Epson Equity Ie Q50188015-1 manual

EQLJITYIe User's Guide EPSON ®[...]

EPSON ® EGlLJITYIe User’s Guide Q50188015-1[...]

IMPORTANT NOTICE DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTY Epson America, Inc. makes no representations or warranties, either express or implied, by or with respect to anything in this manual, and shall not be liable for any implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose or for any indirect, special, or consequential damages. Some states d[...]

FCC COMPLIANCE STATEMENT FOR AMERICAN USERS This equipment generates and uses radio frequency energy and if not installed and used properly, that is, in strict accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions, may cause interference to radio and television reception. It has been type tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B computi[...]

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Contents Introduction .......................................... 1 How to Use This Manual ................................. 2 Where to Get Help ...................................... 3 Setting Up Your System ............................... 1-1 Unpacking .......................................... 1-1 Choosing a Location .............................[...]

Caring for diskettes .................................. Inserting and removing diskettes ........................ Making backup copies ................................ Write-protecting diskettes ............................. Using a single diskette drive ........................... Using a Hard Disk Drive ................................. Caring fo[...]

Using the XTREE Utility ................................. 4-21 Running XTREE .................................... 4-22 Cautions ........................................... 4-23 Using an AUTOEXEC.BAT File .......................... 4-23 Creating an AUTOEXEC.BAT file ..................... 4-24 Appendixes A Installing Option Cards ....................[...]

D Performing System Diagnostics ........................ D-1 Starting System Diagnostics ............................... D-1 Modifying the DEVICE LIST .......................... D-2 Selecting a Test ............ ............................. D-3 Resuming From an Error ................................. D-4 System Board Check ........................[...]

E F Specifications ......................................... E-1 Main Unit ............................................. E-1 Interfaces .............................................. E-1 Keyboard.. ............................................ E-1 Mass Storage ........................................... E-2 Power Requirements .......................[...]

Introduction Your Epson ® Equity™ Ie personal computer is both powerful and easy to use. The Equity Ie is available in these three models: l A single diskette drive system with one 3%inch 720KB (kilobyte) diskette drive l A dual diskette drive system with two 3Sinch 720KB diskette drives l A hard disk drive system with one 20MB (megabyte) hard d[...]

Your Equity Ie comes with version 3.3 of MS-DOS ® -the operating system by Microsoft?-and version 3.2 of the GW-BASIC ® programming language. You’ll find reference manuals for both MS-DOS and GW-BASIC packed in the box with the computer. You probably also purchased other software to use with your computer; you can use virtually any application [...]

If you encounter any problems while using your computer, check the troubleshooting guidelines in Appendix B. Appendix C provides information on the power-on diagnostics, which you can read if your computer has trouble starting up. Appendix D outlines the system diagnostics checks you can perform on your computer. If you are having trouble with any [...]

Chapter 1 Setting Up Your System Setting up your Epson Equity Ie computer is easy. Just follow the steps in this chapter. They describe how to set up your computer, start MS-DOS, and copy the system diskettes that come with your Equity Ie. At the back of this manual you’ll find a foldout showing the front and back panels of the computer. Do not t[...]

Besides this manual, you should have the following items: l The main unit l The power cord l The keyboard and attached cable l Three diskettes: Startup/Operating 1, Operating 2, and Reference l An MS-DOS manual and a GW-BASIC manual. In addition, you may have purchased a compatible monitor. You’ll also find a registration card with the main unit.[...]

l Appropriate power sources. To prevent static charges, connect all your equipment to 3-prong, 120-volt grounded outlets. You need one outlet for the main unit, another for the monitor, and additional outlets for a printer and any other peripherals. l No electromagnetic interference. Locate your system away from any electrical device that generates[...]

You can change the angle of the keyboard by adjusting the legs on the bottom. To adjust the legs, turn the keyboard over and lift each leg upward until it locks into place. You can adjust the legs to two different positions, or leave them flat. 4 Connecting a Monitor The way you connect your monitor to the main unit depends on the type of monitor y[...]

4. Connect the appropriate end of the monitor cable to the connector labelled VIDEO at the back of the main unit, as shown in the following illustration. If the plug has retaining screws, tighten them by hand or with a screwdriver, depending on the screw type. The monitor cable plug must match the connector in the main unit. Make sure the monitor c[...]

Connecting to the parallel interface The computer’s Centronics ® -compatible parallel interface uses a 25-pin, D-shaped female connector. Most Epson printers have parallel interfaces. To connect a printer to the main unit, you need an IBM-compatible printer cable. If you are not sure which one you need, consult your Epson dealer. Once you have a[...]

4. Connect the other end of the cable to the printer as shown in the following illustration. To secure the cable, squeeze the clips at each side of the printer connector and push them into place. 5. Plug the printer’s power cable into an electrical outlet. Connecting to the serial interface If you have a printer (or another peripheral such as a m[...]

The Equity Ie uses a 25-pin, D-shaped male connector, so be sure you have a compatible cable (or an adapting cable that converts the 25-pin output to 9-pin output). To connect a serial device, follow the steps above for connecting a parallel device. You need to make sure the serial port is set up so it functions properly. If you are using the port [...]

2. Insert the power cord into the AC power inlet on the left side of the back panel, as shown in the following illustration. To avoid electrical shock, always plug the computer end of the cable into the computer before plugging the other end into the wall socket. 3. Plug the other end of the power cord into a three-prong, 120-volt, grounded electri[...]

7 Inserting the Startup Diskette Follow these steps to insert the Startup/Operating 1 diskette: Hold the diskette with the printed label facing up and the a---.* n,-.;. a* : intO drive A. as showp in tL- C-II,---. .” . 1 2. Insert the diskette in the drive so that it clicks into place. When the diskette is all the way in, the release button pops [...]

8 Starting the System After you insert the Startup diskette, you’re ready to turn on the power and start up MS-DOS, the computer’s operating system. Before you turn on the computer, read the following safety rules to avoid accidentally damaging your computer or injuring yourself: Do not attempt to dismantle any part of the computer. Only remove[...]

3. To turn on the computer, press the POWER button on the front of the main unit. The power indicator on the front panel lights up and the cooling fan inside the main unit starts. After a few seconds, the computer begins to perform an internal self test. If you cannot see the screen display clearly, use the controls on your monitor to adjust the br[...]

The computer then boots (starts up) the MS-DOS operating system. The screen displays a date prompt similar to this: Current date is Sat 06-04-88 Enter new date (mm-dd-yy) Type the current date in the format displayed and press Enter. For example, to set the date for July 12, 1988, you would type 07-12-88. This sets the real-time clock inside your c[...]

9 Copying System Diskettes Now that you have set up your system and loaded MS-DOS, it is important that you make copies of your three system diskettes right away. Use only the copies (usually called “working copies”) for daily use and store the originals in a safe place. The procedure for copying a diskette depends on whether your computer has [...]

Press Y so you can make a copy of the Operating 2 diskette. Remove the diskettes from drives A and B by pressing the release buttons on each drive. Then insert the Operating 2 diskette in drive A and another blank diskette in drive B. Follow the prompts on the screen to copy the Operating 2 diskette. 6. Now follow the procedure described in Step 5 [...]

5. 6. 7. 8. 9. If the diskette in drive A is not formatted, the DISKCOPY program formats it. Then the program begins copying the data from the computer’s memory to the formatted diskette. When it has copied all the files from memory, the screen displays this message: Insert SOURCE diskette in drive A: Press any key when ready . . . Remove the cop[...]

Chapter 2 Preparing a Hard Disk for Use If your computer has a hard disk, follow the instructions in this chapter to prepare it before using it for the first time. WARNING Do not perform any of these procedures if your hard disk has already been prepared for use or has data stored on it; otherwise, you will erase all the data on the hard disk. Thes[...]

Note If you plan to use an operating system other than MS-DOS, you need to use that operating system to partition the hard disk and copy the system files to it. In the following procedures you will be entering MS-DOS commands and using the working copies of your Startup/Operating 1, Operating 2, and Reference diskettes. If you are new to computers [...]

5. Press Y to use the entire hard disk for MS-DOS and press Enter. The screen displays the following message: System will now restart Insert DOS diskette in drive A: Press any key when ready . . . 6. Press any key to restart the system (the MS-DOS diskette is already in drive A). Your computer begins reloading MS-DOS. After the preliminary copyrigh[...]

Note 001 and US are the country code and the keyboard code for the United States. If you want to substitute other codes, see your MS-DOS manual. The screen displays the following message: SELECT is used to install DOS the first time. SELECT erases everything on the specified target and then installs DOS. Do you want to continue (Y/N)? 3. Press Y. F[...]

When all the files are copied, the A > prompt reappears. The SELECT procedure is complete. Note The SELECT command copies all the MS-DOS files on the Startup/ Operating 1 diskette. However, to use the complete operating system as described in this manual and in your MS-DOS manual, you also need to copy the files on the Operating 2 and Reference [...]

Booting From the Hard Disk Now you can boot your system (load MS-DOS) from drive C, your hard disk. Be sure there is no diskette in drive A; if a system diskette is in drive A, MS-DOS boots from the diskette. Turn off the computer, wait at least five seconds, and then turn it back on. After the computer completes the power-on self test, the screen [...]

Chapter 3 Using the Equity Ie This chapter describes some basic procedures for using your Equity Ie computer and keyboard. Special Keys on the Equity Ie Keyboard The illustration below shows the standard Equity Ie keyboard. Certain keys on your keyboard serve special functions when your computer is running application programs. See your software ma[...]

The following table describes special keys on the Equity Ie keyboard. lab ‘2, Moves the cursor to the right in normal mode and to the left in shift mode. Caps Lock Changes the letter keys from lower- to uppercase; changes back to lowercase when pressed again. Shift Produces uppercase characters or symbols when used with the main character keys. P[...]

Selecting Execution Speed The Equity Ie can operate at two execution speeds: 8 MHz or 10 MHz. At the faster speed, the computer performs all tasks more rapidly. You can select the slower speed to run application programs that have specific timing requirements. WARNING Do not change the execution speed while you are running a program. Always complet[...]

Using Diskettes Diskette drives allow you to store data on diskettes and retrieve and use stored data. All Equity Ie systems have at least one 720KB diskette drive; you may also have a hard disk drive or a second diskette drive in your system. This section explains how diskettes work and tells you how to do the following: l Choose diskettes l Care [...]

You need to format new diskettes before you can use them with an operating system. Formatting erases all the data on a diskette and prepares it to receive new data, so be sure to format only new blank diskettes or diskettes that contain data you want to erase. See Chapter 4 for instructions on how to format diskettes. Caring for diskettes To avoid [...]

Inserting and removing diskettes To insert a diskette into a diskette drive, hold it with the label facing up and the arrow on the left side pointing into the computer: Slide the diskette into the drive until it clicks into place. To remove a diskette, press the release button on the diskette drive. When the diskette pops out of the drive, pull it [...]

Making backup copies Copy all diskettes that contain programs, as you did the master system diskettes that come with the Equity Ie, and use only the copies. Store your original system diskettes in a safe place away from your working diskettes. Copy your data diskettes (or hard disk files) regularly, as often as you update them. Store backup diskett[...]

Using a single diskette drive An operating system expects the computer to have at least two physical diskette drives, and it displays prompts and messages accordingly. If your system has only one diskette drive, MS-DOS treats your single drive like two logical drives. This helps you perform operations that normally require two diskette drives. For [...]

Caring for the hard disk To avoid damaging your hard disk, take these precautions: l Keep the hard disk away from dust and dirt. If you need to remove the computer’s cover to install an option card, replace the cover as soon as possible. l Keep your computer away from magnetic fields such as electrical appliances, telephones, and loudspeakers. l [...]

Resetting the Computer You can reset the computer to reload the operating system or to restart a program. You may need to reset the computer if an error occurs and the computer does not respond to anything you type. However, resetting erases all data in the computer’s temporary memory (RAM) that you have not stored, so reset your computer only wh[...]

Turning Off the Computer Before you turn off your computer, save your data, exit the program you are using, and remove all diskettes from the diskette drives. Turn off your monitor and peripherals first, and then turn off the main unit by pressing the POWER button on the front panel. Moving the Computer If you are going to move your computer (even [...]

3-12 Using the Equity Ie[...]

Chapter 4 Using MSDOS with Your Equity Ie Your Equity Ie comes with MS-DOS, version 3.3. MS-DOS manages your computer system by doing such things as keeping the computer’s memory organized, controlling the monitor display, accepting keyboard input, and directing external communications. To communicate with the operating system, you use MS-DOS com[...]

Changing the Default Drive When you see the A > prompt, you know that MS-DOS is operating from drive A. If you want to run a program or find a file on a different drive, however, you must specify that drive. You can do this either by logging on to that drive or by including the drive identifier (the drive letter followed by a colon) when you typ[...]

Each MS-DOS command is either internal or external. Internal commands are commands that are built into MS-DOS and can be used at any time once MS-DOS is loaded into memory External commands are stored on your system diskettes as program files. To run an external command, MS-DOS must be able to locate the file from your system diskette or from a dir[...]

create using an application program is stored in a special format. If you use a different application program to read that file, you may encounter problems. Each file must have a unique filename so you can retrieve it when you need to. The filename consists of two parts: the name and the extension. You can choose a name up to eight characters long.[...]

The structure of a directory may look like this: Root directory (1) I I LEDGER WORDPROC 1 1 ACCdU NTS SALES BUSlklESS PERSpNAL STORIES ROGER The root directory does not have a name, but is always identified by a backslash ( ). You name subdirectories when you create them. A subdirectory name can be up to eight characters long, consisting of lette[...]

Listing the contents of a directory To list the files in the current directory, type DIR and press Enter. MS-DOS lists the names of the files in the current directory on the current drive. If you are logged on to drive C but want to see a directory of the files on the diskette in drive A, type DIR A: and press Enter. There are two special notations[...]

Note MS-DOS contains some commands that make using pathnames easier. The APPEND command lets you set a search path for data files and executable files. The PATH command lets you specify a search path for commands and program files so you don’t have to type a full path name every time you want to call up an application program or an MS-DOS command[...]

Changing directories To change directories, type CHDIR (or CD) followed by a backslash and the name of the directory. For example, to change to the LEDGER directory, type the following and press Enter: CD LEDGER The backslash identifies the LEDGER directory as a subdirectory of the root directory. Once you are in a directory, you can access any fi[...]

Note You can also copy files using XTREE, MENU, or XCOPY. See the sections later in this chapter on using the XTREE and MENU utilities, and see your MS-DOS manual for more information on the XTREE and XCOPY commands. Deleting a directory If you no longer need a directory, you can remove it with the RMDIR (remove directory) command. To remove a dire[...]

Note Resides the method described below, you can also format diskettes using the Epson MENU utility. This program is easy to use because it lets you select operations from a menu. For more information, see the section on the MENU utility later in this chapter. Formatting diskettes with a hard disk and one diskette drive 1. If necessary, log on to d[...]

2. When you see the A> prompt, type FORMAT B : and press Enter. You see this prompt: Insert diskette for drive B: and strike ENTER when ready 3. Insert the diskette you want to format into drive B and press Enter. 4. When the diskette is formatted, you see this message: Format complete 730112 bytes total disk space 730112 bytes available on disk[...]

Copying Data It’s very important to keep backup diskettes containing copies of the files you create. You can copy data and program files several ways: l You can use the DISKCOPY command to make an exact duplicate of a diskette. l You can use the COPY command to copy individual files. l You can use the BACKUP command to back up the files on a hard[...]

3. 4. 5. At the A > prompt, type the following and press Enter: DISKCOPY A: B: MS-DOS prompts you to insert your diskettes: Insert SOURCE diskette in drive A: Insert TARGET diskette in drive B: Press any key when ready . . . Insert the diskette you want to copy from (the source) into drive A and the diskette you want to copy to (the target) into[...]

4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Insert the diskette you want to copy from (the source) in the diskette drive and press any key. DISKCOPY starts to copy the contents of the diskette to the computer’s memory. When the memory is full, the screen displays this message: Insert TARGET diskette in drive A: Press any key when ready . . . Remove the diskette from drive A [...]

A few simple rules apply when copying files: l You must tell MS-DOS where to find the source file and where to store the target file. l You cannot create a new file with the same name and in the same directory as an existing file. l If an existing file on the target diskette or directory has the same name as the file you are copying from, the copy [...]

For example, to copy all the files on the diskette in drive A to the diskette in drive B, type the following and press Enter: COPY A:*.* B: To copy all files with names that begin with the four letters MEMO and end with any single character, type the following and press Enter: COPY A:MEMO? B: Another task you can perform with the COPY command is to[...]

Make sure you have enough formatted diskettes to back up the data on your hard disk drive. It can take about 25 720KB diskettes to copy a 20MB hard disk drive that is completely full (although it is rare that you would store this many files on a hard disk). Note BACKUP formats unformatted target diskettes if you use the /F switch when you enter the[...]

3. If there is more than one page of information about the command you selected, you see the prompt PgUp at the top of the screen. Press the PgUp key to display the rest of the text. 4. To return to the HELP menu, press the E SC key. Press E SC again to exit the HELP utility. To bypass the HELP menu and get information about one command, follow the[...]

4. To exit the program, press E SC after viewing the information for the last command. Using the Epson MENU Utility Your Equity Ie comes with a utility by Epson called the MENU utility. With this program you can display a menu of utilities and select the one you need. MENU is easy to use because it lets you execute several commands without having t[...]

Running MENU from a diskette If you are running the MENU utility from a diskette rather than a hard disk, when you select a specific operation the screen displays a message similar to this: MODE.COM is not on the current disk or PATH Press any key to continue... At this point you need to switch to the Startup/Operating 1 diskette for the remainder [...]

Mode Settings alternative to the MS-DOS CHKDSK, DISKCOPY, DISKCOMP and FORMAT commands. Lets you change your configuration settings. This option also lets you select alternate code pages (character sets) and redirect data from the parallel port to the serial port. because you can perform so many tasks from the Mode Settings submenus, this option is[...]

l Make new directories, rename directories, delete empty directories, and change from one directory to another. l Display data in both ASCII and hexadecimal format. l Display how much space is available on your disks. Running XTREE To run XTREE, log on to the directory where XTREE is located or insert the Startup/Operating 1 diskette in drive A. Ty[...]

Alt key commands execute additional XTREE commands. Press the Alt key to display the ALT DIR COMMANDS or ALT FILE COMMANDS. These commands appear on the line where the DIR COMMANDS or FILE COMMANDS normally appear. To execute an Alt key command, hold down the Alt key and press the highlighted letter of the command name. Function keys control XTREE [...]

you load MS-DOS, it automatically looks for this file. If MS-DOS finds an AUTOEXEC.BAT file in the root directory, it executes the commands in that file. Here are some suggestions for commands you can include in an AUTOEXEC.BAT file: l Modify the PATH command to include the directories containing software programs you commonly use. This reduces the[...]

The MS-DOS COPY command provides an easy way to create an AUTOEXEC.BAT file. To create an AUTOEXEC.BAT file using this command, follow the instructions below for your computer model. If you have a hard disk: 1. At the MS-DOS command prompt, type the following and press Enter: COPY CON: C:AUTOEXEC.BAT 2. Type the commands you want to include in the[...]

4-26 Using MS-DOS with Your Equity Ie[...]

Appendix A Installing Option Cards Option cards are accessories you can install in your Equity Ie to provide extra capabilities. For example, you can add a modem or a memory expansion board. The Equity Ie has four option card slots, so it can hold up to four cards. If your Equity Ie has a hard disk, its controller card may occupy one slot. You can [...]

2. The top cover is secured by three screws along the top of the back panel and two screws on each side of the main unit. Remove the screws and put them in a safe place. back panel screws 3. Now turn the main unit around so the front panel faces you. Grasp the cover and pull it toward you, away from the back of the computer. 4. When the cover clear[...]

Installing an Option Card The Equity Ie uses 8-bit option cards. These cards fit in the slots only one way, but be sure to examine the card first and follow the instructions closely. The Equity Ie has four option slots. If you have a hard disk, its controller card may occupy one slot, as in the illustration below: 1. Decide which option slot you wa[...]

2. Unpack the option card and adjust any of its switches or jumper connections, if necessary. (For example, a memory expansion card usually contains DIP switches that you need to set.) See the instructions that come with the option card. When you handle the card, be careful not to touch any of the contacts on the circuit board, especially the gold-[...]

5. Insert the card in the slot as shown below. Make sure the card’s mounting bracket aligns with the slot at the back of the computer. 6. Once the connector pins are sitting in the connector slot, push the card firmly (but carefully) to fully insert it. 7. Secure the mounting bracket on the end of the card to the back of the computer with the ret[...]

Replacing the Cover After you install (or remove) an option card, follow these steps to replace the main unit’s cover: 1. With the front of the computer facing you, slide on the top cover as shown in the following illustration. 2. Slide the cover straight back until the front panel is flush with the diskette drive. 3. To secure the cover, replace[...]

Appendix B Troubleshooting You should not encounter any difficulties as you set up and use your Equity Ie. You can correct most problems by adjusting a cable connection, repeating a software procedure, or resetting the computer. If anything out of the ordinary happens, turn to this chapter for a solution. Besides trying the suggestions in this chap[...]

2. If the light still does not come on, turn off the power again. Check that the power cord is securely connected to both the AC inlet on the back panel and an electrical outlet. Then turn the power back on. 3. If the computer still does not start up, check that your electrical outlet is working by plugging a lamp into the outlet and turning it on.[...]

4. Remove any diskettes from your disk drives and turn off the computer and the monitor. Check that the monitor’s power cord is securely connected to the monitor, and that the monitor cable is connected to both the monitor and the computer’s back panel. Then turn both power switches back on. 5. Check the electrical outlet for power. Turn off yo[...]

Hard Disk Problems If you have problems with your hard disk when you first start to use it, make sure it is properly set up. Try the following steps: 1. MS-DOS system files. Turn off your computer and insert your working copy of the Startup/Operating 1 diskette into drive A. Then turn on your computer and log on to your hard disk drive. root direct[...]

Use the FDISK program to see if your hard disk has an active (bootable) DOS partition on it. If it doesn’t, back up all your files and then use FDISK to create an MS-DOS partition. If your hard disk does have an active DOS partition, back up your files and then try reformatting your hard disk using FORMAT or SELECT Reformatting destroys all the d[...]

Printer Problems Your printer manual describes solutions for most potential printer problems. If your printer does not work correctly immediately after you install it, check that the printer has power and is properly connected to the computer. Your printer manual provides detailed instructions on how to connect your printer to the computer. Also, s[...]

Appendix C Power-On Diagnostics The built-in permanent memory in your computer (ROM) contains a series of diagnostics programs. These programs are run automatically by the system every time you turn on the power. The diagnostics programs check the internal devices such as the ROM, RAM, keyboard controller, timer, video controller, diskette driver, [...]

Clock and CMOS RAM Check When the system device check is completed successfully, the computer checks the timer and CMOS RAM. If the system clock has not been set, this message is displayed: 161-Set date and time RAM Check The computer now begins to check the RAM installed in the main system board. During the check, this message is displayed: xxxKB [...]

Parallel Port Check Next, the computer checks its parallel port. If an error is found, you see this message: 901-Parallel port error Serial Port Check The computer then checks its serial port. If an error is found, you see this message: 1101-Serial port error Diskette Drive Seek Check The computer checks its diskette drives by searching the read/wr[...]

Appendix D Performing System Diagnostics This appendix describes how to check the operation of the main unit and peripheral devices of your Equity Ie. You check these devices using the diagnostics program on your Reference diskette. Run the diagnostics program if you are not sure whether a device is performing correctly. The table at the end of thi[...]

The screen looks something like this: DEVICE LIST l- ;: 21 ;I 11 - 12 - 14 - 17 - 21 - 81 - System board Memory Keyboard Video Floppy disk drives and controller Math coprocessor (8087) Parallel port (printer interface) Serial port (us-232~ port) Alternate serial port Dot-matrix printer Hard disk drives and controller Alternate parallel port Paralle[...]

When you are finished, press 0 and Enter to display the modified DEVICE LIST for a final check. If the list is correct, press Y and Enter. You are now ready to select a test. Selecting a Test From the DEVICE LIST, select the device to be tested. Type the number of the device, and then press Enter. The following menu appears: Number of times to test[...]

Resuming From an Error If an error occurs during a test, the test stops at that point and an error code and error message are displayed. If you want to record the problem, you can print out the message on your printer. You see this prompt: Do you want a printout of the error message(s) (Y/N)? To continue without printing the error message, press N [...]

System Board Check Use this option to check the operation of each major component on the system board, including: l The 8086 CPU chip l The system ROM l The real-time clock, CMOS RAM, and battery l The main integrated circuits. The checks made on the 8086 CPU chip are extremely comprehensive and ensure that the CPU instruction set is functioning co[...]

Keyboard Check Use this option to check the operation of the keyboard. The program first checks the keyboard controller. If you specified to run the keyboard check multiple times, only this part of the test is performed. If an error message appears, write it down or print it out so you can contact your Epson dealer when you complete the test. If no[...]

Video Check Use this option to check the operation of your video monitor and controller. The test includes several checks that allow you to identify specific video problems. You select the individual checks from a menu that looks similar to the one below (the menu varies according to the type of monitor installed): l- Video RAM check ; - Attribute [...]

Attribute check To check the video display attributes, press 2 and then Enter. If you have a color monitor, the screen displays examples of the possible display attributes (normal intensity, high intensity, blinking), including the available colors. If you have a monochrome monitor, the screen displays examples of the possible display attributes (n[...]

After checking the character fonts, respond to the prompt: Is the display correct (Y/N)? lf the characters displayed match the illustration, press Y and Enter. If you find a problem with the characters on the screen, press N and Enter to display the error message. 400column character set check To check your 40-column character set, press 4 and then[...]

monitor, the screen displays a dark gray, light gray, and black square against a white background. These four colors are Color Set 0. If they are correct, press Y and then Enter. The same pattern is now displayed again. This time, the squares are cyan, white, and magenta on a red background if you have a color monitor, or gray, white, and black on [...]

640x480 graphics mode check To check your 640x480 graphics mode, press 7 and then Enter. The screen displays three patterned squares like the ones shown below: If the patterns on your screen are clear and distinct, press Y and then Enter. If any pattern is not displayed clearly, first check the adjustment of your monitor, and then make sure that bo[...]

The colored screens are displayed in the order shown below: 1 - Black 2 - Blue 3-Green 4 - Cyan 5 - Red 6 - Magenta 7 - Brown 8 - White 9 ---Gray 10 - Light blue 11 - Light green 12 - Light cyan 13 - Lit red 14 - Light magenta 15 - Yellow 16 - White (high intensity) When you get to the last screen, you see this prompt: Is the display correct (Y/N)?[...]

Start the tests by selecting option 6 from the DEVICE LIST menu. After you choose the number of times to run the test, the screen displays this menu: FLOPPY DISK DRIVE(S) AND CONTROLLER CHECK MENU 1 - Sequential seek check 2- Random seek check 3- Write, read check 4 - Run all above checks O- Exit Enter selection number: . Before any checks are perf[...]

Random seek check This test is identical to the sequential seek check, except that the seek operation is performed on each track in random order instead of sequential order. Select option 2 from the menu to start this test. Write, read check This test checks the ability of the selected disk drive to read and write data from a diskette. The test wri[...]

Run all above checks To run all the tests on the menu in sequence, press 4 and then Enter. When you choose this option, all checks for the diskette drive(s) and controller are performed automatically in sequential order. Although you do not start each test, you must still supply the appropriate responses to progress from one test to the next. Math [...]

Insert the loop-back connector. Then press Y and Enter to start the check. The computer checks the port by writing and reading data and control information, and reports errors for any pins that are faulty. Serial Port (RS-232C Port) Check Use this option to test the functions of the primary serial communications (RS-232C) port. To perform the test,[...]

Each baud rate is tested in turn, and the display informs you of the progress of the test. If the port does not become ready correctly, a timeout error occurs. If any data received does not match the data sent, a verify error occurs, and the computer reports the transmitted and received data at the time of the error. The final test is an echo back [...]

Dot-Matrix Printer Check Use this option to check: l The operation of your printer in IBM-compatibility mode l The compatibility of your printer with the extended character set used by the Equity Ie l The ability of your printer to produce dot graphics and print images of the graphics screen. When you select option 14 from the DEVICE LIST, you see [...]

Note Even if you run the test for only a short time, your printer may store many characters in its memory. To stop printing, turn the printer off-line. Hard Disk Drives and Controller Check Use this option to test the performance of the hard disk drive installed in your computer. If any errors occur, have your dealer check and service the drive. Wh[...]

Write, read check This check tests the ability of the hard disk drive to read and write data. The test writes to and reads from each sector of the innermost cylinder of the disk, using each head. Note This test destroys all data on the innermost cylinder of the hard disk drive. This cylinder is reserved for diagnostics, however, and is never used f[...]

The cylinder number counts down to 0. At the end of the test, you see a table showing the results of the test. For example, for a 20MB hard disk with three bad tracks, you see: BAD TRACKS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . READ ERROR TRACKS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3” GOOD TRACKS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .[...]

Parallel Port (on Video Adapter) Check Use this option to test the functions of a parallel port on a video adapter card. To perform the test you must insert a special loop-back connector into the port so that the computer can check the port’s individual pins. This test is identical to the check for the primary parallel port. For more details, see[...]

Error code 1 Messaoe -..-. __-_ Video-adapter % d’sp’ay 503 504 505 506 507 508 510 Floppy disk drives and controller 601 602 603 604 605 Math coprocessor 701 702 703 704 705 706 707 708 709 710 Parallel port 901 Sf;ifl port 1101 1102 1103 Alt. serial port 1201 1201 1202 1203 Dot-matrix printer 1401 Hard disk drive and controller 1701 1702 1703[...]

Appendix E Specifications Main Unit CPU Main memory Math coprocessor Interfaces Parallel interface Serial interface Speaker interface Option slots Keyboard Layout Function keys 8086 microprocessor, 8 MHz or 10 MHz clock rate, switchable without rebooting 640KB 8087-1 microprocessor (optional) for use at 10 MHz Standard 8-bit parallel, 25-pin, D-typ[...]

Mass Storage Two internal drives maximum Standard One 31/z-inch, half-height diskette drive with double- sided, double-density, 720KB storage capacity Optional One 3l&nch, half-height diskette drive with double- sided, double-density, 720KB storage capacity; one 3’/2-inch 20MB internal hard disk drive Power Requirements 62W (maximum) 72W (pea[...]

Appendix F Formatting a User-installed Hard Disk This appendix describes how you check and format a hard disk that you are installing in your computer. You can also use this program on a hard disk if you are having serious problems. This program performs a hardware-level format of the hard disk. Format hard disk is option 2 on the OPERATION MENU. Y[...]

If you are installing a hard disk drive and want to format it using this program, choose option 1, Conditional format (Normal). After formatting, you need to partition and format the hard disk for your operating system(s). Refer to your MS-DOS manual for details on partitioning and formatting your hard disk for MS-DOS. If you are reformating a hard[...]

The other two options test a hard disk for problems. Use option 3, Destructive surface analysis, to test the entire disk and update the bad track table. Because this option writes data to the disk as well as reads it, all data on any track that produces an error is destroyed. To check for unflagged bad tracks without destroying data, use option 4, [...]

The program starts to scan the disk to find all tracks flagged as bad, starting from the innermost cylinder of the disk. During the scan, you see the number of the cylinder being checked. For example, if you have a 20MB hard disk, the first messages you see are: Format Hard Disk Scanning for flagged bad tracks... Current cylinder is 614 When the sc[...]

If you cancel formatting at either stage, you see these messages: Format cancelled. Press ENTER to return to the menu. If you continue with formatting, you see: Now formatting . . . When formatting is complete, any bad tracks are flagged, and you see a series of messages like these: Format finished. Flagging bad tracks... Cylinder is xxxx, head is [...]

If you want to format the disk after receiving this error message, do the following: 1. If the drive is not formatted, run the Unconditional format (option 2) and enter any tracks you know are bad in the Bad Track Table. (See “Unconditional Format” below.) 2. Run the Destructive surface analysis (option 3) to flag any remaining bad tracks. (See[...]

The next screen allows you to enter the list of bad tracks. The empty bad track table looks like this: Bad Track Table Cylinder Head Cylinder Head Cylinder Head Cylinder Head Cylinder Head TABLE EMPTY: A = Add track, F = Finish editing Enter command letter: To add a bad track, follow these steps: 1. Press A. You see this prompt: Enter cylinder numb[...]

If you make a mistake, move the cursor block to the incorrect track, and press C to alter the track data. Or you can press D to remove the track from the table. Change the track data just like you add a track. When you have finished editing, check the entries in the table once more. When you are sure the table is correct, press F. The program displ[...]

When the analysis is complete, the program displays a complete report on the status of the disk, including a table of unflagged tracks that produced write, read errors. For a 20MB hard disk with one flagged bad track, you see this display: Analysis finished. Count of tracks flagged bad = Count of tracks with write, read errors = ; Count of good tra[...]

Non-destructive Surface Analysis The Nondestructive surface analysis is slightly simpler than the Destructive surface analysis described in the previous section. This option does not destroy any data, and can safely be used to check the condition of your hard disk drives. However, this test will not flag any bad tracks that are detected. To start t[...]

Glossary Application program A software program designed to perform a specific task, such as a word processing or spreadsheet program. ASCII American Standard Code for Information Interchange. A standardized coding system for representing characters, such as numbers, letters, and graphic symbols. An ASCII character occupies one byte of storage. Fil[...]

Boot To load a program or an operating system into the computer’s memory. A sequence or group of eight bits that represents one character. Character Anything that can print in a single space on the page or the screen. Includes numbers, letters, punctuation marks, and graphic symbols. CMOS Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor. A method of makin[...]

CPU Central Processing Unit. The processor inside your computer that interprets instructions, performs tasks, keeps track of stored data, and controls all input and output operations. Current directory The directory you are working in. Cursor The highlighted marker that shows your position on the screen and moves as you enter and delete data. Cylin[...]

DIP switches Small switches on a piece of hardware such as an option card or a printer. DIP switch settings control various functions and provide a system with information about itself. DIP stands for Dual In-line Package. Directory A list of files stored on a disk or on part of a disk. Disk The collective term for diskettes and hard disks. Disk dr[...]

File A group of related pieces of information called records, or entries, stored together on a disk. Text files consist of words and sentences. Program files consist of code and are used by computers to interpret and carry out instructions. Filename A name of up to eight characters that MS-DOS uses to identify a file. Floppy disk See Diskette. Form[...]

High-density A type of diskette format that allows you to store more data than normal. The Equity Ie uses double-density diskettes only; high-density diskettes cannot be used in the Equity Ie diskette drives. Input/output (I/O) port See Port. Interface A hardware or software connection that is used to transmit data between equipment or programs. Jo[...]

Megahertz (MHz) A unit used to measure oscillation frequency of a computer’s internal timing clock. One megahertz is one million cycles per second. The Equity Ie computer operates at 8 or 10 MHz. Memory The area where the computer stores data. Memory contents can be permanent (ROM) or temporary (RAM). See also ROM and RAM. Microprocessor A versio[...]

Operating system A collection of programs that allow a computer to control its operations. The operating system determines how programs run on the computer and supervises all input and output. Your computer comes with MS-DOS, the operating system by Microsoft. Option card A circuit board that you install inside your computer’s main unit to provid[...]

Program A disk file that contains coded instructions telling a computer what to do and how to do it. Prompt A message displayed on the computer screen that tells you what action you need to perform next. RAM Random Access Memory. The portion of the computer’s memory used to run programs and store data while you work. All data stored in RAM is era[...]

RS-232C A standard serial interface. You can easily connect an RS-232C compatible device to your computer. Sector A contiguous section of a disk track that provides an address at which the computer can access data. Self test The diagnostics procedure the computer performs to check its hardware whenever you turn on or reset the computer. Serial The [...]

VGA Video Graphics Array. A type of high-resolution color monitor that can display monochrome text and graphics at 720 x 400 resolution, 16-color graphics at 640 x 480 resolution, or 256-color graphics at 320 x 200 resolution. See also MCGA. Wildcard A character that represents an unknown character or group of characters. The wildcard character * ([...]

Index A AC inlet, 1-9 AC outlet, 1-5, 1-9 Adjusting keyboard legs, 1-4 Application program, 3-3, 4-4, 4-7, B-5 ASCII codes, 4-22, D-18 Asynchronous, E-1 B Back panel, back foldout Back panel screws, A-2 BACKUP program, 4-12, 4-16-17 Backup copies, 1-14-16, 3-7, 4-12-17 Booting MS-DOS, 1-11--13, 2-6 See also Resetting Brightness control, monitor, 1-[...]

Computer, moving, 3-11 resetting, 3-10, B-2, B-5 setting up, 1-1-16 turning off, 3-11 Configuration, 1 Connecting, keyboard, 1-3-4 power cord, 1-8-9 printer, 1-5-8 monitor, 1-4-5 Connector, monitor, 1-5 option card, A-4-5 printer, 1-5-8 slot, A-4-5 Contrast control, monitor, 1-12, B-2 Control code, Ctrl, 2-4 Ctrl-AH-Del, 3-10 Ctrl-C, 3-10 Controlle[...]

D Data diskette, copying, 3-7, 4-12-17 Data, copying, 3-7, 4-12-17 protecting, 3-7, 4-23 D connector, 1-5, 1-6, 1-8, E-l Diagnostics, clock and CMOS RAM check, C-2 diskette drive check, C-3, D-12-15 dot-matrix printer check, D-18-19 error codes and messages, D-22-23 exiting program, D-22 hard disk check, C-3, D-19-21 hard disk formatting, F-1-10 ke[...]

choosing, 3-4-5 copying, 3-7, 4-12-17 diagnostics, D-12-15 double-density, 3-4 double-sided, 3-4 formatting, 3-5, 4-9-11 inserting, 3-6 problems, B-3 removing, 3-6 storing, 3-5 system, 1-14-15 using, 3-4-8 write-protecting, 3-7 Disk operating system. See MS-DOS DOS. See MS-DOS Dot-matrix printer. See Printer Double-density diskettes, 3-4 Double-sid[...]

H Hard disk, bad tracks, F-2-10 backing up, 2-1, 3-9, 4-12, 4-16-17 caring for, 3-9 conditional format, F-2-6 controller card, A-3, D-19-21 diagnostics check, C-3, D-19-21 flagged tracks, F-2-10 formatting, 2-3-5, B-5-6 hardware format, F-1-10 indicator light, 3-9 partitioning, 2-2-3, B-5-6 preparing for use, 2-l-6 problems, B-4-5, D-19-21, F-l-9 p[...]

K Keyboard, angle, adjusting, 1-4 cable, 1-3 connecting, 1-3-4 diagnostics check, C-2, D-6 function keys, 3-1-2 keys, 3-1-2 layout, 3-1, D-6 legs, 3-1 port, 1-3 special keys, 3-2 specifications, E- 1 L Legs, keyboard, 1-4 Loading operating system, 1-11-13, 2-6 M Magnetic surface of disk, 34-5, 3-9 Main unit, cover, removing, A-1-2 cover, replacing,[...]

MS-DOS, booting, 1-13, 2-6 copying, 1-14-16, 2-3-5, 4-12-17 command prompt, 1-13, 2-6, 4-24 commands, 4-1, 4-2-3 loading, 1-13, 2-6 operating system, 4-1 preparing hard disk, 2-1-6 system diskette, 1-10-11, 1-13-16, 0 Operating system. See MS-DOS Option card, connector, A-4-5 connector slot, A-4-5 installing, A-l-6 problems, B-6 removing, A-5 slots[...]

Power, button, 1-11-12, 3-11, B-1-2 cord, 1-8--9, B-2 inlet, 1-9 light, 3-3 requirements, 1-3, E-2 source, 1-3 supply, 1-3, E-2 turning off, 3-11 turning on, 1-11--12 Power cord, connecting, 1-8-9 Power-on diagnostics, C-l-3 Preparing hard disk, 2-1-6, F-l Printer, cable, 1-5-8 clips, 1-7 connecting, 1-5-8 connector, 1-5-8 diagnostics check, D-15-1[...]

S Safety rules, 1-11 SELECT program, 2-1, 2-3-5 Self test, internal, 1-12, C-1-3 Serial, cable, l-7-8 diagnostics check, C-3, D-16-17 interface, 1-7-8, D-16-17, E-1 port, 1-7-8, D-16-17, E-1 printer, 1-7-8, D-16-17, E-1 RS-232C port, 1-7-8, D-16-17, E-1 Setting up system, 1-1 Single diskette drive, using, 3-8 Slots, option, A-3-5 Software, problems[...]

U Unpacking Equity Ie, 1-1-2 Using diskettes, 3-4-8 Using Equity Ie, 3-1-11 Using hard disk drive, 3-8-9 Using single diskette drive, 3-8 V Video monitor. See Monitor Video diagnostics check, C-2, D-7-12 W Write-protecting diskettes, 3-7 Write-protect switch, 3-7 IN-10 Index[...]

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . - . . . . - : . . . . . . . . . . . i . . . . . . . . .- . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . - . . . . . . Reader Comment Card Equity Ie User’s Guide Please use this card to evaluate this manual. Your comments and sugg[...]

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