Epson ActionTower 3000 Computer User manual

IMPORTANT NOTICE
DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTY
Epson America makes no representations or warranties, either express or implied, by or
with respect to anything in this manual, and shall not be liable for any implied warranties
of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose or for any indirect, special, or
consequential damages. Some states do not allow the exclusion of incidental or
consequential damages, so this exclusion may not apply to you.
COPYRIGHT NOTICE
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval
system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical,
photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of Epson
America, Inc. No patent liability is assumed with respect to the use of information
contained herein. Nor is any liability assumed for damages resulting from the use of the
information contained herein. Further, this publication and features described herein are
subject to change without notice.
TRADEMARKS
EPSON is a registered trademark of Seiko Epson Corporation.
EPSON Connection and EPSON Direct are service marks of Epson America, Inc.
General Notice: Other product names used herein are for identification purposes only and
may be trademarks of their respective companies
The Energy Star emblem does not represent EPA endorsement of any product or service.
Copyright © 1994 by Epson America, Inc.
Torrance, California, USA
8/94
ii

Important Safety Instructions
Read all of these instructions and save them for later reference. Follow
all warnings and instructions marked on the computer.
l Unplug the computer before cleaning. Clean with a damp cloth only.
Do not spill liquid on the computer.
l Do not place the computer on an unstable surface or near a radiator
or heat register.
l Do not block or cover the openings in the computer’s cabinet. Do not
insert objects through the slots.
l Use only the type of power source indicated on the computer’s label.
l Connect all equipment to properly grounded power outlets. Avoid
using outlets on the same circuit as photocopiers or air control
systems that regularly switch on and off.
l Do not let the computer’s power cord become damaged or frayed.
l If you use an extension cord with the computer, make sure the total
ampere rating of the devices plugged into the extension cord does
not exceed the cord’s ampere rating. Also, make sure the total of all
devices plugged into the wall outlet does not exceed 15 amperes.
l Except as specifically explained in this User’s Guide, do not attempt
to service the computer yourself. Adjust only those controls that are
covered by the operating instructions.
l Unplug the computer and refer servicing to qualified service
personnel under the following conditions:
If the power cord or plug is damaged; if liquid has entered the
computer; if the computer has been dropped or the cabinet damaged;
if the computer does not operate normally or exhibits a distinct
change in performance.
l If you plan to use the computer in Germany, observe the following:
To provide adequate short-circuit protection and over-current
protection for this computer, the building installation must be
protected by a 16 Amp circuit breaker.
Beim Anschluß des Computers an die Netzversorgung muß
sichergestellt werden, da8 die Gebäudeinstallation mit einem
16 A Uberstromschutzschalter abgesichert ist.
iii

Importantes instructions de sécurité
Lire attentivement les instructions suivantes et les conserver pour les
consulter en cas de besoin. Observer soigneusement tous les
avertissements et directives marques sur l’ordinateur.
l Débrancher l’ordinateur avant de le nettoyer. N’utiliser qu’un chiffon
humide. Veiller à ne pas renverser de liquides sur l’appareil.
l Ne pas placer l’ordinateur sur une surface instable ni près d’une
source de chaleur.
l Ne pas bloquer ni couvrir les orifices d'aération de l’appareil. Ne pas
introduire d’objets dans les ouvertures.
l Utiliser settlement le type de source d’alimentation électrique indiqué
sur I’étiquette.
l Tout l’équipement doit âtre branché sur des prises de courant avec
contact de terre. Ne jamais utiliser une prise sur le même circuit
qu’un appareil à photocopies ou un système de contrôle de
ventilation avec commutation marche-arrêt automatique.
l S'assurer que le cordon d’alimentation de l’ordinateur n’est pas
abîmé ni effiloché.
l Dans le cas où on utilise un cordon de rallonge avec l’ordinateur,
s’assurer que l’intensité en ampères requise pour tous les appareils
branchés sur ce cordon ne soit pas supérieure à la capacité du cordon.
S’assurer aussi que cette intensté ne dépasse jamais la somme de 15
amperes pour l’ensemble des appareils.
l Sauf dans les cas spécifiques expliqués dans ce manuel de l’usager,
ne pas essayer d’entretenir ou de réparer l’ordinateur soi-même.
N’ajuster que les commandes décrites dans les directives.
l Débrancher l!ordinateur et contacter un technicien qualifié dans les
circonstances suivantes:
Si le cordon ou la prise sont abîmés; si un liquide a pénétré à
l’intérieur de l’appareil; si on a laissé tomber l’appareil ou si le boîtier
est endommagé; si l’ordinateur ne fonctionne pas normalement ou
fonctionne d'une manière très différente de l’ordinaire.
l Pour utiliser l’ordinateur en Allemagne, il est nécessaire que le
bâtiment soit muni d’un disjoncteur de 16 amperes pour protéger
l’ordinateur contre les courts-circuits et le survoltage.
iv

FCC COMPLIANCE STATEMENT
FOR AMERlCAN USERS
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 interference in a residential installation. This
equipment 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 and
television reception. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a
particular installation. If this equipment does cause interference to radio and 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 receiver
Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the
receiver is connected
Consult an experienced radio/TV technician for help.
WARNING
The connection of a non-shielded equipment interface cable to this equipment will
invalidate the FCC Certification of this device and may cause interference levels that
exceed the limits established by the FCC for this equipment. It is the responsibility of the
user to obtain and use a shielded equipment interface cable with this device. If this
equipment has more than one interface connector, do not leave cables connected to unused
interfaces.
Changes or modifications not expressly approved by the manufacturer could void the
user’s authority to operate the equipment.
FOR CANADlAN USERS
This digital apparatus does not exceed the Class B limits for radio noise emissions from
digital apparatus as set out in the radio interference regulations of the Canadian
Department of Communications.
Le present appareil numérique n’émet pas de bruits radioéelectriques dépassant les limites
applicables aux appareils numériques de Classe B prescrites dans le règlement sur le
brouillage radioélectrique édicté par le Ministère des Communications du Canada.

Contents
Introduction
Video
...................................
2
Energy Savings
..............................
3
VGA Drivers
...............................
3
optional Equipment
..........................
4
How to Use This Manual........................
5
Where to Get Help............................
6
CompuServe On-line Support
..................
7
Chapter 1
Setting up Your system
Unpacking Your Computer
......................
1-1
Setting the Voltage Selector Switch
..................
1-2
Connecting System Components
...................
1-4
Connecting the Power Cord
......................
1-5
Turning Your System On and Off
................... 1-5
Running the SETUP Program
.....................
1-7
Starting the SETUP Program
...................
1-8
The System Setup Option
.....................
1-10
The Fixed Disk Setup Option
................... 1-11
The Advanced System Setup Option
..............
1-12
Setting the Boot Options
.....................
1-14
The System Security and Anti-Virus Options
.........
1-15
Using the Green PC Features
..................
1-18
The System Summary Option
..................
1-19
Exiting SETUP
...........................
1-20
Post-SETUP Procedures
.....................
1-20
v

Chapter 2 Using Your Computer
Working Comfortably
.........................
2-1
Stopping a Comman
d or Program
..................
2-2
Resetting the Computer
........................
2-3
Using Energy Wisely
..........................
2-4
Using Your Green PC Features
....................
2-4
Changing the Processor Speed
.................... 2-5
chapter 3 Installing and Removing Options
Removing the Cover
..........................
3-2
Replacing the Cover
..........................
3-4
Locating the Internal Components
..................
3-5
Changing the Jumper Settings
.....................
3-6
Setting the Jumpers
........................
3-8
Installing Memory Modules
......................
3-10
lnserting SlMMs
..........................
3-12
Removing SIMMs
.........................
3-14
installing an Option Card
.......................
3-15
Removing an Option Card
.......................
3-18
Adding Video Memory
.........................
3-18
Installing External Cache
........................
3-21
installing the External Cache Chips
...............
3-22
Upgrading the Microprocessor
....................
3-24
Replacing the Processor Chip
..................
3-25
Post-installation Procedures
......................
3-27
Chapter 4 Installing and Removing Drives
Removing Mounting Frames
.....................
4-3
Installing a Drive in the Front Internal Drive Bay ..........
4-4
Removing a Drive From the Front Internal Drive Bay
.......
4-8
Installing a Drive in an External Drive Bay
.............
4-10
Removing a Drive From an External Drive Bay ...........
4-13
Installing a Drive in the Rear Internal Drive Bay
..........
4-15
Removing a Drive From the Rear Internal Drive Bay
.......
4-19
Post-installation Procedures
......................
4-21
vi

Chapter 5
Trobleshooting
Identifying Your System
........................
5-1
The Computer Will Not Start
.....................
5-3
The Computer Does Not Respond
..................
5-4
Keyboard Problems
...........................
5-5
Mouse Problems.............................
5-5
Monitor Problems............................
5-6
Diskette Problems
............................
5-7
Diskette Drive Problems
........................
5-8
Hard Disk Drive Problems
.......................
5-8
Password Problems
........................... 5-10
Software Problems
............................
5-11
Printer Problems
.............................
5-12
Option Card Problems
......................... 5-12
Memory Module Problems
.......................
5-13
Controller Problems
........................... 5-14
External Cache Problems
........................
5-14
Appendix A Specifications
CPU and Memory
............................ A-1
Controllers
................................ A-3
lnterfaces
.................................
A-3
Mass Storage
...............................
A-4
Keyboard .................................
A-5
Mouse ...................................
A-5
SETUP Program
.............................
A-5
Physical Characteristics
.........................
A-6
Power Supply
............................... A-6
Option Slot Power Limits
........................ A-6
Environmental Requirements
..................... A-7
Video Resolutions and Colors
.....................
A-7
Hard Disk Drive Types
......................... A-8
Drive Option Information
....................... A-10
Options Available from EPSON
....................
A-11`
Tested Operating Environments
....................
A-12
DMA Assignments
...........................
A-12
vii

Hardware Interrupts
.......................... A-13
System Memory Map
.......................... A-14
System I/O Address Map
....................... A-14
Connector Pin Assignments
...................... A-16
Glossary
Index
viii

lntroduction
Your EPSON
®
computer provides powerful system
performance and offers a wide range of enhancement options.
System features include:
Choice of microprocessor: Intel
®
or Cyrix
®
486SX/25
or /33; DX/33, /40, or /50; DX2/50 or /66; SX2/50;
DX4/75 or /100; or Pentium™ OverDrive™
Energy Star compliant, low-power standby mode for the
hard disk drive and video display
4MB or 8MB of internal memory, expandable to 64MB
System and video BIOS shadow RAM
8KB of internal cache integrated into the microprocessor
and support for up to 256KB of optional external cache on
the main system board
Integrated high-speed, local bus SVGA video interface
512KB (expandable to 1MB) or 1MB of on-board video
memory
Video resolutions up to 1280 x 1024 in 16 colors (with 1MB
of VRAM)
True Color™ support in the 640 x 480 resolution with 1MB
of VRAM
Two built-in serial ports and one built-in bidirectional
parallel port
One built-in PS/2™ compatible keyboard port and one
built-in PS/2 compatible mouse port
Introduction 1

Five 16-bit, ISA-compatible option slots
Space for up to seven mass storage devices (four externally
accessible and three internal)
On-board support for up to two IDE hard disk drives and
two diskette drives (or one diskette drive and one tape
drive)
Math coprocessor integrated into the DX, DX2, and
Pentium microprocessors
Real-time clock and calendar on main system board with
built-in rechargeable battery backup.
Using the built-in interfaces, you can connect most of your
peripheral devices directly to the computer so you do not have
to install option cards. You can use the option slots to enhance
your system with extra functions such as a modem card, a
network controller card, or additional interface ports.
The shadow RAM feature allows your system to speed up
processing by moving the system and video BIOS into the
RAM area of memory.
Video
The local bus SVGA video interface provides data transfer at
the full speed of the processor, rather than at the standard
8.33 MHz ISA bus speed.
With 512KB of video RAM, the SVGA controller supports
standard resolutions up to 640 x 480 in 16 colors and extended
resolutions up to 640 x 480 in 256 colors or 1024 x 768 in 16
colors (interlaced and non-interlaced). With 1MB of VRAM, it
supports extended resolutions up to 1280 x 1024 in 16 colors.
2 Introduction

Energy Savings
In standard configurations, this computer complies with the
United States Environmental Protection Agency’s Energy Star
Program, which promotes the manufacture of energyefficient
printers, computers, and monitors. Your computer’s
“Green PC” feature places the hard disk drive in a low-power
standby mode when the mouse and keyboard have been
inactive for a specified period of time. It also stops sending
video signals to your monitor.
Note
If you have an Energy Star compliant monitor, it also goes
into a low-power standby mode because it isn’t receiving
video signals from your computer. (Screens on
noncompliant monitors go blank, but do not enter a
low-power standby mode.)
VGA Drivers
Your computer comes with VGA drivers and utilities for use
with the integrated video interface. With these drivers, you can
take advantage of the extended VGA features such as higher
resolutions and 132-column text mode when you run popular
applications. If your system was configured for you, these
drivers and utilities may be installed on your hard disk. If you
need to install them yourself, see the instructions in Chapter 1.
To obtain drivers for additional applications, call the EPSON
. Connection”” or access the Epson America Forum on
CompuServe.*
Introduction 3

Optional Equipment
You can easily upgrade your computer by installing additional
memory and a wide variety of options, as described in
Chapters 3 and 4.
Memory By adding 1MB, 2MB, 4MB, 8MB, 16MB, or
32MB SIMMs (single inline memory
modules) to the main system board, you
can expand the computer’s memory up to
64MB.
Video
memory
CPU
Cache
Drives
You can increase the video memory in
your system to 1MB, which allows you to
use higher resolutions with more colors.
Your system supports a variety of
microprocessors, including 5 Volt, 3.3 Volt,
3.45 Volt, and 3.6 Volt processors; see
Chapter 3 for more information.
You can increase the external cache
memory size to 64KB, 128KB, or 256KB by
installing cache SRAM chips on the main
system board, allowing you to access data
faster and improve overall system
performance.
Your system supports up to seven mass
storage devices, including hard disk
drives, diskette drives, a tape drive, a
CD-ROM drive, or an optical drive.
4 Introduction

How to Use This Manual
You do not have to read everything in this manual; check the
following chapter summaries.
Chapter 1 provides simple instructions for setting up your
system and for turning it on and off. It also describes running
the SETUP program to define your computer’s configuration.
Chapter 2 covers general operating procedures, resetting the
computer, using the Green PC features, and changing the
processor speed.
Chapter 3 describes how to remove and replace the computer’s
cover, change jumper settings, and install optional equipment
such as option cards and memory modules.
Chapter 4 explains how to install and remove drives.
Chapter 5 contains troubleshooting tips.
Appendix A lists the specifications of your computer.
At the end of this manual you’ll find a Glossary, an Index, and
a list of EPSON’s U.S. and international marketing locations.
Introduction 5

Where to Get Help
If you purchased your computer in the United States or
Canada, EPSON provides customer support and service
through a network of Authorized EPSON Customer Care
Centers. EPSON also provides support services through the
EPSON Connection. In the United States, dial (800) 92245911. In
Canada, dial (800) GO-EPSON.
Call the EPSON Connection for the following:
Technical assistance with the installation, configuration,
and operation of EPSON products
Assistance in locating your nearest Authorized EPSON
Reseller or Customer Care Center
Customer Relations
EPSON technical information library fax service
Product literature on current and new products.
You can purchase accessories, manuals, or parts for EPSON
products from EPSON Accessories at [phone] (U.S. sales
only). In Canada, call (800) GO-EPSON for sales locations.
When you call for technical assistance, be ready to identify
your system and its configuration, and provide any error
messages to the support staff. See Chapter 5 for more
information.
If you purchased your computer outside the United States or
Canada, contact your EPSON dealer or the marketing location
nearest you for customer support and service. International
marketing locations are listed at the end of this manual
6 Introduction

If you need help with any software application program you
are using, see the documentation that came with that program
for technical support information.
CompuServe On-line Support
If you have a modem, the fastest way to access helpful tips,
specifications, drivers, application notes, tables for DIP switch
or jumper settings, and bulletins for EPSON products is
through the Epson America Forum on CompuServe.
If you are not currently a member of CompuServe, you are
eligible for a free introductory membership as an owner of an
EPSON product. This membership entitles you to:
An introductory $15 credit on CompuServe
Your own user ID and password
A complimentary subscription to CompuServe Magazine,
CompuServe’s monthly publication.
To take advantage of this offer, call [phone] in the United
States and Canada and ask for representative #529. In other
countries, call the following U.S. telephone number:
[phone] or your local CompuServe access number.
If you are already a CompuServe member, simply type
GO EPSON at the menu prompt to reach the Epson America
Forum;
Introduction 7

Chapter 1
Setting Up Your System
This chapter briefly describes how to set up your computer. It
includes the following information:
Unpacking your computer
Setting the voltage selector switch
Connecting system components
Turning the computer on and off
Running the SETUP program
Post-SETUP procedures.
Unpacking Your Computer
When you unpack your system, make sure you have the items
shown below.
setting Up Your system
1-1

If you purchased any optional equipment that goes inside the
computer-such as option cards, memory modules, or
drives-you should install these devices before you connect
your computer. See Chapters 3 and 4 for instructions.
Setting the Voltage Selector Switch
Your system is powered by a 200 Watt power supply. The
power supply voltage is controlled by a voltage selector switch
on the computer’s back panel. You can set this switch to
110 VAC or 220 VAC.
EPSON ships the computer with the voltage selector switch set
to 110 VAC. This setting is appropriate for line source voltages
between 100 and 120 VAC, and is generally the appropriate
setting to select if you plan to use your computer in North
America, South America, or Japan.
If you plan to operate the computer in the United Kingdom,
Europe, or some South American countries, you will probably
need to reset the voltage selector switch to 220 VAC. Doing so
allows your computer to handle line source voltages between
200 and 240 VAC, which are standard in Europe.
1-2 Setting Up Your System

caution
Before you turn on the power to your system, make sure the
voltage selector is set to the appropriate setting for the
electrical power source in your location or you will seriously
damage your system.
To change the voltage selector switch setting, slide the switch
to the right to select 220 VAC or to the left to select 110 VAC.
voltage
selector
switch
Setting Up Your System
1-3

Connecting System Components
Use the following illustration to locate the ports on the back of
your system as you connect the keyboard, monitor, printer, and
other devices.
caution
Although the connectors and ports for the mouse and
keyboard are physically identical, they cannot be used
interchangeably. Be sure to plug the mouse connector into
the MOUSE port, or you may damage your system.
1-4 setting Up Your system