Acer AcerPower 8600 User manual

AcerPower
8600
User’s Guide

Changes may be made periodically to the information in this publication without obligation to
notify any person of such revision or changes. Such changes will be incorporated in new editions
of this manual or supplementary documents and publications. This company makes no
representations or warranties, either expressed or implied, with respect to the contents hereof and
specifically disclaims the implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.
Record the model number, serial number, purchase date, and place of purchase information in the
space provided below. The serial number and model number are recorded on the label affixed to
your computer. All correspondense concerning your unit should include the serial number, model
number, and purchase information.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any
form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwise, without the
prior written permission of Acer Incorporated.
Model Number :_________________________________
Serial Number :_________________________________
Purchase Date : _________________________________
Place of Purchase : _________________________________
Copyright 1999 Acer Incorporated
All Rights Reserved. Printed in Taiwan
AcerPower 8600 User’s Guide
Part No.: 49.30C01.001
Draft Version: November, 1999
AcerPower 8600 User’s Guide
Acer and the Acer logo are registered trademarks of Acer incorporated. All
trademarks, registered trademarks and/or service marks are the properties of their
respective owners.

iii
Notices
FCC Notice
This device has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital
device pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide
reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This
device generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and
used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio
communications.
However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular
installation. If this device does cause harmful interference to radio or television
reception, which can be determined by turning the device off and on, the user is
encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following
measures:
❑Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna
❑Increase the separation between the device and receiver
❑Connect the device into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the
receiver is connected
❑Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/television technician for help
Notice: Shield Cables
All connections to other computing devices must be made using shielded cables to
maintain compliance with FCC regulations.
Notice: Peripheral Devices
Only peripherals (input/output devices, terminals, printers, etc.) certified to comply
with the Class B limits may be attached to this equipment. Operation with non
certified peripherals is likely to result in interference to radio and TV reception.
Caution
Changes or modifications not expressly approved by the manufacturer could void the
user’s authority, which is granted by the Federal Communications Commission, to
operate this computer.

Notices
iv
Use Conditions
This part complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the
following two conditions: (1) this device may not cause harmful interference,
and (2) this device must accept any interference received, including interference
that may cause undesired operation.
Notice: Canadian Users
This Class B digital apparatus meets all requirements of the Canadian
Interference-Causing Equipment Regulations.
Remarque à l’intention des utilisateurs canadiens
Cet appareil numérique de la classe B respected toutes les exigences du
Règlement sur le matériel brouilleur du Canada.
Important Safety Instructions
Read these instructions carefully. Save these instructions for future reference.
1. Follow all warnings and instructions marked on the product.
2. Unplug this product from the wall outlet before cleaning. Do not use
liquid cleaners or aerosol cleaners. Use a damp cloth for cleaning.
3. Do not use this product near water.
4. Do not place this product on an unstable cart, stand, or table. The
product may fall, causing serious damage to the product.
5. Slots and openings in the cabinet and the back or bottom are provided
for ventilation; to ensure reliable operation of the product and to protect
it from overheating, these openings must not be blocked or covered.
The openings should never be blocked by placing the product on a bed,
sofa, rug, or other similar surface. This product should never be placed
near or over a radiator or heat register, or in a built-in installation unless
proper ventilation is provided.
6. This product should be operated from the type of power indicated on
the marking label. If you are not sure of the type of power available,
consult your dealer or local power company.
7. Do not allow anything to rest on the power cord. Do not locate this
product where persons will walk on the cord.
8. If an extension cord is used with this product, make sure that the total
ampere rating of the equipment plugged into the extension cord does
not exceed the extension cord ampere rating. Also, make sure that the
total rating of all products plugged into the wall outlet does not exceed
the fuse rating.

v
9. Never push objects of any kind into this product through cabinet slots
as they may touch dangerous voltage points or short out parts that could
result in a fire or electric shock. Never spill liquid of any kind on the
product.
10. Do not attempt to service this product yourself, as opening or removing
covers may expose you to dangerous voltage points or other risks. Refer
all servicing to qualified service personnel.
11. Unplug this product from the wall outlet and refer servicing to qualified
service personnel under the following conditions:
a. When the power cord or plug is damaged or frayed
b. If liquid has been spilled into the product
c. If the product has been exposed to rain or water
d. If the product does not operate normally when the operating
instructions are followed. Adjust only those controls that are
covered by the operating instructions since improper adjustment
of other controls may result in damage and will often require
extensive work by a qualified technician to restore the product to
normal condition.
e. If the product has been dropped or the cabinet has been damaged
f. If the product exhibits a distinct change in performance, indicating
a need for service.
12. Replace the battery with the same type as the product's battery we
recommend. Use of another battery may present a risk of fire or
explosion. Refer battery replacement to a qualified serviceman.
13. Warning! Batteries may explode if not handled properly. Do not
disassemble or dispose of them in fire. Keep them away from children
and dispose of used batteries promptly.
14. Use only the proper type of power supply cord set (provided in your
accessories box) for this unit. It should be a detachable type: UL listed/
CSA certified, type SPT-2, rated 7A 125V minimum, VDE approved or
its equivalent. Maximum length is 15 feet (4.6 meters).

Notices
vi
Year 2000 Compliance Statement
The AcerPower 8600 carries the "Hardware NSTL Tested Year 2000
Compliant" logo, which certifies that this model has been tested by NSTL
using the YMark2000 test, and has been found to meet NSTL's standards for
Year 2000 hardware compliance.
For more details, check the Acer Year 2000 Resource Center at http://
www.acer.com.tw/service/y2k/
Laser Compliance Statement
The CD-ROM drive in this computer is a laser product. The CD-
ROM drive’s classification label (shown below) is located on the drive.
CLASS 1 LASER PRODUCT
CAUTION: INVISIBLE LASER RADIATION WHEN OPEN. AVOID
EXPOSURE TO BEAM.
APPAREIL A LASER DE CLASSE 1 PRODUIT
LASERATTENTION:RADIATION DU FAISCEAU LASER INVISIBLE
EN CAS D’OUVERTURE. EVITTER TOUTE EXPOSITION AUX
RAYONS.
LUOKAN 1 LASERLAITE LASER KLASSE 1
VORSICHT: UNSICHTBARE LASERSTRAHLUNG, WENN
ABDECKUNG GEÖFFNET NICHT DEM STRAHLL AUSSETZEN
PRODUCTO LÁSER DE LA CLASE I
ADVERTENCIA: RADIACIÓN LÁSER INVISIBLE AL SER ABIERTO.
EVITE EXPONERSE A LOS RAYOS.
ADVARSEL: LASERSTRÅLING VEDÅBNING SE IKKE IND I
STRÅLEN.
VARO! LAVATTAESSA OLET ALTTINA LASERSÅTEILYLLE.
VARNING: LASERSTRÅLNING NÅR DENNA DEL ÅR ÖPPNAD ÅLÅ
TUIJOTA SÅTEESEENSTIRRA EJ IN I STRÅLEN

vii
VARNING: LASERSTRÅLNING NAR DENNA DEL ÅR
ÖPPNADSTIRRA EJ IN I STRÅLEN
ADVARSEL: LASERSTRÅLING NAR DEKSEL ÅPNESSTIRR IKKE
INN I STRÅLEN
Lithium Battery Statement
CAUTION
Danger of explosion if battery is incorrectly replaced. Replace only with the
same or equivalent type recommended by the manufacturer. Discard used
batteries according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
ADVARSEL!
Lithiumbatteri - Eksplosionsfare ved fejlagtig håndtering. Udskiftning må kun
ske med batteri af samme fabrikat og type. Léver det brugte batteri tilbage til
leverandøren.
ADVARSEL
Eksplosjonsfare ved feilaktig skifte av batteri. Benytt samme batteritype eller
en tilsvarende type anbefalt av apparatfabrikanten. Brukte batterier kasseres i
henhold til fabrikantens instruksjoner.
VARNING
Explosionsfara vid felaktigt batteribyte. Anvãnd samma batterityp eller en
ekvivalent typ som rekommenderas av apparattillverkaren. Kassera anvãnt
batteri enligt fabrikantens instruktion.
VAROITUS
Päristo voi räjähtää, jos se on virheellisesti asennettu. Vaihda paristo ainoastaan
laitevalmistajan suosittelemaan tyyppiin. Hävitä käytetty paristo valmistajan
ohjeiden mukaisesti.
VORSICHT!
Explosionsgefahr bei unsachgemäßen Austausch der Batterie Ersatz nur durch
denselben oder einem vom Hersteller empfohlenem ähnlichen Typ.
Entsorgung gebrauchter Batterien nach Angaben des Herstellers.

Notices
viii

ix
Table of Contents
Notices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii
Chapter 1 Getting Started . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Overview. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Preinstallation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Selecting a Site . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Unpacking Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Front Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Rear Panel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Internal Components. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Connecting System Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Connecting the Keyboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Connecting the Monitor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Connecting the Mouse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Connecting the Printer (optional) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Connecting Multimedia Components. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Connecting to the Network (optional) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Connecting USB Devices (optional). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Turning On Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Turning Off Your Computer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Error Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Software Error Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
System Error Messages. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Correcting Error Conditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Chapter 2 System Board Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Board Layout. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Jumpers and Connectors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Floppy Disk/Hard Disk Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Video Function . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Audio Function . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
USB Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Hardware Monitoring Function. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Chapter 3 BIOS Information. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Entering Setup. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

Table of Contents
x
System Information. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Product Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Disk Drives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Onboard Peripherals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Power Management. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Boot Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Date and Time. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
System Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Setting a Password . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Changing or Removing the Password. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Bypassing the Password . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Advanced Options. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Memory/Cache Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
PnP/PCI Options. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
System Event Log. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
View Event Log . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Load Default Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Abort Settings Change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Exiting Setup. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Chapter 4 Upgrading the System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Installation Precautions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
ESD Precautions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Preinstallation Instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Post-installation Instructions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Opening the System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Removing the Housing Cover. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Replacing the Housing Cover. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Installing Additional Memory. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Installing a RIMM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
Removing a RIMM. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Installing a C-RIMM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
Removing a C-RIMM. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
Reconfiguring the System. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
Upgrading the CPU. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Removing the CPU. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Installing the Upgrade CPU . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Replacing the Hard Disk. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Installing and Removing a PCI Card. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Installing a PCI Card. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Removing a PCI Card. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Installing and Removing a AGP Card. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101

xi
Installing a AGP Card. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Removing a AGP Card. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Index. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103

Table of Contents
xii

Getting Started
Chapter 1

This chapter gives you a general introduction of the system unit and tells you how to select
a site and set up the system. It also includes a simple troubleshooting section to allow you
to check your system before you ask for technical support.

3
Overview
The AcerPower 8600 is an all-in-one, high-performance system that
supports the Intel Pentium III CPU. It utilizes the PCI (Peripheral
Component Interface) and the AGP (Accelerated Graphics Port) bus
designs. Both designs improve system performance, enabling the
system to support various multimedia functions and applications.
Aside from the standard I/O (Input/Output) interfaces such as two
serial ports, one parallel port, and PS/2 keyboard and mouse ports, the
system also comes with two USB (Universal Serial Bus) ports, one
mono Microphone-in port, one stereo Line-in port, one Line-out port,
and one Game/MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) port.
These additional ports are included to enable the system to
accommodate additional peripherals.
The system may also come with an onboard AGP video controller, an
interface for LCD, a TV out port, an onboard audio controller, an
external fax/modem card and/or a network card. These additional
features offer special functions that will enable you to take full
advantage of the system. Special features such as hardware
monitoring, USB, power management, video and audio functions are
discussed in this manual.
Furthermore, this system is fully compatible with MS-DOS v6.X, OS/
2, SCO UNIX, Windows 95/98 and Windows NT operating systems.

Chapter 1
Getting Started
4
Preinstallation
The preinstallation process involves the following activities:
❑Selecting a site
❑Unpacking components
Selecting a Site
Consider the following when selecting a site for your computer:
❑Determine the best site for your system. Cable paths should not
run near equipment that might cause electromagnetic or radio
frequency interference such as radio transmitters, televisions,
copy machines, or heating and air-conditioning equipment.
❑Route cables away from personnel and equipment traffic.
❑Avoid dusty areas and extremes of temperature and humidity.
Unpacking Components
Unpack the contents of each box carefully. Save all packing materials
in case you need to move or ship the system in the future.
Check that all items are present and in good condition. Contact your
dealer immediately if anything is missing or damaged.

5
Features
The basic configuration consists of a system unit, a keyboard, a CD-
ROM drive, a diskette drive, a fixed disk drive and a mouse.
Front Panel
The figure below shows the system unit front panel.
No. Component
1 Floppy disk drive
2 Floppy disk drive eject button
3 CD-ROM drive
4 Drive bay cover for additional 5.25-inch storage
Device
5 Power button

Chapter 1
Getting Started
6
Rear Panel
The figure below shows the system unit rear panel.
No. Component
1Fan
2 System main power switch
3 Voltage selector
4 System power socket
5 USB ports
6 PS/2 mouse port
7 Parallel port
8 Game/MIDI port

7
Internal Components
The figure below shows the system unit internal components.
9 VGA/Monitor port
10 PS/2 keyboard port
11 Serial port 1
12 Serial port 2
13 Speaker-out/Line-out port
14 Line-in port
15 Microphone-in port
16 Add-on card brackets
No. Component

Chapter 1
Getting Started
8
No. Component
1 Power supply
2 PCI socket
3 System Board
4 Hard disk drive
5 Floppy disk drive
6 Metal bracket for additional hard disk drives
7 AGP slot
8 AMR slot