Lenovo ThinkCentre A70z 1184 User manual

Machine Types: 1165, 1184, and 1186
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 29.
First Edition (November 2009)
© Copyright Lenovo 2009.
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 a General 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 ..............3
Software overview ............3
Software provided with your Windows operating
system ...............3
Locating computer connectors and parts .....5
Adjusting the computer stand ........7
Chapter 2. Installing or replacing
hardware ..............9
Installing or replacing hardware ........9
Installing external options .........9
Installing a computer wall mount ......9
Replacing the keyboard or mouse ......9
Obtaining device drivers .........10
Installing security features .........10
Integrated cable lock ..........10
Password protection ..........10
Chapter 3. Recovery information....11
Creating and using recovery media ......11
Creating recovery media .........11
Using recovery media ..........11
Installing or reinstalling device drivers .....12
Chapter 4. Using the Setup Utility
program ..............13
Starting the Setup Utility program.......13
Viewing and changing settings ........13
Using passwords ............13
Password considerations .........13
Set User Password ...........14
Set Administrator Password ........14
Setting, changing, and deleting a password. . . 14
Enabling or disabling a device ........14
Selecting a startup device..........15
Selecting a temporary startup device .....15
Selecting or changing the startup device sequence 15
Exiting from the Setup Utility program .....16
Chapter 5. Updating system programs 17
Using system programs ..........17
Updating (flashing) BIOS from a disc......17
Updating (flashing) BIOS from your operating
system ................18
Chapter 6. Troubleshooting and
diagnostics .............19
Basic troubleshooting ...........19
Diagnostic programs ...........20
Lenovo ThinkVantage Toolbox .......20
Lenovo System Toolbox .........20
PC-Doctor for DOS ...........20
Cleaning the mouse ...........21
Optical mouse ............21
Non-optical mouse ...........22
Chapter 7. Getting information, help,
and service .............25
Information resources ...........25
Online Books folder ..........25
Lenovo ThinkVantage Tools ........25
ThinkVantage Productivity Center ......25
Lenovo Welcome ...........26
Access Help .............26
Safety and Warranty ..........26
Lenovo Web site (http://www.lenovo.com). . . 26
Help and service ............27
Using the documentation and diagnostic
programs ..............27
Calling for service ...........27
Using other services ..........28
Purchasing additional services .......28
Appendix. Notices ..........29
Television output notice ..........30
European conformance CE mark .......30
Trademarks ..............30
Index ...............31
© Copyright Lenovo 2009 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 a copy of the ThinkCentre Safety and Warranty Guide, you can
obtain a Portable Document Format (PDF) version from the Lenovo®Support Web
site at:
http://www.lenovo.com/support
© Copyright Lenovo 2009 v

vi User Guide

Chapter 1. Product overview
This chapter describes the computer features, specifications, preinstalled software
programs, and part and connector locations.
Features
This section provides information about the computer features.
System information
The following information covers a variety of models. For information about
your specific model, use the Setup Utility program. See Chapter 4, “Using the
Setup Utility program,” on page 13.
Microprocessor
vIntel®Celeron®dual-core microprocessor
vIntel Core™2 Duo microprocessor
vIntel Pentium®dual-core microprocessor
Memory
vSupports up to two double data rate 2 dual inline memory modules (DDR2
DIMMs)
Internal drives
vOne optical drive
vOne Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA) internal hard disk drive
Audio subsystem
vIntegrated high-definition (HD) audio
vMicrophone connector and headphone connector
vInternal speaker
Connectivity
v10/100/1000 Mbps Ethernet controller
System management features
vAbility to store power-on self-test (POST) hardware test results
vAutomatic power-on startup
vDesktop Management Interface (DMI)
vPreboot Execution Environment (PXE)
vSystem Management (SM) Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) and SM software
vWake on LAN
Input/Output (I/O) features
vEthernet connector
vOne 9-pin serial port
© Copyright Lenovo 2009 1

vSix USB (Universal Serial Bus) connectors
vTwo audio connectors (headphone connector and microphone connector)
Expansion
vOne hard disk drive bay
vOne optical drive bay
Power
v130-watt power supply
vAdvanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) support
Security features
vComputrace
vEnabling or disabling a device
vEnabling or disabling USB connectors
vUser Password and Administrator Password for BIOS access
vStartup sequence control
vStartup without keyboard or mouse
vSupport for the addition of an integrated cable lock (Kensington lock)
Software programs, preinstalled
Your computer might come with preinstalled software programs. If it does, an
operating system, device drivers to support built-in features, and other support
programs are included. For more information, see “Software overview” on page 3.
Operating system, preinstalled
vMicrosoft®Windows®7
vMicrosoft Windows XP Professional
(preinstalled through downgrade rights in Windows 7 Professional)
2User Guide

Specifications
This section lists the physical specifications for your computer.
Dimensions
Width: 472 mm (18.58 inches)
Height: 355 mm (13.98 inches)
Depth: 70 mm (2.76 inches)
Weight
Maximum configuration as shipped: 7.2 kg (15.87 lbs)
Environment
Air temperature:
Operating: 10° to 35°C (50° to 95°F)
Non-operating: -20° to 50°C (-4° to 122°F) (with package)
Humidity:
Operating: 20% 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 3 048 m)
Non-operating: -50 to 35 000 ft (-15.2 to 10 668 m)
Electrical input
Input voltage:
Low range:
Minimum: 100 V ac
Maximum: 127 V ac
Input frequency range: 50 to 60 Hz
High range:
Minimum: 200 V ac
Maximum: 240 V ac
Input frequency range: 50 to 60 Hz
Software overview
The computer comes with a preinstalled operating system and several preinstalled
applications.
Software provided with your Windows operating system
This section describes the software provided with your Windows operating system.
Software provided by Lenovo
The following software programs are provided by Lenovo to help you improve
productivity and reduce the cost associated with maintaining your computer.
Software programs provided with your computer might vary depending on your
model type and preinstalled operating system.
Lenovo ThinkVantage Tools: The Lenovo ThinkVantage®Tools program guides
you to a host of information sources and provides easy access to various tools to
help you work more easily and securely. For more information, see “Lenovo
ThinkVantage Tools” on page 25.
Chapter 1. Product overview 3

Note: The Lenovo ThinkVantage Tools program is only available on computers
with Windows 7 from Lenovo.
ThinkVantage Productivity Center: The ThinkVantage Productivity Center
program guides you to a host of information and tools to help you set up,
understand, maintain, and enhance your computer. For more information, see
“ThinkVantage Productivity Center” on page 25.
Note: The ThinkVantage Productivity Center program is only available on
computers preinstalled with Windows XP from Lenovo.
Lenovo Welcome: The Lenovo Welcome program introduces some innovative
built-in features of Lenovo to you and guides you through some important setup
tasks to help you make the most of your computer.
Note: The Lenovo Welcome program is only available on computers preinstalled
with Windows 7 from Lenovo.
Product Recovery: The Product Recovery program enables you to restore the
contents of the hard disk drive to the factory default settings.
Power Manager: The Power Manager program provides convenient, flexible, and
complete power management for your ThinkCentre®computer. By using the Power
Manager program, you can adjust your power settings to achieve the best balance
between system performance and power saving.
ThinkVantage System Update: The ThinkVantage System Update (TVSU)
program helps you keep the software on your system up-to-date by downloading
and installing software packages (ThinkVantage applications, device drivers, BIOS
updates, and other third party applications).
Lenovo ThinkVantage Toolbox: The Lenovo ThinkVantage Toolbox program
helps you maintain your computer, improve computing security, diagnose
computer problems, get familiar with the innovative technologies provided by
Lenovo, and get more information about your computer. See “Lenovo
ThinkVantage Toolbox” on page 20 for detailed information.
Note: The Lenovo ThinkVantage Toolbox program is only available on computers
preinstalled with Windows 7 from Lenovo.
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 20 for more information.
Note: The Lenovo System Toolbox program is only available on computers
preinstalled with Windows XP from Lenovo.
Adobe Reader
The Adobe Reader program is a tool used to view, print, and search PDF
documents.
See “Online Books folder” on page 25 for more information about accessing the
online books and the Lenovo Web site.
4User Guide

Antivirus software
Your computer comes with antivirus software that you can use to detect and
eliminate viruses. Lenovo provides a full version of antivirus software on your
hard disk drive with a free 30-day subscription. After 30 days, you must renew the
license to continue receiving the antivirus program updates.
Locating computer connectors and parts
This section shows the locations of the connectors and parts of your computer.
1 Integrated camera (some models) 4 Headphone connector
2 USB connectors (3) 5 Power switch
3 Microphone connector
Chapter 1. Product overview 5

1 Power cord connector 4 Serial port
2 Ethernet connector 5 Integrated cable lock slot
3 USB connectors (3) 6 Optical drive
6User Guide

Adjusting the computer stand
Your computer comes with a stand that you can use to position the computer. Pull
the stand open and adjust the position of the computer at an angle of 10° to 35° as
shown in the following illustration.
CAUTION:
Make sure the angle is at least 10° from the vertical; otherwise, the computer
might be unstable and fall over.
10°
35°
Your computer also supports UL (Underwriters Laboratories) certified 100 mm ×
100 mm (3.94 inches × 3.94 inches) wall mounts. For proper mounting, use four
screws of the following specifications:
Diameter × Pitch × Length: 4 mm × 0.7 mm × 10 mm (0.16 inch × 0.03 inch × 0.39
inch)
Chapter 1. Product overview 7

8User Guide

Chapter 2. Installing or replacing hardware
This chapter provides instructions on how to install or replace hardware for your
computer.
Installing or replacing hardware
This section provides instructions on how to install or replace hardware for your
computer. You can expand the capabilities of your computer and maintain your
computer by installing or replacing hardware.
Notes:
1. Use only computer parts provided by Lenovo.
2. When installing or replacing an option, use the appropriate instructions in this
section along with the instructions that come with the option.
Installing external options
You can connect external options to your computer, such as external speakers, a
printer, or a scanner. For some external options, you must install additional
software in addition to making the physical connection. When installing an
external option, see “Locating computer connectors and parts” on page 5 to
identify the required connector. Then, use the instructions that come with the
option to help you make the connection and install any software or device drivers
that are required for the option.
Installing a computer wall mount
Note: When installing a computer wall mount, make sure that you leave at least a
60 mm (2.36 inches) space between the wall and your computer for easy
access to the connectors on the rear of your computer.
Replacing the keyboard or mouse
Attention
Do not open your computer or attempt any repair before reading and
understanding the “Important safety information” in the ThinkCentre Safety
and Warranty Guide that came with your computer. To obtain a copy of the
ThinkCentre Safety and Warranty Guide,goto:
http://www.lenovo.com/support
This section provides instructions on how to replace the keyboard or mouse.
To replace the keyboard or mouse, do the following:
1. Remove any media from the drives. Then, turn off all attached devices and the
computer.
2. Disconnect all power cords from electrical outlets.
3. Disconnect the old keyboard cable or mouse cable from the computer.
© Copyright Lenovo 2009 9

4. Connect a new keyboard or mouse to one of the USB connectors on the
computer. See “Locating computer connectors and parts” on page 5.
5. Reconnect the external cables and power cords to the computer.
Note: In most areas of the world, Lenovo requires the return of the defective
Customer Replaceable Units (CRUs). Information about this will come with
the CRUs or will come a few days after you received the CRUs.
Obtaining device drivers
You can obtain device drivers for operating systems that are not preinstalled at
http://www.lenovo.com/support. Installation instructions are provided in readme
files with the device-driver files.
Installing security features
There are several security options available to help you prevent hardware theft and
unauthorized access to your computer. In addition to physical locks, you can also
prevent unauthorized use of your computer by a software lock that locks the
keyboard until a correct password is typed in.
Note: Make sure that any security cables you installed do not interfere with other
computer cables.
Integrated cable lock
An integrated cable lock, sometimes referred to as the Kensington lock, can be
used to secure your computer to a desk, table, or other non-permanent fixture. The
cable lock attaches to the integrated cable lock slot at the rear of your computer
and is operated with a key. See “Locating computer connectors and parts” on page
5 for the location of the integrated cable lock slot. This is the same type of lock
used with many notebook computers. You can order a security cable directly from
Lenovo by searching for Kensington at:
http://www.lenovo.com/support
Password protection
To deter unauthorized use of your computer, you can use the Setup Utility
program to set a password. When you turn on your computer, you are prompted
to type the password. The computer cannot be used until a valid password is
typed in. Refer to Chapter 4, “Using the Setup Utility program,” on page 13 for
more information.
Figure 1. Connecting the USB keyboard or mouse
10 User Guide

Chapter 3. Recovery information
This chapter provides information about the recovery solutions provided by
Lenovo.
Notes:
1. There are a variety of methods to choose from when considering how to
recover in the event of a software- or hardware-related problem. Some methods
vary depending on the type of your operating system.
2. The product on the recovery media may be used only for the following
purposes:
vRestore the product preinstalled on your computer
vReinstall the product
vModify the product using the Additional Files
Creating and using recovery media
You can use recovery media to restore the hard disk drive to the factory default
settings. Recovery media are useful if you transfer the computer to another area,
sell the computer, recycle the computer, or put the computer in an operational state
after all other methods of recovery have failed. As a precautionary measure, it is
important to create recovery media as early as possible.
Note: The recovery operations you can perform using recovery media vary
depending on the operating system from which the recovery media were
created. The recovery media might contain a boot medium and a data
medium. Your Microsoft Windows license permits you to create only one
data medium, so it is important that you store the recovery media in a safe
place after you have made them.
Creating recovery media
This section provides instructions on how to create recovery media on different
operating systems.
Note: On Windows 7, you can create recovery media using discs or external USB
storage devices. On Windows XP, you can create recovery media using discs
only.
vTo create recovery media on Windows 7, click Start →All Programs →Lenovo
ThinkVantage Tools →Factory Recovery Disks. Then, follow the instructions on
the screen.
vTo create Product Recovery discs on Windows XP, click Start →All Programs →
ThinkVantage →Create Recovery Media. Then, follow the instructions on the
screen.
Using recovery media
This section provides instructions on how to use recovery media.
You can use recovery media to restore the computer to the factory default settings
only. Use recovery media to put the computer in an operational state after all other
methods of recovery have failed.
© Copyright Lenovo 2009 11

Attention: When you use recovery media to restore the computer to the factory
default settings, all the files currently on the hard disk drive will be deleted and
replaced by the factory default settings.
To use recovery media to restore the computer to the factory default settings, do
the following:
1. Depending on the type of your recovery media, connect the boot medium
(memory key or other USB storage device) to the computer, or insert the boot
disc into the optical drive.
2. Repeatedly press and release the F12 key when restarting the computer. When
the Startup Device Menu opens, release the F12 key.
3. Select the desired startup device and press Enter. For example, if you are using
a boot disc, select the optical drive as the startup device. The restoration
process begins.
4. Follow the instructions on the screen.
After restoring the computer to the factory default settings, you might have to
reinstall some software programs or device drivers.
Installing or reinstalling device drivers
Before installing or reinstalling device drivers, make sure that you have a
preinstalled operating system and the documentation and software media for the
device.
Device drivers for factory-installed devices are located in the SWTOOLS\DRIVERS
subdirectory on the computer hard disk drive (usually drive C:). The latest device
drivers for factory-installed devices are also available at http://www.lenovo.com/
support. Other device drivers are on the software media that come with individual
devices.
To install or reinstall a device driver for a factory-installed device, do the
following:
1. Turn on the computer.
2. Use Windows Explorer or My Computer to display the directory structure of
your hard disk drive.
3. Go to the C:\SWTOOLS directory.
4. Open the DRIVERS folder. Within the DRIVERS folder, there are several
subfolders named for various devices installed in your computer, such as
AUDIO or VIDEO.
5. Open the appropriate device subfolder.
6. Do one of the following:
vIn the device subfolder, look for a README.txt file or a file with the .txt
extension. This file might be named after the operating system, such as
WIN98.txt. The TXT file contains information about how to install the device
driver. Follow the instructions to complete the installation.
vIf the device subfolder contains a file with the .inf extension and you want to
install the device driver using the INF file, refer to your Windows Help and
Support information system for the detailed information about how to install
the device driver.
vIn the device subfolder, look for a SETUP.EXE file. Double-click the file and
follow the instructions on the screen.
12 User Guide