quick hard disk format.

Quick

to do a full hard disk format.

Full

Format Mode Screen

After you click

Quick

, the Installing

Full

Applications screen appears (see the following figure), indicating the status of the restore process as the operating system loads from the CD.

Installing Application Screen

Using NECCSD Utilities 2-39

NOTE

The drivers and other software components required for the operating system are also loaded from the CD.

When the OS finishes loading, the Operating System

12.

Restore Completed screen appears. Remove the CD from the LCM CD tray.

13.

Click

Continue

to reboot. Windows loads and sets up

the system’s devices and environment.

Selective Application Restore Program

After the operating system is up and running, the System Administrator can begin phase two, allowing installation of the applications associated with the OS. Use this process to reinstall selected applications at any time.

Place the Select Install CD in the LCM CD tray.

On the Client desktop, double click

2. Neighborhood

Double click

to the LCM CD-ROM reader. Double click on the

The NEC Selective Application Restore Program screen appears.

Entire Network

selrest.exe

Network

and do a map connection

program.

2-40 Using NECCSD Utilities

NOTE

Only the applicat ions that work with the system’s OS appear in the Select Install Program screen. For exam ple, if the OS is W indows 95, but there are applications for both Windows 95 and Windows NT 4.0 on the CD, only the drivers required for Windows 95 appear.

Selective Application Restore Program Screen

Select the applications you want to install by double

clicking on the item box or line. A check mark appears in the box.

To unselect an item, double click it again so that the check mark disappears.

Using NECCSD Utilities 2-41

NOTE

Items that appear grayed-out are already

installed on the system.

Click OK.

The application files reload sequentially, and a progress bar appears for each application selected.

When all the applications have finished installing,

remove the CD.

Click

Restart Computer

to reboot and ensure that the

installation process completes successfully.

2-42 Using NECCSD Utilities

Reviewing System

Features

PowerMate NetPC systems are available in two basic models with the following features:



Windows® 95 operating system, 166-MHz Intel Pentium® MMX processor, 16 MB (minimum) of

Synchronous Dynamic Random-Access Memory (SDRAM), and a 2.0-GB IDE hard disk drive

Windows NT® 4.0 operating system, a 200-MHz Intel



Pentium MMX processsor, 32 MB of SDRAM, and a

3.2-GB hard disk drive.

The MMX processor technology boosts audio, video, and 3D graphics performance.

Both PowerMate NetPC models come with an RJ-45 network connector and a video adapter with 2 MB of Synchronous Graphics Random-Access Memory (SGRAM).

Both models also contain audio/video components for multimedia presentations and support optional memory expansion modules. For further hardware enhancements, both models contain a PCI expansion slot for adding an optional, 1/2-length PCI board.

In addition, you may upgrade the system’s hard disk by ordering one of several Ultra DMA/33-compatible IDE hard disk options available from NECCSD.

Reviewing System Features 3-1

Access to the inside of the computer is restricted and subject to warranty requirements. Use NECCSD-authorized personnel to perform system upgrades.

WARNING

Depending on the model, the system might ship with the following software installed on the hard disk:



Microsoft® Windows NT 4.0 or Windows 95



Healthy Environment Help file Intel Pro100 Ethernet network drivers



S3 3D Virge/GX video drivers Active Movie video drivers



Yamaha audio drivers



Microsoft Internet Explorer



Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 or Windows 95 Bus Master IDE drivers



Mouse drivers for Windows NT 4.0 or Windows 95.

CDs containing copies of the operating system and the following applications are included in the shipping carton:



McAfee® VirusScan® and WebScan™



LANDesk® Client Manager



NEC Auto Backup utility



Cheyenne Backup utility



FirstAid Deluxe™ 97.

3-2 Reviewing System Features

SYSTEM CHASSIS

The chassis provides an enclosure for the system board, power supply, a riser card with one PCI expansion slot and RJ-45 network connector, a fan, and one storage device slot.

The storage device slot supports a single one-inch high, 3 1/2-inch IDE hard disk that is compatible with the Ultra DMA/33 standard for high-speed data transfers. (Non-Ultra DMA/33 compatible IDE devices are also supported.)

SYSTEM BOARD COMPONENTS

The PowerMate NetPC system board has the following components.

Processor

Depending on the model, processing for the system is provided by the 166-MHz or 200-MHz Intel Pentium MMX microprocessor.

The processor integrates a 16-KB internal cache and a 256-KB secondary cache and cache controller to improve system performance. An integrated math coprocessor increases the speed of floating point operations.

System Memory

The system comes in configurations starting with a minimum of 16 MB of system memory. Two 168-pin sockets on the system board support up to 256 MB of highspeed memory using industry-standard, gold-plated, 168-pin dual in-line memory modules (DIMM).

Reviewing System Features 3-3

NOTE

An additional approved vendor list (AVL), 10-ns or 12-ns, Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory (SDRAM) DIMM can be installed into the open memory socket.

Memory can be installed in one socket or both. The memory type, size, and speed can vary between sockets. The system automatically detects the memory; no jumper settings are required. The DIMMS can be either single- or double-sided. The minimum allowable memory size for the system is 8 MB, and the maximum is 256 MB.

The following table describes supported DIMM modules.

Supported DIMMs

DIMM SIZE TYPE CONFIGURATION TECHNOLOGY 8 MB CAS Latency 2 SDRAM 1 M x 64 16 Mbit

16 MB CAS Latency 2 SDRAM 2 M x 64 16 Mbit 32 MB CAS Latency 2 SDRAM 4 M x 64 16 Mbit 64 MB* CAS Latency 2 SDRAM 8 M x 64 16 Mbit 128 MB* CAS Latency 2 SDRAM 16 M x 64 64 Mbit

*64-MB and 128-MB modules are supported when available.

3-4 Reviewing System Features

Interrupt Controller

The interrupt controller operates as an interrupt manager for the entire system environment. The controller accepts requests from peripherals, issues interrupt requests to the processor, resolves interrupt priorities, and provides vectors for the processor to determine which interrupt routine to execute. The interrupt controller has priority assignment modes that can be reconfigured at any time during system operations.

The interrupt levels are described in the following table. Interrupt-level assignments 0 through 15 are in order of decreasing priority. See “The Setup Utility” in Chapter 2 for information on changing the interrupts using the Setup utility.

Interrupt Level Assignments

INTERRUPT PRIORITY INTERRUPT DEVICE IRQ00 Counter/Timer

IRQ01 Keyboard IRQ02 Cascade (INT output from slave) IRQ03 COM2 and COM4 IRQ04 COM1 and COM3 IRQ05 Audio (if present) IRQ06 Diskette Drive Controller IRQ07 Parallel Port 1 IRQ08 Real-time clock IRQ09 S3 Video and USB IRQ10 Available IRQ11 Available IRQ12 PS/2 mouse

Reviewing System Features 3-5

Interrupt Level Assignments

INTERRUPT PRIORITY INTERRUPT DEVICE IRQ13 Coprocessor

IRQ14 Primary IDE IRQ15 Available

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-based 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 the embedded PCI local bus IDE interface and supports the video controller.

Flash ROM

The Flash ROM allows fast, economical BIOS upgrades. Flash ROMs are reprogrammable system and video EPROMs.

With a 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

3-6 Reviewing System Features

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 2, Using NECCSD Utilities.

Graphics Features

The system features a PCI local bus motion video playback controller and graphics accelerator (S3 Virge/GX) contained on a single chip on the system board.

NOTE

of the S3 Virge/GX graphics chip on the system board. If you install your own graphics card in the PCI expansion slot, its features may be different.

The following sections describe the features

Motion Video Controller

The motion video controller integrates a Windows graphical user interface (GUI) engine and motion video playback hardware. This means you can view 3D graphics and movies on the computer.

Support includes:



MPEG-1 or MPEG-2 Video for Windows



Active Movie (Windows 95 only).

Reviewing System Features 3-7

MPEG is a compression/decompression standard developed by a professional video group called the Motion Picture Experts Group. MPEG produces full-resolution, 30-frames-per-second (fps), broadcast-quality digital video.

Graphics Accelerator

The graphics accelerator is specifically designed for graphics-intensive operations, 3D effects, texture mapping, text and color pixel amplification, and scrolling. The graphics accelerator provides 64-bit, ultra-high performance for demanding True Color, High Color, and pseudocolor GUI and computer-aided design (CAD) applications.

The accelerator minimizes bus traffic by off-loading the tasks normally performed by the processor. The dedicated bit-block transfer (BitBLT) engine maximizes performance by speeding the movement of large blocks of image data in video memory.

Video Support

The system has 2 MB of Synchronous Graphics RAM (SGRAM) on the system board.

The system supports the following resolutions, colors, and refresh rates for systems with 2 MB of video memory.

3-8 Reviewing System Features

Supported Refresh Rates

REFRESH RATE (HZ)

RESOLUTION

640 x 480 60 60, 70, 72, 75,85 60, 72, 75, 85 60, 72, 75, 85

4-BIT COLOR (16 COLORS)

8-BIT COLOR (256 COLORS)

15-/16-BIT COLOR (32K/64K COLORS)

24-BIT COLOR (16M COLORS)

800 x 600 56, 60, 72,

1024 x 768 43 (IL), 60,

1152 x 864 Not supported 60 Not supported Not supported 1280 x 1024 43 (IL), 60,

1600 x 1200 Not supported 48.5 (IL), 60 Not supported Not supported

IL = Interlaced K = thousand M = million

75, 85

70, 75, 85

75, 80

56, 60, 72, 75,85 56, 60, 72, 75,

43 (IL), 60, 70, 75, 85

43 (IL), 60, 75, 85

85 43 (IL), 60, 70,

75, 85

Not supported Not supported

56, 60, 72, 75, 85

Not supported

High-Speed Communication Ports

The system features an enhanced parallel port and two buffered high-speed serial 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 bidirectional transfer over a parallel port and increase parallel port functionality by supporting more devices.

The buffered high-speed serial ports support transfer rates up to 115.2 kilobytes (KB) per second. These ports allow the installation of high-speed serial devices for faster data transfer rates.

Reviewing System Features 3-9

RJ-45 Port

IDE Port

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

The rear of the system contains an RJ-45-compatible network port for connection to an Ethernet network. This allows you to communicate with the server and share files with other computers on the network.

The system board in the computer supports one internal IDE port.

The port supports two IDE devices, one set as master on the IDE channel, the other as slave. For system configuration flexibility, the computer allows the logical connection of an IDE device without the addition of a controller. (Physically, only one hard disk fits in the chassis.)

The IDE port supports the Ultra DMA/33 standard for

33.3 MB per second, 32-bit wide data transfers on the highperformance PCI local bus.

NOTE

The system supports only one Ultra DMA/33 device on the IDE channel. If an additional IDE devi ce is added to the IDE channel, nei ther dev ice can use Ultra DMA/33 mode.

USB Ports

The Universal Serial Bus (USB) ports allow you to add new serial devices without opening up the system — simply plug them into the ports. The USB determines system resources for each peripheral and assigns them without user intervention. Up to 127 devices can be daisy chained to a single USB port.

3-10 Reviewing System Features

Sound System

The Yamaha sound system installed on the system board provides compatibility with Sound Blaster Pro™, Sound Blaster™ 2.0, Ad Lib™, MPU-401, and Microsoft® Windows Sound System™ for PC sound applications.

For detailed sound specifications, see the “System Specifications” in Appendix B.

Plug and Play Support

The computer comes with a Plug and Play BIOS that supports Plug and Play technology. Plug and Play eliminates complicated setup procedures for installing Plug and Play expansion boards.

With Plug and Play technology, you add a Plug and Play expansion board simply by powering off the system, installing the board, and powering 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.

Reviewing System Features 3-11

24-Hour Information

Services

NECCSD has made it easy for you to get information and help when you need it. We offer 24-hour information services via the following services described in this chapter:

NECCSD FaxFlash™ Service



NECCSD Bulletin Board Service



NECCSD on America Online® Service



NECCSD on CompuServe® Online Service



E-mail to NECCSD Technical Support Services through a commercial online service or the Internet



Fax Service to NECCSD Technical Support Services



NECCSD Web and FTP Sites NECCSD Technical Support Services (U.S. customers



only).

If you have access to a modem and/or fax machine (telephone for Technical Support), you can use the above services to obtain information about your system at any time, day or night, seven days a week.

Not only do these services provide general information about your system, they can also be used to answer your questions and help solve any problems you may have with your system, should that ever be necessary.

24-Hour Information Services 4-1

NECCSD FAXFLASH SERVICE

The NECCSD FaxFlash service is a self-help, automated electronic information service for obtaining up-to-date product application notes, installation procedures, troubleshooting tips, data sheets, technical information bulletins, illustrated parts lists, part numbers, and other information about your system.

Using a fax machine, you can obtain information from FaxFlash 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Simply call the FaxFlash number on your touch-tone telephone and order the information you want by following the voice prompts. FaxFlash automatically faxes the information to you.

If you are new to FaxFlash, first order one of the following catalogs. Each catalog lists the available documents and their document numbers. Current catalogs include:



Catalog 1, NECCSD Telephone Directory and Online Service Information



Catalog 3, NECCSD Computer Product Specifications, Warranty Policy, Ultracare Guidelines, and Sales Information



Catalog 5, NEC ProServa™ and Express Serva Product Information



Catalog 6, NEC Ready Consumer Desktop Systems



Catalog 7, NEC PowerMate Commercial Desktop Systems



Catalog 8, NEC Portable Systems (including Versa Notebook and MobilePro™ Handheld computers).

Catalogs 5, 6, 7, and 8 contain technical support information, including Technical Information Bulletins, Illustrated Parts lists, Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) lists, and other product support documents.

4-2 24-Hour Information Services

Order information from FaxFlash as follows.

Be sure that your fax machine or fax/modem is on. Have

the document number ready for the document you want. At your touch-tone telephone, enter

and Canada) or Listen to the instructions provided by the voice prompts.

Press

if you do not want an introduction to FaxFlash.

508-635-6090

888-329-0088

(international)

(USA

Follow the automated instructions for ordering your document or catalog.

Press

if you want an introduction to FaxFlash. Follow

the automated instructions for ordering your catalog or document.

When prompted, enter your fax number and name.

For international use, first enter the international long distance access number (

), your country code, your

011

area code or city code, then your fax number.

FaxFlash automatically sends the information you request to your fax machine. Please wait for the ordered document to arrive at your fax machine before calling to order more documents. If FaxFlash attempts to send the second order before the first order is completed, the order may be canceled. After three tries, FaxFlash assumes that your line is busy and terminates any further processing of the order.

24-Hour Information Services 4-3

NECCSD BULLETIN BOARD SERVICE

Through your network connection (or if you have access to a modem), you can use the NECCSD Bulletin Board Service (BBS) to get the latest information on hardware and software. The BBS allows you to download files (video drivers, printer drivers, BIOS updates, etc.) for system enhancements and upgrades.

The BBS can also be accessed through the CompuServe online service.

Log onto the BBS as follows.

From the Windows desktop, click the

Point to Programs. Point to Accessories and then click

2. HyperTerminal

Double click the

Hypertrm.exe

icon. The

Start

button.

HyperTerminal program appears. Follow the instructions on the screen to set up your

modem. Click the

HyperTerminal

help button for

information about dialing the phone number. If you need to check communications settings, check that

the settings match the following BBS parameters.

Baud rate: select any baud rate that matches your



modem



Parity: none Data bits: 8



Stop bits: 1



Flow control: Xon/Xoff (select Hardware if using

14.4 bps or higher).

4-4 24-Hour Information Services

Following the HyperTerminal instructions, enter the

BBS phone number (

508-635-4706

phone system and/or location might require a

). Your business

9 1

prefix.

NOTE

The first time that you use the BBS, you are requested to provide information for a new user questionnaire.

Press

Enter your first name, last name, and password. Press

7. Enter

Follow the screen prompts until the Main Menu is

twice.

Enter

after each.

displayed. At the Main Menu, select

9. Conference 1

From the Main Menu, press

10.

for the desktop conference.

to join a conference. Select

and

Enter

for the File

menu. At the File menu, select

11.

for a list of downloadable

files. Follow the prompts to select a file for downloading.

Executable files automatically format your diskette when you download files f rom the BBS. Form atting destroys any data on the diskette. Before you download fil es from the BBS, check that you do not have information on the diskette that you need.

CAUTION

24-Hour Information Services 4-5

After you complete downloading your file, log off the BBS as follows:

Press

Press G (command for Goodbye/Hangup).

Press

Enter

(to continue).

NECCSD ON AMERICA ONLINE SERVICE

If you subscribe to America Online, you can use the service to obtain information about NECCSD and its products. You can use America Online to e-mail technical questions to NECCSD Technical Support staff, post technical questions and messages on the Message Board, and access the NEC Software Library to download files.

Use the following steps to access America Online and NECCSD online information services.

Log onto America Online.

At the opening screen, click

At the Go To menu, click

At the prompt, type

NEC

Go To

Keyword

, then press

in the Main Menu.

Enter

At the NEC menu, double click one of the following

topics, then follow the prompts:

About NEC



Terms and Conditions



News



Product Information



Questions and Answers NEC Promotions



4-6 24-Hour Information Services

Message Board



Software Library.



Exit anytime by double clicking the rectangle in the

upper left corner of the screen.

NECCSD ON COMPUSERVE ONLINE SERVICE

If you subscribe to CompuServe, you can use the service to obtain information about NECCSD and its products. You can use CompuServe to e-mail technical questions to NECCSD Technical Support staff, post technical questions and messages on the Bulletin Board, and access the NECCSD BBS.

NOTE

You cannot download information from the NECCSD Bulletin Board from CompuServe. You must call the NECCSD B ullet in Boar d dir ectly using the procedure described earlier in this chapter.

Use the following steps to access CompuServe and NECCSD online information services.

Log onto CompuServe.

At the opening screen, click the Go button, then type

2. NECTECH

At the NEC menu, double click one of the following

at the prompt, and click OK.

topics, then follow the prompts:



NEC Bulletin Board



Information About This Service



Access NEC BBS

24-Hour Information Services 4-7

Access CompuServe Information Services



Exit.



Exit anytime by double clicking on the rectangle in the

upper left corner of the screen.

E-MAIL/FAX TECHNICAL SUPPORT SERVICE

The NECCSD Technical Support Center offers technical support by e-mail over the Internet network if you have a modem. The Internet address is:

tech-support@neccsd.com

You can also fax technical questions to the NECCSD Technical Support Center if you have access to a fax machine or fax/modem. The fax number is:

(508) 635-4100

When using the e-mail or fax support service, you should include the following words in the subject field for prompt response from the appropriate technical person:



Desktop



Notebook.

You should provide as much specific information about your questions as possible. Also, if you are sending a fax, please include your voice telephone number and your fax number with the question. You will receive a response to your questions within one business day.

4-8 24-Hour Information Services

INTERNET

If you have a modem, you can access the NECCSD Home Page on the Internet World Wide Web. You can do this through a commercial online service or through your Internet account. The NECCSD Home Page contains general information about NECCSD products.

You can also use the Internet to access the NECCSD FTP (file transfer protocol) site to download various files (video drivers, printer drivers, BIOS updates). The files are essentially the same files as on the NECCSD Bulletin Board Service.

To access the World-Wide-Web NECCSD Home Page, enter the following Internet Uniform Resource Locator (URL) through your service:

http://www.nec-computers.com/

To access the NECCSD FTP site, enter the following Internet ftp address through your service:

ftp.nectech.com

Once in the file menu, follow the prompts to choose and download the file(s) you want.

24-Hour Information Services 4-9

NECCSD TECHNICAL SUPPORT SERVICES

NECCSD also offers direct technical support through its Technical Support Center. (NECCSD technical support is for U.S. and Canadian customers only; international customers should check with their sales provider.)

Direct assistance is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Call the NECCSD Technical Support Center, toll free, at 1-800-632-4565 (U.S. and Canada only) for the following support.



System hardware — toll-free phone support is limited to the length of the standard warranty.

For hardware support after the standard warranty, get system hardware support for a fee.



Preinstalled software — toll-free phone support for 90 days from the time of your first call to the NECCSD Technical Support Center.

After the initial 90 days, get preinstalled software support for a fee.

Please have available your system’s name, model number, serial number, and as much information as possible about your system’s problem before calling.

For outside the U.S., please contact your local NECCSD sales provider.

4-10 24-Hour Information Services

Solving System

Problems

Occasionally, you may encounter a problem with your computer. In most cases, the problem is one that you can solve yourself.

Your system has a built-in checking program that automatically tests its components when you turn the system unit power on. If there is a problem, the system displays an error message. If this happens, follow any instructions on the screen.

If screen messages do not help or an error message does not appear, refer to the following information in this chapter to determine and solve the problem:



“Finding Solutions to Common Problems” Refer to this section to solve common minor problems.

“Getting Help”



Refer to this section if the above listed procedures have failed to correct the problem.

FINDING SOLUTIONS TO COMMON PROBLEMS

See the following sections to match your problem area and view the possible causes and solutions.

When trying to solve problems, you should note what the system was doing when the problem occurred and what you attempted to do to correct the problem. This information is useful if you request assistance.

Solving System Problems 5-1

System Problems

Check the following list to match your problem and see the possible cause and solution.



No power and power lamp not lit.

Check that all power switches are on. Check that the power cable is plugged into the system

power socket. Check that the other end of the cable is plugged into a live, properly grounded AC power outlet or surge protector.

Check the outlet or surge protector by plugging in a lamp.



System does not boot and error message displayed on screen.

Run the Setup Utility (see Chapter 2). Check that the parameters are set correctly, particularly if you just installed an option.



System emits continuous beeps.

Turn the system off, wait at least five seconds, and turn the system on. If the beeps continue, call your NECCSD dealer or the NECCSD Technical Support Center.



System does not maintain date, time, system configuration information.

Have qualified personnel change the battery. For assistance, call your NECCSD dealer or the NECCSD Technical Support Center.

5-2 Solving System Problems



System performance appears sluggish.

Check that your system is set for optimal operation. See your operating system documentation.

Check the memory requirements of your software applications. If required, have qualified personnel install additional DIMM memory. For assistance, call your NECCSD dealer or the NECCSD Technical Support Center.



User password forgotten.

Clear the password and reset it. See “Clear User Password” and “Set User or Supervisor Password” in Chapter 2.

Monitor Problems

Check the following problems to see the possible cause and solution.



Monitor screen is dark or the display is hard to read.

Check that the monitor is on. Check that the monitor power cable is connected to the

monitor and a power outlet, the monitor signal cable is connected to the system, and the brightness and contrast controls are adjusted.

Press the space bar or move the mouse to take the system out of the power management mode.



Distorted image appears on your monitor screen.

Adjust the monitor’s video controls. If this does not help, turn the monitor off for several seconds, then back on.

Solving System Problems 5-3



There is constant movement on the screen.

A magnetic field is affecting your monitor. Move any devices (fan, motor, another monitor) that generate magnetic fields away from your monitor.



The screen display is fuzzy or flickering; graphics characters or garbage appears on the screen.

Check that your monitor is set up correctly and that all connections have been made.

Check that the video refresh rate and video driver are correct.

Click the right mouse button anywhere on the Windows desktop and a menu appears. Click on Properties and the Display Properties window appears.

Keyboard/Mouse Problems

Check the following problem to see the possible cause and solution.



Mouse or keyboard does not respond.

You may have connected the mouse and keyboard after turning on your system. Turn the system off, make sure the mouse and keyboard are connected, and turn the system back on.



Image appears on screen but nothing happens when you use the mouse or keyboard.

Tighten the keyboard or mouse cable connection. If this does not help, turn off the system, wait five or

more seconds, and turn on the system.

5-4 Solving System Problems

GETTING HELP

If you tried correcting problems yourself and were not successful, you may want to try one or more of the following 24-hour services for answers to your questions. (Some services require a modem or fax machine.)



See Chapter 4 for detailed information about using these services. If you still need help, continue with the suggestions that follow.

NECCSD FaxFlash Service NECCSD Bulletin Board Service NECCSD on America Online Service NECCSD on CompuServe Online Service E-mail to NECCSD Technical Support Services through

a commercial online service or the Internet Fax Service to NECCSD Technical Support Services Internet NECCSD Technical Support Services.

Getting Help From Your Company

If you are in a company, the best source of help may be internal. Your company may have designated central support personnel to whom you can go when you have problems.

Getting Help From Your NECCSD Dealer

The NECCSD dealer from whom you purchased your system is a good source of help and should be contacted. The dealer is backed by complete support resources and programs within NECCSD.

Solving System Problems 5-5

Getting Help From NECCSD Technical Support Center

Help is available to you through the NECCSD Technical Support Center. (International customers should check with their sales provider.)

Direct assistance is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Call the NECCSD Technical Support Center, toll free, at 1-800-632-4565 (for the U.S. only) for following support.

System hardware — toll-free phone support is limited to



the length of the standard warranty. For hardware support after the standard warranty, get

system hardware support for a fee.



Preinstalled software — toll-free phone support for 90 days from the time of your first call to the NECCSD Technical Support Center.

After the initial 90 days, get preinstalled software support for a fee.

Before calling, please have ready your system name, model number, serial number, and purchase date. Also have ready as much information as possible about the problem you are having, including any error messages that occurred.

5-6 Solving System Problems

NECCSD Warranty/Non-Warranty Repair Service

NECCSD repair service is designed to support your warranty and non-warranty service activity.

Before you call for repair service, see the previous sections in this chapter to determine if you can solve the problem yourself, within your company, through your dealer, or with the help of a technician from the NECCSD Technical Support Center.

If your system requires repair service from NECCSD, call 1-800-632-4565 (United States and Canada only).

If you are outside the U.S. and Canada, please contact your local NECCSD sales provider.

Solving System Problems 5-7

Setting Up a Healthy

MAKING YOUR COMPUTER WORK FOR YOU

Work Environment

Prolonged or improper use of a computer workstation may pose a risk of serious inj ury. To reduce your ri sk of injury, set up and use your computer in the manner described in this appendix.

Contact a doctor if you experience pain, tenderness, swelling, burning, cramping, stiffness, throbbing, weakness, soreness, tingling and/or numbness in the hands, wrists, arms, shoulders, neck, back, and/or legs.

Computers are everywhere. More and more people sit at computers for longer periods of time. This appendix explains how to set up your computer to fit your physical needs. This information is based on ergonomics — the science of making the workplace fit the needs of the worker.

WARNING

Some nerve, tendon, and muscle disorders (musculoskeletal disorders) may be associated with repetitive activities,

improper work environments, and incorrect work habits. Examples of musculoskeletal disorders that may be associated with certain forms of repetitive activities include: carpal tunnel syndrome, tendinitis, tenosynovitis, de Quervain’s tenosynovitis, and trigger finger, as well as other nerve, tendon, and muscle disorders.

Setting Up a Healthy Work Environment A-1

Although some studies have shown an association between increasing hours of keyboard use and the development of some musculoskeletal disorders, it is still unclear whether working at a computer causes such disorders. Some doctors believe that using the keyboard and mouse may aggravate existing musculoskeletal disorders.

Some people are more susceptible to developing these disorders due to preexisting conditions or psychosocial factors (see “Preexisting Conditions and Psychosocial Factors” later in the appendix).

To reduce your risk of developing these disorders, follow the instructions in this appendix. If you experience discomfort while working at your computer or afterwards, even at night, contact a doctor as soon as possible. Signs of discomfort might include pain, tenderness, swelling, burning, cramping, stiffness, throbbing, weakness, soreness, tingling and/or numbness in the hands, wrists, arms, shoulders, neck, back, and/or legs.

A-2 Setting Up a Healthy Work Environment

ARRANGE YOUR EQUIPMENT

Arrange your equipment so that you can work in a natural and relaxed position. Place items that you use frequently within easy reach. Adjust your workstation setup to the proper height (as described in this appendix) by lowering the table or stand that holds your computer equipment or raising the seat height of your chair. To create more desk space, you can put your computer base on the floor.

Adjust

your chair

Adjust

your keyboard

and mouse

Adjust your monitor

Setting Up a Healthy Work Environment A-3

ADJUST YOUR CHAIR

Your chair should be adjustable and stable. Vary your posture throughout the day.

Check the following:



Keep your body in a relaxed yet upright position. The backrest of your chair should support the inward curve of your back.

Use the entire seat and backrest to support your body.



Tilt the backrest slightly backwards. The angle formed by your thighs and back should be 90° or more.

A-4 Setting Up a Healthy Work Environment

Your seat depth should allow your lower back to com-



fortably contact the backrest. Make sure that the backs of your lower legs do not press against the front of the chair.

Extend your lower legs slightly so that the angle between



your thighs and lower legs is 90° or more. Place your feet flat on the floor. Only use a footrest



when attempts to adjust your chair and workstation fail to keep your feet flat.

Be sure that you have adequate clearance between the



top of your thighs and the underside of your workstation.



Use armre sts or forearm supports to support your forearms. If adjustable, the armrests or forearm supports should initially be lowered while all the other adjustments discussed in this appendix are made. Once all these adjustments are completed, raise the armrests or adjust the forearm supports until they touch the forearms and allow the shoulder muscles to relax.

Setting Up a Healthy Work Environment A-5

ADJUST YOUR INPUT DEVICES

Follow these points in positioning your keyboard and mouse.

Position your keyboard directly in front of you. Avoid



reaching when using your keyboard or mouse.



If you use a mouse, position it at the same height as the keyboard and next to the keyboard. Keep your wrists straight and use your entire arm when moving a mouse. Do not grasp the mouse tightly. Grasp the mouse lightly and loosely.



Adjust the keyboard height so that your elbows are near your body and your forearms are parallel to the floor, with your forearms resting on either armrests or forearm supports, in the manner described previously. If you do not have armrests or forearm supports, your upper arms should hang comfortably at your sides.

Adjust your keyboard slope so that your wrists are



straight while you are typing.

A-6 Setting Up a Healthy Work Environment

Nec POWERMATE NETPC user Manual

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Frequently Asked Questions

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Using This Guide

Contents