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Related Manuals for Mitsubishi Apricot MS540
Summary of Contents for Mitsubishi Apricot MS540
- Page 1 OWNER’S HANDBOOK MS540 apricot COMPAC MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC...
- Page 2 Apricot MS540 Owner’s Handbook MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC...
- Page 3 Intel and Pentium are registered trademarks of Intel Corporation. ® ® Microsoft and Windows 95 are registered trademarks of Microsoft in the U.S. and other countries. Soundblaster is a registered trademark of Creative Labs Inc. Any other trademarks referred to within this document but not listed above are hereby recognised and acknowledged.
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Page 4: Table Of Contents
OWNER’S MANUAL CONTENTS THE BEGINNING Connections Turning on and booting up Energy saving features Installing other software Turning the power off Cleaning and transporting THE SYSTEM DRIVES Using the floppy drive Using a CD-ROM drive The Hard disk drive Software backup EXPANSION Configuring a card Installing a card... - Page 5 C O N T E N T S TROUBLESHOOTING Problems when starting Restoring the Software Checklist System disk drives Television card Software security THE SYSTEM UNIT Anti-static precautions Opening the system unit The components inside Drive specification Physical characteristics SYSTEM MOTHERBOARD General specification Board layout External ports/connections...
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Page 6: The Beginning
THE BEGINNING. . . You should read this chapter even if you do not read any other. It provides important basic information to help you in using your computer. It is the minimum you need to know in order to start work straight away. - Page 7 T H E B E G I N N I N G Turning on and booting the computer Turning the power on If you have a TV card fitted, check the chapter ‘Multimedia’ for important information. To turn on the computer, press the lower OWER show that the system unit is powered.
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Page 8: Energy Saving Features
Caution Changing or splitting the partition on a hard disk totally erases all the programs and data recorded on that disk. Always make a backup copy of the contents of the hard disk before you start to make any serious alterations to the hard disk set-up. -
Page 9: Installing Other Software
T H E B E G I N N I N G stop and then the hard drive will spin down, etc. In this mode the computer system consumes very little power at all, typically below 20W. To restart the system, press the violet ‘Standby’ button on the facia. As the monitor is in a controlled ‘off’... -
Page 10: Turning The Power Off
Some manufacturers still only supply their software on 3.5 inch floppy disks and these would of course have to use the floppy disk drive. Guidance on using either the CD drive, or the floppy drive, is given in chapter 2 ‘The system drives’. The only thing you need to know is the name of the program on the disk that does the work. -
Page 11: Cleaning And Transporting
T H E B E G I N N I N G will close down all your applications in an orderly manner and will prompt you to save any unsaved work in the process. You should always turn off any attached peripherals first. However, there is no need to turn off the monitor (if it is powered from the system unit). - Page 12 Do not use aerosols or sprays near any part of the system, in particular, air vents or grills, ports, or removable-media drives, as microscopic droplets can remain in the air for some time and then penetrate and cause irreparable damage. The system unit Occasionally wipe the system unit with a soft, slightly damp, lint-free cloth.
- Page 13 T H E B E G I N N I N G 3. If the liquid is thin and clear, try unplugging the keyboard, turning it upside down to let the liquid drain out, and drying it for at least 24 hours at room temperature. If the keyboard does not work, call your supplier or an authorised maintainer.
- Page 14 Transporting the computer Use common sense when handling the computer. Hard disks in particular can be damaged if the computer is dropped or handled roughly. As a precaution, back up your data from the hard disks to tape or floppy disks before moving the computer. (See the Hard disk section of the chapter ‘System drives’).
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Page 15: The System Drives
THE SYSTEM DRIVES This chapter contains useful information about the drives that are currently fitted in your computer, either behind the front drop-down panel or, in the case of the Hard drive, inside the system. Using the floppy disk drive The floppy disk drive is usually configured in the system BIOS as drive A:, with a capacity of 1.44 Mbytes. - Page 16 T H E S Y S T E M D R I V E S Disks should always be kept away from bright sunlight, dust, moisture and any strong magnetic fields, e.g. do not place them on the monitor, printer, or near a telephone. It is common to store them in a lockable “disk-box”, away from the computer itself.
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Page 17: Using A Cd-Rom Drive
4. The system should now be able to access the disk and the information it may contain. While the system is accessing the disk, the “drive in use” LED should be lit. Pressing the button, when the drive is not in use, will eject the floppy disk. - Page 18 T H E S Y S T E M D R I V E S Warning The laser beam inside the CD-ROM drive is harmful to the eyes if looked at directly. Do not attempt to remove the drive cover or otherwise disassemble the CD-ROM drive.
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Page 19: The Hard Disk Drive
T H E S Y S T E M D R I V E S To remove a compact disc, press the eject button and then lift out the CD. It is best to close the draw, to prevent dust getting in, unless you intend to put in a new CD. - Page 20 T H E S Y S T E M D R I V E S The primary hard drive Your Apricot computer is supplied with one internal or ‘primary’ hard drive (HDD) designated as the C: drive. Windows 95 will normally be installed on this drive.
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Page 21: Software Backup
DriveSpace It is possible, as an alternative to the expense of fitting a second HDD, to use disk utility software such as DriveSpace within Windows 95, which increases the usable capacity of your HDD. It can more than double the usable size of the drive using software compression technology. -
Page 22: System Expansion
SYSTEM EXPANSION Your computer can accept various Expansion cards or boards. Most are simple to install with the benefit of the ‘Plug and Play’ features, explained in the guide to Windows 95. (Look out for the ‘Plug and Play’ symbol on the packaging of these add-in boards). You can extend the capabilities of the computer, for example,- A graphics/movie card can provide more specialised video functions than those offered by the on-board EVGA system. -
Page 23: Configuring A Card
SYSTEM EXPANSION Configuring the card Part of the installation procedure for many expansion cards involves setting up or configuring the card so it works correctly in the system. To configure, you assign values to various settings on the card, which enable the card to communicate with the computer. The chosen settings MUST be registered in the BIOS see appendix C ‘System BIOS and set-up’... - Page 24 ISA Interrupt request level (IRQ) The interrupt request level or IRQ (the two terms are used interchangeably) is the line over which the expansion card sends a signal to get the attention of, or interrupt, the processor. Many of these are reserved for components on the computer’s motherboard. Some interrupts are fixed, others can be re-assigned.
- Page 25 SYSTEM EXPANSION Direct memory access (DMA) channel Some hardware devices can use a DMA channel to access system memory without directly burdening the processor. Computers have DMA channels numbered DMA0 to DMA7. The following table lists the DMA channels used by the computer and shows which are available for use by expansion cards.
- Page 26 I/O ports All addresses below 100h are used by the system board for various fixed system components and chipset controller settings. They are unavailable for use. 1F0h-1F7h 200h-207h 278h-27Fh 2B0h-2DFh 2F8h-2FFh 378h-37Fh 3B0h-3BFh 3B4h, 3B5h, 3BAh 3C0h-3C5h 3C6h-3C9h 3CAh-3DFh 3F0h-3F7h 3F8h-3FFh Base memory address Some expansion cards are fitted with memory of their own, usually...
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Page 27: Installing The Card
SYSTEM EXPANSION Note Memory addresses are always written in base 16 or hexadecimal notation. Unlike the ten digits of the decimal system (0-9), hexadecimal uses sixteen digits (0-9 and A-F, where A=10, B=11, C=12 and so on up to F=15). Hexadecimal numbers are denoted either by the suffix “h”... - Page 28 3. At the rear of the system unit are metal blanking plates, one for each expansion card slot. Opposite the blanking plates, at the front of the system unit, there are card guides. These ensure that the front edge of a full-length card is supported securely. 4.
- Page 29 SYSTEM EXPANSION 8. Position the expansion card alongside the slot in which you wish to install it. Align the rear of the card with the slot in the rear of the system unit, and, if the card is full length, align the front of the card with the card guide.
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Page 30: Memory Upgrades
MEMORY UPGRADES Read this chapter before purchasing any memory upgrade and if in any doubt consult your supplier. Then, if having read the relevant instructions, you still do not feel confident about installing the upgrade, you may wish to have your supplier or service organisation install it for you. - Page 31 MEMORY UPGRADES Either bank can be used first. A normal specification of 32-Bit SIMMs having an access time of 70ns for a 5V power supply applies. Parity checking (36-Bit) SIMMs are not necessary. The Electronic Data Output (EDO) type SIMMs are fully supported and will give enhanced performance, more noticeably if L2 cache is low or not fitted.
- Page 32 Caution If you are unfamiliar with the recommended anti-static precautions and/or the process of removing the system unit cover, refer to Appendix A, “The System Unit”. 3. Remove carefully the floppy disk drive module which restricts access to the SIMM sockets (first identifying the way all cables are fitted) by disconnecting the cables, loosening the screws and lifting out.
- Page 33 MEMORY UPGRADES 3. Pushing gently on its top corners, stand the SIMM upright in the socket until the pegs of the socket engage the holes on the SIMM and the metal clips hold both ends of the SIMM firmly in position.
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Page 34: Adding Cache Memory
3. The SIMMs are of the correct type It may be necessary to refit the original memory SIMMs to check if there is a problem with your new SIMMs. If in any doubt contact your supplier. Adding more cache memory An external or secondary level (L2) cache is a small amount of specialised memory with significantly faster access times than the computer’s system RAM. - Page 35 MEMORY UPGRADES Caution If you are unfamiliar with the recommended anti-static precautions and/or the process of removing the system unit cover, refer to Appendix A, “The System Unit”. 3. Identify the cache memory socket see appendix B ‘System Motherboard’, in conjunction with the picture below. 4.
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Page 36: Adding Video Memory
8. Refit and secure the system unit cover, reconnect the system and switch on. 9. Check the BIOS sign-on message to see the new value of cache memory is displayed. Adding more video memory Video memory is memory reserved for use by the on-board EVGA controller. - Page 37 MEMORY UPGRADES to touch the metal pins. These memory chips are particularly static sensitive. Handle with extreme caution. 6. It is extremely important that the chips are fitted the right way round. Each chip has a notch at one end or small bevel at one corner, corresponding to the notch or bevel on the socket corner.
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Page 38: The Device Drivers
MULTIMEDIA This chapter is designed to give you basic information on a few of the multimedia features that may be fitted to your computer. It is a catch-all term that covers audio, CD-ROM, communications, education, fax, games, Internet, modem, movies, networking, photo- editing, publishing, radio, scanners. - Page 39 M U L T I M E D I A AND HEADPHONE LEVEL This causes the drive tray to open in order to place a CD into the drive. The other two controls are as shown above, headphone connection and volume control, which are for use whilst playing commercial audio or music CDs.
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Page 40: The Sound Connections
software titles designed to read and edit images from the standard Photo CD formats. The word ‘Multisession’ is often used to describe Photo CDs. It simply means that some of the photographs were recorded on the CD at different times or in separate ‘sessions’. This is no problem for modern CD drives. -
Page 41: Remote Control
M U L T I M E D I A Rear connections 1. Joystick/MIDI port. 2. Microphone socket (will ‘mix’ with front socket.) 3. Line IN socket. 4. Line OUT socket. 5. Speakers jack socket (cuts off if front headphones used.) Remote control This computer is supplied with a multifunction infrared remote control handset. -
Page 42: The Remote Control
The Remote Control Changing the batteries Battery size ; Quantity ; HELP/MENU Standard AA cells. 2 off, fitted as shown. Observe polarity. M U L T I M E D I A... -
Page 43: Television Card (If Fitted)
M U L T I M E D I A Television (if fitted) Note The Windows 95 video mode must be set to 256 colours for television. As stated at the beginning of this chapter there are many and varied facilities that can be added to your computer. -
Page 44: Radio Card (If Fitted)
M U L T I M E D I A The connection cable for (3) is supplied within the accessories set supplied with the computer. It is to connect the computer video output to the TV card, to enable composite and synchronised pictures on the monitor. -
Page 45: Troubleshooting
TROUBLESHOOTING This chapter offers advice if you suspect a fault with your computer. If in doubt Turn off the computer and unplug all power cords before consulting your supplier or maintenance provider. Make a note of any of the symptoms, error codes, display messages etc., before calling. - Page 46 T R O U B L E S H O O T I N G 4. If the replacement fuse blows, call your supplier or maintenance provider. 5. If the replacement fuse does not blow, reconnect one peripheral at a time and switch it on. Repeat this step for each peripheral in turn.
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Page 47: Restoring The Software
floppy, in which case remove it, or replace it with one that is. If the message persists there may be a fault with the HDD, in which case, check the BIOS settings are correct. If they are then the HDD may need to be reformatted and the system software restored. - Page 48 T R O U B L E S H O O T I N G Power Check that the AC power supply is switched on, and that the fuse in the AC plug (if any) has not blown. If the system still does not seem to be getting power, obtain another power cord from your supplier.
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Page 49: System Disk Drives
T R O U B L E S H O O T I N G Check also that the front window is not obscured on either the system unit or the handset. Periodic cleaning with a soft lint-free cloth is advised. System BIOS Check the system BIOS to ensure that it has not been disturbed from the original settings. -
Page 50: Television Card
T R O U B L E S H O O T I N G Television card (if fitted) Black screen, Coloured screen, Snowy picture or just Blank screen. This can be symptomatic of one or more minor problems ; Check that your Monitor signal lead is connected to the TV card and not the normal Monitor port. - Page 51 your guard. The supplier may not be aware of the potential problem. Illegal copying of programs has led to vast distribution of the many common types of virus. There are various software companies who design Anti-Virus software for both home and corporate use and some of these are very reliable.
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Page 52: The System Unit
THE SYSTEM UNIT This appendix provides instructions regarding access to the inside of the system unit for the purposes of maintaining or upgrading the system, plus some of the general system/drives specifications. The only tool required is a small cross head screwdriver. Warning Turn off the computer and unplug all power cords before removing the top cover. -
Page 53: Opening The System Unit
T e c h n i c a l I n f o m a t i o n an earthed wrist strap and anti-static clothing. It is also a good idea to use an ionizer or humidifier to remove static from the air. When installing any upgrade, be sure you understand what the installation procedure involves before you start. -
Page 54: The Components Inside
5. Slide the top cover rearwards slightly, then lift it off. Refitting the cover is simply the reverse of removal. Take effective anti-static precautions while the top cover is off. The components inside System main board, for details see ‘appendix B’. Multimedia interface board. -
Page 55: Drive Specification
T e c h n i c a l I n f o m a t i o n Drive Specification summary Floppy disk drive Manufacturer Interface Power Disk formats Reliability CD-ROM drive Manufacturer Interface Speed Cache Power Audio Disks Laser Reliability Warning... -
Page 56: Physical Characteristics
Physical Characteristics Weight and dimensions Height Depth 120 mm 400 mm 40 mm 205 mm Temperature and Humidity ranges Range Storage/Transport Operational Voltage range Setting 115V 230V Warning The power cord supplied with the system complies with the safety standards applicable to the country in which it was originally sold. -
Page 57: System Motherboard
SYSTEM MOTHERBOARD This appendix details the specification and settings for the main processor board fitted inside your computer. Normally the vast majority of jumper settings should never be changed. Board Specification Processor Support logic BIOS MemorySIMMs Cache Video Upgrading Memory For Upgrading information of either main, cache, or video memory refer to the chapter titled ‘Memory Upgrades’. - Page 58 T e c h n i c a l I n f o r m a t i o n Audio Drives Ports NOTE : - COM2 not available when Remote control supplied with system Expansion By means of a riser board fitted to a socket on the motherboard, this riser board can support 5 expansion boards as follows ;...
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Page 59: Board Layout
Video Board layout Front audio connection Floppy ribbon connector Wave table connection CD audio connector Riser board socket Video upgrade sockets System connections * COM2 not available if Remote Control supplied T e c h n i c a l I n f o r m a t i o n Parallel Com 2 Com 1... - Page 60 T e c h n i c a l I n f o r m a t i o n System Ports Serial communications COM 1, COM 2 9 way Male D-type connector 1. Data carrier detect 3. Transmit data 5.
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Page 61: Monitor Port
Keybord and Mouse ports 6 pin miniature DIN connector Both of the connections have the same voltages and signals. 1. Data 4. +5V DC 5. Clock Monitor port 15 way (3 row) female D-type connector Output Green Blue Reserved DIGITAL Ground Red signal return Green signal return Blue signal return... -
Page 62: Jumper Configurations
T e c h n i c a l I n f o r m a t i o n Jumper configurations There are very few jumpers that will ever need changing, most of them have been factory set for your system and its needs, but for completeness, the details are given here. - Page 63 Clear BIOS settings PL21 VESA option PL22 Processor and BUS clock These settings must not be changed except in the event of a processor upgrade. Full details of the processor’s required settings should accompany the new processor and the appropriate board links should then be identified from the table below.
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Page 64: Replacing The Cmos Battery
T e c h n i c a l I n f o r m a t i o n PL24, PL28 This range of pins is not for jumpers, but is used to connect various features around the system case to the motherboard. PL24 PL28 Replacing the CMOS battery... - Page 65 The battery is a 3 volt lithium type (CR2032 or equivalent) typically used in calculators, watches and other small, battery-powered electronic items. To replace the battery 1. Turn off the computer and unplug all power cords. 2. Take suitable anti-static precautions and remove the system unit cover.
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Page 66: System Bios And Set-Up
SYSTEM BIOS AND SET-UP When the system is switched on, the POST does its job depending upon the information it finds in the BIOS and sets up the computer to boot into operation. You can access the BIOS and check or alter the configuration via its set-up utility. - Page 67 T e c h n i c a l I n f o r m a t i o n + / _ Warning F9 will not restore the date settings and pressing F10 may put in a default setting that could have been changed by our factory during production build. We recommend that you make a note of ALL of the settings before any changes are made.
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Page 68: Opening Screen
Opening screen On entering the set-up utility a main menu screen appears. If there is an associated sub-menu, or a further sub-menu available, then the listed options have a preceding bullet, as shown below ; System summary Devices and I/O ports Date and time Security Start options... -
Page 69: Sub-Menu Pages
T e c h n i c a l I n f o r m a t i o n Sub-menu pages System summary This page cannot be edited, but gives a summary of the system main settings. Changes made in other pages will be reflected here. Make a note of the information on this page before you progress any further or make any changes. - Page 70 Floppy disk drives This is available purely to change the mode of the floppy drive. The drive supplied and fitted is a 3.5inch 1.44 Mbyte. This setting, if changed, could prevent software access to the fitted drive. Hard disk drives Hard disk type is auto detected on switch on, but various parameters can be manually set for each drive, the system being capable of controlling two HDD’s ;...
- Page 71 T e c h n i c a l I n f o r m a t i o n System time Using the left and right arrow keys to move around, you then use either the number keys to insert new figures or the + and - keys to increase/decrease the existing number.
- Page 72 Delete User password Use this to clear or remove the existing password, without replacing it with a new one. You may be asked for confirmation or to enter the old password. Warning Remember your passwords, But do not write them down on a piece of paper and leave it in your desk drawer, or pin it on your wall ! Password prompt The system can be set to ‘ask’...
- Page 73 T e c h n i c a l I n f o r m a t i o n Diskette-less Operation If this option is Disabled, POST will report a fault or any absence of the floppy drive and halt the boot process, if Enabled, POST will bypass the floppy test and continue, providing another boot device is available e.g.
- Page 74 T e c h n i c a l I n f o r m a t i o n Cache Control A simple two line screen allows you to either enable or disable the L2 cache memory (external to the processor). The default setting is Enabled, and should not normally be changed.
- Page 75 T e c h n i c a l I n f o r m a t i o n If shown as available, it is assumed by the system not to be in use by any ISA card or device and therefore will be made available for the PCI auto-configure process.
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Page 76: Error Messages
Error Messages Code Cause Timer tick interrupt failure Timer 2 test failure Diskette controller failure System board memory parity interrupt Option ROM checksum failure Real time clock failure Real time clock battery failure CMOS RAM checksum failure Invalid configuration information Time of day not set -preboot Memory size does not match CMOS Bad EEPROM CRC #1... - Page 77 APRICOT COMPUTERS LIMITED 3500 PARKSIDE BIRMINGHAM BUSINESS PARK BIRMINGHAM B37 7YS UNITED KINGDOM MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC APRICOT COMPUTERS LIMITED MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC EUROPE GmbH TRAVELLERS LANE GOTHAER STRASSE 8 HATFIELD POSTFACH 1548 HERTFORDSHIRE AL10 8XB 40835 RATINGEN UNITED KINGDOM DEUTSCHLAND...