Lenovo ThinkCentre A62 3656 User manual

Machine Types: 3658, 7057, 7062, 7092, 9342, 9344, 9354, 9426, 9486,
9624, 9707, 9804, and 9945.
ThinkCentre
User Guide

ThinkCentre
User Guide

Note
Before using this information and the product it supports, be sure to read and understand the ThinkCentre Safety and
Warranty Guide and “Notices,” on page 69.
First Edition (December 2008)
©Copyright Lenovo 2008. All rights reserved.
LENOVO products, data, computer software, and services have been developed exclusively at private expense and
are sold to governmental entities as commercial items as defined by 48 C.F.R. 2.101 with limited and restricted
rights to use, reproduction and disclosure.
LIMITED AND RESTRICTED RIGHTS NOTICE: If products, data, computer software, or services are delivered
pursuant aGeneral Services Administration ″GSA″contract, use, reproduction, or disclosure is subject to restrictions
set forth in Contract No. GS-35F-05925.

Contents
Important safety information ......v
Chapter 1. Product overview ......1
Features ................1
Specifications ..............4
Software overview ............5
Software provided with your Windows operating
system ...............5
Antivirus software ...........6
Locations ...............7
Locating connectors on the front of your computer 7
Locating connectors on the rear of your computer 8
Locating components ..........10
Locating parts on the system board .....11
Chapter 2. Installing options and
replacing hardware .........13
Handling static-sensitive devices .......13
Installing options and replacing hardware ....13
Installing external options ........14
Removing the computer cover .......14
Accessing the system board components and
drives ...............15
Installing or replacing amemory module ...17
Installing or replacing an adapter card ....19
Installing internal drives .........22
Replacing the hard disk drive .......26
Replacing the optical drive ........28
Replacing the diskette drive or card reader ...29
Replacing the battery ..........30
Replacing the heat sink and fan assembly ...32
Replacing the system fan assembly .....33
Replacing the internal speaker .......34
Replacing the keyboard .........36
Replacing the mouse ..........37
Completing the parts replacement ......37
Installing security features .........38
Integrated cable lock ..........39
Padlock...............40
Password protection ..........40
Erasing lost or forgotten passwords (clearing
CMOS) ...............40
Chapter 3. Recovery information ...43
Creating and using Product Recovery discs ....43
Performing backup and recovery operations ...44
Using the Rescue and Recovery workspace ....45
Creating and using rescue media .......46
Creating and using aRecovery Repair diskette ..47
Recovering or installing device drivers .....48
Setting arescue device in the startup sequence ..48
Solving recovery problems .........49
Chapter 4. Using the Setup Utility ...51
Starting the Setup Utility program.......51
Viewing and changing settings ........51
Using passwords ............51
Password considerations .........52
User Password ............52
Administrator Password .........52
Setting, changing, and deleting apassword...52
Enabling or disabling adevice ........52
Selecting astartup device..........53
Selecting atemporary startup device .....53
Selecting or changing the startup device sequence 54
Exiting from the Setup Utility program .....54
Chapter 5. Updating system programs 55
Using system programs ..........55
Updating (flashing) BIOS from adiskette or disc ..55
Updating (flashing) BIOS from your operating
system ................56
Recovering from aPOST/BIOS update failure ...56
Chapter 6. Troubleshooting and
diagnostics .............59
Basic troubleshooting ...........59
Diagnostic programs ...........60
Lenovo System Toolbox .........61
PC-Doctor for Windows PE ........61
PC-Doctor for DOS ...........62
Cleaning the mouse ...........63
Optical mouse ............63
Non-optical mouse ...........63
Chapter 7. Getting information, help,
and service .............65
Information resources ...........65
Online Books folder ..........65
ThinkVantage Productivity Center ......65
Access Help .............66
Safety and Warranty ..........66
Lenovo Web site (http://www.lenovo.com)...66
Help and service ............67
Using the documentation and diagnostic
programs ..............67
Calling for service ...........67
Using other services ..........68
Purchasing additional services .......68
Appendix. Notices ..........69
Television output notice ..........70
Trademarks ..............70
Index ...............71
©Copyright Lenovo 2008 iii

iv User Guide

Important safety information
CAUTION:
Before using this manual, be sure to read and understand all the related safety
information for this product. Refer to the ThinkCentre Safety and Warranty Guide
that you received with this product for the latest safety information. Reading
and understanding this safety information reduces the risk of personal injury
and or damage to your product.
If you no longer have acopy of the ThinkCentre Safety and Warranty Guide,you can
obtain aPortable Document Format (PDF) version from the Lenovo®Support Web
site at:
http://www.lenovo.com/support
©Copyright Lenovo 2008 v

vi User Guide

Chapter 1. Product overview
This chapter provides an introduction to the features and options that are available
for your computer. You can expand the capabilities of your computer by adding
memory modules, drives, or adapter cards. When installing or replacing an option,
use these instructions along with the instructions that come with the option.
Important: Before you install or replace any option, be sure to read and
understand the “Important safety information” first. These precautions
and guidelines will help you work safely.
Note: Use only computer parts provided by Lenovo.
Features
This section provides an overview of the computer features and preinstalled
software.
System information
The following information covers avariety of models. For information about
your specific model, use the Setup Utility. See Chapter 4, “Using the Setup
Utility,” on page 51.
Microprocessor
vAMD Athlon™
vAMD Phenom™
vAMD Sempron™
vInternal cache (size varies by model type)
Memory
vSupports up to four DDR2 DIMMs
(double data rate 2dual inline memory modules)
vFlash memory for system programs (varies by model type)
Internal drives
vDiskette drive or card reader (varies by model type)
vSerial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA) internal hard disk drive
vOptical drive (some models)
Video subsystem
vIntegrated graphics controller for aVGA (Video Graphics Array) connector and a
Digital Visual Interface (DVI) connector (dual display supported)
vPCI Express x16 graphics adapter card slot on the system board
Audio subsystem
vAudio line-in connector, audio line-out connector, and microphone connector on
the rear panel
vHigh Definition (HD) with Realtek ALC662
©Copyright Lenovo 2008 1

vMicrophone connector and headphone connector on the front panel
vMono internal speaker
Connectivity
v10/100/1000 Mbps integrated Ethernet controller
vPeripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) V.90 Data/Fax modem (some models)
System management features
vAbility to store power-on self-test (POST) hardware test results
vASF 2.0 (Alert Standard Format Specification)
vAutomatic power-on startup
vPreboot Execution Environment (PXE) and Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol
(DHCP)
vRemote Administration
vSystem Management (SM) BIOS and SM software
vWake on LAN®
vWake on Ring (in the Setup Utility program, this feature is called Serial Port
Ring Detect for an external modem)
Input/Output (I/O) features
v9-pin serial port (some models)
v25-pin Extended Capabilities Port (ECP)/Extended Parallel Port (EPP)
vDVI monitor connector
vEight USB (Universal Serial Bus) connectors (two on the front panel and six on
the rear panel)
vEthernet connector
vOne external Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (eSATA) connector
through PCI bracket (some models)
vStandard keyboard connector
vStandard mouse connector
vThree audio connectors (audio line-in connector, audio line-out connector, and
microphone connector) on the rear panel
vTwo audio connectors (microphone connector and headphone connector) on the
front panel
vVGA monitor connector
Expansion
vThree drive bays
vTwo 32-bit PCI adapter card slots
vOne PCI Express x1 adapter card slot
vOne PCI Express x16 graphics adapter card slot
Power
v280-watt auto-sensing power supply (some models)
vAutomatic 50/60 Hz input frequency switching
vAdvanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) support
2User Guide

Security features
vCover presence switch (also called intrusion switch) (some models)
vDiskette and hard disk drive I/O control
vKeyboard with fingerprint reader (some models, see the ThinkVantage®
Productivity Center program for more information)
vSerial port and parallel port I/O control
vStartup sequence control
vStartup without diskette drive, keyboard, or mouse
vSupport for the addition of an integrated cable lock (Kensington lock)
vUnattended start mode
vUser and administrator passwords for BIOS access
Preinstalled software
Your computer might come with preinstalled software. If it does, an operating
system, device drivers to support built-in features, and other support programs are
included.
Operating system, preinstalled
Microsoft®Windows Vista®
Note: The Windows Vista operating system might not be available or supported in
all countries or regions.
Operating systems, certified or tested for compatibility1(varies by model type)
vMicrosoft Windows®XP
vLinux®
1. The operating systems listed here are being certified or tested for compatibility at the time this publication goes to press.
Additional operating systems might be identified by Lenovo as compatible with your computer following the publication of this
booklet. Corrections and additions to this list are subject to change. To determine if an operating system has been certified or
tested for compatibility, check the Web site of the operating system vendor.
Chapter 1. Product overview 3

Specifications
This section lists the physical specifications for your computer.
Dimensions
Width: 331 mm (13.0 inches)
Height: 104 mm (4.1 inches)
Depth: 412 mm (16.2 inches)
Weight
Maximum configuration as shipped: 8.8 kg (19.4 lbs)
Environment
Air temperature:
Operating: 10° to 35°C (50° to 95°F)
Non-operating: -40° to 60°C (-40° to 140°F)
Humidity:
Operating: 10% to 80% (10% per hour, non condensing)
Non-operating: 10% to 90% (10% per hour, non condensing)
Maximum altitude:
Operating: -50 to 10,000 ft (-15.2 to 3048 m)
Non-operating: -50 to 35,000 ft (-15.2 to 10,668 m)
Electrical input
Input voltage:
Low range:
Minimum: 100 VAC
Maximum: 127 VAC
Input frequency range: 50/60 Hz
Voltage-selection switch setting: 115 VAC
High range:
Minimum: 200 VAC
Maximum: 240 VAC
Input frequency range: 50/60 Hz
Voltage-selection switch setting: 230 VAC
4User Guide

Software overview
The computer is manufactured with apreloaded operating system, Windows Vista,
and several preloaded applications.
Software provided with your Windows operating system
This section describes the Windows applications provided with your computer.
Software provided by Lenovo
The following software applications are provided by Lenovo to help you improve
productivity and reduce the cost associated with maintaining your computer.
Software provided with your computer may vary depending on your model type.
ThinkVantage Productivity Center: The ThinkVantage Productivity Center
program guides you to ahost of information and tools to help you set up,
understand, maintain, and enhance your computer.
ThinkVantage Rescue and Recovery: The ThinkVantage Rescue and Recovery®
(RnR) program is aone button recovery and restore solution that includes aset of
self-recovery tools to help you diagnose computer problems, get help, and recover
from system crashes quickly, even if the primary operating system could not start.
ThinkVantage Client Security Solution: The ThinkVantage Client Security
Solution (CSS) is available on select Lenovo computers. It helps protect your
information, including vital security information like passwords, encryption keys,
and electronic credentials, while guarding against unauthorized user access to data.
ThinkVantage System Update: The ThinkVantage System Update (TVSU) is a
software application that helps you keep the software on your system up-to-date,
by downloading and installing software packages (TVT applications, device
drivers, BIOS flashes, and other third party applications). Some examples of
software that you should keep updated are programs provided by Lenovo, such as
the Rescue and Recovery program and the Productivity Center program.
Fingerprint Software: The integrated fingerprint reader provided on some
keyboards enables you to enroll your fingerprint and associate it with your
power-on password, hard disk drive password, and Windows password. As a
result, fingerprint authentication can replace passwords and enable simple and
secure user access. Afingerprint reader keyboard is available with select computers
or can be purchased for computers that support this option.
Lenovo System Toolbox
The Lenovo System Toolbox diagnostic program is preinstalled on your hard disk
drive. This diagnostic program works through the Windows operating system to
diagnose hardware problems and report operating-system-controlled settings that
can cause hardware failures. See “Lenovo System Toolbox” on page 61 for more
information.
PC-Doctor for Windows PE
The PC-Doctor for Windows PE diagnostic program is preinstalled on your hard
disk drive. It is part of the Rescue and Recovery workspace on each Lenovo
computer to diagnose hardware problems and report operating-system-controlled
settings that can cause hardware failures. Use the PC-Doctor for Windows PE if
you are unable to start the Windows operating system or if the Lenovo System
Toolbox has not been successful in isolating apossible problem. See “PC-Doctor for
Windows PE” on page 61 for more information.
Chapter 1. Product overview 5

Adobe Reader
The Adobe Reader is atool used to view, print, and search PDF (Portable
Document Format) documents.
See “Online Books folder” on page 65 for more information about accessing the
online books and the Lenovo Web site.
Antivirus software
Your computer comes with antivirus software that you can use to detect and
eliminate viruses. Lenovo provides afull version of antivirus software on your
hard disk drive with afree 30-day subscription. After 30 days, you must renew the
license to continue receiving the antivirus program updates.
For more information about updating your antivirus software, refer to the Access
Help online help system. See “Access Help” on page 66 for instructions on how to
open the online help system.
6User Guide

Locations
Locating connectors on the front of your computer
Figure 1shows the location of the connectors on the front of your computer.
Note: Not all computer models have the following connectors.
1 USB connector 3 Microphone connector
2 Headphone connector 4 USB connector
Figure 1. Front connector locations
Chapter 1. Product overview 7

Locating connectors on the rear of your computer
Figure 2shows the location of the connectors on the rear of your computer. Some
connectors on the rear of your computer are color-coded to help you determine
where to connect the cables on your computer.
1 Standard mouse connector 10 PCI Express x16 graphics adapter card slot
2 Parallel port 11 PCI Express x1 adapter card slot
3 USB connectors (4) 12 Audio line-out connector
4 Ethernet connector 13 Microphone connector
5 Serial port (some models) 14 USB connectors (2)
6 Audio line-in connector 15 VGA monitor connector
7 Power cord connector 16 DVI monitor connector
8 Voltage-selection switch
(some models)
17 Standard keyboard connector
9 Adapter card slots (2)
Figure 2. Rear connector locations
8User Guide

Connector Description
Audio line-in connector Used to receive audio signals from an external audio device,
such as astereo system. When you attach an external audio
device, acable is connected between the audio line-out
connector of the device and the audio line-in connector of the
computer.
Audio line-out connector Used to send audio signals from the computer to external
devices, such as powered stereo speakers (speakers with
built-in amplifiers), headphones, multimedia keyboards, or the
audio line-in connector on astereo system or other external
recording devices.
DVI monitor connector Used to attach aDVI monitor or other devices that use aDVI
monitor connector.
Ethernet connector Used to attach an Ethernet cable for alocal area network
(LAN).
Note: To operate the computer within FCC Class Blimits, use
aCategory 5Ethernet cable.
Microphone connector Used to attach amicrophone to your computer when you want
to record sound or if you use speech-recognition software. This
connector might be located on the front of the computer.
Parallel port Used to attach aparallel printer, aparallel scanner, or other
devices that use a25-pin parallel port.
Serial port Used to attach an external modem, aserial printer, or other
devices that use a9-pin serial port.
Standard keyboard
connector
Used to attach akeyboard that uses astandard keyboard
connector.
Standard mouse connector Used to attach amouse, trackball, or other pointing devices
that use astandard mouse connector.
USB connector Used to attach adevice that requires aUniversal Serial Bus
(USB) connector, such as aUSB keyboard, aUSB mouse, aUSB
scanner, or aUSB printer. If you have more than eight USB
devices, you can purchase aUSB hub, which you can use to
connect additional USB devices.
VGA monitor connector Used to attach aVGA monitor or other devices that use aVGA
monitor connector.
Chapter 1. Product overview 9

Locating components
To remove the computer cover, see “Removing the computer cover” on page 14.
Figure 3shows the location of the various components in your computer.
1 System fan plenum, system fan and
heat sink assembly
7 Battery
2 Microprocessor 8 Power supply assembly
3 Optical drive 9 Adapter card slot
4 Hard disk drive (internal) 10 PCI Express x16 graphics adapter card
slot
5 Diskette drive 11 PCI Express x1 adapter card slot
6 Memory modules (4) 12 Cover presence (Intrusion) switch
Figure 3. Component locations
10 User Guide

Locating parts on the system board
Figure 4shows the location of the parts on the system board.
1 4-pin power connector 13 Internal speaker connector
2 System fan connector 14 Front USB connector 2
3 Microprocessor fan connector 15 Clear CMOS (Complementary Metal-Oxide
Semiconductor)/Recovery jumper
4 Microprocessor and heat sink
assembly
16 Front USB connector 1
5 Memory slots (4) 17 Serial (COM2) connector
6 24-pin power connector 18 Serial (COMl) connector
7 Thermal sensor connector 19 CD-IN connector
8 Diskette drive connector 20 Front audio connector
9 Cover presence (Intrusion) switch
connector
21 Adapter card slots (2)
10 SATA connectors (4) 22 PCI Express x16 graphics adapter card slot
11 Power fan connector 23 PCI Express x1 adapter card slot
12 Front panel connector 24 Battery
Figure 4. System board parts locations
Chapter 1. Product overview 11

12 User Guide