NEC POWERMATE User manual

First Printing — March 1996
Copyright 1996 Copyright 1996
NEC Technologies, Inc. NEC Corporation
1414 Massachusetts Avenue 7-1 Shiba 5-Chome, Minato-Ku
Boxborough, MA 01719 Tokyo 108-01, Japan
All Rights Reserved 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 Corporation (NEC) and/or its licensors. NEC and/or its licen-
sors, as appropriate, reserve all patent, copyright and other proprietary rights to this docu-
ment, including all design, manufacturing, reproduction, use, and sales rights thereto, except
to the extent said rights are expressly granted to others.
The NEC 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.
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 is prohibited.
MultiSync and PowerMate are U.S. registered trademarks of NEC Technologies, Inc.
FastFacts is a U.S. trademark of NEC Technologies, Inc.
All other product, brand, or trade names used in this publication are the trademarks or registered
trademarks of their respective trademark owners.

iii
Contents
Preface......................................................................................................................... xv
Abbreviations............................................................................................................... xvii
Section 1 Technical Information
Desktop System Chassis............................................................................................... 1-3
Minitower System Chassis ........................................................................................... 1-4
System Board .............................................................................................................. 1-5
Processor.............................................................................................................. 1-7
Secondary Cache .................................................................................................. 1-8
System and Video BIOS ....................................................................................... 1-8
System Memory.................................................................................................... 1-9
Integrated Graphics............................................................................................... 1-11
Motion Video Controller............................................................................... 1-11
Graphics Accelerator..................................................................................... 1-11
Video Memory.............................................................................................. 1-11
Interrupt Controller............................................................................................... 1-12
I/O Addressing...................................................................................................... 1-14
ISA Bus................................................................................................................ 1-15
PCI Local Bus ...................................................................................................... 1-15
PCI Auto Configuration........................................................................................ 1-15
PCI/IDE Ports ...................................................................................................... 1-15
Parallel Interface................................................................................................... 1-16
Serial Interface...................................................................................................... 1-16
Infrared Interface.................................................................................................. 1-17
Power Supply .............................................................................................................. 1-18
Diskette Drive.............................................................................................................. 1-18
Hard Disk Drive........................................................................................................... 1-18
Keyboard..................................................................................................................... 1-19
Mouse ......................................................................................................................... 1-19
Multimedia Components.............................................................................................. 1-19
Integrated Audio................................................................................................... 1-19
CD-ROM Reader.................................................................................................. 1-20
Speakers............................................................................................................... 1-20
Microphone .......................................................................................................... 1-20

iv Contents
Network Board............................................................................................................ 1-20
Plug and Play............................................................................................................... 1-20
Power Management..................................................................................................... 1-21
Desktop Management Interface.................................................................................... 1-21
DMI Components................................................................................................. 1-21
Manageable Components ...................................................................................... 1-22
CI Module ............................................................................................................ 1-22
DMI Browser ....................................................................................................... 1-22
Usage ................................................................................................................... 1-23
DMI Troubleshooting ........................................................................................... 1-24
Specifications............................................................................................................... 1-25
Section 2 Setup and Operation
Unpacking and Repacking............................................................................................ 2-1
Setup........................................................................................................................... 2-1
Desktop Setup...................................................................................................... 2-1
Minitower Setup................................................................................................... 2-6
CD-ROM Reader......................................................................................................... 2-11
System Configuration................................................................................................... 2-12
Setup Utility.......................................................................................................... 2-12
How to Start Setup............................................................................................... 2-13
How to Use Setup................................................................................................. 2-14
Menu Bar...................................................................................................... 2-14
Legend Bar................................................................................................... 2-15
Field Help Window ....................................................................................... 2-16
General Help Window................................................................................... 2-16
Main Menu Options ...................................................................................... 2-16
IDE Adapters................................................................................................ 2-17
Memory Cache.............................................................................................. 2-19
Memory Shadow........................................................................................... 2-19
Boot Options ................................................................................................ 2-20
Numlock....................................................................................................... 2-20
Advanced Menu.................................................................................................... 2-21
Integrated Peripherals Menu.......................................................................... 2-21
Security Menu....................................................................................................... 2-23
Power Menu......................................................................................................... 2-24
Boot Menu ........................................................................................................... 2-25

Contents v
Exit Menu............................................................................................................. 2-26
Save Changes & Exit .................................................................................... 2-26
Discard Changes & Exit................................................................................ 2-26
Get Default Values........................................................................................ 2-27
Load Previous Values ................................................................................... 2-27
Save Changes................................................................................................ 2-27
BIOS Update Utility .................................................................................................... 2-27
NEC Bulletin Board Service.................................................................................. 2-28
Using the BIOS Update Utility.............................................................................. 2-29
Section 3 Option Installation
General Rules for Installing Options............................................................................. 3-1
Precautions.................................................................................................................. 3-2
Removing the System Unit Cover ................................................................................ 3-3
Removing the Desktop Cover ............................................................................... 3-3
Removing the Minitower Cover ............................................................................ 3-5
Expansion Boards........................................................................................................ 3-6
Expansion Slot Locations...................................................................................... 3-7
Expansion Board Installation................................................................................. 3-8
Inside Slot Expansion Board Installation ....................................................... 3-11
System Board Options ................................................................................................. 3-12
SIMM Upgrade..................................................................................................... 3-13
Checking System Memory............................................................................. 3-13
SIMM Removal ............................................................................................ 3-15
SIMM Installation......................................................................................... 3-16
Video Upgrade ..................................................................................................... 3-17
Processor Upgrade................................................................................................ 3-18
Processor Removal ....................................................................................... 3-18
Processor Installation.................................................................................... 3-19
MIDI/Joystick Upgrade ............................................................................................... 3-19
Data Storage Devices................................................................................................... 3-21
Device Slots.......................................................................................................... 3-21
Device Preparation................................................................................................ 3-23
Device Cables....................................................................................................... 3-23
Diskette Drive Signal Cable........................................................................... 3-24
IDE Signal Cables......................................................................................... 3-24
System Power Cables.................................................................................... 3-25

vi Contents
Device Cabling...................................................................................................... 3-26
Cabling an IDE Device.................................................................................. 3-26
Cabling a Diskette Drive ............................................................................... 3-27
Desktop Storage Device Installation...................................................................... 3-27
Removing the Desktop 3 1/2-Inch Drive Bracket .......................................... 3-28
Installing the Desktop 3 1/2-Inch Drive......................................................... 3-28
Removing the Desktop Front Panel............................................................... 3-29
Installing the Desktop 5 1/4-Inch Device....................................................... 3-31
Replacing the Desktop Front Panel................................................................ 3-32
Replacing the Desktop 3 1/2-Inch Drive Bracket........................................... 3-32
Minitower Storage Device Installation................................................................... 3-33
Installing the 3 1/2-Inch Drive into the Minitower Internal Front Slot............ 3-34
Installing a 3 1/2-Inch Drive into a Minitower Rear Slot................................ 3-34
Removing the Minitower Front Panel............................................................ 3-36
Installing the Minitower 5 1/4-Inch Device.................................................... 3-38
Replacing the Minitower Front Panel............................................................. 3-40
Adding External Options.............................................................................................. 3-41
Parallel Printer ...................................................................................................... 3-41
RS-232C Device Connection................................................................................. 3-42
Section 4 Maintenance and Troubleshooting
Maintenance ................................................................................................................ 4-1
System Cleaning.................................................................................................... 4-2
Keyboard Cleaning................................................................................................ 4-2
Mouse Cleaning.................................................................................................... 4-3
Troubleshooting........................................................................................................... 4-4
Diagnosing and Solving Problems ......................................................................... 4-4
CMOS Battery Replacement................................................................................. 4-8
Section 5 Desktop Repair
Disassembly and Reassembly........................................................................................ 5-1
System Unit Cover Removal ................................................................................. 5-2
Expansion Board Removal.................................................................................... 5-3
PCI/ISA Backboard Removal................................................................................ 5-5
3 1/2-inch Diskette and Hard Disk Drive Removal ................................................ 5-5
Front Panel Assembly Removal............................................................................. 5-7
Blank Panel Removal ............................................................................................ 5-8

Contents vii
Speaker Assembly Removal .................................................................................. 5-8
SIMM Removal.................................................................................................... 5-9
5 1/4-Inch Device Removal................................................................................... 5-10
Power Supply Removal......................................................................................... 5-11
System Board Removal......................................................................................... 5-13
Illustrated Parts Breakdown.................................................................................. 5-14
Section 6 Minitower Repair
Disassembly and Reassembly........................................................................................ 6-1
System Unit Cover Removal ................................................................................. 6-2
Expansion Board Removal.................................................................................... 6-4
SIMM Removal.................................................................................................... 6-4
Front 3 1/2-Inch Drive Removal............................................................................ 6-6
3 1/2-inch Diskette Drive Removal........................................................................ 6-7
Front Panel Assembly Removal............................................................................. 6-7
Blank Panel and Metal Cover Plate Removal......................................................... 6-8
5 1/4-Inch Device Removal................................................................................... 6-9
Rear 3 1/2-Inch Drive Removal............................................................................. 6-11
Card Guide/Fan Bracket Removal......................................................................... 6-12
Speaker Assembly Removal .................................................................................. 6-13
Power Supply Removal......................................................................................... 6-14
PCI/ISA Backboard Removal................................................................................ 6-15
System Board Removal......................................................................................... 6-15
Illustrated Parts Breakdown.................................................................................. 6-17
Appendix A Connector Pin Assignments
CD Audio Connector Pin Assignments......................................................................... A-3
Serial Interface Connectors.......................................................................................... A-3
Parallel Interface Connector......................................................................................... A-4
VGA Interface Connector Pin Assignments.................................................................. A-5
Speaker Connector Pin Assignments ............................................................................ A-5
Power Supply Connector ............................................................................................. A-6
Keyboard and Mouse Connectors................................................................................. A-6
IRDA Connector.......................................................................................................... A-7
Suspend Button Connector .......................................................................................... A-7
Fan Connector............................................................................................................. A-7
Diskette Drive Interface Pin Assignments..................................................................... A-8

viii Contents
IDE Interface Connectors ............................................................................................ A-9
SIMM Sockets............................................................................................................. A-10
ISA/PCI-Bus Backboard Connector Pin Assignments...................................................A-11
ISA Expansion Bus Connector Pin Assignments...........................................................A-13
Appendix B System Board Jumpers
Jumper Locations......................................................................................................... B-1
Changing Processor Jumper Settings............................................................................ B-2
Changing the Password................................................................................................ B-4
Clearing CMOS........................................................................................................... B-5
Appendix C Hard Disk Drive Specifications and Jumper Settings
Hard Disk Drive Specifications .................................................................................... C-1
540-MB Hard Disk Drive Jumper Settings................................................................... C-3
850-MB Hard Disk Drive Jumper Settings................................................................... C-4
1.2-GB Hard Disk Drive Jumper Settings..................................................................... C-5
1.6-GB Hard Disk Drive Jumper Settings..................................................................... C-6
Appendix D CD-ROM Reader Specifications and Jumper Settings
CD-ROM Reader Specifications................................................................................... D-1
CD-ROM Reader Connectors and Jumper Settings ...................................................... D-2
List of Figures
1-1 Desktop System Controls and Storage Device Slots....................................... 1-3
1-2 Minitower System Controls and Storage Device Slots.................................... 1-4
2-1 Desktop Voltage Selector Switch................................................................... 2-2
2-2 Desktop Peripheral Connections..................................................................... 2-2
2-3 Desktop Network Board Connections............................................................ 2-3
2-4 Assembling the Microphone Holder................................................................ 2-4
2-5 Connecting the Microphone ........................................................................... 2-4
2-6 Desktop Power Button, Lamps, and Suspend Button ..................................... 2-5
2-7 Minitower Voltage Selector Switch................................................................ 2-6
2-8 Minitower Peripheral Connections.................................................................. 2-7
2-9 Minitower Network Board Connections......................................................... 2-7
2-10 Assembling the Microphone Holder................................................................ 2-8

Contents ix
2-11 Connecting the Microphone ........................................................................... 2-9
2-12 Minitower Power Button, Lamps, and Suspend Button .................................. 2-10
2-13 Typical CD-ROM Reader Controls and Indicators.......................................... 2-11
3-1 Removing Desktop Cover Screws.................................................................. 3-3
3-2 Releasing the Desktop Cover ......................................................................... 3-4
3-3 Removing Minitower Cover Screws............................................................... 3-5
3-4 Releasing the Cover ....................................................................................... 3-6
3-5 Locating Desktop Expansion Slots................................................................. 3-7
3-6 Locating Minitower Expansion Slots.............................................................. 3-8
3-7 Removing a Slot Cover in the Desktop........................................................... 3-9
3-8 Removing a Slot Cover in the Minitower........................................................ 3-9
3-9 Inserting the Board in the Desktop................................................................. 3-10
3-10 Inserting the Board in the Minitower.............................................................. 3-10
3-11 Removing the Slot Cover Support Screws...................................................... 3-11
3-12 Attaching the Slot Cover Support .................................................................. 3-12
3-13 System Board Upgrade Sockets and Connectors............................................ 3-12
3-14 Removing a SIMM......................................................................................... 3-15
3-15 Inserting the SIMM........................................................................................ 3-16
3-16 Aligning the Video DRAM Module with the Socket....................................... 3-17
3-17 Removing the Metal MIDI/Joystick Punch-Out in the Desktop....................... 3-20
3-18 Removing the Metal MIDI/Joystick Punch-Out in the Minitower.................... 3-21
3-19 Locating Device Slots in the Desktop............................................................. 3-22
3-20 Locating Device Slots in the Minitower.......................................................... 3-22
3-21 System Board Cable Connectors.................................................................... 3-23
3-22 Optional Diskette Drive Connector ................................................................ 3-24
3-23 Optional IDE Cable Connector....................................................................... 3-25
3-24 Power Cable Connectors................................................................................ 3-25
3-25 Connecting IDE Device Cables ...................................................................... 3-26
3-26 Connecting 1.2-MB Diskette Drive Cables..................................................... 3-27
3-27 Removing the 3 1/2-Inch Drive Bracket ......................................................... 3-28
3-28 Securing a 3 1/2-Inch Drive............................................................................ 3-29
3-29 Removing the Front Panel.............................................................................. 3-30
3-30 Locating the Blank Panel Tabs....................................................................... 3-30
3-31 Securing the Device ....................................................................................... 3-31
3-32 Aligning the Desktop Front Panel................................................................... 3-32
3-33 Securing the 3 1/2-Inch Drive Bracket............................................................ 3-33

x Contents
3-34 Left Side Drive Screws .................................................................................. 3-34
3-35 Removing the Drive Bracket Screws.............................................................. 3-35
3-36 Securing the Drive to the Bracket................................................................... 3-35
3-37 Removing the Front Panel.............................................................................. 3-36
3-38 Locating the Blank Panel Tabs....................................................................... 3-37
3-39 Locating the Slot Cover................................................................................. 3-37
3-40 Attaching the Device Rails ............................................................................. 3-38
3-41 Front and Left Side Device Screws................................................................. 3-39
3-42 Right Side Device Screws .............................................................................. 3-39
3-43 Aligning the Minitower Front Panel................................................................ 3-40
3-44 Connecting a Printer Cable to the Desktop..................................................... 3-41
3-45 Connecting a Printer Cable to the Minitower.................................................. 3-42
3-46 Connecting an RS-232C Cable to the Desktop ............................................... 3-43
3-47 Connecting an RS-232C Cable to the Minitower ............................................ 3-43
4-1 Removing the Mouse Ball Cover.................................................................... 4-3
4-2 Battery Socket Location................................................................................. 4-8
4-3 Battery Removal ............................................................................................ 4-9
4-4 RTC Chip Removal........................................................................................ 4-9
5-1 System Unit Cover Screws............................................................................. 5-3
5-2 Removing the System Unit Cover................................................................... 5-3
5-3 Expansion Slot Screw .................................................................................... 5-4
5-4 Inside Expansion Slot Screw.......................................................................... 5-4
5-5 PCI/ISA Backboard Screws........................................................................... 5-5
5-6 3 1/2-Inch Drive Bracket................................................................................ 5-6
5-7 3 1/2-Inch Diskette and Hard Disk Drive Screws............................................ 5-6
5-8 Front Panel Tabs............................................................................................ 5-7
5-9 Blank Panel Tabs ........................................................................................... 5-8
5-10 Internal Speaker............................................................................................. 5-9
5-11 SIMM Socket................................................................................................ 5-9
5-12 5 1/4-Inch Device Screws............................................................................... 5-10
5-13 Power Button Screws .................................................................................... 5-11
5-14 Power Supply Screws .................................................................................... 5-12
5-15 System Board Connectors and Screws ........................................................... 5-13
5-16 PowerMate V Desktop Illustrated Parts Breakdown....................................... 5-16

Contents xi
6-1 Removing Minitower Cover Screws............................................................... 6-3
6-2 Releasing the Cover ....................................................................................... 6-3
6-3 Removing the Screw in the Minitower............................................................ 6-4
6-4 System Board Upgrade SIMM Sockets.......................................................... 6-5
6-5 Removing a SIMM......................................................................................... 6-5
6-6 Right Side Front Internal Drive Screws.......................................................... 6-6
6-7 Left Side Front Internal Drive Screws ............................................................ 6-6
6-8 Diskette Drive Bracket Screws....................................................................... 6-7
6-9 Removing the Front Panel.............................................................................. 6-8
6-10 Locating the Blank Panel Tabs....................................................................... 6-8
6-11 Locating and Removing the Slot Covers......................................................... 6-9
6-12 Front and Left Side Device Screws................................................................. 6-10
6-13 Right Side Device Screws .............................................................................. 6-10
6-14 Removing the Device Rails............................................................................. 6-11
6-15 Removing the Drive Bracket Screws.............................................................. 6-11
6-16 Securing the Drive to the Bracket................................................................... 6-12
6-17 Removing the Card Guide/Fan Bracket Assembly........................................... 6-13
6-18 Speaker.......................................................................................................... 6-13
6-19 Power Supply Screws .................................................................................... 6-14
6-20 PCI/ISA Backboard....................................................................................... 6-15
6-21 System Board Removal.................................................................................. 6-16
6-22 PowerMate V Minitower Illustrated Parts Breakdown.................................... 6-19
A-1 System Board Layout..................................................................................... A-1
A-2 Detailed Front System Board Connectors....................................................... A-2
A-3 Power Supply Connector Pin Assignments..................................................... A-6
B-1 System Board Jumper Locations .................................................................... B-1
B-2 Processor Settings with One BF Jumper......................................................... B-3
B-3 Processor Settings with Two BF Jumpers (BF0 and BF1) .............................. B-4
C-1 Quantum 540-MB Jumper Settings ................................................................ C-3
C-2 Western Digital 850-MB Jumper Settings....................................................... C-4
C-3 Conner 1.2- and 1.6-GB Jumper Settings ....................................................... C-5