NEC VT 300 Series - Manual

Contents v System Board Jumper Settings .....................................................3-35 Processor Jumper Settings ....................................................3-37Clear CMOS/Password .........................................................3-38Power On Mode ............................

vi Contents Cabling Storage Devices.......................................................4-41 IDE Drive Cabling ........................................................4-42Diskette Drive Cabling..................................................4-43PC Card Adapter Cabling...............................

Contents vii A Setting Up a Healthy Work Environment Making Your Computer Work for You.......................................... A-2Arrange Your Equipment .............................................................. A-4Adjust Your Chair.................................................................

viii Contents CD-ROM Drive..................................................................... B-8DVD-ROM Drive.................................................................. B-8PC Card Adapter ................................................................... B-9Zip Drive.........................

Using This Guide ix Using This Guide The PowerMate VT 300 Series User’s Guide provides acomprehensive reference to information about yourcomputer. The guide contains the following information: „ Chapter 1, Reviewing System Features, provides a look atthe front, rear, internal, and peripheral feature...

x Using This Guide „ Chapter 6, Getting Services and Support, describes theservices available to you for information and help, anddescribes how to access the services. „ Appendix A, Setting Up a Healthy Work Environment,contains guidelines to help you use your computerproductively and safely. This a...

Using This Guide xi Text Conventions This guide uses the following text conventions. „ Warnings, cautions, and notes have the followingmeanings: ! WARNING Warnings alert you to situations that could resultin serious personal injury or loss of life. ! CAUTION Cautions indicate situations that can dam...

xii Using This Guide Related Documents In addition to this guide, the following printed documentationships with your computer. „ NEC PowerMate VT 300i Series Quick Setup/QuickReferenceThe Quick Setup shows how to quickly get the systemconnected and powered on. The Quick Reference briefly describes t...

Using This Guide xiii Your system comes with the following online documentationon the NEC Application and Driver CD. „ NEC Help CenterThe NEC Help Center is an online guide to PowerMatecomputers. It provides information about your systemunder the following topics: System Tour, SystemInformation, Sys...

1-2 Reviewing System Features ! WARNING Prolonged or improper use of a computerworkstation may pose a risk of serious injury. Toreduce your risk of injury, set up and use thecomputer in the manner described in AppendixA, Setting Up a Healthy Work Environment. This chapter highlights system hardware ...

Reviewing System Features 1-3 System Controls and Lamps System controls let you select specific system operations.Lamps let you know the status of system operation. Thefollowing describes the controls and lamps. The previousfigure shows the controls and lamps on the front of thesystem. „ Power/Sleep...

1-4 Reviewing System Features „ Hard drive lampA lit lamp indicates that the hard drive is active. The greenlamp tells you that the hard drive is reading or writingdata. ! CAUTION Do not turn off the system unless absolutelynecessary while the hard drive lamp is lit. To doso can damage your hard dri...

Reviewing System Features 1-5 CD-ROM Drive Some models come with a 32X Max or 40X Max variablespeed CD-ROM drive. Use the CD-ROM drive to load andstart programs from a compact disc (CD). You can also usethe CD-ROM drive to play your audio CDs. The CD-ROM drive operates at different speeds dependingo...

1-6 Reviewing System Features Zip Drive Some models come with a Zip ® drive. Use the Zip drive to back up work, archive old files, and transport your work.Store up to 100 MB of data on a 3 1/2-inch Zip disk. PC Card Adapter If your model has a PC card adapter, you can add PC cards tothe system. A PC...

Reviewing System Features 1-7 Rear Features On the rear of your computer, you’ll find external connectors,the power supply socket and voltage select switch, andexpansion board slots. The following figure shows thefeatures. Rear features A – Power Socket I – Line In Jack B – Voltage Selector Switch J...

1-8 Reviewing System Features External Connectors External connectors let you attach peripheral devices, such asa monitor, keyboard, mouse, and printer to your system. Yoursystem has the following external connectors. „ Mouse portAttach the mouse that comes with your computer to thisport. The mouse ...

Reviewing System Features 1-9 „ Audio connectorsThe following connectors come integrated on the systemboard (see the preceding figure for jack locations).  Microphone in jackThe microphone in jack lets you connect a microphonefor recording audio information in your data systemfiles.  Line in jackT...

1-10 Reviewing System Features Power Supply Features Your system has the following power supply features: „ Power socketConnect your power cable to this socket. „ Voltage selector switchSets the voltage for your system to 115 volts or 220 volts. ! CAUTION Set the switch correctly for the v oltage in...

Reviewing System Features 1-11 Inside the system A – Power Supply E – Diskette Drive B – System Board F – AGP Board Connector C – Expansion Slots G – Hard Drive D – Accessible Device Bays System Board The system processor, memory, audio subsystem, systembattery, internal connectors, and external con...

1-12 Reviewing System Features „ power connectors „ AGP graphics board connector „ three PCI connectors „ one ISA connector „ additional connectors include the CD Audio In, ModemIn, Wake-On LAN, and fan. Network Board Some models come with a 3Com ® 10/100Base-T Ethernet network board, an Intel ® Eth...

Reviewing System Features 1-13 Speakers If ordered, some systems come with two high-quality stereospeakers. One of the speakers connects to the line out jack atthe rear of the system unit. An AC adapter comes with the speakers. Install the ACadapter along with the speakers. Adjust the speaker volume...

1-14 Reviewing System Features „ Audio on the System BoardThe system board comes with an audio subsystem. Theaudio chipset gives you a surround sound system for three-dimensional sound effects — much like a liveperformance. It also provides wavetable synthesis.(Wavetable synthesis uses actual record...

Reviewing System Features 1-15 NEC OS Restore CD In the event of operating system problems, you can restoreyour operating system using the NEC OS Restore CD. TheNEC OS Restore Program on the CD provides a “Fix OS”Restore option for reinstalling the Windows 95 orWindows 98 operating system while leav...

1-16 Reviewing System Features „ Adobe ® Acrobat ® Reader Use the Adobe Acrobat Reader to read and print portabledocument format (PDF) files found on the Internet andPDF documents included with various softwareapplications. „ Network™ Associates VirusScan ® Software Protect the system from viruses b...

Reviewing System Features 1-17 The user password controls booting of the system andcontrols access to the Setup utility and the keyboard. (Useraccess to the BIOS Setup utility is limited to a subset of allBIOS Setup parameters when a supervisor password hasbeen set.) The supervisor password allows f...

2 Setting Up the System „ Cable Connections „ Startup „ Shutdown „ Power-Saving Operation „ System Care „ More Information

2-2 Setting Up the System This chapter provides the information you need to set up anduse your system. This includes cable connections, systemstartup procedures, system shutdown procedures, and systemcare. The chapter also includes a matrix showing where tofind additional information about the compu...

Setting Up the System 2-3 „ Set the voltage switch correctly for your area. The correctsetting for the U.S. and Canada is 115V. ! WARNING Set the v oltage switch correctly for your area. „ Connect system power cables to a surge protector(recommended) or a properly grounded wall outlet. ! CAUTION NEC...

2-4 Setting Up the System If a problem occurs, a series of beeps may sound. If thishappens repeatedly after powering on, power off the systemand turn to Chapter 5, “Solving System Problems.” Thechapter provides helpful hints for solving system problems. Note : If the system displays a message indica...

Setting Up the System 2-5 3. Click Start on the taskbar, then point to and click Shut Down . Selecting Shut Down gives you several choices in the pop-up submenu. Select Shut down the computer , then click Yes or press Enter for shut down. 4. If your system is configured with Windows 98, thesystem sh...

2-6 Setting Up the System ! CAUTION Take care to lightly press and immediatelyrelease the power button to enter the Sleepmode. Avoid pressing and holding in the powerbutton or you may turn off power and lose data. When the system goes into Sleep mode, it saves data andsystem status and then shuts of...

Setting Up the System 2-7 Be sure to connect all peripherals, such as your monitorand printer, to the surge suppressor. The surge protectorshould be the only device that you plug into the walloutlet. „ Avoid repeated power-on cycles. These subject the systemcomponents to temperature variations and s...

2-8 Setting Up the System „ After turning off power, wait about five seconds for thehard drive to spin down before you power on again. „ Be sure that nothing is placed on top of your system powercables. „ Prevent dust from entering your system by covering itwhen it is not in use. Keeping Your System...

Setting Up the System 2-9 Moving or Shipping Your System Use these steps to prepare your system for moving orshipping. 1. Back up the files on the hard drive to diskettes, Zip disks,tape cartridges, or other backup devices. Take precautions for storing and transporting Zip disks,diskettes, or tape c...

2-10 Setting Up the System More Information Once you have your system up and running, we suggest thatyou do the following: „ Install applications provided by NEC CSD on the NECApplication and Driver CD. „ See “Setting Up a Healthy Work Environment” inAppendix A. „ Install any of your own application...

3 Configuring the System „ Configuration Tools and Utilities „ BIOS Setup Utility „ Flash Utility „ NEC OS Restore CD „ NEC Application and Driver CD „ NEC Help Center „ Resolutions for NEC VistaScan USBMonitors „ System Board Jumper Settings

3-2 Configuring the System This chapter provides information on configuring yourcomputer. The chapter includes information on the „ American Megatrends, Inc. (AMI) BIOS Setup utility forconfiguring hardware and the system „ Flash utility for BIOS updates „ NEC OS Restore CD for rebuilding the hard d...

Configuring the System 3-5 BIOS Setup Utility The AMI BIOS Setup utility program is used to configure themain components of your computer. Your system ships from the factory with the correct systemparameters for your configuration. Unless you add optionalhardware, you do not need to run the BIOS Set...

3-6 Configuring the System How to Start BIOS Setup To start the BIOS Setup utility, follow these steps. 1. Turn on or reboot the system. 2. Press F2 as soon as you see the following message at the bottom of the NEC startup screen. Press F2 to enter BIOS Setup You have about five seconds to press F2 ...

Configuring the System 3-7 How to Use BIOS Setup Use the keys shown on the bottom of the Main Menu to makeyour selections or exit the current menu. The following tabledescribes the navigation keys. Navigation Keys Key Function Esc Exits the menu. Enter Executes Command or brings upa submenu. F5 Load...

3-8 Configuring the System Main Menu options are available by selecting submenus. Usethe arrow keys to select a Main Menu option. Press Enter to display the submenu. Explanations of typical Main Menuoptions and suboptions appear in the following tables. Actualexplanations and settings may vary betwe...

Configuring the System 3-11 Main Menu Items Menu Item Settings (default is bold) Block Mode On, Off When On is selected, it allows block modedata transfers. When Type is set to Auto, the value in theBlock Mode field is auto-detected and thefield is read only. Fast Programmed I/O Modes Auto, 1, 2, 3,...

Configuring the System 3-13 Advanced Menu - Advanced CMOS Setup Menu Item Settings (default is bold) Quiet Boot Enabled, Disabled When Enabled, displays the NEC splashscreen, with settings for displaying POST orentering BIOS setup. S.M.A.R.T. for Hard Disks Disabled, Enabled Select Enabled to use th...

3-16 Configuring the System Advanced Menu - PCI/Plug and Play Setup Menu Item Settings (default is bold) Plug and Play Aware O/S No for Win NT, Yes for Win 9x Select Yes if the system’s operating system isPlug and Play compliant. Primary Graphics Adapter PCI, AGP Select AGP if your graphics board is...

3-18 Configuring the System Advanced Menu - Change Language Setting Menu Item Settings (default is bold) Language English Security Menu The Security Menu is a top-level menu in the BIOS Setuputility. Choose the Security Menu by selecting Security in thelegend bar. Security Menu options are available...

Configuring the System 3-19 Exit Menu The Exit Menu is a top-level menu in the BIOS Setup utility.Choose the Exit Menu by selecting Exit in the legend bar. Exit Menu options are available by selecting submenus. Usethe arrow keys to select an Exit Menu option. Press Enter to display the submenu. Expl...

3-20 Configuring the System FLASH Utility The system BIOS resides on a flash read only memory(ROM) chip in your system. The flash ROM can be updatedusing the following procedure. Before starting the BIOSupdate, NEC recommends that you first contact NEC CSDfor assistance (see Chapter 6 for contact in...

Configuring the System 3-21 NEC OS Restore CD The following procedures describe how to use the NEC OSRestore CD that ships with your system. Please read the following sections in their entirety beforeusing the NEC OS Restore CD to restore the Windowsoperating system or factory-installed drivers on y...

3-22 Configuring the System „ Custom , which reformats the hard drive with the option to repartition before restoring the Windows OS and factory-shipped drivers (see “Custom Rebuild and Restore”) „ Fix OS, a Restore option on the NEC OS Restore CD for Windows 95 and Windows 98 systems. The Fix OSres...

Configuring the System 3-23 Welcome screen 2. Click Continue to continue (or Exit to exit the program). A License Agreement screen appears with three options:Back, Reject, and Accept. 3. Read the license agreement and click Accept to continue. The Restore Mode screen appears with four options:Back, ...

3-24 Configuring the System Auto Rebuild and Restore Follow these steps to reformat and repartition your harddrive. ! CAUTION The OS Restore program deletes all the data onyour hard drive. If possible, back up your databefore performing an OS restore. 1. Launch the NEC OS Restore CD and follow the p...

3-26 Configuring the System Custom Rebuild and Restore Follow these steps to format your hard drive with choices onrepartitioning the drive: 1. Launch the NEC OS Restore CD and follow the promptsto get to the Restore Mode screen (see “Launching the OSRestore CD”). 2. Click Custom to repartition and/...

Configuring the System 3-29 Fixing the Operating System Use the following procedure to restore the operating systemto a state for retrieving and backing up data withoutrepartitioning or reformatting the hard drive. Once all data isbacked up, perform another NEC OS Restore using the Auto or Custom mo...

3-30 Configuring the System 4. Remove the CD from the CD tray. 5. Click OK to reboot. This completes the OS Restore (or “Fix OS”) procedure. Thesystem is now in a state where data can be backed up. Systemsettings previously located in the C:\WINDOWS directoryare now in a backup directory C:\WINDOWS....

Configuring the System 3-31 NEC Application and Driver CD Your system comes with an NEC Application and Driver CD.Use this CD to install any or all of the software that comeswith your system, including „ applications „ utilities device drivers „ the NEC Help Center (online documentation) „ the Healt...

3-32 Configuring the System In Windows, launch the Application and Driver CD byinserting the CD into the CD-ROM drive. The Application and Driver Installation Utility dialog boxappears. See “Installing Software” for further instructions. Installing Software The Application and Driver Installation Ut...

Configuring the System 3-33 3. Click Install to install your selection. Follow the on- screen instructions to install your selection. 4. Click Exit to close the Application and Driver Installation Utility dialog box. 5. Remove the CD from the CD-ROM drive when theinstallation is complete. NEC Help C...

3-34 Configuring the System Follow the instructions in the previous section, “InstallingApplications,” to install the NEC Help Center onlinedocumentation. The NEC Help Center is in the list ofapplications that appear when the NEC Application andDriver CD is started. Install it in the same manner as ...

Configuring the System 3-35 Resolutions for 15- and 17-Inch NEC VistaScan USB Monitors Mode Resolution HorizontalFrequency (KHz) VerticalFrequency (Hz) 1 720 x 400 31.47 70 2 640 x 480 31.47 60 3 800 x 600 35.16 56 4 1024 x 768 35.52 87 5 640 x 480 37.50 75 6 800 x 600 37.88 60 7 640 x 480 43.3 85 8...

3-36 Configuring the System „ You forgot your password and need to clear it. „ You need to restore the CMOS settings to the factory state. „ Your BIOS is corrupted and you must perform a BIOSRecovery. This is performed with a BIOS Recoverydiskette and is seldom required. If it is, contact NEC CSDTec...

Configuring the System 3-37 Processor Jumper Settings To change the processor jumper settings on the system board,use the following steps. NEC CSD recommends usingneedle-nose pliers to move a jumper. ! CAUTION Jumpers are set correctly at the factory for yourconfiguration. Only change (or check) the...

3-38 Configuring the System Processor Jumper Settings 233 MHz/66 MHz 350 MHz/100 MHz 266 MHz/66 MHz 400 MHz/100 MHz 300 MHz/66 MHz 450 MHz/100 MHz 333 MHz/66 MHz 500 MHz/100 MHz 366 MHz/66 MHz550 MHz/100 MHz 400 MHz/66 MHz600 MHz/100 MHz 433 MHz/66 MHz 5. Replace the left side cover (see “Replacing ...

Configuring the System 3-39 ! CAUTION Jumpers are set correctly at the factory for yourconfiguration. Only change (or check) theappropriate jumper setting. Otherwise, keep thejumpers at their factory settings. 1. Power off and unplug the system and any externaloptions. ! CAUTION To prevent damage to...

3-40 Configuring the System Power On Mode Your system can be jumpered to start up in one of thefollowing two ways: „ when the power button is pressed „ when the power cord is connected (“Immediate Boot Up”). To change the way your system starts up, change the jumpersetting on jumper block JP1. 1. Po...

Configuring the System 3-41 5. Replace the left side cover (see “Replacing the Left SideCover” in Chapter 4). Connect system power cables andexternal options. 6. Power on the system. Press F2 to open the BIOS Setup utility. 7. Set the BIOS for the power option you jumpered (see“Advanced Menu - Power...

4 Installing Options „ General Rules „ Safety Precautions „ System Unit Covers „ System Board Options „ Expansion Boards „ Data Storage Devices

4-2 Installing Options This chapter provides installation instructions for a variety ofindustry-standard and NEC CSD expansion options that youcan add to your system. Included in the chapter are procedures for „ memory module upgrade „ processor upgrade „ expansion board installation „ AGP board ins...

Installing Options 4-3 Safety Precautions Observe safety rules when working inside the system andwhen handling computer components. Avoid electric shockor personal injury by observing the following warning. ! WARNING Before removing system covers, turn off thepower and unplug the system power cable....

4-4 Installing Options „ Always hold a chip or board by its edges. Avoid touchingthe components on the chip or board. „ Take care when connecting or disconnecting cables. Adamaged cable can cause a short in the electrical circuit. „ When installing a cable, route the cable so it is not pinchedby oth...

Installing Options 4-5 Removing the Left Side Cover Before installing optional hardware inside your system, youmust first remove the left side cover from the system unit. ! WARNING Before removing the left side cover, turn offsystem power and unplug the system powercable. Power is removed only when ...

4-6 Installing Options 4. Remove the two thumb screws holding the left side coverto the rear of the chassis. 5. Grasp the handle on the left side cover and slide the covertowards the rear of the chassis about an inch. 6. Pull the top of the side cover away from the chassis aboutone-half inch, then l...

Installing Options 4-7 Replacing the Left Side Cover Replace the left side cover as follows. ! CAUTION Ensure that all cables are positioned to preventcrimping, abrasion, or cutting while installing thecov er. Check that the ribbon cables are foldedalong their fold lines and out of the direct path o...

4-8 Installing Options Replacing the left side cover A – Tab Slots C – Chassis Rail B – Left Side Cover D – Lock Tab 6. Replace the two previously removed thumb screws. 7. If you have a padlock for the locking tab on the rear edgeof the chassis, install it. 8. Reconnect all external peripherals. 9. ...

Installing Options 4-9 Removing the Right Side Cover Before installing (or removing) 5 1/4-inch devices in yoursystem, you must remove the right side cover from thesystem unit to access the device mounting screws. ! WARNING Before removing the right side cover, turn offsystem power and unplug the sy...

4-10 Installing Options 4. Remove the three screws holding the right side cover tothe rear of the chassis. Removing the right side cover A – Screws C – Right Side Cover B – Handle 5. Grasp the handle on the right side cover and slide thecover towards the rear of the chassis about one-half inch. 6. P...

Installing Options 4-11 Replacing the Right Side Cover Replace the right side cover as follows. 1. Position the right side cover over the chassis, about ahalf-inch from the front panel. Replacing the right side cover A – Right Side Cover D – Tabs B – Flange E –Tab Slots C – Rail 2. Align the tabs on...

4-12 Installing Options 4. Firmly press the cover against the chassis and slide thecover towards the front of the chassis until it locks inplace. Note : If the right side cover does not slide all the way to the front of the chassis, check that thecov er tabs at the left side of the cov er areproperl...

Installing Options 4-13 System board sockets and connectors A – Processor Socket C – Memory Sockets 1 and 2 B – Cooling Fan Connector D – Wake-On LAN Connector Memory Upgrade Memory upgrades are installed into two memory modulesockets on the system board. The sockets support up to512 MB of high-spee...

Installing Options 4-15 Sample DIMM Upgrade Paths* TotalMemory DIMM 1 DIMM 2 32 MB 32 MB — 64 MB 32 MB 32 MB 64 MB 64 MB — 128 MB 64 MB 64 MB 128 MB 128 MB — 256 MB 128 MB 128 MB 256 MB 256 MB — 512 MB 256 MB 256 MB *The information in this table shows sample DIMM upgrade paths. It does not represen...

4-16 Installing Options Removing a DIMM If your memory configuration requires the removal of aDIMM module, use the following steps. ! CAUTION Before opening the computer and beforehandling boards or memory modules, reducestatic discharge by touching the chassis. 1. Remove the left side cover (see “R...

Installing Options 4-17 4. If you are installing a DIMM, see “Installing a DIMM” inthe next section. 5. Replace the left side cover (see “Replacing the Left SideCover” earlier in this chapter). Installing a DIMM Use the following steps to install a memory module. 1. Remove the left side cover (see “...

4-18 Installing Options Inserting a DIMM A – Plastic Clips B – Notches 6. Replace the left side cover (see “Replacing the Left SideCover” earlier in this chapter). Note: If you find a discrepancy in the amount of memory displayed at the Power-On Self-Testor in Windows with the amount of memory thaty...

Installing Options 4-19 Processor Upgrade The system board has a Slot 1 242-pin edge connector and auniversal retention mechanism for securing in place aCeleron, Pentium II, or Pentium III processor cartridge(depending on your system model). Before starting the processor upgrade, you must firstdeter...

4-20 Installing Options Note : After the processor cartridge is removed or replaced, the processor jumpers onthe system board must be reset (see “ProcessorJumper Settings” in Chapter 3). Removing a Celeron or Pentium III Processor Remove the Celeron or Pentium III processor cartridge fromits Slot 1 ...

Installing Options 4-21 4. If necessary, remove the AGP graphics board and anyother expansion board(s) blocking access to the processor(see “Removing the AGP Graphics Board” or see“Removing an Expansion Board” later in this chapter). 5. If the processor cartridge has an attached cooling fan, tagand ...

4-22 Installing Options 8. Repeat steps 6 and 7 for the locking lever on the oppositeend of the cartridge. 9. Pull the cartridge straight up and out of the socket anduniversal retention mechanism. Store the processorcartridge in an antistatic bag. 10. Install the upgrade processor (see “Installing t...

Installing Options 4-23 Installing the Celeron or Pentium III processor A – Processor Cartridge C – Slot 1 Connector B – Retention Mechanism D – Key 4. If the processor cartridge has an attached cooling fan,plug the fan cable into its connector (CPUFAN) on thesystem board. 5. Set the processor jumpe...

4-24 Installing Options 8. Install the left side panel (see “Replacing the Left SidePanel” earlier in this chapter). 9. Connect any peripherals and power cords, and power upthe system. Removing the Pentium II Processor Remove the Pentium II processor cartridge from its Slot 1socket and universal ret...

Installing Options 4-25 4. If necessary, remove the AGP graphics board and anyother expansion board(s) blocking access to the processor(see “Removing the AGP Graphics Board” or see“Removing an Expansion Board” later in this chapter). 5. If your system has a plastic top bar holding the processorand h...

4-26 Installing Options Removing the Pentium II Processor A – Locking Tab D – Retention Mechanism B – Processor Cartridge E – System Board C – Locking Tab F – Top Bar Installing the Pentium II Upgrade Processor Install the Pentium II upgrade processor cartridge as follows. 1. Remove the Pentium II p...

Installing Options 4-27 2. Align the cartridge with the top of the retentionmechanism so that the notch in the cartridge connectoraligns with the key in the Slot 1 connector (see thefollowing figure). 3. Insert the cartridge into the retention mechanism andevenly press down on the cartridge until it...

4-28 Installing Options Installing the Pentium II processor A – Locking Tabs D – System Board B – Processor Cartridge E – Bottom Bar C – Retention Mechanism F – Top Bar 6. Set the processor jumpers on the system board for theprocessor type that you installed (see “Processor JumperSettings” in Chapte...

Installing Options 4-29 Expansion Boards Your system supports 32-bit PCI Plug and Play expansionboards. Your system also supports industry standardarchitecture (ISA) 8- and 16-bit expansion boards (Plug andPlay and non-Plug and Play). With Plug and Play expansion boards, you can install a boardwitho...

4-30 Installing Options Locating Expansion Slots and Connectors The following figure shows the locations of the expansionslots on the chassis and the expansion board connectors onthe system board. Locating expansion board slots and connectors A – AGP Board Slot E – AGP Board Connector B – PCI Slots ...

Installing Options 4-31 Installing an Expansion Board To install an expansion board in the system, use the followingsteps. 1. Remove the left side cover (see “Removing the Left SideCover” earlier in this chapter). 2. Follow any preinstallation instructions that come with theexpansion board (such as ...

4-32 Installing Options 5. Hold the expansion board by its edges or its bracket andinsert the board into the expansion slot. 6. Press the board firmly into the expansion slot connectoron the system board. 7. Secure the expansion board bracket in place with thepreviously removed screw. Installing an ...

Installing Options 4-33 Removing an Expansion Board To remove an expansion board, use the following steps. 1. Remove the left side cover (see “Removing the Left SideCover” earlier in this chapter). 2. Label and unplug any cables connected to the board. 3. Remove the screw that secures the expansion ...

4-34 Installing Options 2. Remove the screw holding the AGP board in itsexpansion slot (see the figure “Locating expansion boardslots and connectors” for the location of the board andscrew). 3. Carefully pull the AGP board out of its connector on thesystem board. 4. Set the AGP board on an antistati...

Installing Options 4-35 Data Storage Devices The system board in the computer supports the followingstorage devices: „ one diskette drive „ up to four IDE drives, such as an IDE hard drive, IDECD-ROM drive, DVD-ROM drive, and an IDE Zip drive. Other storage devices might require the installation of ...

4-36 Installing Options Locating device bays A – 5 1/4-Inch Accessible Bays C – 3 1/2-Inch Internal Bays (behind front panel) B – 3 1/2-Inch Accessible Bay Depending on your configuration, one accessible device baymight contain a CD-ROM drive, DVD-ROM drive, or otherstorage device. The other accessi...

Installing Options 4-37 The accessible bays are not limited to devices with removablemedia. For example, you can install a hard drive with a5 1/4-inch frame in one of these bays. A 5 1/4-inch bay can also accommodate a 3 1/2-inch device ifthe device is housed in a 5 1/4-inch frame. Preparing the Dev...

4-38 Installing Options System board cable connectors A – Diskette Drive Connector C – Primary IDE Connector B – Secondary IDE Connector Use the following table when configuring IDE drives on theprimary and secondary IDE connectors on the system board. If you are installing a DVD-ROM drive, substitu...

4-40 Installing Options IDE Connector Configuration Configuration Primary connector Secondary connector 4 devices (hard drive, harddrive, CD-ROM, LS-120drive) Master - hard driveSlave - hard drive Master - CD-ROMSlave - LS-120 drive 4 devices (hard drive, harddrive, Zip drive, tapebackup) Master - h...

Installing Options 4-41 IDE Signal Cables Systems with an IDE hard drive come with a three-connectorIDE interface cable attached to the primary IDE connector.Some systems come with a second three-connector IDE cableconnected to the second IDE drive (such as the CD-ROMdrive) and to the secondary IDE ...

4-42 Installing Options IDE Drive Cabling Use the following procedure to cable an IDE drive. Note : The appearance of your device may vary from the one shown. 1. Connect the signal cable connector to the connector onthe IDE drive. Use care to prevent bending connectorpins. Align the cable connector ...

Installing Options 4-43 4. If you are installing a CD-ROM drive and your systemhas speakers, connect the audio cable to the CD Inconnector on the system board or an audio board (see theinstructions that come with the drive). Diskette Drive Cabling Cable a diskette drive as follows. 1. Connect the di...

4-44 Installing Options Network Board Wake-On LAN Cabling If your computer has an optional 3COM Intel 10/100 MBnetwork board, your system can be readied for “Wake-OnLAN” by connecting the Wake-On LAN cable. Wake-OnLAN allows your system to be powered up remotely by aserver computer. Cable the networ...

Installing Options 4-45 Installing Storage Devices The following sections describe how to install 3 1/2-inch and5 1/4-inch devices in the system. The installation proceduresinclude: „ replacing or installing an 3 1/2-inch internal hard drive „ installing a 5 1/4-inch device. Removing the Front Panel...

4-46 Installing Options Removing the front panel A – Metal Shield C – Front Panel B – Plugs 3. If you are removing or replacing a hard drive, go to“Installing a 3 1/2-Inch Hard Drive.” If you are removing or replacing a 5 1/4-inch device,continue with this procedure. 4. Identify the bay on the front...

Installing Options 4-47 5. Remove the blank plastic panel from the bay by pressingthe panel tabs from inside the front panel and pushing theblank panel out. Save the panel for future use if you remove a device anddon’t replace it (see “Replacing the Front Panel” forprocedures to reinstall the plasti...

4-48 Installing Options Replacing the Front Panel Replace the front panel as follows. Note : Before replacing the front panel, if you removed a 5 1/4-inch device from your systemand didn’t replace it, you need to cover theopening in the front panel with the previouslyremoved plastic panel. 1. Replac...

Installing Options 4-49 Your system ships with one 3 1/2-inch hard drive installed onthe bottom drive brackets. If you are adding a second harddrive or replacing the current hard drive, use the followingprocedure. 1. Follow the preinstallation instructions that come withyour device, such as setting ...

4-50 Installing Options „ Secure the hard drive to the chassis with the fourscrews that come with the new device. Installing a hard drive A – Screws B – Top Bracket 7. Replace the front panel (see “Replacing the Front Panel”earlier in this chapter). 8. Replace the left side cover (see “Installing th...

4-52 Installing Options Inserting a device A – Screws B – Device 8. Replace the front panel (see “Replacing the Front Panel”earlier in this chapter). 9. Replace the right side cover (see “Replacing the RightSide Cover” earlier in this chapter). 10. Replace the left side cover (see “Replacing the Lef...

5-2 Solving System Problems Occasionally, you may encounter a problem with yoursystem. In most cases, the problem is one that you can solveyourself. Your system has a built-in program that automatically checksits components when the system is powered on. If there is aproblem, the system displays an ...

5-4 Solving System Problems „ System does not boot from hard drive. The system usually tries to start from the diskette drivebefore it starts from the hard drive. Remove the diskettefrom the diskette drive. Run the Setup Utility (see Chapter 3) and set the initialBoot parameter to Hard Drive instead...

Solving System Problems 5-5 „ Diskette won’t load. Check that the diskette is being loaded correctly. Check that the system and monitor power lamps are onand the power-on screen appears. Check that the diskette is formatted. If not, format it. Seeyour operating system documentation. Check that the d...

5-6 Solving System Problems „ Distorted image appears on your monitor screen. Adjust the monitor’s video controls. If this does not help,turn the monitor off for several seconds, then back on. „ There is constant movement on the screen. A magnetic field is affecting your monitor. Move anydevices (fa...

Solving System Problems 5-7 If this does not help, turn off the system, wait five or moreseconds, and turn on the system. CD-ROM Drive Problems Check the following problems to see the possible cause andsolution. The following is applicable to the CD-ROM drive. „ The system does not see the drive. Th...

5-8 Solving System Problems „ The drive plays music CDs but the sound is notheard. However, .WAV and .MIDI sounds can be heardwhen played. Check that the cable connecting from the rear of the driveto the system board CD audio connector is in place andsecure. Check the CD Audio volume setting. Speake...

Solving System Problems 5-9 How to Clean the Mouse Under normal conditions, your mouse has a self-cleaningmechanism that prevents a buildup of dust or lint around themouse ball and tracking mechanism. Periodically, however,you might need to clean the mouse ball. Use these steps to clean your mouse. ...

5-10 Solving System Problems 4. Turn the mouse over so that the cover and ball fall intoyour palm. 5. Clean the mouse as follows. „ Use tap water, or tap water and a mild detergent, toclean the mouse ball. „ Use a clean, lint-free cloth to dry the ball. „ Blow into the mouse socket to remove remaini...

Solving System Problems 5-11 Battery Replacement The system board uses a battery to maintain systemconfiguration information. The battery is a coin-cell batterymounted on the system board (see the following figure). If itfails to maintain system configuration information, replace itwith an identical...

5-12 Solving System Problems 2. Remove the left side cover (see “Removing the Left SideCover” in Chapter 4). Observe all safety precautionswhen removing the cover. 3. Locate the battery socket on the system board (see thefollowing figure). You may have to remove an expansionboard to access the batte...

Solving System Problems 5-13 4. Press down on the battery clip to release the battery fromits socket). ! CAUTION To maintain a tight battery contact with thesocket, do not over-bend the battery clip. 5. Remove the battery and discard in accordance with themanufacturer’s instructions. Removing the ba...

5-14 Solving System Problems How to Get Help If you tried correcting problems yourself and were notsuccessful, you may want to try one or more of the following24-hour services for answers to your questions. (Someservices require a modem or fax machine.) „ NEC CSD website and FTP site „ Email to NEC ...

Solving System Problems 5-15 Help From NEC CSD Technical Support Center Help is available to you through the NEC CSD TechnicalSupport Center. (International customers should check withtheir sales provider.) Direct assistance is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.Call the NEC CSD Technical Suppo...

5-16 Solving System Problems NEC CSD Warranty/Non-Warranty Repair Service NEC CSD repair service is designed to support your warrantyand non-warranty service activity. Before you call for repair service, see the previous sections inthis chapter to determine if you can solve the problemyourself, with...

6-2 Getting Services and Support NEC CSD makes it easy for you to get information and helpwhen you need it with an array of services. These servicesprovide general information about your system, and can alsobe used to answer your questions and help solve anyproblems you might have with your system. ...

Getting Services and Support 6-3 „ an automated email form for your technical supportquestions „ a Reseller’s area (password accessible). To access the NEC CSD Home Page, enter the followingInternet Uniform Resource Locator (URL) in your browser: www.nec-computers.com NEC CSD FTP Site You can use th...

6-4 Getting Services and Support You can also fax technical questions to the NEC CSDTechnical Support Center if you have access to a fax machineor fax/modem. The fax number is: (801) 981-3133 When using the email or fax support service, you shouldinclude the following words in the subject field for ...

Getting Services and Support 6-7 NEC CSD Technical SupportServices NEC CSD also offers direct technical support through itsTechnical Support Center. (NEC CSD technical support is forU.S. and Canadian customers only; international customersshould check with their sales provider.) Direct assistance is...

A-2 Setting Up a Healthy Work Environment ! WARNING Prolonged or improper use of a computerworkstation may pose a risk of serious injury. Toreduce your risk of injury, set up and use yourcomputer in the manner described in thisappendix. Contact a doctor if you experience pain,tenderness, swelling, b...

Setting Up a Healthy Work Environment A-3 Although some studies have shown an association betweenincreasing hours of keyboard use and the development ofsome musculoskeletal disorders, it is still unclear whetherworking at a computer causes such disorders. Some doctorsbelieve that using the keyboard ...

A-4 Setting Up a Healthy Work Environment Arrange Your Equipment Arrange your equipment so that you can work in a naturaland relaxed position. Place items that you use frequentlywithin easy reach. Adjust your workstation setup to theproper height (as described in this appendix) by lowering thetable ...

Setting Up a Healthy Work Environment A-5 Adjust Your Chair Your chair should be adjustable and stable. Vary your posturethroughout the day. Check the following: „ Keep your body in a relaxed yet upright position. Thebackrest of your chair should support the inward curve ofyour back. „ Use the entir...

A-6 Setting Up a Healthy Work Environment „ Your seat depth should allow your lower back tocomfortably contact the backrest. Make sure that the backsof your lower legs do not press against the front of thechair. „ Extend your lower legs slightly so that the angle betweenyour thighs and lower legs is...

Setting Up a Healthy Work Environment A-7 Adjust Your Input Devices Follow these points in positioning your keyboard and mouse. „ Position your keyboard directly in front of you. Avoidreaching when using your keyboard or mouse. „ If you use a mouse, position it at the same height as thekeyboard and ...

A-8 Setting Up a Healthy Work Environment „ Type with your hands and wrists floating above thekeyboard. Use a wrist pad only to rest your wrists betweentyping. Avoid resting your wrists on sharp edges. „ Type with your wrists straight. Instead of twisting yourwrists sideways to press hard-to-reach k...

Setting Up a Healthy Work Environment A-9 Adjust Your Monitor Correct placement and adjustment of the monitor can reduceeye, shoulder, and neck fatigue. Check the following whenyou position the monitor. „ Adjust the monitor height so that the top of the screen is ator slightly below eye level. Your ...

A-10 Setting Up a Healthy Work Environment „ Position the monitor at a 90° angle to windows and otherlight sources to minimize glare and reflections. Adjust themonitor tilt so that ceiling lights do not reflect on yourscreen. „ If reflected light makes it hard for you to see your screen,use an anti-...

Setting Up a Healthy Work Environment A-11 Vary Your Workday If you use your computer for prolonged periods, follow theseinstructions. „ Vary your tasks throughout the day. „ Take frequent short breaks that involve walking, standing,and stretching. During these breaks, stretch muscles andjoints that...

Setting Up a Healthy Work Environment A-13 Checking Your Comfort: How DoYou Measure Up? Use this checklist to see if you are setting up your workenvironment to fit your physical needs. Checking Your Chair „ Do you sit in an upright position with the backrestsupporting your lower back? „ When sitting...

A-14 Setting Up a Healthy Work Environment „ Do you periodically rest your eyes by blinking often orlooking away from the screen? „ Is your monitor no closer than 12 inches and no fartheraway than 28 inches from your eyes? „ Do you use a document holder placed close to the screen? Checking You „ Is ...

B System Specifications „ System Processor „ Memory (RAM, Cache, ROM) „ Calendar Clock „ Input/Output (I/O) Facilities „ Video Memory „ Sound System „ Fax/Modem Board „ Peripherals „ Dimensions „ Power „ Operating Environment „ Compliance

B-2 System Specifications System Processor System processor types and processor/front side bus (FSB)speeds: Intel Celeron Processors „ 300 MHz/66 MHz FSB „ 333 MHz/66 MHz FSB „ 366 MHz/66 MHz FSB „ 400 MHz/66 MHz FSB „ 433 MHz/66 MHz FSB Intel Pentium II Processors „ 350 MHz/100 MHz FSB „ 400 MHz/10...

System Specifications B-3 Secondary Cache „ Celeron Processor – 128 KB „ Pentium II and Pentium III – 512 KB Processor Socket „ One 242-pin Slot 1 socket Random Access Memory (RAM) Standard RAM — minimum of 32 MB of SDRAM installedin one or two industry-standard DIMM sockets on systemboard. „ Total ...

B-4 System Specifications Calendar Clock Year/month/day/hour/minute/second/.01 second; maintainedby battery backup module Battery type — Lithium coin cell Input/Output (I/O) Features Industry-standard interfaces integrated on system board: „ Parallel — bi-directional, ECP/EPP support; one 25-pinconn...

System Specifications B-5 „ IDE  dual IDE channels; each supporting two Ultra DMAIDE devices  CD-ROM drive and hard drive on separate channels  support for up to 33.3 MB/second 32-bit transfers onPCI bus  support for a total of four IDE devices; 40-pinconnectors  support for PIO mode 3 and mode...

B-6 System Specifications Sound System All systems come with audio integrated on the system board,based on Creative ® ES1371/1373 audio. „ Compatible with Sound Blaster Pro ™ , Sound Blaster ™ 2.0, MPU-401, and Microsoft ® Windows Sound System ™ for PC sound applications „ High quality SoundScape Wa...

System Specifications B-7 AGP Graphics Board Systems might come with one of the following AGP graphicsboards. „ ATI “Minden” RAGE IIC 4 MB AGP board „ ATI “XPERT 98” RAGE PRO 8-MB AGP board „ Diamond Viper V550 TnT 16-MB AGP board Diskette Drive All systems come with a Samsung Diskette Drive SFD-321...

B-8 System Specifications Hard Drive Hard drive types are subject to change. One of the followingdrives comes with the system. „ 4.3-GB Ultra DMA „ 8.4-GB Ultra DMA „ 12.9-GB Ultra DMA „ 17-GB Ultra DMA „ 20-GB Ultra DMA CD-ROM Drive CD-ROM drive types are subject to change. One of thefollowing CD-R...

System Specifications B-9 PC Card Adapter Some models may come with the PC card adapter. „ Controller Chip VG469; Intel register, step B compatible „ Supports ISA Plug and Play „ Supports mixed voltage (3V) cards „ Vcc and Vpp Matrix: Micrel MTC2563 Zip Drive Some models may come with an Iomega Zip ...

B-10 System Specifications Speakers Some models may come with a Harman Kardon 10-wattspeaker system. Dimensions System Unit „ Height — 14.04 in. (360 mm) „ Width — 7.02 in. (180 mm) „ Depth — 15.17 in. (389 mm) „ Weight — starting at 28 lb. Keyboard „ Height — 1.6 in. (40.6 mm) „ Width — 19.0 in. (4...

System Specifications B-11 Compliance Domestic: FCC CFR 47 Part 15, Subpart BUL 1950 3rd edition Canadian: C-UL C22.2 No.950-95ICES-003 Issue 2, Revision 1 European: CE EMC Directive 89/336 EECEN55022:1993 Class BEN50082-1:1997 CE LVD Directive 73/23 EECEN60950 Meets all requirements in European Was...

(For United States Use Only) Federal Communications Commission Radio Frequency Interference Statement WARNING: Changes or modifications to this unit not expressly approvedby the party responsible for compliance could void the user’s authority tooperate the equipment. NOTE: This equipment has been te...

Battery Replacement A lithium battery in some computers maintains system configurationinformation. In the event that the battery fails to maintain systemconfiguration information, NEC recommends that you replace the battery.For battery replacement information, see “Battery Replacement” in Chapter5 o...

NEC Computer Systems Division, A Division of Packard Bell NEC, Inc. DECLARATION OF CONFORMITY We, the Responsible Party NEC Computer Systems Division 6000 Florin-Perkins Road Sacramento, CA 95828-1037 (916) 388-0101 declare that the product NEC POWERMATE VT 300 is in conformity with part 15 of the F...