MICRO BYTE PC230 User manual

P C 2 3 0
PERSONAL COMPUTER
USER MANUAL

P C 2 3 0
PERSONAL COMPUTER
USER MANUAL

PC230 User Manual
Second Edition (August 1988)
Version 1.2
MICRO BYTE SYSTEMS Co. Pty. Ltd. provides this manual
on an "as is" basis without warranty
of any kind, either express
or implied, including, but not limited to the implied warranties
of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose. MICRO
BYTE SYSTEMS may make changes and or improvements to
this manual
and/or to the equipment described herein at any
time without notice.
While every effort has gone into checking the drafts, this
manual could contain typographical errors and technical
inaccuracies. The computer system described in this manual
is undergoing constant development and changes will occur on
a regular basis. Future editions
of this publication will
incorporate these changes.
MICRO BYTE SYSTEMS Co. Pty. Ltd. 1988
This manual was compiled by the Customer and Technical
Support Departments
of MICRO BYTE SYSTEMS Co. Pty.
Ltd.

Contents
1. Introduction
2. Unpacking and Setting Up
Hints for new users
The components
Rear panel ports and connectors
Choosing a monitor
Assembling your PC230 computer system
Choosing and fitting a printer
Starting the system
3. Configuring the System
Permanent changes
Temporary changes via the Keyboard
Temporary changes via SETUP
Formatting and setting up your hard disk
4. Upgrading and Expanding your PC230
Keeping up to date
What
is SOFTBIOS?
Software upgrading procedure
Adding a floppy disk drive
Adding a hard disk
Adding the expansion adapter
5. Inside your PC230
PC230 mother board
PC230 address maps
On-board RAM
Monitor type selection jumpers
Connector pin assignments
Page
1.1
2.1
2.1
2.4
2.7
2.8
2.9
2.11
3.1
3.12
3.12
3.14
4.1
4.1
4.2
4.4
4.5
4.8
5.2
5.4
5.5
5.5
5.6

Introduction
YOUR PC230 is a very powerful computer designed for
business and professional
use. For any application where speed
and accuracy is demanded of a personal computer the PC230
must surely be a leader.
In addition to its efficiency
and speed, the PC230 incorporates
very high resolution screen addressing and brilliant colour
presentation. These factors combine to make this computer an
ideal tool for education
and training purposes.
Your PC230 runs all the normal software better than most other
computers
on the market. In addition all the common add-on
cards are already built into the mother board. This allows the
sl~e~ design of the PC230 and keeps your add-on cost to a
mInimum.
Here is a summary of the features which help to make the
PC230 one of the most outstanding PC's available.
1. NEC V30 CPU
The heart of your PC230 is a V30 CPU (Central Processing
Unit) running
at 5, 7 or 10M Hz. (At lOMHz the PC230
is 5 times faster than the conventional IBM PC XT which
runs
at 4.77MHz). The V30 is a 16-bit CPU capable of
addressing up to 1Mb of physical memory. This CPU is
fully code compatible with the Intel 8088, 8086 family.
To enable your PC230 to be compatible with time critical
operations, such
as games programs, emulation and
telecommunication operations, we have enabled you to
switch from 5 to 7
MHz or lOMHz through both keyboard
commands
and permanent set up commands. Refer to
Section 3 (Configuring the System).
2. RAM and ROM
Your PC230 has 1Mb of standard memory (RAM). There
is one ROM socket, holding Micro Byte Systems' own
BIOS. There are also 114 bytes of CMOS RAM with battery
back-up. The CMOS RAM holds the system configuration
details.
Page
1.1

PC230 User Manual
Page 1.2
3. Internal Clock/Calendar
There
is a real-time clock/calendar with battery back-up
for maintaining the correct time and date.
4. Expansion slots
There are 2 slots for expansion cards which are compati-
ble with the
PC / XT expansion slots. These will accom-
modate cards providing extra facilities such as
an internal
modem, a bus mouse or networking ability.
5. Floppy disk drives
Your PC230 can be fitted internally with up to two
nOkb
or 1.44Mb 3.5 inch floppy disk drives and either a 360kb
or a 1.2Mb external 5.25 inch floppy disk drive.
6. Keyboard
Your PC230 comes fitted with either a
10 1 key AT style
keyboard
or an 84 key XT style detachable keyboard.
7. Power supply
Your PC230
is fitted with a 60 Watt, 220 / 110 Volt switch-
ing power supply. This
is more than adequate as your
PC230 requires only
30 watts, with two floppy disk drives
and a hard drive fitted.
8. Operating system
Your PC230
is compatible with the IBM PC XT, which
means it can run all those programs, operating systems,
and languages that
XT's and compatibles can run.

Unpacking and Setting Up
Hints
for new
users
The
components
WHEN SELECTING the location for your new PC230
computer system, keep the following points in mind:
• Avoid brightly lit areas where strong back-lighting or
glaring reflections on the screen could make reading the
monitor difficult and possibly cause
eye strain.
• Avoid built in or enclosed areas which could restrict free
air movement around your PC230.
• Try to select
an area which will reduce the amount of dust
reaching your PC230. This
will extend the life of the PC230
computer system and reduce the need for maintenance.
• It is unwise to set up your PC230 computer system in a
room which has a plastic
or a nylon carpeted floor. Your
body could generate enough static electricity, especially
during dry weather, for a single touch to damage your
PC230 computer system.
PC230 Computer
Unpack your PC230 from the packaging box and place it
securely
on a firm table. With your computer you should find
the
following:-
l. PC230 User Manual (this booklet)
2. Approved Power Cord (Australian)
3. MS-DOS 3.30 Diskettes
4. MS-DOS 3.30 User Manual
5. PC230 Computer System Warranty Card
6. GW-BASIC User Manual (if purchased)
7. External Disk Drive (if purchased)
Take the time to read and understand the WARRANTY card.
Now
is as good a time as any to fill it out and return it to
MICRO BYTE SYSTEMS Co. Pty. Ltd.
Page
2.1

PC230 User Manual
Page 2.2
KEYBOARD
if,
84 Key XT keyboard
101 Key A T keyboard
You will have ordered either the 84 key XT style or the 101 key
AT style keyboard. Open the box carefully and remove the
keyboard.
You will find the keyboard and its cable wrapped
in clear plastic. Remove the plastic taking care not to damage
the round cable connector.
MONITOR
Monochrome monitor
Locate the monitor shipping box and open it carefully. Inside
you should find directions to assist you to unpack and use your
monitor.
Place the monitor
on top of your PC230. Ensure that the
monitor's base
is fully supported by your PC230's top.

Unpacking and Setting Up
FLOPPY DISK DRIVE
Dual floppy drive assembly front view External 5.25 inch drive
Your PC230 can support two 3.5 inch internal floppy disk
drives (720kb or 1.44Mb) or one 3.5 inch internal floppy disk
drive
and one 5.25 inch external floppy disk drive (360kb to
1.2 Mb).
Looking from the front, the left drive is referred to as DRIVE
A
and, if fitted, the right drive is referred to as DRIVE B.
If you have purchased an external 5.25 inch floppy disk drive
you
can configure it to be DRIVE A either temporarily or
permanently.
Drives A & B fitted
Page 2.3

PC230 User Manual
Rear panel
ports and
connectors
8
\ e:::::::::::: ,
Page 2.4
Your PC230
is a feature-rich machine with all its ports and
connectors located
on the rear panel.
@
Looking at the rear of your PC230 you will notice:
1. International Voltage Selection switch
This switch allows your PC230 to operate on either 110-120
Volts AC
or 220-240 Volts AC at 50Hz or 60Hz. In
Australia the switch
is factory set to 240 Volts AC. To
protect against accidental movement the switch is covered
with a protective strip which may be removed and replaced
if you take your PC230 to a country using the lower
voltage. DO
NOT confuse the international voltage
selection switch with the power
ON/OFF switch.
2. AC Input Connector (3-pin IEC Plug)
You should only connect a cable approved by your local
electrical authority. The cable supplied with your PC230
is approved for use in Australia.
3. Power
ON-OFF Switch
This switch allows you to control the power supplied to
your PC230.

Unpacking and Setting Up
4. Reset Push button
The Reset button allows your PC230 to be re-started as
though the power
had just been switched ON. If you
encounter software programs which cause your PC230
to
freeze or to lose control, press the Reset button to halt
the current program and RE-BOOT your PC230.
BUT. .. when the Reset button is pressed any work which
was in your PC230's memory will be lost! Any disk-based
data files which are open at the moment of pressing the
Reset
button may be corrupted!
You should only push the Reset button as a last resort.
S. Keyboard connector (S-pin DIN socket)
The cable connected to the keyboard supplied with your
PC230 is plugged into this round connector. For proper
operation the keyboard should be connected before the
power
is switched on or the Reset button is pushed.
6. Video connector (9-pin D type socket)
Your PC230 can be interfaced to a range
of PC-compatible
monitors. The list includes monochrome, medium
resolution colour (CGA) and high resolution colour (EGA)
monitors. It
is important to set up your PC230 to handle
the monitor you wish to use. Damage may result
if the
internal video mode setting does not match your monitor.
Refer to Section 3 (Configuring the System) for further
details.
7. Games (joystick) port (IS-pin D type socket)
PC-compatible joysticks may be connected to this
connector for use with recreational software programs.
For
proper operation the joystick MUST be plugged in
BEFORE switching on the computer or before pressing
the Reset button.
Page 2.S

PC230 User Manual
Page 2.6
8. Printer connector (25-pin D type socket)
The printer connector, also known as the
PARALLEL
port allows PC-compatible printers to be attached to your
PC230 computer system .
9.
COMI and COM2 connectors (25-pin D type plugs)
The COM connectors, also known as SERIAL
or RS232
ports, allow a wide range
of PERIPHERAL equipment
to be used by your PC230.
COMI and COM2 can accept
a modem, a plotter, a scanner, a digitizer, a serial mouse
and several other add-on peripherals.
10 . SCSI connector (25-pin D type socket)
SCSI (Small
Computer Systems Interface) can be used to
connect external hard disks, tape backup units, etc. Check
with your PC230 dealer or
MICRO BYTE Customer
Support for information
about this connector.
11. External Floppy Disk connector (37-pin D type socket)
An external 360kb,
nOkb or 1.2Mb 5.25 inch disk drive
can be attached to your PC230 via this connector. External
drives are available from your PC230 dealer.

Choosing
a monitor
Unpacking and Setting Up
There are 3 types of monitors that can be attached to your
PC230 -Mono, CGA or EGA.
MONOCHROME Monitor (Mono)
The Mono monitor can display text and graphics
at high
resolution (720 x 348 pixels), and
is therefore best suited for
long hours
of text processing. It can, however, only display one
foreground colour -green, amber
or white - on a black
background.
COLOUR GRAPHICS (CGA) Monitor
The CGA monitor can display text
and graphics in colours at
medium resolution (320 x 200 pixels). There are many
educational
and games programs which make good use of a
CGA monitor.
Monochrome monitor
EGA / eGA monitor
ENHANCED GRAPHICS (EGA) Monitor
The EGA monitor can display text and graphics in 16 colours
at high resolution (640 x 350 pixels)
and is an ideal monitor
for long hours
of work.
Your PC230 has
an auto-switching graphics controller which
will drive any
of the above monitors. You must ensure your
PC230 is configured for the type of monitor you intend to use,
or you could damage your monitor. Refer to Section 3
(Configuring the System) for more information.
Page 2.7

PC230 User Manual
Assembling
your PC230
computer
system
Page 2.8
1. Locate the monitor's video cable and connect it between
the monitor and your PC230's rear VIDEO connector.
Refer to the
monitor's User Manual to ensure the power
switch
is OFF and that any voltage selection switch is set
to the local voltage. Selecting the wrong voltage
will almost
certainly damage the monitor.
2. Unpack your keyboard and place it in front
of your
PC230. Remove any protective cap from the end of the
keyboard plug and insert the plug into the KEYBOARD
connector at the rear
of your PC230. Insert the keyboard
connector so
that the indented mark in the round outer
casing
is facing upwards. This will line up the pins with
the correct holes.
3. Ensure your PC230's power switch
is OFF and the voltage
se lection sw itch is se t to the local voltage. Selecting the
wrong setting will
DAMAGE your PC230. If purchased
in Australia your PC230 and your monitor should be set
to 220-240 volts
AC 50Hz.
4. Connect the supplied MAINS power cables into your
PC230's rear power connector
and the monitor's power
connector. Then plug the cords into the wall power socket.
5. Switch ON the monitor and wait 20 seconds for it to warm
up. Now switch
on your PC230.
Monitor rear view

Choo sing
and fitting
a printer
Unpacking and Setting Up
Dot matrix printer
There are so many choices for printers that selecting one is not
easy. The list includes daisy wheel,
dot matrix, laser, thermal
and ink jet. Each type
of printer has been designed for a
different purpose.
When choosing a printer, define clearly what you want it to
do, then narrow down the choice to those printers which meet
your requirements. Ask your dealer to demonstrate the specific
features
of each printer on sale before you buy.
Take particular care if you wish to use graphics software with
a 24-pin printer. The software and the printer must match each
other before you can print your documents with the desired
effect.
PRINTER INTERFACES
There are 2 types
of printer interfaces.
I. ParallellCentronics (PC230 printer port).
2. SeriallRS232 (PC230 COMl, COM2 ports).
PARALLEL Interface
Most printers use the parallel interface, which, in the
microcomputer
wo rld, is typically Centronics. In theory the
parallel interface
is faster than serial since data is sent in
characters 8 bits
at one time from the computer to the printer
rather than 1 bit
at a time.
Page 2.9

PC230 User Manual
Page 2.10
In practice, speed is determined by many other factors, the
most critical being the speed of the printer head and the
associated circuits that drive it. The faster the printer head,
the higher the print speed.
Parallel printer cables should be no longer than three metres.
Cables longer than this can cause errors in data transmission
to your printer.
SERIAL or RS232C Interface
The serial or RS232C interface is more often used for
communications than for printers, although some printers use
this interface. As the name implies, data travels from the
computer bit after bit to the printer.
Most printers have parallel as standard and serial as an option.
Connecting a serial printer is very demanding, since you have
to fully understand data communication protocols and hand-
shaking. Contact your dealer for more information.
Your PC230 assumes that you are attaching a parallel printer.
CONNECTING A PRINTER
1. Follow the printer's instructions for unpacking and initial
set up. Make sure the printer is well supported so that it
does not fall .
2. Ensure the printer is switched OFF.
3. Your printer cable comes with a connector on each end.
Ensure the cable is correct for connecting your PC230 to
the particular printer you have. The cable is normally
supplied by the dealer when you purchase the printer.
4. Place the printer close to the PC230 so that the paper will
feed freely without obstructing your use of the computer.
Connect the power cable to a power outlet and the printer
interface cable to your PC230. Ensure that the cables do
not interfere with the movement of fan-fold paper through
the printer.
5. Following the printer's instructions switch ON the printer,
load and adjust the paper and carry out a test print.

Starting
the system
Unpacking and Setting Up
HARD DISK SYSTEM
If your PC230 has been purchased with a hard disk installed,
the computer will automatically start-up (boot) from the hard
disk when you switch it on.
In this case skip the following
paragraphs and
turn to the next section of the User Manual.
FLOPPY DISK SYSTEM
If your machine is fitted with one or two floppy disk drives,
insert the MICRO BYTE supplied MS-DOS 3.30 Diskette
(marked MICROSOFT MS-DOS Version 3.30) into DRIVE A.
En sure the disk label is facing upward and the sliding dust
shield
is inserted first.
Insert disk correctly
~;:;::~~~J I. Push the diskette into the drive until a 'klunk' is heard.
Notice
that the small button just below the slot is now
extended. The disk can be ejected later by pushing this
button.
2. Pre ss the Reset push button. Your PC230 should now start-
up (BOOT) by reading the MS-DOS programs from the
diskette and initializing your PC230. Several messages will
be displayed on the screen.
You are now ready to begin
using your PC230.
You are advised to read the supplied MS-DOS 3.30 User
Manual to learn more
about MS-DOS 3.30 functions and
facilities. Your PC230 dealer may be able to assist you with
courses on using your PC230 and
PC software programs.
Page 2.11

Configuring the System
Permanent
changes
YOUR PC230 can be started or re-started in three ways. The
POWER SWITCH can be turned on, the Reset button can be
pressed or you can do what
is called a soft reset by holding
down the ALT and
CTRL keys together and then pressing the
DEL
key. In each case your PC230 reads the battery backed-
up CMOS RAM to discover how you have decided to configure
(set up) the system.
The
SETUP program has been written to allow changes to be
made
to this configuration, either on a temporary or permanent
basis.
WARNING:
Do not switch on your PC230 immediately after
switching off. Allow
at least 10 seconds in between switching
off and on.
To change the configuration of your PC230 permanently, the
SETUP program must be used in the menu-driven mode.
HARD DISK SYSTEM
Type. . .
C:
to take you to the hard disk, then type ...
CD \ DOS33
to take you to the sub-directory where the system files are stores.
FLOPPY DISK SYSTEM
If you have a single or twin floppy drive system, place the
system disk in DRIVE A
Page 3.1

PC230 User Manual
Page 3.2
Enter the configuration mode by typing.
SETUP
and pressing the ENTER key.
The following list of options should appear.
MB Seo PC230 SETUP pro Qram . version 2. UH , Jul 19 l'HS
Co pyriqht Ie). 198 7,88 MBS eo
M ain menu
F lop py disk s etup
Dr iv e A. set up
Drive B se t up
Hard disk setup
M onito r set up
Speed setup
Num er ic co-processor se t up
P C2) C SCSI I D setu p
Disable intern al IRQ'IS
En able internal IRQ's
Chanqe RS2 32 port 2 address
RAM setu p
Install defau lts
Quit ( ch ano es not s aved )
Ex it (ch anqe s saved )
Type o ption ? [X]
Type 'SETUP ?' fr-om the do s prompt f or com mand line parl'l r. eters
Press rIO t o save value!!. pn'S5 ESC to quit wi t hou t s8\ 'in q
To select an option, type the CAPITAL LETTER shown before
the desired
option and then press the ENTER key .
F Floppy disk setup
M ESeo PC23(J SETUP pr oQ' ram. versi on 2. 1 01. Ju t 19 1 988
Co pyr i qh t Ie). 1981,88 ME Seo
Flop py :nen u
Pr esent number o f I lo pples: 2
/l ew n u mber ( 0-2 ) ? [2 )
Pr~ss flO to S d Ve values. ;:>ress ESC to qUlt '<lt hout SiPJlnQ
Enter the number of floppy disk drives installed in your PC230.
It is possible to have up to two (0 - 2) floppy disk drives
operating
at one time (default 2).

Configuring the System
A Drive A s etup
M BSeo pe2l0 SETUP prOQ'ram , ve rs ion 2.101 , Jul 191988
Copyri gh t {e), 1 987 . 88 MBSeo
Driv e A s etup me nu
Dr iv e cu rrent ly internal 72 0k b disks in 720kb drive , step rllte 3ms
Sho w internal drive list
Sho w ex ter n al drive list
C hange driv e to 3ms ( fa st )
Chang e drive to 6ms ( s lo w)
Exit
Type option? [x l
Press FlO to save values. p re ss ESC to Qu it wi thout sa ving
Enter the desired operation mode for DRIVE A. You can
c hoo se to mak e DRIVE A either an internal drive or the
external drive (if fitted). By choosing [I] DRIVE A will be the
left internal 3.5 inch floppy disk drive. [E] selects the external
5.25 inch disk drive as
DRIVE A. You may then choose the
capacity of each drive from an extensive menu .
MaSeo PC:!)0 SETUP proQram. version 2.10 1 . J ul 191988
Co pyriqht (Cj. 1987,88 MES eo
Drive A se tup menu
Dr iv e cur rent ly in t ern" l 720 k b disks in 7201<b drive . step rate 3 ms
72 0kb dis k s in 720kb drive
1.4 Mb disks in 1.4 Mb drive
7 20 )( b disks in 1.4Mb drive
360kb disks in J60 kb ddve
360 )( b di sk s in 720 kb drive
1 . 2Mb dis k s in 1.2Mb drive
72 0kb disks in 1.2Mb drive
360 kb dis k s in 1.2Mb drive
Exi t
Ty
pe option? [ A]
Press F lO to save values . press ES C t o quit W Ithout s avl ng
Pa ge 3.3