NEC DIRECTION SP B - SERVICE 1998 User manual

First Printing — April 1998
Copyright 1998
NEC Computer Systems Division
Packard Bell NEC, Inc.
1414 Massachusetts Avenue
Boxborough, MA 01719-2298
All Rights Reserved
PROPRIETARY NOTICE AND LIABILITY DISCLAIMER
The information disclosed in this document, including all designs and related materials, is
the valuable property of NEC Computer Systems Division, Packard Bell NEC, Inc.
(hereinafter “NEC CSD”) and/or its licensors. NEC CSD and/or its licensors, as appropri-
ate, reserve all patent, copyright and other proprietary rights to this document, including all
design, manufacturing, reproduction, use, and sales rights thereto, except to the extent said
rights are expressly granted to others.
The NEC CSD product(s) discussed in this document are warranted in accordance with the
terms of the Warranty Statement accompanying each product. However, actual
performance of each such product is dependent upon factors such as system configuration,
customer data, and operator control. Since implementation by customers of each product
may vary, the suitability of specific product configurations and applications must be
determined by the customer and is not warranted by NEC CSD.
To allow for design and specification improvements, the information in this document is
subject to change at any time, without notice. Reproduction of this document or portions
thereof without prior written approval of NEC CSD is prohibited.
As an ENERGY STAR partner, NEC Computer Systems Division (NEC CSD) has determined that this product meets the ENERGY STAR
guidelines for energy efficiency.
FaxFlash is a service mark NEC Computer Systems Division (NEC CSD), Packard Bell NEC, Inc.
Direction is a trademark of Packard Bell NEC, Inc.
NEC and MultiSync are registered trademarks of NEC Corporation, used under license.
ENERGY STAR is a U.S. registered trademark.
All other product, brand, or trade names used in this publication are the trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective trademark
owners.

iii
Contents
Page
Preface......................................................................................................................... xi
Abbreviations............................................................................................................... xiii
Section 1 Technical Information
System Board .............................................................................................................. 1-1
Processor.............................................................................................................. 1-1
System Cache/Memory ......................................................................................... 1-2
Chipset ................................................................................................................. 1-2
PCI Local Bus ...................................................................................................... 1-3
Expansion Bus ............................................................................................... 1-3
BIOS.................................................................................................................... 1-3
Plug and Play Support.................................................................................... 1-4
CMOS Memory/Real-Time Clock Battery............................................................. 1-4
DMA/IRQ Settings............................................................................................... 1-4
IDE Ports ............................................................................................................. 1-6
I/O Ports............................................................................................................... 1-6
Sound System....................................................................................................... 1-6
U.S. Robotics Modem Board (Optional)...................................................................... 1-7
Diskette Drive.............................................................................................................. 1-7
Hard Drive................................................................................................................... 1-7
CD-ROM/DVD Drive.................................................................................................. 1-7
Zip Drive ..................................................................................................................... 1-7
Power Supply .............................................................................................................. 1-7
Power Management..................................................................................................... 1-8
Section 2 Setup Utility
Configuration Information............................................................................................ 2-1
When to Use Setup...................................................................................................... 2-1
How to Start Setup...................................................................................................... 2-2
How to Use Setup ....................................................................................................... 2-2
Menu Bar.............................................................................................................. 2-3
Legend Bar........................................................................................................... 2-4
Selecting a Menu Item .......................................................................................... 2-4
Displaying a Submenu........................................................................................... 2-4

iv Contents
Getting Help......................................................................................................... 2-4
Main Menu.................................................................................................................. 2-4
Advanced Menu........................................................................................................... 2-6
Peripheral Configuration Submenu........................................................................ 2-6
IDE Configuration Submenu................................................................................. 2-8
Floppy Options Submenu...................................................................................... 2-10
DMI Event Logging Submenu............................................................................... 2-11
Video Configuration Submenu.............................................................................. 2-11
Resource Configuration Submenu......................................................................... 2-12
Security Menu ............................................................................................................. 2-12
Power Menu................................................................................................................ 2-13
Boot Menu .................................................................................................................. 2-13
Hard Drive Submenu............................................................................................. 2-14
Removable Devices Submenu................................................................................ 2-15
Removable Format Submenu................................................................................. 2-15
Exit Menu.................................................................................................................... 2-15
Section 3 Option Installation
General Rules for Installing Options............................................................................. 3-1
Precautions.................................................................................................................. 3-2
Removing the Access Cover......................................................................................... 3-3
Replacing the Access Cover......................................................................................... 3-4
Expansion Boards........................................................................................................ 3-5
Expansion Slot Locations...................................................................................... 3-5
Expansion Board Installation................................................................................. 3-6
Expansion Board Removal.................................................................................... 3-7
Memory Upgrade......................................................................................................... 3-8
DIMM Removal.................................................................................................... 3-9
DIMM Installation................................................................................................ 3-10
Video Upgrade ............................................................................................................ 3-11
Data Storage Devices................................................................................................... 3-11
Device Slots.......................................................................................................... 3-12
Device Preparation................................................................................................ 3-12
Device Cables....................................................................................................... 3-13
Diskette Drive Signal Cable............................................................................ 3-14
IDE Signal Cables.......................................................................................... 3-14
System Power Cables..................................................................................... 3-15

Contents v
Device Cabling...................................................................................................... 3-16
Cabling an IDE Device................................................................................... 3-16
Cabling an Accessible 5 1/4-Inch Device ........................................................ 3-16
Storage Device Installation.................................................................................... 3-17
Removing the Front Panel.............................................................................. 3-17
Removing the CD-ROM/DVD Drive.............................................................. 3-18
Installing a 3 1/2-Inch Device......................................................................... 3-19
Installing a 5 1/4-Inch Device......................................................................... 3-22
Replacing the Front Panel............................................................................... 3-24
Adding External Options.............................................................................................. 3-24
Parallel Printer ...................................................................................................... 3-24
RS-232C Device Connection................................................................................. 3-25
Section 4 Maintenance and Troubleshooting
Maintenance ................................................................................................................ 4-2
System Cleaning.................................................................................................... 4-2
Keyboard Cleaning................................................................................................ 4-3
Mouse Cleaning.................................................................................................... 4-3
Troubleshooting........................................................................................................... 4-5
Diagnosing and Solving Problems ......................................................................... 4-5
Beep Codes........................................................................................................... 4-11
CMOS Battery Replacement................................................................................. 4-12
Section 5 Disassembly and Reassembly
Disassembly................................................................................................................. 5-2
System Access Cover............................................................................................ 5-2
Expansion Board Removal.................................................................................... 5-2
Front Panel Removal............................................................................................. 5-3
Side Panel Removal .............................................................................................. 5-4
Device Cage Removal........................................................................................... 5-4
Diskette Drive Removal........................................................................................ 5-4
5 1/4-Inch Device Removal................................................................................... 5-5
Optional 3 1/2-Inch Hard Disk Drive Removal...................................................... 5-6
Standard 3 1/2-Inch Hard Disk Drive Removal...................................................... 5-7
Fan Assembly Removal......................................................................................... 5-8
DIMM Module Removal....................................................................................... 5-8
Power Supply Removal......................................................................................... 5-9

vi Contents
System Board Removal......................................................................................... 5-10
Illustrated Parts Breakdown......................................................................................... 5-12
Appendix A System Specifications
Appendix B Connector Pin Assignments
Serial Interface Connectors.......................................................................................... B-4
Parallel Interface Connector......................................................................................... B-5
Power Supply (Primary)............................................................................................... B-6
Keyboard and Mouse Connectors................................................................................. B-6
Front Panel .................................................................................................................. B-7
Diskette Drive Interface Pin Assignments..................................................................... B-8
IDE Interface Connectors ............................................................................................ B-9
DIMM Sockets............................................................................................................ B-10
AGP Connector...........................................................................................................B-11
ISA Expansion Bus Connector Pin Assignments........................................................... B-12
PCI Expansion Bus Connector Pin Assignments...........................................................B-14
Universal Serial Bus (USB) Connectors.......................................................................B-15
Appendix C System Resources
IRQ Settings................................................................................................................ C-1
Viewing System Resources .......................................................................................... C-2
Locating the Jumper..................................................................................................... C-2
Clearing Your Password ....................................................................................... C-3
Recovering the BIOS............................................................................................ C-4
Figures
Figure 3-1 Releasing the Cover.................................................................................... 3-4
Figure 3-2 Aligning the Tabs........................................................................................ 3-4
Figure 3-3 Locating Expansion Slots............................................................................ 3-6
Figure 3-4 Removing the Slot Cover............................................................................ 3-6
Figure 3-5 Installing a Board........................................................................................ 3-7
Figure 3-6 Removing a DIMM..................................................................................... 3-10
Figure 3-7 Installing a DIMM ...................................................................................... 3-11
Figure 3-8 Locating Device Slots................................................................................. 3-12
Figure 3-9 System Board Cable Connectors................................................................. 3-13

Contents vii
Figure 3-10 Diskette Drive Signal Cable....................................................................... 3-14
Figure 3-11 IDE Signal Cable ...................................................................................... 3-15
Figure 3-12 Power Cable Connectors........................................................................... 3-15
Figure 3-13 Connecting IDE Device Cables ................................................................. 3-16
Figure 3-14 Connecting an Accessible 5 1/4-Inch Device ............................................. 3-17
Figure 3-15 Releasing the Front Panel.......................................................................... 3-18
Figure 3-16 Locating the Device Cage Screw............................................................... 3-18
Figure 3-17 Locating Device Slots............................................................................... 3-19
Figure 3-18 Removing the Bracket Screws................................................................... 3-20
Figure 3-19 Aligning the Holes and Tabs...................................................................... 3-20
Figure 3-20 Securing the Disk...................................................................................... 3-21
Figure 3-21 Inserting the Device.................................................................................. 3-21
Figure 3-22 Removing the Blank Panel ........................................................................ 3-22
Figure 3-23 Installing the Device.................................................................................. 3-23
Figure 3-24 Locating the Parallel Port.......................................................................... 3-25
Figure 3-25 Locating Serial Ports................................................................................. 3-26
Figure 4-1 Removing the Mouse Ball Cover................................................................. 4-4
Figure 4-2 Locating the Battery ................................................................................... 4-12
Figure 5-1 Removing a Board...................................................................................... 5-3
Figure 5-2 Releasing the Front Panel............................................................................ 5-3
Figure 5-3 Locating the Device Cage Screw................................................................. 5-4
Figure 5-4 Locating the Two Diskette Drive Clips ....................................................... 5-5
Figure 5-5 Removing the 5 1/4-Inch Device Screws..................................................... 5-6
Figure 5-6 The 3 1/2-Inch Device Bracket Screws ....................................................... 5-6
Figure 5-7 Removing the Securing Screw..................................................................... 5-7
Figure 5-8 Removing the Drive.................................................................................... 5-8
Figure 5-9 Removing a DIMM..................................................................................... 5-9
Figure 5-10 Removing the Power Supply Screws......................................................... 5-10
Figure 5-11 Removing the System Board Screw........................................................... 5-11
Figure 5-12 Direction SP B-Series Desktop Illustrated Parts Breakdown ..................... 5-15
Figure 5-13 Direction SP B-Series Minitower Illustrated Parts Breakdown .................. 5-19
Figure B-1 System Board Connectors and Slots........................................................... B-2
Figure B-2 System Board External Connectors ............................................................ B-2

viii Contents
Figure C-1 Locating the Jumper................................................................................... C-2
Tables
Table 1-1 System Features........................................................................................... 1-1
Table 1-2 System Memory Map................................................................................... 1-3
Table 1-3 Interrupt Level Assignments......................................................................... 1-5
Table 1-4 DMA Assignments....................................................................................... 1-5
Table 2-1 Setup Key Functions .................................................................................... 2-4
Table 3-1 Sample Memory Configurations ................................................................... 3-9
Table 4-1 NEC CSD Service and Information Telephone Numbers .............................. 4-1
Table 4-2 Problems and Solutions................................................................................ 4-5
Table 4-3 Beep Code Descriptions............................................................................... 4-11
Table 5-1 Disassembly Sequence.................................................................................. 5-1
Table 5-2 Direction SP B-Series Desktop Field-Replaceable Parts List......................... 5-12
Table 5-3 Direction SP B-Series Minitower Field-Replaceable Parts List...................... 5-16
Table 5-4 Direction SP B-Series Memory Options ....................................................... 5-20
Table 5-5 Direction SP B-Series Documentation.......................................................... 5-20
Table B-1 System Board Connectors............................................................................ B-1
Table B-2 System Board Internal Connectors............................................................... B-3
Table B-3 System Board Connector Numbers and Types ............................................. B-3
Table-B-4 RS-232C Serial Port Connector Pin Assignments ........................................ B-4
Table B-5 Parallel Port Connector Pin Assignments ..................................................... B-5
Table B-6 Primary Power Supply Connector Pin Assignments...................................... B-6
Table B-7 Keyboard and Mouse Connector Pin Assignments ....................................... B-6
Table B-8 Front Panel Connector Pin Assignments....................................................... B-7
Table B-9 Diskette Drive Connector Pin Assignments.................................................. B-8
Table B-10 IDE/PCI Connector Pin Assignments......................................................... B-9
Table B-11 DIMM Socket Pin Assignments................................................................. B-10
Table B-12 AGP Connector Pin Assignments...............................................................B-11
Table B-13 ISA Expansion Slot Pin Assignments......................................................... B-12

Contents ix
Table B-14 PCI Expansion Pin Assignments.................................................................B-14
Table B-15 USB Connectors........................................................................................ B-15
Table C-1 System Board Jumper Settings..................................................................... C-3

xi
Preface
This service and reference manual contains technical information necessary for servicing and
repairing Direction SP B-Series systems. The manual includes system setup information,
procedures for installing options, and troubleshooting. The manual is written for
NEC CSD-trained customer engineers, system analysts, service center personnel, and
dealers.
The manual is organized as follows:
Section 1 — Technical Information, provides an overview of the computer features,
hardware design, interface ports, and internal devices.
Section 2 — Setup Utility, includes procedures for configuring the system through the
Setup utility program
Section 3 — Option Installation, provides installation procedures for adding optional
expansion boards, diskette and hard disk storage devices, system memory, and processor
updates.
Section 4 — Maintenance and Troubleshooting, includes recommended maintenance
information, lists possible computer problems and their solutions, and has battery
replacement procedures.
Section 5 — Disassembly and Reassembly, includes computer disassembly and
reassembly procedures.
Appendix A — System Specifications, provides a list of the system specifications
including dimensions, weight, environment, safety compliance, power consumption, and
memory.
Appendix B — Connector Pin Assignments, provides a list of the internal and external
system board connector pin assignments.
Appendix C — System Resources, includes information on IRQ settings and system board
jumpers.

xiii
Abbreviations
A ampere
AC alternating current
AT advanced technology
(IBM PC)
BBS Bulletin Board Service
BCD binary-coded decimal
BCU BIOS Customized Utility
BIOS basic input/output system
bit binary digit
BUU BIOS Upgrade Utility
bpi bits per inch
bps bits per second
C capacitance
C centigrade
Cache high-speed buffer storage
CAM constantly addressable memory
CAS column address strobe
CD/ROM compact disk-ROM
CG character generator
CGA Color Graphics Adapter
CGB Color Graphics Board
CH channel
clk clock
cm centimeter
CMOS complementary metal oxide
semiconductor
COM communication
CONT contrast
CPGA ceramic pin grid array
CPU central processing unit
DAC digital-to-analog converter
DACK DMA acknowledge
DC direct current
DIP dual in-line package
DLAB Divisor Latch Address bit
DMA direct memory access
DMAC DMA controller
DOS disk operating system
DRAM dynamic RAM
ECC error checking and correction
EDO extended data output
EGA Enhanced Graphics Adapter
EPROM erasable and programmable
ROM
EVGA Enhanced Video Graphics
Array
F Fahrenheit
FAX facsimile transmission
FCC Federal Communications
Commission
FG frame ground
FM frequency modulation
FP fast page
FRU field-replaceable unit
GB gigabyte
GND ground
HEX hexadecimal
HGA Hercules Graphics Adapter
Hz hertz
IC integrated circuit
ID identification
IDE intelligent device electronics
IDTR interrupt descriptor table
register
in. inch
INTA interrupt acknowledge
IPB illustrated parts breakdown
IR infrared
IRR Interrupt Request register
ISA Industry Standard Architecture
ISR In Service register
I/O input/output

xiv Abbreviations
IPC integrated peripheral controller
ips inches per second
IRQ interrupt request
K kilo (1024)
k kilo (1000)
KB kilobyte
kg kilogram
kHz kilohertz
lb pound
LED light-emitting diode
LSB least-significant bit
LSI large-scale integration
M mega
mA milliamps
max maximum
MB megabyte
MDA Monochrome Display Adapter
MFM modified frequency modulation
MHz megahertz
mm millimeter
ms millisecond
MSB most-significant bit
NASC National Authorized Service
Center
NC not connected
NMI Non-maskable Interrupt
ns nanosecond
NSRC National Service Response
Center
PAL programmable array logic
PC personal computer
PCB printed circuit board
PCI Peripheral Component
Interconnect
PDA personal digital assistant
PFP plastic flat package
PIO parallel input/output
pixel picture element
PLCC plastic leaded chip carrier
PLL phase lock loop
p-p peak-to-peak
PPI programmable peripheral
interface
PROM programmable ROM
QFP quad flat pack
RAM random-access memory
RAMDAC RAM digital-to-analog
converter
RAS row address strobe
RGB red green blue
RGBI red green blue intensity
ROM read-only memory
rpm revolutions per minute
R read
RTC real-time clock
R/W read/write
S slave
SCSI Small Computer System
Interface
SG signal ground
SIMM single inline memory module
SPM standard page mode
SRS Sound Retrieval System
SVGA Super Video Graphics Array
SW switch
TAC Technical Assistance Center
TSC Technical Support Center
TTL transistor/transistor logic
tpi tracks per inch
USB universal serial bus
V volt
Vac volts, alternating current
Vdc volts, direct current
VESA video electronics standards
association

Abbreviations xv
VFC VESA-compliant feature
connector
VGA Video Graphics Array
VRAM video RAM
W watt
W write

Section 1
Technical Information
This section provides an overview of the NEC Direction™SP B-Series computers. These
systems include the Intel®Pentium®II processor with MMX™technology. Table 1-1
describes the available features of the different models. The subsections that follow provide
more detailed information on the system features.
Table 1-1 System Features
Feature Direction SP B350 Direction SP B400
Processor Intel Pentium II
350-MHz MMX Intel Pentium II 400-MHz MMX
System RAM 32 MB to 384 MB 32 MB to 384 MB
Secondary Cache 512 KB, pipeline burst 512 KB, pipeline burst
Chipset Intel 440BX Intel 440BX
Graphics AGP graphics board AGP graphics board
Video Memory 4 MB SGRAM 4 MB SGRAM
Sound Crystal Semiconductor CS4611
and CS4236 Crystal Semiconductor CS4611 and CS4236
Hard Disk 4.3 GB - 16.8 GB 4.3 GB - 16.8 GB
CD-ROM Drive 32x or DVD 32x or DVD
Power Supply 235 W 235 W
SYSTEM BOARD
The system board contains most of the components that provide system functions. The
following subsections provide a description of these components.
Processor
The system board uses a 350-MHz or 400-MHz Intel Pentium II processor with MMX
technology. The MMX processor improves audio, video, and 3D graphics performance.
The processor is packaged in a Single Edge Contact (SEC) cartridge and the cartridge plugs
into the system board’s slot 1.

1-2 Technical Information
System Cache/Memory
To utilize the processor’s power, the system features an optimized 64-bit memory interface
and provides support for a second level cache to compliment the processor’s internal cache.
High-performance features include:

pipeline 32-bit addressing

64-bit data
 512-KB of pipeline burst secondary cache; direct mapped write-back and
write-through organization.
The system comes with 32 to 384 MB of main system memory. Three sockets on the
system board support up to 384 MB of high-speed memory using industry-standard gold-
plated dual in-line memory modules (DIMMs).
The system supports PC100 Synchronous DRAM (SDRAM) only.
The system supports the following DIMM configurations:
 1-Mbit by 64 or 1-Mbit by 72 (8-MB DIMM)
 2-Mbit by 64 or 2-Mbit by 72 (16-MB DIMM)

4-Mbit by 64 or 4-Mbit by 72 (32-MB DIMM)
 8-Mbit by 64 or 8-Mbit by 72 (64-MB DIMM)
 16-Mbit by 64 or 16-Mbit by 72 (128-MB DIMM).
Chipset
The Intel 440BX chipset provides DMA, memory, and bus control. The chipset includes the
following chips:
 Intel 82443BX PCI/AGP (PAC) provides bus-control signals, address paths,
and data paths for transfers between the processor’s host bus, PCI bus,
Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP), and main memory.
 Intel 82371EB PCI ISA IDE Xccelerator (PIIX4E) implements the
PCI-to-ISA bridge, PCI IDE functionality, Universal Serial Bus (USB) host/hub
functions, and enhanced power management.

Technical Information 1-3
PCI Local Bus
The 32-bit industry-standard PCI bus is a highly-integrated input/output (I/O) interface that
offers the highest performance local bus available for the Pentium II processor. The PCI bus
supports burst modes that send large chunks of data across the bus, allowing fast displays of
high-resolution images.
The high-bandwidth PCI local bus eliminates data bottlenecks found in traditional systems,
maintains maximum performance at high clock speeds, and provides a clear upgrade path to
future technologies.
The PCI bus contains two embedded PCI devices: the PCI local bus IDE interface and the
PCI video/graphics controller. The PCI bus also contains a connector for attaching the bus
expansion board.
Expansion Bus
The expansion bus contains one ISA slot, three PCI slots, one PCI/ISA slot, and one AGP
video slot. The PCI ISA IDE Xccelerator chip (PIIX4E) provides the logic that enables the
ISA bus functions. With 24-bit memory addressing, a 16-bit data path, and an eight MHz
clock, the ISA bus is designed to support all peripherals compatible with the IBMAT
standard. For PCI functions, the Xcelerator chip provides 32-bit memory addressing, 32-bit
data path, and a 33-MHz clock speed.
BIOS
The BIOS (Basic Input Output System) is stored in the Intel 28F002 Flash EPROM. The
Flash EPROM is reprogrammable and allows fast, economical BIOS upgrades.
The system memory map in shown in Table 1-2.
Table 1-2 System Memory Map
Memory Address Size Function
100000-18000000 383 M
B
Extended Memory
E8000-FFFFF 96 K
B
System BIOS
E0000-E7FFF 32 K
B
System BIOS (Available as UMB)
C8000-DFFFF 96 K
B
Available hi
g
h DOS memor
y
(open to ISA and
PCI bus)
A0000-C7FFF 160 K
B
Video memory and BIOS
00000-9FFFF 640 K
B
Conventional memory

1-4 Technical Information
Plug and Play Support
The system comes with Plug and Play BIOS technology. Plug and Play eliminates
complicated setup procedures for installing Plug and Play expansion boards.
To add a Plug and Play expansion board, simply power off the system, install the board, and
power on the system. There are no jumpers to set and no system resource conflicts to
resolve. Plug and Play automatically configures the board for the system. The system also
supports non-Plug and Play boards.
Plug and Play is controlled by the Plug and Play BIOS and the system’s operating system.
The Plug and Play BIOS is stored in the Intel 28F002 Flash EPROM on the system board.
The Plug and Play BIOS adds several steps to the POST process. During POST, the Plug
and Play evaluates the configuration of installed boards and assigns available system
resources to the devices. On completion of Plug and Play POST, the operating system
checks to see if there are any additional resources required, then assigns available resources
to the devices.
CMOS Memory/Real-Time Clock Battery
The 82371EB PCI ISA IDE Xcelerator (PIIX4E) on the system board stores system
information in non-volatile CMOS memory. The chip also contains the system’s real-time
clock. Both are maintained by a 3-volt coin cell lithium battery on the system board. The
battery is replaceable.
DMA/IRQ Settings
The system automatically configures interrupts requests (IRQ), direct memory access
(DMA) channels, and other parameters when adding PCI boards with minimal user
intervention.
Table 1-3 and Table 1-4 list system IRQ and DMA default settings.

Technical Information 1-5
Table 1-3 Interrupt Level Assignments
IRQ System Resource
NMI I/O channel check
00 Reserved, internal timer
01 Reserved, keyboard controller
02 Reserved, cascade interrupt from slave PIC
03 COM2*
04 COM1*
05 Sound/User available
06 Diskette drive
07 LPT1*
08 Real-time clock
09 PCI/User available
10 User available
11 Windows Sound System*/User available
12 PS/2 mouse port (if present, else user available)
13 Reserved, numeric processor
14 Primary IDE (if present, else user available)
15 Secondary IDE (if present, else user available)
* Default; setting can be changed.
Table 1-4 DMA Assignments
DMA Resource
00 Audio
01 Audio/Parallel port
02 Diskette drive
03 ECP parallel port/Audio
04 Reserved, cascade channel
05 Available
06 Available
07 Available

1-6 Technical Information
IDE Ports
The system board provides two fast IDE ports: primary channel and secondary channels.
Each port supports two devices for a total of four IDE devices. The system board allows
the connection of an IDE CD-ROM drive for system configuration flexibility without the
addition of a controller.
The IDE ports feature an enhanced IDE interface which supports up to 10 MB per second
32-bit wide data transfers on the high-performance PCI local bus. The standard hard disk
and Zip drive (in some systems) are connected to the primary channel. The CD-ROM drive
is attached to the secondary channel.
I/O Ports
The system board features an enhanced parallel port, two buffered high-speed serial ports,
and two Universal Serial Bus (USB) ports.
The enhanced parallel port supports Enhanced Capabilities Port (ECP) and Enhanced
Parallel Port (EPP) modes for devices that require ECP or EPP protocols. These protocols
allow high-speed bi-directional transfer over a parallel port and increase parallel port
functionality by supporting more devices.
The two buffered high-speed serial ports use a fast 16C550 UART which supports transfer
rates up to 115.2 kilobits (Kb) per second. These ports allow the installation of high-speed
serial devices for faster data transfer rates.
The two USB ports allow additional new plug and play serial devices without removing the
system cover. Simply plug the USB device into the port. The speed varies between
12 megabits per second (Mbps) for printers and 1.5 Mbps for mice and keyboards. Up to
127 USB devices can be connected to the computer.
The combination of the enhanced parallel port, buffered serial ports, and USB ports ensure
optimum performance for future peripheral devices and operating systems.
Sound System
The system board features the Crystal Semiconductor CS4236B audio codec and CS4611
PCI audio accelerator. The CS4236B integrates an internal FM music synthesizer and
joystick logic. The chip also provides the following features.
 Advanced power management
 Symmetrical mixer
 Support for DirectSound™
 Full-duplex audio
 Sound Blaster®, Sound Blaster Pro, and Windows Sound System™compatibility

Technical Information 1-7
The CS4611 enables burst mode transfers of audio data between the system bus and the
device’s internal DMA engine and stream processor. The chip provides optimized digital
audio processing.
The optional AWE64D PCI sound board replaces the integrated Crystal audio system. It
provides FM synthesis and 64 simultaneous voices.
U.S. ROBOTICS MODEM BOARD (OPTIONAL)
Two modem boards are available: the U.S. Robotics®x2-capable Winmodem and the U.S.
Robotics x2-capable Sportster. Each modem board contains fax and modem capabilities.
The Winmodem provides fax and modem capabilities. The Sportster provides modem, fax,
full-duplex speakerphone, and voicemail capabilities. Each board provides receive transfer
rates of 56 Kbps (kilobytes per second) for data and 14.4 Kbps for fax.
DISKETTE DRIVE
The system comes standard with a 1.44-MB high-density diskette drive preinstalled in the
3 1/2-inch accessible device slot (drive A). The drive is connected to the system board via a
two-connector cable.
HARD DRIVE
The system supports up to three IDE hard drives, the standard hard drive, and two optional
hard drives (if a Zip drive does not come standard with the system).
CD-ROM/DVD DRIVE
The drive can be used to load programs from a CD or it can be used to play audio CDs. The
drive operates at different speeds depending on whether the CD contains music or data. The
drive is fully compatible with Kodak Multisession Photo CDs™ and standard CDs.
The drive is connected to the secondary IDE/PCI port on the system board.
ZIP DRIVE
Some systems come with the Iomega®Zip 100 ATA drive. The Zip drive provides
removable 100-MB data disks and has a data transfer rate up to 1.4 MB per second.
POWER SUPPLY
The 235-watt power supply is mounted inside the system unit. It supplies power to the
system board, option boards, diskette drives, hard drives, keyboard, and mouse. A fan
inside the power supply provides system ventilation. The power supply has several cables
for attaching to the various devices requiring power.

1-8 Technical Information
POWER MANAGEMENT
The Advanced Power Management (APM) program, located on the 82371EB PCI ISA IDE
Xcelerator (PIIX4E) chip, reduces system power consumption when there is no activity
detected from the keyboard, mouse, diskette drive, CD-ROM/DVD drive, or hard disk
drive after a predefined period of time. As soon as activity is detected, the system resumes
where it left off.
In the CMOS Setup utility, an inactivity timer is available for setting the length of time
before the sytem enter a low-power mode.