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TRIGEM CW3D25C Operation Manual

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3 8 6 X / X E
OPERATIONS
GUIDE

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Summary of Contents for TRIGEM CW3D25C

  • Page 1 3 8 6 X / X E OPERATIONS GUIDE...
  • Page 2 3 8 6 X / X E OPERATIONS GUIDE...
  • Page 3 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.
  • Page 4 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.
  • Page 5 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.
  • Page 6 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.
  • Page 7 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.
  • Page 8 Except as explained in Chapter 7, “Expanding Your System,” do not attempt to modify or service this product yourself. Opening or removing those covers that are marked “DO NOT REMOVE” may expose you to dangerous voltage points or other risks. Refer all servicing problems to qualified service personnel.
  • Page 9 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.
  • Page 10 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.
  • Page 11 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.
  • Page 12 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.

  • Page 13: Table Of Contents

    Contents Introduction ........How to Use This Manual .
  • Page 14 Using Your Computer Chapter 3 Changing the Operating Speed Special Keys on Your Keyboard ......3-2 Stopping a Command or Program Using Disks and Disk Drives How Disks Store Data .
  • Page 15 Multiple Disk Drive Systems ..... . Wildcards ........Application Software .
  • Page 16 System Expansion & Upgrades ......Tools Required ....... . . General Precautions .

  • Page 17: Introduction

    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.

  • Page 18: How To Use This Manual

    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.

  • Page 19: Setting Up Your System

    Chapter 1 Setting Up Your System Setting up your personal computer is easy. 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.

  • Page 20: Choosing A Location

    Besides this manual, you should have the following: The computer and power cord The Keyboard with attached cable MS-DOS GW-BASIC 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.
  • Page 21 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.

  • Page 22: Connecting A Monitor

    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.
  • Page 23 If necessary, connect the monitor cable to the monitor. (Some monitors come with permanently attatched cables.) 3. 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.

  • Page 24: Connecting A Printer, Mouse, Or Modem

    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).
  • Page 25 Figure l-3. Connecting the Printer 3. Connect the other end of the cable to the printer, as shown below. If the printer has retaining clips on each side of the printer port, squeeze the clips together to secure the cable. 4.

  • Page 26: Using The Serial Interface

    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 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.

  • Page 27: Connecting The Power Cord

    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: Insert the power cord into the AC inlet on the computer’s back panel, as shown below.

  • Page 28: Connecting The Keyboard

    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.

  • Page 29: Adjusting The Keyboard Angle

    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.

  • Page 30: Turning On The Computer

    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.
  • Page 31 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...
  • Page 32 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.

  • Page 33: The Command Prompt

    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.

  • Page 34: Copying System Diskettes

    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.
  • Page 35 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...
  • Page 36 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.

  • Page 37: Resetting Your Computer

    Resetting Your 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.

  • Page 38: Running The Setup Program

    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...
  • Page 39 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.

  • Page 40: Running Setup

    Running Setup If your system is off, turn it on now. After a moment, you will see a message similar to this: 386-BIOS (c) 1989 American Megatrends Inc. (c) 1989 TriGem Coporation XXXX Press <ESC> to bypass MEMORY test (c) American Megatrends Inc,. X X X X - X X X X - X X X X X X - K B Identifying the type of BIOS Please note the Reference number at the bottom of the screen.

  • Page 41: Memory Test Bypass

    MMDDYY 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.

  • Page 42: Errors Reported By Bios

    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...

  • Page 43: Entering Setup

    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.

  • Page 44: Cmos Setup

    Set the reverse video cursor on the “RUN CMOS SETUP” using <Up > and < Down Then the screen will be replaced by the following. 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.

  • Page 45: Cmos Setup Option

    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.
  • Page 46 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...

  • Page 47: Leaving The Cmos Setup

    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 <...
  • Page 48 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”...
  • Page 49 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. < PgUp/PgDn > <...
  • Page 50 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.
  • Page 51 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.
  • Page 52 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.

  • Page 53: Leaving The Extended Cmos Setup

    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”...

  • Page 54: Chapter 3 Using Your Computer

    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.

  • Page 55: Special Keys On Your Keyboard

    Ctrl-Alt- < + > 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.
  • Page 56 Purpose 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.) Ctrl Works with other key to perform special (control)
  • Page 57 Sys Req PrtSc Home, End, PgUp, PgDn 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.

  • Page 58: Stopping A Command Or Program

    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...

  • Page 59: How Disks Store Data

    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.
  • Page 60 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.

  • Page 61: 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.

  • Page 62: Drive And Diskette Incompatibilities

    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.

  • Page 63: Caring For Diskettes And Diskette Drives

    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.
  • Page 64 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. not place diskettes on top of your monitor or near an external disk drive.

  • Page 65: Inserting And Removing Diskettes

    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.
  • Page 66 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 Abort, Retry, Fail? Close the latch and press R.

  • Page 67: Write-Protecting Diskettes

    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.

  • Page 68: Making Backup Copies

    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.

  • Page 69: Using A Single Diskette Drive

    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.

  • Page 70: Using The Hard Disk Drive

    Note If you only have 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 See your application program manual for detailed...
  • Page 71 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.
  • Page 72 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.

  • Page 73: Chapter 4 Using Ms-Dos With Your Computer

    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.

  • Page 74: Inserting Diskettes

    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.
  • Page 75 N o t e 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.

  • Page 76: Starting Ms-Dos

    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.
  • Page 77 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.

  • Page 78: 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.

  • Page 79: Case Sensitivity

    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.
  • Page 80 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...

  • Page 81: 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.

  • Page 82: Default Drive

    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.
  • Page 83 you can see, the system prompt has changed to show the drive letter. new default 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.

  • Page 84: Copying Your Ms-Dos Diskettes

    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.

  • Page 85: 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.
  • Page 86 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. C a u t i o n ! Make sure the target diskette is blank. If there is any previous data on the diskette, it will be erased by the DISKCOPY routine.
  • Page 87 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.

  • Page 88: Copying On Dual Drive Systems

    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.
  • Page 89 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”...
  • Page 90 The contents of the disk are being 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...
  • Page 91 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...

  • Page 92: Files

    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.

  • Page 93: 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.
  • Page 94 & (ampersand) (and) (parenthesis) (minus sign or hyphen) [ and ] (brackets) (underline character) The following are examples of allowable filenames: JANUARY CHAPTER.001 MEMO.APR M A Y S A L E S . % & $ $$.SALES.OCT These filenames are valid because none of them are too long, and only legal characters have been used.
  • Page 95 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) (for BATCH Program files should always have one of these three filename...

  • Page 96: Disk Directories

    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.

  • Page 97: File Searches

    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...

  • Page 98: Multiple Disk Drive Systems

    Multiple Disk Drive Systems 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.

  • Page 99: Wildcards

    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.

  • Page 100: Application Software

    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.

  • Page 101: Chapter 5 Using Floppy Disks

    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”...

  • Page 102: 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.

  • Page 103: Formatting Diskettes

    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.

  • Page 104: The Format Command

    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.
  • Page 105 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.

  • Page 106: Option Switches

    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.
  • Page 107 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.
  • Page 108 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...
  • Page 109 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”...

  • Page 110: Copying Files

    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...
  • Page 111 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.

  • Page 112: Wildcards

    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.
  • Page 113 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.

  • Page 114: Using Your Hard Disk

    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.

  • Page 115: Care Of Hard Disk Drives

    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.

  • Page 116: Preparing Your Hard Disk

    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 explained in Chapter 4, “Using MS-DOS.”...

  • Page 117: Changing Your Setup

    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.
  • Page 118 Move the screen cursor bar down to the Hard Disk C Move the screen cursor bar down to the Hard Disk C parameter. Using the PgUp and PgDn keys, scroll through the parameter. Using the PgUp and PgDn keys, scroll through the options to the disk type number matched with the hard disk options to the disk type number matched with the hard disk you have.

  • Page 119: Partitioning Your Hard Disk

    The computer responds with: Write data into CMOS and exit (Y/N)? computer Press Y. The 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 want to install the another type of HDD except IDE, you...
  • Page 120 MS-DOS Version x.xx Fixed Disk Setup Program (C) Copyright Microsoft Corp. 19xx, 19xx FDISK Options Current fixed disk drive: 1 Choose one of the following: 1. Create DOS Partition or Logical DOS Drive 2. Set active partition 3. Delete DOS Partition or Logical DOS Drive 4.
  • Page 121 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 you wish to use the maximum size for a DOS partition and make partition active ESC to return...

  • Page 122: Formatting Your Hard Disk

    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.
  • Page 123 You should already have stored on the hard disk that you want to save. Press Y to begin formatting. The formatting process takes When it is completed, the F o r m a t t i n g System transferred label (11 characters, ENTER for none)? Volume Here, your computer is asking you to name your hard disk...

  • Page 124: Organizing Your Hard Disk

    Organizing Your Hard Disk This section provides you with a sample directory structure for use with your hard disk. It will provide step-by-step instructions that will create several files and subdirectories. 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.
  • Page 125 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.
  • Page 126 C>CDDOS C>DIR The directory listing displayed should look like this: < D I R > < D I R > X File(s) c> You have just moved to the DOS4 subdirectory. The two < DIR > entries indicate that you are currently logged onto a disk subdirectory.
  • Page 127 involves the use of a similar command: C > C D \ 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.
  • Page 128 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:...

  • Page 129: Backing Up Your Hard Disk

    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.

  • Page 130: How Many Diskettes

    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.
  • Page 131 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.

  • Page 132: The Restore Command

    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.
  • Page 133 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.
  • Page 134 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.

  • Page 135: Chapter 7 Expanding Your System

    Chapter 7 Expanding Your System get more familiar with your computer system, you will As you 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 system,...
  • Page 136 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.

  • Page 137: Serial Ports

    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.

  • Page 138: Parallel Ports

    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.

  • Page 139: 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.

  • Page 140: System Expansion & Upgrades

    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...
  • Page 141 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...

  • Page 142: Opening And Closing The Cabinet

    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.

  • Page 143: Installing Circuit Boards

    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.
  • Page 144 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.
  • Page 145 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.
  • Page 146 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.

  • Page 147: Disk Drive Compartments

    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.
  • Page 148 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.

  • Page 149: 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.

  • Page 150: Appendix A Specifications

    Specifications Computer System Operating Temperature Storage Temperature Operating Humidity Storage Humidity Compatibility Power Supply Keyboard System MotherBoard Firmware Operating System Support : MS-DOS Bus Interface : 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 : 238W...

  • Page 151: Cpu Logic

    Expansion Slots Dynamic RAM (with parity) : lM-bytes, expandable 16M- Floppy Disk Drive Support I/O Ports Audio Support Real Time Clock CPU Logic Main Central Processor IC TriGem 386X TriGem 386XE Math Coprocessor IC (optional): TriGem 386X TriGem 386XE 387-33™ coprocessor WTL3167-33 coprocessor A-2 Specifications : 2ea 8-bit (62 pin connector) 6ea 16-bit (98 pin connector)

  • Page 152: System Memory

    System Memory Data Interface Cache Memory Memory Bank Configurations BANK 0 256K 256K 256K 256K 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 : 32-bit memory access : 64KB or optional 128KB...

  • Page 153: Systemtiming

    System Timing System Clock Speed: Speed High L O W Clock Cycle Time: 125ns (8MHz) 40ns (25MHz) 30ns (33MHz) I/O Address Map Hex range 000-01F 120-03F 040 - 05F 060 - 06F 070 - 07F 080 - 09F 0A0 - 0BF 0C0 - 0DF OF8 - OFF 378 - 37F...

  • Page 154: Appendix B System Motherboard

    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. System MotherBoard...

  • Page 155: Hardware Settings

    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.

  • Page 156: Removing The Motherboard

    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.

  • Page 157: Connectors

    The Table B-l lists the switch settings 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.”...
  • Page 158 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.
  • Page 159 Serial Port - 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.
  • Page 160 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.

  • Page 161: Appendix C Video Monitor Systems

    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.
  • Page 162 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.
  • Page 163 The maximum screen resolutions of the different video standards is summarized below, along with their color and graphics features: HGC: maximum dot resolution: 7 2 0 x 3 5 0 maximum text display: 80 columns x 25 lines colors: monochrome green or amber C G A : dot resolution: 640 x 200...

  • Page 164: Monitor Types

    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.
  • Page 165 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.

  • Page 166: I/Oports

    Appendix D Connector Pinouts I/O Ports RS-232C Serial port (9-pin subminiature “D” connector): Pin # Note All signals conform to EIA Standard RS-232C. Centronics-compatible parallel printer port (25-pin subminiature “D” connector): Pin # I/O Type: Input Carrier Detect (CD) Input Receive Data (RD) output Transmit Data (TxD)
  • Page 167 Note 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...

  • Page 168: Ide Port

    IDE Port Connector Pinouts D-3...
  • Page 169 Power Supply Connector (12-pin post header) Pin # Figure D-l. Expansion Slot Connectors D-4 Connector Pinouts Signal Name Power Good Signal +5v Volts + 12v Volts - 12v Volts Ground Ground Ground Ground - 5 Volts + 5v Volts + 5v Volts + 5v Volts...

  • Page 170: Expansion Slot Connectors

    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: A-10 A-11...
  • Page 171 Expansion Slot Connector Pinouts (continued): 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 D-6 Connector Pinouts Signal Type: Name: Ground output +5 VDC Power Input Power -5 VDC Input Power...
  • Page 172 Expansion Slot Connector Pinouts (continued): Connector Pinouts D-7...

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