ZEOS Meridian 800 User manual

The
ROADSIDE
PORTABLE
GUIDE TO
MOBILE
COMPUTING
WITH YOUR
MERIDIAN 800
NOTEBOOK
User’s Guide
Meridian 800

2
700-0194-01 Merid800
Copyright 1995
Micron Electronics, Inc.
All rights reserved
ZEOS shall not be held liable for technical or editorial omissions or errors made herein;
nor for incidental or consequential damages resulting from furnishing, performance, or
use of this material. This document contains proprietary information protected by
copyright. No part of this document may be photocopied or reproduced by mechanical,
electronic, or other means in any form without prior written permission of ZEOS.
Limitation of remedies and liabilities:
ZEOS’ 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 money-back guarantee, or to repair or replace specific products or services that
do not comply with the Limited Warranty offered by ZEOS. In no event will ZEOS 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 ZEOS 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.
Trademark Notices
Microsoft, MS, and MS-DOS, are registered trademarks. Windows is a registered
trademark of Microsoft in the U.S. and other countries.
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.
Intelligent Power Manager is a registered trademark of DIA Semicon Systems, Inc.
i486 is a trademark of the Intel Corporation.
Other brand or product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their
respective holders.
MERID800.PM5 7/24/95, 12:34 PM2

3
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.

4
Meridian 800 OneYear Limited Warranty
All new Merdian 850 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.

5
FCC Compliance Statement
For US 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.
The connection of 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 ........................................................ 12
Do I Have Everything? ............................................................ 12
What's in the Box? .................................................................. 13
LetYour Computer Acclimate Itself ......................................... 14
Keep the Box .......................................................................... 14
Where to Work ........................................................................ 15
Beware Heat, Cold, Humidity, and Glare ................................ 15
2. The Big Picture....................................................................... 16
System Features..................................................................... 16
Front View............................................................................... 17
Mouse Buttons ................................................................................... 17
TruePoint™ Pointing Device ............................................................... 17
Suspend/Resume Button .................................................................... 17
Side Views .............................................................................. 19
Power Button...................................................................................... 19
Reset Switch ...................................................................................... 19
PCMCIA Card Eject Buttons ............................................................... 19
Back View ............................................................................... 21
Indicator Lights: Where they are ......................................................... 23
Indicator Lights: What they mean........................................................ 24
Using the Keyboard ................................................................ 25
What the Keys Do............................................................................... 26
Using the Embedded Numeric Keypad................................................ 28
Special Key Combinations .................................................................. 29
Setting the Speaker Volume................................................................ 29
Disk Drives.............................................................................. 30
Removable Hard Disk Drive................................................................ 30
PCMCIA Card Slot .................................................................. 32
3. Battery and Power Management........................................... 33
Installing the Battery for the First Time ................................... 33
Installing the Battery Pack .................................................................. 34
Removing the Battery Pack ................................................................ 35
Turning On Your System ......................................................... 36
Contents

8
Contents
Battery Endurance .................................................................. 36
Low Battery Conditions ...................................................................... 37
Charging the Battery ............................................................... 39
Pre-charging a Dead Battery............................................................... 39
Battery Temperature Sensor ............................................................... 39
Faulty Battery Indicator....................................................................... 40
Don’t Unplug the AC Adapter with the Power On................................. 40
Setting Power Management.................................................... 41
Normal Mode...................................................................................... 41
Power Saving Mode............................................................................ 41
Suspend Mode ................................................................................... 41
Battery Precautions................................................................. 42
AC Adapter Precautions.......................................................... 43
4. How to UseYour Meridian 800 .............................................. 44
Opening the Lid....................................................................... 44
Examining the Interior Features .......................................................... 44
TruePoint™ Pointing Device ................................................... 45
PS/2 Style Mouse.................................................................... 46
Serial Mouse........................................................................... 46
External Video Monitor............................................................ 47
External Keyboard .................................................................. 47
Floppy Disks ........................................................................... 48
Floppy Disks....................................................................................... 49
Dual PCMCIA Card Slot.......................................................... 50
5. Using the SETUP Utility ......................................................... 52
Running SETUP...................................................................... 53
Navigating in SETUP .............................................................. 54
Standard System Parameters................................................. 55
Time ................................................................................................... 55
Date ................................................................................................... 55
Diskette Drive A .................................................................................. 55
Hard Disk 1......................................................................................... 55
Base Memory ..................................................................................... 55
Extended Memory .............................................................................. 55
Video Card ......................................................................................... 56
Maximum CPU Speed ........................................................................ 56
Num Lock on at Boot .......................................................................... 56
Quick Boot.......................................................................................... 56

9
Contents
PCMCIA Boot ..................................................................................... 56
System Configuration Parameters .......................................... 57
Cache................................................................................................. 57
Serial Port 1........................................................................................ 58
Parallel Port........................................................................................ 58
Parallel Port Mode .............................................................................. 58
Internal Mouse.................................................................................... 58
LCD Brightness .................................................................................. 58
Password ........................................................................................... 58
Power Management Parameters ............................................ 59
Idle, Standby, and Suspend Options ................................................... 59
Power Management............................................................................ 59
System Idle After ................................................................................ 60
System Standby After ......................................................................... 60
System Suspend After ........................................................................ 60
Ring on Resume................................................................................. 61
Low Battery Suspend.......................................................................... 61
HDD Timeout Value ............................................................................ 61
Remaining Battery Level ..................................................................... 61
System Security ...................................................................... 62
System Password............................................................................... 62
Removing and Changing a System Password..................................... 65
Key Lock Password ............................................................................ 65
6. How to Install Options .......................................................... 66
Installing More RAM................................................................ 67
Before You Begin... ............................................................................. 67
7. How to MaintainYour System ............................................... 69
Travel Precautions .................................................................. 69
System Hardware ................................................................... 70
AC Adapter.............................................................................. 71
Battery Power Pack................................................................. 71
System Specifications ............................................................... 72
Handy Cheat Sheet .................................................................... 74
Glossary...................................................................................... 76
Index............................................................................................ 78

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Welcome!
Welcome to the 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 800, 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,
PCMCIA cards, 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.
Welcome!

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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
computer 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 an insert to 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 Computer 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 800 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 unit.
Also, be sure to use grounded electrical
outlets. Although your computer has its own
electrical filters, fuses, and protections, and even its own built-
in surge suppressor, we strongly recommend using an external
surge suppressor to ensure your system is safe. An external
surge suppressor looks like an extension cord with several
grounded outlets. High quality surge protectors shield your
computer from lightning strikes, surges, shorts, and other
electrical hazards.

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Your Meridian 800 is designed to give you the speed and power of a
desktop system in a lightweight, portable package.
Chapter 2 - The Big Picture
2. The Big Picture
System Features
Every Meridian 800 includes:
•Intel 486SX-33, 486DX2-50 or DX4-100 microprocessor
•8K internal system cache (486SX & 486DX2)
•16K internal system cache (DX4)
•RAM expandable to 20MB
•IDE hard drive upgradable to 528MB
•2 Type II PCMCIA slots or 1 Type III slot
•High-speed local bus video with 1MB video RAM
•640 x 480 DSTN color display with up to 256 colors, 10.3”
diagonal, or TFT active matrix display, 9.5” diagonal
•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 and PS/2 mouse port
•Full power management features include Low Power mode and
programmable Standby features
•AC-DC adapter
•EPA Energy Star compliant
•Windows NT 3.50 compatibility
MERID800.PM5 7/24/95, 10:15 AM16

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Chapter 2 - The Big Picture
Front View
Mouse Buttons
The two square buttons on top of the wrist rest work just like
the buttons of a conventional PC mouse. Your right thumb
clicks the buttons while a finger moves the cursor with the
TruePoint pointing device.
TruePoint™ Pointing Device
The TruePoint pointing device works much like a joystick. The
onscreen cursor moves whichever way you tilt TruePoint’s red
button. The harder you push, the faster the cursor moves.
Suspend/Resume Button
The Suspend/Resume button (coffee cup symbol) sets the
system to the power saving mode when you need to take a
break. To use the Suspend/Resume button you must enable
Power Management in Setup. See chapter 5, Using Setup, for
details.

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Chapter 2 - The Big Picture
Meridian 800, Front View
LED indicator
lights
Display Latches
Mouse Buttons
TruePoint™ Pointing
Device
Reset Switch
Power Switch
Suspend/Resume Button

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Chapter 2 - The Big Picture
Side Views
Power Button
To turn the system on or off, press and hold the power button
for 1-2 seconds. When you turn the power on, the speaker beeps
once.
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 to the right of the floppy drive reboots the
system. Insert the tip of a ball-point pen into the opening to
press the switch.
Warning!
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.

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Chapter 2 - The Big Picture
Right side view
Left side view
Removable Hard
Disk Drive
PCMCIA Card
Compartment
Cover
Power Button
Floppy Disk
Drive Slot
Suspend/Resume
Button Floppy Disk
Drive Eject
Button
PC Card
Eject Buttons
Reset Switch