NEC IMAGE P100E - SERVICE User manual

First Printing — January 1995
Copyright 1995 Copyright 1995
NEC Technologies, Inc. NEC Corporation
1414 Massachusetts Avenue 7-1 Shiba 5-Chrome, Minato-Ku
Boxborough, MA 01719 Tokyo 108-01, Japan
All Rights Reserved All Rights Reserved
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marks of their respective trademark owners.

Contents iii
Contents
Using this Guide.................................................................. xi
1 Features of Your System
System Configurations ............................................. 1-2
Key Features............................................................ 1-3
Processor Subsystem........................................... 1-4
System Memory .................................................. 1-5
PCI Local Bus..................................................... 1-5
EISA Bus............................................................ 1-6
Integrated Fast SCSI-2........................................ 1-7
IDE Interface Controller...................................... 1-7
System I/O Controller.......................................... 1-8
Video Features .................................................... 1-8
Flash ROM......................................................... 1-9
IDE Quad-Speed CD-ROM Reader..................... 1-9
Asset Management and System Security.............. 1-10
Product Information ................................................. 1-10
NEC FastFacts.................................................... 1-10
2 Using Your System
System Hardware Features....................................... 2-2
Front Panel Controls ........................................... 2-2
Power Button................................................. 2-2
Lamps............................................................ 2-2
Reset Button .................................................. 2-3
Front Panel Storage Devices................................ 2-3
Diskette Drive................................................ 2-4
IDE Quad-Speed CD-ROM Reader................ 2-4

iv Contents
Accessible Device Slots.................................. 2-6
Internal Storage Device ....................................... 2-6
Rear Panel .......................................................... 2-6
Mouse Port .................................................... 2-6
Keyboard Port................................................ 2-7
Serial Ports .................................................... 2-7
VGA Monitor Connector................................ 2-7
SCSI-2 Port ................................................... 2-7
Printer Port .................................................... 2-7
Expansion Slot Covers ................................... 2-7
Cooling Fans.................................................. 2-9
Voltage Selector Switch.................................. 2-9
System Power Socket ..................................... 2-10
Keyboard............................................................ 2-10
Mouse................................................................. 2-12
System Operation..................................................... 2-12
Powering On ....................................................... 2-13
Diskette Loading ................................................. 2-15
CD Disc Loading ................................................ 2-16
System Reset....................................................... 2-17
Manual Reset................................................. 2-17
Automatic Reset............................................. 2-19
Backup ............................................................... 2-19
Powering Off....................................................... 2-19
3 Setting System Parameters
How to Start Setup................................................... 3-3
How to Use Setup .................................................... 3-4
The Menu Bar..................................................... 3-4
The Legend Bar................................................... 3-5
Selecting a Menu Item.................................... 3-6
Displaying a Submenu.................................... 3-7
The Item Specific Help Window.......................... 3-7
The General Help Window .................................. 3-7

Contents v
The Main Menu ....................................................... 3-7
IDE Adapters...................................................... 3-9
Memory Cache.................................................... 3-12
Memory Shadow................................................. 3-12
Boot Sequence..................................................... 3-13
Numlock ............................................................. 3-14
The Advanced Menu ................................................ 3-15
Integrated Peripherals Submenu........................... 3-16
Monitor Types ............................................... 3-18
Advanced Chipset Control................................... 3-19
Plug and Play O/S Parameters............................. 3-21
PCI Devices Parameters...................................... 3-22
Large Disk Access Parameters............................. 3-23
The Security Menu................................................... 3-23
Edit Supervisor Information Parameters............... 3-25
Edit User Information Parameters........................ 3-27
The Exit Menu......................................................... 3-29
Save Changes & Exit .......................................... 3-29
Discard Changes & Exit...................................... 3-30
Get Default Values.............................................. 3-30
Load Previous Values.......................................... 3-31
Save Changes...................................................... 3-31
4 Using ECU and SCSI Utilities
The EISA Configuration Utility (ECU)..................... 4-6
When to Use the ECU ......................................... 4-7
How to Load the ECU......................................... 4-8
How to Use the ECU........................................... 4-9
Configure Computer or Peripheral Devices ..... 4-10
Set Date or Time............................................ 4-20
Maintain System Configuration Diskette......... 4-21
Exit................................................................ 4-22
PCI Devices and Plug and Play ISA Boards.... 4-22
ISA Boards without CFG Files....................... 4-23

vi Contents
The SCSI Select Utility ............................................ 4-31
Configure/View Host Adapter Settings ................ 4-32
SCSI Disk Utilities.............................................. 4-34
5 Using NEC Utilities and Drivers
Mouse Driver........................................................... 5-1
Changing Mouse Parameters ............................... 5-2
Command Line Options.................................. 5-2
Video Drivers........................................................... 5-4
BIOS Update Utility................................................. 5-6
Using the Update Utility ...................................... 5-6
6 Maintaining Your Computer
System Care............................................................. 6-1
Protective Measures ............................................ 6-1
Routine Care....................................................... 6-3
Mouse Care.............................................................. 6-4
CD Care .................................................................. 6-6
Moving Guidelines ................................................... 6-7
7 Adding Options
Optional Hardware................................................... 7-1
Safety Precautions.................................................... 7-3
Removing and Replacing the System Unit Cover....... 7-4
Expansion Boards .................................................... 7-7
Precautions ......................................................... 7-8
Slot Locations..................................................... 7-9
Board Installation................................................ 7-10
Board Removal ................................................... 7-13
SIMM Upgrade Kits................................................. 7-14
Cautions.............................................................. 7-14
SIMM Installation............................................... 7-15
Removing the SIMM Memory Board.............. 7-15
Checking the Memory..................................... 7-16

Contents vii
Installing SIMMs ........................................... 7-18
Replacing the Memory Board ......................... 7-22
Dual-Processor Upgrade........................................... 7-23
Data Storage Devices............................................... 7-28
Storage Device Support....................................... 7-28
Device Slots........................................................ 7-29
Device Preparation.............................................. 7-30
SCSI Device Termination............................... 7-31
Termination Power......................................... 7-32
Motor Start at Power-On................................ 7-32
SCSI IDs ....................................................... 7-32
Cables...................................................................... 7-33
System Power Cables.......................................... 7-35
Diskette Drive Signal Cable................................. 7-36
Internal SCSI Cable ............................................ 7-37
PCI/IDE Cables .................................................. 7-38
Storage Device Installation.................................. 7-39
Installing an Accessible Storage Device .......... 7-39
Installing an Internal Storage Device............... 7-48
External Peripherals................................................. 7-52
Parallel Printer.................................................... 7-52
RS-232C Device ................................................. 7-54
Connecting External SCSI Devices...................... 7-55
8 Setting System Board Switches
Changing Switch Settings......................................... 8-3
Clearing CMOS....................................................... 8-4
9 Solving Problems
Problem Checklist .................................................... 9-1
Emergency Eject....................................................... 9-5
If You Need Assistance ............................................ 9-6
Getting Help from Your Company....................... 9-6
Getting Help from Your Dealer............................ 9-6

viii Contents
Getting Help from NEC....................................... 9-6
NEC’s Bulletin Board Service ........................ 9-7
E-Mail/Fax Technical Support Service ........... 9-9
America Online Service.................................. 9-9
A Setting Up a Healthy Working Environment
Making Your Computer Work for You..................... A-1
Arranging Equipment .......................................... A-2
Adjusting Your Chair.......................................... A-3
Positioning Your Monitor......................................... A-3
Adjusting the Keyboard and Mouse ..................... A-4
Modifying Your Workday ................................... A-6
Physical and Psycho-Social Factors.......................... A-6
B Specifications
C Quad-Speed CD-ROM Reader Configuration
D Memory Upgrade Path
Glossary
Index
List of Tables
Startup Functions..................................................... 3-6
Main Menu Parameters ............................................ 3-8
IDE Hard Disk Adapter Parameters.......................... 3-11
Memory Cache Parameters....................................... 3-12
Memory Shadow Parameters .................................... 3-13
Boot Parameters....................................................... 3-13
Numlock and Keyboard Parameters.......................... 3-14
Advanced Menu Parameters ..................................... 3-16

Contents ix
Integrated Peripherals Parameters............................. 3-17
Monitor Types ......................................................... 3-19
Advanced Chipset Control Parameters...................... 3-20
PCI Device Parameters............................................. 3-22
Large Disk Parameters............................................. 3-23
Security Menu.......................................................... 3-24
Edit Supervisor Information Parameters.................... 3-26
Edit User Information Parameters............................. 3-27
Quick Reference to Configuring Expansion Devices.. 4-2
EISA Configuration Utility Parameters..................... 4-16
SCSI Device Configuration Options ......................... 4-33
Advanced Configuration Options.............................. 4-34
Troubleshooting ....................................................... 9-2

Using this Guide xi
Using this Guide
The NEC Image® P90E/P100E Series User's Guide is a
comprehensive source of information about your Image
system. Before using this guide, set-up your system in
accordance with the instructions in the NEC Image
P90E/P100E Quick Setup sheet.
To get the most out of your system, read Chapters 1, 2, 3,
and 4 in this guide. See:
■Chapter 1, Features of Your System, for an overview of
your system’s configuration and capabilities.
■Chapter 2, Using Your System, to familiarize yourself
with system components and system operation.
■Chapter 3, Setting System Parameters, to check or
change system setup parameters.
■Chapter 4, Using ECU and SCSI Utilities, to use
configuration utilities for configuring expansion options.
See Chapter 5 for information on mouse parameters, video
drivers, and BIOS update procedures.
For information on maintaining your computer, see
Chapter 6.
Chapter 7 includes information about adding expansion
options to your system.
See Chapter 8 to identify the system configuration switches
and how to change the switch settings.
Chapter 9 provides a checklist of conditions to determine
and solve a problem that might occur with your system.

xii Using this Guide
See Appendix A, Setting Up a Healthy Work Environment,
for guidelines to help you use your computer productively
and safely. This appendix provides tips to prevent personal
injuries commonly associated with using computers.
System specifications are included in Appendix B.
Appendix C provides information on the CD-ROM reader
installed in your system. Appendix D lists the optional
memory upgrade path for your system.
Use this guide with the software documentation that comes
with your system.
TEXT CONVENTIONS
This guide uses the following text conventions.
■Warnings, cautions, and notes have the following
format:
WARNING: Warnings alert you to situations that
could result in personal injury.
CAUTION: Cautions indicate situations that can
damage the hardware or software.
NOTE: Notes give particularly important
information about the material being described.

Using this Guide xiii
■Names of keyboard keys are printed as they appear on
the keyboard, for example, Ctrl, Alt, or Enter.
■Text or keystrokes that you enter appear in boldface
type. For example, type return and press Enter.
■File names are printed in uppercase letters.
RELATED DOCUMENTS
In addition to this guide, the following printed
documentation ships with your Image system.
NOTE: Depending on your system configuration, it
may ship with additional software and related
documentation. See the label on the carton for your
system configuration and a list of shipped software
and documentation.
■NEC Image P90E/P100E Quick Setup
Contains information for quickly getting your system up
and running. Use this information to set up your system
for the first time.
■Microsoft Windows for Workgroups and MS-DOS
User's Guide
Provides a comprehensive source of information for
using Windowsfor Workgroups and MS-DOS.
NOTE: MS-DOS and Windows for Workgroups are
factory installed on hard disk systems.
■EZ-SCSI User’s Guide
Provides information for using the SCSI utility provided
with your system.

xivUsing this Guide
In addition to the documentation that ships with your
system, the following documentation is available from
NEC:
■Image P90E/P100E Service and Reference Manual
(part number 819-181048-000) provides information for
maintaining, troubleshooting, and repairing the system.
This manual also includes hardware and interface
information for programmers, engineers, and others who
need to know how the system is designed.
To purchase the service and reference manual, call NEC
at 1-800-632-4525 and follow the prompts. When
prompted, provide the document name and part number.
NEC also offers FastFacts™, an automated service that
sends the latest information about NEC and its products
directly to a fax machine. The service is available 24 hours
a day, 7 days a week.
With FastFacts, you can obtain product literature and
technical information bulletins. By using FastFacts, you can
be kept up-to-date on the latest technical information for
your Image system.
See “Product Information” in Chapter 1 for information
about using FastFacts.

Features of Your System 1-1
Features of Your
System
The NEC Image P90E and Image P100E series of mini-
tower systems consist of powerful computers featuring
Intel’s 90 megahertz (MHz) and 100 MHz Pentium™
microprocessors, exceptional balanced system performance,
expandability, and upgradeability.
NEC Image P90E/P100E system
1

1-2 Features of Your System
Each system is designed with a powerful architecture that
optimizes performance, connectivity, graphics display, and
expansion capabilities.
All systems feature a Peripheral Component Interconnect
(PCI) bus, Extended Industry Standard Architecture (EISA)
bus, enhanced Integrated Device Electronics (IDE) tech-
nology, fast small computer system interface-2 (SCSI-2)
technology, and PCI/EISA bridge technology.
A key feature of the Image P90E and Image P100E systems
is the PCI/EISA Bridge Component. The Bridge provides a
link between the system’s SCSI or IDE devices and the PCI
bus, and between any optional SCSI, PCI, EISA, ISA, or
IDE devices that you may install.
SYSTEM CONFIGURATIONS
The Image P90E and Image P100E systems come in several
configurations.
■Image P90E
 single-processor diskless systems (no hard disk or
CD-ROM reader)
 single-processor systems with an IDE hard drive
and an IDE quad-speed CD-ROM reader
■Image P100E
 single-processor systems with an IDE hard drive
and an IDE quad-speed CD-ROM reader
 single-processor systems with a SCSI-2 hard drive
and an IDE quad-speed CD-ROM reader

Features of Your System 1-3
All hard disk systems are shipped with the MS-DOS and
Windows for Workgroups operating systems installed on
the hard disk. The diskless systems ship with diskettes con-
taining the operating systems.
The label on the carton that the system is shipped in
identifies your configuration. Your system’s configuration
is also displayed during system startup ( see Chapter 2,
“Using Your System,” for startup information.)
KEY FEATURES
NEC designed your Image system with technologies that
help you get the most out of your computer. Key features
include:
■Intel 90-MHz Pentiummicroprocessor (Image P90E)
or Intel 100-MHz Pentium microprocessor (Image
P100E) for powerful processing
■16 kilobyte (KB) internal dual write-back cache,
integrated on the microprocessor
■256-KB standard write-back secondary cache memory
■16-megabyte (MB) standard RAM memory, upgrade-
able to 256 MB
■Optional upgrade for adding a second processor to
provide dual-processor capabilities
■32-bit EISA/PCI local bus for fast data transfer
■EISA/PCI Bridge Component that links the EISA bus to
the PCI bus
■System BIOS containing the ROM-based System Setup
utility
■EISA Configuration utility (ECU) for setting EISA,
PCI, or ISA expansion device parameters

1-4 Features of Your System
■EZ-SCSI Setup utility for setting SCSI parameters
■System input/output (I/O) controller integrating serial
ports, parallel port, SCSI-2 port, enhanced IDE hard
disk controller, SCSI-2 controller, and diskette drive
controller
■Extended super video graphics accelerator (VGA) con-
troller with 2-MB interleaved video dynamic random
access memory (DRAM) standard
■Flash ROM for fast economical BIOS upgrades
■Quad-speed IDE CD-ROM reader (hard disk configura-
tions only)
■Plug and Play operating system (O/S) support for Plug
and Play ISA expansion boards
■Display Data Channel (DDC) support for automatic
configuration of resolutions and refresh rates for DDC-
compliant monitors
■System security for ensuring system use by authorized
users only.
See the following sections for descriptions of the key
features of the Image P90E and Image P100E systems.
(Refer to Appendix B for system specifications.)
Processor Subsystem
The Image P90E system uses a 64-bit, 90 MHz Pentium
microprocessor. The P100E system uses a 64-bit, 100 MHz
Pentium microprocessor.
The 90-MHz and 100-MHz processors each have 16 KB of
primary write-back internal cache, 8 KB for instructions
and 8 KB for data. Integrated into the processor is a math
coprocessor.

Features of Your System 1-5
To use the Pentium processor’s power, each system
features an optimized high-speed 64-bit data bus and a
complementary 256-KB burst-mode write-back secondary
cache.
The synchronous cache design uses 9-nanosecond (ns) static
random access memory (SRAM) that allows data to be sent
or received from cache at the fastest possible burst rate
supported by the Pentium processor.
The Pentium processor is compatible with 8-, 16-, and 32-
bit software written for the Intel386, Intel486, and
Pentium microprocessors.
A 320-pin zero insertion force (ZIF) socket comes
integrated on the system board. The socket supports an
optional second processor for dual-processor capability.
System Memory
Each system comes standard with 16-MB of memory and
supports base and extended memory.
System memory can be expanded up to 256 MB, using
optional single in-line memory modules (SIMMs) installed
in SIMM sockets.
PCI Local Bus
The industry-standard PCI local bus is a highly-integrated
32-bit I/O interface that offers the highest performance
local bus available for the Pentium 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 the data
bottleneck found in traditional systems, maintains maximum
performance at high clock speeds, and provides a clear up-
grade path to future technologies.

1-6 Features of Your System
The system’s integrated bit-block transfers (BitBLT)
graphics accelerator, IDE controller, and Fast SCSI-2 host
adapter use the 32-bit PCI local bus, which increases sys-
tem performance and frees the Pentium processor for other
system activities.
The PCI bus is linked to the EISA bus through the
PCI/EISA Bridge Component link and the EISA System
Component link. The links allow concurrent operation.
EISA Bus The system incorporates a high-performance 32-bit EISA
bus with full bus-mastering capability. Advantages of EISA
are:
■EISA’s 33-MB per second burst mode data transfer rate
increases the speed of I/O operations which is very
important for configurations with multiple storage
devices.
■EISA’s bus-mastering capability allows maximum sys-
tem throughput by distributing the workload to intelli-
gent subsystems. This creates balanced system
performance where no one subsystem impedes the
activity of another.
■EISA boards are software configurable, unlike ISA
boards which require jumper settings, switch settings,
and configuration files.
■EISA fully supports downward compatibility with
installed ISA hardware.
The EISA bus is linked to the PCI bus through the
PCI/EISA Bridge Component link and EISA System Com-
ponent link. The links allow concurrent operation.

Features of Your System 1-7
Integrated Fast SCSI-2
Integrated Fast SCSI-2 provides connection of up to five
internal SCSI-2 devices, up to seven external SCSI-2 de-
vices, or a combination of internal and external devices (not
to exceed seven devices total). Devices supported include
hard disk drives, tape back-up drives, and CD-ROM read-
ers.
The system uses a PCI local bus Fast SCSI-2 host adapter
integrated on the system board. The Fast SCSI-2 features:
■a synchronous data transfer rate of 10 MB per second:
twice as fast as the regular SCSI
■asynchronous data transfer rates up to 5 MB per second
■support for the common command set (CCS) for com-
patibility
■a command queuing feature that enhances multi-tasking
performance and helps reduce bottlenecks in I/O opera-
tions.
IDE Interface Controller
The IDE controller provides an enhanced IDE interface to
the PCI bus. The controller supports up to 11 MB per sec-
ond 32-bit wide data transfers on the high-performance PCI
local bus.
The controller supports IDE devices connected to the
primary and secondary PCI/IDE connectors on the system
board. The two PCI/IDE connectors provide support for up
to four enhanced IDE devices.
The controller also has an automatic sensing feature for
detecting EISA hard disk controllers.

1-8 Features of Your System
System I/O Controller
The system I/O controller integrates, on one chip, the
controller functions for the system’s two serial ports,
enhanced bi-directional parallel port, and diskette drive.
The controller supports up to two drives (diskette or tape).
The controller is disabled through the system’s BIOS if an
alternate diskette drive controller is installed.
Video Features
An integrated 32-bit BitBLT graphics accelerator on the 32-
bit PCI local bus provides high-performance graphics
capabilities. The PCI local bus graphics subsystem
features:
■2 MB of video DRAM
■24-bit High Color and True Color graphics.
The graphics accelerator speeds the movement of large
blocks of image data in video memory. As display resolu-
tions increase, image creation and movement into video
memory are critical factors in graphics performance.
The graphics accelerator is specifically designed for graph-
ics-intensive bit-block transfers, pattern-fill operations, text
and color pixel amplification, and scrolling. The accelerator
minimizes bus traffic by offloading the tasks normally per-
formed by the processor.
The High Color graphics feature provides up to 1024 by
768-pixel high-resolution color with up to 64K colors. The
True Color graphics feature provides up to 800 by 600-
pixel high-resolution color with up to 16.8 million colors.
In addition to the standard VGA connector, a VESA-
compliant feature connector is provided.