ZEOS Meridian 400 User manual

Meridian 400
The
ROADSIDE
PORTABLE
GUIDE TO
MOBILE
COMPUTING
WITH YOUR
MERIDIAN 400
SUB-NOTEBOOK
User’s Guide

2
700-0187-01 Merid400
© Copyright 1995
ZEOS International, Ltd.
All rights reserved
Limitation of remedies and liabilities
The vendor’s entire liability and customers’ exclusive and sole remedy for damages from any cause whatsoever
(including without limitation any nonperformance, misrepresentation, or breach of warranty) shall be limited to
returning the products pursuant to the thirty (30) day satisfaction guarantee, or to repair or replace specific
products or services that do not comply with the limited warranty given by the vendor. Any products or services
repaired or replaced pursuant to this paragraph shall be warranted as of the date of delivery in accordance with
the terms and conditions herein for the duration of the one-year term of Limited Warranty given by the vendor.
In no event will the vendor be liable for any damages caused, in whole or in part, by customer, or for any
economic loss, physical injury, lost revenues, lost profits, lost savings or other indirect, incidental, special or
consequential damages incurred by any person, even if the vendor has been advised of the possibility of such
damage for claims.
Some states do not allow the exclusion or limitation of incidental or consequential damages for consumer
products, and some states do not allow limitations on how long an implied warranty lasts, so the above
limitations or exclusions may not apply to you.
This warranty gives you specific legal rights, and you may also have other rights which vary from state to state.
The vendor provides no warranties whatsoever on software.
This document may not, in whole or in part, be copied, photocopied, reproduced, translated or reduced to any
electronic medium or machine readable form without prior consent, in writing, from the vendor.
With this document the vendor makes no warranties or representations, either expressed, or implied, with
respect to the products described herein. The information presented herein is being supplied on an “AS IS”
basis and is expressly subject to change without notice.
Trademark Notices
Microsoft, MS, and MS-DOS, are registered trademarks and Windows is a trademark of Microsoft Corporation.
IBM, PS/2 , and OS/2 are registered trademarks and PC/AT, Color Graphics Adapter (CGA), Enhanced Graphics
Adapter (EGA), Video Graphics Array (VGA) are trademarks of International Business Machines Corporation.
i486 is a trademark of the Intel Corporation.
Other brand or product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.

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Customer Assurance Program
Thirty (30) Day Money-Back Guarantee on Most Products.
Any product (except for software, software disks, related
documentation and consumables) purchased from our company may
be returned within thirty days from the date it was shipped to the
customer for a full refund of the purchase price excluding original
shipping charges.
Returned products must be in as new condition, in original packing,
complete with all warranty cards, manuals, cables and other materials
as originally shipped; not modified or damaged.
Any returned product must be shipped prepaid and insured. Any
return must carry a Return Merchandise Authorization (RMA)
number, obtained from us, on the outside of each carton. Returns
without RMA numbers will not be accepted. After thirty days from
shipment, all sales are final and credit or refunds will not be given.

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Meridian 400 OneYear Limited Warranty
All new Merdian 400 computer systems come with a OneYear Limited
Warranty which provides that the products we manufacture or assemble,
other than items such as software, disks and related documentation, will
remain in good working condition, free from defects in material and
workmanship under normal use and service, for a period of one year from
the date of shipment. This warranty is limited to the original purchaser
and is not transferable. During this one year period, we will repair or
replace, at its option, any defective product or parts at no additional
charge to the customer, provided that the defective product or part is
returned, shipment prepaid, to us. All replaced products and parts become
the property of the vendor. Replacement parts shall be similar new or
serviceable used parts. This Limited Warranty does not extend to any
products which have been damaged as a result of accident, misuse, abuse
(such as incorrect voltages, power surges, improper or insufficient
ventilation, failure to follow provided operating instructions, “acts of
God” or other situations beyond our control), or as the result of service or
modification by anyone other than the vendor. Non-factory installed parts
or components are not covered, nor is damage to our components covered
as a result of their installation. This warranty does not cover work
performed by others, all warranty work must be performed by us.

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FCC Compliance Statement
For U.S. and Canadian Users
Warning!
Changes or modifications to this unit not expressly approved by the party responsible
for compliance could void the user’s authority to operate the equipment.
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class
B digital device, pursuant to Part 15, Subpart B of the FCC Rules. These limits
are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a
residential installation. This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio
frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the
instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications.
However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular
installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or
television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment on and
off, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the
following measures.
•Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
•Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.
•Connect the equipment into an outlet on a different circuit.
•Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.
Connecting a non-shielded equipment interface cable to this equipment will
invalidate the FCC Certification of this device and may cause interference levels
which exceed the limits established by the FCC for this equipment.
This equipment is a Class B digital apparatus which complies with the Radio
Interference Regulations, C.R.C., c. 1374.
Cet appareil numèrique de la classe B est conformè au Règlement sur le
brouillage radioèlèctrique, C.R.C., ch. 1374.

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Contents
Welcome! .................................................................................... 10
1. Unpacking Your System ........................................................ 13
Do I Have Everything? ............................................................ 13
What's in the Box? .................................................................. 14
LetYour System Acclimate Itself ............................................. 15
Keep the Box .......................................................................... 15
Where to Work ........................................................................ 16
Beware Heat, Cold, Humidity, and Glare ................................ 16
System Features..................................................................... 17
2. The Big Picture....................................................................... 17
Top View.................................................................................. 18
Mouse buttons.................................................................................... 18
TruePoint Pointing Device................................................................... 18
Suspend/Resume Button .................................................................... 18
Side View ................................................................................ 20
Power Button...................................................................................... 20
Reset Switch ...................................................................................... 20
PCMCIA Card Eject Buttons ............................................................... 20
Back View ............................................................................... 22
Inside View.............................................................................. 24
Indicator Lights........................................................................ 25
How to Use the Keyboard ....................................................... 26
What the Keys Do............................................................................... 27
How to Use the Embedded Numeric Keypad....................................... 29
Special Key Combinations .................................................................. 30
How to Set the Speaker Volume ......................................................... 30
3. Battery and Power Management........................................... 31
Installing the Battery for the First Time ................................... 31
How to Install the Battery Pack ........................................................... 32
How to Remove the Battery Pack ....................................................... 33
Turning On Your System ......................................................... 34
Battery Pack Life..................................................................... 34
Low Battery Conditions ...................................................................... 35
Contents

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Contents
How to Charge the Battery...................................................... 37
Pre-charging a Dead Battery............................................................... 37
Temperature Control ........................................................................... 37
Faulty Battery ..................................................................................... 38
Don’t Unplug the AC Adapter with the Power On................................. 38
How to Use an External Video Monitor................................................ 38
How to Set Power Management ............................................. 39
Normal Mode...................................................................................... 39
Power Saving Mode............................................................................ 39
Suspend Mode ................................................................................... 39
Battery Precautions................................................................. 40
AC Adapter Precautions.......................................................... 41
4. How to UseYour Meridian 400 .............................................. 43
How to Open the System ........................................................ 43
How to use the TruePoint Pointing Device.............................. 44
How to Use a PS/2 Style Mouse ............................................. 45
How to Use a Serial Mouse..................................................... 45
How to Use Floppy Disks........................................................ 46
How to Care for Floppy Disks ............................................................. 47
How to Use a PCMCIA Card Slot............................................ 48
5. Using SETUP .......................................................................... 51
How to Run SETUP ................................................................ 52
Navigating in SETUP .............................................................. 53
Standard System Parameters................................................. 54
Time ................................................................................................... 54
Date ................................................................................................... 54
Diskette Drive A .................................................................................. 54
Hard Disk 1......................................................................................... 54
Base Memory ..................................................................................... 54
Extended Memory .............................................................................. 54
Video Card ......................................................................................... 55
Maximum CPU Speed ........................................................................ 55
Numlock on at boot............................................................................. 55
Quick Boot.......................................................................................... 55
PCMCIA Boot ..................................................................................... 55
System Configuration Parameters .......................................... 56
Cache................................................................................................. 56
Serial Port 1........................................................................................ 57

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Parallel Port........................................................................................ 57
Parallel Port Mode .............................................................................. 57
Internal Mouse.................................................................................... 57
LCD Brightness .................................................................................. 57
Password ........................................................................................... 57
Power Management Parameters ............................................ 58
Power Management............................................................................ 59
Idle, Standby, and Suspend Options ................................................... 60
System Idle After ................................................................................ 60
System Standby After ......................................................................... 60
System Suspend After ........................................................................ 61
Ring on Resume................................................................................. 62
Low Battery Suspend.......................................................................... 62
HDD Timeout Value ............................................................................ 62
Remaining Battery Level ..................................................................... 62
System Security ...................................................................... 63
System Password............................................................................... 63
Removing and Changing a System Password..................................... 66
Key Lock Password ............................................................................ 66
6. How to Install Options ........................................................... 67
How to Install More RAM Memory .......................................... 68
How to Attach an External Floppy Drive.................................. 70
7. How to MaintainYour System ............................................... 73
Traveling with the System ....................................................... 73
Caring for the System Hardware............................................. 74
Caring for the AC Adapter ....................................................... 75
Caring for the Battery Power Pack.......................................... 75
System Specifications ............................................................... 77
Environmental Specifications.................................................. 77
Dimensions ............................................................................. 78
Battery Pack Specifications..................................................... 78
AC Adapter Specifications....................................................... 78
Handy Cheat Sheet .................................................................... 79
Glossary...................................................................................... 81
Index............................................................................................ 83
Contents
Contents

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Welcome!
Welcome to the Meridian User’s Guide! This guide is designed to help you
get the most out of your system and keep it running trouble free, year after
year.
The User’s Guide is divided into seven chapters.
Chapter 1, Unpacking Your System, explains how to safely open and set
up your new system.
Chapter 2, The Big Picture, gives an overview of a typical system
including information about buttons, connectors and LED indicators.
Chapter 3, Battery and Power management, gives information about
using your system for the first time and instructions for charging the
battery pack and connecting the AC adapter.
Chapter 4, How to Use Your Meridian 400, shows how to turn on the
system and begin working.
Chapter 5, Using SETUP, explains how to use the built-in SETUP
features to configure your system.
Chapter 6, How to Install Options, shows how to add system RAM, or
an external floppy drive.
Chapter 7, How to Maintain Your System, explains how to care for
your hardware.
Welcome!

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Welcome!
System Specifications lists technical details about your system.
The Handy Cheat Sheet gives a short summary of some of the most
needed or most forgotten commands.
The Glossary gives definitions of common computer terms.

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Chapter 1 - Unpacking Your System
1. Unpacking Your System
Obviously, the first step towards using your new Meridian is getting it
safely to your door and unpacked.
Do I Have Everything?
The packing slip is one of the last items sealed into your system
unit box. It lists everything we shipped you. As you unpack the
box, check the contents against the packing slip. If an item is
listed on your packing slip, but isn't in the box, it may be
installed in your system, or shipped inside one of the manuals
or accessory bags. If you're sure something is missing, call
Customer Service right away. The Customer Service phone
number is listed on the inside back cover of this book.

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Chapter 1 - Unpacking Your System
What's in the Box?
Your box contains the packing slip, this manual, a plastic bag
full of cables and other manuals, a battery pack and AC adapter,
and your Windows & DOS manual.
This book shows you how to set up your system and keep it
running.Your Windows for Workgroups & MS-DOS User's
Guide has introductory chapters to help you install and
configure DOS and Windows. Since we have already loaded
and tested DOS and Windows on your hard drive, you can
probably skip those parts for now. Those chapters will be useful
if you ever have to start over on your own and reinstall DOS or
Windows onto your computer. For now, this book should get
you up and running.

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Chapter 1 - Unpacking Your System
LetYour System Acclimate Itself
Although your computer system can easily stand temperature
extremes, it doesn’t much like rapid changes in temperature,
especially going from a cold front stoop to a warm and comfy
office, or from a steamy jungle mail drop to an air-conditioned
villa. Rapid changes in temperature can cause condensation
inside your case. If it is hot or cold outside when you
receive your system, let the computer gradually
adjust to room temperature before you plug it in.
When you first receive your computer you will
certainly be eager to get it going and start putting it to work, but
be patient. Take the time to let it grow accustomed to its new
environment.
Keep the Box
It's a good idea to keep your Meridian’s box and packing
materials. That way, if you ever have to store the system or
return it, your components will be well-protected.

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Chapter 1 - Unpacking Your System
Where to Work
Your Meridian 400 is a tough, rugged machine. Generally
speaking it will be comfortable and run well wherever you are
comfortable. Extremes of heat, cold, and humidity can be
challenging to your system's parts, but usually if you can take it,
so can the computer. There are, however, some things you take
very easily that the computer does not like at all. Static
electricity is one. Dust, water, steam, and oil are others.
Wherever you decide to pull over for roadside computing,
choose a clean, comfortable work area for your system.
Note: It’s best to place your Meridian near a wall socket for easier access.
Beware Heat, Cold, Humidity, and Glare
Pick a spot for your computer that’s not too - not too hot and
not too cold, not too dark and not too bright - glare can make it
hard to read the screen. Overheating can destroy computer
components. Allow plenty of room for air to circulate around
the system.

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Your Meridian 400 is designed to give you the speed and power of a
desktop system in a lightweight, portable package.
System Features
Every Meridian 400 includes:
•Intel 486SX-33, 486DX2-50 or DX4-100 microprocessor
•8KB internal system cache (486SX & 486DX2),
•16KB internal system cache (DX4)
•RAM expandable to 20MB
•IDE hard drive upgradable to 350MB
•2 Type II PCMCIA slots
•High-speed local bus video with 1MB video RAM
•Full 640 x 480 display
•84-key keyboard with embedded numeric keypad and 12
dedicated function keys, inverted “T”
•Eraser-shaped integrated TruePoint™ pointing device
•Replaceable, rechargeable NiMH battery
•Serial port, enhanced parallel port, external VGA video port,
external keyboard or PS/2 mouse port
•Port for optional external floppy drive
•Full power management features include Low Power mode,
programmable Standby features, and Suspend to memory for
fast suspends and resumes
•AC-DC adapter
•EPA Energy Star compliant
Chapter 2 - The Big Picture
2. The Big Picture

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Top View
Chapter 2 - The Big Picture
Mouse buttons
The two rectangular buttons on the front of the unit work like
the two buttons of a mouse. Your right thumb can push the
mouse button while another finger moves the cursor with the
TruePoint pointing device.
TruePoint Pointing Device
The TruePoint™ pointing device works much like a joystick. The
pointer moves the on-screen cursor whichever direction you tilt
the red button. The harder you push, the faster the cursor
moves.
Suspend/Resume Button
The Suspend/Resume button sets the system to the power
saving mode when you are not using your system. To use the
Suspend/Resume button, you must enable Power Management
in SETUP. See Chapter 5, Using SETUP, for more details.

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Chapter 2 - The Big Picture
Suspend/Resume button
LED Indicators
Display latch
Mouse buttons TruePoint pointing device
Power
Reset Switch

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Side View
Power Button
To turn the system on or off, press the power button for 1-2
seconds. When you turn the power on, the speaker beeps once
(unless you have disabled the speaker by setting the volume 0).
The Power Button will not work when the system is in suspend
mode or when the computer is being powered by battery only
and the display panel is closed. See Chapter 3, Battery and
Power Management.
Reset Switch
The reset switch reboots the system. Insert the tip of a ball-
point pen into the opening to press the switch. When the system
is rebooted all information in random access memory (RAM) is
lost.
PCMCIA Card Eject Buttons
These buttons let you insert or remove PCMCIA cards in the
PCMCIA slots.
Note: PCMCIA cards can be removed and replaced while the system is on. If you
remove a PCMCIA card while the system is on, be sure the PCMCIA card eject
button returns to its original position. When the PCMICA slot is not being
used, the eject button should be flush with the system case.
Chapter 2 - The Big Picture