NEC POWERMATE ES Series User manual

A Versatile, Highly Serviceable PC
USER’S GUIDE
POWERMATE®ES SERIES
456-00132-for online 9/5/00 11:35 AM Page 1

First Printing — May 2000
Copyright 2000
NEC Computers Inc.
15 Business Park Way
Sacramento, CA 95828
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 Computers Inc. (hereinafter “NECC”)
and/or its licensors. NECC and/or its licensors, as appropriate, 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 NECC 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 NECC.
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
NECC is prohibited.
NEC is a registered trademark of NEC Corporation.
PowerMate and MultiSync are registered trademarks and VistaScan is a trademark of NEC
Corporation or one of its subsidiaries. All are used under license by NEC Corporation
and/or one or more of its subsidiaries.
All other trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of their respective
trademark owners.

Contents iii
Contents
Using This Guide
Text Conventions ...........................................................................................x
Related Documents........................................................................................xi
1 Reviewing System Features
Front Features..............................................................................................1-2
System Controls and Lamps ...............................................................1-3
Diskette Drive A.................................................................................1-4
Universal Serial Bus Port....................................................................1-4
CD-ROM Drive ..................................................................................1-5
DVD-ROM Drive...............................................................................1-5
Zip Drive.............................................................................................1-5
Rear Features...............................................................................................1-5
External Connectors............................................................................1-8
Power Supply Features .......................................................................1-9
Inside Features...........................................................................................1-10
System Board....................................................................................1-11
Network Board..................................................................................1-11
Modem Board...................................................................................1-11
Storage Device Support ....................................................................1-11
Chassis.......................................................................................................1-12
Speakers ....................................................................................................1-12
System Overview.......................................................................................1-13
Hardware...........................................................................................1-13
Software............................................................................................1-14
Preloaded Software ..................................................................1-14
NEC OS Restore CD................................................................1-15
NEC Application and Driver CD .............................................1-15
Security.............................................................................................1-15
2 Setting Up the System
Chassis Orientation......................................................................................2-2
Cable Connections.......................................................................................2-2
Startup .........................................................................................................2-3
Shutdown.....................................................................................................2-4
Power-Saving Operation .............................................................................2-5

iv Contents
System Care.................................................................................................2-6
Protecting Your System From Damage...............................................2-6
Keeping Your System in Good Condition ..........................................2-7
Moving or Shipping Your System.......................................................2-8
More Information.........................................................................................2-9
3 Configuring the System
Configuration Tools and Utilities................................................................3-2
BIOS Setup Utility.......................................................................................3-4
How to Start BIOS Setup....................................................................3-4
How to Use Setup................................................................................3-5
Main Menu..........................................................................................3-6
Advanced Menu..................................................................................3-9
Security Menu...................................................................................3-18
Exit Menu..........................................................................................3-19
FLASH Utility...........................................................................................3-19
NEC INFO Center .....................................................................................3-20
NEC Application and Driver CD...............................................................3-22
NEC OS Restore CD .................................................................................3-23
Intel Processor Serial Number Control Utility...........................................3-25
System Requirements........................................................................3-25
Installation.........................................................................................3-25
Processor Serial Number...................................................................3-26
Frequently Asked Questions .............................................................3-26
Technical Support .............................................................................3-27
Identifying the Pentium III Processor........................................................3-28
System Board Jumper Settings..................................................................3-29
USB Keyboard Wakeup....................................................................3-30
Keyboard at Power On......................................................................3-30
BIOS Recovery.................................................................................3-30
CMOS Clear......................................................................................3-31
USB Port Selection ...........................................................................3-32
Save to RAM.....................................................................................3-32
4 Installing Options
General Rules...............................................................................................4-2
Safety Precautions .......................................................................................4-3
System Unit Covers.....................................................................................4-4
Removing the Cover ...........................................................................4-4
Replacing the Cover............................................................................4-6
Removing the Front Panel...................................................................4-7
Replacing the Front Panel...................................................................4-8

Contents v
Expansion Boards......................................................................................4-10
Locating Expansion Slots and Connectors........................................4-10
Removing the Retainer Bar...............................................................4-11
Removing an Expansion Board ........................................................4-12
Installing a Slot Cover ......................................................................4-13
Removing a Slot Cover.....................................................................4-14
Installing an Expansion Board..........................................................4-14
Replacing the Retainer Bar...............................................................4-16
System Board Options...............................................................................4-17
Memory Upgrade..............................................................................4-18
Checking System Memory.......................................................4-19
Removing a DIMM..................................................................4-19
Installing a DIMM....................................................................4-20
Processor Upgrade............................................................................4-21
Removing the Processor...........................................................4-22
Installing an Upgrade Processor...............................................4-23
Data Storage Devices ................................................................................4-25
Locating Device Bays.......................................................................4-25
Preparing the Device.........................................................................4-26
Connecting Device Cables................................................................4-26
Diskette Drive Signal Cable.....................................................4-28
IDE Signal Cables....................................................................4-29
System Power Cables...............................................................4-29
Cabling Storage Devices...................................................................4-29
IDE Drive Cabling ...................................................................4-29
Diskette Drive Cabling.............................................................4-30
Network Board Wake-On LAN Cabling..................................4-31
Replacing 5 1/4-Inch Accessible Devices.........................................4-31
Removing or Replacing a Bay Cover.......................................4-32
Storing and Retrieving Unused Rails.......................................4-34
Removing or Installing Device Rails .......................................4-35
Removing a 5 1/4-Inch Accessible Device...............................4-36
Installing a 5 1/4-Inch Accessible Device................................4-38
Replacing 3 1/2-Inch Accessible Devices.........................................4-39
Removing a 3 1/2-Inch Accessible Device...............................4-40
Installing a 3 1/2-Inch Accessible Device................................4-42
Replacing Internal Drives.................................................................4-44
Removing a 3 1/2-Inch Internal Drive......................................4-44
Installing a 3 1/2-Inch Internal Drive.......................................4-47
Minitower and Desktop Setup Options......................................................4-49
Converting from Minitower to Desktop............................................4-49
Converting from Desktop to Minitower............................................4-51

vi Contents
5 Solving System Problems
How to Get Help..........................................................................................5-2
Solutions to Common Problems ..................................................................5-2
System Problems.................................................................................5-3
Diskette Drive Problems.....................................................................5-5
Monitor Problems................................................................................5-5
Keyboard/Mouse Problems.................................................................5-6
CD-ROM Drive Problems...................................................................5-7
Speaker Problems................................................................................5-8
How to Clean the Mouse .............................................................................5-9
How to Replace the CMOS Battery...........................................................5-11
6 Getting Services and Support
NECC Website.............................................................................................6-2
NECC FTP Site ...........................................................................................6-3
Email/Fax Technical Support Service .........................................................6-3
NECC Technical Support Services..............................................................6-4
A Setting Up a Healthy Work Environment
Making Your Computer Work for You......................................................A-2
Arrange Your Equipment............................................................................A-3
Adjust Your Chair.......................................................................................A-4
Adjust Your Input Devices.........................................................................A-6
Adjust Your Monitor ..................................................................................A-8
Vary Your Workday.................................................................................A-10
Pre-existing Conditions and Psychosocial Factors ...................................A-11
Checking Your Comfort: How Do You Measure Up? .............................A-11
Checking Your Chair .......................................................................A-11
Checking Your Keyboard ................................................................A-12
Checking Your Mouse .....................................................................A-12
Checking Your Monitor...................................................................A-12
Checking You ..................................................................................A-12
B System Specifications
Models........................................................................................................B-2
Processor & Memory..................................................................................B-2
Storage........................................................................................................B-3
Graphics......................................................................................................B-3
Input/Output................................................................................................B-4
Expansion ...................................................................................................B-5
Power Management....................................................................................B-5

Contents vii
System Management ..................................................................................B-5
Operating System Software........................................................................B-6
Operating Environment ..............................................................................B-6
Compliance.................................................................................................B-6
Index
Regulatory Statements

Using This Guide ix
Using This Guide
The PowerMate®ES Series User’s Guide provides a comprehensive
reference to information about your system.
The guide contains the following information:
!Chapter 1, Reviewing System Features, provides a look at the front,
back, and inside features of the system. It also gives a summary of the
system’s hardware, software, and security features.
!Chapter 2, Setting Up the System, briefly describes how to set up, start
up, and shut down the system. The chapter also provides information
on installing applications, and tips on caring for the system.
!Chapter 3, Configuring the System, describes how to use the software
utilities shipped with your system, including the BIOS Setup Utility,
the FLASH utility, the NEC Application and Driver CD, the NEC
INFO Center, and the NEC OS Restore CD. The chapter also includes
information for setting system jumpers.
!Chapter 4, Installing Options, provides installation procedures for
processor and memory upgrades, expansion boards, and storage
devices.
!Chapter 5, Solving System Problems, contains troubleshooting tips for
solving simple problems and describes how to find help when you
cannot solve a problem yourself.
!Chapter 6, Getting Services and Support, describes the services
available to you for information and help, and describes how to access
the services.
!Appendix A, Setting Up a Healthy Work Environment, contains
guidelines to help you use your computer productively and safely.
This appendix also instructs you on how to set up and use your
computer to reduce your risk of developing nerve, muscle, or tendon
disorders.

x Using This Guide
Prolonged or improper use of a computer
workstation may pose a risk of serious injury. To reduce your risk of injury,
set up and use your computer in the manner described in Appendix A,
Setting Up a Healthy Work Environment.
!Appendix B, System Specifications, provides technical specifications
of your system and its components.
Text Conventions
This guide uses the following text conventions.
!Warnings, cautions, and notes have the following meanings:
Warnings alert you to situations that could result
in serious personal injury or loss of life.
Cautions indicate situations that can damage the
hardware or software.
Note Notes give important information about the material being
described.
!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 abc123 and press Enter.

Using This Guide xi
Related Documents
In addition to this guide, the following printed documentation ships with
your system.
!NEC PowerMate ES Series Quick Setup/Quick Reference
The Quick Setup shows how to quickly get the system connected and
powered on.
The Quick Reference briefly describes the documentation, NECC
tools and utilities, software applications, and services available with
the NEC PowerMate ES Series system.
!How Does Your Workplace Measure Up?
This brochure provides information for setting up and using the
computer productively and safely. Information includes guidelines to
reduce the risk of injury associated with using a computer.
!NEC PowerMate ES Series Release Notes
Release Notes provide additional information about the computer that
was not available at the time the user’s guide was printed. Information
in the Release Notes is the result of extensive product testing.
Your system also comes with the NEC INFO Center online
documentation on your hard drive. The NEC INFO Center provides
information about the system through the following online modules: Tour,
User’s Guide, Questions, Solutions, and Services.
In addition to the documentation that ships with the system,
documentation is available from the NECC website.
!NEC PowerMate ES Series Service and Reference Manual
This manual 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.
Service and reference manuals are available on the Internet at the
Service and Support area of the NECC website (see Chapter 6 for
access information).
!NEC PowerMate ES Series User’s Guide
Check the website for the most current online version of your printed
user’s guide.

1
Reviewing System Features
!Front Features
!Rear Features
!Inside Features
!Chassis
!Speakers
!System Overview

1-2 Reviewing System Features
Prolonged or improper use of a computer
workstation may pose a risk of serious injury. To reduce your risk of injury,
set up and use the computer in the manner described in Appendix A,
“Setting Up a Healthy Work Environment.”
This chapter highlights system hardware and software, and describes the
security features of the system.
Front Features
PowerMate ES Series computers can be used as minitower or desktop
systems. The following figures show the features on the front of the
system for both setups. A brief description follows the figures.
Front feature locations in minitower position
A– USB Port F– Power/Sleep Button
B– CD-ROM or DVD-ROM Drive G– Power/Sleep Lamp
C– 5 1/4-Inch Bay H– Disk Activity Lamp
D– Diskette Drive I– 3 1/2-Inch Accessible Device
E– 3 1/2-Inch Accessible
Device Bay Bracket

Reviewing System Features 1-3
Front feature locations in desktop position
A– Power/Sleep Button F– 3 1/2-Inch Accessible Device Bracket
B– CD-ROM or DVD-ROM Drive G– 3 1/2-Inch Accessible Device Bay
C– 5 1/4-Inch Bay H– Diskette Drive
D– Power/Sleep Lamp I– USB Port
E– Disk Activity Lamp
System Controls and Lamps
System controls let you select specific system operations. Lamps let you
know the status of system operations. The following describes the
controls and lamps. The previous figure shows the controls and lamps on
the front of the system.
!Power/Sleep button
Press this button to turn on system power. To turn off power, press the
button and hold in place until the system powers down (approximately
three to four seconds).
Press and immediately release the power/sleep button to suspend
system operation when you plan to be away from your computer for a
short time. This places the system in a power saving mode. If you
have a VESA-compliant monitor, your monitor also goes into a
power-saving mode.
Press any key or move your mouse to resume system operation at the
point where you stopped it.
An amber system unit power lamp indicates that the system is in a
power-saving mode.

1-4 Reviewing System Features
!Power/Sleep lamp
The power/sleep lamp indicates whether system power is on or off. It
also lets you know if the system is operating in a power-saving mode.
A steady green lamp indicates that the power is on to all system
components. An amber lamp indicates that the system is in Sleep
mode with full-power reduction.
!Hard drive lamp
A lit lamp indicates that the hard drive is active. The green lamp tells
you that the hard drive is reading or writing data.
Do not turn off the system unless absolutely
necessary while the hard drive lamp is lit. To do so can damage your hard
drive or data.
Diskette Drive A
Use diskette drive A to copy data files to and from a diskette. You can
also use diskette drive A as a bootable drive for loading and starting
programs from a diskette.
To prevent damage to your diskette drive and
data, do not turn off the system or remove a diskette while the diskette
drive busy lamp is lit.
Universal Serial Bus Port
The universal serial bus (USB) port on the front of the system allows you
to easily and conveniently add plug and play USB devices without
opening up the system. You simply plug the USB device into the port.
You can connect up to 127 devices including a mouse, monitor, keyboard,
printer, scanner, speakers, and more. A second USB port is on the rear of
the system.

Reviewing System Features 1-5
CD-ROM Drive
Some models come with a 40X Max or higher variable speed CD-ROM
drive. Use the CD-ROM drive to load and start programs from a compact
disc (CD). You can also use the CD-ROM drive to play your audio CDs.
The CD-ROM drive operates at different speeds depending on whether
the CD you are using contains data or music. This allows you to get your
data faster and to see smoother animation and video.
DVD-ROM Drive
Some models come with an 8X or higher digital video disc (DVD)-ROM
drive. The drive offers many improvements over the standard CD-ROM
technology, including superior video and audio playback, faster data
access, and greater storage capacities.
The DVD-ROM drive uses DVD technology to read DVD discs as well as
standard audio and video CDs.
Zip Drive
Some models come with a 250-MB capacity Zip®drive. Use the Zip drive
with 3 1/2-inch Zip disks to back up work, archive old files, and transport
your work. The Zip drive supports both 250-MB and 100-MB Zip disks.
Rear Features
On the rear of your computer, you’ll find external connectors, the power
supply socket and voltage selector switch, and expansion board slots. The
following figures show these features. See the next two sections for
information about the connectors and the power supply. See “Expansion
Boards” in Chapter 4 for information about expansion board slots.

1-6 Reviewing System Features
Rear feature locations in minitower position
A– AC Power Connector E– Expansion Slots
B– Power Supply F– System Board Connectors
C– Keyboard/Mouse Anti-theft Bracket G– Monitor Power Socket
D– Locking Tab H– Voltage Selector Switch
Rear feature locations in desktop position
A– Power Supply E– System Board Connectors
B– Keyboard/Mouse Anti-theft Bracket F– Monitor Power Socket
C– Locking Tab G– Voltage Selector Switch
D– Expansion Slots H– AC Power Connector

Reviewing System Features 1-7
System board connector locations in the minitower position
A– Keyboard Connector G– Line In
B– Mouse Connector H– Line Out
C– LAN Connector I– Monitor Connector
D– Parallel Port J– Serial Port
E– MIDI/Game Port K– USB Connector
F– Microphone In
System board connector locations in the desktop position
A– Mouse Connector G– Serial Port
B– LAN Connector H– Monitor Connector
C– Parallel Port I– Line Out
D– MIDI/Game Port J– Line In
E– Keyboard Connector K– Microphone In
F– USB Port

1-8 Reviewing System Features
External Connectors
External connectors let you attach peripheral devices, such as a monitor,
keyboard, mouse, and printer to your system. Your system has the
following external connectors.
!Mouse port
Attach the mouse that comes with your computer to this port. The
mouse port supports a PS/2-compatible mouse.
!Keyboard port
Attach the keyboard that comes with your computer to the keyboard
port.
The keyboard port supports a PS/2®-compatible (personal system/2-
compatible) 101-key or 104-key keyboard (in the U.S. and Canada) or
a 102-key keyboard (in the United Kingdom and Germany) with a
6-pin mini DIN connector.
!VGA monitor connector
The system comes with a video graphics array (VGA) connector on
the system board. This connector supports the accelerated graphics
port (AGP) standard. Attach the signal cable from your monitor to the
VGA connector. Use this port to connect an NEC MultiSync®
monitor, NEC VistaScan™ monitor, or other VGA-compatible
monitor with a 15-pin connector.
!Printer port
Use this port to connect a parallel printer with a 25-pin connector to
the system.
!Serial port 1 (COM A)
Attach a serial device with a 9-pin connector to this serial port. Serial
devices include a pointing device, serial printer, or a modem.
!Serial port 2 (COM B)
If your system has this optional port (housed in a PCI expansion board
slot), use it as you would serial port 1.
!Universal Serial Bus port
This port adds a USB connector at the rear of the system (see
“Universal Serial Bus Port” earlier in this chapter).

Reviewing System Features 1-9
!Audio connectors
The system comes with sound integrated on the system board. The
following audio connectors are found on the rear of the system, along
the I/O panel of the system board (see the preceding figure for
locations).
—Microphone in jack
The microphone in jack lets you connect a microphone for
recording audio information in your data system files.
—Line in jack
The line in jack lets you connect a stereo audio device such as a
stereo amplifier or a cassette or minidisc player for playback or
recording.
—Line out jack
The line out jack allows you to connect an amplified output
device, such as powered speakers or headset, a stereo tape
recorder, or an external amplifier for audio output.
—MIDI/Game port
The MIDI/game port connector lets you attach a musical MIDI
device or a gaming device to your system.
!Fax/modem ports
Some systems come with a V.90 rated 56-kilobytes per second (Kbps)
PCI fax/modem board. The fax/modem board allows the connection of
a phone line to the computer for fax and data communications
functions.
!LAN connector
The computer comes with a LAN connector on the I/O panel. The
system board supports 10BASE-T/100BASE-T, FX standards, and
Wake-On LAN. Use the RJ-45 compatible port on the board for
connecting the system to an Ethernet local-area network (LAN).
Power Supply Features
Your system has the following power supply features:
!Power socket
Connect your power cable to this socket.
!Monitor power socket
If you have a plug adapter, plug the monitor power cable into this
socket instead of a wall outlet.

1-10 Reviewing System Features
!Voltage selector switch
Sets the voltage for your system to 115 volts or 220 volts.
Set the switch correctly for the voltage in your
area. Most wall outlets in the United States and Canada are 115 volts.
Outlets in Europe, Australia, and Asia (except Taiwan) are
230 volts. Taiwan uses 115-volt outlets.
!Power supply fan
The power supply fan cools the power supply and other system
components to keep them from overheating. Keep the area near the
fan clear for proper ventilation.
Inside Features
See the following figure for the location of features within the system.
Feature descriptions follow.
Inside the system
A– System Board D– Power Supply
B– Expansion Slots E– Accessible Device Cage
C– Internal Drive Bracket