EPSON®
EPSON ® EQUITY™ LT™-286 User’s Guide Y17499100100
IMPORTANT NOTICE DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTY’ Epson America makes no representations or warranties, either express or implied, by or with respect to anything in this manual, and shall not be liable for any implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose or for any indirect, special, or consequential damages. Some states do not allow the exclusion of incidental or consequential damages, so this exclusion may not apply to you. COPYRIGHT NOTICE All rights reserved.
FCC COMPLIANCE STATEMENT FOR AMERICAN USERS This equipment generates and uses radio frequency energy and if not installed and used properly, that is, in strict accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions, may cause interference to radio and television reception.
Contents Introduction ................................................... 1 How To Use This Manual .................................... 3 Where To Get Help .......................................... 4 Setting Up Your System .................................... 1 Unpacking ................................................ 2 Connecting the AC Adapter .......................... 3 Charging the Battery .................................... 4 Connecting a Printer ....................................
Formatting the Extended Partition ........................ Copying the MS-DOS Files to the Hard Disk ............ Modifying the AUTOEXEC.BAT File ..................... Booting From the Hard Disk ................................. 3-9 3-10 3-11 3-12 Using the Equity LT-286 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-1 Using the AC Adapter ....................................... 4-1 Using the Battery ............................................. 4-2 LED Indicators .....................
Storing Data ................................................... Using Directories ............................................. The Current Directory ................................. Listing the Contents of a Directory .................. Using Pathnames ....................................... Creating Directories .................................... Changing Directories .................................... Copying From one Directory to Another ............ Deleting a Directory ............................
Diskette Problems ............................................. B-5 Hard Disk Problems .......................................... B-6 C Power-On Diagnostics ....................................... System Device Check ....................................... Clock and CMOS RAM Check ........................... RAM Check ................................................... Keyboard Controller and Keyboard Check ............... Video and Video Controller Check ........................
Floppy Disk Drive and Controller Check .................. Sequential Seek Check ................................. Random Seek Check .................................... Write, Read Check ....................................... Speed Check ............................................. Disk Change Check .................................... Run All Above Checks ................................. Math Coprocessor (80287) Check ........................ Parallel Port (Printer Interface) Check ..................
Introduction Your Epson® Equity™ LT™-286 portable computer is a compact, high-performance system you can use just about anywhere: at the office, at home, or on the road. Its rechargeable battery lets you use it in remote locations when you don’t have access to an electrical outlet. With the AC adapter connected, you can use the computer as long as you like and recharge the battery in the process.
The following optional equipment should be available from your Epson dealer: l 300/1200-baud Hayes@-compatible auto-dial internal modem l 1200/2400-baud Hayes-compatible auto-dial internal modem l 2MB memory expansion modules-one or two can be installed by an authorized Epson dealer or Customer Care Center l Expansion chassis l Soft carrying case. Either of the internal modem options allows you to communicate with other computers over telephone lines.
How To Use This Manual This user’s manual explains how to set up and care for your Equity LT-286. It also describes how to use your computer and run diagnostic checks. The eight steps in Chapter 1 explain how to set up your computer and prepare it for use. On the inside back cover is a foldout illustration of the computer parts; you may want to refer to this while you set up the computer. Chapter 2 tells you how to run the setup program.
Appendix D outlines the system diagnostic checks you can perform on your computer. If you are having trouble with any part of the hardware, you may want to run some or all of these diagnostic checks. Appendix E lists the Equity LT-286 hardware specifications. At the back of the manual is a glossary of computer terms used in this manual.
Chapter 1 Setting Up Your System Setting up your Epson Equity LT-286 portable computer is easy. Just follow the steps in this chapter. They describe how to attach the AC adapter, start MS-DOS, and copy the system diskettes that come with your Equity LT-286. After you have followed these steps, turn to Chapter 2 for information about the setup program. You must run this program to give your computer the information it needs to get started. Then follow the instructions in Chapter 3 to prepare your hard disk.
In addition to this manual, you should have the following items: l l l The main unit The AC adapter and power cord Three diskettes: Startup/Operating 1, Operating 2, and Reference l An MS-DOS manual and a GW-BASIC manual l Two function key templates You’ll also find a registration card with the main unit. Fill out this card now and mail it to Epson. With your registration card on file, Epson can send you update information. Be sure to keep your packing materials.
3. Connect the computer’s power cord to the adapter’s input socket. 4. Plug the other end of the power cord into a grounded, 120-volt, AC wall outlet. Be sure to read “Using the AC Adapter” in Chapter 4 for information on powering the computer with the AC adapter. Note The AC adapter cable has been designed to prevent it from being accidentally disconnected from the computer.
charge for at least five minutes before you start using the computer the first time, and leave the AC adapter connected while you use the computer. Be sure to read “Using the Battery” in Chapter 4 for information on using the computer with the battery. It explains how to charge the battery fully; you should do this as soon as possible with your new computer. 4 Connecting a Printer The Equity LT-286 has both parallel and serial interfaces (ports).
3. Open the computer’s interface cover, as shown below. 4. One end of the printer cable has a 25-pin, D-shaped male connector. (See your printer manual if you’re not sure which end this is.) Connect this end to the parallel connector on the back panel of the computer, as shown below. If the plug has retaining screws, tighten them by hand or with a screwdriver.
5. Connect the other end of the cable to the printer as shown in the following illustration. To secure the cable, squeeze the clips at each side of the printer connector and push them into place. 6. Plug the printer’s power cable into an electrical outlet. 7. Before starting your computer, be sure to set DIP switch 1 on the back panel to the off position, as described on page 1-8 in “Setting the DIP Switches.” This tells your computer that a printer is connected to the parallel interface.
Connecting to the Serial Interface If you have a printer or other peripheral device that uses a serial interface, connect it to the serial (RS-232C) interface on the back of the computer. The Equity LT-286 uses a 9-pin, D-shaped male connector, so be sure you have a compatible cable or an adapting cable that converts the 9-pin output to the standard 25-pin output. To connect a serial device, follow the steps above for connecting a parallel device.
Note If you plan to connect a color monitor or an external 5 1/4-inch diskette drive to your computer, do so at this point. For instructions on connecting the monitor, see Appendix A. For instructions on connecting an external diskette drive, see the instructions that came with the drive you purchased. If you connect either of these devices to your Equity LT-286, be sure to set the computer’s DIP switches correctly before using the computer. See “Setting the DIP Switches,‘+ below.
Keyboard DIP Switches The DIP switches above the keyboard are numbered 1 through 4. To access these switches, lift the panel above the keyboard by pressing inward on both sides of the cover as you lift it up: The system functions controlled by the keyboard DIP switches, shown below, are listed in Table l-l.
Table 1-1. Keyboard DIP switch functions 1 ON OFF LCD reverse LCD normal* Gray-scale Gray-scale Gray-scale Gray-scale mode 0 (black/white)* mode 1 mode 2 mode 3 (user-defined) Select LCD* Select external monitor 2 OFF OFF ON ON : -1 3 4 OFF ON OFF ON ON OFF *Default settings Switch 1, LCD reverse or normal-This switch tells your computer whether to display text on the screen in normal or reverse mode. In normal mode, black characters are displayed on a white background.
Table 1-2: Gray-scale mocks 1 and 2 Color Black Blue Green Cyan Red Magenta Brown White Gray Light blue Light green Light cyan Light red Light magenta Yellow Bright white Mode 1 gray tone Mode 2 gray tone 0 1 4 5 2 3 6 7 0 1 4 5 2 3 6 7 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Note: 0 is the darkest gray tone; 7 is the lightest Mode 3 is user-defined. If you select mode 3, you may assign colors to gray tones in whatever way best suits your needs.
Back Panel DIP Switches The second set of DIP switches is located near the middle of the back panel. These switches are numbered 1 through 6. To access these switches, open the back panel of the computer as shown below. The system functions controlled by these switches are listed in Table 1-3 and described below. Table 1-3.
Switch 1, use of parallel port-This switch tells your computer whether a diskette drive or a parallel printer is connected to the parallel port. If you have connected a parallel printer to this port, set switch 1 off. If you have connected an external 5 1/4-inch diskette drive to the port, set switch 1 on. WARNING Failure to set switch 1 correctly may result in damage to your system.
Switch 5, enable or disable internal display controller-If you have attached an optional expansion chassis and you are using an external video controller card (such as an Enhanced Graphics Adapter) in the expansion chassis, set this switch off. Otherwise, set it on. Switch 6, external monitor type-Switch 6 is important only if you are using an external monitor attached to a video controller card in an expansion chassis and you have set switch 5 off.
2. Insert the diskette in the drive so that it clicks into place. When the diskette is all the way in, the release button pops out. For more information on inserting, removing, and caring for diskettes, see Chapter 4. 7 Starting the System After you have completed steps 1 through 6, you’re ready to turn on the power and start using your Equity LT-286 computer.
Turning On the Computer After you have charged the battery (by connecting the AC adapter to the computer) for at least five minutes, you can turn on your computer. Be sure to leave the AC adapter connected while you use the computer for the first time. To turn on your computer, follow these steps: 1. Turn on any peripheral devices, such as a printer, an external diskette drive, or a color monitor. 2. Make sure your computer’s hard disk switch, located on the back panel, is turned on.
The Power/Speed indicator above the keyboard lights up, and after a few seconds the computer begins to perform an internal self test. This is a diagnostic program the computer runs whenever you turn it on. The power-on self test checks the RAM (random access memory), keyboard, system board, and peripherals before the computer begins normal operation. For a complete description of the power-on diagnostics, see Appendix C.
Initial Screen Display After the computer completes its self test, a message tells you how much random access memory (RAM) is available: 000640 KB Ok The computer then boots (starts up) the MS-DOS operating system. The screen displays a date prompt similar to this: Current date is Sat 09-03-88 Enter new date (mm-dd-yy): Type today’s date, in the format shown above, and press Enter. You can use either hyphens or slashes to separate the month, day, and year.
load MS-DOS, complete an MS-DOS command, or exit an application program. Note Your computer is designed to conserve energy by darkening the screen when there is no activity at the keyboard for a certain period of time. If the screen goes dark, press one of the Shift keys to illuminate it again. 8 Copying System Diskettes Now that you have set up your system and loaded MS-DOS, it is important that you make copies of your system diskettes right away.
4. Drive A already contains the diskette you want to copy (the source diskette), so just press any key. The DISKCOPY program copies most of the files on the diskette to the computer’s memory. (Because the 720KB MS-DOS diskette holds more data than fits in the computer’s 640KB of memory, the computer must copy the diskette in two passes. MS-DOS prompts you when you need to change diskettes.) The screen then displays this message: Insert TARGET diskette in drive A: Press any key when ready . . . 5.
7. Remove the Startup/Operating 1 diskette from drive A and insert the target diskette in the drive, then press any key. The program copies the remaining files from the computer’s memory to the target diskette. When the copy is complete, you see this prompt: Copy another diskette (Y/N)? 8. Press Y so you can make a copy of the Operating 2 diskette. Follow the instructions above and the prompts on the screen to copy the Operating 2 diskette. 9.
Chapter 2 Running the Setup Program If this is the first time your Equity LT-286 has been used, you need to run the setup program on the Reference diskette to give the computer information about the way it is set up. This is a simple procedure that you must do at least once. You may need to do it again later if you want to change a setting.
Starting the Setup Program To start the setup program, follow these steps: 1. Insert your working copy of the Reference diskette in drive A. 2. Turn on or reset the computer. Press Enter twice to respond to the date and time prompts. The setup program loads automatically and displays the Reference diskette’s operation menu: OPERATION MENU 1 - Setup - System diagnostics 2 0- Exit to DOS for more utilities Enter selection number: 3. Press 1 to select Setup and then press Enter.
4. To select an option on this menu, use the & and ? keys to highlight the option. Then press Enter. (The L and 1‘ keys are located on the numeric keypad, at the lower-right comer of your keyboard.) Memory The setup program assumes that your Equity LT-286 is equipped with 640KB of main memory and no expansion memory. If this information is correct, you do not need to make any changes to the Memory portion of the setup program.
To change the main memory setting, highlight Main. Then press Enter one or more times until the correct value appears. To change the expansion memory setting, highlight Expansion. Then press the + key (either the gray + on the right side of the keyboard or the white + next to the backspace key) until the correct value appears. For example, if you have installed a 2MB memory expansion module, press the + key until 2048KB appears.
If the current settings are correct, press ? to return to the main setup menu. To change the display information, highlight Color/graph. 80 col and press Enter. The following menu appears: Exit Memory + Display Coprocessor Mass storage Backlight period Gray scale + Color/graph. 80 col ** SAVE SETTINGS ** * Special options * Color/graph. 40 col Monochrome 80 col The choices are as follows: Color/graph.
l Special options-Choose this setting if you have an EGA (Enhanced Graphics Adapter) or VGA (Video Graphics Array) display adapter in an expansion chassis and you want the computer’s initial display to appear on the monitor connected to that adapter. To select a display option, highlight the option and press Enter. Then highlight SAVE SETTINGS and press Enter again. The main setup menu reappears. Coprocessor The setup program assumes that you have not installed an 80287 math coprocessor.
Mass Storage The setup program assumes that your computer has an internal 1.44MB 3 1/2-inch floppy disk drive, an internal 20MB hard disk, and that you are not using an external 5 1/4-inch diskette drive. If this is true, you do not need to make any changes to the Mass storage portion of the setup program. To change the mass storage information recorded by the setup program or to confirm that the current settings are correct, highlight Mass storage and press Enter.
If you are using an external 5 1/4-inch diskette drive and have set DIP switch 2 on the back panel off, your computer recognizes the external diskette drive as A and the internal drive as B. In this case, you need to confirm or adjust the setup settings for both Drive A and Drive B.
Backlight Period In order to conserve the battery’s charge when you are running your computer without the AC adapter, your screen is designed to go blank after a preset period of inactivity. Initially, that period is two minutes. If you don’t press any key on the keyboard for two minutes, the screen’s backlighting is automatically turned off. To turn it on again, press any key. To do this without disturbing a program running on your computer, press Shift, Ctrl, or Alt.
&* en certain memory-resident programs are running, the screen’s backlighting cannot be restored after it has been turned off. If you find that the screen’s backlighting does not come back on when you press a key, you may want to set the backlight period to Not time limit. Another way to avoid this problem is to use the Epson LIGHTON utility. See chapter 5 for details on the LIGHTON utility. When you have selected the backlighting period, highlight SAVE SETTINGS and press Enter. The main menu reappears.
In the submenu (the lower box), a black, gray, or white tone appears next to the word Black. That tone is currently associated with the color black. If you are satisfied with that tone, press the + key to move to the next color. If you want to use a different gray tone for black, press Enter. The following display appears: ZTUP Utility version 4.00 (Attributes image) BFKGROUND I b123456789ABCDEF Copyright (c) SEIKO EPSON COW.
As you build a gray scale for mode 3, the setup program displays all possible combinations of foreground and background tones in a grid at the left side of the screen. In this grid, the numbers and letters in the column at the left represent foreground tones. The numbers and letters in the row at the top of the grid represent background tones.
Leaving the Setup Program When you finish using the setup program, press ? until Exit is highlighted and then press Enter. The screen displays a list of the current setup program settings and a menu: SETUP Utility Memory size version 4.00 Copyright (c) Main Expansion SEIKO EPSON CORP. 1988 640 KB 0KN Display type color/graph. Coprocessor 80287 not installed Mass storage Drive A(internal): 1.44 MB Drive B(external): None Type 2(20MB) Drive C: 3.
. If you have modified the gray-scale settings, press F1. The screen displays the current gray-scale assignments. If you want to make any changes, highlight Change settings and press Enter. The main setup menu appears again, and you can make any necessary changes. When the settings are the way you want them, remove the Reference diskette and insert your working copy of the Startup/ Operating 1 diskette in drive A. Then highlight EXIT AND SAVE and press Enter.
Chapter 3 Preparing the Hard Disk for Use Before using your hard disk for the first time, you need to follow the steps described in this chapter to partition and format the disk. These steps prepare the disk to store MS-DOS and your data and program files. WARNING The steps described in this chapter erase any data currently stored on the hard disk. Therefore, do nut perform these steps if your hard disk has already been prepared for use or has data stored on it.
There are three essential steps involved in preparing the hard disk for use: Creating one or more partitions for the MS-DOS operating system l Formatting the MS-DOS partition(s) l Copying files from the Operating 2 and Reference diskettes to the hard disk. l Partitioning the disk prepares it to receive the MS-DOS system files. You use the FDISK program to perform this step. Formatting a partition prepares the partition to receive data. You use the FORMAT command to perform this step.
MS-DOS cannot use more than 32MB in a single partition, so creating an extended partition allows you to use the extra 8MB of space. The primary partition automatically becomes drive C. If you create an extended partition (on either a 20MB or a 40MB hard disk), you can make it just one drive or break it into multiple drives. Each drive in the extended partition is assigned a drive letter, beginning with D, and you can define how much space you want each drive to have.
6. At the A> prompt, type FDISK and press Enter. The screen displays the FDISK Options menu. 7. Press 1 to select the Create DOS Partition option and press Enter. The screen displays the following menu: Create DOS Partition Current Fixed Disk Drive: 1 1. Create Primary DOS partition 2. Create Extended DOS partition Enter choice: [1] Press ESC to return to FDISK Options 8. Press 1, then press Enter.
Creating an Extended Partition This section describes how to create an extended partition of 8MB, designated as drive D. If you completed the steps described in the previous section, you should already have a primary partition of 32MB if you have a 40MB hard disk. The primary partition is designated as drive C. After you have formatted the partitions, your computer operates as if it had two separate hard disks-a 32MB drive C and an 8MB drive D.
5. Press Enter to accept the partition size. The screen displays the message: Extended DOS partition created You also see information about the partitions you have created. 6. Press ESC to return to the FDISK Options menu. FDISK automatically takes you to the Create Logical DOS Drive (s) option and displays a message similar to this: No logical drives defined Total partition size is 252 cylinders. Maximum space available for logical drive is 252 cylinders. Enter logical drive size......[252] 7.
Formatting the Primary Partition Now that you have created drive C, the primary partition, you must format it. You can use the SELECT command to do this. SELECT automatically does the following: l Formats the primary partition l Allows you to assign a name (a volume label) to the partition l Copies the MS-DOS Startup/Operating 1 files to the partition l Creates an AUTOEXEC.BAT file in the primary partition to ensure that your computer boots MS-DOS correctly from drive C.
The screen displays the following message: SELECT is used to install DOS the first time. SELECT erases everything on the specified target and then installs DOS. Do you want to continue (Y/N)? 4. Press Y. The screen displays the following message: WARNING, ALL DATA ON NON-REMOVABLE DISK DRIVE C: WILL BE LOST! Proceed with Format (Y/N)? 5. Press Y, then press Enter. MS-DOS begins formatting the primary partition. The screen continuously displays the changing head and cylinder numbers of the drive.
6. It is a good idea to enter a name (a volume label) for the partition to protect it from being accidentally reformatted later. If you want to name the drive, type a name of up to 11 characters, then press Enter. If you prefer not to name it, just press Enter. The screen first displays disk space information. Then it displays the following message: Reading source file (s) . . . When all the files have been copied, the A> prompt reappears. The SELECT procedure is complete.
4. The screen displays this message and prompt: WARNING, ALL DATA ON NON-REMOVABLE DISK DRIVE D: WILL BE LOST! Proceed with Format (Y/N)? 5. Press Y and Enter to begin formatting the extended partition. The screen continuously displays the changing head and cylinder numbers. When the partition has been formatted, the screen displays the following message: Format complete It also shows information about the total disk space available on drive D. The A> prompt then reappears.
Modifying the AUTOEXEC.BAT File The SELECT procedure described above creates a file named AUTOEXEC.BAT on your hard disk. This file contains instructions that are executed by MS-DOS every time you boot your system from the hard disk.
Booting From the Hard Disk Now you can boot your system (load MS-DOS) from drive C. Just make sure there is no diskette in drive A when you turn on or reset your computer. Turn off the computer, wait at least five seconds, then turn it back on. After the computer completes its power-on self test, the screen displays the date prompt. Press Enter twice to accept the date and time shown. The C> prompt appears, indicating that the system has successfully loaded MS-DOS from your hard disk.
Chapter 4 Using the Equity LT-286 This chapter describes some basic procedures for using your Equity LT-286 computer. Using the AC Adapter The Equity LT-286 can be powered by its internal battery pack or by the AC adapter. When you connect the AC adapter to the computer and to an electrical outlet, the power to the computer is supplied from the outlet. At the same time, the AC adapter recharges the battery.
Using the Battery The battery pack inside the Equity LT-286 contains eight NiCad (nickel cadmium) batteries that power the computer when the AC adapter is not connected. The battery pack is rechargeable, and you should never have to replace it. You need to recharge the battery pack at the following times: l Before using the computer for the first time l If the battery has not been used for a long time l If the Power/Speed indicator light starts flashing (see “LED Indicators,” below).
To maximize the charge time your battery supplies, you should completely discharge and then recharge the battery from time to time. To do this, let the battery drain all the way down. When the Power/Speed LED starts to flash, save your work in progress (if any) and exit any program you are using. Leave the computer on, but do not use it. After about ten minutes, all LEDs should go dark, indicating the battery has been discharged. Then give the battery a full 12-hour charge.
The HDD (Hard Disk Drive) LED is on when your computer is reading data from or writing data to your hard disk. The FDD (Floppy Disk Drive) LED is on when your computer is reading data from or writing data to your diskette drive. Do not turn off your computer when either the HDD LED or the FDD LED is illuminated. Also, do not turn off the HDD switch when the HDD LED is illuminated or remove a diskette when the FDD LED is illuminated. If you do, you may lose dam.
When you want to open the screen, slide the latch release buttons on both sides (shown below) away from the center. Then lift the screen back. You can position the screen at a variety of viewing angles. Note To prevent damage to the system, you cannot open the Equity LT-286 while it is standing uptight on its back panel. Set the computer in a horizontal position before opening it.
Using the Handle The Equity LT-286 h as a convenient carrying handle. To use the handle, pull it out from the bottom of the computer, as shown below. Be sure the screen is closed whenever you carry the computer by its handle. WARNING To avoid accidental damage to your Equity LT-286, always store the computer in a horizontal position. Do not leave it standing upright on its back panel.
Selecting Execution Speed The Equity LT-286 can operate at two execution speeds: 8 MHz and 12 MHz. At the higher speed, the computer performs all tasks more quickly. You can select the slower speed to run application programs that have specific timing requirements. Do not change the execution speed while you are running a program. Always complete your current operation and exit the program first. However, it is not necessary to turn the computer off before changing execution speed.
Special Keys on the Equity LT-286 Keyboard The illustration below shows the Equity LT-286 keyboard. I -m Certain keys on your keyboard serve special functions when your computer is running application programs. For instructions on how to use keys for specific software functions, consult the manual that came with the program you’re running. The Num Lock, Scroll Lock, and Caps Lock keys work as toggles; press them once to turn on a function and again to turn it off.
Table 4-1. Special keys Key Purpose i++Tab Moves the cursor one tab to the right in normal mode and one tab to the left in shift mode. Caps Lock Changes the letter keys from lowercase to uppercase; changes back to lowercase when pressed again. The numeric/symbol keys on the top row of the keyboard are not affected. Shift Changes the letter keys from lowercase to uppercase while held down and changes other keys from their normal characters or functions to their alternate characters or functions.
Key Purpose SYS Rq Generates the system request function (not used in MS-DOS). Scroll Lock In some application programs, controls scrolling. Pause In some application programs, suspends the current operation. Break In some application programs, terminates the current operation. Using the Function Key Template The twelve keys marked F1 through F12 at the top of your keyboard are used in different ways in different application programs. Your Equity LT-286 comes with two function key templates.
Using Diskettes Diskette drives allow you to store data on diskettes and retrieve and use stored data. The Equity LT-286 has a 1.44MB 3 1/2-inch diskette drive; it also supports an optional external 5 1/4-inch diskette drive. This section explains how diskettes work and tells you how to do the following: l Choose diskettes l Care for diskettes l Make backup copies l Write-protect diskettes.
0KB diskettes can store the equivalent of about 300 pages of text. 1.44MB diskettes can store twice as much information as 720KB diskettes, but the 3 1/2-inch diskette drives on some computers are not able to use these high-capacity diskettes. If you are planning to exchange data with a computer that has a 720KB diskette drive, you should use 720KB diskettes in your Equity LT-286.
Caring for Diskettes 3 1/2-inch diskettes are sturdy and reliable but not indestructible. To avoid damaging your diskettes and losing data, take these precautions: Do not remove a diskette or turn off the computer while the diskette drive LED is on. This light indicates that the computer is copying data to or from a diskette. If you interrupt this process, you may destroy data. Remove all diskettes before you turn off the computer. Keep diskettes away from dust and dirt.
If you use an external 5 1/4-inch diskette drive, be especially careful with your 5 1/4-inch diskettes. Because they are more flexible, and because they do not have a metal shutter protecting their magnetic surfaces, they are more easily damaged than 3 1/2-inch diskettes. Always keep 5 1/4-inch diskettes in their protective envelopes when you are not using them.
WARNING Never remove a diskette or turn off the computer while the drive indicator light is an. This might cause lass of data. Also, be sure to remove all diskettes before you turn off the computer, Making Backup Copies Copy all diskettes that contain programs, as you did the master system diskettes that come with the Equity LT-286. After you make your copies, store the originals in a safe place away from your working diskettes and use only the copies.
To remove the write protection, move the switch up toward the center of the diskette so the hole is covered. Using the Hard Disk Drive Unlike a diskette, a hard disk is rigid and fixed in place. It is sealed in a protective environment free of dust and dirt, so you cannot see it. A hard disk stores data the same way as a diskette, but it works much faster and has a much larger storage capacity.
Protecting the Data on Your Hard Disk Although the hard disk is very reliable, it is essential to back up your hard disk files onto diskettes in case you lose some data accidentally. Make backup copies of all your system and application program diskettes before copying the program files to the hard disk. Copy your data files frequently to keep your backup diskettes up to date. Use the Epson MENU utility or the MS-DOS BACKUP command to back up your hard disk files.
The hard disk switch is labeled HDD POWER and is located on the back of the computer, next to the AC adapter socket: Power switch You can turn off the hard disk either before you turn on the computer or after: l l If you do not plan to use the hard disk at all, turn it off before you turn on the computer. If you need to load MS-DOS or an application program or to access files on the hard disk, leave the hard disk switch on when you turn on the computer, then turn it off later as described below.
Turning Off the Hard Disk Before Starting the Computer If you are not going to use the hard disk at all, turn off the switch before turning on the computer. Insert a working copy of your Startup/Operating 1 diskette in drive A so that MS-DOS is loaded from that drive. When you turn on the computer, the screen displays this error message: 1780 - Disk 0 failure (Resume = "F1" key) Do not be concerned by this message; just press F1 to continue. Then use the computer as if it had no hard disk drive.
The following example shows the proper procedure for turning the hard disk off while the computer is on. The example assumes that you have started the computer with the hard disk on and have loaded MS-DOS from the hard disk. 1. At the MS-DOS C> prompt, type A: and press Enter to log onto drive A. 2. If you want to load an application program from the hard disk, do it now. Be sure to type c : in front of the name of the program. You must do this before you turn off the hard disk.
With some programs, you can recover from an error condition by holding down the Ctrl key and pressing C or holding down the Ctrl key and pressing Break. Because these two methods may not erase all data in RAM, you should try them before resetting the computer as described below. WARNING Do not reset the computer to exit a program unless you have to. Some application programs classify and store new data whenever you exit the program properly.
Chapter 5 Using MS-DOS With Your Equity LT-286 Your Equity LT-286 comes with version 3.3 of MS-DOS. MS-DOS manages the routine work of your computer system, such as keeping the computer’s memory organized, controlling the screen display, accepting keyboard input, and directing external communications. To communicate with the operating system, you use MS-DOS commands. How much you need to know about MS-DOS depends on how you plan to use your computer.
l Using an AUTOEXEC.BAT file l Starting an application program l Using the LIGHTON utility. Starting MS-DOS Before you can run an MS-DOS application program, MS-DOS must be running in memory. If you have prepared your hard disk according to the procedures described in Chapter 3, MS-DOS is loaded automatically from your hard disk whenever you turn on your computer (provided you do not have a diskette in the diskette drive).
The C> prompt that appears when you load MS-DOS from the hard disk tells you that drive C, your hard disk, is the current drive. The current drive, also called the default drive, is the drive that MS-DOS uses for all commands unless you specify a different drive. For example, if the current drive is drive C and you type the name of a program, MS-DOS searches drive C for the program whose name you typed.
Some commands also have optional switches you can use. A switch is a type of parameter that alters the effect of a command. Pathnames may be required in a command if you are specifying files that are not on the current drive or directory. A pathname tells MS-DOS where to find a file, and consists of one or more directory names separated by backslashes. See “Using Pathnames,” later in this chapter. There are two kinds of MS-DOS commands: internal and external.
Storing Data All your work and programs are stored in files on your hard disk or diskettes. A data file contains information, such as words, numbers, or pictures. A program contains instructions that the computer can understand and execute. The kind of file you create depends on the MS-DOS commands or application program you use to create it.
You can type the name and the extension in either lowercase or uppercase letters, but do not use uppercase or lowercase letters to distinguish between files. After you type the filename, MS-DOS converts all lowercase letters to capitals. Using Directories MS-DOS organizes files by storing them in directories. This makes it easy for you to find and manage your files.
In this example, the original directory (the root directory) has two subdirectories, named LEDGER and WORDPROC. Each of these subdirectories has subdirectories of its own. LEDGER has two, named ACCOUNTS and SALES; WORDPROC also has two, named BUSINESS and PERSONAL. Finally, the PERSONAL subdirectory of WORDPROC also has two subdirectories, named STORIES and LETTERS. On your own hard disk, you can create a subdirectory structure that is more complex than this one. Or you may prefer to keep things simpler.
Six basic directory operations are described on the following pages: Listing the contents of a directory l l Using pathnames l Creating directories l Changing directories Copying from one directory to another l l Deleting a directory. You may also want to read about XTREE, a utility provided by Epson that makes it easier to perform these functions, as well as others.
A directory listing looks like this: Volume in drive A has no label Directory of A:\ TXT HELP EXE SETFC EXE SETMODE EXE MENU SETXCOPY EXE SETATTR EXE SETRPLCE EXE SETRSTOR EXE SETBCKUP EXE EXE DU HELP COM COMMAND COM GRAPH24 COM GWBASIC EXE SETPRINT EXE TXT EPSON 16 File(s) 72103 18848 23536 16176 19952 14400 14448 22336 21024 23600 3654 25276 10807 86192 5168 366 289792 5-24-88 9:42a 3-03-88 1:26p 1-28-88 4:09p 1-17-88 10:25a 1-16-88 6:15p 12-17-87 5:13p 12-17-87 5:12p 12-17-87 5:12p 12-17-87 5:11p 12-1
For instance, in the example shown on the previous page, if you had a file named APRIL.TXT stored in the subdirectory named LETTERS, the full pathname of that file would be: The pathname tells MS-DOS where to look for a directory or file. In this case, the pathname tells MS-DOS to start at the root directory and go through two subdirectories (WORDPROC and PERSONAL) to find the LETTERS subdirectory. Once in the LETTERS subdirectory, MS-DOS finds the file called APRIL.TXT.
Creating Directories The MKDIR command lets you create directories. To create the directory LEDGER under your root directory, for example, you would type the following and press Enter: MKDIR \LEDGER You can abbreviate the name of this command to MD. For example, to create a SALES directory under the LEDGER directory, you could type the following and press Enter: MD \LEDGER\SALES To check that the LEDGER directory is a subdirectory of the root directory, type DIR \ and press Enter.
The backslash identifies the LEDGER directory as a subdirectory of the root directory. Once you are in a directory, you can access any of the files it contains without typing the full pathname. To change to a subdirectory of the current directory, you do not need to type the backslash.
Note You can also copy files using XTREE, MENU, or the MS-DOS XCOPY command. See the sections later in this chapter on using XTREE and MENU, and see your MS-DOS manual for information about using XCOPY. Deleting a Directory If you no longer need a directory, you can remove it with the RMDIR command (which can be abbreviated RD). Before removing a directory, however, you must either delete any files it contains or move them to a different directory. You cannot delete a directory that is not empty.
Note Be sure to purchase the appropriate type of 3 1/2-inch diskettes for the format you want to use, Double-den&y diskettes may be formatted only for 720KB; high-density diskettes may be formatted only for 1.44MB. Formatting a 1.44MB Diskette To format a 1.44MB diskette: 1. If necessary, log onto drive C. If you are not in the directory where the file FORMAT.COM is stored, change to that directory. For example, if FORMAT.COM is stored in a subdirectory named DOS, type CD \DOS and press Enter. 2.
Formatting a 720-KB Diskette To format a 720KB diskette: 1. If necessary, log onto drive C. If you are not in the directory where the file FORMAT.COM is stored, use the CD command to change to that directory. 2. When you see the C> prompt, type the following and press Enter: FORMAT A: /N:9 /T:80 You see this prompt: Insert new diskette for drive A: and strike ENTER when ready 3. Insert the diskette you want to format into drive A and press 4.
Copying Data It is very important to keep backup diskettes containing copies of the files you create. You can copy data and program files several ways: You can use the DISKCOPY command to make an exact duplicate of a diskette l You can use the COPY command to copy individual files l You can use the BACKUP command to back up the files on a hard disk or diskette in a special format. l The COPY command is easier to use when you have only a few files to back up.
2. Log onto drive C (your hard disk) if you are not there already. If necessary, use the CD command to change to the directory containing the file DISKCOPY.COM. 3. At the C> prompt, type the following and press Enter: DISKCOPY A: A: MS-DOS displays this message: Insert SOURCE diskette in drive A: Press any key when ready . . . 4. Insert the diskette you want to copy from (your source diskette) in the diskette drive and press any key.
Using the COPY Command You can use the COPY command to copy files in several ways: l l You can copy individual files from a diskette or the hard disk to another diskette or hard disk You can copy a group of files using wildcard characters (wildcard characters are explained below) l You can copy one or more files and give them new names l You can combine or merge files into one file.
To make a copy of this file on the diskette in drive A and assign the name FACTS to the copy, type the following and press Enter: COPY A:REPORT A:FACTS Note that in this case you must assign a new name to the copy, since MS-DOS does not allow two files in the same directory to have the same name. For any of the previous examples, if you omit the drive identifier (A: or C:), the COPY command uses the current drive.
Another task you can perform with the COPY command is to combine a number of files into one file. For example, to create a new file called DATA that consists of the files REPORT, FACTS, and MEMO, type the following and press Enter: COPY REPORT + FACTS + MEMO DATA The three files are combined into one file in the order in which their names appear in the COPY command. Using the BACKUP Command The BACKUP command lets you store files in a special format for archive purposes.
You can use switches with BACKUP to back up files created after a certain date or to specify files stored in a certain directory. You can also tell BACKUP to add only those files that have been modified since the last time you ran BACKUP. This process speeds up backup procedures you perform on a regular basis. For complete instructions on the use of BACKUP and RESTORE, see your MS-DOS manual.
Using the Epson HELP Utility The Epson HELP utility provides on-line information on MS-DOS commands and programs. You can use HELP in either of two ways: You can type HELP at the command prompt and press Enter to display the HELP menu l You can bypass the menu by typing HELP plus the name of the command you want information about. l The HELP utility requires the two files HELP.COM and HELP.TXT. These files are located on the Operating 2 diskette.
To bypass the HELP menu and get information about a particular command, follow these steps: 1. At the command prompt, type HELP followed by the name of the MS-DOS command you want information about. Then press Enter. For example, to see help information for the COPY command, type the following and press Enter: HELP COPY 2. If there is more than one page of information about the command you selected, you see the prompt Pgup at the top of the screen. Press PgUp to display the rest of the text. 3.
Using the Epson MENU Utility Your Equity LT-286 comes with a utility by Epson called MENU. With this program you can display a menu of utilities and select the one you need. MENU is easy to use because it lets you execute several commands without having to remember the exact format for each one. To access the MENU utility, log onto the directory that contains the file MENU.EXE. Type MENU at the command prompt and press Enter.
Disk Utilities Lets you check, copy, compare, and format diskettes. This option gives you easy-to-use alternatives to the MS-DOS CHKDSK, DISKCOPY, DISKCOMP, and FORMAT commands. Mode Settings Lets you change your configuration settings. This option also lets you select alternate code pages (character sets) and redirect data from the parallel port to the serial port. Because you can perform so many tasks from the Mode Settings submenus, this option is a powerful alternative to the MS-DOS MODE command.
At the bottom of the screen, XTREE displays a menu that lists the functions you can perform by pressing a corresponding letter key.
Letter keys execute XTREE commands. The available XTREE commands appear on the DIR or FILE COMMANDS line at the bottom of your screen. The highlighted letter of the word (the D in Delete, for example) indicates the key you press to execute the command. To execute a command on more than one file or directory, press T to tag the desired files or directories with the Tag command. Then hold down the Ctrl key as you press the highlighted letter of the command name.
l XTREE is limited in the number of files and directories it can handle. If you have more than 2,800 files or 180 directories, XTREE displays an error message. If you see this error message, exit XTREE and store your infrequently used files on diskettes, or reorganize and delete some directories. If you use XTREE when you have more files or directories than it can handle, you may accidentally erase or alter files. Using an AUTOEXEC.
If you used the SELECT command to format your hard disk (see Chapter 3), you already have an AUTOEXEC.BAT file. The AUTOEXEC.BAT file created by SELECT contains the following MS-DOS commands: PATH C:\;C:\DOS KEYB US 437 C:\DOS\KEYBOARD.SYS ECHO OFF CLS DATE TIME VER Creating an AUTOEXEC.BAT File You can create an AUTOEXEC.BAT file with any program that lets you create a text-only file.
3. Now press F6 and then Enter. COPY creates a file named AUTOEXEC.BAT and copies everything you just typed into that file. The AUTOEXEC.BAT file is stored in the root directory of your hard disk. From now on, the AUTOEXEC.BAT program is executed every time you load MS-DOS-which means every time you start or reset your computer. Starting an Application Program Any time you see the MS-DOS command prompt (A> or C>, for example), you can start using an application program.
If you use memory-resident programs that interfere with the backlit screen’s operation, it is best to install them with a batch file that also includes LIGHTON as the last command. (See your MS-DOS manual for information about batch files.
Appendix A Connecting an External Color Monitor If you plan to use an external CGA-compatible color (RGB) monitor with your Equity LT-286, follow the instructions below to connect it to the computer: 1. Be sure both the computer and monitor (as well as any other peripherals) are turned off. 2. Place your monitor near the Equity LT-286. It is easiest to connect the monitor cable if the backs of the monitor and computer face you. 3. If necessary, connect the monitor cable to the monitor.
5. If the plug has retaining screws, tighten them with a screwdriver. 6. If necessary, plug the monitor’s power cable into the power inlet on the monitor. (Some monitors come with permanently attached power cables.) Then plug the power cable into an electrical outlet. 7. Turn off DIP switch 4 above the keyboard to let the computer know you will be using a monitor instead of the LCD screen. (See “Setting the DIP Switches” in Chapter 1.
Appendix B Troubleshooting You should not encounter any difficulties as you set up and use your Equity LT-286. You can correct most problems by adjusting a cable connection, changing a DIP switch setting, repeating a software procedure, or resetting the computer. If anything out of the ordinary happens, turn to this appendix for a solution. Besides trying the suggestions in this appendix, you can run diagnostic checks on the various components of your computer system.
WARNING When you turn off the computer, always wait at least five seconds before turning it back on.. You can damage your computer if you turn it off and on rapidly. 2. If the Power/Speed light still does not come on, turn off the power switch. Check to see that the AC adapter is securely connected to both the computer and an electrical outlet. Make sure the green LED on the AC adapter is illuminated. Then turn the power back on. 3.
4. If you are running the computer on battery power and the Power/Speed LED is off, flickering, or dim, most likely the battery is low. Turn off the computer, plug in the adapter, and then wait at least five minutes for the battery to recharge. Then turn the computer back on. See “Using the Battery” in Chapter 4 for instructions on how to fully recharge the battery. 5. If you still don’t get an image on the screen, contact your Epson dealer.
The Computer Locks Up If the computer does not respond to your keyboard entries, try the following: 1. Wait a few seconds. Remember that some operations the computer performs take longer than others. For example, it takes the computer much longer to recalculate an entire spreadsheet than to record one figure. Also, GW-BASIC programs involving many calculations can take several minutes, or even hours, to complete. 2.
3. Disconnect the AC adapter. 4. Turn the HDD switch off. Turn on the computer, but do not insert a diskette and do not use the computer. When the screen backlighting goes off, leave it off (do not press a key). Allow the computer to remain in this condition for an hour and 45 minutes. If the Power/Speed light starts to flash before the hour and 45 minutes is up, the battery is faulty. Contact your dealer to have the internal battery pack replaced.
Hard Disk Problems If you have problems with your hard disk when you first start to use it, make sure it is properly set up. (See the instructions for setting up the hard disk in Chapter 3.) Then try the following steps: 1. Be sure the switch marked HDD POWER, on the back of the computer, is on. 2. If you cannot load MS-DOS from your hard disk, you may be missing one of the MS-DOS system files. Turn off your computer and insert your working copy of the Startup/ Operating 1 diskette into drive A.
To copy the hidden system files from your Startup/Operating 1 diskette to the root directory of the hard disk, log onto the diskette drive, type the following command, and press Enter: SYS C: 4. If you can load the operating system from a diskette but cannot access data stored on your hard disk, you may have accidentally repartitioned or reformatted part or all of the hard disk. Use the MS-DOS FDISK program to see if your hard disk has an active (bootable) MS-DOS partition on it.
Appendix C Power-On Diagnostics The built-in permanent memory in your computer (ROM) contains a series of diagnostics programs. These programs are run automatically by the system every time you turn on the power. The diagnostics programs test the components of your system, such as the ROM, RAM, keyboard controller, timer, video controller, diskette driver, and hard disk controller. When you turn on the power, the computer performs the tests described in this appendix.
in which the error is found. Your dealer needs this information to find and correct the problem. If an I/O or checksum error occurs, you see this message: xxxx0 ROM error where xxxx is the number of the segment of the bad I/O ROM. Clock and CMOS RAM Check When the system device check is completed successfully, the computer checks the system clock and CMOS RAM.
If there are faulty RAM chips in your system, you see one of these messages: 201-Memory error 202-Memory address error 203-Memory address error If an I/O or parity error occurs, you see one of these messages: Parity check 1 Parity check 2 The program also displays the number of the segment causing the problem. Keyboard Controller and Keyboard Check The computer checks the keyboard controller and keyboard for problems such as failure of one of the keys to release.
Diskette Drive Seek Check The computer checks its diskette drives by testing the drive mechanism for any malfunction. If any seek errors are found, you see this message: 601-Diskette error Hard Disk Controller and Hard Disk Check The computer next checks the hard disk controller and drive unit.
Appendix D Performing System Diagnostics This appendix describes how to check the operation of the main unit and peripheral devices of your system. You check these devices using the diagnostics program on your Reference diskette. Run the diagnostics program if you are not sure whether a device is performing correctly. The table at the end of this appendix lists the error messages you may see during testing. Starting System Diagnostics To start the system diagnostics program, follow these steps: 1.
The screen looks something like this: DEVICE LIST 1 - System board 2 - Memory 3 - Keyboard 5 - Color graphics adapter and CRT 6 - Floppy disk drives and controller 9 - Parallel port (printer interface) 11 - Serial port (RS-232C port) 14 - Dot-matrix printer 17 - Hard disk drives and controller Is the DEVICE LIST correct (Y/N)? 4. If the list correctly describes your system, press Y and Enter. If a device is missing from the list, or if you wish to change the list, press N and Enter.
Press N followed by Enter. You see a new menu: Modify DEVICE LIST 1 - Add devices 2 - Delete devices 0 - Exit Enter selection number: To add a device to the list, press 1 and Enter. The program displays a list of other devices that are not currently included in the DEVICE LIST.
Selecting a Test From the DEVICE LIST, select the device to be tested. Type the number of the device, then press Enter. The following menu appears: Number of times to test device 1 - Run test one time 2 - Run test multiple times 0 - Exit Enter selection number: You can specify that the test be performed one time only or any number of times up to 9999. Running a test multiple times is for reliability testing of essential functions only; in most cases running a test only once is sufficient.
Resuming From an Error If an error occurs during a test, the test stops at that point and an error code and error message are displayed. If you want to record the problem, you can print out the message on your printer. You see this prompt: Do you want a printout of the error message(s) (Y/N)? To continue without printing the error message, press N and Enter. To request a printout, first make sure your printer is turned on and on-line, with paper loaded. Then press Y and Enter.
System Board Check Use this option to check the operation of each major component on the system board, including: l l The 80286 CPU chip The system ROM l The real-time clock, CMOS RAM, and battery l The main integrated circuits. The checks made on the 80286 CPU chip are very comprehensive and ensure that the CPU instruction set, including protected-mode operation, is functioning correctly. If an error occurs, write down the error message, or print it out, and contact your Epson dealer.
Keyboard Check Use this option to check the operation and configuration of the keyboard. The program first checks the keyboard controller; during this check, you see the green indicator lights on the keyboard flash. Before checking the operation of the keys, you must select the appropriate keyboard layout so that the test display matches the keys on your keyboard.
If all the keys function but the characters displayed do not match the keys, press Y and then Enter. Then reselect the keyboard test from the DEVICE LIST and check that you selected the correct keyboard layout. You can find diagrams of all the international keyboard layouts in the MS-DOS manual. If any key is incorrect, press N and Enter. Make a copy of the error code and message, or print them out, and contact your Epson dealer.
Monochrome Adapter Check To check the monochrome adapter, press 1 and then Enter. The computer checks the video RAM (display memory) on the display adapter by writing certain data to memory, then reading it back and comparing it to the written data. The computer also tests the video enable signal of the display controller chip. Attribute Check To check the display attributes of the adapter card, press 2 and then Enter.
After checking the character fonts, respond to the prompt: Is the display correct (Y/N)? If the characters match the illustration, press Y and Enter. If you find a problem with the characters on the screen, press N and then Enter to display the error message. Video Check To check the video output of your monochrome adapter, press 4 and Enter. This check displays two different screens, black and intensified white. First you see the black screen; press any key to display the intensified white screen.
Color Graphics Adapter and CRT Use this option to check the operation of your video controller and screen. The test includes several checks that allow you to identify specific video problems.
Attribute Check To check the video display attributes, press 2 and then Enter. Several messages are displayed showing examples of all the possible display attributes and colors. (On the LCD, the colors appear as gray tones.) Check the information on your screen and respond to the prompt: Is the display correct (Y/N)? Press Y and Enter if the display is correct. If the colors or gray tones are not correct, adjust the controls on your LCD screen or monitor.
After checking the character fonts, respond to the prompt: Is the display correct (Y/N)? If the characters displayed match the illustration, press Y and Enter. If you find a problem with the characters on the screen, press N and Enter to display the error message. 40-Column Character Set Check To check your 40-column character set, press 4 and then Enter. The character fonts that are included in the internal character generator are displayed.
The same pattern is displayed again; this time, the squares are cyan, white, and magenta, and the background is red. These colors are called Color Set 1. If these colors are also correct, press Y and then Enter to end the test. Note On the LCD display, this test is run with gray scale mode 2 in effect, regardless of how the DIP switches are currently set. Table 1-2, in Chapter 1, lists the mapping of colors to gray tones in mode 2.
If the patterns on your screen are clear and distinct, press Y and then Enter. If any pattern is not clear, first check the adjustment of your monitor (if you are using an external monitor), and then make sure that both ends of the cable are plugged in firmly. If a problem persists, press N and Enter to display the error message. Screen Paging Check To check your system’s screen paging, press 7 and Enter. Your computer’s display memory is divided into eight independent display pages.
Color Video Check Option 8, Color video check, displays 16 different screens, each with a different color and a message indicating the color. (On the LCD display, the colors appear as shades of gray.
Run All Above Checks To run all the tests on the menu in sequence, press 10 and Enter. When you choose this option, all video checks are performed automatically, in sequential order. Although you do not start each test, you must still supply the appropriate responses to progress from one test to the next. Floppy Disk Drive and Controller Check Use this option to test the performance of your diskette drive.
Before any checks are performed, the program determines the number of diskette (floppy disk) drives installed in your computer. If you have two drives, you see this prompt each time you select a test: Check which drive (A/B)? Press A or B and then Enter. If any errors occur, write down the error code and message and contact your Epson dealer. Always have diskette drives serviced by your dealer. When you finish running the checks, press 0 and Enter to return to the DEVICE LIST menu.
Write, Read Check This test checks the ability of the selected disk drive to read and write data from a diskette. The test writes to and reads from each track on the diskette, starting at the center. Select option 3 from the menu to start this test. This test destroys all data on the diskette in the selected drive, If you are testing drive A, be sure to remove your Reference diskette from the drive and replace it with a blank, formatted diskette.
If you try to perform a speed test without inserting a diskette, or if a read error occurs, you see this message and prompt: Disk is defective or not installed properly. Press ENTER to return to the menu. Disk Change Check This test checks the ability of the diskette drive to detect that a diskette has been removed or inserted. Note Disk changes cannot be detected by 360KB 5 1/4-inch drives. Select option 5 from the menu to start this test.
Math Coprocessor (80287) Check Use this option to check the operation of the 80287 math coprocessor if you have one installed in your computer. To start the test, select option 7 from the DEVICE LIST menu. Before running any tests, the computer checks the settings in CMOS RAM to ensure that a coprocessor is installed. If the coprocessor is missing, or if you have not reset the CMOS RAM with the setup program, an error occurs and the test ends.
Insert the loop-back connector. Then press Y and Enter to start the check. The computer checks the port by writing and reading data and control information, and reports errors for any pins that are faulty. Serial Port (RS-232C Port) Check Use this option to test the functions of the primary serial communications (RS-232C) port. To perform the test, you must insert a special loop-back connector into the serial port so that the computer can check the individual pins of the port.
The second test is an echo back check during which the port sends data to itself in a fixed data format, at all the possible baud rates. When this test begins, you see this message: RS-232C echo back check - at various baud rates Current baud rate is 75 Current test data is 00 Each baud rate is tested in turn, and the display informs you of the progress of the test. If the port does not become ready correctly, a timeout error occurs.
Dot-Matrix Printer Check Use this option to check the following: l l l The operation of your printer in IBM-compatibility mode The compatibility of your printer with the extended character set used by the Equity LT-286 The ability of your printer to produce bit-image graphics and print images from the graphics screen.
Even if you run the test fur only a short time, your printer may store many characters in its memory. To stop printing, take the printer off-line and then turn it off. Hard Disk Drive and Controller Check Use this option to test the performance of the hard disk drive installed in your computer. If any errors occur, have your dealer check and service the drive. WARNING As a precaution against losing data on your hard disk, you should back up your hasd disk before running these checks.
Select option 1 from the menu to start this test. The program displays the number of each cylinder it finds, counting down to 0. The seek is performed by the read/write heads simultaneously, so you see the cylinder numbers only once. If no errors occur, the menu is redisplayed. Write, Read Check This check tests the ability of the hard disk drive to read and write data. The test writes to and reads from each sector of the innermost cylinder of the disk, using each head.
Select option 3 from the menu to start this test. The program displays the number of each cylinder it finds. The first message you see is: Current cylinder is nnn .. The cylinder number counts down to 0. At the end of the test, you see a table showing the results of the test. For example, if your hard disk has three bad tracks, you see: BAD TRACKS . . . . . . . . ...3 READ ERROR TRACKS . . ..0 GOOD TRACKS . . . . ...2457 Press Enter to return to the menu after viewing the table.
This test is identical to the check for the primary parallel port. For more details, see the section describing the parallel port check earlier in this appendix. Parallel Port (on Video Adapter) Check Use this option to test the functions of a parallel port on a video adapter card. To perform the test, you must insert a special loopback connector into the port so that the computer can check the port’s individual pins. This test is identical to the check for the primary parallel port.
Error Codes and Messages Table D-l lists all the error codes and messages that may appear during diagnostic checks. Table D-1.
Monochrome display adapter and CRT 401 402 403 404 V-RAM ERROR VIDEO SIGNAL ERROR ATTRIBUTE ERROR CHARACTER SET ERROR Color graphics adapter/display 501 503 504 505 506 507 508 510 V-RAM ERROR ATTRIBUTE ERROR CHARACTER SET ERROR 40-COLUMN CHARACTER SET ERROR COLOR GRAPHICS ERROR 640x200 GRAPHICS MODE ERROR SCREEN PAGING ERROR COLOR VIDEO ERROR Floppy disk drives /controller 601 602 603 604 605 606 607 FLOPPY DISK CONTROLLER ERROR SEQUENTIAL SEEK ERROR RANDOM SEEK ERROR WRITE ERROR READ ERROR DISK CHANG
Serial port (RS-232C) 1101 1101 1102 1103 control signal ALWAYS LOW control signal ALWAYS HIGH TIMEOUT ERROR VERIFY ERROR Alternate serial port 1201 1201 1202 1203 control signal ALWAYS LOW control signal ALWAYS HIGH TIMEOUT ERROR VERIFY ERROR Dot-matrix printer 1401 status Hard disk drive and controller 1701 1702 1703 1704 1705 1706 SEEK ERROR WRITE ERROR READ ERROR HEAD ERROR ERROR DETECTION ERROR ERROR CORRECTION ERROR Alternate gy;llel port ERROR PIN p Performing System Diagnostics D-31
Appendix E Specifications Main Unit CPU 80286 microprocessor, 8 MHz or 12 MHz clock speed; speed may be switched without rebooting Main memory 640KB Math coprocessor 80288 microprocessor (optional) for use at 8 MHz Interfaces Parallel Standard 8-bit parallel, 25pin, D-type female connector Serial RS-232C, programmable, asynchronous, 9-pin, D-type male connector Video RGB color monitor support (CGAcompatible) Speaker Internal, non-adjustable Option slot One 8-bit slot, signal-compatible with
Mass Storage Hard disk Internal 20MB or 40MB hard disk designed for low power consumption; separate hard disk power switch; 78ms average access time (20MB hard disk) Diskette drive 1 internal 1.44MB 3 1/2-inch diskette drive; external 5 1/4-inch (360KB or 1.
Power Requirements 100-240 VAC, 50/60 Hz NiCad rechargeable battery pack, 9.6 volts Physical Dimensions Height 4.33 inches (110 mm) Width 14.17 inches (360 mm) Depth 12.79 inches (325 mm) (with handle retracted) Weight 17.7 lbs (8.
Options Internal 300/1200-baud or 1200/2400-baud Modem Hayes-compatible, auto-dial Memory 2MB expansion modules (SIMMs); up to 4MB expansion memory supported on system board Expansion chassis One 8-bit expansion slot One 16-bit expansion slot Carrying case Soft case for carrying computer E-4 Specifications
Glossary 80286 An integrated circuit, or chip; the central processing unit (CPU) of your Equity LT-286. 80287 A special-purpose integrated circuit that can be used to assist the 80286 and speed up certain kinds of arithmetic calculation. The computer’s system board has a socket to accommodate an optional 80287 math coprocessor. AC adapter The device that converts AC voltage from a wall socket into the proper DC voltage to power your Equity LT-286.
Backlighting The internal fluorescent illumination of the computer’s LCD screen. LCD screens that are not backlit are not legible without an external source of light. Backlight period The length of time your LCD screen stays illuminated in the absence of keyboard activity. To restore the backlighting to your screen after the backlight period has elapsed, press any key. To change the backlight period, run the setup program (see Chapter 2).
CGA Color Graphics Adapter. A type of color monitor that can display graphics. You can plug a CGA monitor directly into the built-in CRT connector on the back panel of the Equity LT-286. Character Anything that can be printed or displayed in a single space on the page or screen, including numbers, letters, punctuation marks, and graphic symbols. Chip A hardware component of your system (formally known as an integrated circuit). Examples of chips include memory chips and the 80286 microprocessor.
COMMAND.COM The program file that enables MS-DOS to carry out commands such as DIR, COPY, and ERASE. COMMAND.COM must be stored in the root directory of your hard disk if you want to boot MS-DOS from the hard disk. Command prompt The message that tells you MS-DOS is loaded and ready to receive instructions. The MS-DOS command prompt ordinarily displays the current operating drive (A> or C>, for example). You can add other information to the command prompt by using the PROMPT command.
CRT connector The socket on the back panel of your Equity LT-286 where you plug in the cable of a color monitor. Current directory The directory you are working in. MS-DOS executes a command in the current directory unless you include a pathname with the command. Current drive The disk drive (A or C, for example) you are currently using. MS-DOS executes a command in the current drive unless you include a drive identifier with the command.
Default directory A synonym for current directory. Default drive A synonym for current drive. Delimiter A character (usually a semicolon, comma, or a space) used to separate different parts of an MS-DOS command. Device A piece of equipment that is part of a computer system and performs a specific task. Examples include your hard disk, diskette drive, LCD screen, and printer. DIP switch A small two-position switch used to supply configuration information to the computer (or to a device).
DOS Short for MS-DOS. The Disk Operating System that controls the computer’s input and output functions. See Operating system. Double-density A type of diskette. Double-density 3 1/2-inch diskettes have a capacity of 720KB. Drive identifier The letter name of a diskette drive or hard disk, followed by a colon (A: or C:, for example). EGA Enhanced Graphics Adapter. A type of video monitor that can display graphics.
Extension A suffix of up to three characters that can be added to a filename. External command An MS-DOS command that is stored in a program file. The FORMAT command, for example, is stored in the file FORMAT.COM. To perform an external command, MS-DOS must be able to find the appropriate program file. External commands are distinguished from internal commands (such as DIR or ERASE), which are not stored in separate program files.
GW-BASIC Microsoft’s extended version of the BASIC programming language. GW-BASIC is included on your Operating 2 diskette. Hard disk A sealed mass storage device used to store data permanently. A hard disk can process data more rapidly and can store many more files than a diskette. Hardware Any physical component of a computer system, such as a monitor, printer, keyboard, or CPU. Hexadecimal A base 16 numbering system commonly used by programmers.
LCD Liquid Crystal Display. A form of flat panel display. LED Light Emitting Diode. A substance that is illuminated when electricity passes through it. The six indicator lights above the Equity LT-286 keyboard are LEDs. LIGHTON An Epson utility program that enables you to restore the screen backlighting by pressing any key, even when a memory-resident program that alters the normal BIOS keyboard handler is running. Log on To make a drive or directory the current drive or directory.
Memory-resident program A program that can be called on while another program is running. An example might be a notepad utility that you can access while working in a spreadsheet program. The Epson LIGHTON utility is a memory-resident program. Microprocessor A CPU chip, such as the 80286. See CPU. Modem A device that allows a computer to send or receive data over a telephone line. Monitor The piece of hardware that contains the screen and displays information.
Operating system A collection of programs that allows a computer to control its operations. The operating system determines how programs run on the computer and supervises all input and output. Your computer comes with MS-DOS, an operating system by Microsoft. Option card A circuit board that you install in a slot in your main unit or expansion chassis. Option cards provide additional capabilities, such as more memory or an internal modem.
Peripheral An external device, such as a printer or modem, connected to a computer. Port An input/output socket on a computer to which you can connect a peripheral. Power-on diagnostics A set of self-testing routines performed automatically by the computer every time you turn it on. See Appendix C. Program A disk file that contains coded instructions telling the computer what to do and how to do it. Prompt A message displayed on the screen that tells you what action you need to perform next.
Reset To reload a computer’s operating system so you can retry a task or begin using a different operating system. Resetting erases the computer’s RAM. RGB Red-Green-Blue. A type of color monitor. ROM Read Only Memory. The portion of the computer’s memory that contains permanent instructions and cannot be modified. The power-on diagnostic programs, for example, are stored in ROM. Unlike RAM, ROM retains its contents even after the computer’s power has been turned off.
Source diskette The diskette that you are copying files from, as opposed to the target diskette, which is the diskette you are copying files to. Stop bit A signal sent in serial communications to mark the end of a character. Subdirectory A disk directory that branches down from another subdirectory or from the root directory. Switch An option added to an MS-DOS command that affects the way the command works. See Parameter.
Utility program A type of application program designed to perform housekeeping chores, such as copying files, creating directories, and so on. HELP, MENU, SELECT, and XTREE are examples of utility programs. VGA Video Graphics Array. A type of video monitor that can display graphics. You can install a video card for a VGA monitor in the Equity LT-286’s optional expansion chassis. Volume label A name (up to eleven characters in length) you can assign to a diskette or hard disk.
Index A AC adapter, connecting, 1-2-3 using, 4-1 Adjusting LCD screen, 4-5 Application program, starting, 5-30 AUTOEXEC.BAT file, creating, 5-29-30 modifying, 3-11 using, 5-28 -30 B Backlight period, 1-19, 2-9 -10, 5-30 -31, B-2 Back panel, back cover foldout Back panel DIP switches.
Choosing diskettes, 4-11 -12 Clock and CMOS RAM diagnostics check, C-2 CMOS RAM, 2-1, C-2, D-6 Color monitor.
D Data, copying, 5-16-21 deleting, 5-21 protecting, 4-17 storing, 5-5-6 Deleting, data, 5-21 directory, 5-13 Diagnostics, C-1 -4, D-1 -31 clock and CMOS RAM check, C-2 diskette drive check, C-4, D-17 -20 dot-matrix printer check, D-24 -25 error codes and messages, D-29 -31 exiting system diagnostics, D-28 hard disk check, C-4, D-25 -27 keyboard check, C-3, D-7 -8 math coprocessor check, D-21 memory check, D-6 modifying DEVICE LIST, D-2 -3 parallel port check, D-21 -22, D-27 -28 power-on self-test, C-1 -4 RA
Diskette, backing up, 4-15, 5-16 -21 caring for, 4-13 -14 choosing, 4-11 -12 copying, 4-15, 5-16 -21 diagnostics, C-4, D-17 -20 double-density, 4-11 -12 double-sided, 4-11 -12 formatting, 5-13 -15 high-density, 4-11 -12 inserting, 4-14 problems, B-5 removing, 4-14-15 storing, 4-13-14 system, 1-14-15, 1-18-21 using, 4-11-16 write-protecting, 4-15 -16 Diskette drive, caring for, 4-13 diagnostics check, C-4, D-17 -20 indicator LED, 4-4 inserting and removing diskettes, 4-14-15 release button, 4-14, back cover
Expansion chassis, 2 Extended partition, 3-2 -3, 3-5 -6, 3-9 -10 F Features, Equity LT-286, 1 Files, copying, 5-16-21 Floppy disk. See Diskette Floppy disk drive. See Diskette drive Formatting, diskettes, 5-13 -15 hard disk, 3-2, 3-7 -10 Function key template, 4-10 G Graphic characters, printing, D-24 Gray-scale mode, 1-10 -11, 2-10-12 GW-BASIC.
HELP utility, 5-22-23 High-density diskettes, 4-11 -12 I Inserting diskette, 4-14 Interface, AC adapter, 1-2 CRT, A- 1 parallel, 1-5, D-21 -22, D-27 -28, E-1 serial, 1-7, 1-12-13, D-22 -23, E-1 Internal self test, C-1 -4 K Keyboard, diagnostics check, C-3, D-7 -8 function key template, 4-10 layout, 4-8, E- 1 special keys, 4-8-10 specifications, E-1 Keyboard DIP switches.
LIGHTON utility, 5-30 -31 Loading operating system, 1-15 -19, 3-12, 5-2 M Making backup copies, 1-19 -21 Mass storage, 2-7, E-2 Math coprocessor, 1, 2-6, D-21 MENU utility, 5-24-25 Memory, 1, 2-3 -4, D-6 Monitor, external connecting, A-1 -2 selecting with DIP switch, 1-10 -12, 1-14 setup program options, 2-4 -6 MS-DOS, AUTOEXEC.
Partitioning hard disk, 3-2-6 Performing system diagnostics, D-1 -31 Plugging in power cord, 1-3 Port.
Serial, cable, 1-7 diagnostics check, D-22 -23 DIP switch settings, 1-12 -13 interface, 1-7, D-22 -23, E-1 port, 1-7, D-22 -23, E-1 printer, 1-7, D-22 -23, E-1 RS-232C port, 1-7, D-22 -23, E-1 Service, where to get, 4 Setting DIP switches, 1-8-14 Setting up computer, 1-1 -21 Setup program, 2-1-14 backlight period, 2-9-10 coprocessor, 2-6 display, 2-4-6 exiting, 2-13-14 gray scale, 2-10-12 mass storage, 2-7 -8 memory, 2-3-4 running, 2-1-14 starting, 2-2-3 Software, starting programs, 5-30 Special keys, 4-8-1
T Template, function key, 4-10 Troubleshooting, B-1 -7 Turning off computer, 4-21 Turning on computer, 1-15 -17 U Unpacking computer, 1-1-2 Using computer, 4-1 -21 Using diskettes, 4-11 -16 Using hard disk drive, 4-16 -20 V VGA, 2-6 Video diagnostics check, C-3, D-8 -17 Video monitor.
Diskette drive Hard disk drive cover Back panel DIP switches Serial interface AC adapter Parallel interface connector
