Kreisen Smoke Alarm 3 8 6 X X E User Manual

386X/XE

OPERATIONS

GUIDE

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

386X / X E

OPERATIONS

GUIDE

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

GERMAN RFI DECLARATION FOR CLASS B SELF

CERTIFICATION

Hiermit wird bescheinigt, dass der TriGem 386X and 386XE 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.

4 NaengChun-Dong, Seodaemun-Ku

Seoul, Korea

English translation:

We hereby certify that the TriGem 386X and 386XE complies

with the RFI suppression requirements of Vfg 1046/1984. The

German Postal Service was the notified that equipment is being

marketed. The German Postal Service has the right to re-test

the equipment and verify compliance.

Note: Replace 1046 with 1045 for household appliances tested

per VDE 0875.

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

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. reserves the

right to make changes in the specifications of the product described

within this manual at any time without notice and without

obligation of TriGem Computer, Inc. to notify any person of such

revision or changes.

reserved. No part of this document may be reproduced, transmitted,

transcribed, stored in a retrieval system, or translated into any

language or computer language, in any form or by any means,

electronic, mechanical, magnetic, optical, chemical, manual, or

otherwise, without the prior written permission of TriGem

Computer, Inc.

iii

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

TRADEMARKS

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 is a trademark of Intel Corp.

AMD is a registered trademark of Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.

EGA Wonder is a trademark of ATI Technologies, Inc.

HP LaserJet Series II is a product of HewlettPackard, Inc.

MS-DOS and GW-Basic are trademark of Microsoft Corporation.

Windows is a trademark of Microsoft Corporation.

Seagate is a registered trademark of Seagate Technologies, Inc.

Hercules is a registered trademark of Hercules Computer

Technology, Inc.

Norton SI is a trademark of Peter Norton Computing, Inc.

Apple is a registered trademark of Apple Computer, Inc.

CP/M and CP/M-86 are trademarks of Digital Research, Inc.

Western Digital is a registered trademark of Western Digital Inc.

MultiSync is a trademark of NEC information Systems, Inc.

MultiScan is a trademark of Sony Corporation.

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

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. However, there is no

guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation.

If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or

television reception, which can be determined by turning the

equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the

interference. by one or more of the following measures:

Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.

Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.

Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from

that to which the receiver is connected.

Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for

help.

If you experience problems with radio and/or television reception

through the use of this product, the following booklet, published by

the FCC, may prove helpful:

How to identify and Resolve Radio-TV Interference Problems

(Stock No. 004-000-00398-5)

This booklet is available from the U.S. Government Printing Office,

Washington, D.C. 20402.

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

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. To ensure the reliable operation of your

computer, and to protect it from overheating, these openings

must not be blocked or covered. Don’t use this product on a

bed, sofa, rug, or other similar surface.

Never push objects of any kind into the computer through the

cabinet openings, as they may touch dangerous voltage points or

short out parts that could result in a fire or electrical shock.

This computer should only be connected to the AC power

source indicated on your computer system’s information label. If

you are not sure of the type of AC power available, consult your

dealer or local power company. Only connect this computer to a

power outlet that matches the power requirements of this

computer.

Do not allow anything to rest on the power cord. Do not locate

this product where people will walk on the cord.

If you have to use an extension cord with this computer, make

sure that the total amperage rating of all equipment plugged into

it does not exceed the amperage rating of the extension cord.

Also, make sure that the total of all products plugged into the

main AC power outlet does not exceed 15 amps.

Unplug your computer from the main electrical power outlet

before cleaning.

Do not use this computer near water,

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

Stop!

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.)

RELATED READING

For more information about MS-DOS commands and GW-Basic

programming, please refer to the user’s manuals provided with this

computer.

viii

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

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 sorgfältig.

Beachten Sie alle Hinweise, die am Gerät selbst angebracht oder

in den zugehörigen Handbüchern vermerkt sind.

Stellen Sie das Gerät an einem sicheren, stabilen Arbeitsplatz

auf.

Am Gerät angebrachte Öffnungen (Schlitze und sonstige

Öffnungen) dienen der Beluftung des Gerätes. Um ein

zuverlässiges Arbeiten des Geräts zu gewährleisten und um

Überhitzung zu vermeiden, müßen diese Öffnungen unbedingt

freigehalten werden. Betreiben Sie das Gerät nie auf Betten,

Sofas oder anderen, wiechen Unterlagen.

Stecken keine Gegegenstände (Schraubenzieher, Buroklammem

etc.) in die Öffnungen. Sie würden damit Kurzschlüsse

herbeiführen die zur Zerstörung des Geräts führen, sich der

Gefahr eines Stromschlages aussetzen oder das Gerät in Brand

setzen.

Das Gerät darf nur an vorschriftmäßige Steckdosen mit der auf

dem Gerät angegebenen Netzspannung angeschlossen werden.

Wenn Sie nicht sicher sind, welche Netzspannung richtig ist,

wenden Sie sich an den Lieferanten des Gerätes oder an das

zuständige Elektriziträtswerk. Bitte nur an genügend stark

abgesicherte Steckdosen anschließen, die der Leistungsaufnahme

des Gerätes entsprechen.

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

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.

Das Gerät dürfen Sie nicht in der Nähe von Wasserleitungen

benutzen.

Wartung des Computers

Wenn der Computer nicht ordnungsgemäß arbeitet, dütfen Sie nur

die Finstellungen vornehmen, die im Handbuch genannt werden.

Andere Einstellungen oder Veränderungen können den Computer

beschädigen oder zerstören. Umfangreiche und kostspielige

Reparaturen würden notwendig werden, um das Gerät wieder

betriebsfähig zu machen.

Ziehen Sie den Netzstecker aus der Steckdose und verständigen Sie

den zuständigen Kundendienst bei folgenden Störungen:

netzkabel ist defekt oder strak abgenutzt.

Flüssigkeit ist in dassGerät geschüttet worden.

Das Gerät war Regen oder Leitungswasser aus-gesetzt.

Das Gerät ist heruntergefallen oder das Gehäuse ist beschädigt.

Das Gerät arbeit nicht mehr richtig.

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

ACHTUNG:

Wenn Sie das Gerät öfnen 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.

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

Contents

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Introduction

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

How to Use This Manual

Setting Up Your System

Chapter 1

1-1

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

1. Unpacking

1-2

l-4

1-6

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

2. Choosing a Location

3. Connecting a Monitor

4. Connecting a Printer, Mouse, or Modem

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

1-6

l-8

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . .

Using the Parallel Interface

Using the Serial Interface

5. Connecting the Power Cord

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

l-9

l-10

1-11

l-12

l-15

l-16

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

6. Connecting the Keyboard

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Adjusting the Keyboard Angle

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

7. Turning On the Computer

The Command Prompt

8. Copying System Diskettes

9. Resetting Your Computer

l-19

. .

. . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Running the Setup Program

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Chapter 2

2-3

Running Setup

2-3

2-4

2-5

2-6

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Identifying the type of BIOS

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Memory Test Bypass

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Using Setup

Errors Reported by BIOS

Entering Setup

CMOS Setup

2-7

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

2-8

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

CMOS Setup Option

2-10

2-16

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Leaving the CMOS Setup

Extended CMOS Setup

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Leaving the Extended CMOS Setup

Contents xiii

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

Chapter 3

Using Your Computer

3-1

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Changing the Operating Speed

Special Keys on Your Keyboard

Stopping a Command or Program

3-2

3-5

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Using Disks and Disk Drives

How Disks Store Data

3-6

3-8

Types of Diskette Drives

3-10

3-12

3-14

3-15

3-16

3-17

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Caring for Diskettes and Diskette Drives

Inserting and Removing Diskettes

Write-protecting Diskettes

Making Backup Copies

Using a Single Diskette Drive

Using the Hard Disk Drive

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Using MS-DOS With Your Computer

Chapter 4

.4-2

4-2

4-4

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Inserting Diskettes

Disk Drive Letters

Starting MS-DOS

System Prompt

4-6

4-7

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Cursor

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

MS-DOS Commands

Case Sensitivity

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Function Keys and MS-DOS

4-9

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

BACKSPACE Key

4-10

4-12

4-13

4-16

4-20

4-21

4-24

4-25

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Default Drive

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Copying Your MS-DOS Diskettes

Copying on Single Drive Systems

Copying on Dual Drive Systems

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Files

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

File Types

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Filenames and Extensions

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Disk Directories

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

The DIR Command

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

File Searches

xiv Contents

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

4-26

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Multiple Disk Drive Systems

Wildcards

4-27

4-28

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Application Software

Using Floppy Disks

Chapter 5

5-l

5-2

5-3

5-4

Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Formatting Diskettes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

How Floppy Disks Work

The FORMAT Command

5-6

5-10

5-12

Option Switches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Copying Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Wildcards

Chapter 6

Using Your Hard Disk

6-1

6-2

6-3

6-4

6-6

6-9

6-l1

6-16

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

What is a Hard Disk Drive?

Care of Hard Disk Drives

Preparing Your Hard Disk

Changing Your SETUP

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Partitioning Your Hard Disk

Formatting Your Hard Disk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Organizing Your Hard Disk

Backing Up Your Hard Disk

The BACKUP Command

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-16

6-17

6-19

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

How Many Diskettes?

The RESTORE Command

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Chapter 7

Expanding Your System

7-1

7-3

7-4

7-5

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Serial Ports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Parallel Ports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Connecting Peripherals

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Connecting Printers

Connecting Modems

Connecting External Disk Drives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Contents xv

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

System Expansion & Upgrades . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-6

Tools Required . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-6

General Precautions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-6

Opening and Closing the Cabinet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-8

Installing Circuit Boards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-9

Disk Drive Compartments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-13

Internal Hard Disk Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-15

Appendix A

Specifications

Computer System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-l

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-l

System MotherBoard

CPU Logic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-2

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-3

System Memory

System I/O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-3

SystemTiming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-4

I/O Address Map . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-4

Appendix B

System MotherBoard

Hardware Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-2

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-3

Switches...............................................................B-3

Removing the MotherBoard

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

Connectors

Appendix C

Video Monitor Systems

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

Monitor System Resolution

Video Controller Boards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-l

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-4

Monitor Types

Connector Pinouts

Appendix D

I/OPorts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D-1

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D-5

Expansion Slot Connectors

xvi Contents

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

Introduction

Your personal 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 or two diskette drive and an

optional 40MB (or 80MB) hard disk drive.

You can operate a lot of application programs very fastly

and efficiently with this system because it provides 64KB

(or 128KB) Cache memory.

This model comes with 1MB of internal memory, a total of

eight internal option slots, a System Motherboard, on board

FDC, IDE HDC, and built in serial and parallel interfaces.

Your computer comes with MS-DOS — the operating system

by Microsoft. In addition to the introduction to MS-DOS

provided in this manual, you’ll find a complete reference

manual for the operating system packed in the box with the

computer.

As your needs grow, so can your computer; you can expand your

system by adding a wide variety of options. You can install

most option cards compatible with the IBM Personal

Computer. If you use software that executes complex

mathematical calculations, you may want to install a 387™

math coprocessor or 3167 math coprocessor to speed up

processing.

Introduction 1

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

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 3 covers some general operating procedures, including

how to use and care for your disks and disk drives.

Chapter 4 provides basic instructions for using MS-DOS with

your computer.

Chapter 5 takes you into the more advanced techniques of

floppy disk file manipulation, such as formatting and copying.

Chapter 6 shows you how to set up and use the vast storage

capabilities of this system device.

Chapter 7 contains “how-to” information on adding

components (such as additional disk drives or expansion

boards), to your computer.

At the end of this guide is a set of Appendices which contain

technical information for the advanced user or field technician.

2 Introduction

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

Chapter 1

Setting Up Your System

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.

Unpacking

you unpack the different parts of your computer system, be

sure to inspect each piece. If anything is missing or looks

damaged, contact the place where it was purchased for missing

items or replacements. If you cannot obtain the necessary part

of parts, call your TriGem Computer dealer for assistance.

Please have the computer’s serial number ready when you call.

Figure l-l. Unpacking Your System

Setting Up Your System

l-1

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

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.

Choosing a location

Before you set up your computer, it is important to choose the

right location. Select a spot that provides the following:

A large, sturdy desk or table that can easily support the

weight of your system, including all of its components.

Make sure the surface is hard and flat. Soft surfaces like

beds and carpeted floors can generate static electricity,

which may erase data on your disks and damage the

computer’s circuitry. Soft surfaces also prevent proper

ventilation.

Good air circulation. Air must be able to move freely

under the system as well as behind it. Leave several inches

of space around the computer to allow ventilation.

Setting Up Your System

1-2

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

Moderate environmental conditions. Protect your computer

from extremes in temperature, direct sunlight, or any other

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 sources. 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.

If it has the appropriate power cord, you can plug the

monitor into the auxiliary power outlet on the back panel

of the computer, reducing the number of wall outlets you

need. (The current required by the peripheral must not

exceed 1 amp.) If you need more outlets, you may want to

buy a power strip-available at any electronics store-to

provide extra outlets. A power strip with surge suppression

is recommended.

No electromagnetic interference. Locate your system away

from any electrical device, such as a telephone, that

generates an electromagnetic field.

Setting Up Your System

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

1-3

Connecting a Monitor

The video display monitor is the device used by the computer

to communicate with you. Your software will use the screen to

display information, such as prompts, text, graphics (charts and

pictures), etc.

Several types of monitor are available as options. A typical

video display system provides a high resolution monochrome

(green or amber screen) screen display. Your computer can be

used with either monochrome, color video monitors, EGA or

VGA monitors.

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.

The procedure you use to connect your monitor to the

computer depends on the type of monitor you have. See your

monitor manual for detailed instructions, or follow these

general guidelines:

1. Place your monitor on top of or near the computer. It is

easiest to connect the monitor cable if you are facing the

back panels of both the monitor and the computer.

1-4

Setting Up Your System

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

If necessary, connect the monitor cable to the monitor.

(Some monitors come with permanently attatched cables.)

Connect the monitor cable to the video connector on the

back of the computer, as shown below. If the plug has

retaining screws, tighten them securely.

Figure 1-2. Connecting the Monitor

Plug the other end of monitor’s power cord into an

electrical outlet.

Setting Up Your System

1-5

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

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). You can use

the serial port to connect a serial printer, a serial mouse, or an

external modem.

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.

Once you have the correct printer cable, follow these steps to

connect the printer to the parallel interface on the computer.

1. Place the printer next to your computer.

2. One end of the printer cable has a 25-pin, male connector.

Connect this end to the parallel port on the back panel of

the computer, as shown below. If the plug has retaining

screws, tighten them securely.

1-6

Setting Up Your System

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

Figure l-3. Connecting the Printer

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.

Plug the printer’s power cord into an electrical outlet.

_{Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All M}S_ane_utt_ai_ln_sg_SeU_arp_chY_Ao_nu_dr_DoS_wys_nt_loe_am_d.

1-7

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. Your

computer uses IBM-compatible, 9-pin, male connector, so be

sure you have the proper cable. If you are not sure which one

you need, or whether you have the right one, check with the

store where you bought the cable.

To connect a serial device, follow the same steps outlined

above for a parallel device, but connect the cable to the serial

port, shown below.

Figure l-4. Serial Port

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:

1-8

Setti_Dn_og_wU_nlop_adY_fo_rou_mr _WSy_ws_wt_.e_Sm_{omanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.}

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.

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. To avoid an electric shock, be

sure to plug the cord into the computer before plugging it

into the wall socket.

Figure l-5. AC Power Connections

2. Plug the other end of the power cord into a three-prong,

grounded electrical outlet.

1-9

Setting Up Your System

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

N o t e

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 zugäglick sein.

For units to be installed in European countries, a power

supply cord of type HAR, with H05VV-F should be used.

Für Geräte, die in europäischen Ländern eingesetzt werden,

sollte ein Netzkabel Typ HAR mit der Nummer H05VV-F

benutzt werden.

Connecting the Keyboard

Your keyboard has only one cable to connect.

This simply plugs into the keyboard connector located at the

bottom of the main system unit’s rear panel. This connector is

designed to prevent insertion if the pins don’t line up, so it

may be necessary to rotate the cable connector until it plugs in

easily.

Figure l-6. Connecting the Keyboard

1-10

Setting Up Your System

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

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. Adjusting the Keyboard Angle

1-11

Setting Up Your System

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

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.

Always wait at least five seconds after you switch off the

power before you switch it on again. Turning the power off

and on rapidly can damage the computer’s circuitry.

Do not leave a beverage on top of or next to your system

or any of its components. Spilled liquid can damage the

circuitry of your equipment.

Do not attempt to dismantle any part of the computer.

Only remove the cover to install and remove optional

devices.

Note

If you ever have to remove the main system unit cover,

observe the following precautions:

The power supply cord must be unplugged More- 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,)

Setting Up Your System

1-12

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

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.

Figure l-8. Power Switch

1-13

Setting Up Your System

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

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. If

anything is wrong, an error message appears on the screen.

After the self test is complete, you see a message on the screen

smiliar to this:

XXXX KB OK

press <ESC> to bypass MEMORY test

XXXX-XXXX-XXXXXX-KB

The computer continually updates this display as it tests its

memory. This test takes about 15 seconds to complete.

You may see a message similar to this:

XCMOS Checksum Failure

CMOS battery low

CMOS system option not set

Run Setup Utility

Press <Fl> to RESUME

This means that the computer is not yet set up for the

equipment you have installed and you must run the Setup

program, described in Chapter 2. For now, press the Fl key on

1-14

Setting Up Your System

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

the upper left comer of the keyboard to acknowledge the

message and continue.

If you cannot see the screen display clearly, use the controls on

you monitor to adjust the brightness and contrast until

characters on the screen are clear and bright.

The computer then loads MS-DOS, the operating system, from

the hard disk into memory. MS-DOS must be in the

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.

In your computer, the diskette drive is A and the hard disk is

drive C. If you have an optional second diskette drive, MS-DOS

identifies it as B.

Setting Up Your System

1-15

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

Copying System Diskettes

Now that you have started your system and loaded MS-DOS, it

is important that you make copies of your MS-DOS diskettes

right away. Use the copies (called working copies) as they are

needed and store the originals in a safe place.

Each of the system diskettes is formatted for 360KB.

(Formatting prepares a diskette to store data and is described in

Chapter 3 and Chapter 5.)

To copy them, you need seven 360KB doubledensity, 5¼-inch

diskettes.

N o t e

If you do not have any 360KB diskettes, you can use

unformatted 1.2MB diskettes. When copying from 360KB

diskettes, the DISKCOPY program formats the 1.2MB

diskettes for 360KB.

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.

Hold the diskette with the label facing up and the

read/write slot into the drive.

1-16

Setting Up Your System

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

Figure l-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. . .

Setting Up Your System

1-17

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

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. Then the program begins copying the data from

the computer’s memory to the formatted diskette. When

the copy is complete, you see this prompt:

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 off this diskette as you did for the first MS-DOS

diskette.

8. When you finish copying the last diskette and the

prompt appears, press N to return to the MS-DOS

command prompt C >.

After you have copied the MS-DOS diskettes, be sure to label

them carefully so you know which one is which. Write on the

labels before you attach them to the diskettes in order to

prevent damaging the diskettes. Store the originals in a safe

place and use the copies as they needed.

1-18

Setting Up Your System

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

Resetting Your Computer

If your computer system should “lock-up”, it may be necessary

to reset the computer. Resetting the computer causes the CPU

to clear its instruction set and the system memory. This ensures

there is no “garbage” left in memory to interfere with new

program information.

There are two basic ways to reset your computer. They are:

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. This will erase any software programs loaded into

the system RAM. You may lose important data or have

problems using your &are after the system re-boots.

Only RESET your system if you are sure that all of your

data has been saved to disk, or there is no other way to

escape a “lockup” condition.

You should now be able to reset your computer if you run into

trouble. At this point, you can complete the installation of

your system by running the SETUP program. For detailed

information on the SETUP program, see the following chapter.

1-19

Setting Up Your System

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

Chapter 2

Running the Setup Program

The first time you use your computer after setting up, you need

to run the Setup program. The Setup program lets you update

the following for your computer.

The internal clock’s time and date

The number and capacity of diskette drives

The number and type of fixed disks

Availability and type of primary video adapter

Availability of keyboard

The type of scratch RAM

The setup program should be run when any of the preceding

parameters has changed due to a system configuration change.

You probably do not need to change all these settings; just

change the ones that apply to your computer. For example, if

you have added no extra equipment and have a color graphics

monitor, you would use the Setup program to set the internal

clock’s time and date.

Your computer stores the information you enter with the Setup

program in a special memory area, called CMOS RAM, which

is backed up by a battery. When you turn the computer off, the

computer stores the Setup information in this memory. When

you turn the computer on, it searches the CMOS RAM to

obtain the correct configuration information. If there is a

2-1

_{Download from Www.Somanuals.com.}R_Au_lln_Mn_ai_nn_ug_alsth_Se_eaS_re_ct_hu_Ap_ndP_Dro_og_wr_na_lom_ad.

difference between the information in CMOS RAM and the

actual configuration, you see a prompt to run the Setup

program.

Whenever a configuration change has been made to the system

and power subsequently applied, the BIOS (Basic Input/Output

System) will generally generate the invalid configuration

message. Pressing Fl after an invalid configuration message is

displayed will cause the system to boot up with a minimum

default system. This will result in the system not being able to

operate with its full potential.

If POST detects an error, you are prompted “Press <Fl> to

RESUME”

The setup program performs the following operations:

Displays date, time, and the screen the list current values

for system options.

Allows you to accept current (default) values or enter

different values for time, date, and system options.

Provides help information about each of the options.

Provides instructions on re-booting the system so that the

new setting can take effect.

Whenever the system is booted, POST always rechecks the

stored setup information against the hardware configuration.

If the data does not agree, the invalid configuration message

will be displayed.

2-2

Running the Setup Program

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

Running Setup

If your system is off, turn it on now. After a moment, you will

see a message similar to this:

XXXX KB OK

Press <ESC> to bypass MEMORY test

XXXX-XXXX-XXXXXX-KB

Identifying the type of BIOS

Please note the Reference number at the bottom of the screen.

Make a note of this number before you call Customer Support

at AMI for assistance with the BIOS. The Reference number

in your BIOS will let you know the type of BIOS on your

system. The Reference number is displayed in the following

format:

ABBB-NNNN-MMDDYY-KX

Where

= D for BIOS with Diagnostics

A could be

= S for BIOS with Setup program

= E for BIOS with Extended Setup program

= C&T for C&T 386 chipset

= NET for C&T NEAT chipset

BBB could be

286 for standard 286, VLSI, G2 286 boards

= SUN for suntac 286 boards

2-3

Running the Setup Program

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

PAQ for Compaq compatible 386 board

INT for Intel compatible 386 board

AMI for AMI 386 motherboard

= G23 for G2 386 board

MMDDYY

is the BIOS release date in Month/Day/Year

format

is the AMI Keyboard BIOS version number

Memory Test Bypass

The BIOS performs diagonostics of the system and displays the

size of the memory being tested.

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.

Press <ESC> to bypass MEMORY test

Using Setup

Immediately after the memory test, you will get the following

prompt on the screen depending upon the type of BIOS you

have:

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

2-4

Running the Setup Program

Hit < DEL > key to get into the Setup mode

Note

<DEL > key will get you into the setup mode, only when

the above message is displayed on the screen.

If you hit < DEL > key, a menu appears on the screen giving

you the option of

EXIT FOR BOOT

RUN CMOS SETUP

RUN XCMOS SETUP

Use < Up > and <Down

> keys to set the reverse video

cursor on the option you want to select and use < Enter > to

get into the option.

Errors Reported by BIOS

You may also see the error prompts in the first screen if your

system has detected errors while comparing the configuration

settings on the system main board with the parameters stored

in its internal configuration RAM. In this case, you will see a

message similar to this:

XCMOS Checksum Failure

CMOS battery low

CMOS system option not set

Run Setup Utility

Press <Fl> to RESUME

Press <Fl> to ignore the error prompt and boot the system

automatically.

Running the Setup Program

2-5

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

Note

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:

Entering SETUP

To enter the setup program, hit < DEL > key at the time the

following prompt is displayed on the screen immediately after

the memory test.

Press <DEL> if you want to run SETUP/EXTD-SET

If you hit <DEL> key, you will see a menu like as following

EXIT FOR BOOT

RUN CMOS SETUP

RUN XCMOS SETUP

This means that the SETUP program options have been set at

the factory. Since there were no errors detected, the computer

tried to load MS-DOS from the floppy disk drive, before you

have inserted the MS-DOS main system diskette. For now

ignore this message.

2-6

Running the Setup Program

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

CMOS SETUP

Set the reverse video cursor on the “RUN CMOS SETUP”

using <Up • > and < Down ¯ > and press < ENTER >.

the screen will be replaced by the following.

Then

This screen is the SETUP MENU. This lists the parameters

you can change with the SETUP program. A solid cursor bar

highlights the parameter currently available to be changed. You

can use the following key conventions.

< Enter >

< ¬ > < ® >

< PgUp > < PgDn >

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . moves the selection bar

. . . . . . . . . . . moves the selection bar

. . . . . . . scrolls allowable settings

< E S C >. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . exit and save CMOS

< Ctrl > < Alt > < Del >

. . . exit without save

2-7

Running the Setup Program

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

CMOS Setup Option

Note

The Setup option is available even after a soft reset.

Date and Time Setup

The first entry in the Setup screen is current date.

A calendar has been provided for the user to facilitate him in

this procedure. Again, simply press the < PgUp > or

< PgDn > keys to select the appropriate value for the month,

date and year.

The procedure for setting the time is similar to that of setting

the date. The time here is 24-hour time so don’t be alarmed

when hour 13 shows up on the screen. Simply highlight either

the hours, minutes, or the seconds and press the <PgUp> I

< PgDn > keys to step through the numbers.

Floppy Disk Drive Setup

Drives a: and / or b: may be one of the following types:

Allowable Drive Types

360KB

1.2MB

720KB

1.44KB

¼"

½"

not installed

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,

2-8

Running the Setup Program

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

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.

Display Type Setup

The next option is primary display selection. The options are

as follows:

Type of Display Allowed

Monochrome

Color 40 x 25

Color 80 x 25

VGA or EGA

Not Installed

Keyboard Setup

The keyboard Setup is the next option for the user. You may

either choose to enable or disable the Keyboard test during

Power On Self Test by setting keyboard as “Installed” or “Not

Installed”.

Scratch RAM Option

The next option is the setting of the scratch RAM. The

purpose of this element is to

(1) Save the user definable drive type 47

(2) Translate 80386 Loadall function for programs like

OS/2, RAMDRIVE etc.

If Shadow RAM is not enabled, the parameters of the drive

must be stored in normal RAM, but the integrity of the data

must be maintained. The options you have are the following:

Running the Setup Program

2-9

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

1. The BIOS to use 100 bytes at 30h:O

2. The BIOS to reduce the size of the base memory by 1KB.

The default is 1. If you are not using Drive type 47 or not

running programs like OS/2, RAMDRIVE this RAM will

never be used by so you may leave the value as 1.

Leaving the CMOS Setup

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. When you are satisfied with

the option settings, press the < ESC > key, then press Y to

write the new settings into the configuration RAM. Your

computer will run through the self test diagnostics again and

try to read a diskette in the first floppy disk drive.

As mentioned above, you may see an error message if you don’t

have a system diskette inserted into the floppy disk drive.

Extended CMOS SETUP

The Extended CMOS Setup program can be used to program

the Chipset Extended CMOS with user defined values which

will be used by the BIOS to program the Chipset registers

during system boot up.

To enter the Extended CMOS SETUP program, set the reverse

video cursor on the “RUN XCMOS SETUP” using Up and

Down arrow key and press < ENTER> on the following

message.

Running the Setup Program

2-10

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

RUN CMOS SETUP

RUN XCMOS SETUP

The screen will be replaced by the following.

This is Extended CMOS Setup Menu screen. Extended CMOS

Setup lets you select additional features of system for better

performances.

RAM/CACHE/BUS CONTROLLER SETUP

You may select the option “RAM/CACHE/BUS

CONTROLLER SETUP” by pressing < Enter > on the screen

like above, then the next screen will appear like below.

2-11

Running the Setup Program

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

This screen is the system performance setup. This lists the

parameters you can change with Extended Setup program. A

solid cursor bar highlights the parameters currently available to

be changed. You can use the following key conventions.

: Moves the selection bar

: Scrolls available settings

: Exit to Main Menu

¬ • ® ¯

< PgUp/PgDn >

< E s c >

Start-up Speed

This parameter lets you select the speed of the system at boot

time. After boot, you may change the system speed through

keyboard or BIOS service INT 15H call.

2-12

Running the Setup Program

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

Cache

If the Cache Memory option is not what you want, use the

< PgUp > or < PgDn > key to change the option value. The

options are:

Enabled : The memory cache is enabled. This is the

recommended option. You can operate your

work more rapidly and efficiently with this

system using cache memory.

Disabled : The memory cache is disabled. This is the lower-

performance option. You should select it only if

your programs have difficulty running with the

cache enabled.

System BIOS Shadow

System BIOS Shadow Option copies BIOS from ROM to

RAM. By enabling this option, BIOS service will be accessed

from RAM which is faster than accessing from ROM.

Video BIOS Shadow

Video BIOS shadow option copies video BIOS from ROM to

RAM. By enabling this option Video BIOS services will be

accessed from RAM which is faster than accessing from ROM.

Remap 256K RAM

Remap 256K RAM option copies 256K from ROM to RAM.

You can use Extended memory more sufficiently by enabling

this option.

Running the Setup Program

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

2-13

MULTI I/O CONTROLLER SETUP

Set the reverse video cursor on the “MULTI I/O

CONTROLLER SETUP” of the Extended SETUP Main

menu using Up and Down arrow key and press < ENTER > .

The screen will be replaced by the following.

This screen is the system communication setup. This lists the

parameters you can change with EXTENDED SETUP program.

A solid cursor bar highlights the parameters currently available

to be changed.

2-14

Running the Setup Program

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

Serial Port #1

If you’d like to the on board serial port 1 for COM l, set this

option “COM l”.

But, when you install the external card to use another serial

port, you should select “Disable” on this option to disable the

on board serial port.

Serial Port #2

Set this parameter to “COM2” when you use serial port #2 for

“COM2”. You should also disable this option when you install

the external card to use another serial port for COM2.

Parallel Port

If you use on board parallel port, select LPTl for this

parameter. However if you want to use another parallel port

using external I/O card, you should disable this option.

Hard Disk 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.

2-15

Running the Setup Program

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

Leaving the Extended CMOS Setup

When you’d like to exit the Extended CMOS setup program,

you can select one of two exit methods.

If you have completed the changes and made sure the current

settings, set the reverse video cursor on “WRITE CMOS

REGISTERS AND EXIT” exist on the Extended Setup Main

menu and press < Enter >. But in any case, when you don’t

want to accept the changes, select “DO NOT WRITE CMOS

After you exit the Extended setup program, you may see the

following message.

Then, your computer will run through the self test diagnostics

again and try to read a diskette in the first floppy disk drive.

2-16

Running the Setup Program

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

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: if you have TriGem

386X, the system can operate 25MHz or 8MHz, and if your

system is TriGem 386XE, it can operate 33MHz or 8MHz.

At 25MHz or 33MHz, the computer performs all tasks faster,

and almost all programs may be run at 25MHz or 33MHz.

However, some option cards and application programs require

the lower speed. See your option card or application program

manual to make sure that you can use the higher speed before

selecting it.

Keyboard Method

The following keystroke sequences can be used to set the

processor clock speed.

Ctrl-Alt- < - >

Hold down the <Ctrl> and <Alt>

keys and press < - > on the numeric

keypad to place the system in low speed

m o d e .

Using Your Computer 3-1

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

Hold down the < Ctrl > and < Alt >

keys and press < + > on the numeric

Ctrl-Alt- < + >

keypad to place the system in high

speed mode.

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. The illustration below

shows the TriGem keyboard, and the table that follows

describes the special keys.

Figure 3-1. Keyboard (101 key)

3-2

Using Your Computer

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

Purpose

Key

F1-F12

Perform special functions within application program

(Some keys also function with MS-DOS. See your

MS-DOS Reference Manual for more information.)

Moves the cursor one table to the right in normal

mode (and one tab the left in shift mode when using

some application programs.)

Tab

Ctrl

Works with other key to perform special (control)

function, such as editing operations.

Produces uppercase characters or the top symbols

on the keys when used with the main character keys.

Produces lowercase characters when Caps Lock is

on.

Shift

Alt

Works with other keys to enter alternate character

codes or functions.

Backspace

Enter

Moves the cursor back one space, deleting the

character to the left of the cursor

Ends a line of keyboard input or executes a

command (may be called the Return key In some

application program manuals).

Caps Lock

Changes the letter keys from lower-to uppercase;

changes back to lowercase when pressed again.

The numeric/symbol keys on the top row of the

keyboard are not affected.

Esc

Cancels the current command line or operation in

MS-DOS. Esc can also have special uses in

application programs.

Num Lock

Changes the function of the keys on the

numeric/cursor keypad from numeric entry to cursor

positioning; changes back when pressed again.

Scroll Lock

Break

Controls scrolling in some application programs.

When pressed with the Ctrl key (hold down Ctrl and

press Break), sends a break signal to the computer

to terminate the current operation.

_{Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manua}U_{ls S}si_en_arg_chY_Ao_nu_dr_DoC_wo_nm_loap_du_.ter 3-3

Purpose

Key

Produces the system request function in certain

applications.

Sys Req

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.

Turns the insert function on and off in some

application programs.

Ins

Del

Deletes the character at the cursor position

The Num Lock, Scroll Lock, and Caps Lock keys work as

toggles; press the key once to turn on a function and again to

turn it off. When the function is enabled, the corresponding

light on the top right comer of the keyboard is on. When the

function is disabled, the light is off.

Figure 3-2. Keyboard LED

3-4

Using Your Computer

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

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.

If you cannot stop a particular operation, however, you may

need to reset the computer, as described in the following

section.

Caution

It is best not to run off the computer to stop a program or

command. If you have created new data that you have not

yet stored, it will be erased if you turn off the computer.

Your computer stores data in its memory until you save it;

but the memory area is erased each time you turn off or

reset the computer.

Using Disks and Disk Drives

The disk drives in your computer allow you to store data on

disk and retrieve it when you want it.

This section explains how disks work and tells you how to do

the following:

Choose diskettes

Using Your Computer 3-5

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

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. It is

sealed in a protective case to keep it free from dust and dirt. A

hard disk stores data the same way that a diskette does, but it

works faster and has much larger storage capacity.

All disks are divided into data storage compartments by sides,

tracks, and sectors. Double-sided diskettes — like the ones you

use in your computer — store data on both sides. On your disk

there are concentric rings, called tracks, in which a disk can

store data. Double-density diskettes (such as 360KB diskettes)

have 40 tracks, and highdensity diskettes (such as 1.2MB or

1.44MB diskettes) have 80 tracks. But 720KB double density

diskette has 80 tracks.

A hard disk consists of two or more magnetically-coated

platters stacked on top of one another, so it has four or more

sides with many more tracks than a diskette.

3-6

Using Your Computer

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

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. There is one head above the

diskette and one below, so the drive can write to both sides of

the diskette. To write to a disk, the computer spins it in the

drive to a position where one of the read/write heads can access

the diskette through the read/write slot. The read/write slot on

a diskette exposes the diskette’s magnetic surface so the

read/write head can write on the appropriate area.

Because data is stored magnetically, you can retrieve it, record

over it, and erase it — just as you play, record, and erase music

on a cassette tape.

3-7

Using Your Computer

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

Types of Diskette Drives

You computer has at least one 1.2MB diskette drive. With this

drive, use 5¼-inch, double-sided, high-density, 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 360KB — see your MS-DOS Reference Manual for

more information.

In addition, you may have a diskette drive of a different type.

The following list describes the types of optional diskette drives

you can use in your computer and which diskettes you should

use with them:

360KB drive — With this drive, use 5¼-inch, double-

sided, doubledensity, 48 TPI (tracks per inch), 360KB

diskettes. (You can also use single-sided, 160KB or 180KB

diskettes). These diskettes contain 40 tracks per side, 8 or 9

sectors per track, and hold up to 360KB of information,

which is approximately 150 pages of text. (With 8 sectors

per track, a diskette holds up to 360KB.)

720KB drive — With this drive, use 3½-inch, double-

sided, double-density, 135 TPI, 720KB diskettes. These

diskettes contain 80 tracks per side, 9 sectors per track, and

hold up to 720KB of information - approximately 300

pages of text.

1.44MB drive — With this drive, use 3½-inch, double-

sided, high-density, 135 TPI, 1.44MB diskettes. These

diskettes contain 80 tracks, per side, 18 sectors per track,

and hold up to 1.44MB of information, which is

approximately 600 pages of text.

If your computer has more than one type of these drives or if

you use diskettes from other computers, you need to be aware

of certain incompatibilities between the drives and the

diskettes they use.

3-8

Using Your Computer

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

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 3½-inch

diskettes in a 5¼-inch drive or vice versa. There are also

certain limitations on using diskettes that are the same size as

the drive but have different capacities. The following tables

summarize the possiblities and limitations.

5¼-inch drive/diskette compatibility

Diskette types it can read from and write to

Drive type

360KB

1.2MB

180KB, or 360KB

180KB, 360KB. or 1.2MB

3½-inch drive/diskette compatibility

Diskette types it can read from and write to

Drive type

720KB

1.44MB

720KB, or 1.44MB

Warning

If you write to a 360KB (or 180KB) diskette while it is in a

1.2MB drive, you may not be able to read it or write to it

in a 360KB drive later.

Using Your Computer 3-9

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

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 (360KB,

1.2MB, 720KB, 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. You cannot use the DISKCOPY to copy from one

drive to another if the two drives are not the same type.

Caring for Diskettes and Diskette Drives

Follow these basic precautions to protect your diskette and

avoid losing data:

Do not remove a diskette from the diskette drive or turn

off the computer while the drive light is on. This light

indicates that the computer is copying data to or from a

diskette. If you interrupt this process, you can destroy data.

Remove all diskettes before you turn off the computer.

Keep diskettes away from dust and dirt. Small particles of

dust or dirt can scratch the magnetic surface and destroy

data. Dust can also ruin the read/write heads in a diskette

drive.

Never wipe, brush, or try to clean diskettes in any way.

Keep diskettes in a moderate environment. They work best

at normal room temperature and in normal humidity. Do

not leave your diskettes sitting in the sun, or in extreme

cold or heat.

3-10 Using Your Computer

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

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 on 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. If you are using a 3½-inch diskette, do

not slide the metal shutter; this exposes the diskette’s

surface.

Do not place anything on top of your diskettes and be sure

they do not get bent. A diskette does not rotate properly in

the drive if it has been damaged.

Carefully label your diskettes. Attach labels firmly but

gently, and only along the top of a diskette (next to the

manufacturer’s label). Do not stick several labels on top of

one another-too many labels can make it difficult to insert

the diskette into the drive.

It is best to write on the label before you attach it to the

diskette. If you need to write on a label that is already on a

diskette, use only a soft-tip pen, not a ballpoint pen or a

pencil. Always indicate the storage capacity and density

type on the label.

Store diskettes in a proper location, such as a diskette

container. Do not store diskettes flat or stack them on top

of each other. When you are not using them, keep your

diskettes in their protective envelopes.

Follow these additional precautions to protect your hard disk

drive and its data:

3-11

Using Your Computer

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

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.

Figure 3-4. Inserting a Diskette (5¼”)

Slide the diskette into the slot until it is all the way in. Then

turn the drive latch down to lock it in a vertical position. This

keeps the diskette in place and enables the read/write heads in

the diskette drive to access the diskette.

3-12

Using Your Computer

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

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. Carefully pull

out the diskette, place it in its protective envelope, and store it

in a proper location, such as a diskette container.

If you have an optional 3½-inch diskette drive, insert the

diskette with the label facing up and the metal shutter leading

into the drive, as shown below. Slide the diskette into the

drive until it clicks into place.

Figure 3-5. Inserting a Diskette (3½”)

Using Your Computer

3-13

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

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.

Warning

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. When a diskette is write-protected, you can read it and

copy data from it, but you cannot store new data on the

diskette or delete any files it contains. If you try to change data

stored on a write-protected diskette, MS-DOS displays an error

message.

To write-protect a 5¼-inch diskette, cover the small,

rectangular notch (shown below) with an adhesive write-protect

tab. Write-protect tabs usually come with new 5¼-inch

diskettes when you buy them.

Write Protect

Figure 3-6. 5¼” Diskettes & Write-Protect Tab

3-14

Using Your Computer

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

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. 3½” Diskette & Write-Protect SW

To remove the write protection, slide the switch toward the

center of the diskette so the hole is covered.

Making Backup Copies

It is important to make copies of all your data and system

diskettes. Copy all diskettes that contain programs, such as the

original MS-DOS diskettes that come with your computer, and

use only the copies. Store your original MS-DOS diskettes in a

safe place away from your working copies. Backup your data

diskettes regularly, whenever you revise them, to keep them

up-todate, and store them away from your originals.

Using Your Computer 3-15

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

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.

Using a Single Diskette Drive

The operating system expects the computer to have at least

two diskette drives, and it displays prompts and messages

accordingly. If the computer has only one diskette drive, MS-DOS

treats the one drive like two logical drives. This helps you

perform operations that normally require two diskette drives.

Usually, MS-DOS

recognizes the first diskette drive (the top

drive) as drive A and the second diskette drive as drive B.

If you have only one diskette drive, MS-DOS recognizes it as

both A and B.

For example, if you give a command to copy from A to B,

MS-DOS copies data from the diskette you place in the single

drive (A) to the computer’s memory. Then MS-DOS

automatically prompts you to insert another diskette in the

same drive, which it now identifies as drive B. It copies the

data from memory to the new diskette. When the copying is

complete, MS-DOS identifies the drive as drive A again, and

you see a prompt to insert the original diskette into drive A.

You can load the operating system and application programs

from the hard disk, create and store your data there, and use

the diskette drive just for copying data to and from diskettes.

3-16

Using Your Computer

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

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

instruct ions.

Using the Hard Disk Drive

You can create and revise files on a hard disk just as you can

on a diskette. The hard disk, however, provides several

advantages:

The 20MB hard disk can store more data than 16x1.2MB

diskettes and the 40MB hard disk can store twice as much.

Your computer can perform all disk-related operations faster.

You can store all your frequency used programs and data

files on the hard disk, eliminating the inconvenience of

inserting and removing diskettes to access different files.

The added storage capacity makes it easy to move back and

forth between different programs and data files. However,

because it is so easy to add programs and files to your hard disk,

you may find yourself trying to organize hundreds of files.

MS-DOS lets you keep related files together in directories and

subdirectories so they are easier to find and use.

Using Your Computer

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

3-17

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-to-date.

You can see the more detailed information of backing up hard

disk files on the Chapter 6.

Preparing the hard disk for moving

Before you move the computer, you need to secure the

read/write heads inside the hard disk drive. Securing the

read/write heads moves them to a region of the disk surface

that does not contain data, and locks them in position. This

prevents the disk from being damaged if it is bumped

accidentally.

To secure the read/write heads for moving, run the TGSHIP

program.

Follow these steps to run TGSHIP:

1. Exit any program you are using so the MS-DOS command

prompt is on the screen.

Insert the MS-DOS diskette in drive A.

3. Type the following and press Enter:

A:TGSHIP

Using Your Computer

3-18

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

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. This command moves the

read/write heads inside the hard disk drive to a “safety zone,”

where they won’t accidentally scratch the surface of the drive

platters. TGSHIP.COM is a special DOS command file

included with your system. You should copy this file into the

root directory of your hard disk drive.

See MS-DOS reference manual for more information of

TGSHIP command.

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

Using Your Computer

3-19

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. For more detailed explanation of the MS-DOS

operating system, see your MS-DOS USER’S GUIDE.

MS-DOS is an acronym for Microsoft Disk Operating System.

The disk operating system is a collection of programs that allow

you to control all the elements of your computer. When

booting up, the MS-DOS command file is copied from the MS-

DOS main disk into your computer’s memory. From there, it

controls the rest of the system.

During a normal operating session, you will want your

computer system to boot up in MS-DOS. Before that can

happen, however, you may need to install MS-DOS on your

system.

If your system does not have a hard disk system, you must

perform the installation routine to configure MS-DOS for

floppy disk-based operation.

If you do have a hard disk drive, but MS-DOS has not been

installed you must perform the installation routine to configure

MS-DOS for use on the hard disk system.

4-1

_{Download from Www.Som}U_ans_uin_alg_s.cM_omS_.-_AD_llO_MS_anuW_ali_sth_SeY_arco_hu_Ar_nC_do_Dm_owp_nu_lote_adr_.

For complete instructions on installing MS-DOS, see your

MS-DOS User’s manual.

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.

As you work with MS-DOS, you will see that these letters are

used to identify which drive is to be used at any given time.

The microcomputer industry has standardized the use of letter

identification for MS-DOS-type machines as follows:

The first floppy disk drive is referred to as the “A:” drive.

The second floppy disk drive is referred to as the “B:”

drive.

4-2

Using MS-DOS With Your Computer

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

The first hard disk drive is referred to as the “C:” drive.

Note

For information on reassigning disk drive letters, refer to

sections regarding the ASSIGN command in your MS-DOS

USERS GUIDE.

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.

To remove a diskette from a floppy disk drive:

Be sure the drive indicator light is off

Caution!

It is very important that you never remove a diskette from

an active drive. Doing so can destroy the information on

the diskette. If the computer system is “locked-up” with

the drive indicator light on, RESET the computer before

removing the diskette.

Using MS-DOS with Your Computer

4-3

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

Turn the door latch to open the drive.

Remove the diskette and insert it into its protective

envelope.

Starting MS-DOS

To start MS-DOS 4.01 on a floppy disk-based system (that is,

on 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.

Remove the Select disk and insert the Install disk.

Press ENTER.

The Welcome screen appears. This screen contains information

about the number of disks required to install the operating

system.

Press ENTER

The Introduction screen appears. This screen contains

information about the function keys used to run the Select

program.

4-4

Using MS-DOS With Your Computer

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

Press ENTER

The first screen of the Select program appears. For more

information about the Select program, consult the Getting

Started section in your MS-DOS 4.01 User’s Guide.

If your computer has a hard disk drive, and MS-DOS has been

installed, simply turn your system on. Your computer will

perform its self-test diagnostics and display the DOS Shell

menu screen.

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.

Your computer system is now “running under DOS.”

For now, press ENTER to run the Command Prompt option.

Using MS-DOS with Your Computer

4-5

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

System Prompt

After you press the ENTER key to either accept the time

shown or enter a new one, MS-DOS will show a new prompt

on the monitor:

Microsoft (R) MS-DOS (R) Version X.XX

A >

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 tine. Application

software often uses the cursor as well, allowing you to use the

cursor control keys to move the cursor around on the screen.

MS-DOS Commands

DOS commands instruct your computer to perform tasks such

as display a disk directory, copy a file, delete a program, etc.

4-6

Using MS-DOS With Your Computer

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

These are called internal commands and can be used anytime

after the system has loaded MS-DOS into memory. They do

not require the MS-DOS main system diskette to function.

More complex DOS commands are actually separate programs

that provide powerful features for your computer. These are

called external commands, and perform such tasks as

formatting a diskette, comparing files on different disks,

backing up a hard disk, etc. These commands require one or

more of the MS-DOS diskettes.

Hard disk system user’s can run any DOS command without

diskettes because the programs are stored on the hard disk

drive.

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. When you press

Using MS-DOS With Your Computer

4-7

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

the ENTER key after typing a command, MS-DOS copies the

command into a “buffer” memory. By using the function keys,

you can edit and reuse the command without having to retype

the entire line.

- Fl key

Copies one character at a time from the buffer to the command

line

F2 key

Copies the entire buffer up to the next character you type

- F3 key

Copies the entire buffer to the command line

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

4-8

Using MS-DOS With Your Computer

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

BACKSPACE Key

From time to time, you may make a typing error. This is not

usually a problem if you correct the error before you ENTER

the command. You can use the BACKSPACE key for this

purpose.

Note

Occasionally, you might happen to enter the wrong

command by mistake. If this incorrect command will result

in the loss of data, MS-DOS will usually warn you, and

give you a chance to change your mind.

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):

A>DRI

Press the BACKSPACE key twice to erase the I and the R.

Retype:

Then press the ENTER key. Your computer will respond by

producing the directory of the disk in the A drive. Now type

this:

4-9

Using MS-DOS With Your Computer

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

Then press the ENTER key. Your computer will respond:

Bad command or filename

A >

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. For instance, to change from the “A” drive (floppy

disk), to the C drive (hard disk), enter:

The computer will respond:

4-10

Using MS-DOS With Your Computer

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

As you can see, the system prompt has changed to show the

new default drive letter.

Note

If the computer responds:

Invalid Drive Specification

it may mean that tither there is no hard disk system

installed, or your Hard disk drive has not been configured

yet. See Chapter 6, “Using Your Hard Disk,” for

instructions.

From the A> prompt, try the command:

The computer will respond:

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. If performed on a single drive computer system,

Using MS-DOS With Your Computer

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

4-11

this command will still change the system prompt to B>, even

though there is only one physical drive present.

The BIOS “pretends” there are two disk drives present. It

routes all commands intended for the B drive back to the A

drive.

This feature is intended to allow owners of single drive systems

to use application software designed for dual drive systems.

Copying Your MS-DOS Diskettes

The first important task you must complete with your new

system is to make a “backup” copy of your MS-DOS diskettes.

To do this, you will need seven blank diskettes. It is a good

idea to prepare seven diskette labels at this time. Write the

following on those diskette labels, using a felt tipped pen:

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 following procedures will show you how to make backup

copies of your MS-DOS master diskettes on both single and

dualdrive systems.

4-12

Using MS-DOS With Your Computer

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

Copying on Single Drive Systems

MS-DOS uses the external command DISKCOPY to copy

entire diskettes. DISKCOMP is used to compare the original

and backup diskettes to ensure that the copy is accurate.

To copy your master diskettes, 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:

The following message will be displayed:

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. After a few moments, the following message will

appear:

4-13

Using MS-DOS With Your Computer

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

When the drive indicator light goes out, remove the MS-DOS

master diskette from the floppy disk drive. Insert a new, blank

diskette into the drive. This is the “TARGET” diskette.

Caution!

Make sure the target diskette is blank. If there is any previous

data on the diskette, it will be erased by the DISKCOPY

routine.

Press the SPACEBAR key. The drive will turn on, indicating

that the computer formatting the new diskette, then writing

the copied information onto it. After a few moments, the drive

will turn off, and the system will display:

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:

The computer will respond:

Using MS-DOS With Your Computer

4-14

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

Remove the backup diskette from the drive, and put it in its

protective jacket. Set it aside for a moment, making sure that

you don’t mix it up with the second blank diskette. Put the

original “master” MS-DOS main system diskette back into the

floppy disk drive, then press the SPACEBAR key. As with the

DISKCOPY command, your computer will read the entire

contents of the diskette into system memory, and will display:

When the computer is finished reading, the drive will turn off,

and the following message will appear:

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:

Using MS-DOS With Your Computer

4-15

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

Type N to return to the system prompt.

If there is a problem with the backup diskette, or if you put the

wrong diskette into the drive by mistake, the computer will

respond:

If the computer shows compare errors, start the copying

procedure over again at the beginning. The backup copy of the

MS-DOS diskette must be identical to the original. After you

have confirmed that the backup diskette is a good copy of the

master MS-DOS diskette, you may put your master diskette

away in a safe place. From now on, only use the master MS-DOS

diskette to make copies. For all other purposes, use the backup

copy of the MS-DOS diskette. By using the backup copy, you

ensure that any accidental erasures can be replaced.

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:

4-16

Using MS-DOS With Your Computer

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

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.

The following message will be displayed:

The “SOURCE” diskette is the disk that you will be copying from.

The “TARGET” diskette is the one you will be copying to.

Put your master MS-DOS diskette in the A drive, and a new,

blank diskette in the B drive.

Warning!

If you have any doubts about which diskette goes in which

drive check them carefully. Make sure that the write

protect notch on the master MS-DOS diskette is covered

with a write protect tab.

Close both drive doors. Press any key, such as the

SPACE BAR. The A drive will be activated, and your

computer will display:

4-17

Using MS-DOS With Your Computer

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

The contents of the disk are being read into your computer’s

memory. After a few moments, the following message will

appear:

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:

The computer will respond:

Since both diskettes are already in their correct locations, press

the SPACE BAR key. While the comparisons are being made,

the computer will display:

4-18

Using MS-DOS With Your Computer

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

When the computer is finished comparing the diskettes, the

drives will turn off, and the following message will appear:

Type N to return to the system prompt.

If there is a problem with the backup diskette or if you put the

wrong diskette into the drive by mistake, the computer will

respond:

After you have confirmed that the backup diskette is a good

copy of the master MS-DOS diskette, you may put your master

diskette away in a safe place and put the label on the backup

diskette. From now on, only use the master MS-DOS diskette

to make copies. For all other purposes, use the backup copy of

the MS-DOS diskette. By using the backup copy for everyday

computing, and saving the master diskette, you ensure that any

accidental erasures can be replaced.

From now on, when this manual refers to the “main system

diskettes,” use the backup MS-DOS diskette.

4-19

Using MS-DOS With Your Computer

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

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.

File Types

There are two basic file types:

Program files

Data files

Program files are files that perform a task. They manipulate the

computer and data files in order to achieve a result. MS-DOS is

a collection of program files, as are the control programs found

in application software.

Data files are files that contain the information (data) used by

program files. A file containing a list of names and addresses

would be a data file.

The two types of files are closely related. Program files usually

create data files. These may be the documents created by a

word processor, the numerical array created by a spreadsheet, or

some other collection of information.

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.

4-20

Using MS-DOS With Your Computer

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

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. As you

will see, these rules leave you a great deal of freedom in your

selection of filenames.

Each filename can be up to eight characters long. To this eight

character name can be added an “extension.” Extensions

always begin with a period ( . ) which is followed by up to three

characters.

The format for a valid MS-DOS filename is:

ABCDEFGHJKL

Most of the characters and symbols on your keyboard are

available for use in filenames. These are:

The letters A through Z

The numbers 0 through 9

The following symbols:

(exclamation point)

(“at” sign)

(number sign)

(dollar sign)

(percent sign)

4-21

Using MS-DOS With Your Computer

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

(ampersand)

(and) (parenthesis)

(minus sign or hyphen)

(brackets)

(underline character)

[ and ]

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. MS-DOS will accept this filename, but it

will be shortened to fit the size limits. The altered filename

would read 3RDQUART.SAL. As you can see, both the

filename and its extension have been shortened to the legal

length.

CHAPTER/4

The slash ( / ) is an illegal filename character. MS-DOS

will reject the filename and ask for another.

4-22

Using MS-DOS With Your Computer

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

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)

E X E

(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.

Filename extensions are optional with data files, so you can

leave them off entirely, if you want. Using filename extensions

with data files allows you to have many different variations for

a set of filenames. For instance, different chapters of a book

might be named:

CHAPTER.001

CHAPTER.002

CHAPTER.003

and so on.

Like MS-DOS commands, filenames and extensions can be

entered in either upper or lower case, but are always displayed

on the screen in upper case. However, since MS-DOS converts

lower case filenames into upper case, it is possible to

inadvertently erase an existing file by saving a new file with a

lower case name. To be safe, always make sure that you have

given a unique name to each file on a disk.

Using MS-DOS With Your Computer

4-23

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

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. Enter the command as follows:

The computer will display a listing similar to the following:

Some of the names and symbols may be different, but the

screen should show these five columns, and a similar last line.

4-24

Using MS-DOS With Your Computer

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

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. To do this, enter the DIR command in the following

format:

For instance, if you want to find the directory entry for a file

named “MAYSALES.RPT” on the diskette in drive A, enter

the command:

The computer will search the entire directory of the diskette

for a file named MAYSALESRPT. If a file is found, it will

appear as the only entry in the diskette’s directory. If there is

no MAYSALES.RPT file on the diskette, the computer will

display:

Using MS-DOS With Your Computer

4-25

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

Multiple Disk Drive Systems

The DIR command can be 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.

Note that in both examples, the A drive remains the default

drive. To change the default drive from A to B, and then

display a directory listing, enter the command series:

Using MS-DOS With Your Computer

4-26

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

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.

While MS-DOS provides several wildcard characters, the most

one you will be using most often is the asterisk ( * ). The

asterisk matches any number of sequential characters in a

filename or extension.

For instance, to look at a listing of all the .EXE program files

on your main system diskette, enter the command:

This will produce a directory that looks like this:

Using MS-DOS With Your Computer

4-27

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

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. Most software packages

can be backed up simply by using the MS-DOS DISKCOPY

command, as described above.

Using MS-DOS With Your Computer

4-28

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

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. The most usual way of storing data, at least

on DOS-based computer systems, is on floppy disks.

Virtually all commercially available programs are distributed on

floppy diskettes. Before you buy an application software

package for your computer, you should make sure that it will

run under MS-DOS. Products labeled “for IBM PC,” “for IBM

” or “MS-DOS-compatible” should

” “PC-compatible,

PC/AT,

run properly. Products intended for other types of computer

operating systems, such as CP/M or Apple, will not run on

your system.

Note

If you should accidentally try to run CP/M or Apple

software, your computer will inform you that you are using

non-DOS diskettes. This will not damage your computer.

The most frequent use that you will have for diskettes is to save

the data, text, files, etc. that you create. You will use diskettes

to store your data between sessions on the computer, as well as

to back up your valuable software.

5-1

Using Floppy Disks

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

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. This is done intentionally when you want to update the

information stored on the diskette.

The plastic disk is safely protected by a thin cardboard jacket.

The diskette spins inside this jacket, allowing the entire surface

of the diskette to be scanned by the drive’s circuitry. Data is

read from or written onto the diskette through the oval-shaped

slots in the jacket.

Normally, the computer will write new information onto the

unused space on the diskette. If there is no unused space, your

computer will inform you that the disk is full. You can instruct

the computer to write over the information that is already on

the diskette. You might do this to update an inventory file, or

change an address and phone number in a database.

Caution!

Updating, or overwriting, data stored on a diskette will

erase the old information. Under most circumstances you

cannot get it back.

5-2

Using Floppy Disks

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

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. This is why your computer system

cannot read these "foreign" disks.

To see what happens when you attempt to use an unformatted

disk, insert a new blank diskette into the A drive and close the

drive door. Then enter the following command:

Since the new disk hasn’t been formatted yet, your computer

cannot read it. After failing three times, your computer will

respond:

General Failure error reading drive A

Abort, Retry, Failure?

If you type R (fir Retry), the computer will attempt to read the

diskette again, and will finally display the same message.

5-3

Using Floppy Disks

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

When you type A (for Abort), 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. These procedures assume that you are

formatting double-sided, highdensity, 1.2M-byte diskettes

(AT-compatible). Information on formatting 18OK-byte and

360K-byte diskette will be discussed under the /1 and /4 switch

options below.

First, if you have a hard disk installed MS-DOS on your system,

then enter:

C > FORMAT A:

The computer will load the FORMAT command file into

system memory, then will respond:

Insert new diskette for drive A:

and press ENTER when ready

Insert the new diskette to be formatted and press the ENTER

key.

5-4

Using Floppy Disks

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

The computer will display:

The formatting process takes a minute or two. The computer

will wait until the formatting process is complete, then display:

Press ENTER if you don’t want to have a label of your disk.

Then the screen will display the following message.

Don’t be concerned if the message displayed is slightly different

from this example. Enter N to return to the system prompt.

The new disk is now formatted and is ready for use. Remove it

from the disk drive and replace it in its protective envelope.

5-5

Using Floppy Disks

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

Option Switches

To format 180K-byte single-sided, single-density diskettes in the

computer’s high capacity disk drive, enter the FORMAT

command using the /1 and /4 option switch:

The computer will proceed to format the diskette. Upon

completion, you will see this message:

And the following screen will be appeared if you press ENTER.

(If you want to have a volume label, type the characters and

enter.)

Enter N to return to the system prompt. Remove the diskette

from the drive and place it in its protective envelope.

5-6

Using Floppy Disks

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

The /4 option switch is used to format 360K-byte double-sided,

double-density 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:

Press ENTER not to have a label of your disk. Then the screen

will display;

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. Remove the diskette

from the drive and place it in its protective envelope.

5-7

Using Floppy Disks

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

Caution!

36OK-byte diskettes formatted on l.2M-byte high density,

AT-style drives may not be reliable when used on some

360K-byte, XT-style 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.

Formatting a diskette allows you to use it by providing

predetermined locations for certain files used by MS-DOS.

Once formatted, the disk directory space is created, as well as

additional areas reserved for use by MS-DOS. One of these

areas is the File Allocation Table, or FAT. This part of the

diskette contains a list of all of the files on the disk, and where

they are physically stored on the diskette.

The other area is the system area. On your MS-DOS main

system diskette, this area is occupied by the parts of MS-DOS

that are copied into your computer’s memory during the start-

up routine. During the start-up procedure, the BIOS program,

stored on the system motherboard, looks at this part of the

diskette to retrieve the active parts of the disk operating

system.

If these MS-DOS routines are not present in the system area of

a diskette, the BIOS cannot startup the computer. This is what

causes the error message:

DRIVE NOT READY ERROR

Insert BOOT diskette A:

Press any key when ready

5-8

Using Floppy Disks

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

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.

To format a new diskette while placing the active MS-DOS

routines in the system area, enter the following command at

the system prompt:

The computer will load the FORMAT command file into

system memory, then respond:

Insert, new diskette for drive A:

and press ENTER when ready

Insert a new, blank diskette and press the enter key to start the

formatting process. After the new diskette is formatted the

active MS-DOS routines will be copied into its system area.

When the copying is finished the computer will display:

Format complete

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.)

Using Floppy Disks

5-9

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

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:

Copying Files

If you have a dual drive system, it is easy to copy program and

data files from one diskette to another. This involves the

internal MS-DOS command, COPY.

5-10

Using Floppy Disks

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

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 as the one you

want to copy.

Once you’re 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.RPT” from drive

A to drive B, enter the command.

A> COPY A:MAYSALES.RPT B:

When the copying process is done, the computer will display:

You can also enter this command without the default drive

letter, as:

A > COPY MAYSALES.RPT B:

When no drive letter is specified for the source drive, MS-DOS

assumes that you want to copy a file from the default drive.

5-11

Using Floppy Disks

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

To perform the operation in reverse, that is, to copy from the B

drive to the default 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.

It is also possible to copy a file between two disks when neither

one is the default drive. For instance:

A > COPY C:MAYSALES.RPT B:

will copy the MAYSALES.RPT file from the hard disk onto a

diskette ‘in the B drive. This time, note that both source and

target drive letters were used. This is because neither drive was

the system default drive.

Wildcards

Copying files using wildcards in the filenames can be efficient,

but it can also be dangerous. When using wildcards, always

make sure you won’t overwrite or erase another file. For

example:

A > COPY *SALES.RPT B:

5-12

Using Floppy Disks

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

will copy all of the files ending in SALES.RPT to the B drive.

The command:

A >COPY MAYSALES.*B:

will copy all files about MAYSALES to the B drive.

A final example:

A>COPY *.* 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.

Using Floppy Disks

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

5-13

Chapter 6

Using Your Hard Disk

Depending on the model, your computer system can be

expanded to include 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. This

memory is temporary and will only “remember” data as long as

the system power is on. When you turn off your computer, any

information stored in RAM is lost.

You have learned how to use floppy disks, or diskettes, to store

data and program files between computing sessions. It is more

convenient, however, to store your files on a hard disk drive.

The main reason for this is the speed of the hard disk drive.

Files are read off from the hard disk faster than from floppy

diskettes. Also, using a hard disk reduces the amount of time

spent inserting and removing diskettes from floppy disk drives.

A hard disk is very similar to a floppy disk. It is a plastic disk

that has been coated with a magnetic oxide. A hard disk will

store data indefinitely, until it is erased. Data is read from or

written onto a hard disk in the exactly same way as with a

floppy diskette.

There are differences between hard and floppy disks, though.

First of all, a hard disk is “non-removable.” Unlike a floppy

diskette, which can be taken out of its drive, the hard disk is

Using Your Hard Disk

6-1

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

permanently mounted inside the drive housing. Several hard

disk platters are stacked vertically in the drive housing and

sealed in a dustproof casing.

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.

Care of Hard Disk Drives

As you can see, hard disk drives are very precise devices. This

precision makes for a delicate mechanism. Even though your

hard disk drive is built to withstand the rigors of shipping, it

should be moved as little, and as gently, as possible. If you need

to move your computer system a short distance, be careful not

to drop or bump it. For greater protection, if you need to

transport the computer in a car, or ship it by truck or plane,

pack your system in its original shipping boxes.

The TGSHIP command should be run whenever you are going

to move the main system unit. This command moves the

read/write heads inside the hard disk drive to a “safety zone,”

where they won’t accidentally scratch the surface of the drive

platters. TGSHIP.COM is a special DOS command file

included with your system. You should copy this file into the

root directory of your hard disk drive. For information on hard

disk directory structures, see the “Organizing Your Hard Disk”

section of this chapter.

6-2

Using Your Hard Disk

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

Preparing Your Hard Disk

This section assumes that you have a hard disk drive system

physically installed in your main system unit. If you haven’t

installed your hard disk drive yet, see Chapter 7, “Expanding

Your System,” for information how to do this.

To begin, boot up your system using your MS-DOS as

“Using MS-DOS.” After setting the

explained in Chapter 4,

date and time, enter this command:

A>C:

If the computer responds with:

C >

enter:

C > DIR

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.

If your hard disk has been partitioned and formatted, skip this

section on installing your hard disk.

If the computer responded to the A > C: command with:

Invalid drive specification

Using Your Hard Disk.

6-3

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

it means that MS-DOS can’t “find” the hard disk drive. This

is either because the drive controller board has been incorrectly

set up, or more likely, the hard disk drive has not yet been

partitioned.

If the computer correctly executed the C: command, but failed

to display a directory, it probably means that the hard disk has

been partitioned, but not yet formatted. The next sections

describe how to partition and format your hard disk system.

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.

Note

If you are not familiar with the SETUP program, take a

moment to review the information in Chapter 2,

“Running the Setup Program”

Turn your computer on. When you see the following message,

Press <DEL> if you want to run SETUP/EXTD-SET

Press < DEL > key. Move the cursor to the RUN SETUP

option and press Enter. The system displays the Setup Menu.

For now, look at the information on the left side of the screen.

6-4

Using Your Hard Disk

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

Move the screen cursor bar down to the Hard Disk C

parameter. Using the PgUp and PgDn keys, scroll through the

options to the 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:

This should match the information provided with your hard

disk drive. Other hard disk drives may require a different disk

type number. See the instructions provided with your hard disk

drive or call your dealer for assistance. After verifying the hard

disk drive type number, press the ESC key.

Using Your Hard Disk

6-5

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

The computer responds with:

Write data into CMOS and exit (Y/N)?

Press Y. The computer will update the information in its

configuration RAM, and will go through the start-up routine

again. Make sure MS-DOS is installed on floppy disk or hard

disk of your system, so the system will boot up in MS-DOS.

Note

Your system has an on board IDE type HDC and if you

want to install the another type of HDD except IDE, you

must disable the on board IDE HDC using the Extended

Setup Program. See Chapter 2 for the detailed information

of it.

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:

A > FDISK

After loading the FDISK program, the computer will display

information on the hard disk drive installed in the system, as

follows:

6-6

Using Your Hard Disk

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

MS-DOS Version x.xx

Fixed Disk Setup Program

FDISK Options

Current fixed disk drive: 1

Choose one of the following:

1. Create DOS Partition or Logical DOS Drive

2. Set active partition

3. Delete DOS Partition or Logical DOS Drive

4. Display Partition information

5. Select Next fixed disk drive

Enter choice: [l]

Press ESC to exit FDISK

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. Create Logical DOS Drive(e) in the Extended DOS partition

Enter choice: [1]

Press ESC to return to FDISK options

6-7

Using Your Hard Disk

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

To create a single MS-DOS partition for your entire hard disk

drive, select the default option (#1) by pressing ENTER. The

Create Primary DOS partition menu appears next:

Create Primary DOS partition

Current Fixed Disk Drive: 1

Do you wish to use the maximum size

for a DOS partition and make the DOS

(Y)

(Y/N) . . . . . . . . .?

partition active

Press ESC to return to Fdisk Options

To reserve the entire hard disk for MS-DOS, press the ENTER.

FDISK now displays the following message:

System will now restart

Insert DOS diskette in drive A:

Press any key when ready...

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.

Using Your Hard Disk

6-8

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

Make sure the MS-DOS install diskette is in the A drive, then

press the ENTER key. Your system will now reboot. It does this

to update the new partition information in its configuration

RAM. You may now format your hard disk, and load the MS-

DOS system files onto it.

Formatting Your Hard Disk

Now that your hard disk is partitioned, you need format it.

Note

If your hard disk drive has already been partitioned for MS-

DOS, it may have been formatted at the same time. Use

the DIR command to check the contents of the drive. If

your hard disk is formatted, there may be files stored on it

that you will need. Skip this section on formatting and

proceed to the next section, “Organizing Your Hard Disk.”

If your hard disk needs to be formatted, begin by selecting the

Command Prompt option from the DOS shell. Enter the

following command:

A > FORMAT C:/S/V

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:

WARNING, ALL DATA ON NON-REMOVABLE DISK

DRIVE C: WILL BE LOST!

Proceed with Format (Y/N)?

Using Your Hard Disk

6-9

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

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.

When it is completed, the system will display:

Formatting

System transferred

Volume label (11 characters, ENTER for none)?

Here, your computer is asking you to name your hard disk

drive. This is a result of the /V switch used with the FORMAT

command. A disk label can be useful when sorting directories,

so you may want to enter one now.

A volume label can use up to eleven characters. See Chapter

4, “Using MS-DOS,” for a list of valid label characters. When

you have entered the drive label, your computer will respond:

XXXXXXXX bytes total disk space

XXXXX bytes used by system

XXXXXXXX bytes available on disk

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.

6-10

Using Your Hard Disk

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

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.

First, make sure your hard disk is formatted, and that the active

MS-DOS routines have been loaded into the system area of

your hard disk. The easiest way to check this is to boot the

system from the hard disk. Make sure that floppy drive A is

empty and turn your computer on. After going through the

start-up diagnostic routines, the computer will look at the A

drive to find the MS-DOS install diskette. Since the drive is

empty, it will then look at the hard disk drive. If the hard disk

drive is installed and formatted correctly, the system will boot

up and display MS-DOS shell screen.

If your system does not boot up from the hard disk, refer to the

previous section,

instructions.

“Formatting Your Hard Disk” for

Assuming MS-DOS has booted correctly from the hard disk,

select the Command Prompt option from the DOS Shell

menu. When you see the system prompt:

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

6-11

Using Your Hard Disk

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

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.

Note

If you don’t understand the term “root directory” refer to

your MS-DOS User’s Guide, “Files and Directories.”

When the computer displays the C> prompt again, enter:

C>DIR

to see what you have done. You should see a directory listing

similar to the following:

COMMAND COM XXXXX X-XX-XX X:XXX

FORMAT

EXE XXXXX X-XX-XX X:XXX

DOS4

<DIR>

x-xx-xx x:xxx

XXXXXXXX bytes free

X File(s)

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. Enter the command series:

6-12

Using Your Hard Disk

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

C>CDDOS

C>DIR

The directory listing displayed should look like this:

< D I R >

x - x x - x x

x : x x x

X File(s)

XXXXXXXX bytes free

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:

C>CD..

C > D I R

You will see that you are back in the hard disk root directory.

Now return to the DOS4 subdirectory by entering the

command:

C > CD DOS4

Using Your Hard Disk

6-13

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

Another way of moving through the directory tree quickly

involves the use of a similar command:

C>CD\

This command will take you directly to the root directory of

the current disk drive. This can be useful if you get “lost” in a

large directory tree.

The next step in organizing your hard disk involves copying

the external command files from the MS-DOS install diskette

into the DOS4 subdirectory on the hard disk. First, make sure

you are currently logged into the DOS4 subdirectory by

entering the command sequence:

C>CD\

C>CD DOS4

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:

xx File(s) copied

c >

6-14

Using Your Hard Disk

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

Using the DIR command, run a directory to verify that you

have copied the MS-DOS install diskette.

Remove the MS-DOS install diskette from drive A and replace

it with the MS-DOS Select diskette into the DOS4

subdirectory on the hard disk by entering the command

C >COPY A:*.* C:

When the copying process is done, carefully enter the following

series of commands:

C > DEL COMMAND.COM

This command will remove the COMMAND.COM file from

the DOS4 subdirectory. Since the file 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.

Return to the root directory by entering:

C>CD C:\

You have now completed organizing your hard disk and

installing the MS-DOS files into subdirectories. As you can see,

the files have been placed in subdirectories according to the

type of activity you will doing when using them. As you add

application programs to the hard disk, it is a good idea to

create subdirectories to store them in, so as to keep different

program groups separated.

6-15

Using Your Hard Disk

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

For more information on directory and subdirectory

organization with MS-DOS, see your MS-DOS User’s Guide.

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.

Two external command programs on your MS-DOS install

diskette will help you back up your hard disk. The first,

BACKUP, will copy files from the hard disk onto diskettes.

The other, RESTORE, allows you to use the diskettes created

by the BACKUP program to reload the files back onto the

hard disk, if necessary. The following sections describe how to

use these two command programs.

The BACKUP Command

This command backs up one or more files from your hard disk

onto floppy diskettes. The diskettes must be formatted by the

MS-DOS FORMAT command. Do not use the /S switch when

formatting these diskettes. Disk space taken up by the inclusion

of the active MS-DOS routines would be wasted with the

BACKUP command.

Note

For information on formatting diskettes, see Chapter 5,

“Using Floppy Disks.”

6-16

Using Your Hard Disk

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

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.

How Many Diskettes?

The number of diskettes you will need depends on two things.

First, how much of the hard disk will you be backing up?

Second, what is the capacity of the diskettes you will be using?

The following table shows the approximate number of diskettes

needed to backup an entire hard disk.

HARD DISK

CAPACITY:

NUMBER OF DISKETTES:

180K

360K

1.2M

10M-byte

125

185

250

20M-byte

30M-byte

40M-byte

A few extra diskettes have been included in these numbers to

make sure there are enough. If your hard disk is not loaded to

capacity, or if you are only backing up part of your hard disk,

fewer diskettes will be needed.

As you format these disks, prepare labels for them that

identifies these diskettes as a hard disk backup archive. Also

put the date on each label and number each diskette. This is

very important, since the RESTORE command requires that

you use the diskettes in the same order that was used during

the BACKUP procedure.

6-17

Using Your Hard Disk

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

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:

A>C:

Next, make sure you are in the root directory of the hard disk.

Enter:

C>CD C:\

Now, make sure your diskettes are formatted and ready. If you

are running BACKUP from the MS-DOS install diskette, enter

the command:

C>A:BACKUP C:\A: /S

If you have set up your hard disk directories as described in the

“Organizing Your Hard Disk” section above, enter the

command:

C> BACKUP C:\DOS4 A: /S

In the first example, the A:BACKUP command tells MS-DOS

to search the A drive for the BACKUP.COM file. In the

second, the C:\DOS4 statement will automatically direct MS-

DOS to look in the C:\DOS4 subdirectory for the file.

6-18

Using Your Hard Disk

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

In both examples, the A: portion of the command tells MS-

DOS 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.

The RESTORE Command

MS-DOS provides the RESTORE command program to allow

you to copy files from the archive diskettes created by the

BACKUP command back onto the hard disk. You should only

have use the RESTORE command if:

Your hard disk has been damaged, then repaired or

replaced

Files have been accidentally erased from the hard disk

You have reformatted the hard disk

To use RESTORE, first make sure the hard disk is ready to

receive files. Boot your system up with the MS-DOS installed

diskette in drive A. When you get to the system prompt, enter:

A>C:

If the computer responds with:

Using Your Hard Disk

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

6-19

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:

Invalid drive specification

it means that MS-DOS can’t “find” the hard disk drive. This

is either because the hard disk controller board has been

incorrectly set up, or more likely, the hard disk drive has not

yet been partitioned.

If the computer correctly executed the C: command, but failed

to run a directory, it probably means that the hard disk has

been partitioned, but not yet formatted.

Once you have made sure the hard disk is ready to receive files

you may proceed with the RESTORE procedure. The routine

described below should only be used to restore the entire

contents of the backup archive diskettes to an empty hard disk.

For information on partial backups to a hard disk drive

containing files, see the entry for the RESTORE command, in

your MS-DOS User’s Guide, “MS-DOS Commands.”

First, set the C drive directory to the root directory by entering

the command:

Using Your Hard Disk

6-20

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

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. The /S switch tells MS-DOS that you

want to restore the subdirectories as well as the root directory

files.

You will be prompted to insert the backup archive diskettes

into the A drive, one at a time. It is very important that you

insert these diskettes in order. The BACKUP command

program codes each archive diskette with an identification

number, which is read by the RESTORE program. The use of

this i.d. number ensures that your files are reassembled

properly, and loaded into the correct subdirectories.

6-21

Using Your Hard Disk

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

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.

Note

Because a wide variety of expansion products are available

for your system, and configuring them to communicate

over general purpose interfaces can be a complex task, it is

impossible far this manual to provide detailed instructions

for connecting these devices. Please follow the instructions

provided with your peripheral. If you should have problems

with the installation of a peripheral device, contact your

dealer for assistance.

Connecting Peripherals

Peripherals are devices that can be connected to your computer

system to increase its ability to communicate and process

information. The term “peripheral” is usually used to indicate

an externally mounted unit that is connected to your computer

with a cable. Peripherals available for your computer system

are :

Keyboards

Video monitor systems

Printers

7-1

Expanding Your System

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

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. If you have purchased a video monitor

system for your computer, the display monitor is connected to

the “video port” on the rear panel of the video controller card,

which is mounted inside your main system unit.

Since your system CPU must be in constant communication

with both the keyboard and the display monitor, specific

circuits connect them together. Since other peripheral devices

only communicate with the system CPU occasionally, they can

use general purpose ports.

Computerized data is composed of electronic words called

“bytes.” As an example, each letter or number that appears on

your display monitor has been sent from the main system unit

to the monitor itself in the form of a single byte. This byte is

made up of individual “bits.” in the same way that a word is

made up of letters. In order to keep things consistent for the

system CPU, bytes are made up of groups of eight bits. Using

eight-bit bytes results in 256 basic combinations, each of which

corresponds with a specific letter or number.

7-2

Expanding Your System

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

run the current application software.

Serial Ports

There are two basic kinds of general purpose I/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. These control signals allow the two

communicating devices to determine which of them will send

or receive the data, and when the first bit of a particular byte is

being sent, among other things.

Standardized “protocols” for these signals have been agreed

upon by the microcomputer industry so that the different

manufacturer’s machines can communicate with each other.

Your computer system uses the “RS-232C” asynchronous serial

communications interface. The serial port connector is the left-

hand 9-pin “D-type” connector mounted on the rear pannel of

the system motherboard. Electrical information for the serial

port is in Appendix A “Specifications.” For details on the

serial port pin connections, see Appendix D, “Connector

Pinouts.”

MS-DOS uses labels to refer to the various I/O ports on your

computer. The RS-232C

serial ports on the system

motherboard are assigned the “COM1” (Communications port

#l) label and the second port is "COM2" (Communications

port #2) label.

7-3

Expanding Your System

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

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.

MS-DOS uses the label “LPTl” (Line Printer #l) for the first

parallel port. Additional parallel ports can be added to your

computer through the use of multi-function boards. These ports

would be labeled LPT2, LPT3, etc.

Connecting Printers

Most, but not all, printers use the Centronics-compatible

parallel port.

To install this type of printer, connect an appropriate cable

between the parallel port connector on the rear panel of the

system motherboard in the main system unit and the input

connector on the printer. Information on the correct cable will

be found in your printer’s manual.

serial interface port. See the printer’s manual for complete

7-4

Expanding Your System

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

Connecting Modems

Modems are used to connect your computer to the telephone

line. Since the electronic requirements for the transmission of

your voice are different from those used by your computer, a

modem is used to “translate” your digital information to a

signal that can be sent over the telephone lines.

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.

Connecting External Disk Drives

At some point, you may decide to add an external disk drive.

This may become necessary if all of the internal drive

compartments are in use, or if you want to place your main

system unit away from your work area, while keeping a drive

next to your keyboard.

The floppy disk drive control port is provided on your system

motherboard. While the cabling for these ports has been

designed to be used inside the main system unit cabinet, it is

possible to route the connectors outside to an external drive by

using a longer cable. This cable can be routed outside the main

system unit by way of an unused expansion slot panel.

For installation instructions, refer to the manual provided with

your external disk drive.

Expanding Your System

7-5

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

Note

For instructions on opening the main system unit cabinet,

see the section “Opening and Closing the Case,” later in

this chapter,

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.

Tools Required

To install most expansion products in your main system unit,

you will usually need the following tools:

a small/medium “Phillips-type” screwdriver

a small flat-blade screwdriver

General Precautions

In the interests of personal safety and product reliability, you

should review the following information:

Follow all of the instructions and warnings marked on this

product, or included in this manual.

Make sure you have enough room to work on the unit. If

necessary, disconnect any peripheral device cables

connected to the unit’s rear panel.

7-6 Expanding Your System

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

For additional information on safety and maintenance,

refer to the appropriate sections of this manual’s

introductory chapter.

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.)

Warning;

Installing or removing circuit boards or plugging cables in

with the system AC power turned on can damage your

system.

Figure 7-1. Cover Mounting Screws

7-7

Expanding Your System

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

Opening and Closing the Cabinet

The procedure for opening the main system unit cabient 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. Removing the Cover

7-8

Expanding Your System

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

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.

As you slide the cover onto the unit, adjust the alignment

to permit the cover to slide over the disk drive nosepieces.

When the cover is properly seated on the main system unit

chassis, replace and tighten down the screws on the rear

panel.

Reconnect the keyboard to its connector on the rear panel

of the main system unit.

Place the video monitor on top of the main system unit

and connect the AC power and signal cables to their

correct sockets on the rear panel.

Reconnect any peripheral device to their rear panel I/O

port connectors.

Plug the AC power cable into the socket on the rear panel

of the main system unit and the main AC power outlet.

Installing Circuit Boards

Most of the expansion products you will be installing into your

computer are circuit boards. Like the system boards installed at

Expanding Your System

7-9

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

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.

The basic computer is shipped from the factory with only the

system motherboard installed. If you have purchased a system

with a video monitor or a hard disk system installed, the

necessary controller board(s) should also be installed. If you are

adding these systems to a basic computer, or expanding your

system by installing additional hardware, follow the procedure

below to install the circuit boards.

First, read all of the instructions provided with the expansion

product. Then, carefully unpack the circuit board(s) to be

installed.

Warning!

Most computer circuit boards have “static sensitive”

components on them. These parts can be damaged by

static electricity, which can be generated by rubbing your

hand across the exposed metal parts an the board. To

avoid this damage, always handle circuit boards by their

edges, being careful to avoid contact with the exposed edge

connectors and parts.

Following the instructions provided with the expansion board,

set any configuration switches and jumpers on the expansion

board.

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

7-10

Expanding Your System

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

chassis, although you may need to unplug the disk drive ribbon

cable from its connector to allow easy access to the jumpers.

The system boards contains eight expansion slots comprised of

two basic types as follows:

Two 8-bit slot for PC/XT boards

Six 16-bit slots for PC/AT boards or 8-bit PC/XT boards

Figure 7-3. Installing the Circuit Boards

7-11

Expanding Your System

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

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.

Making sure the board is correctly aligned, carefully insert the

board’s edge contacts into the slot connector on the main

system unit’s motherboard. A gentle rocking motion is helpful

in getting the board started in the edge connector.

Once started, press the board into the motherboard connector

until it is seated completely. The tab at the bottom of the

mounting bracket should fit into the slot at the bottom rear of

the main system unit, and the bracket’s top flange should rest

directly on top of the rear panel support.

CORRECT

NO ELECTRlCAL OR

PHYSICAL RESTRICTIONS

INCORRECT

PHYSICAL RESTRICTIONS

7-12

Expanding Your System

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

INCORRECT

ELECTRlCAL RESTRICTIONS

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 holddown

screw that you removed earlier.

Reconnect any internal cables that were disconnected earlier. If

you have a problem making the cables reach their connectors,

you may have to move the board you just installed to another

slot. If any external equipment is used with the expansion

board,

connect it to the board’s rear panel connector(s),

following the instructions given with the product.

When the installation of the board is completed, close the

main system unit cabinet as described above.

Disk Drive Compartments

To install expansion devices such as additional floppy disk

drives into the main system unit’s disk drive compartments,

follow the procedure given below.

First, make yourself familiar with the specific installation

procedure for the expansion device by reading all of the

Expanding Your System

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

7-13

documentation provided. Then, remove the main system unit

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. Close the main system unit cabinet as described

above.

Note

Your main system unit is supplied with the cables necessary

to connect two floppy disk drives to the system

motherboard. Follow the instructions provided with the

expansion floppy disk drive for proper installation.

Figure 7-5. Mounting the Internal Hard Disk Drive

7-14

Expanding Your System

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

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.

Replace the mounting plate onto the mounting frame by

sliding the plate into the two openings provided in the

mounting frame.

Replace the hold down screws.

Connect the hard disk drive controller cables to the drive.

Replace the main system unit cover.

N o t e

Your system has an on board IDE type HDC and if you

want to install the another type of HDD except IDE, you

must disable the on board IDE HDC using the Extended

Setup Program. See Chapter 2 for the detailed information

of it.

Expanding Your System

7-15

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

Appendix A

Specifications

Computer System

Operating Temperature

Storage Temperature

: 41° to 95°F (5° to 35°C)

: -5° to 140°F (-15° to 60°C)

: 20% to 80% (no condensation)

: 10% to 90% (no condensation)

: IBM PC/AT

Operating Humidity

Storage Humidity

Compatibility

: 238W

Power Supply

110 Range: l00-125 VAC,

7.0 A, 50/6OHz

220 Range: 200-240 VAC,

4.5A, 50/60Hz

: 101 key keyboard

Keyboard

System MotherBoard

Firmware

: AMI Software BIOS

Operating System Support : MS-DOS

Bus Interface

: IBM PC/XT,

PC/AT-compatible

Specifications A-1

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

: 2ea 8-bit (62 pin connector)

6ea 16-bit (98 pin connector)

Expansion Slots

Dynamic RAM (with parity) : lM-bytes, expandable 16M-

bytes on Motherboard

80ns, 2 wait state access

: 2ea - 360K, 720K, 1.2M or

1.44M-byte

Floppy Disk Drive Support

I/O Ports

: 2ea 9-pin RS-232C

asynchronous serial

communication port

lea 25pin Centronics-

compatible parallel printer

port

l ea 5-pin Keyboard port

Audio Support

: 1 mini-speaker

Real Time Clock

CPU Logic

Main Central Processor IC

TriGem 386X

386-25’” microprocessor

386-33” microprocessor

TriGem 386XE

Math Coprocessor IC (optional):

Intel Series

Weitek Series

TriGem 386X

WTL3167-25 coprocessor

387-25™ coprocessor

TriGem 386XE 387-33™ coprocessor WTL3167-33 coprocessor

A-2 Specifications

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

System Memory

Data Interface

: 32-bit memory access

Cache Memory

: 64KB or optional 128KB

Memory Bank Configurations

SIZE

BANK 3

BANK 0

BANK 2

NO.

BANK

256K

10M

12M

256K

13M

16M

: 64K-byte

: 128-byte

BIOS ROM

CMOS RAM

System I/0

DMA Channels:

8-bit operations - 4 channel

16-bit operations - 3 channel

Address space - 16MB

Programmable Timers: 3

Vectored Interrupt Levels: 15

Specifications A-3

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

System Timing

System Clock Speed:

l/O

Speed

High

CPU

8MHz

33MHz (25MHz)

8MH.z (8MHz)

LOW

Clock Cycle Time:

125ns (8MHz)

40ns (25MHz)

30ns (33MHz)

I/O Address Map

Device

Hex range

DMA controller 1, 8237A-5

Interrupt controller 1, 8259A, Master

Timer, 8254-2

000-01F

120-03F

040 - 05F

060 - 06F

070 - 07F

080 - 09F

0A0 - 0BF

0C0 - 0DF

OF0

8042 (Keyboard)

Real-trme clock NMI mask

DMA page register, 74LS612

Interrupt controller 2, 8237A-5

DMA controller 2, 8237A-5

Clear math coprocessor busy

Reset math coprocessor

Math coprocessor

Parallel port on board

FDD control on board

Serial port on board

OF1

OF8 - OFF

378 - 37F

3F0 - 3F7

3F8 - 3FF

Note: I/O address hex 000 to FFF are reserved for the system board 110

Hex 100 to 3FF are available on the I/O channel.

A-4 Specifications

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

Appendix B

System Mother Board

Figure B-l. The 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 switch settings.

B-1

System MotherBoard

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

Hardware Settings

The system motherboard provides several switches to set the

system configuration. These are located at various points on

the board.

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. At that time, you will be

prompted to run the SETUP program to change the options

stored in the configuration PAM. It is important that these

settings describe the actual equipment installed on your

computer system.

B-2 System MotherBoard

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

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.

Remove all expansion boards from their slot connectors on

the system motherboard, noting the location of each board

and any internal cable connections, for re-installation later.

Carefully unplug all of the cables connected to the system

motherboard, noting their locations for later.

Remove the several screws that attach the system

motherboard to the chassis.

Carefully slide the motherboad out of the chassis.

To re-install the motherboard, reverse this procedure.

Switches

Once the motherboard is out of the chassis, proceed to set the

configuration switches to match the changes in the system

hardware.

System MotherBoard B-3

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

The Table B-l lists the switch settings

- Table B-l. Hardware Switch -

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.”

The connectors provided on the system motherboard are for

signal/power in facing and the I/O ports, as follows:

B-4 System_DM_owo_nt_loh_ae_dr_fB_roo_ma_Wrd_{ww.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.}

- Table B-2 -

Expansion Slots - J7 to J14, J17 to J22

The system board contains eight expansion slots comprised of

two basic types as follows:

Two 8-bit slots for PC/XT boards

Six 16-bit slots for PC/AT boards

Caution!

Do not overload the system board power connector by

installing expansion boards that may draw excessive current.

Keyboard Port - J3

The keyboard connector J3, is a 5pin DIN connector for

keyboards that are compatible with the IBM AT Keyboard.

_{Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manu}S_alsys_St_ee_am_rchM_Ano_dt_Dh_oe_wr_nB_loo_aa_dr_.d B-5

Serial Port - J1 and J4

Connector Jl and J4 provide the standard AT-type RS-232C

serial interfaces.

Note

you can use the on board serial ports for COM 1 and COM

2. If you have external card for serial ports on your system,

you must disable the on-board serial port. when you’d like

to disable the on board serial ports, do the following;

1. Open the hardware jumper, JP3 and JP4.

2. Enter the Extended Setup Program and disable the

serial ports.

Refer to Chapter 2 for the detailed descriptions of Extended

Setup Program.

Parallel Port - J2

Connector J2 on the system board provides a standard

Centronics 25pin parallel interface.

Note

If you want to use external device for parallel port, you

should disable the on-board parallel ports. Like the case of

serial ports, do the following for disable the parallel ports.

For more instruction of Extended Setup Program, see

Chapter 2 in this manual.

1. Open the hardware jumper, JP2.

2. Enter the Extended Setup Program and disable the

serial ports.

B-6 System_DM_owo_nt_loh_ae_dr_fB_romoa_Wrd_{ww.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.}

Power Connector - J6, J15

The system board requires four DC voltage: + 12V, -12V,

+5V, and -5V.

The power connector respectively supply power to the system

board and to the six expansion slots.

Speaker - J25

Connector J25 provides a speaker connection for audible tone

generation. The connector is a two pin header.

IDE Interface connector - J24

You use this 40 pin connector with IDE type Hard disk drive.

Note

Your system has an on board IDE type HDC and if you

want to install the another type of HDD except IDE, you

must disable the on board IDE HDC using the Extended

Setup Program. See Chapter 2 for the detailed information

of it.

If you want to know the detailed pin assignment of those

I/O connectors, see Appendix D of this manual,

B-7

System MotherBoard

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

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 monitor’s resolution is important

because it determines the number of characters that can be

displayed on the screen at any one time, and the quality of any

screen graphics displayed.

The image displayed on the video screen is made up of a large

number of individual dots. This is true whether the displayed

screen image is made up of text or graphics, or is a mixture of

both. The higher the monitor’s resolution is, the smaller the

individual dots can be. Smaller dots means that more of them

can be displayed in the same space. If more dots are displayed,

then more text characters and better looking graphics can be

displayed.

Video Controller Boards

The video controller board controls the actual number of dots

sent to the screen. A video system’s resolution capability is

usually described as the number of dots that can be displayed

horizontally by the number of dots that can be displayed

vertically.

C-l

Video Monitor Systems

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

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.

- Color Graphics Adaptor (CGA):

The original CGA boards featured very low resolution,

typically 320 x 200. Thi

s was because they were originally

intended home computers that were used for advanced

video games. Recently, however, CGA resolution has

been improved to 640 x 200. With the higher resolution,

CGA has gained acceptance in the office environment.

By using colored text screens and low-level graphics, a

number of software packages have been made easier to

use.

- Enhanced Graphics Adaptor (EGA):

EGA video systems provide high resolution (640 x 350

maximum) color graphics capabilities. These monitor

systems are often used in computer-aideddesign

workstations and other software applications requiring a

larger number of on-screen colors than CGA controllers

can provide.

- Video Graphics Array (VGA):

Recently, a new video standard has emerged to take

advantage of the features of the multi-sync monitors.

Providing up to 720x400 dot resolution, these systems

have been used in applications that require the highest

possible video resolution, such as desktop publishing,

computer-aideddesign (CAD/CAE), and broadcast quality

computer graphics.

Video Monitor Systems

C-2

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

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:

640 x 200

maximum text display:

80 columns x 25 lines

colors:

2 of 16 colors (640 x 200)

4 of 16 colors (320 x 200)

EGA:

dot resolution:

640x350

maximum text display:

80 columns x43 lines

colors:

16 of 64 colors

V G A :

dot resolution:

720x400 (text only)

640x480 (text and graphics)

maximum text display:

80 columns x50 lines

colors:

16 of 262, 144

256 of 262, 144 (320x200 res)

C-3

Video Monitor Systems

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

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

columns x44 lines, and up to 800 x 600 resolution for color

graphics.

Monitor Types

There are many different types of video monitor available.

Some of the major ones are described below.

Composite Video:

With a 300 x 200 resolution, this type of monitor is

usually used with home computers. They are not

recommended for use with your system.

TTL Monochrome:

These monitors provide up to 1000x350 resolution,

with either a green or amber colored screen. Primarily

intended for text only applications, these monitors can

run Hercules-compatible graphics programs, although

applications requiring full CGA or EGA color

compatibility will be difficult, if not impossible, to use.

A TTL monochrome monitor and a Hercules compatible

controller board will meet your computer system’s basic

video display monitor needs.

RGB Color:

RGB stands for Red, Green and Blue, and indicates that

each of the primary colors are separately driven by the

video controller board. RGB monitors cover a broad

range of resolutions from 320 x 200 up to the higher

EGA ranges of 720 x 480. RGB color monitors are very

C-4

Video Monitor Systems

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

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.

Multi-sync:

Multi-sync monitors are so named because they are able

to adjust themselves to any standard video format.

Providing resolutions up to 1400 x 1200, multi-sync

video monitors are used with software that needs very

high resolution color graphics. Connecting your

computer to a multi-sync monitor by way of either an

EGA or VGA controller board provides one of the

highest resolution computer video systems available.

This type of system is used for such applications as very

high resolution CAD/CAE workstations, computer

graphics design and desktop publishing.

Video Monitor Systems

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

C-5

Appendix D

Connector Pinouts

I/O Ports

RS-232C Serial port

(9-pin subminiature “D” connector):

Pin #

I/O Type:

Signal Name:

Carrier Detect (CD)

Input

Receive Data (RD)

output

Ground

Input

Output

Input

Transmit Data (TxD)

Data Terminal Ready (DTR)

Singal Ground (GND)

Data Set Ready (DSR)

Request to Send (RTS)

Clear to Send (CTS)

Ring lndicator (RI)

Input

Note

All signals conform to EIA Standard RS-232C.

Centronics-compatible parallel printer port

(25-pin subminiature “D” connector):

Pin #

Signal Name:

I/O Type:

-Strobe

Data Bit

Input

output

Bit

Data

Data Bit

Bit

Data

Data Bit

Connector Pinouts D-l

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

Note

1. All outputs are s&ware generated. All inputs are

real-time signals (not latched),

2. All signals are TTL compatible.

Keyboard Port

(6-pin mini “DIN’ connector)

D-2 Connector Pinouts

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

IDE Port

Connector Pinouts D-3

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

Power Supply Connector

(12-pin post header)

Signal Name

Power Good Signal

Pin #

+5v Volts

+ 12v Volts

- 12v Volts

Ground

- 5 Volts

+ 5v Volts

Figure D-l. Expansion Slot Connectors

D-4 Connector Pinouts

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

Expansion Slot Connectors

Your computer comes with industry standard IBM compatible

expansion slots. There are eight AT and XT-style expansion slot

connectors mounted on the back plane board. The charts

below show the pin numbering on the expansion slot

connectors.

Expansion Slot Connector Pinouts:

Signal

Name:

l/O

Type:

A-l

A-2

Input

l/O

-I/O CH CK

SD7

A-3

A-4

I/O

SD6

SD5

l/O

SD4

A-5

A-6

I/O

SD3

A-7

A-8

A-9

I/O

SD2

SD1

SD0

A-10

A-11

A-12

A-13

A-14

A-15

A-16

A-17

A-18

A-19

A-20

A-21

A-22

A-23

A-24

A-25

A-26

A-27

A-28

A-29

A-30

A-31

-l/O CH RDY

AEN

SA19

SAI 8

SA17

SA16

SA15

SA14

SA13

SA12

SAl 1

SAlO

SA9

SA8

SA7

SA6

SA5

SA4

343

SA2

SAl

Input

output

I/O

l/O

I/O

l/O

I/O

l/O

I/O

SAO

_{Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manua}C_lso_Sn_ean_re_chct_Ao_nr_dP_Doi_wn_no_lu_oat_ds_.D-5

Expansion Slot Connector Pinouts

(continued):

l/O

Type:

Signal

Name:

B-l

B-2

B-3

B-4

GND

RESET DRV

+5 VDC

IRQ9

Ground

output

Power

Input

B-5

B-6

-5 VDC

DRQ2

Power

Input

B-7

B-8

-12 VDC

ows

Power

Input

B-9

+I2 VDC

GND

-SMEMW

-SMEMR

-IOW

-IOR

-DACK3

DRQ3

-DACKl

DRQl

-REFRESH

CLK

IRQ7

IRQ6

IRQ5

IRQ4

IRQ3

-DACK2

T-C

BALE

Power

Ground

output

I10

I/O

output

Input

output

Input

I/O

output

Input

output

Power

output

Ground

B-IO

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

+5 VDC

o s c

GND

D-6 Connector Pinouts

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

Expansion Slot Connector Pinouts

(continued):

Connector Pinouts D-7

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.

Indesit Electric Pressure Cooker KD6C35 User Manual
Indesit Washer Dryer WDG 1095 WG User Manual
Indesit Washer Dryer WIDL 126 S User Manual
JVC Digital Camera GR D771U User Manual
Kathrein Network Card BN 20610071 User Manual
Kenmore Refrigerator 7957854 User Manual
Kenwood Car Satellite Radio System KMM BT308 User Manual
KitchenAid Dishwasher KUDE60FVPA User Manual
KitchenAid Oven KEBC171K User Manual
KitchenAid Refrigerator NL240V User Manual