American Megatrends Merlin DP User Manual
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American Megatrends Merlin DP User Manual

American Megatrends Merlin DP User Manual

Dual pentium pro pci isa motherboard
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Merlin DP
Dual Pentium® Pro
PCI ISA Motherboard
User's Guide
MAN – 750
12/10/96

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Summary of Contents for American Megatrends Merlin DP

  • Page 1 Merlin DP Dual Pentium® Pro PCI ISA Motherboard User's Guide MAN – 750 12/10/96...
  • Page 2 Limited Warranty Buyer agrees if this product proves to be defective, that American Megatrends, Inc. is only obligated to replace or refund the purchase price of this product at American Megatrend's discretion according to the terms and conditions on the motherboard warranty card.
  • Page 3 This manual describes the specifications and features of the Merlin DP PCI motherboard. It explains how to assemble a system based on the Merlin DP PCI motherboard and how to use the AMIBIOS that is specifically designed for this motherboard.

  • Page 4: Packing List

    You should have received the following: a Merlin DP PCI motherboard, two serial cables, one parallel cable, a Warranty Card, and the American Megatrends Merlin DP PCI Pentium Pro Motherboard User's Guide. Merlin DP PCI Motherboard User’s Guide Characteristics 28,800 baud rate. Supports v.34.

  • Page 5: Hardware Installation

    PCI expansion slots. ISA DMA or Bus Masters The Merlin DP Pentium Pro PCI ISA motherboard conforms to the PCI Version 2.1 specification, if the PCI 2.1 Compliance option in Chipset Setup is set to Enabled. The Version 2.1 PCI specification requires a deterministic latency for PCI devices.
  • Page 6 13" This motherboard contains sensitive electronic components that can be easily damaged by static electricity. Follow the instructions carefully to ensure correct installation and to avoid static damage. Merlin DP PCI Motherboard User’s Guide SIMM Sockets 1.5" CPU Fan and Voltage Regulators 2"...
  • Page 7 Merlin DP PCI Motherboard Layout Pin 1 is identified by a square pin and by a pointed box on the silkscreen. Optional Megatrends BIOS RTC/ Battery Alarm Chapter 1 Hardware Installation J14 USB2 J13 USB1 KEBD BANK0 BANK1...

  • Page 8: Step 1 Unpack The Motherboard

    – static mat when handling the motherboard. Avoid contact with any component or connector on any adapter card, printed circuit board, or memory module. Handle these components by the mounting bracket. Merlin DP PCI Motherboard User’s Guide Action...

  • Page 9: Step 2 Configure Cpu

    180 MHz Short Pins 1 – 2 200 MHz Short Pins 1 – 2 Please contact American Megatrends technical support at 770 – 246 – 8645 to support a CPU running at a higher speed. Chapter 1 Hardware Installation Open Shorted Short Pins 3 –...
  • Page 10 2.5V 2.4V 2.3V 2.2V 2.1V No Voltage Merlin DP PCI Motherboard User’s Guide J6 and J7 Setting Short Pins 1 – 2 Short Pins 3 – 4 Short Pins 5 – 6 Short Pins 7 – 8 Short Pins 1 – 2 Short Pins 3 –...
  • Page 11 Step 2 Configure CPU, Continued Voltage Regulator One Voltage Regulator Module is shipped with every Merlin DP motherboard. You need another VRM if you install two CPUs. You can order VRMs for Intel Pentium Pro CPUs from: Manufacturer VXI Electronics, Inc.
  • Page 12 Place the CPU in the middle of the socket, as shown below. Make sure that pin 1 of the CPU is aligned with pin 1 of the socket. Make sure you are properly grounded while handling the CPU. Merlin DP PCI Motherboard User’s Guide Warning Action...
  • Page 13 Step Action Complete installation by lifting the ZIF lever to the other side of the socket, as shown below. Chapter 1 Hardware Installation...

  • Page 14: Step 3 Install Memory

    Bank0, then the same type of 4 MB SIMM must be installed in the second Bank0 SIMM socket. The minimum amount of system memory supported by the Merlin DP PCI is 8 MB. Each socket can hold one SIMM. You can use:...
  • Page 15 Step 3 Install Memory, Continued Select SIMMs SIMMs must meet the following specifications: Parameter Page Mode Refresh SIMM Part Numbers Type Manufacturer 1 MB x 36 Micron “ Mitsubishi “ “ Motorola “ “ Samsung 2 MB x 36 “ Samsung 4 MB x 36 Micron...

  • Page 16: Step 4 Install The Motherboard

    If using metallic screws, make sure you use them only in the plated mounting holes. If using metallic screws, make sure the head of the screw fits completely inside the plated mounting holes. Merlin DP PCI Motherboard User’s Guide Action Warning...

  • Page 17: Step 5 Attach Cables

    Step 5 Attach Cables Connectors The Merlin DP PCI motherboard includes many connectors. Connection instructions, illustrations of connectors, and pinouts are supplied in the following screens. Cable Connector Ends When connecting chassis connectors to the motherboard, make sure to connect the correct connector end. Most connector wires are color – coded.
  • Page 18 VCC (Red wire) +12 Volts (Yellow wire) – 12 Volts (Blue wire) Ground (Black wire) Ground (Black wire) P2 Pinout Merlin DP PCI Motherboard User’s Guide Pin 1 Description Description Ground (Black wire) Ground (Black wire) – 5 Volts (White wire)
  • Page 19 Step 5 Attach Cables, Continued J11 Keyboard Connector The keyboard connector is a 6 – pin DIN socket. The pinout is shown below. 3, 6 Connect Mouse Cable The mouse connector (J7 ) is a 10 – pin berg. The mouse cable is the same as the serial cable in the motherboard.
  • Page 20 AMIBIOS signals hardware problems through the speaker. Pin 1 on the motherboard is identified by the arrow on the white box around the berg. The Merlin DP PCI motherboard also has a built – in speaker mounted on the motherboard.
  • Page 21 Step 5 Attach Cables, Continued J36 Keyboard Lock J36 is a 5 – pin single – inline berg that is attached via a cable to the keyboard lock connector or separate keyboard lock and Power LED connectors. The computer chassis may not include the keyboard lock and Power LED on a single connector.
  • Page 22 AMIBIOS minimizes conflicts between onboard and offboard I/O devices. AMIBIOS automatically checks the adapter cards installed in the expansion slots on the Merlin DP PCI motherboard for a hard disk or floppy controller and serial or parallel ports. J8 SER1 J9 SER2 J8 and J9 are 9 –...
  • Page 23 Step 5 Attach Cables, Continued J2 Parallel Port J2 is a 25 – pin connector for a parallel port. The J2 pinout is shown below. Connect the 16 – pin to DB25 cable provided with the motherboard to J6. The parallel port interface supports: the standard Centronics –...
  • Page 24 34 – pin edge connectors for attaching the floppy disk drives. There is a small twist in the cable between the floppy connectors. The last (end) connector should be connected to floppy drive A:. Merlin DP PCI Motherboard User’s Guide Cont’d...
  • Page 25 Step 5 Attach Cables, Continued J1 Floppy Connector Pinout Twist in Floppy Cable Floppy B to A Floppy B to A 10 to 16 11 to 15 Chapter 1 Hardware Installation DENSE1 DRATE0 – INDEX – MOTOR0 – FDSEL1 – FDSEL0 –...
  • Page 26 Step 5 Attach Cables, Continued IDE Drives Attach the IDE drives in the following manner. Choose Peripheral Setup in WINBIOS Setup to enable the onboard IDE controller. Merlin DP PCI Motherboard User’s Guide Cont’d...
  • Page 27 Step 5 Attach Cables, Continued Attach IDE Cable to J12 J12 is the primary IDE Integrated Drive Electronics hard disk drive connector. Both the primary master and the primary slave IDE drives must be connected by cable to J12, as shown below. J12 is a 40 –...
  • Page 28 IDE drives to the secondary onboard IDE controller. Attach the secondary master and slave IDE drives to J10 via a standard 40 – pin IDE cable. Merlin DP PCI Motherboard User’s Guide DATA8 DATA9 DATA10...
  • Page 29 Step 5 Attach Cables, Continued J10 Pinout The J10 pinout is: – RESET DATA7 DATA6 DATA5 DATA4 DATA3 DATA2 DATA1 DATA0 IDERDY Chapter 1 Hardware Installation DATA8 DATA9 DATA10 DATA11 DATA12 DATA13 DATA14 DATA15 KEY (N/C) – REQ – IOW –...

  • Page 30: Step 6 Test And Configure

    Run WINBIOS Setup. You must enter the requested information and save the configuration data in NVRAM. The system will then reset, run POST, and boot the operating system. See the following chapter for information on configuring the computer. Merlin DP PCI Motherboard User’s Guide...

  • Page 31: Winbios Setup

    Graphical Setup American Megatrends has a new type of system BIOS Setup utility. WINBIOS Setup has a graphical user interface the end user can access using a mouse.

  • Page 32: Using A Mouse With Winbios Setup

    <PgDn> <Home> <End> <Ctrl><Alt><+> <Ctrl><Alt>< – > Change to low speed. Merlin DP PCI Motherboard User’s Guide Action Change or select a global field. Change or select the current field. Perform an operation in the current field Increment a value.

  • Page 33: Winbios Setup Menu

    WINBIOS Setup Menu The WINBIOS Setup main menu, shown below, is organized into four sections. Each of these sections corresponds to a section in this chapter. Each section contains several icons. Clicking on each icon activates a specific AMIBIOS function. The WINBIOS Setup main windows and related functions are described below.

  • Page 34: Section 1 Setup

    Select Type. If the drive parameters do not match the drive Standard parameters listed for drive types 1 – 46, select User and enter the MFM Drive correct hard disk drive parameters. Merlin DP PCI Motherboard User’s Guide How to Configure Cont’d...
  • Page 35 Standard Setup, Continued Entering Drive Parameters You can also enter the hard disk drive parameters. The drive parameters are: Parameter Type The number for a drive with certain identification parameters. Cylinders The number of cylinders in the disk drive. Heads The number of heads.

  • Page 36: Hard Disk Drive Types

    1024 1224 AMIBIOS automatically sets IDE drive parameters. Select USER to enter MFM, ESDI, or RLL drive parameters. Select Not Installed for SCSI drives. Select CDROM for CD – ROM drives. Merlin DP PCI Motherboard User’s Guide Write Landing Sectors...

  • Page 37: Advanced Setup

    Advanced Setup Advanced Setup options are displayed by choosing the Advanced icon from the WINBIOS Setup main menu. All Advanced Setup options are described in this section. Typematic Rate This option sets the rate at which characters on the screen repeat when a key is pressed and held down.
  • Page 38 If Setup is chosen, the password prompt appears if WINBIOS is executed. Instructions for changing a password. Are provided later in this manual. The Optimal and Fail – Safe defaults are Setup. Merlin DP PCI Motherboard User’s Guide Cont’d...
  • Page 39 Advanced Setup, Continued OS/2 Compatible Mode Set this option to Enabled if running OS/2 operating system and using more than 64 MB of system memory on the motherboard. The settings are Enabled or Disabled. The Optimal and Fail – Safe default settings are Disabled. Floppy Drive Seek When this option is set to Enabled, AMIBIOS performs a Seek command on floppy drive A: before booting the system.
  • Page 40 Soft resets must not generate a hard reset if a caching controller is used. If a hard reset is generated, a PCI caching controller card may not be able to flush data from its cache memory to a hard disk drive before the reset. Merlin DP PCI Motherboard User’s Guide Description Cont’d...
  • Page 41 Advanced Setup, Continued Video Shadow C000, 32K This option specifies the way that the 32 KB of video ROM beginning at C0000h is treated. The settings are: Setting Disabled The contents of the video ROM are not copied to RAM. Cached The contents of the video ROM area from C0000h –...

  • Page 42: Chipset Setup

    Since the bad bit in the SIMM cannot be fixed, writing data to the bad bit has no effect. The next time the error location is read, the chipset will once again find a bad bit. The chipset generates a Parity Error, indicating an uncorrectable memory error. Merlin DP PCI Motherboard User’s Guide Description then...
  • Page 43 Disabled. Optional ROM The Merlin DP PCI Pentium Pro motherboard has an empty option ROM socket near the ISA expansion slots. You can install a 32 KB ROM in this socket. The starting memory address of this ROM can be either C000h (only if this computer does not have a VGA controller), C800h, D000h, or D800h.
  • Page 44 CPU Thermal Alarm Set this option to Enabled to enable an alarm if the Pentium Pro CPU overheats. The settings are Enabled or Disabled. The Optimal and Fail – Safe default settings are Disabled. Merlin DP PCI Motherboard User’s Guide Cont’d...
  • Page 45 Chipset Setup, Continued ISA 8 Bit I/O Recovery Time This option specifies the length of the delay that is added to the CPU cycle between consecutive 8 – bit I/O operations. The length of the delay is related to the CPU type and frequency. The settings are 1 Sysclock, 2 Sysclocks, 3 Sysclocks, 4 Sysclocks, 5 Sysclocks, 6 Sysclocks, 7 Sysclocks, 8 Sysclocks, or Disabled.

  • Page 46: Power Management Setup

    AMIBIOS places it in a power saving state after the specified period of display inactivity has expired. The settings are Megakey (the power savings state determined by the Megakey keyboard controller), Standby, Suspend or Disabled. The Optimal and Fail – Safe default settings are Disabled. Merlin DP PCI Motherboard User’s Guide Cont’d...
  • Page 47 Power Management Setup, DPMS Video Power Down Mode This option specifies the power state that a DPMS (Display Power Management Specification) – compliant video subsystem enters when AMIBIOS places it in a power saving state after the specified period of display inactivity has expired.
  • Page 48 CPU clock speed when the computer is in the power – conserving state. The settings are 1:1, 1:2, 1:4, 1:8, 1:16, 1:32, 1:64, or 1:128. The Optimal and Fail – Safe default settings are 1:8. Merlin DP PCI Motherboard User’s Guide Continued Cont’d...
  • Page 49 Power Management Setup, IRQ3 IRQ4 IRQ5 IRQ7 IRQ9 IRQ10 IRQ11 IRQ12 IRQ15 When set to Monitor, these options enable event monitoring on the specified hardware interrupt request line. If set to Monitor and the computer is in a power saving state, AMIBIOS watches for activity on the specified IRQ line. The computer enters the Full On state if any activity occurs.
  • Page 50 These options specify the IRQ priority for PCI devices installed in the four PCI expansion slots. The settings are Auto, IRQ3, IRQ4, IRQ5, IRQ7, IRQ9, IRQ10, IRQ11, IRQ12, IRQ 14, or IRQ15, in priority order. The Optimal and Fail – Safe default settings are Auto. Merlin DP PCI Motherboard User’s Guide Action Cont’d...
  • Page 51 PCI/PnP Setup, Continued IRQ3 IRQ4 IRQ5 IRQ7 IRQ9 IRQ10 IRQ11 IRQ12 IRQ14 IRQ15 These options specify the bus that the specified IRQ line is used on. These options allow you to reserve IRQs for legacy ISA adapter cards. These options determine if AMIBIOS should remove an IRQ from the pool of available IRQs passed to devices that are configurable by the system BIOS.
  • Page 52 This option does not appear if the Reserved Memory Size option is set to Disabled. The settings are C0000, C4000, C8000, CC000, D0000, D4000, D8000, or DC000. The Optimal and Fail – Safe default settings are not supplied. Merlin DP PCI Motherboard User’s Guide...

  • Page 53: Peripheral Setup

    Peripheral Setup Peripheral Setup options are displayed by choosing the Peripheral Setup icon from the WINBIOS Setup main menu. All Peripheral Setup options are described in this section. Onboard Floppy Controller Set this option to Enabled to enable the floppy drive controller on the motherboard.
  • Page 54 This option specifies the base I/O port address for serial port 1. The settings are 3E8h, 3F8h, or Disabled. The Optimal default setting is 3F8h. The Fail – Safe default setting are not supplied. Merlin DP PCI Motherboard User’s Guide Cont’d...
  • Page 55 Peripheral Setup, Continued Serial Port1 FIFO Set this option to Enabled to enable the FIFO buffer for the first serial port. The settings are Enabled or Disabled. The Optimal default setting is Disabled. The Fail – Safe default setting is not supplied. Do not enable the Serial Port 1 FIFO option if a mouse is Serial Port2 IRQ This option specifies the IRQ (Interrupt Request Line) used by serial port 1.
  • Page 56 This option is only available if the setting for the Parallel Port Mode option is ECP. This option sets the DMA channel used by the parallel port. The settings are DMA CH 1, or DMA CH 3. The Optimal and Fail – Safe default settings are Disabled. Merlin DP PCI Motherboard User’s Guide Description...

  • Page 57: Section 2 Security

    Section 2 Security Three icons appear in this part of the WINBIOS Setup screen: Supervisor (Password), User (Password), and Anti – Virus. Two Levels of Passwords Both the Supervisor and the User icons configure password support. If you use both, the Supervisor password must be set first. The system can be configured so that all users must enter a password every time the system boots or when WINBIOS Setup is executed, using either or both the Supervisor password or User password.

  • Page 58: Setting A Password

    Make sure you write it down. If you forget it, you must drain NVRAM and reconfigure. If You Do Not Want to Use a Password Just press <Enter> when the password prompt appears. Merlin DP PCI Motherboard User’s Guide...

  • Page 59: Changing A Password

    Changing a Password Select the Supervisor or User icon from the Security section of the WINBIOS Setup main menu. Enter the password and press <Enter>. The screen does not display the characters entered. After the new password is entered, retype the new password as prompted and press <Enter>.

  • Page 60: Section 3 Utility

    WINBOIS Setup code in AMIBIOS when the BIOS was manufactured. Color Set Color Set sets the WINBIOS Setup screen colors. Language If this feature is enabled, you can choose to display all WINBIOS Setup screen text in different languages. Merlin DP PCI Motherboard User’s Guide...

  • Page 61: Section 4 Default

    Section 4 Default The icons in this section permit you to select a group of settings for all WINBIOS Setup options. Not only can you use these icons to quickly set system configuration parameters, you can choose a group of settings that have a better chance of working when the system is having configuration –...

  • Page 63: Programming Flash Rom

    Programming Flash ROM All versions of the Merlin DP PCI motherboard use Flash EPROM to store the system BIOS. The advantage of Flash EPROM is the EPROM chip does not have to be replaced to update the BIOS. The end user can actually reprogram the BIOS, using a ROM file supplied by American Megatrends.
  • Page 64 S750P.ROM S750P.ROM resides on a floppy disk and contains the updated main BIOS code. American Megatrends will provide this file when the AMIBIOS for the Merlin DP PCI ISA motherboard must be updated. S750P.ROM must be present in the root directory of the floppy disk before the onboard Flash EPROM can be reprogrammed.

  • Page 65: Programming The Flash Rom

    Programming the Flash ROM, Beep Codes The bootblock code produces a series of beeps during Flash ROM programming to: signify completion of a step (as shown on the previous screen), or to signal an error. Error beeps are arranged in a coded sequence and have different meanings depending on when they occur.

  • Page 66: Bootblock Code Checkpoint Codes

    Detect the flash type. Start erasing flash blocks. Program the Flash ROM in the E0000 – Start programming Flash at F0000 – FFFFF region. Flash programming is successful. The computer reboots. Merlin DP PCI Motherboard User’s Guide Description EFFFFh region.

  • Page 67: Deleting A Password

    Deleting a Password If you forget the passwords you set up through WINBIOS Setup, the only way you can restart the computer is to erase the system configuration information where the passwords are stored. System configuration data is stored in CMOS RAM, a type of memory that consumes very little power.

  • Page 68: Avoid Static Electricity

    – static mat when handling the motherboard. Avoid contact with any component or connector on any adapter card, printed circuit board, or memory module. Handle these components by the mounting bracket. Merlin DP PCI Motherboard User’s Guide...

  • Page 69: Engineering Specifications

    A Specifications Engineering Specifications Temperature Ranges The following values are ambient temperatures inside the computer case. The board temperatures reflect the dual Pentium Pro CPU Heat dissipation requirements because they will be the hottest motherboard components. Temperature specifications vary with the CPU frequency. Frequency Heat Airflow...

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