DFI G486VPA User manual

G486VPA
Rev. A +
System Board
User’s Manual
-D26450623-

vCopyright1995byDFI,Inc.
All rights reserved.
No part of this document may be copied, reproduced in
any form or by any means or used to make any transfor-
mation/adaptation without the prior written consent of
DFI, Inc.
DFI, Inc. makes no warranties with respect to this
documentation and disclaims any implied warranties of
merchantability, quality, or fitness for any particular
purpose. The information in this document is subject to
change without notice. DFI, Inc. reserves the right to
make revisions to this publication and to make changes
to any and/or all parts of its content, at any time,
without obligation to notify any person or entity of such
changes. Further, DFI, Inc. assumes no responsibility
for any errors that may appear in this document.
DFI is a registered trademark, and G486VPA is a
trademark of Diamond Flower, Inc. All other product
names mentioned are trademarks or registered trade-
marks of their respective companies.

vFCC Statement on Class B
This equipment 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 interfer-
ence when the equipment is operated in a residential
installation. This equipment generates, uses and can
radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and
used in accordance with the instruction manual, may
cause harmful interference to radio communications.
However, there is no guarantee that interference will
not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment
does cause harmful interference to 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:
•Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
•Increase the separation between the equipment and
the receiver.
•Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit
different from that to which the receiver is
connected.
•Consult the dealer or an experienced radio TV
technician for help.
Notice:
1. The changes or modifications not expressly
approved by the party responsible for compliance
could void the user's authority to operate the
equipment.
2. Shielded interface cables must be used in order to
comply with the emission limits.

v Table of Contentsv
Introduction ..............................................................................
Features and Specifications .........................................
Package Checklist ........................................................
Installation Overview ...............................................................
Preparing the Area ..............................................................
Handling the System Board ................................................
Tips in Handling the System Board ..............................
Hardware Installation...........................................................
Memory Installation .......................................................
Installing the Modules ............................................
Board Configuration ......................................................
Jumper Settings for Internal/External Battery,
CMOS Clean, Flash EPROM, PS/2 Mouse ......
Jumper Settings for Super I/O Setting ..................
Jumper Settings for PCI Slots ...............................
Cache Configuration .....................................................
Jumper Settings for Cache Memory ......................
CPU Installation ............................................................
Jumper Settings for CPU .......................................
Jumpers JP8, JP12, JP17, JP20, JP25, JP27 and
JP28 ..................................................................
Installing Upgrade CPUs .......................................
Built-in Ports ........................................................................
Serial Ports ...................................................................
Parallel Port ..................................................................
Floppy Disk Drive Connector ........................................
IDE Hard Disk Connector .............................................
PS/2 Mouse Port ...........................................................
Installing Expansion Cards ..................................................
Installing the System Board ................................................
1-1
1-2
1-5
2-1
2-1
2-2
2-2
2-3
2-3
2-8
2-9
2-10
2-14
2-16
2-18
2-20
2-27
2-28
2-44
2-45
2-50
2-51
2-51
2-54
2-55
2-58
2-59
2-61

3-1
3-2
3-2
3-5
3-7
3-8
3-9
3-10
3-10
3-11
3-11
3-12
3-13
3-14
3-14
4-1
5-1
A-1
B-1
C-1
D-1
E-1
F-1
G-1
H-1
Initial Setup Program ..............................................................
Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utilities .....................................
Standard CMOS Setup .................................................
BIOS Features Setup ....................................................
Chipset Features Setup ................................................
Power Management Setup ...........................................
PCI Configuration Setup ...............................................
Load BIOS Defaults ......................................................
Load Setup Defaults .....................................................
Password Setting ..........................................................
Supervisor Password .............................................
User Password .......................................................
IDE HDD Auto Detection ..............................................
Save & Exit Setup .........................................................
Exit Without Saving .......................................................
IDE Device Drivers ..................................................................
Troubleshooting Checklist .....................................................
Appendix A:Types of Modules ..............................................
Appendix B:System Error Report .........................................
Appendix C:Memory & I/O Maps ..........................................
Appendix D:PCI I/O Pin Assignments ..................................
Appendix E:ISA I/O Pin Assignments ..................................
Appendix F:Connector Pin Assignments ............................
Appendix G:Award BIOS Hard Disk Table ...........................
Appendix H: System Overview ..............................................

PCI/ISASystemBoard
1-1 uIntroduction
vIntroduction
The G486VPA system board offers several advanced
features integrated into the system board. Its design is
based on the new Peripheral Component Interconnect
(PCI) local bus and Industry Standard Architecture
(ISA) standards.
The G486VPA is an Enetgy Star Compliant system
board that supports the Environmental Protection
Agency's Green PC requirements. It reduces energy
consumption by automatically turning off peripherals
or the entire system when not in use.
The G486VPA system board supports a 237-pin Zero
Insertion Force (ZIF) CPU socket that allows users to
easily upgrade their CPUs. It also supports a Flash
EPROM for easy BIOS upgrades. Flash EPROM is a
memory chip for the storage of BIOS which can be
erased in bulk or modified using a software utility.
The G486VPA is equipped with three PCI slots, three
ISA slots and one shared PCI/ISA slot.
Equipped with one built-in VL-Bus IDE connector and
one ISA IDE connector, the G486VPA system board can
control four drives and supports fast Mode 3 hard drives
and hard drives larger than 528MB under DOS. The
system board is also equipped with two serial ports, an
ECP/EPP parallel port, a floppy disk drive controller,
and one mini-DIN-6 connector for the PS/2 mouse.
The G486VPA can support 1MB to 128MB of memory
using 256Kx36, 512Kx36, 1Mx36, 2Mx36, 4Mx36,
8Mx36 and 16Mx36 72-pin SIM modules.

G486VPA
Introduction u1-2
Processor
•5V CPUs
Intel 486SX/DX/DX2 (full series) and PentiumTM
OverDrive Processor
AMD 486DX/DXL/DXL2 (full series)
Cyrix 486SX/DX/DX2 (full series)
•3.3V CPUs
Intel 486DX4-75/100
AMD 486DX2-66/80NV8T,
486DX4-75/100NV8T,
486DX2-66/80 SV8B (starting with Rev. A)
486DX4-75/100 SV8B
Cyrix 486DX2V-50/66/80
Chipset
•VIA - VT82C496G - system and cache controller
VT82C505 - VL-PCI bridge
VT82C406 - peripheral chip
Power Management
•Supports System Management Mode (SMM) and
CPU stopped clock
•Hardware provides flexible event-driven power
management scheme and easy CPU transition state:
Ready, Doze and Suspend
•Microsoft APM compliant
•EPA Energy Star compliant design
BIOS
•Award system BIOS (Flash EPROM)
•Supports IDE HDDs larger than 528MB under DOS
(LBA mode only)
•System and EGA/VGA BIOS shadow
Features and Specifications

PCI/ISASystemBoard
1-3 uIntroduction
Super I/O Interface and Fast IDE
•Two NS16C550 compatible serial ports
•One parallel port with EPP and ECP support
•Supports 360K, 720K, 1.2M, 1.44M and 2.88MB
floppy drives
•Two fast IDE connectors:
Primary IDE connector provides a VL-Bus IDE
Interface to support up to two Mode 3
enhanced HDDs
Secondary IDE connector provides an ISA IDE
Interface to support an ATAPI Compliant
CD-ROM or a tape drive
•PS/2 mouse port
Cache Memory
•128K, 256K, 512K or 1MB
•Supports Level 1 and Level 2 write-back/
write-through cache
Memory Onboard
•1MB to 128MB
•Four 72-pin SIMM sockets
•Supports memory parity check function
•256Kx36, 1Mx36, 4Mx36, and 16Mx36 (four banks)
•512Kx36, 2Mx36 and 8Mx36 (two banks)
Expansion Slots
•Three dedicated PCI slots
•One shared PCI/ISA slot
•Three dedicated 16-bit ISA slots

G486VPA
Introduction u1-4
Due to the size of the CPU with its accompanying
heatsink/fan component, the following are the slot
limitations:
PCI/ISA shared slot and PCI slot 2 will be limited
to 2/3 length PCI cards.
ZIF Socket
•237-pin ZIF socket (Intel Socket 3)
Board Dimensions
•28cm (11.02") x 22cm (8.58")
Baby AT form factor
PCB
•4 layers

PCI/ISASystemBoard
1-5 uIntroduction
Package Checklist
The G486VPA package contains the following items:
•The G486VPA system board
•The G486VPA user’s manual
•One IDE driver diskette
•One 34-pin floppy disk drive cable
•Two 40-pin IDE hard disk cables
•One 25-pin printer port cable for chassis mounting
•One card-edge bracket with serial and mouse port
cables
If any of these items are missing or damaged, please
contact your dealer or sales representative for assistance.

G486VPA
vInstallation Overview
This chapter summarizes the steps in installing the
G486VPA system board into your system unit. It also
includes a description of the area in which you must
work and directions for memory installation. Before
installing the system board, obtain the memory you plan
to install. Please refer to the memory chart on pages 2-4,
2-5 and 2-6 for the number and type of SIM modules
needed for the amount of memory you require.
Preparing the Area
Before unpacking the system board, make sure the
location you have selected is relatively free of dust and
static electricity. Excessive exposure to dust, static
electricity, direct sunlight, excessive humidity, extreme
cold, and water can damage the operational capabilities
of your system board. Avoid placing the unit on soft
surfaces such as beds and carpeted floors which can
hinder air circulation. These areas also attract static
electricity which can damage some circuits on your
system board.
Make sure that the power source has a properly
grounded, three-pronged socket. It is essential that the
power connection be properly grounded for correct
functioning of your system board. For further protection,
we recommend that you use a surge suppressor. This
will protect the system board from damage that may
result from a power surge on the line.
InstallationOverview u 2-1

PCI/ISASystemBoard
2-2 uInstallation Overview
Move items that generate magnetic fields away from
your system board, since magnetic fields can damage
your system board. Once you have selected the ideal
location, unpack the G486VPA system board carefully.
Handling the System Board
It is quite easy to inadvertently damage your system
board even before installing it to your system unit.
Static electrical discharge can damage computer compo-
nents without causing any signs of physical damage.
You must take extra care in handling the system board
to ensure against electrostatic build-up.
Tips in Handling the System Board
1) To prevent electrostatic build-up, leave the board in
its anti-static bag until you are ready to install it.
2) Wear an antistatic wriststrap.
3) Do all preparation work on a static-free surface with
components facing up.
4) Hold the system board by its edges only. Be careful
not to touch any of the components, contacts or
connections, especially gold contacts on the board.
5) Avoid touching the pins or contacts on all modules
and connectors. Hold modules and connectors by
their edges.

G486VPA
Installation Overview u2-3
Warning:
Electrostatic discharge (ESD) can damage your upgrade
processor, disk drives, add-in boards, and other
components. Perform the upgrade instruction
procedures described at an ESD workstation only. If
such a station is not available, you can provide some
ESD portection by wearing an antistatic wrist strap and
attaching it to a metal part of the system chassis. If a
wrist strap is unavailable, establish and maintain
contact with the system chassis throughout any
procedures requiring ESD protection.
Hardware Installation
Memory Installation
The G486VPA system board can support 1MB to
128MB of memory using HSIM modules. HSIM is an
acronym for High Density Single In-line Memory.
A SIM module consists of several RAM chips soldered
onto a small circuit board. A SIM module connects to
the system board via a 72-pin card-edge connector.
The SIM sockets are divided into four banks on the
system board. The G486VPA uses 256Kx36, 1Mx36,
4Mx36, and 16Mx36 HSIM modules installed in four
banks or 512Kx36, 2Mx36 and 8Mx36 HSIM modules
installed in two banks.
You will need 1, 2, 3 or 4 pieces of SIM modules,
depending on the amount of memory you intend to
install. The following table summarizes the bank loca-
tions and modules needed for the corresponding memory
sizes.

PCI/ISASystemBoard
Bank2Bank3MemorySizeBank0Bank1
1M1M-
2M1M1M
3M1M1M
4M1M1M
4M4M-
5M4M1M
6M4M1M
7M4M1M
8M4M4M
9M4M4M
10M4M4M
12M4M4M
13M4M4M
16M4M4M
16M16M-
17M16M1M
18M16M1M
19M16M1M
20M16M4M
21M16M4M
22M16M4M
24M16M4M
25M16M4M
28M16M4M
32M16M16M
33M16M16M
34M16M16M
36M16M16M
40M16M16M
48M16M16M
49M16M16M
52M16M16M
64M16M16M
64M64M-
- -
- -
1M-
1M1M
- -
- -
1M-
1M-
- -
1M-
1M1M
4M-
4M1M
4M4M
- -
- -
1M-
1M1M
- -
1M-
1M1M
4M-
4M1M
4M4M
- -
1M-
1M1M
4M-
4M4M
16M-
16M1M
16M4M
16M16M
- -
2-4 uInstallation Overview

G486VPA
Bank2Bank3
- -
- -
1M-
4M-
- -
1M-
4M-
- -
64M-
- -
1M-
1M-
2M(D)*-
4M-
4M1M
4M4M
16M-
16M1M
16M4M
- -
1M-
4M-
4M1M
4M4M
8M(D)*-
16M-
16M1M
16M4M
64M-
16M(D)*-
- -
1M-
2M(D)*-
4M-
MemorySizeBank0Bank1
65M64M1M
68M64M4M
69M64M4M
72M64M4M
80M64M16M
81M64M16M
84M64M16M
128M64M64M
128M64M-
2M2M(D)*-
3M2M(D)*-
4M2M(D)*-
4M2M(D)*-
6M2M(D)*-
7M2M(D)*-
10M2M(D)*-
18M2M(D)*-
19M2M(D)*-
22M2M(D)*-
8M8M(D)*-
9M8M(D)*-
12M8M(D)*-
13M8M(D)*-
16M8M(D)*-
16M8M(D)*-
24M8M(D)*-
25M8M(D)*-
28M8M(D)*-
72M8M(D)*-
32M16M(D)*-
32M32M(D)*-
33M32M(D)*-
34M32M(D)*-
36M32M(D)*-
Installation Overview u2-5
*(D)-DoubleDensity

PCI/ISASystemBoard
*(D)-DoubleDensity
Note:
If a double row 36-bit SIMM (Double Density SIMM) is
installed in Bank 2 or Bank 3, the other three banks
cannot support 16MB modules.
4M1M
4M4M
8M(D)*-
16M-
16M1M
16M4M
32M(D)*-
64M-
MemorySizeBank0Bank1
37M32M(D)*-
40M32M(D)*-
40M32M(D)*-
48M32M(D)*-
49M32M(D)*-
52M32M(D)*-
64M32M(D)*-
96M32M(D)*-
2-6 uInstallation Overview
Bank2Bank3

G486VPA
PCI4
PCI3
PCI2
PCI1
ISASL1
ISASL2
ISASL3
ISASL4ISASL8
ISASL7
ISASL6
ISASL5VIA
VT82C406
VIA
VT82C505
PC87332VF
VIA
VT82C496G
SM1BANK0SM2
SM3BANK2
BANK1
SM4BANK3
• Pin 1 of the SIMM socket
Locations of the SIM Sockets on the System Board
Note:
If you intend to install the amount of memory that can
be supported by one piece of HSIM module, you can
install it in any of the banks. The bank you choose is
considered to be Bank 0. Each of the four banks can
assume the function of the Bank 0 only if there is one
HSIMM installed.
Installation Overview u2-7

PCI/ISASystemBoard
Installing the Modules
An HSIM module simply snaps into a socket on the
system board. Pin 1 of the HSIM module must corre-
spond with Pin 1 of the socket.
1. Position the HSIM module above the socket with the
“notch” in the module aligned with the “key” on the
socket.
2. Seat the module at a 45oangle into the bank. Make
sure it is completely seated. Tilt the module upright
until it locks in place in the socket.
2-8 uInstallation Overview

G486VPA
Board Configuration
InstallationOverview u 2-9
PCI
4
PCI
3
PCI
2
PCI
1
SM
1SM 2SM 3SM 4
VT82C496G
ISA Slot 1
VT82C406MV
VT82C505
PCB7332
VF
BIOS
ISA Slot 2 ISA Slot 3
ISA Slot 4
ISA Slot 5
ISA Slot 6 ISA Slot 7 ISA Slot 8
TAG
Bank1
Bank0
J14J13J12J11J10J9J8J7JP40
JP36-JP34JP33
JRN3JRN2
JRN1
JP42JP38
JP39JP37
JP41JP32JP31
JP25
JP26
JP27
JP28
JP15
JP22JP24JP23
JP21
JP19
JP18
JP17
JP13
JP14
JP12
JP11
JP16
JP4JP2
JP1
JP3
CN3
CN2
J2J1PL1
J4
J3
JP8
J6
J5
System Board Layout

PCI/ISASystemBoard
Jumper Settings
Jumper Settings for Internal/External Battery, CMOS Clean, Flash
EPROM, PS/2 Mouse
PCI4
PCI3
PCI2
PCI1
JP16
JP1
JP2
JP4E
P
R
O
M
Locations of Jumpers JP1, JP2, JP4 and JP16
on the G486VPA System Board
2-10 uInstallation Overview