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Mitsubishi XEN-PC apricot Owner's Handbook Manual

Mitsubishi XEN-PC apricot Owner's Handbook Manual

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OWNER'S HANDBOOK
XEN-PC
apricot
MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC

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  • Page 1 OWNER'S HANDBOOK XEN-PC apricot MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC...
  • Page 2 Chapter OWNER'S HANDBOOK...
  • Page 3 All rights reserved; no use or disclosure without written consent. Copyright © Apricot Computers Limited 1993 Published by Apricot Computers Limited 3500 Parkside Birmingham Business Park Birmingham B37 7YS MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC Printed in the United Kingdom Part No. 15205031 Revision 01...

  • Page 4: Safety And Regulatory Notices

    Safety and Regulatory Notices Safety and Regulatory Notices Read the separate Power Connection Guide before using the Apricot XEN-PC for the first time. Information in the Owner’s Handbook relating to connection to the AC power supply may not apply outside the United Kingdom. The Apricot XEN-PC uses a safety ground and must be earthed.
  • Page 5 Safety and Regulatory Notices Power cord The power cord packed with the Apricot XEN-PC complies requirements with the safety standards applicable in the country in which it is sold. Use only this power cord; do not substitute a power cord from any other equipment. If you wish to use the computer in another country, you must ensure that you use a power cord and plug which complies with the safety standards of that country.
  • Page 6 Safety and Regulatory Notices UK plug wiring instructions IMPORTANT Power The wire which is coloured blue must be connected to the terminal which is marked with the letter N or Cable Connections coloured black. The wire which is coloured brown must be connected to the terminal which is marked This appliance is supplied with a mains lead that with the letter L or coloured red.
  • Page 7 Safety and Regulatory Notices Refer to the labels on the rear of your computer to establish which of the following warnings apply. FCC Class A Warning - this equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class A computing device, pursuant to Subpart J of Part 15 of FCC rules.
  • Page 8 Chapter CONTENTS...

  • Page 9: Table Of Contents

    Contents CONTENTS Introducing the Apricot XEN-PC Getting Started with the Apricot XEN-PC General advice 2/2 Connecting the components 2/3 Turning on and booting the computer 2/4 Preparing a second hard disk 2/6 Backing up the pre-installed software 2/6 Using the SETUP utility 2/7 Using Apricot Help 2/8 Operating the Apricot XEN-PC Using the front panel controls 3/2...
  • Page 10 Contents Upgrading the Apricot XEN-PC ISA expansion cards 5/2 Memory upgrades 5/6 Processor upgrades 5/9 Installing additional video RAM 5/15 Installing cache RAM 5/17 5.25" drives 5/19 3.5" hard disk drives 5/25 Using the SETUP utility Introduction 6/1 Invoking SETUP 6/1 Using SETUP 6/1 Initial menu 6/3 System configuration 6/4...
  • Page 11 Contents Troubleshooting Problems when starting 7/2 Troubleshooting charts 7/4 Inside the Apricot XEN-PC Anti-static precautions A/2 Removing the top cover A/3 Configuring expansion cards A/4 Motherboard jumper settings A/12 Hard disk drive types A/15 Technical Information Specifications B/2 Physical characteristics B/6 Electrical characteristics B/7 Port characteristics B/8 XEN-PC OWNER'S HANDBOOK III...
  • Page 12 Chapter INTRODUCING THE APRICOT XEN-PC Chapter 1...
  • Page 13 Introducing the Apricot XEN-PC INTRODUCING THE APRICOT XEN-PC The Apricot XEN-PC is ideally suited for use as general-purpose personal computers, networked business workstations and workgroup servers. Read the separate Power Connection Guide before using the Apricot XEN-PC for the first time. XEN-PC OWNER'S HANDBOOK 1/1...
  • Page 14 Introducing the Apricot XEN-PC Standard The standard features of the Apricot XEN-PC range include: features • Intel486 system processor with OverDrive upgrade capability. • Three full-length 16-bit Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) expansion card slots. • Standard 4 Mbytes of motherboard random access memory (RAM), upgradable to 36 Mbytes by the use of single in-line memory modules (SIMMs).
  • Page 15 Introducing the Apricot XEN-PC Unpacking On unpacking the computer, you should find: • Apricot XEN-PC system unit. • Apricot/Mitsubishi monitor and accompanying User’s Guide. • Apricot extended keyboard and two-button mouse. • System unit AC power cord and monitor power cord appropriate for the country of sale.
  • Page 16 Introducing the Apricot XEN-PC 1/4 XEN-PC OWNER'S HANDBOOK...
  • Page 17 Introducing the Apricot XEN-PC button: press to turn the system on or off. OWER The green indicator on the button lights when the system unit is powered. activity indicators, from left to right: lights when a diskette, floppy disk or Irwin tape drive is accessed (depending on the operating system).
  • Page 18 Introducing the Apricot XEN-PC 1/6 XEN-PC OWNER'S HANDBOOK...
  • Page 19 Introducing the Apricot XEN-PC AC power outlet: where the monitor power cord can plug in. Only Apricot-approved monitors should be powered from this outlet. voltage selection switch: the Apricot XEN-PC can be set to operate with a 100-120 volt or 220-240 volt AC power supply.
  • Page 20 Introducing the Apricot XEN-PC motherboard: see the label inside the system unit lid for up-to-date information on the layout of the motherboard. Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) expansion card slots: three slots in total, although one may be occupied by a drive controller card. SIMM sockets: every XEN-PC has 4 Mbytes of motherboard memory which can be upgraded to 36 Mbytes by the use of single in-line memory modules.
  • Page 21 Chapter GETTING STARTED WITH THE Chapter 2 APRICOT XEN-PC...

  • Page 22: Getting Started With The Apricot Xen-Pc

    Getting started with the Apricot XEN-PC GETTING STARTED WITH THE APRICOT XEN-PC You should read this chapter even if you do not read any other. It provides important information to help you site, connect, power and configure the Apricot XEN-PC. If you are familiar with the operation of personal computers, this chapter will probably tell you all you need to know in order to start working with your XEN-PC.

  • Page 23: General Advice

    Getting started with the Apricot XEN-PC General advice The Apricot XEN-PC is designed to be used in a normal office environment. Here are a few hints for choosing a suitable site: • Place the XEN-PC system unit flat on a sturdy, level surface.

  • Page 24: Connecting The Components

    Getting started with the Apricot XEN-PC Connecting the components See Chapter 1, “Introducing the Apricot XEN-PC”, if you need help indentifying the various ports on the system unit. Checking When your Apricot XEN-PC is delivered, it is ready for the the AC commercial AC power supply generally available in the country power supply...

  • Page 25: Turning On And Booting The Computer

    Getting started with the Apricot XEN-PC Connecting Having assured yourself that the voltage settings and the AC power cords of the computer, the monitor and any other components peripherals are correct: If your AC power outlets have switches, set them to their Off positions.
  • Page 26 Getting started with the Apricot XEN-PC Power-on Whenever the XEN-PC is turned on, the power-on self-test self-test (POST) routine tests various hardware components, including memory, and checks the computer’s configuration. During this time, BIOS sign-on and POST messages are displayed. The boot Provided that POST succeeds without discovering any serious sequence...

  • Page 27: Preparing A Second Hard Disk

    Getting started with the Apricot XEN-PC Preparing a second hard disk Some Apricot XEN-PC computers have two hard disk drives, known as master and slave. Apricot partitions and formats the master drive with Microsoft MS-DOS at the factory. The drive is given a single primary DOS partition, which is the active partition.

  • Page 28: Using The Setup Utility

    Getting started with the Apricot XEN-PC Instructions for backing up files can be found in your MS-DOS manual. It is a good idea to begin by creating a bootable system diskette containing the programs needed to partition and format the hard disk and to restore the backed up copy. In this way, you should be able to recover any programs or data lost by a hard disk failure.

  • Page 29: Using Apricot Help

    Getting started with the Apricot XEN-PC Using Apricot Help Along with the software preinstalled on your hard disk you will find an Apricot Help file. This explains what software is on your hard disk, and how to install drivers to use the enhanced features of the system.
  • Page 30 Getting started with the Apricot XEN-PC Choose the help file, identified by its .hlp file extension, either by double-clicking on its filename or by selecting the filename with the cursor and then pressing E NTER The Windows Help program starts, displaying the first topic in the help file.
  • Page 31 OPERATING THE APRICOT XEN-PC Chapter Chapter 3...

  • Page 32: Operating The Apricot Xen-Pc

    Operating the Apricot XEN-PC OPERATING THE APRICOT XEN-PC This chapter contains all you need to know for the day-to-day operation of an Apricot XEN-PC system. Note that the monitor has its own User’s Guide. Read the separate Power Connection Guide before using the Apricot XEN-PC for the first time.

  • Page 33: Using The Front Panel Controls

    Operating the Apricot XEN-PC Using the front panel controls The Apricot XEN-PC has only a few front panel controls and activity indicators, and is very simple to use. DISKETTE HARD DISK ACTIVITY ACTIVITY INDICATOR INDICATOR POWER BUTTON The P button is used to turn the computer on and off. The OWER green indicator in the button lights when the system is powered.

  • Page 34: Using The 3.5" Diskette Drive

    Operating the Apricot XEN-PC Using the 3.5" diskette drive The 3.5" diskette drive can read and write double-sided diskettes with a formatted capacity of either 1.44 Mbytes (if marked “HD” or “high density”) or 720 Kbytes (if marked “DD” or “double density”).

  • Page 35: Using The 5.25" Floppy Disk Drive

    Operating the Apricot XEN-PC Removing Before attempting to remove a diskette, ensure that the drive a diskette is not currently in use (the diskette activity indicator must be unlit). Press the E button. The drive mechanism disengages and JECT the diskette is ejected halfway out of the drive. Write- A diskette can be write-protected by sliding the small tab toward protecting...

  • Page 36: Using The Slcd Cd-Rom Drive

    Operating the Apricot XEN-PC Inserting a Insert the disk into the drive slot with the read/write aperture floppy disk foremost. When the disk is fully inserted, turn the locking lever one-quarter turn clockwise to engage the drive mechanism. Removing a Before attempting to remove a disk, ensure that the drive is not floppy disk currently in use (the drive’s LED must be unlit).
  • Page 37 Operating the Apricot XEN-PC The drive has its own headphone jack with associated volume level control. DISC DRAWER COMPACT HEADPHONE JACK BUSY EMERGENCY EJECT AND HEADPHONE LEVEL INDICATOR EJECT HOLE BUTTON Do not attempt to move the computer while a CD is in the drive, especially if the CD is being played at the time.

  • Page 38: Using The Irwin Ftd Tape Drive

    Operating the Apricot XEN-PC To eject the drawer manually (for example, during a power failure) you must first ensure that the computer is turned off. Then insert a thin metal rod (such as an unwound paper clip) into the emergency eject hole and push (see below). COMPACT Keep CDs well away from dust and moisture, and avoid touching the surface of the CD.
  • Page 39 Operating the Apricot XEN-PC Inserting a Remove the cartridge from its plastic holder. cartridge Hold the cartridge so that the metal plate faces downwards, as shown below. Slide the cartridge into the drive slot until you feel a slight resistance. WRITE-PROTECT EJECT ACTIVITY...

  • Page 40: Using The Scsi Qic Tape Drive

    Operating the Apricot XEN-PC Using the SCSI QIC tape drive Your Apricot XEN-PC may be configured with a SCSI QIC tape drive for quarter-inch tape cartridges. The software required to control the QIC tape drive depends on your operating environment; ask your Apricot supplier for details. Apricot currently supplies 150 Mbyte and 525 Mbyte QIC tape drives.
  • Page 41 Operating the Apricot XEN-PC Inserting a Check that the green indicator on the tape cartridge drive is not lit. This indicates that the drive is ready to accept a cartridge. Remove the cartridge from its plastic holder. Insert the cartridge as shown below. Push the cartridge gently into the drive as far as it will go.
  • Page 42 Operating the Apricot XEN-PC Push the control lever further to the left (you will feel a slight resistance as you do so) until the cartridge springs a short way out of the drive. Pull the cartridge out of the drive slot. Return the cartridge to its plastic holder.

  • Page 43: Using The Scsi Dds Or Dds-Dc Tape Drive

    Operating the Apricot XEN-PC Using the SCSI DDS or DDS-DC tape drive Your Apricot XEN-PC may be configured with a SCSI DDS (Digital Data Storage) or SCSI DDS-DC (Digital Data Storage with Data Compression) tape drive. The software needed to control the drive depends on your operating environment;...
  • Page 44 Operating the Apricot XEN-PC Use only cassettes bearing the DDS symbol; you cannot play audio DAT cassettes with these drives, even on systems equipped with Apricot Professional Audio. The DDS drive has a nominal capacity of 1.3 Gbytes on a 60- metre cassette, with a sustained transfer rate of 183 Kbytes/ second.
  • Page 45 Operating the Apricot XEN-PC Media A media warning, when the Cassette in Place (green) LED warning flashes slowly, indicates that the tape may be becoming unreliable, although at this point no data has been lost. First, clean the tape head cylinder with the special cleaning cassette available from Apricot, then try the data cassette again.
  • Page 46 Operating the Apricot XEN-PC Inserting a Insert the cassette into the slot with the triangular arrowhead on cassette the cassette pointing towards the drive. As the tape is inserted, the drive takes it and automatically loads it into the drive mechanism. A load sequence checks ambient humidity, the tape format and data integrity.

  • Page 47: Using The Scsi Cd-Rom Drive

    Operating the Apricot XEN-PC Write- A cassette can be write-protected by sliding the white tab on the protecting cassette so that the recess is revealed. In this position, data can be a cassette read from the tape but not written to it. WRITE WRITE ENABLED...
  • Page 48 Operating the Apricot XEN-PC The drive has its own headphone jack with associated volume level control. DISC CADDY SLOT CD Caddy COMPACT BUSY HEADPHONE JACK EJECT EMERGENCY AND HEADPHONE LEVEL INDICATOR BUTTON EJECT HOLE Do not attempt to move the computer while a CD is in the drive, especially if the CD is being played at the time.
  • Page 49 Operating the Apricot XEN-PC If there is a protective film on the centre of the caddy lid, remove it before using the caddy. To open the caddy, press the tabs on both edges at the end opposite the shutter. Set the disc, with its label upward, in the caddy. Handle the disc only by its edge.
  • Page 50 Operating the Apricot XEN-PC Removing a Ensure that the computer is turned on (otherwise the compact disc button will not work) and that the drive is not JECT currently in use (the drive’s activity indicator must be unlit). Press the E button.

  • Page 51: Using The Apricot Xen-Pc Abroad

    Operating the Apricot XEN-PC Using the Apricot XEN-PC abroad Your Apricot XEN-PC arrives ready to work with the commercial AC power supply available in the country in which it is first sold. If you plan to use your XEN-PC in another country, you should first check the following facts about your destination: 1.
  • Page 52 Chapter CARING FOR THE APRICOT XEN-PC Chapter 4...

  • Page 53: Caring For The Apricot Xen-Pc

    Caring for the Apricot XEN-PC CARING FOR THE APRICOT XEN-PC This chapter provides information on how to care for your computer. The Apricot XEN-PC requires little physical maintenance other than occasional cleaning. But you must take care when transporting it to avoid damage to its delicate components, particularly the hard disks.

  • Page 54: Cleaning The Apricot Xen-Pc

    Caring for the Apricot XEN-PC Cleaning the Apricot XEN-PC Turn off the Apricot XEN-PC and unplug all power cords before cleaning the computer. If you have any problems with the Apricot XEN-PC which can’t be resolved by cleaning it, consult the “Troubleshooting” chapter.
  • Page 55 Caring for the Apricot XEN-PC When necessary, clean the keycaps with a slightly damp cloth keyboard and a minimum amount of a non-abrasive cleaning agent. Take care not to spill any liquid onto the keyboard. Follow these steps if you spill something on the keyboard and it stops working: If the liquid is viscous, unplug the keyboard and call your Apricot supplier or an authorized Apricot maintainer.
  • Page 56 Caring for the Apricot XEN-PC You should clean the read/write head and the capstan of the Irwin FTD Irwin FTD frequently to prevent the accumulation of dust and tape drive metallic particles. If you notice read or write errors, or many bad blocks when using the drive, be sure to clean the head and capstan thoroughly before concluding that the drive or your tapes are defective.
  • Page 57 Caring for the Apricot XEN-PC Rub an alcohol-dampened swab against the surface of the capstan using an up and down motion. Gently rotate the capstan and continue rubbing until the entire surface is clean. Wait for at least one minute before using the tape drive.

  • Page 58: Replacing The Configuration Battery

    Caring for the Apricot XEN-PC Replacing the configuration battery The Apricot XEN-PC keeps a record of its current hardware configuration in a CMOS memory chip which is sustained by a small battery. This battery has a life of 3 years, and is user replaceable when discharged.

  • Page 59: Transporting The Apricot Xen-Pc

    Caring for the Apricot XEN-PC Using a suitable, small blunt tool, lift the left edge of the battery far enough to clear the base of the holder, then slide the battery out. Check that the replacement battery is identical to the battery you have removed.
  • Page 60 Chapter UPGRADING THE APRICOT XEN-PC Chapter 5...

  • Page 61: Upgrading The Apricot Xen-Pc

    Upgrading the Apricot XEN-PC UPGRADING THE APRICOT XEN-PC This chapter contains instructions on installing add-ons and upgrades in the XEN-PC. The areas covered include: • ISA expansion cards • additional memory • processor upgrades • video and cache RAM • additional drives Read this chapter before purchasing an add-on or upgrade.

  • Page 62: Isa Expansion Cards

    Upgrading the Apricot XEN-PC Inside the The illustration below identifies the major components inside system unit the XEN-PC system unit that are affected by the installation instructions later in this section. BLANKING PLATES POWER EXPANSION SUPPLY CARD CONNECTORS SIMM SOCKETS 3.5"...
  • Page 63 Upgrading the Apricot XEN-PC The Apricot XEN-PC has three 16-bit Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) expansion card slots. If your computer has a Small Computer Systems Interface (SCSI) device such as a QIC tape drive, one of these slots will be occupied by an SCSI drive controller.
  • Page 64 Upgrading the Apricot XEN-PC At the rear of the area are three metal blanking plates, one for each expansion card slot. These plates cover slots in the rear of the system unit which will be used by expansion cards. At the front of the area are three guides. These ensure that the front edge of any full length card is secured.
  • Page 65 Upgrading the Apricot XEN-PC Note If the card uses the video feature connector on the motherboard, you must plug the video feature cable into the motherboard socket before you install the card. Slide the card into the slot ensuring that the card edge connector engages correctly with the backplane.

  • Page 66: Memory Upgrades

    Upgrading the Apricot XEN-PC Memory upgrades The XEN-PC motherboard is fitted with 4 Mbytes of on-board memory, and sockets for two SIMMs (Single In-line Memory Modules). You may need more memory if you want to run complex operating systems or large application programs. Each socket can be empty, or fitted with a SIMM.
  • Page 67 Upgrading the Apricot XEN-PC If there are adapter cards fitted, disconnect any cables connected to the cards. Remove the screws that secure the cards to the rear of the system unit. Remove the cards. Removing a SIMM If you wish to install an upgrade in a SIMM socket which is already occupied you must first remove the existing SIMM.
  • Page 68 Upgrading the Apricot XEN-PC Position the SIMM above the socket with the SIMM tilted slightly towards the right of the system unit. Lower the SIMM into the socket, and ensure that the SIMM is properly located in the connector. Pushing gently on the top corners rotate the SIMM towards the horizontal until it clips into place.

  • Page 69: Processor Upgrades

    Upgrading the Apricot XEN-PC Processor upgrades The XEN-PC motherboard is fitted with a processor socket that supports any Intel486SX, Intel486DX, Intel486DX2 or OverDrive processor with a maximum external clock speed of 33MHz. Any other Intel processor using the same pinout as one of these processors could also be installed, subject to the same 33MHz maximum external clock speed restriction.
  • Page 70 Upgrading the Apricot XEN-PC Your upgrade processor is supplied with an extraction tool which resembles a miniature garden rake. Carefully insert the prongs of the extractor between the bottom of the processor and its socket. You may need to twist the extractor gently from side to side to work the prongs into place.
  • Page 71 Upgrading the Apricot XEN-PC Remove the extractor and repeat the process on each edge of the processor, gradually easing the processor out of its socket. If necessary work your way round the processor two or three times. Once the processor is free of its socket lift it out of the system unit and place it on the anti-static foam provided with the upgrade processor.
  • Page 72 Upgrading the Apricot XEN-PC Carefully position the upgrade processor above the socket with the positioning guide on the processor over the keyed corner of the socket. If the upgrade processor does not occupy all four rows of holes it should be positioned centrally as shown below. PROCESSOR IN CENTRE UNOCCUPIED...
  • Page 73 Upgrading the Apricot XEN-PC With the upgrade processor installed you must now ensure that the motherboard clock speed is correctly set for your new processor. Configuring the motherboard below describes how to ensure that when you reassemble your system the new processor will work.
  • Page 74 Upgrading the Apricot XEN-PC From the table below, and the label on your upgrade processor, or its packaging decide which system clock speed you need to select. JP7 position Clock speed (MHz) If you have installed an OverDrive processor you should set the system clock speed to match the external interface speed of the processor.

  • Page 75: Installing Additional Video Ram

    Upgrading the Apricot XEN-PC Installing additional video RAM The XEN-PC motherboard is fitted with six sockets which allow the video RAM to be expanded from 512 kbytes to 1 Mbyte using four 256k x 4 RAM chips, and from 1 Mbyte to 2 Mbytes using two 256k x 16 RAM chips.
  • Page 76 Upgrading the Apricot XEN-PC Identify the video RAM sockets from the following illustration. 44256 RAM 514260 DRAM One by one, carefully align the video RAM chips over the sockets. Make sure that they are in the correct orientation. The 256k x 4 chips have a cutout at one end, this must line up with similar cutout at the front of the sockets.

  • Page 77: Installing Cache Ram

    Upgrading the Apricot XEN-PC Installing cache RAM The XEN-PC motherboard is fitted with nine sockets which allow a second level cache to be installed. Three different capacities of cache may be installed: 64k, 128k and 256k. Some models of XEN-PC are shipped with a 256k cache already installed.
  • Page 78 Upgrading the Apricot XEN-PC Identify the cache RAM sockets from the following illustration. One by one, carefully align the cache RAM chips over the sockets. Make sure that they are in the correct orientation. The chips have a cutout at one end, this must line up with similar cutout at the front of the sockets.

  • Page 79: 5.25" Drives

    Upgrading the Apricot XEN-PC 5.25" drives The 5.25" drive tray in the XEN-PC system unit can contain any half height 5.25" device. Apricot supplies a range of tape and CD-ROM drives, and a 5.25" floppy drive, for this bay. The following instructions describe the installation of a drive in the bay.
  • Page 80 Upgrading the Apricot XEN-PC The front of the tray may be fitted with a blanking plate. If it is, turn the tray over and remove the two screws that secure the blanking plate. The blanking plate is no longer required, but you may wish to store it somewhere safe in case you wish to remove the drive later.
  • Page 81 Upgrading the Apricot XEN-PC Remove the drive from its packaging. With the drive there should be four screws and a signal cable. Some drives may be supplied with additional items. If necessary configure the drive. Drives supplied by Apricot will be correctly configured for installation in a XEN-PC.
  • Page 82 Upgrading the Apricot XEN-PC 14. Insert the four drive securing screws, and tighten them until they are finger tight. SECURING SCREWS A C T C O M P 15. Gently tighten the four screws. 16. Turn the drive bay over and replace it in the system unit.
  • Page 83 Upgrading the Apricot XEN-PC 19. Behind the 5.25" drive bay is an unused power cable from the power supply. Connect this power cable to the power connector on the drive. 5.25" DRIVE POWER CABLE 20. The drive has now been installed and connected to a power cable.
  • Page 84 Upgrading the Apricot XEN-PC Configuration The only configuration on these drives is via the drive select jumpers at the rear of the drive. The jumpers should be set to drive select 1 (DS1). SCSI drives Cabling The Apricot SCSI card is supplied with a signal cable which is suit-able for use with any Apricot supplied SCSI drive.

  • Page 85: Hard Disk Drives

    Upgrading the Apricot XEN-PC Configuration Each SCSI drive is assigned an identity on the SCSI bus, these are known as SCSI IDs. All Apricot SCSI drives for XEN-PC are supplied configured with SCSI ID 2. All Apricot SCSI drives are supplied with termination resistors fitted.
  • Page 86 Upgrading the Apricot XEN-PC The 3.5" drive bay is secured by two screws and two lugs in the system unit base. Identify the screws and lugs from the following illustration. SECURING SCREWS 10. Remove the two securing screws shown in the illustration above.
  • Page 87 Upgrading the Apricot XEN-PC Installing Having configured the drive, turn the drive bay upside- the drive down and rest it on a flat surface with the front of the floppy drive towards you. Slide the hard disk drive you are installing into the bay form the front, with the drive circuit board up, and its connectors away from you.
  • Page 88 Upgrading the Apricot XEN-PC Reassembling Replace the 3.5" drive bay in the system unit. Making the system sure that the cutouts in the bay align with the lugs in the base of the system unit. Carefully slide the 3.5" drive bay forwards. The bay is in position when the floppy drive operating button protrudes through the front bezel and the two screw holes in the bay line up with those in the base of the...
  • Page 89 Chapter USING THE SETUP UTILITY Chapter 6...

  • Page 90: Using The Setup Utility

    Using the SETUP utility USING THE SETUP UTILITY Introduction The Apricot XEN-PC motherboard is fitted with a small area of memory which is used to store information about the configuration of the computer. The computer’s configuration is modified using a SETUP utility provided in Read Only Memory (ROM) on the motherboard.
  • Page 91 Using the SETUP utility The following list describes the use of each key. The up and down arrow keys move the highlight bar around the screen. Use these two keys to move the highlight bar to the field you want to change. The return key selects the item currently highlighted.

  • Page 92: Initial Menu

    Using the SETUP utility Initial menu When you invoke SETUP the initial menu contains two choices as shown below: BIOS Utility System Configuration System Security = Move Highlight Bar, = Select, Esc = Exit and Reboot Use the Up and Down arrow keys to move the highlight bar to the item of your choice, and the return key to select that item.

  • Page 93: System Configuration

    Using the SETUP utility System If you select System Configuration another screen with two configuration items will appear. System Configuration Basic System Configuration Advanced System Configuration = Move Highlight Bar, = Select, Esc = Exit and Reboot Just like the initial menu, use the Up and Down arrow keys to move the highlight bar to the item of your choice, and the return key to select that item.

  • Page 94: Basic System Configuration

    Using the SETUP utility Basic System Configuration If you select Basic System Configuration the following screen will appear. Page 1 Basic System Configuration Date ----------------------------- [05/17/93] Time ------------------------------ [10:40:30] Diskette Drive A ---------------- [1.44 MB, 3.5-inch] Diskette Drive B ---------------- [None] Sector Landing Write...

  • Page 95: Date

    Using the SETUP utility Use the up and down arrow keys to move around the screen, and the left and right arrow keys to alter the settings. There is a second page of Basic System Configuration, which is accessed using the PgDn key and is shown below. Page 2 Basic System Configuration Communications Settings...

  • Page 96: Diskette Drives

    Using the SETUP utility Diskette Each of the two diskette drives have five possible settings. Drives These are: • not present • 360KB, 5.25 inch • 1.2MB, 5.25 inch • 720KB, 3.5 inch • 1.44MB, 3.5 inch Use the up and down arrow keys to select the parameter you want to change, then use the left and right arrow keys to scroll through the possible values until you reach the correct one.

  • Page 97: System Memory

    Using the SETUP utility Warnings 1. Selecting the wrong drive type may result in losing capacity, or, if drive is already formatted, data. 2. It is recommended that the first time you power up your XEN- PC you invoke SETUP and make a note of the drive type parameters. This will ensure that you can always reconfigure the drive type correctly.

  • Page 98: Advanced System Configuration

    Using the SETUP utility Advanced System Configuration If you select Advanced System Configuration the following screen will appear. Page 1 Advanced System Configuration Shadow RAM F0000h - FFFFFh (System Bios) ---- [Enabled] C0000h - C7FFFh (Video Bios)------- [Enabled] C8000h - CFFFFh ------------------------ [Disabled] D0000h - D7FFFh ------------------------ [Disabled] D8000h - DFFFFh ------------------------ [Disabled] E0000h - E7FFFh ------------------------ [Disabled]...

  • Page 99: Cache

    Using the SETUP utility By copying the BIOS into RAM the system takes advantage of the shorter access times of RAM. An additional benefit is that shadowed ROM spaces are cached gaining a further performance advantage. ISA bus (C8000h - EFFFFh) BIOS on any expansion cards is stored in ROM which has long access times.

  • Page 100: System Security

    Using the SETUP utility System Security If you select System Security the following screen will appear. System Security Disk Drive Control Diskette Drive -------------------------------- [Normal] Fixed Disk Drive ------------------------------ [Normal] System Boot Drive --------------------------- [Auto] On Board Communications Ports Serial Port 1 ----------------------------------- [Serial 1 (3F8h) ] Serial Port 2 ----------------------------------- [Disabled] Parallel Port ----------------------------------- [Parallel 1 (3BCh) ] Setup Password ------------------------------ [None]...

  • Page 101: I/O Ports

    Using the SETUP utility System boot drive This parameter can be set to Auto, C: or A:. In Auto mode the system looks for a diskette in drive A: and, if a system diskette is present, boots from that. If drive A: is empty the system boots from drive C: (first hard disk drive).

  • Page 102: Passwords

    Using the SETUP utility Passwords SETUP Password This option allows you to set a password for the SETUP utility. When this option is in operation only people who know the password can run the SETUP utility and reconfigure the system. To enable the SETUP Password move the highlight bar to Setup Password, and press the left or right arrow key.
  • Page 103 Chapter TROUBLESHOOTING Chapter 7...

  • Page 104: Troubleshooting

    Troubleshooting TROUBLESHOOTING This chapter offers advice if you suspect a fault with your Apricot XEN-PC. If in doubt, turn off the computer and unplug all power cords before consulting your Apricot supplier or an authorized Apricot maintainer. This chapter is concerned only with problems caused by the Apricot XEN-PC itself;...

  • Page 105: Problems When Starting

    Troubleshooting Problems when starting Power-on Whenever the Apricot XEN-PC is turned on or reset, the power- self-test on self-test (POST) routine tests various hardware components, including memory, and compares the actual configuration of the machine with that recorded in configuration (CMOS) memory. A configuration discrepancy could arise if you have just installed or removed a hardware option (for example, if you have added or replaced a SIMM).
  • Page 106 Troubleshooting The rest of this section lists some of the error messages that can be displayed when the XEN-PC fails to boot. Non-system disk or disk error Press the F1 key to continue The diskette drive contains a non-system diskette. Replace it with a system diskette and press F1.

  • Page 107: Troubleshooting Charts

    Troubleshooting Troubleshooting charts The charts on the following pages should help you diagnose and remedy problems with your Apricot XEN-PC. The charts are organized by hardware component. Problems with the system unit Problem Diagnosis The XEN-PC will not start The AC power supply is not switched on. when the P button OWER...
  • Page 108 Troubleshooting Note that, within a chart, the possible diagnoses of a problem are listed in order of decreasing likelihood. Remedy Switch on the supply at the AC power outlet. Push the plugs in firmly at the AC power outlet and at the XEN-PC power inlet. This may be caused by a AC power surge, but is more often a symptom of problems with the XEN-PC or its peripherals.
  • Page 109 Troubleshooting Problems with expansion cards Problem Diagnosis A card that was just The card is installed incorrectly. installed does not seem to work. The software that drives or uses the card is configured incorrectly. You may have inadvertently loosened other cards or cables inside the XEN-PC. The card is faulty.
  • Page 110 Troubleshooting Remedy Read the installation guide or user’s guide that accompanies the card very carefully. Make sure that the card has been configured correctly and that there are no configuration clashes between the card and other cards or XEN-PC components. If a diskette came with the card, look for a “readme”...
  • Page 111 Troubleshooting Problems with the diskette or floppy disk drive Problem Diagnosis A diskette refuses to load You may be inserting the disk into the disk drive. incorrectly. Something is stuck in the drive slot (for example, a disk label). The drive does not seem able The disk may not have been to read a disk correctly.
  • Page 112 Troubleshooting Remedy Insert a 3 " diskette metal-shutter end first, with the label side facing up. Insert a 5 " disk with the write protect notch near you and to the left. Do not try to remove the object with tweezers or any similar implement: you will damage the drive.
  • Page 113 Troubleshooting Problems with a hard disk drive Problem Diagnosis The hard disk drive LED The LED circuitry is faulty. does not light while a drive is being accessed. The hard disk drive is faulty. The drive does not seem The disk may not have been formatted able to read data correctly.
  • Page 114 Troubleshooting Remedy Call an authorized Apricot maintainer. Call an authorized Apricot maintainer. Consult your operating system documentation. Try a proprietary data recovery utility. Ask your Apricot supplier or an authorized Apricot maintainer for advice. A cold system unit brought into a humid room may collect condensation on its hard disks.
  • Page 115 Troubleshooting Problems with the keyboard Problem Diagnosis The keyboard does not The keyboard is plugged into the seem to work. mouse port. The keyboard signal cable is loose. The key functions have been “remapped” by software. Some small object has fallen between the keys.
  • Page 116 Troubleshooting Remedy This is easily done as the two ports look identical. The keyboard port is the small circular port nearest the back of the system unit. Push the plug firmly into the keyboard port. Consult your software documentation. Unplug the keyboard, turn it upside down and shake it. If you cannot dislodge the object, call an authorized Apricot maintainer.
  • Page 117 Troubleshooting Problems with the monitor Problem Diagnosis There is no display, or the The monitor is not switched on. display is poor. The brightness and/or contrast controls need adjustment. The monitor screen is dirty. The monitor power cord is loose. The signal cable between the monitor and the XEN-PC system unit is loose.
  • Page 118 Troubleshooting Remedy Switch on the monitor. Adjust the controls until an acceptable display appears. Consult the monitor’s documentation (if any). Clean the monitor as described in Chapter 4, "Caring for the Apricot XEN-PC". Push the plugs in firmly at the AC power outlet and at the monitor power inlet.
  • Page 119 Chapter INSIDE THE APRICOT XEN-PC Appendix A...

  • Page 120: Inside The Apricot Xen-Pc

    Inside the Apricot XEN-PC INSIDE THE APRICOT XEN-PC This appendix provides step-by-step instructions on obtaining access to the inside of the Apricot XEN-PC system unit. Note that instructions for installing upgrade options are provided in Chapter 5 "Upgrading the Apricot XEN-PC". Turn off the Apricot XEN-PC and unplug all power cords before removing the top cover.

  • Page 121: Anti-Static Precautions

    Inside the Apricot XEN-PC Anti-static precautions Static electricity can cause permanent damage to electronic components. You should be aware of this risk, and take precautions against the discharge of static electricity into your computer. Anyone can generate static electricity by moving on a chair, brushing against desks or walls, or simply walking across an ordinary carpet.

  • Page 122: Removing The Top Cover

    Inside the Apricot XEN-PC Handle static-sensitive items with extreme care. Hold expansion cards and add-on components only by their edges, avoiding their electrical contacts. Never touch the components or electrical contacts on the motherboard or on expansion cards. In general, do not handle static-sensitive items unnecessarily. Keep all conductive material, and food and drink, away from your work area and the open computer.

  • Page 123: Configuring Expansion Cards

    Inside the Apricot XEN-PC Configuring expansion cards Many ISA expansion cards have a number of configurable options. These options can include items such as: the interrupt used, the DMA channel used, where any ROM on the card will appear in the processor’s memory map and which I/O ports are used to control the card.
  • Page 124 Inside the Apricot XEN-PC A hardware interrupt may be referred to as an IRQ. This is because the motherboard signals used to generate the interrupts are labelled IRQx where x is a number between 0 and 15, excluding 2. Some interrupts are assigned to standard functions and are essential for the operation of the board.
  • Page 125 Inside the Apricot XEN-PC ISA compatible PCs are equipped with a seven channel DMA channels (Direct Memory Access) controller. This DMA subsystem allows peripherals to access motherboard memory directly. Without the DMA subsystem every memory access would have to involve the processor. Using DMA, peripherals can access memory without stopping the processor executing its current task.
  • Page 126 Inside the Apricot XEN-PC Each time you add 1 to a column that contains 9, that column goes back to 0 and you add 1 to the column to the left. The columns represent powers of 10: 10x10, 10x10x10 and so on, and the decimal system is said to be base 10.
  • Page 127 Inside the Apricot XEN-PC A larger hex number, and one that you will come across in the Memory map description below, is A0000h. To see this as a decimal number: 16x16x16x16 16x16x16 16x16 16x16x16x16=65536 So A0000h is 65536x10=655360. If you have Microsoft Windows 3.1 on your XEN-PC you may find it helpful to use the Windows Calculator.
  • Page 128 Inside the Apricot XEN-PC So 1Mbyte of memory consists of 1048576 (see Numbers and computers) locations each containing one byte of data. When installing expansion cards it is the first (bottom) Mbyte of address space that is of most interest. The following diagram shows how the bottom 1M of address space is used in a XEN- PC.
  • Page 129 Inside the Apricot XEN-PC The region from 0 to 640k-1 (00000h to 9FFFFh) is used by DOS. The operating system is loaded at the bottom of this area and it uses the remainder to load applications and data. Motherboard video adapter memory is accessed between 640k and 768k-1 (A0000h to BFFFFh).
  • Page 130 Inside the Apricot XEN-PC This will leave the maximum amount of memory free for use as UMB space. For information on UMB space refer to your DOS documentation, and the help files supplied with your computer. I/O ports I/O ports are used by the processor to control the operation of peripherals.

  • Page 131: Motherboard Jumper Settings

    Inside the Apricot XEN-PC Motherboard jumper settings The XEN-PC motherboard is fitted with a number of jumpers that are used to configure the operation of the system. The following illustration shows the position of the jumpers. JP14 JP27 JP 1 JP 4 JP 5 JP 6...
  • Page 132 Inside the Apricot XEN-PC The majority of the jumpers are three pin. These can be configured with a jumper clip connecting either pins 1 and 2, or pins 2 and 3. For the jumpers which run front to rear, pin 1 is at the front.
  • Page 133 Inside the Apricot XEN-PC JP8, 9, 10, 17 These jumpers are used in conjunction with JP7 to control the clock frequency generated on the motherboard. In this implementation there is normally no need to adjust the settings. Frequency (MHz) JP10 JP17 JP11, 12, 13, 15, 18, 20, 27 This group of jumpers are used to configure the motherboard...

  • Page 134: Hard Disk Drive Types

    Inside the Apricot XEN-PC JP22 JP22 must always be open. JP24, 25, 26 These three jumpers are used to indicate the size of external cache installed on the motherboard. Cache size JP24 JP25 JP26 OPEN OPEN 128k OPEN CLOSE 256k CLOSE CLOSE JP28...
  • Page 135 Chapter TECHNICAL INFORMATION Appendix B...

  • Page 136: Technical Information

    Technical Information TECHNICAL INFORMATION This appendix provides some technical information about the Apricot XEN-PC. More detailed information is available in the Hardware Technical Reference, which can be purchased from your Apricot supplier. XEN-PC OWNER'S HANDBOOK B/1...

  • Page 137: Specifications

    Technical Information Specifications System Intel486 SX-25 Intel486 DX2-50 processor Intel486 DX2-66 BIOS ROM 128 Kb 8-bit Memory Motherboard 4 Mb 36-bit 70ns Expansion Two 36-bit 70ns SIMMs (36 Mb maximum) Apricot Controller Cirrus Logic GD5428 Advanced Video RAM 512 Kb, 1 Mb or 2 Mb Graphics Resolutions EVGA 1024 x 768...
  • Page 138 Technical Information SLCD CD-ROM drive (CDU31A) Discs Acceptable discs CD-ROM mode 1 data discs CD-ROM mode 2 data discs CD audio discs Audio-combined CD-ROM Multisession Photo-CD Disc diameter 12 cm, 8 cm Transfer rate Sustained 150 Kbyte/s Burst 2.1 Mbyte/s Access time Full stroke 0.95 s (typical)
  • Page 139 Technical Information SCSI DDS These specifications apply when a cassette is inserted. Power tape drive specifications are measured at the tape drive power connector and are nominal values. Nominal 60-metre cassette 1.3 Gbyte capacity Transfer rate Sustained 183 Kbyte/s (max) Unrecoverable Less than 1 in 10 data bits...
  • Page 140 Technical Information Power Voltage +12 V dc + 10% specification +5 V dc + 7% Ripple +12 V: 100 mVp-p +5 V: 100 mVp-p Current (max) 1.40 A @ +12 V dc 1.30 A @ +5 V dc SCSI CD-ROM drive (CDU561) Discs Acceptable discs CD-ROM mode 1 data discs...

  • Page 141: Physical Characteristics

    Technical Information Physical characteristics Weight and Component Height Depth Width Mass dimensions System unit 94 mm 430 mm 428 mm 9.5-12 kg Keyboard 40 mm 205 mm 488 mm 1.4 kg depending on configuration Temperature The Apricot XEN-PC is designed to operate in a normal office and humidity environment, but during storage and transportation the system ranges...

  • Page 142: Electrical Characteristics

    Technical Information Electrical characteristics Voltage The PSU voltage range is initially set to that appropriate for the ranges country in which the computer is first sold. Setting AC Voltage Frequency 115V 100 to 120 V 50 to 60 Hz 230V 220 to 240 V 50 to 60 Hz The voltage range setting of the monitor must always agree...

  • Page 143: Port Characteristics

    Technical Information Port characteristics Serial ports 9-way male D-type COM1 COM2 10101 Function Data carrier detect Receive data Transmit data Data terminal ready Signal ground Data set ready Request to send Clear to send Ring indicate B/8 XEN-PC OWNER'S HANDBOOK...
  • Page 144 Technical Information Parallel port 25-way female D-type (LPT1) Function -STROBE Data bit 0 Data bit 1 Data bit 2 Data bit 3 Data bit 4 Data bit 5 Data bit 6 Data bit 7 -ACK BUSY SLCT -AUTO FEED -ERROR -INIT -SLCT IN Ground...
  • Page 145 Technical Information Monitor port 15-way female D-type (VGA) Pin I/O Output Monochrome Colour No pin Green Mono Green Blue No pin Blue Reserved No pin No pin Digital G Self test Self test Red Rtn Key pin Red Rtn Green Rtn Mono Rtn Green Rtn Blue Rtn...
  • Page 146 Technical Information Keyboard and Both the keyboard and mouse ports accept 6-pin miniature mouse ports DIN connectors. The voltages and signals are the same for both connectors. Function Data Reserved Ground +5 Vdc Clock Reserved Although the keyboard and mouse ports are physically and electrically compatible, neither the keyboard nor the mouse will operate if plugged into the other’s socket.
  • Page 147 Technical Information Video feature connector The XEN-PC motherboard video adapter provides a video feature connector. The connector on the motherboard uses a standard pinout and a standard cable may be used to connect the feature connector to an expansion card. In case you have difficulty obtaining a cable the pinout of the motherboard connector is given in the following table.
  • Page 148 APRICOT COMPUTERS LIMITED 3500 PARKSIDE BIRMINGHAM BUSINESS PARK BIRMINGHAM B37 7YS. MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC Part No 15205031 Revision No 01...

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