Apricot MS Series User manual

OWNER’S HANDBOOK
APRICOT MS
apricot
MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC
COMPACT

Apricot MS Owner’s Handbook
MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC

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.
Apricot Computers Ltd. have a policy of continuous research and development
and therefore reserve the right to amend or modify this handbook, or parts
thereof that are subject to specification change, without notice.
Any software described in this manual that has been furnished with the
computer is supplied subject to a license agreement. The software may be used
or copied only in accordance with the terms of this agreement. It may be an
offence punishable by law to copy any disk or part of a disk supplied for any
purpose other than the purchaser’s personal use unless specifically authorised
within the licence agreement.
All rights reserved. No use or disclosure or reproduction in any form of this
manual in part or whole is permitted without prior written consent from the
publishers.
Copyright © Apricot Computers Limited 1995
Published by
Apricot Computers Limited
3500 Parkside
Birmingham Business Park
Birmingham B37 7YS
MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC
Printed in the United Kingdom

SAFETY NOTICES
SAFETY/1
Safety and Regulatory Notices
Read the separate Power Connection Guide before using the computer for the
first time.
The computer uses a safety ground and must be earthed. The system unit
AC power cord is its ‘disconnect device’. Ensure that the system unit is
positioned close to the AC power outlet and that the plug is easily
accessible. The power cord packed with the computer complies with the
safety standards applicable in the country in which it is first sold. Use only
this power cord. Do not substitute a power cord from any other equipment.
It is imperative that the system unit is set to the correct voltage range before
use. If not, the machine may be irreparably damaged.
To prevent fire and electric shock, do not expose any part of the computer
to rain or moisture.
When positioning the system unit, monitor and keyboard, take into account
any local or national regulations relating to ergonomic requirements.
Microphone, headphone and speaker cables should be less than 2 metres
long.
Replace a discharged configuration (CMOS) battery with one of the same
type. Dispose of the battery in accordance with the manufacturer's
recommended instructions. Do not attempt to recharge, disassemble or
incinerate. Keep away from children.
Any CD-ROM drive fitted in this system is
classified as a CLASS 1 LASER PRODUCT
according to IEC825 Radiation Safety of Laser
Products (Equipment Classification: Requirements
and User's Guide).. The CLASS 1 LASER
PRODUCT label is located on the under side
of the system unit.
Use the CD-ROM drive only as described in
this manual. Failure to do so may result in
exposure to hazardous radiation.
Refer to the labels on the computer to establish
which of the following applies.

SAFETY NOTICES
SAFETY/2
E.E.C.
This equipment complies with the relevant clauses of following European directives:
89/836/EEC and 73/23/EEC,and is able to bear the CE mark.
U.S.A
FCC Class A
Warning - this equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class A computing
device, pursuant to Subpart J of Part 15 of FCC rules. Only peripherals (computer input/output devices,
terminals, printer, etc.) certified to comply with the Class A limits may be attached to this computer.
Operation of this equipment in a residential area may cause unacceptable interference to radio and television
reception requiring the operator to take whatever steps are necessary to correct the interference.
FCC Class B
Warning - this equipment has been certified to comply with the limits for a Class B computing device,
pursuant to Subpart J of Part 15 of FCC rules. Only peripherals (computer input/output devices, terminals,
printer, etc.) certified to comply with the Class B limits may be attached to this computer. Operation with
non-certified peripherals is likely to result in interference with radio and TV reception.
Radio and television interference
The computer described in this manual generates and uses radio frequency energy for its operation. If it is not
installed and used properly, in strict accordance with the manual, it may cause interference with radio and
television reception.
The computer has been tested and found to comply with the RF emission limits for an FCC Class B
computing device which is intended to provide reasonable protection against such interference in a
residential installation. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular
installation.
If this equipment does cause interference with radio or television reception, which can be determined by
turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of
the following measures:
• Move the computer away from the receiver being interfered with.
• Turn the computer with respect to the receiver.
• Turn the receiver with respect to the computer.
• Plug the computer into an outlet that is on a different branch circuit from the receiver.
• Disconnect and remove any I/O cables that are not being used.
• Unplug and remove any expansion cards that are not being used. Replace the relevant blanking
plates.
• Make sure that the computer is plugged into a grounded outlet
If you need additional help, consult your supplier. You may find the following booklet helpful, How to
Identify and Resolve Radio-TV Interference Problems. This booklet is available from the US Government
Printing Office: Washington DC 20402 - Stock No. 004-000-000345-4.

CONTENTS
CONTENTS/1
CONTENTS
1 THE BEGINNING
Connections 1/1
Turning on and booting up 1/2
Energy saving features 1/3
Installing other software 1/3
Turning the power off 1/4
Cleaning and transporting 1/5
2 THE SYSTEM DRIVES
Using the floppy drive 2/1
Using a CD-ROM drive 2/3
The Hard disk drive 2/5
Software backup 2/7
3 EXPANSION
Configuring a card 3/2
Installing a card 3/6
4 MEMORY UPGRADES
Adding system memory 4/1
Adding cache memory 4/5
Adding video memory 4/7
5 MULTIMEDIA FEATURES
The device drivers 5/1
The CD-ROM drive 5/1
The sound connections 5/3

CONTENTS
CONTENTS/2
6 TROUBLESHOOTING
Problems when starting 6/1
Restoring the Software 6/3
Checklist 6/3
System disk drives 6/5
Software security 6/5
A THE SYSTEM UNIT
Anti-static precautions A/1
Opening the system unit A/2
The components inside A/3
Drive specification A/4
Physical characteristics A/5
B SYSTEM MOTHERBOARD
General specification B/1
Board layout B/2
External ports/connections B/4
Jumper configurations B/6
Replacing CMOS battery B/8
C SYSTEM BIOS AND SET-UP
Entering set-up C/1
Control keys C/1
Set-up runs on its own C/2
Opening screen C/3
Sub-menu pages C/4
Error messages C/11

THE BEGINNING
1/1
1 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. Computers are very easy to use providing you
establish a routine with a few basic disciplines.
Note particularly the information given in the section
‘Energy Saving Features’.
Connections
Individual details of the rear port connections are shown in the
appendix B ‘System Motherboard’, but an overall view is given here.
1 Mains in socket 2 Power out to monitor 3 System security loop
4 Rear audio panel *a 5 Keyboard port 6 PS/2 mouse port
7 Serial port (COM1) 8 Serial port (COM2) *c 9 Parallel/printer port
10 Monitor connection *b
*a See chapter ‘Multimedia’ for details on connections.
*b Looped to TV card, if fitted (see colour detail on ‘connect up’ boxtopper)
*c Not available when system supplied with remote control.
The Security loop (3) above can be used for an alarmed loop cable or a padlocking
mechanism, to help deter either unauthorised removal of the system, or its cover.
1
10101
2
2
10
156789
34

THE BEGINNING
1/2
Turning on and booting the computer
Turning the power on
To turn on the computer, press the lower POWER button. The green
POWER ON light should come on to show that the system unit is
powered. Remember that the monitor has its own power control (see
the monitor’s User’s Guide for details) and that it may take a few
moments to warm up.
If nothing happens when the POWER button is pressed, check that
the system unit and monitor power cords are securely connected and
that the AC power supply is switched on. See also the chapter on
‘Troubleshooting’.
Power-on self-test
Whenever the computer is turned on, the ‘power-on self test’ (POST)
routine checks the actual set-up of the computer against that
recorded in its internal configuration memory. During this time,
various messages are displayed. Further information on the
computer’s Basic In/Out System (BIOS) and its set-up can be found
in Appendix C, ‘System BIOS and set-up’.
The boot sequence
Once through the POST the computer will boot the operating
system. By default, the computer will first look for a system diskette,
then for a bootable hard disk partition or area.
System diskette
A system diskette is a diskette bearing the basics of an operating
system. If the computer finds such a diskette in the diskette drive, it
boots from it. If it finds a non-system diskette, the computer will ask
you to replace it.
Bootable Hard disk
Most computers with a hard disk containing pre-installed software
normally arrive set up with a single ‘partition’, the C: drive.

THE BEGINNING
1/3
Inexperienced or new users should take a few moments to run one or more
of the many tutorials in the HELP menu. This is accessible in Windows 95
by clicking on the START button in the bottom left of the screen.
Comprehensive help and tutorials are available in Windows 95 and in most
of the currently available Windows applications.
Energy Saving features
Standard systems
All models in this range are designed to exceed the requirements of
the latest ‘Energy Star’ programme for energy-efficient computers.
If the system is left unattended for more than a predetermined length
of time, it will go into ‘Low power mode’. The screen will go blank,
software will still run but slower. This is meant to happen. A light
on the purple standby button will be flashing.
To restart the system, just move the mouse, press a keyboard key or
press the purple standby button. Everything will return to the exact
state in which it was left prior to entering ‘Low power’ mode.
The timing and other features of the ‘Low power mode’ can be
changed or disabled in the system BIOS, see appendix C, ‘System
BIOS and set-up’.
Warning
Energy saving features built into this computer are designed to be used with the
monitor supplied with the system. If you wish to use another, or older monitor
it may not be compatible and permanent damage may be caused. Check
with your Apricot dealer.
Installing other software
With a CD-ROM drive in your system it may be a good idea to
purchase all software in that format if possible. It can often be
cheaper and of course CDs are easier to store, being far less bulky.
Some manufacturers still only supply their software on 3.5 inch

THE BEGINNING
1/4
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. The
software’s accompanying literature should tell you, but it is usually
either ‘SETUP’ or ‘INSTALL’.
From the ‘start’ button in Windows select ‘run’ and then enter details
in the box, first the drive letter, either D: or A: followed by the
programme name.
EXAMPLES Software from CD and the name is ‘setup’ = d:setup
or, from floppy, and the name is ‘install’ = A:install
Typical software you might install could be anything from Word
Processing, Accounting, Publishing, Education plus of course,
games.
Turning the power off
Before turning off the computer, run through the following simple
checklist:
• Quit or exit from all the applications you are running, making
sure to save any files you have altered or created. Unless you save
it, information held in the computer’s memory will be lost
when you turn off the computer.
• Select ‘Shut Down’ from the Start menu in Windows. Windows
will then tell you when it is safe to switch off. This procedure
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).

THE BEGINNING
1/5
• To turn off the computer, simply press the POWER button again.
The power indicator on the system goes out. If the monitor is
powered from the system unit, it will be turned off at the same
time.
• After you turn the computer off, wait at least 5 seconds before
turning it on again. The computer may not initialise itself
properly if you turn it off then on again in quick succession.
Cleaning and Transporting
Your Apricot computer requires little physical maintenance other
than occasional cleaning, but you must take care when transporting
it to avoid damage to some of its more delicate components,
particularly the hard disk.
Warning
Turn off the system unit and unplug all power cords before cleaning or moving
the computer.
Cleaning the computer
Do not use solvents or abrasives, they might damage the system
unit surfaces.
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.
• Occasionally wipe the air vents on the rear and sides of the
system unit. Dust and fluff can block the vents and limit the
airflow. A small, clean, soft brush may be useful.

THE BEGINNING
1/6
• Occasionally clean the removable media drives using a special
disk cleaning kit. These are available from many sources.
The monitor
Occasionally wipe the monitor with a soft, slightly damp, lint-free
cloth. It is best to use anti-static glass cleaner on the monitor screen.
Do not spray glass cleaner directly onto the screen, it could run
down inside the case and damage the circuitry.
The keyboard
When necessary, clean the keycaps with a slightly damp cloth and a
minimum amount of a non-abrasive cleaning agent.
Regularly check the keyboard cable for wear and tear, particularly
near table or shelf edges.
Take care not to spill any liquid or drop small objects, e.g. paper
clips or staples, onto the keyboard. Follow these steps if this should
happen to the keyboard and it stops working:
1. Switch off and unplug the keyboard.
2. If the liquid is sticky or viscous, unplug the keyboard and call
your supplier or an authorised maintainer.
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.
4. If a solid object drops between the keys, turn the keyboard
upside down and shake it gently. Do not probe between the
keys as this may cause serious damage.
The mouse
The mouse is the most heavily used component of many systems,
particularly within Windows and is susceptible to damage, but a
little care should minimise this.

THE BEGINNING
1/7
Dust and fluff often accumulates in the ball tracking mechanism of
the mouse and should be checked for regularly. To clean the mouse:
1. Unplug the mouse, turn it upside down and locate the plastic
cover that holds the ball in place. Depending on the model, the
plastic cover can be removed either by rotating it counter-
clockwise or by sliding it forward slightly.
2. Remove the cover and set it aside.
3. Cupping one hand over the underside, turn the mouse back the
right way up. The ball should drop into your hand.
4. Blow gently into the mouse to remove any dust that has
collected there.
5. Inside the mouse there are three small rollers. Using a cotton
swab moistened with a solvent cleaner, gently wipe off any oil or
dust that has collected on the rollers, rotating them to reach all
of their surfaces.
6. Use clear water, or water with a mild detergent, to clean the ball.
Then dry it with a clean, lint-free cloth.
7. Put the ball back in its socket and replace the plastic cover. It
should click into place.
The mouse cable should also be regularly checked for wear and tear,
especially near table or shelf edges.
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’).
Do not try to move the computer while it is plugged into the AC
power supply or with any other cables, network, printer etc., still
attached.

THE BEGINNING
1/8
When lifting and carrying the computer, grip the metal underside of
the system unit. Do not lift the unit by the plastic side trims or the
front bezel. Never attempt to use the door as a carrying handle.
Never attempt to lift the system unit with a monitor on top.
Do not leave floppy disks or CDs in the drives while moving the
system as irreparable damage could occur to either drives or disks.
If you need to transport the computer any great distance, use the
original packing materials.
Warning
If you intend to use the computer in another country, read the information in
the Power Connection Guide before doing anything else.

THE SYSTEM DRIVES
2/1
2 THE SYSTEM DRIVES
This chapter contains useful information about the drives that are
currently fitted in your computer, either behind the front pull-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.
Virtually all software still supplied on floppy disk is now sent out in
HD (or 1.44 MB) format from the manufacturer. This is the type of
drive fitted to your Apricot computer. This drive will however read
the common older type of DS-DD (or 720KB). the immediately
obvious physical differences are shown below.
The true high density floppy has the ‘HD’ logo near the window
and an extra hole beside the label, to enable the drive to identify it.
The other hole, that exists on both disks, is for a write protect tab
(on the underside) which, if closed, will prevent the system from
writing any data onto the disk.
Do not try to force the format of a DS-DD disk to the higher
format of 1.44 Mbytes as this will lead to many formatting errors,
with a very high risk of losing all data placed on that disk. This is
due to the ‘HD’ disk having a very different magnetic surface.

THE SYSTEM DRIVES
2/2
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. Avoid
opening the metal window on the disk as this exposes the magnetic
surface to contamination which could damage the data or cause the
disk to become useless.
Hint
It is always a good idea to keep a few spare ready formatted disks handy for
saving work or backing up your software. Information on formatting disks
and software backup can be found in the Windows 95 help pages.
Inserting a floppy disk
1. Pull down the drive bezel and identify the floppy drive. Test the
button to ensure there are no disks in the drive.
2. Insert the disk with the metal window first, with the label side
uppermost into the drive. This will push open the drive door,
which will stay open, leaving the disk just visible.
3. Push the disk gently home until it “clicks” into place. The drive
button will also move outwards slightly.
.
COMPACT

THE SYSTEM DRIVES
2/3
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.
Using a CD-ROM drive
Unless either a second hard drive has been installed, or the existing
hard drive has been given more than one partition then the CD-
ROM drive is usually drive D:.
There has recently been a vast increase in the amount of multimedia
software supplied on CD format due to its large capacity, typically
600 Mbytes plus.
With the appropriate software, a CD-ROM drive can retrieve
multimedia data from CD-ROM discs, pictures from Multisession
Photo-CD discs and also play commercial audio CDs.
Although the drive has its own headphone jack, with associated
volume level control, for use in playing audio CDs, you can plug in
the power speakers at the rear socket, shown in the chapter
‘Multimedia’. It is also possible to link the headphone socket via a
cable, to your Hi-fi system, and play CDs at higher power.
EMERGENCY
EJECT HOLE
BUSY
INDICATOR EJECT
BUTTON
COMPACT
DISC DRAWER
HEADPHONE JACK
AND HEADPHONE LEVEL

THE SYSTEM DRIVES
2/4
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. If a fault occurs, call an authorised maintainer.
Keep CDs well away from dust, moisture and temperature extremes
and avoid touching the surface of the CD. Store them in solid
containers wherever possible. Replacement plastic CD containers are
available from most large record stores.
Inserting a compact disc
1. Pull down the front drives bezel and identify the CD drive.
2. Press the
EJECT
button on the front of drive.
3. Place the CD centrally face up on the platter.
4. If the platter ejected fully, push the EJECT button again, or gently
push the front of the platter, and it will be drawn back into the
drive.
Note
Wait a few seconds for the CD to spin up to full speed before attempting either
to play the audio tracks or to read data from it.
COMPACT

THE SYSTEM DRIVES
2/5
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.
Do not attempt to move the computer while a CD is in the drive.
Vibration can cause the CD to move and jam in the drive. Serious
damage could be caused to both the CD and the drive, especially if
the drive is active at the time.
To remove a CD manually (for example, during a power failure) you
must first ensure that the computer is turned off. Insert a thin metal
rod (such as an unwound paper clip) into the emergency eject hole.
Push carefully and firmly (see below).
The hard disk drive
All modern computers are fitted with a ‘hard’ disk drive (HDD).
These can have very large capacities. They have delicate, sealed and
air-tight, mechanisms. They operate within microscopic tolerances
and spin at high speed.
Caution
Try not to jar or move the computer while the system is powered up as this
could cause irreparable damage to the delicate drive surface.
COMPACT