OPERATIONS GUIDE l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l
SX386M OPERATIONS GUIDE
GERMAN RFI DECLARATION FOR CLASS B SELF CERTIFICATION Hiermit wird bescheinigt, dass der TriGem SX386M in Übereinstimmung mit den Bestimmungen der Vfg 1046/1984 funk-entstort ist. Der Deutschen Bundespost wurde das Inverkehrbringen dieses Gerätes angezeigt und die Berechtigung zur Überprüfung der Serie auf Einhaltung der Bestimmungen eingeräumt. TriGem Inc.
IMPORTANT NOTICE DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTY TriGem Computer, Inc. makes no representations or warranties with respect to this manual, and shall not be held liable for technical or editorial omissions made herein; nor incidental or consequential damages resulting from the furnishing, performance, or use of this manual. Further, TriGem Computer, Inc.
TriGem is a registered trademark of TriGem Computer, Inc. AMI BIOS is a trademark of American Megatrends Inc. IBM, PC, PC/XT, PC/AT, MDA, Monochrome Display Adaptor, EGA, Enhanced Graphics Adaptor, VGA, and Video Graphics Array are trademarks of International Business Machines Corporation. Intel is a registered trademark of Intel Corp. Intel 386 sx is a trademark of Intel Corp. Intel 387 sx is a trademark of Intel Corp. AMD is a registered trademark of Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
FCC COMPLIANCE STATEMENT This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions may cause harmful interference to radio communications.
SAFETY The following instructions pertain to the risk of fire, electric shock or bodily injury. Please read all of these instructions carefully. ❏ Follow all of the instructions and warnings marked on this product or included in this manual. ❏ Do not use this computer on an unstable cart, stand or table. ❏ Slots and openings in the cabinet and the back have been provided for ventilation.
MAINTENANCE Except as explained in Chapter 7, “Expanding Your System,” do not attempt to modify or service this product yourself. Opening or removing those covers that are marked “DO NOT REMOVE” may expose you to dangerous voltage points or other risks. Refer all servicing problems to qualified service personnel. If the product does not operate normally, adjust only those controls that are covered by the operating instructions.
S t o p ! If you ever have to remove the main system unit cover, observe the following precautions: ❏ The power supply cord must be unplugged before the main system unit cover is removed. Separe le cordon d’alimentation et puis enleve le couvercle.) ❏ Once removed, the cover must be replaced and screwed in position before the power supply cord is plugged back in. (Apres le couvercle a enleve, visse le couvercle en place et remettre le cordon d’alimentation.
Wichtige Sicherheitsvorschriften Unbedingt beachten! Allgemeine Sicherheit Die nachfolgenden Anweisungen betreffen die Gefahr von Verletzungen durch elektrische Spannung, Feuer und mechanische Einwirkung. Bitte lesen Sie diese Anweisungen sorgfaltig. ❏ Beachten Sie alle Hinweise, die am Gerät selbst angebracht oder in den zugehörigen Handbüchem vermerkt sind. ❏ Stellen Sie das Gerät an einem sicheren, stabilen Arbeitsplatz auf.
❏ Auf das Netzanschlusskabel dürfen keine Gegenstände gestellt werden. Legen sie das Netzkabel so, dass niemand darauftreten oder darüber stolpern kann. ❏ Wenn Sie Verlängerungskabel benutzen, müssen Sie sicher sein, dass die gesamte Leistungsaufnahme nicht grösser ist als das Verlängerungskabel zulässt. Der gesamte Stromverbrauch aller angeschlossenen Geräte darf nicht mehr als 15 A betragen. ❏ Wenn Sie das Gerät reinigen, muss das Netzkabel aus der Steckdose gezogen werden.
ACHTUNG: Wenn Sie das Gerät öffnen mössen (Abnahme der verschraubten Haube), ist unbedingt folgendes zu beachten: ❏ Das Netzkabel muss aus der Steckdose gezogen werden und zwar bevor Sie das Gerät öffnen. ❏ Die Haube muss wieder monitert und verschraubt werden. Erst dann darf das Netzkabel wieder eingesteckt werden.
Contents 1 How to Use This Manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chapter 1 Setting Up Your System 1. Unpacking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2. Choosing a Location . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3. Connecting a Monitor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4.
Chapter 3 Using Your Computer Changing the Operating Speed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Special Keys on Your Keyboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Stopping a Command or Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Using Disks and Disk Drives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . How Disks Store Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Types of Diskette Drives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Disk Directories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The DIR Command . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . File Searches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Multiple Disk Drive Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Wildcards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Application Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Chapter 7 Expanding Your System Connecting Peripherals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Serial Ports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Parallel Ports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Connecting Printers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Connecting Modems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Connecting External Disk Drives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Appendix C Video Monitor Systems Monitor System Resolution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-1 Video Controller Boards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-1 MonitorTypes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-4 Appendix D Connector Pinouts I/OPorts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D-1 Expansion Slot Connectors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Introduction Your TriGem computer is powerful, versatile, and easy to use. After setting up your system with the simple instructions in this manual, you’ll soon be using your favorite software programs. This computer is available in these configurations: ❏ The System provides one 1.2MB (megabyte) diskette drive and an optional 40MB (or 80MB) hard disk drive.
How to Use This Manual This manual explains how to set up and care for your computer. It also describes how to use your computer. The instructions in this manual apply to your system, except where otherwise indicated. You probably don’t need to read everything in this book; see the following chapter summaries. Chapter 1 provides simple step-by-step instructions for setting up your computer. Chapter 2 describes how to run the Setup program to setup your computer’s configuration.
Chapter 1 SettingUpYourSystem Setting up your personal computer is easy. Just follow the nine steps in this chapter. When you finish setting up your computer, go on to Chapter 2 and follow the instructions there to run the Setup program. The Setup program updates the list of equipment installed in the computer and any time options are added or changed. 1 Unpacking As you unpack the different parts of your computer system, be sure to inspect each piece.
Besides this manual, you should have the following: ❏ The computer and power cord ❏ The Keyboard with attached cable ❏ MS-DOS diskettes ❏ GW-BASIC diskette ❏ MS-DOS User’s Guide ❏ GW-BASIC User’s Guide In addition to these items, you need a compatible monitor to use with the computer. Be sure to keep your packing materials. They provide the best protection for your computer if you need to transport it later.
source of heat. High humidity also hinders operation, so select a cool, dry area. Avoid dust and smoke, which can damage disks and disk drives and cause you to lose valuable data. ❏ Appropriate power source: To prevent static charges, connect all your equipment to three-prong, grounded outlets. You need one outlet for the computer, one for the monitor, and additional outlets for a printer and any other peripherals.
In addition to the display monitor itself, the video system includes a video controller board. This board generates the letters, numbers, and graphics symbols displayed on the monitor screen. Connectors are provided for the display type that is supported by the board (monochrome, RGB color, high resolution EGA, VGA etc.). Certain boards support more than one type of display, and may provide a switch to select either color or monochrome modes.
Figure 1-2. Connecting the Monitor 4. Plug the other end of monitor’s power cord into an electrical outlet. 4 Connecting a Printer, Mouse, or Modem The computer has a parallel interface and two serial interfaces on the back panel, so you can easily connect a printer or other type of device with either type of interface. For example, you can use the parallel port to connect a parallel printer (most printers have a parallel interface).
Follow the steps in this section to connect a printer or other peripheral device to either the parallel or serial interface. Using the Parallel Interface The parallel interface on your computer is Centronics compatible and uses a 25-pin connector. To connect a parallel printer to your computer, you need an IBM-compatible printer cable. If you are not sure which one you need, or whether you have the right one, check with the store where you purchased the printer.
3. Connect the other end of the cable to the printer, as shown below. If the printer has retaining clips on each side of the printer port, squeeze the clips together to secure the cable. 4. Plug the printer’s power cord into an electrical outlet. Using the Serial Interface If you have a serial printer, modem, mouse, or any other peripheral with a serial interface, you can connect it to one of two serial (RS-232C) ports on the back of the computer.
Setting up the serial port for a printer If you are using a serial printer but your software does not support a serial printer, you must do two things before you can print: ❏ Set up the data transmission parameters for the serial port. ❏ Tell the computer to redirect printer data from the parallel port to the serial port. 5 Connecting the Power Cord Follow these steps to connect the power cord: 1. Insert the power cord into the AC inlet on the computer’s back panel, as shown below.
Note The socket-outlet should be installed near the equipment and should be easily accessible. Die Verbindung zwischen Steckdose sollte mölichst Kurz sein. Die steckdose sollte frei zugäglich sein. For units to be installed in European countries, a power supply cord of type HAR, with HOSVV-F should be used. Fur Geräte, die in europäischen Ländern eingesetzt werden, sollte ein Netzkabel Typ HAR mit der Nummer H65VV-F benutzt werden. 6 Connecting the Keyboard Your keyboard has only one cable to connect.
Adjusting the Keyboard Angle You can change the angle of the keyboard by adjusting the legs on the bottom. Turn the keyboard over and lift each leg upward until it locks into place, as shown below. You lock the legs into a low or high position, or leave them flat. Figure 1-7.
7 Turning On the Computer Before you turn on your computer, read the following safety rules to avoid accidentally damaging the computer or injuring yourself: ❏ Do not unplug cables from the computer when the power switch is on. ❏ Never turn off or reset your computer while a disk drive light is on. This can destroy data stored on disk or make an entire disk unusable. Similary, never remove a diskette from a diskette drive while the drive light is on.
Follow these steps to turn on your system: 1. Turn on the monitor, printer, and any other peripheral devices connected to the computer. 2. To turn on the computer, press the power switch. POWER SWITCH Figure 1-8. Power Switch The power indicator on the front panel lights up. After a few seconds, the computer starts to perform an internal self test. This is a series of checks the computer completes each time you turn it on to make sure everything is working correctly.
386 sx-BIOS (C) 1989 American Megatrends Inc. (C) 1990 TriGem Coporation XXXX KBOK Press to bypass MEMORY test (C) American Megatrends Inc. DNSX-6080-051690-KB The computer continually updates this display as it tests its memory. This test takes about 15 seconds to complete.
computer’s memory before you can run any program, such as a word processing program or a spreadsheet program. The Command Prompt After the computer has loaded MS-DOS from the hard disk, you see the MS-DOS command prompt on the screen: The command prompt tells you that your computer is ready to receive instructions. It also identifies the current operating drive: A or C, for example. The command prompt appears on the screen whenever you load MS-DOS, complete an MS-DOS command, or exit an application.
Note If you do not have any 1.2MB diskettes, you can use unformatted 360KB diskettes. When copying from 1.2MB diskettes, the DISKCOPY program formats the 360KB diskettes for 1.2MB. Follow these steps: 1. The C> prompt should be on the screen. If not, type C: and press Enter. 2. Type the following and press Enter: DISKCOPY A: A: The screen displays this message: Insert SOURCE diskette in drive A: Press any key to continue... 3. Insert the MS-DOS diskette in drive A, as shown below.
Figure 1-9. Inserting a Floppy Disk 4. Press any key. The DISKCOPY program copies the contents of the MS-DOS diskette to the computer’s memory, and then you see the following: Insert TARGET diskette in drive A: Press any key to continue... 5. Remove the MS-DOS diskette and insert a blank diskette (which is to be the target diskette) in drive A. Then press any key. If the diskette is not formatted, the DISKCOPY program formats it.
Copy another diskette (Y/N) ? 6. Press Y so you can make a copy of another MS-DOS diskette. Again, you see the prompt to insert the source diskette. 7. Remove the copy of the MS-DOS diskette which you just made and insert the another MS-DOS diskette into drive A. Then press any key. Follow the prompts on the screen to make a copy of this diskette as you did for the first MS-DOS diskette. 8.
CONTROL-ALT-DEL (Keyboard Reset) Press the CONTROL key and the ALT key at the same time. While holding these keys down, press the DELETE key, then release all three keys. This will reset your computer without running the full self-test diagnostics. The POWER Switch Turn the main system POWER switch off, wait ten seconds, then turn it back on. The computer will then run the complete self-test diagonistic routine. Caution! Any time you RESET your computer, the memory will be cleared.
Chapter 2 The CMOS Setup Program Introduction The Setup program keeps a record of the host computer’s system parameters (such as memory amounts, disk drives, video displays, and peripheral devices). Setup resides in the Read Only Memory Basic Input/Output System (ROM BIOS) so that it is available each time the host is turned on. Setup stores the information in the complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) memory.
Note Note that you can bypass the memory test by pressing the < ESC > key. This option would be useful when the memory on the system is quite large. You should hit the < ESC > key when the following message appears on the screen.
Use < Up • > and keys to set the reverse video cursor on the option you want to select and use < Enter > to get into the option. If your system’s start-up message does not show any errors and proceeds to try to load software from the floppy disk drive, you see the following message: DRIVE NOT READY ERROR Insert BOOT diskette in A: Press any key when ready This means that the SETUP program options have been set at the factory.
If you hit key, you will see a menu like as following. RUN CMOS SETUP RUN DIAGNOSTICS Set the reverse video cursor on the “RUN CMOS SETUP” using and and press < ENTER> . Then the screen will be replaced by the following. Floppy drive B: : Not Unstalled Hard disk C: type Hard disk D: type : 17 : Not Installed Serial Fort : COM1+COM2 Cyln Head Wpcom LZone Sec. Size 977 17 41MB 977 5 300 highlights the parameter currently available to be changed.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . moves the selection bar < • > < Ž > . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . moves the selection bar < PgUp > < PgDn > . ._. . . . . . scrolls allowable settings < E S C > . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . exit and save CMOS register < Ctrl> < Alt > < Del > . . . exit without save Parameters ❏ Date and Time Setup The first entry in the Setup screen is current date.
❏ Hard Disk Drive Setup Drives c: and d: are the hard disk drives in the system. 46 drive types have been defined by AMI. If for some reason or other your particular drive is not one of the 46 pre-defined types, simply scroll down to type 47 and enter the following drive specifications: cylinders, heads, WPcom, LZone, and sectors. Please consult the documentation received with the drive for the specific values that will give you optimum performance.
❏ System Use this parameter to copy the system BIOS into shadow RAM during the start-up routine. l l Video This parameter loads the program code from your video card into shadow RAM during system start up. System + Video This option loads the System BIOS and video code into shadow RAM. ❏ Scratch RAM Option. The next option is the setting of the scratch RAM.
l Low speed Select this option is to boot your system with 8MHz CPU speed as turning the power on. ❏ HD controller The system has on board IDE type HDC. If you’d like to another type of HDC (for example, SCSI, or ESDI etc.), disable this option and install your HDC Card to the expansion slot on the backplane board. ❏ Parallel port If you use on board parallel port, set this parameter LPT1 or LPT2. However if you want to use another parallel using external I/O card, you should disable this parameter.
If you want to use another parallel using external I/O card, you should select this option. Leaving the Setup Program When you have completed the changes, press the < ESC > key. The SETUP program will display the message: Write data into CMOS and exit (Y/N)? If you have made any mistakes, press N for No, then move the cursor back up to the beginning and verify each parameter, making any corrections necessary.
Chapter 3 Using Your Computer This chapter covers the following basic procedure for using your computer: ❏ Changing the operating speed ❏ Using special keys on the keyboard ❏ Stopping a command or program ❏ Using disks and disk drives. Changing the Operating Speed Your computer can operate two speeds; 8MHz or 16MHz. At 16MHz, the computer performs all tasks faster, and almost all programs may be run at 16MHz. However, some option cards and application programs require the lower speed.
l Ctrl-Alt- < + > Hold down the < Ctrl > and keys and press < + > on the numeric keypad to place the system in high speed. Changing the operating speed may be performed with the TriGem Utility TGSS.COM. This program is located on the MS-DOS diskette supplied with the system. You can find the detailed description of TGSS.COM in your MS-DOS User’s Guide. Special Keys on your Keyboard Certain keys on your keyboard serve special functions when your computer is running programs.
Key Fl-F12 Purpose Perform special functions within application program (some keys also function with MS-DOS. See your MS-DOS Reference Manual for more information.) Tab Moves the cursor one table to the right in normal mode (and one tab the left in shift mode when using some application programs.) Ctrl Works with other key to perform special (control) function, such as editing operations. Shift Produces uppercase characters or the top symbols on the keys when used with the main character keys.
Key Purpose Sys Req Produces the system request function in certain applications. PrtSc Prints the screen display on a dot-matrix printer. Home, End, PgUp, PgDn Control cursor location in some applications, such as word processors, game programs, and spreadsheets. Ins Turns the insert function on and off in some application programs. Del Deletes the character at the cursor positlon.
Stopping a Command or Program You may sometimes need to stop a command or program while it is running. Many application programs provide a command you can use to stop or even cancel (undo) an operation. If you have entered an MS-DOS command that you want to stop, try one of the following commands: ❏ Hold down the Ctrl key and press C ❏ Hold down the Ctrl key and press Break These methods may also work in your application program.
❏ Care for your diskettes and diskette drives ❏ Insert and remove diskettes ❏ Write-protect diskettes ❏ Make backup copies of your diskettes ❏ Use a single diskette drive ❏ Use a hard disk drive How Disks Store Data The diskette you insert in your computer’s diskette drive is made of flexible plastic, coated with magnetic material. It is enclosed in a square jacket. Your computer stores data on the diskette by recording on the magnetic surface. Unlike a diskette, a hard disk is rigid and fixed in place.
A disk is further divided by sectors. To understand what a sector is, picture the spokes on a bicycle wheel radiating from the center of the wheel to the tire. The space between one spoke and the next is like a sector on a diskette. (See the figure below.) Each track on a 1.2MB diskette has 15 sectors, and each sector holds 512 bytes. Figure 3-3. Sectors and Tracks Your computer uses the read/write heads in a disk drive to store and retrieve data on a disk.
Types of Diskette Drives You computer has at least one 1.2MB diskette drive. With this drive, use 5 1/4+inch, double-sided, highdensity, 96 TPI, 1.2MB diskettes. These diskettes contain 80 tracks per side, 15 sectors per track, and hold up to 1.2MB of information, which is approximately 500 pages of text. You can also format these diskettes for 36OKB - see your MS-DOS Reference Manual for more information. In addition, you may have a diskette drive of a different type.
Note : You must format new diskettes before you can use them with an operating system. Formatting erases all the data on a diskette and prepares it to receive new data, so be sure to format only new blank diskettes or diskettes that contain data you want to erase. See Chapter 5 for instructions on formatting diskettes. Drive and diskette incompatibilities Because of the size difference, you cannot use 3 1/2-inch diskettes in a 5 1/4-inch drive or vice versa.
Because of these incompatibilities, you should indicate the density and diskette type when you label your diskettes. (Usually this information appears on the manufacturer’s label.) If you have any combination of the above drives (36OKB, 1.2MB, 72OKB, or 1.44MB), you can copy files from one drive to another - using the COPY or XCOPY command - as long as the correct diskette type is in each drive. You can use these commands to copy files between the hard disk and any type of diskette.
❏ Keep diskettes away from magnetic fields. (Remember that diskettes store information magnetically.) There are many sources of magnetism in your home or office, such as electrical appliances, telephones, and loudspeakers. ❏ Do not place diskettes an top of your monitor or near an external disk drive. ❏ Never touch a diskette’s magnetic surface. The oils on your fingertips can damage it. Always hold a diskette by its protective jacket.
❏ Never turn off the computer when the hard disk drive light is on. This light indicates that the computer is copying data to or from the hard disk. If you interrupt this process, you can lose data. ❏ Never attempt to open the hard disk drive. The disk itself is enclosed in a sealed container to protect it from dust. Inserting and Removing Diskettes To insert a diskette into the drive, hold it with the label facing up and the read/write slot leading into the drive, as shown below. I Figure 3-4.
If a diskette is in the drive but the latch is up (horizontal) and you enter a command for that drive, the computer cannot tell there is a diskette in the drive and displays an error message such as: Not ready error reading drive A Abort, Retry, Fail? Close the latch and press R. To remove the diskette, turn the drive latch up until it is horizontal and the edge of the diskette pops out.
To remove a 3½-inch diskette, press the release button to release it. When the edge pops out of the drive, pull out the diskette and store it properly. Never remove a diskette or turn off the computer while the drive indicator light is on. You could lose data. Also, be sure to remove all diskettes before you turn off the computer. Write-protecting Diskettes You can write-protect a diskette to prevent its data from being altered.
Note Some program diskettes, such as your MS-DOS diskettes, have no notch so they are permanently write-protected. This protects them from being accidentally erased or altered. On a 3½-inch diskette, the write-protect device is a small switch on the lower-right comer on the back, shown below. To write-protect a 3½-inch diskette, slide the switch toward the edge of the diskette until it clicks into position, exposing a hole in the comer. Write Protect Figure 3-7.
Chapter 1 describes how to use DISKCOPY to copy your MS-DOS diskette. For more detailed information to make backups of other diskettes, refer to Chapter 4 “Using MS-DOS with your computer”. It is best to put most of the programs and data files you use regularly on the hard disk. Keep backup copies of all your program files on diskettes, however, and regularly copy important data files to diskettes as well.
Note If you only have one diskette drive and no hard disk, you need to use that drive to load the operating system as well as the application programs you are using. First load the operating system; this copies it into the computer’s memory (RAM) so you do not need to leave the diskette in the drive. Then you can remove that diskette and insert the program diskette you want to use, and load that into memory too. See your application program manual for detailed’ instructions.
Backing up hard disk files While the hard disk is very reliable, it is essential to back up your hard disk files to diskettes in case you lose some data accidentally. Make copies of all your system and application program diskettes before copying the programs to the hard disk. After you create data files on the hard disk, be sure to copy them to diskettes whenever you revise them to keep your backup diskettes up-todate.
You see a message on the screen that tells you the disk drive’s read/write heads will remain locked until you reset the computer or turn the power off and on again. The computer locks the heads and disables the keyboard. You can now turn off the computer and prepare to move it to the new location. The TGSHIP command should be run whenever you are going to move the main system unit.
Chapter 4 Using MS-DOS With Your Computer Once you have your computer system “up-and-running,” you may begin to work with MS-DOS. Virtually all application software available for IBM PC/XT and PC/AT-compatible computer systems runs “under” MS-DOS. Therefore, in order to use these programs, you need to learn how to use MS-DOS. This chapter will give you a basic understanding of MS-DOS and provide you with the basic tools you need run application software on your computer system.
Inserting Diskettes Your MS-DOS software package contains of the following items: ❏ One MS-DOS Install Diskettes ❏ One MS-DOS Select Diskette ❏ Three MS-DOS Operating Diskettes ❏ One MS-DOS Shell Diskette ❏ The MS-DOS User’s Guide & User’s Reference ❏ The MS-DOS Shell User’s Guide Begin the installation procedure by placing the MS-DOS Install diskette in the A drive and turning your computer on. Disk Drive Letters The various disk drives on your computer are assigned letters.
To insert a diskette into the drive: ❏ Open the drive door ❏ If you haven’t already done so, remove the protective cardboard insert from the drive. ❏ Gently insert the diskette into the drive entry slot with its label facing up, and the write protect notch to the left. ❏ When the diskette is all the way in, close the drive door by turning the door latch handle down. CAUTION! If any resistance is felt when closing the drive door, stop and reinsert the diskette.
Starting MS-DOS To start MS-DOS 4.01 on a floppy disk-based system (that is, one without a hard disk drive), follow these steps given below. For a detailed description of how to start MS-DOS 4.01, consult the Getting Started section in your MS-DOS 4.01 User’s Guide. ❏ Remove the MS-DOS Install diskette from its protective envelope and insert it into the A drive. ❏ Close the disk door and turn your computer on. ❏ Remove the Install disk and insert the Select disk. ❏ Press ENTER.
Notice that the words “Command Prompt” are highlighted by a solid bar. This is a DOS Shell option that allows you to work directly with MS-DOS. Start Programs Main Group To select an item, use the up and down arrows. To start a program or display a new group, press Enter. File System Change Colors DOS Utilities.. Your computer system is now “running under DOS.” For now, press ENTER to run the Command Prompt option.
This is the system prompt. When it is displayed, it means that MS-DOS is waiting for you to tell it what to do. This is done by typing a DOS command, then pressing the ENTER key. Cursor Following the system prompt, you will see a blinking underline ( _ ) character. This is the “cursor”. The cursor shows you where the next character you type will appear on the screen. As you can see here, any command you type will appear immediately to the right of the system prompt and on the same line.
Case Sensitivity MS-DOS does not differentiate between upper and lower case letters in commands and filenames. This manual will show commands in upper case for clarity, but you may enter them either way. For example, both of these commands will generate a directory listing of a diskette: and Function Keys and MS-DOS As mentioned earlier, MS-DOS uses several of your keyboard’s function keys to provide you with shortcuts.
– F4 key The opposite of F2, deletes all characters from the buffer up to, but not including, the next character you type – F5 key Moves the current line you are typing into the buffer without ENTERing it – F6 key Places an “end-of-file” marker when you copy from the monitor to a disk file – ESC key Cancels the current command line without changing the buffer – INS key Inserts characters into the command line as you copy characters from the buffer – DEL key Deletes characters from the buffer BACKSPACE Key
The BACKSPACE key on your keyboard works just like a backspace key on a regular typewriter: it moves the cursor back one position. In addition, however, it erases the last character typed. Press the BACKSPACE key as many times as necessary to erase the typing mistake, then type out the command correctly. For instance, type the following (but do not press ENTER): Press the BACKSPACE key twice to erase the I and the R. Retype: Then press the ENTER key.
Default Drive MS-DOS will only look at one disk drive at a time. Normally, this is the “default” drive. You can tell which disk drive is the current default drive by looking at the system prompt. For example: indicates that the “A” drive is currently the default drive. Unless you specify otherwise, MS-DOS will direct any disk activity to the “A” floppy disk drive. You can easily change the default drive with an internal DOS command.
From the A> prompt, try the command: The computer will respond: Insert diskette for drive B: and strike any key when ready Press ENTER after you insert the diskette into the drive, then the system prompt will be: If you have a dual floppy disk drive system, the second, or “B” drive is now the system default drive, as indicated by the new system prompt.
MS-DOS MAIN SYSTEM DISKETTE BACKUP COPY (Version #) Write down the MS-DOS version number On each diskette labels. This will avoid confusion later if you upgrade your operating system to a new version. As you finish copying and checking each MS-DOS master diskette, peel the correct label off of the backing paper and place it on the upper left-hand side of the front face of the new diskette.
The “SOURCE” diskette is the disk that you will be copying from. Insert the MS-DOS master diskette into the A drive. Press any key, such as the SPACEBAR. The floppy disk drive will be activated, and your computer will display: Copying xx tracks x Sectors/Track, x Side(s) The contents of the disk are being read into your computer’s memory.
For now, type N. The system prompt will reappear. To compare the backup diskette with the original, you will use the DISKCOMP command. Enter the command at the system prompt: A > DISKCOMP The computer will respond: Insert FIRST diskette in drive A: Press any key to continue... original “master” MS-DOS main system diskette back into the floppy disk drive, then press the SPACEBAR key.
Remove the master MS-DOS diskette from the floppy disk drive, and put it in its protective envelope. Take out the backup copy diskette, insert it into the disk drive, and press the SPACEBAR key. The computer will read the contents of the backup diskette, and compare them with the copy of the master diskette that it has stored in memory. If the information on the two diskettes is identical, the computer will respond: Type N to return to the system prompt.
Copying on Dual Drive Systems To make backup copies of your MS-DOS diskettes on a dualdrive system, follow the instructions below: First, turn your computer on and boot up MS-DOS. Choose the Command Prompt option from the DOS shell menu. The system prompt will appear. Enter the following command: This command indicates to MS-DOS that you want to, copy the contents of a diskette in the A drive to a new diskette located in the B drive.
Close bath drive doors. Press any key, such as the SPACEBAR. The A drive will be activated, and your computer will display: The contents of the disk are being read into your computer’s memory. After a few moments, the following message will appear: A>DISKCOMP A: B: The computer will respond: Insert FIRST diskette in drive A: Insert, SECOND diskette in drive B: Press any key when ready...
4-18 Using MS-DOS With Your Computer
From now on, when this manual refers to the “main system diskette,” use the backup MS-DOS diskette. FILES In the same way that you can keep information grouped together in manila folders, MS-DOS organizes data into files. While you may store these folders in a cabinet, your computer stores these files on disks. Separating information into files allows you to work with that information more efficiently.
A data file containing a written report can’t do anything by itself. On the other hand, a word processor is useless without documents to work on. Filenames and Extensions Needless to say, each file on a disk must be uniquely identifiable. To achieve this, MS-DOS requires that you name every file you create, as you create it. In order to be able to manipulate files easily, MS-DOS has certain rules that you must follow when naming files.
$ (dollar sign) % (percent sign) & (ampersand) (and) (parenthesis) - [ and ] - (minus sign or hyphen) (brackets) (underline character) The following are examples of allowable filenames: . JANUARY CHAPTER.001 MEMO.APR MAYSALES. % &$ $$,SALES.OCT These filenames are valid because none of them are too long, and only legal characters have been used. The following are examples of illegal filenames, along with an explanation: 3RDQUARTER.SALES This is too long.
NEW EMPL.LTR This would be rejected by MS-DOS because of the space in the filename. Certain filename extensions have been set aside so that MS-DOS can recognize program files. These are: ❏ COM (for COMMAND file) ❏ EXE (for EXECUTABLE file) ❏ BAT (for BATCH file) Program files should always have one of these three filename extensions. Data files should never use these reserved extensions. They can, however, use any other extension.
Disk Directories MS-DOS keeps track of the files stored on your disks by maintaining a “directory” on each disk. These directories are listings of the filenames and extensions, along with certain information about the files themselves, such as when the file was created or updated last. The DIR Command MS-DOS provides a simple command that allows you to look at the directory of any particular disk. This is the DIR command.
The information presented by the DIR command is as follows: ❏ ❏ The filename & extension The file size (in bytes) ❏ The date the file was created or last updated ❏ The time the file was created or last updated ❏ The number of files listed in the directory ❏ The number of unused bytes of space remaining on the disk File Searches You can also use the DIR command to search for specific files on a disk.
I Volume in drive A has no label Directory of A:\ File not found A> J Multiple Disk Drive Systems The DIR command can he used to read the directories of other drives in your system, if any are installed. For instance, to read the directory of the B drive, when you are logged onto drive A, enter the command: The computer will display the directory of the diskette inserted in the B drive. A similar command: will cause the computer to display the directory of your hard disk.
The computer will display the B drive diskette’s directory, then remain logged to the B drive. Wildcards Quite often, when dealing with disk files, you may find yourself looking through directories for a particular file or group of files. MS-DOS has a way to help you sort out those files you want without having to read through the entire directory listing. This is through the use of “wildcard” characters. Wildcard characters are used to make a single command cover a number of similarly named files.
Application Software Now that you know how to make backup copies of your diskettes and how to work with MS-DOS, you can proceed to use application software. Most software packages come with detailed instructions for their set-up and use. These instructions will often ask you to use the information in this chapter to find specific files in the disk directories, or back up the master diskettes provided with each package.
Chapter 5 Using Floppy Disks Description Your computer works with a large electronic memory array called RAM. This stands for Random Access Memory. Your system’s RAM is actually an array of electronic circuits. As long as the computer is powered up, this circuit array will “remember” whatever is placed in it. When you turn the power off, however, these circuits will “forget.” Therefore, you need some way of retaining your programs and data after you turn the system off.
How Floppy Disks Work Floppy disks, or diskettes, are made from a flexible plastic that is coated with a magnetic oxide. The floppy disk drive encodes this oxide with the data generated by the computer. After you turn your system off, unlike electronic RAM, the encoded oxide retains this data. Your data can then be read by the floppy disk drive at a later time. The magnetic oxide coating on the floppy disk will hold its encoded data almost indefinitely unless you deliberately erase it.
Formatting Diskettes When you get a new carton of diskettes, they are not yet ready to be used. First, they must be prepared to accept data. This is called “formatting” the diskette. MS-DOS uses the same formatting method regardless of the computer used. This is one of the keys to intermachine compatibility. Since all PC-compatible computers use MS-DOS, they can read all disks created by any other PC-compatible machine. Note MS-DOS formats disks with a different “pattern” than Apple-DOS or CP/M.
When you type A (for about) or F (for failure) the computer will automatically cancel the attempt and will return you to the C > prompt. Remove the unformatted disk from the drive. The FORMAT Command MS-DOS provides an external command program called FORMAT.COM, that will format your blank diskettes. When running this program, there are options available that allow you to format several different types of diskette. The following routines will show you how to use the FORMAT command.
Insert the new diskette to be formatted and press the ENTER key. The computer will display: XX Percent, of disk formatted The formatting process takes a minute or two. The computer will wait until the formatting process is complete, then display: Volume label (11 characters, ENTER for none)? Press ENTER if you don’t want to have a label of your disk. Then the screen will display the following message.
Option Switches To format 180K-byte single-sided, singledensity diskettes in the computer’s high capacity disk drive, enter the FORMAT command using the /1 and /4 option switch: C > FORMAT A:/1 The computer will proceed to format the diskette. Upon completion, you will see this message: Volume label (11 characters, ENTER for none)? And the following screen will be appeared if you press ENTER. (If you want to have a volume label, type the characters and enter.
The /4 option switch is used to format 360K-byte double-sided, doubledensity diskettes in the computer’s high capacity disk drive. To do this enter the command: The computer will proceed to format the diskette. Upon completion, you will see this message: Format complete Volume label (11 characters, ENTER for none)? Press ENTER not to have a label of your disk.
Caution! 360K-byte diskettes formatted on 1.2M-byte high density, AT-style drives may not be reliable when used on some 360K-byte, XTstyle drives. The /4 option switch is primarily intended to permit the use of less expensive diskettes with AT-compatible systems like this one. If you need to have diskettes that can be safely read from and written to by both styles of computer, you should format the lower capacity diskettes on the XT-compatible system where they will be used.
You normally boot the system up from the MS-DOS main system diskette. The DISKCOPY command copied these files when you created the backup copy of the master diskette. Sometimes, though, you may want to create a “boot disk” that doesn’t have all of the external DOS commands on it. For instance, you may want to make an “autoboot” copy of an application software diskette.
XXXXXXX bytes total disk space XXXXXXX bytes available on disk XXX bytes in each allocation unit XXXXX allocation units available on disk Volume Serial Number is XXXX-XXXX Format another (Y/N)? Enter N to return to the system prompt. Then enter: The directory listing should appear similar to the following: COMMAND COM XXXXX X-XX-XX X:XXX 1 File(s) XXXXXXX bytes free Copying Files If you have a dual drive system, it is easy to copy program and data files from one diskette to another.
Put the “source” diskette in drive A, and the “target” diskette in drive B. At this time, you may want to check the directories of both diskettes in order to make sure you will not overwrite a file on the target diskette with the same name at the one you want to copy. Once you sure its safe to copy, enter the COPY command with the following format: A> COPY A:.(filename) B: For example, to copy the file “MAYSALES.XPT” from drive A to drive B, enter the command: A > COPY A:MAYSALES.
To perform the operation in reverse, that is, to copy from the B drive to the A drive, enter the command: A >COPY B:MAYSALES.RPT Note that this time, you were required to enter the source drive letter before the filename. This is because, in this example, drive B is not the default drive. However, since no drive letter was specified for the target drive, MS-DOS copied the file onto the default, or in this case, A drive.
A > COPY MAYSALES. * B: will copy all files about MAYSALES to the B drive. A final example: A>COPY l .* C: will copy all of the files on a diskette in the A drive to the hard disk drive. This command is useful when backing up diskettes containing data files.
Chapter 6 Using Your Hard Disk Depending on the model, your computer system can be expanded to included an optional hard disk drive. This chapter will give you a basic understanding of its operation and show you how to configure it. Information is also provided on how MS-DOS works with your hard disk drive. What is a Hard Disk Drive? As mentioned in Chapter 5, “Using Floppy Disks,” your computer uses an electronic memory array called RAM.
Second, a hard disk holds much more information than a diskette. The “high-capacity” diskettes used in your computer can only hold a little over one million bytes. The hard disk can hold up much more data than floppy disk. Finally, as mentioned above, a hard disk is much faster than a floppy disk drive. The main reason for this is that the hard disk platters are rigid, allowing them to be rotated at a much higher rate than floppy diskettes, which have to move relatively slowly so as to avoid damage.
To begin, boot up your system using your MS-DOS as explained in Chapter 4, “Using MS-DOS.’ Then enter this command: If the computer responds with: enter: If a directory listing is displayed, even if there are no files shown, it means that your hard disk system has already been partitioned and formatted. You will see the COMMAND.COM file at the top of the directory listing if the MS-DOS active routines have been loaded onto the hard disk.
Changing Your SETUP Before you can partition and format your hard disk, you have to let your computer know that you have one. This is done with the SETUP program. Once you have determined that your hard disk is “clean,” that is to say neither partitioned nor formatted, you should enter the SETUP program. Turn your computer on. When you see the following message, press < DEL> key. Move the cursor to the RUN SETUP option and press Enter. The system displays the Setup Menu.
Move the screen cursor bar down to the Hard Disk C parameter. Using the ‘PgUp and PgDn keys, scroll through the options to disk type number matched with the hard disk you have. If you select the type number 17 for 41MB hard disk, it provides the following information under the right hand headings: Cyl H d P r e ‘977 5 300 LZ Sec 977 17 Size 41 This should match the information provided with your hard disk drive. Other hard disk drives may require a different disk type number.
Partitioning Your Hard Disk After the DOS Shell screen appears, select the Command Prompt option. At this point your are ready to partition your hard disk drive. To do this, enter the command: After loading the FDISK program, the computer will display information, on the hard disk drive installed in the system, as follows: MS-DOS Version x.xx Fixed Disk Setup Program (C) Copyright Microsoft Corp. 19xx, 19xx FDISK Options Current fixed disk drive: 1 Choose one of the following: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Note If you only have one hard disk drive, option 5 will not be displayed. Press ENTER to choose the default selection, “Create a DOS Partition.” The FDISK menu will disappear, and be replaced by: Create DOS Partition or Logical DOS Drive Current fixed disk drive: 1 Choose one of the following: 1. Create Primary DOS Partition 2. Create Extended DOS Partition 3.
To reserve the entire hard disk for MS-DOS, press the ENTER. FDISK now displays the following message: It is common to use FDISK to create an MS-DOS partition that takes up the entire hard disk drive and then make that partition bootable. Now that you have completed these tasks, you can restart your system using your, MS-DOS Install diskette. Note For information on the remaining FDISK menu selections, see your MS-DOS User’s Guide.
If your hard disk needs to be formatted, begin by selecting the Command Prompt option from the DOS shell. Enter the following command: The floppy disk drive indicator will come on for a few seconds, while the FORMAT command is into memory. When the light goes out, the computer will display: You should already have made sure that there is no information stored on the hard disk that you want to save. Press Y to begin formatting. The formatting process takes several minutes.
The /S switch in the FORMAT command caused the active portions of MS-DOS to be loaded onto the system area of the hard disk. At this point you can boot the system from the hard disk. Organizing Your Hard Disk This section provides you with a sample directory structure for use with your hard disk. It will provide step-by-step instructions that will create several files and subdirectories.
you are ready to begin. First, you will create several subdirectories. These will be used shortly to contain useful files. Begin by entering the command: C>MD DOS4 The MD command is a short form of MKDIR. This internal DOS command creates a subdirectory under the directory you are currently in. Since your computer boots up in the hard disk root directory, the command you just entered created a subdirectory named DOS4 under the root directory.
COMMAND COM XXXXX X-XX-XX X:XXX EXE XXXXX X-XX-XX X:XXX FORMAT DOS4
X File(s) X-XX-XX X:XXX XXXXXXXX bytes free c> Just as MS-DOS commands usually look at the “current” disk drive, they also look at the current directory. Since you can change the current, “logged” disk drive, you would expect to be able to change the current, logged directory. You can, using the CD (CHDIR) command.You have just moved to the DOS4 subdirectory. The two < DIR > entries indicate that you are currently logged onto a disk subdirectory. The period (.) entry represents the current directory, while the double period (..) entry represents the parent directory for the current subdirectory. These shorthand entries allow you to move up and down through a directory tree rapidly. To see how these shortcuts work, enter the command series: You will see that you are back in the hard disk root directory.
Insert the MS-DOS install diskette into the A drive. Close the door, then enter: C>COPY A:*.* C: This command will copy the entire contents of the MS-DOS install diskette into the DOS4 subdirectory on the hard disk. When the copying process is complete, your computer will display the following message: Using the DIR command, run a directory to verify that you have copied the MS-DOS install diskette.
These commands will remove the COMMAND.COM files from the DOS4 subdirectory. Since the files is available in your hard disk root directory, it is not necessary to include it in the DOS4 subdirectory. Later, as your hard disk gets filled up with application software program and data files, the disk space saved by deleting such duplicate files might become useful. Repeat the copy procedure described above for the remaining disks in the MS-DOS package.
Backing Up Your Hard Disk It is highly recommended that you make back up copies of your valuable hard disk files regularly. Because hard disk drives are fragile, they can sometimes be damaged. It is also possible to erase some or all hard disk files through the use of incorrect FORMAT and COPY commands. Backing up your files is the only way you can be sure that you don’t lose information you may have spent months or even years gathering.
When you back up your hard disk using BACKUP, the first thing to do is to format enough blank disks to hold the backed up files. Once you start the BACKUP routine, you won’t want to stop the program to format more diskettes. BACKUP takes time, even on a high speed computer. Stopping the BACKUP command before completion usually means. that you would have to start the process over again. Therefore, make sure you have enough formatted diskettes before you’start.
This file contains the BACKUP command program. As mentioned above, this file is provided on your MS-DOS install diskette. You can run the program from the floppy disk drive or from the hard disk, if you have copied the file into a subdirectory on the hard disk. To back up the entire hard disk, start by changing the system default drive to the hard disk. Enter: Next, make sure you are in the root directory of the hard disk. Enter: Now, make sure your diskettes are formatted and ready.
In both examples, the A: portion of the command tells MSDOS that you want to start the backup routine with the root directory of the hard disk, and store the backup files on diskettes in drive A. The final /S switch tells MS-DOS to back up all of the subdirectories on the hard disk in addition to the root directory. For a more detailed explanation of the MS-DOS BACKUP command, see your MS-DOS User’s Guide.
enter: If a directory listing is displayed, even if there are no entries, it means that your hard disk system is ready to receive files. If the active routines of MS-DOS have been loaded on to the hard disk, you will see the COMMAND.COM file at the beginning of the directory listing. If the computer responded to the A>C: command with: it means that MS-DOS can’t “find” the hard disk drive.
First, set the C drive directory to the root directory by entering the command: Now set the system default drive letter back to drive A by entering: The computer will respond by displaying: Make sure your MS-DOS install diskette is inserted into the A drive. Enter the following command: The RESTORE command file will be read from the MS-DOS install diskette. The A: C\ in the command tells MS-DOS that you will be restoring files from diskettes in the A drive to the hard disk root directory.
Chapter 7 Expanding Your System As you get more familiar with your computer system, you will probably want to add hardware to it. This can include additional disk drives, printers, modems, etc. This chapter addresses the installation of some of the most common devices.
❏ Modems ❏ External disk drives Your computer is designed to communicate with peripherals by way of the connectors on the rear panel of the main system unit. The connectors are called “ports,” and allow information to be sent back and forth between the system CPU and a peripheral device. Your keyboard and your video monitor connect to the main system unit by way of two specialized ports. The keyboard is connected to the “Keyboard port” on the rear panel of the main system unit.
Note Your computer is referred to as a “16-bit” computer. This system can address over 16M-bytes of memory. In order to address this much RAM, the internal data communications in this computer use 16 parallel data lines. Serial Ports There are two basic kinds of general purpose l/O (Input/Output) port. One kind is a “serial” port, where data bits are sent one at a time along a single wire, in series. Additional wires are used to send control signals between the transmitting and receiving devices.
Parallel Ports Unlike serial ports, parallel ports allow your computer to communicate one entire byte at a time. Eight wires are included in the cable to permit the transmission of each of the eight data bits simultaneously. Extra wires are included in the cable for control signals. Your Computer uses the industry standard “Centronics-compatible” parallel printer port interface.
Internally mounted modems are attached to a circuit board that will be installed inside your main system unit. These modems can communicate directly with the system CPU through your computer’s internal circuitry. The telephone line is plugged into a socket located on the rear panel of the modem. External modems connect to your computer’s RS-232C serial port. Connectors are provided on the modem itself for attachment to the phone system.
System Expansion And Upgrades This section deals with the addition of expansion boards and products to your computer’s main system unit. Although most expansion products are provided with detailed instructions for their installation and use, it is recommended that you read through this section in order to familiarize yourself with some of the basic principles of expanding your computer.
Stop! When you remove the main system unit cover, observe the following precautions: ❏ The power supply cord must be unplugged before the main system unit cover is removed. (Separe le cordon d’alimentation et puis enleve le couvercle.) ❏ Once removed, the cover must be replaced and screwed in position before the power supply cord is plugged back in. (Apres le couvercle a enleve, visse le couvercle en place et remettre le cordon d’alimentation.
Opening and Closing the Cabinet The procedure for opening the main system unit cabinet is as follows: ❏ Unplug the video monitor AC power and signal cables from their rear panel sockets. Set the monitor safely aside. ❏ Unplug the keyboard and set it aside. ❏ Unscrew the screws on the rear panel of the unit and set them aside. ❏ Carefully, slide the main system unit’s cover towards the front of the unit. Continue sliding the cover forward until it can be removed completely. Set the cover aside. Figure 7-2.
Later, to close the unit, follow these steps in order: ❏ Make sure all the system and expansion boards are properly seated in their connectors, and have had their mounting screws tightened down. ❏ Make sure all the internal cables have been properly connected and arranged neatly. Wires should not be pinched or caught between chassis parts or circuit boards. ❏ Carefully slide the cover back onto the main system unit, being careful not to damage the cables.
Installing Circuit Boards Most of the expansion products you will be installing into your computer are circuit boards. Like the system boards installed at the factory, expansion boards are plugged into the main system unit’s mother board. There are expansion boards available for a wide variety of functions. The most common expansion boards provide such functions as extra I/O ports, high resolution video graphics and system memory expansion.
Open the main system unit cabinet and set the configuration jumpers on the system motherboard to match the new hardware arrangement. You will be able to do this without removing the system motherboard from the main system unit chassis, although you may need to unplug the disk drive ribbon cable from its connector to allow easy access to the jumpers. Figure 7-3.
Disconnect any internal cables that may be in the way. As you do, make a note of their correct locations and orientations for later reattachment. Unscrew the retaining screw for the slot guard, and set it aside. Mount the expansion board into the slot by gently sliding the board into the slot. If the board is long enough to reach the card guide mounted on the front panel support flange, slide the board down the center groove of the guide.
Figure 7-4. Installing the Option Card in an Expansion Slot Check the board’s alignment to make sure it is straight and level. If necessary, move the board slightly to align the hole in the top of the mounting bracket over the screw hole in the main system unit’s rear panel flange. Install the hold down screw that you removed earlier. Reconnect any internal cables that were disconnected earlier.
cover as described above. Select the drive compartment where you will install the expansion device. Remove the blank front panel from the selected compartment by removing the mounting screws. Slide the expansion device into the compartment along the side rails of the drive cage until it is all the way in. Replace the hold down clamps and their mounting screws. Connect any internal power cables to the correct pins on the rear of the expansion unit. Connect any required control cables to the device.
Internal Hard Disk Drive If you are to mount the internal hard disk drive inside the main system unit case, follow the steps below: ❏ Remove the cover from the main system unit, as described above. ❏ Remove mounting plate by unscrewing the hold down screws. ❏ Attach the hard disk drive to the mounting plate by installing the four mounting screws through the bottom of the plate into the bottom of the drive frame.
Appendix A Specifications Computer System l Operating Temperature : 41° to 95°F (5° to 35°C) l Storage Temperature : -5° to 140°F (-15° to 60°C) l Operating Humidity : 20% to 80% (no condensation) l Storage Humidity : 10% to 90% (no condensation) l Compatibility : IBM PC/AT l Power Supply : 145W.
Dynamic RAM (with parity) : 1M-bytes, expandable 8M-bytes on Motherboard lOOns, 0 wait state access Floppy Disk Drive support : 2ea-360K, 720K, 1.2M or 1.
l l Memory Bank Configurations NO BANK 0 BANK 1 BANK 2 BANK 3 SIZE 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 256K 256K 256K 256K 256K 1M 256K 1M 1M 256K 1M 1M 0 64K 256K 256K 256K 0 256K 1M 1M 256K 1M 1M 0 0 0 256K 256K 0 1M 0 256K 1M 1M 1M 0 0 0 0 256K 0 0 0 0 1M 0 1M 0.5M 640M 1M 1.5M 2M 2M 3M 4M 4.
I/O Address Map Hex Range Device 000-01 F 020-03F 040-05F 060-06F 070-07F 080-09F OAO-OBF OCO-ODF OF0 OF1 OF8-OFF 378-37F 3FO-3F7 3F8-3FF 8237A-5 DMA Controller #1 8259A Interrupt Controller #1 8254-2 Timer 8042 (Keyboard) Real Time Clock NMI (Non-Ma&able Interrupt) Mask 74LS612 DMA Page Register 8259A Interrupt Controller #2 8237A-5 DMA Controller #2 Clear Math Coprocessor Busy Reset Math Coprocessor Math Coprocessor Parallel Printer Port 1 Diskette Controller Serial Port 1 Note: l/O address, hex 000 t
Appendix B System MotherBoard Figure B-l. System Motherboard This appendix provides configuration and interface information for this board. You may skip this appendix if you are not installing expansion products that require changing the motherboard’s configuration jumper settings. Hardware Settings The system motherboard provides a set of headers to set the system configuration. These are located at various points on the board.
There are several headers on the motherboard but most of them are already factory setting and you should not remove them. Note If you have problems setting the system CPU configuration headers, contact your dealer for assistance. When you turn the system power on, the system CPU will compare these settings with the information stored in its configuration RAM as part of the diagnostic routines. If any inconsistencies are found, they will be shown on the display monitor before MS-DOS is loaded.
Removing The MotherBoard In order to change the settings defined by these jumpers, it will be necessary to remove the system motherboard from the chassis. To do this, follow these steps, referring to Chapter 7, “Expanding Your System,” where necessary: Unplug all of the cables from the rear panel of the main system unit. Remove the main system unit cover.
The Table B-l lists the jumper settings Table B-l. Hardware Jumper Connectors The system motherboard is provided with a number of connectors for communication with other parts of the computer system. These connectors are discussed below. For pinout information on these connectors, see Appendix D, “Connector Pinouts.
Table B-2. Expansion Slots – JA1 to JA6, JC1 to JC4 The system board contains six expansion slots comprised of two basic types as follows: l Two B-bit slot for PC/XT boards l Four 16-bit slots for PC/AT boards or B-bit PC/XT boards Keyboard Port – CONN1 The keyboard connector CONN 1, is a 5-pin DIN connector for keyboards that are compatible with the IBM AT keyboard. Parallel Port – CONN6 Connector CONN6 on the system board provides a standard Centronics 25pin parallel interface.
Serial Port – CONN2, CONN3 Connector CONN2 and CONN3 provide the standard AT-type RS-232C serial interfaces. Power Connector – JP1, JP3 Speaker – CONN8 Connector CONN8 provides a speaker connection for audible tone generation. The connector is a two pin header. IDE Interface Connector – CONN5 You use this 40 pin connector with IDE type Hard disk drive. Note If you want to know the detailed pin assignment of those I/O connectors, see Appendix D of this manual.
Appendix C Video Monitor Systems There are many video display systems available for use with your computer system. This appendix will provide a brief description of the most common video system types, and discuss their applications. Monitor System Resolution The main difference between video monitor system types is their screen resolution.
The personal computer industry has established several video controller resolution and color standards. Some of these are described below. – Hercules Graphics Compatible (HGC): HGC boards have become the video controller-of-choice for basic personal computer video display monitor systems. Providing dot resolutions up to 720x350, HGC boards display good quality text and graphics, while using shading to accommodate color software.
The maximum screen resolutions of the different video standards is summarized below, along with their color and graphics features: ❏ HGC: maximum dot resolution: 720x350 maximum text display: 80 columns x 25 lines colors: monochrome green or amber ❏ CGA: dot resolution: 640x200 maximum text display: 80 columns x 25 lines colors: 2 of 16 colors (640 x 200) 4 of 16 colors (320x 200) ❏ EGA: dot resolution: 640 x 350 maximum text display: 80 columnsx43 lines colors: 16 of 64 colors ❏ VGA: dot resolution: 720x4
Note EGA and VGA controller boards are available with higher resolutions than the maximum defined by the standards. The optional EGA video system for this computer provides up to 1056x352 dot resolution for a text display of 132 columnsx44 lines, and up to 800x600 resolution for color graphics. Monitor Types There are many different types of video monitor available. Some of the major ones are described below.
useful in applications that need good-looking graphics, or higher resolution text, though they are limited in the number of colors that can be displayed at a given time. If you are going to be using software that requires color, but not high resolution graphics, you should use an RGB video display monitor, connected to a CGA video controller board. If your software requires high resolution graphics, use an EGA controller board instead.
Appendix D Connector Pinouts I/O Ports ❏ RS-232C Serial port (9-pin subminiature “D” connector): Pin # l/O Type: 1 , 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Input Input output output Ground Input output Input Input Signal Name: Carrier Detect (CD) Receive Data (RD) Transmit Data (TxD) Data Terminal Ready (DTR) Singal Ground (GND) Data Set Ready (DSR) Request to Send (RTS) Clear to Send (CTS) Ring Indicator (RI) SignaIs conform to EIA Standard RS-232C.
❏ Centronics-compatible parallel printer port (25pin subminiature “D” connector): Pin # l/O Type: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18-25 Input output output output output output output output output output output Output N/A Input I/0 Input Input Ground Signal Name: -Strobe Data Bit 0 Data Bit 1 Date Bit 2 Data Bit 3 Data Bit 4 Data Bit 5 Data Bit 6 Data Bit 7 -Acknowledge Busy Paper Out select -Autofeed -Error -Initialize Printer -Select Printer GND 1. All outputs are software generated.
❏ IDE Port Pin # Signal Name 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 -Reset Ground Data 7 Data 8 Data 6 Data 9 Data 5 Data 10 Data 4 Data 11 Data 3 Data 12 Data 2 Data 13 Data 1 Data 14 Data 0 Data 15 Ground Key Not Connected Ground -low Ground -IOR Ground Not Connected -ALE Not Connected Ground IRQ 14 -IOCS 16 Al Not Connected A0 A2 -CS0 -CS1 -Active Ground Connector Pinouts D-3
❏ Power Supply Connector (12-pin post header) Signal Name Pin # 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Power Good Signal +5 Volts +12 Volts -12 Volts Ground Ground Ground Ground -5 Volts +5 Volts +5 Volts +5 Volts Figure D-l.
Expansion Slot Connectors Your computer comes with industry standard IBM compatible expansion slots. There are five At-style (98 pin) expansion slot connectors mounted on your system mother board. The charts below show the pin numbering on the expansion slot connectors.
❏ Expansion Slot Connector Pinouts (continued): Pin # l/O Type: B-l B-2 B-3 B-4 B-5 B-6 B-7 B-8 B-9 B-10 B-11 B-12 B-13 B-14 B-15 B-16 B-17 B-18 B-19 B-20 B-21 B-22 B-23 B-24 B-25 B-26 B-27 B-28 B-29 B-30 B-31 Ground output Power Input Power Input Power Input Power Ground output output I/O I/O output Input output Input I/O output Input Input Input Input Input output output output Power output Ground Signal Name: GND RESET DRV +5 VDC IRQ9 -5 VDC DRQ2 -12 VDC OWS +12 VDC GND -SMEMW -SMEMR -IOW -IOR -DACK3
❏ Expansion Slot Connector Pinouts (continued): Pin # I/0 Type: C-l C-2 C-3 C-4 C-5 C-6 C-7 C-8 C-9 C-10 C-11 C-12 C-13 C-14 C-15 C-16 C-17 C-18 D-l D-2 D-3 D-4 D-5 D-6 D-7 D-8 D-9 D-10 D-11 D-12 D-13 D-14 D-15 D-16 D-17 D-18 I/O I/0 I/O I/O I/0 I/O I/O I/0 I/O I/O I/0 I/O I/O I/0 I/O I/O I/O I/O Input Input Input Input Input Input Input output Input output Input output Input output Input Pober Input Ground Signal Name: -SBHE SA23 SA22 SA21 SA20 SA19 SA18 SA17 -MEMR -MEMW SD8 SD9 SD10 SD11 SD12 SD13 SD
Appendix E Advanced ROM Diagnostics Introduction In addition to the POST diagnostics which are performed during power-up, the ROM BIOS also has an advanced diagnostics program which can perform specialized tests on each of the following when instructed: l l l l l Hard disk drive(s) Floppy diskette drive(s) Keyboard Video adapter board and monitor Printer and communication ports This section contains descriptions of operation for all the tests available through this program located in the ROM BIOS.
Starting Advanced ROM Diagnostics To access the Advanced ROM BIOS Diagnostics, perform the following: Note Before working with the Advanced ROM diagnostics, make certain that all peripheral devices and the AC power cord from the host computer are connected properly. l Turn on the on/off switch at the front of the unit. When the system first starts and the memory tests have been completed, this message displays briefly for your decision (respond as indicated in the brackets): Press < DEL > .
The following screen should appear: ROM DIAGNOSTICS. (C) 1986, American Megatrends Inc. Tue. Feb 13, 1990 11:49:07 Media Analysis Performance Test Seek Test Bead/Verify Test Check Test Cyl. Force Bad Tracks Hard Disk c: Display Commu. FlOPPY A: 1.2MB #03F8 #02F8 Color Printer #0378 Memory Real = 64OK Extd = 3328KB Co-proc. Absent Preformat Hard Disk Figure E-l. Starting Advanced ROM Diagnostics The screen is divided into six (6) sections. From top to bottom, these are: l l The Signature Line.
l The Diagnostics Options Window. Below the Diagnostics Options Line is the Diagnostics Options Window for that option. The test options available in each Diagnostics Options Window are addressed in the following pages under the appropriate diagnostics heading (Hard Disk, Floppy Disk, Keyboard, Video, and Miscellaneous). l The configuration of the system in the Devices Present section of the screen. This section identifies the types of devices present in the system.
Hard Disk Diagnostics The following tests can be performed on your hard disk(s): 1) Hard Disk Format, 2) Auto Interleave, 3) Media Analysis, 4) Performance Test, 5) Seek Test, 6) Read/Verify Test, 7) Check Test Cylinder Test, 8) Force Bad Tracks. Note The following tests are valid only if the hard disk being tested is not a SCSI device: 1) Hard Disk Format, 2) Auto Interleave, 3) Media Analysis, and 4) Force Bad Tracks. These tests are not valid for a SCSI Fixed Disk Drive.
Diagnostics Generated Error Messages This error message is generated by the Performance Test procedure which requires at ‘least 128KB of RAM space. So, if your system board has less than 128KB of available RAM space, you cannot use this function.
The Hard Disk Format Test Warning! The Hard Disk Format Test is a destructive operation. Back up the hard disk(s) on which this routine will be performed before actually performing the operation. I L Note This test is not valid for a SCSI drive. Use the Hard Disk Format Test to 1) integrate a new hard disk to the system, or 2) reformat a used hard disk which has developed some bad patches as a result of aging or poor handling.
l Press < ENTER > . The causes the following information boxes to appear. Figure E-2. Performing A Hard Disk Format Test: Entering the Disk Drive Type The box on the left contains a series of questions (fields) which must be answered before performing the Hard Disk Format Test. The answers are entered to the right of the question mark. The first question will already be answered for you as long as a value has been previously entered at the CMOS Setup screen.
Disk Drive Type After entering the appropriate response (if it hasn’t already been entered) the default value (1, if the drive was not entered during the CMOS S etup) for “Disk Drive Type” will appear to the right of the “?” following the “Disk Drive Type” field. The cursor blinks to the right of the “?,” prompting for either a new value, or acceptance of the default value, by pressing . Note Values entered during the Advanced ROM Diagnostics tests are not retained by the CMOS Setup program.
This is the number designation for a drive with certain identification parameters. This is the number of cylinders found in the specified drive type. This is the number of heads found in the specified drive type. W-pcomp is the read delay circuitry, which takes into account the timing differences between the inner and outer edges of the surface of the disk platter. The number designates the starting cylinder of the signal. l L-zone L-zone is the landing zone of the heads.
Interleave Factor After pressing < ENTER > at the “Disk Drive type” field, the cursor will blink below either the default value or the previous value entered for the “Interleave (l-16)” field. The default value is the previous value determined by Auto Interleave. Type the desired value and press . The cursor will move to the next field, “Mark Bad Tracks (Y/N).” ROM DIAGNOSTICS, (C) 1986.
Mark Bad Tracks The default value is ‘N’ for ‘No’. If the hard disk being tested is not a SCSI device, check the unit for a manufacturer’s list of bad tracks. If this information is available, type ‘Y’ and press < ENTER> . Another information box, titled “Bad Track List,” appears to the right of the “Hard Disk Format” box. Below the heading are three columns for 1) the entry number (S#), the cylinder number (Cyl.), and the head number (Head).
The Bad Track Edit Menu With the block cursor highlighting “Add an entry,” press < ENTER > . This will cause another box to appear below the Bad Track Edit Menu. This box asks you to enter the track number for the entry you wish to add. When the box first appears, either the default (0) value or the previous value entered will appear. The cursor will blink below the value, prompting you to either accept the value by pressing , or enter a new value.
The Enter New Track # and Head # box will appear with the current track # (Cyl.) value entered in the field to the right of “Enter New Track #.„ Type in a new value (if desired) at the blinking cursor, and press . Enter a new value at “Enter New Head #.” The program will not accept dual entries. All values must not exceed the corresponding cylinder and head values for the disk drive type entered at that field.
Start Cylinder Number See Figure E-2. Enter the cylinder number where you want the formatting to begin. The default value is ‘0’. End Cylinder Number See Figure E-2. Enter the cylinder number where you want the formatting to end. The default value is the last cylinder in the drive. Start Head Number See Figure E-2. Enter the head number where you want the formatting to begin in the cylinders specified in the previous two fields. The default value is ‘0’. End Head Number See Figure E-2.
All data on harddisk you have specified may be LOST... Do you still want to continue (Y/N)? After you enter ‘Y’, the Activity box appears on the right side of the screen. “Format” is highlighted in the Activity box. In the Status portion of the Activity box, the specified cylinders, heads, and sectors are displayed sequentially as they are formatted. Note The test can be aborted at any time by pressing the < E S C > key. When the test is aborted or finished, press to return to the main menu.
Auto Interleave Routine Warning! The Auto Interleave Routine is a destructive operation. Back up the hard disk(s) on which this routine will be performed before actually performing the operation. Run the Auto Interleave Routine to optimize hard disk performance. This routine actually occurs in two separate steps. First, the BIOS will calculate the optimum interleave value through trial and error by measuring the transfer rate for four different interleave values.
ROM DIAGNOSTICS, (C) 1986, American Megatrends Inc. Tue, Feb 13, 1990. 11:49:07 Keyboard Video Miscellaneous Press to return to MAIN MENU... Detect & Preformat with Optimum Interleave Figure E-6. The Auto Interleave Routine If you want to change a response to one or both of these fields before running the test, enter “N” at the “Proceed” field. This will return the cursor to the Disk Drive Type field unless the Disk Drive ID (C/D) has not been previously entered at the CMOS Setup screen.
Entering “N” returns you to the Auto Interleave Routine Information Box. Entering “Y” causes the following information boxes to appear: 1) Auto Interleave Detection, 2) Bad Track List, and 3) Activity. In the Auto Interleave Detection box, the transfer rate is calculated for up to four (4) different interleave factors. These interlelave factors are 1-4. The Bad Track List box displays the status of the routine.
Media Analysis Test Note This test is not valid for a SCSI drive. The Media Analysis Test performs a series of tests to locate bad patches. Even though you may have a list of bad patches from the manufacturer, this will not list any new bad patches which may have developed as a result of aging or poor handling. This test locates all bad tracks on the hard disk and lists them in the Bad Track List box.
Figure E-7. The Media Analysis Test To run the Media Analysis Test: At the Hard Disk Menu, highlight “Media Analysis.” Press < ENTER > .
Each of these fields are described earlier in this tab under the heading “Hard Disk Format Test.” When you have filled the first seven fields with an appropriate response, enter “Y” in the Proceed field. The following WARNING message will appear: The Bad Track List with all current entries, and the Activity box will also appear at this time. Entering N will return the cursor to the Disk Drive Type field in the Hard Disk Surface Analysis information box. Entering Y will initiate the test.
Hard Disk Performance Test Before performing the Hard Disk Performance Test optimize the Interleave factor. See Auto Interleave Routine earlier in this tab for instructions. The Performance Test determines the Data Transfer Rate and the Track to Track Seek time based on transfer size, seek count and data transferred. Data Transfer Rate is measured in kilobytes per second. Track to Track Seek Time is measured in milliseconds. To determine the transfer rate, the CPU reads 64KB blocks 15 times.
At the Hard Disk Menu, highlight “Performance Test.” Press < ENTER > . Fill in the appropriate response for each of the following fields in the Hard Disk Performance Test information box: Each of these fields is described earlier in this tab under the heading “Hard Disk Format Test.” When you have filled the first two fields with an appropriate response, enter “Y” in the Proceed field. This initiates the test. When the test is completed, press < ENTER > to return to the main menu. Figure E-8.
Seek Test The Seek Test determines the seek capability of the hard disk on the specified cylinder and head range. First, a sequential seek is performed, followed by a random seek. Any errors occurring during this test are displayed. To perform a Seek Test: At the Hard Disk Menu, highlight “Seek Test.” Press < ENTER> .
Note Entering “N” in the Proceed field will cause the cursor to return to the Disk Drive Type field. Figure E-9. Performing the Seek Test Hard Disk Read/Verify Test This test performs sequential and random read and verify operations on the cylinder and head range specified in the Hard Disk Read/Verify Test Information box. To perform the Hard Disk Read/Verify Test: At the Hard Disk Menu, highlight “Hard Disk Read/Verify Test.” Press < ENTER> .
? Disk Drive (C/D) Disk Drive Type Start cylinder number End cylinder number Start Head number End Head number Proceed (Y/N) Each of these fields are described earlier in this tab under the heading “Hard Disk Format Test.” When you have filled the first six fields with an appropriate response, enter “Y” in the Proceed field. This will cause the Activity box to appear on the right side of the screen.
Figure E-10. Performing the Hard Disk Read/Verify Test Check Test Cylinder Test The last cylinder on the hard disk is the test cylinder. This cylinder should be tested if a C:Drive or D:Drive error occurs during the POST. A Read/Verify test is performed on all sectors in the test cylinder. This test should pass in at least one sector. If the test fails in all sectors, then one of two possible problems has occurred.
At the Hard Disk menu, highlight “Check Test Cyl.” using the bar cursor. Then, press < ENTER > . That causes the Hard Disk Test Cylinder Test box to appear on the left side of the screen. The box contains the following questions (fields) that must be answered with appropriate responses. These responses are addressed earlier in this tab under the heading “Hard Disk Format Test.” If you want to change a response to one or both of these fields before running the test, enter N at the “Proceed” field.
ROM DIAGNOSTICS, (C) 1986. American Megatrends Inc. Tue. Feb 13, 1990. 11:49:07 Floppy Keyboard Video Miscellaneous Activity Seek Verify Read Reset Format Write status CYL. 305 Head 3 Sector 17 Hit to Abort Perform Read/Write Operation On The (Highest) Cylinder Figure E-11.
Force Bad Tracks Routine ROM DIAGNOSTICS, (C) 1986, American Megatrends Inc. Tue. Feb 13. 1990. 11:49.07 Floppy Keyboard Do you still want to Continue (Y/N)? Y I - [ I I 1 Extd = 3328KB Absent Prepare A List of Tracks To Be Marked As Bad Figure E-12. The Force Bad Tracks Routine Note This routine is not valid for SCSI drives. This operation allows you to define a set of tracks as faulty before performing a low level format.
Hard Disk Test Cylinder Test box to appear on the left side of the screen. The box contains the following questions (fields) that must be answered with appropriate responses. These responses are addressed earlier in this tab under the heading “Hard Disk Format Test.” Disk Drive (C/D) Disk Drive Type Interleave (1-16) Mark Bad Tracks (Y/N) Proceed (Y/N) After you have entered the appropriate information at the first four fields, enter “Y” at the “Proceed” field.
See Figure E-13. Warning! The Diskette Format Test, the Random Read/Write Test, and Sequential Read/Write Test are destructive operations. This means that the data on the diskette required to perform these tests will be destroyed. When performing these operations, be certain that the formatted diskettes required for these tests does not contain valuable information which cannot be recovered from the hard disk or from another diskette. ROM DIAGNOSTICS. (C) 1986. American Megatrends Inc. Tue. Feb 13, 1990.
Error Messages Error messages can either be ROM Diagnostics generated, or controller generated.
l l l l l Diskette WRITE PROTECTED (Write protect error) MEDIA CHANGE error (Media type not found) BAD DMA error (DMA overrun on operation) Record Not Found (Requested sector not found) BAD Address Mark (Address mark not found) Floppy Diskette Format Test ROM DIAGNOSTICS, (C) 1986. American Megatrends Inc. Tue. Feb 13. 1990 11:49:07 Insert Diskette for FORMAT Hard Disk c: Display Writer Commu. Floppy A: 1.2MB #03F8 #02F8 Color #0378 Memory Real = 640K Extd = 3328KB co-proc.
Warning! This test is a destructive operation. This means that the data on the diskette required to perform these tests will be destroyed. When performing these operations, be certain that the formatted diskettes required for these tests do not contain valuable information which cannot be recovered from the hard disk or from another diskette. To perform a Diskette Format Test: Highlight “Floppy” in the main menu by using the left and right arrow keys.
Entering “Y” at the “Proceed” field causes the Activity box to appear on the right side of the screen. “Format” is highlighted in the upper half of the box. This flashes while the test is in progress to indicate that this, function is being performed. In the lower half of this box, the status line displays the number of the cylinders, the number of the heads, and the number of the sectors in sequence as they are formatted. When this test is finished, press < ENTER > to return to the main menu.
To perform a Drive Speed Test: Highlight “Floppy” in the main menu by using the left and right arrow keys. Below this menu is another menu which lists all possible tests available for the Floppy drive. At this Floppy Disk Menu. “Diskette format” should be highlighted with the bar cursor. Use the down arrow key to highlight “Drive Speed Test.” Press < ENTER > . That causes the Diskette format box to appear on the left side of the screen.
Insert A Formatted Diskette in Drive Press < ENTER > when ready.. . After inserting a formatted diskette in the drive, and pressing , the message box will contain the following message: Floppy Disk Drive is X.X MB Diskette Capacity - XX trks X secs/trk Testing in Progress At the bottom of the Activity box, the message “Wait for 2 minutes” will appear briefly as the test begins. The test will record a LOWER limit, and an UPPER limit during this time period. The Current Speed will flash.
ROM DIAGNOSTICS. (C) 1986, American Megatrends Inc. Tue, Feb 13, 1990. 11:49:07 I Hard Disk Keyboard Video Miscellaneous I Activity Reset Format Write Seek Verify Read status CYl. Head Sector Hit to Abort Extd = 3328KB Perform Random Absent Read/Write Test Figure E-16. The Random Read/Write Test Warning! This test is a destructive operation. This means that the data on the diskette required to perform these tests will be destroyed.
Disk Menu, “Diskette format” should be highlighted with the bar cursor. Use the down arrow key to highlight “Random Read/Write Test.” Press < ENTER> . That causes the Diskette format box to appear on the left side of the screen. The box contains the following questions (fields) that must be answered with appropriate responses. These are: Floppy Disk Drive (A/B) Proceed (Y/N) ? ? The response for the first field depends upon the response given in the CMOS Setup screen.
After inserting a formatted diskette in the drive, and pressing , the message box will contain the following message: In the upper portion of the activity box, “Read,” “Write,” and “Verify” will flash in sequence as these operations are performed. In the Status portion of the Activity box, the cylinder numbers, head numbers, and sector numbers will be read, written, and verified.
To perform the Sequential Read/Write Test: Highlight “Floppy” in the main menu by using the left and right arrow keys. Below this menu is another menu which lists all possible tests available for the Floppy drive. At this Floppy Disk Menu, “Diskette format” should be highlighted with the bar cursor. Use the down arrow key to highlight “Sequential Read/Write Test.” Press < ENTER> . That causes the Diskette format box to appear on the left side of the screen.
ROM DIAGNOSTICS, (C) 1986. American Megatrends Inc. Tue. Feb 13. 1990 11:49:07 Hard Disk Keyboard Video Miscellaneous I Activity Reset Format Write Seek Verify Read Status Cy1. Head Sector Insert A Formatted Diskette in Drive Hit to Abort Hard Disk c: Display Commu. Floppy A. 1.2MB #03F6 #02F6 Color Printer #0378 Memory Co-pmt. Real=640K Extd = 3326KB Absent Perform Sequential Read/Write Test Figure E-17.
After inserting a formatted diskette in the drive, and pressing , the message box will contain the following message: \ Floppy Disk Drive is X.XX MB Diskette Capacity - XX trks & X secs/trk Testing in Progress In the upper portion of the Activity box, “Write,” and “Verify” will flash in sequence as these operations are performed. In the Status portion of the Activity box, the cylinder numbers, head numbers, and sector numbers will be read, written, and verified sequentially by sector number.
ROM DIAGNOSTICS. (C) 1986. American Megatrends Inc Tue. Feb 13, 1990. 11:49:07 Video Miscellaneous Activity Sequential R/W Test status Disk Change Line Test Cyl ,l Hit when ready..... Seek verify Read Reset Format Write Head 0 Sector 1 TEST PASSED Check The DISK CHANGE LINE Of the Drive Figure E-18. The Disk Change Line Test To perform the Disk Change Line Test: Highlight “Floppy” in the main menu by using the left and right arrow keys.
The response for the first field depends upon the response given in the CMOS Setup screen. If the response entered by the user at the CMOS Setup screen was “A,” this field will automatically display “A.” If the response entered by the user at the CMOS Setup screen was “B,” this field will automatically display “B.” To change the response, enter the appropriate value at the CMOS Setup screen. When you are satisfied with the information entered for the first field, enter “Y” at the “Proceed” field.
In the upper portion of the Activity box, “Verify” will be highlighted. In the Status portion of the Activity box, the cylinder number will display “0,” the head number will display “0,” and the sector number will display “1.” When the test has been completed, press < ENTER > to return to the main menu. Keyboard Diagnostics There is only one Keyboard Diagnostics Test: the Scan/ASCII Code Test. This will help you determine whether the keys depressed match their Scan and ASCII codes.
Video Diagnostics ROM DIAGNOSTICS. (C) 1986. American Megatrends Inc. Tue. Feb 13. 1990. 11:49:07 Attribute test 80 x 28 Display Test 40 x 26 Display Test 320 x 200 Graphics Test 640 x 200 Graphics Test. Page Selection Test Hard Disk c: Commu. Display Floppy A: 1.2MB #03F8 #02F8 Color Printer #0378 Memory Real = 640K Extd=3328KB Co-proc. Absent Perform All The Video Tests Figure E-19.
These tests are available for systems with a color display card and color monitor: l l l l l 40x25 Display Test 320x200 Graphics Test 640x200 Graphics Test Page Selection Test Color Test Test results for all diagnostics functions except the Sync Test are displayed on the screen. To perform any of these visual tests: Highlight “Video” in the main menu by using the left and right arrow keys. Below this menu is another menu which lists the various tests. “Run All Tests” is highlighted with a block cursor.
Miscellaneous Diagnostics These include the following tests: 1) Printer Port Test, and 2) Serial Communication Port Test. Printer Adapter Test This test writes a pattern on the printer. The results are observed here. If the printer does not write, then the test has failed.
Figure E-20. The Printer Adapter Test Serial Communication Adapter Test This test requires a special RS-232 Turn-Around Connector plugged into the port. It must be jumpered as follows: l l l TXD & RXD (2 & 3) shorted RTS & CTS (4 & 5) shorted DSR & DTR (6 & 20) shorted This test is programmed to read the following data: 9600 baud rate, odd parity, 2 stop-bits, and 8-bit data. This test first performs a reset function to check for all possible errors.
Error Messages l l l l l Error Error Error Error Error - Time out! - Break Detected - Framing error - Parity error - Overrun error If a time out error occurs during the send and receive portions, this indicates a problem with the communication adapter controller. To perform the Serial Communication Port Test: Highlight “Miscellaneous” in the main menu by using the left and right arrow keys. Below this menu is another menu which lists the two tests.
The message box in the middle of the screen displays: This test will run for about 2 minutes. Press to return to the main menu when the test is completed. A: 1.2MB Display #03F8 #02F8 Color Printer #0378 Real=64OK Extd = 3328KB Figure E-21.
