Epson Equity II manual

EPSON ® Equity™ II User’s Guide Y14499100801[...]

IMPORTANT NOTICE DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTY Seiko Epson Corporation 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 state[...]

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[...]

System Upgrade Sheet This sheet describes several changes to the Equity II/III documentation due to an upgrade in the system software. Equity II User’s Guide (Page 18) The Equity II is now capable of supporting four logical disk drives: any combination of floppy-disk drives and RAM-card drives. Correct Table l-l to read: DIP switch 7 8 Number of [...]

Contents 1 2 Introduction ................................. . 1 How To Use This Manual ...................... . 2 Setting Up Your System ....................... . 3 Unpacking .................................. . 3 Choosing a Location .......................... . 3 Arranging the Components .................... . 5 The Front Panel ...................[...]

Using a Single Floppy Disk Drive ............... . Using a Hard Disk Drive ....................... . 4 Installing Option Cards ........................ . Removing the Main Unit Cover ................. . Installing an Option Card ...................... . Removing an access slot cover ................ . Replacing the Main Unit Cover .................[...]

Figures l- l Standard system arrangement .................. . 1-2 Alternate system arrangement .................. . l-3 Front panel .................................. . l- 4 Back panel .................................. . l-5 Connecting the power cord ..................... . l-6 Connecting a monitor ......................... . l- 7 Connecting the k[...]

Introduction Your Epson ® Equity™ II personal computer is a versatile, high- performance system which offers you a wide variety of choices. First you choose between two models of the Equity II main unit. Then you select the peripherals you want to use with it to assemble the configuration that does the most for you. The Equity II main unit can h[...]

How To Use This Manual This user’s guide explains how to set up and care for the Equity II. It also describes how to connect optional equipment and start using your system. Follow the instructions in Chapter 1 to set up your system. Chapter 2 describes how to turn on the Equity II and gives general operational procedures. Chapter 3 explains how d[...]

Chapter 1 Setting Up Your System It won’t take you long to get your Epson Equity II personal computer up and running. This chapter describes the Equity II main unit and shows you how to set up your system and make any necessary adjustments. Unpacking When you unpack your Equity II, you should find the following: l The main unit and power cord l T[...]

Choose a location that provides the following: A large, sturdy desk or table. Make sure it can easily support the weight of your system, including all its components. A flat, hard surface. Soft surfaces like beds and carpeted floors attract static electricity, which erases data on your disks and can damage the computer’s circuitry. Soft surfaces [...]

Arranging the Components First decide how you want to arrange your system components. You can set up the Equity II main unit horizontally or vertically. In the horizontal position, the main unit lies flat with the monitor on top of it and the keyboard directly in front. Figure l-l shows this arrangement. Figure 1-1. Standard system arrangement 5[...]

In the vertical position shown in Figure 1-2, the main unit stands upright on its side with the keyboard and monitor beside it. The feet on the right side serve as the base when the main unit is vertical. If you choose the vertical position, contact your Epson dealer about a mount- ing kit to stabilize the computer. Figure 1-2. Alternate system arr[...]

The Front Panel Figure l-3 shows the front panel with the covers open to reveal the computer’s DIP switches and the keyboard cable socket. To open the covers, press down gently on each of the small handles and pull out. Standard floppy disk drive Disk drive Power/speed Disk lock/release button LED lamps LED lamp Optional’ Reset / DIP / Volume[...]

Keyboard cable socket. You plug the keyboard cable into the main unit here. Reset button. Press this button to reset the computer. When an oper- ating system diskette is in the top drive or running on the hard disk, you can press the reset button to reboot it. DIP switches. You set these switches to match your system’s charac- teristics, such as [...]

Unswitched AC outlet AC input Switched AC outlet /==I-,’ Composite Dire&drive RSi32C Parallel Opt& card video port video port serial port poti access slots Figure 1-4. Back panel The back panel components work as follows: Switched AC outlet. Auxiliary power outlet. You can plug the power cord of an IBM-compatible monochrome monitor into[...]

Direct-drive video port. Internal video interface connector. You can plug a TTL monochrome or an RGB color monitor into this nine-pin female D-connector. See “Setting the DIP Switches” in this chapter to find out how to set switches l-5 and l-6 to match your monitor type. RS-232C serial port. Allows you to connect a peripheral with a serial int[...]

Connecting a Video Monitor The Equity II has a built-in video interface for connecting a monitor. The exact procedure you use to connect your monitor to the main unit depends on the type of monitor you have. See your monitor manual for detailed instructions or follow these general guidelines: 1. Place your monitor on top of or near the Equity II ma[...]

If you have a composite video monitor, connect the appropriate end of the monitor cable to the composite video port on the back panel. If you want to use a different monitor with a video interface card, install the option card as described in Chapter 4. Then connect the appropriate end of the monitor cable to the connector on the option card. 4. Pl[...]

To connect the cable, open the front panel cover and insert the key- board connector as shown in Figure l-7. Do not force the connector, but be sure to insert it all the way. See that the cable exits to the right of the main unit. Gently push the cable into the retaining clip, and close the cover. Figure 1-7. Connecting the keyboard 13[...]

You can use the keyboard in different positions-including flat on a desk or on your lap. You can also adjust the keyboards legs to tilt the keyboard up. Just turn the keyboard over and lift each leg upward until it locks into place, as Figure l-8 shows. Figure l-8. Adjusting the keyboard legs To disconnect the keyboard, open the cover on the front [...]

To connect a printer to the main unit, you need an IBM PC- compatible printer cable with a 25-pin male D-connector on one end. If you are not sure which cable you need, consult your Epson dealer. Once you have a printer cable, follow these steps to connect your printer to the parallel interface on the main unit: 1. Place the printer next to your sy[...]

locks Figure 1-10. Connecting a printer 5. Plug the printer’s power cable into an electrical outlet. Note: You can plug some printers into the unswitched AC outlet on the back panel, if the printer’s power consumption does not exceed 1.5 amps. Serial interface If you have a printer (or another peripheral such as a modem) with a serial interface[...]

Setting the DIP Switches You set the DIP switches on the Equity II to provide your system with information about itself. This information includes monitor type, number of floppy disk drives, and which built-in interfaces are in use. Some software programs do not operate properly if your DIP switch settings do not match your hardware. Although your [...]

DIP switch set 1 Table l-l and the descriptions below explain how to set the DIP switches in set 1. Note: Switch l-3 is not used. Leave it off. Table 1-1. Set 1 DIP switches Floppy drive A: 360KB 1.2MB Coprocessor: Installed Not installed 1 2 4 5 6 7 8 ON OFF J OFF ON Switch 1 (floppy disk drive A)--This switch tells the computer what type of A dri[...]

Switch 4 (internal parallel interface)-To use two or more parallel devices (usually printers), you need to designate the built-in parallel interface as either primary or secondary. In MS-DOS, you would then refer to it as LPT1 or LPT2 respectively. To use the built-in interface as the primary device, turn off switch l-4. If you have not installed e[...]

Table 1-2. Set 2 DIP switches Switch 5 (parity checking,)-Parity checking is the method your com- puter uses to detect any errors in RAM. If you enable parity checking and the computer detects an error in memory, an error message displays. For maximum protection, turn off switch 2-5 to enable parity checking. To disable parity checking, turn on thi[...]

Chapter 2 Using the Equity II After you set up your system, you’re ready to turn on the power and start using your computer. But before you turn it on, read the following safety rules. Safety Rules Follow these rules to avoid accidentally damaging your computer or injuring yourself: Never turn the computer on or off with a disk protector sheet in[...]

Turn on the monitor so you can see the messages that appear as the computer starts up. If you have a printer or any other peripheral, turn it on next. You can turn on the computer with or without a system diskette in the top disk drive. For now, leave the drive empty. To turn on the com- puter, open the cover on the top right comer of the front pan[...]

You need to prepare your hard disk before you can run an operating system on it. Refer to “Using a Hard Disk Drive” in Chapter 3 and your MS-DOS (or other operating system) manual for instructions on how to prepare a hard disk for use. When your hard disk is set up to automatically boot MS-DOS, the operating system loads when you turn on the co[...]

3. Push the diskette into the slot until it clicks into place. Be careful not to force it. 4. When the diskette is in all the way, press the PUSH button on a 360KB floppy disk drive, or turn the latch on a 1.2MB floppy disk drive clockwise until it locks into the vertical position. This keeps the diskette in place while you use it, and enables the [...]

Table 2-7. Special keys I Kev I Purrbose I Shift Alt Caps Lock Num Lock I .~ Moves the cursor to the right in normal mode and to the left in shift mode. Referred to as the tab key Works with other keys to perform special (control) functions, such as editing operations in MS-DOS and GW-BASIC. Produces uooercase characters or svmbols when used with t[...]

Selecting an Execution Speed The Equity II can operate at two different execution speeds. You choose between a 4.77 or a 7.16 MHz clockrate. At the faster speed, the Equity II performs all tasks more rapidly. You can select the slower execu- tion speed to run application programs that have specific timing require- ments. To select the execution spe[...]

There are three ways to reset. Because each is more powerful than the last, try them in the order listed here: 1. 2. 3. If you are using MS-DOS, hold down Ctrl and Alt and press the Del key on the numeric keypad at the right of the keyboard. The screen goes blank for a moment and then MS-DOS reloads. (The operating system must be on either the disk[...]

Chapter 3 Using Disks and Disk Drives The disk drives in your computer allow you to store data on disk, and retrieve and use stored data when you like. The Equity II can have up to two disk drives. The top disk drive on the Equity II is a floppy disk drive and you can have a hard disk drive or one of two types of floppy disk drives below it. (The i[...]

Choosing Diskettes for the Equity II When you buy diskettes, be sure to choose high-quality diskettes with reinforced hub rings-the added reliability is well worth the extra cost. You also need to make sure you buy the correct format type for the drive(s) in your Equity II. The top floppy disk drive on the Equity II has a storage capacity of 360KB [...]

You can use a double-density diskette in a 1.2MB drive if you format it as a 360KB (or 320KB) diskette in the 1.2MB drive first. (Your MS- DOS or other operating system manual explains how to format a disk- ette in the density you choose.) After you do this, you can read data from it in both drive types, but write to it only when it is in a 1.2MB d[...]

Caring for Disks and Disk Drives To avoid damaging floppy and hard disks, you need to care for them properly. Take these precautions to avoid losing data: Never remove a diskette from a drive or turn off the computer while a disk drive’s LED lamp is on. The red light indicates the computer is copying data to or from a disk. If you interrupt this [...]

If you have a hard disk drive, take these additional precautions: l Never turn off the computer’s power when the hard disk LED lamp is on. The red light indicates the computer is copying data to or from the hard disk. If you interrupt this process, you can lose data. l Never attempt to open the hard disk unit. The disk itself is enclosed in an ai[...]

Write-protecting diskettes As shown in Figure 3-1, the right edge of a diskette has a small, rec- tangular notch. If this notch is visible, you can copy new data to the diskette. If you cover the notch with an adhesive write-protect tab, you can retrieve and copy data from the diskette, but you cannot store new data on it or delete any files it con[...]

Since you may swap diskettes this way often, it is easy to forget which diskette is which. One way to avoid accidentally losing data is to hold the diskette for one drive in your left hand and the diskette for the other drive in your right. You can also place a write-protect tab on your source diskette. For more information on using a single floppy[...]

The MS-DOS system diskette contains all these programs and the MS-DOS manual describes how to use them. If you plan to use an oper- ating system other than MS-DOS, you need to use that operating system to partition the hard disk and copy the system files to it. The Epson hard disk is formatted at the factory. Therefore, you need not format it befor[...]

Chapter 4 Installing Option Cards Option cards are accessories you can install in your Equity II to pro- vide extra capabilities. For example, you can add a hard disk, another monitor, an auto-dial modem, or a mouse. The Equity II has five slots for S-bit option cards so it can hold up to five cards. If your Equity II has a hard disk, a hard disk c[...]

2. As shown in Figure 4-1, the back panel is secured with three screws. Remove the screws with a Phillips screwdriver and put them safely to one side. Then remove the back panel from the main unit and set it aside. Figure 4-1. Back panel screws 3. The top cover is secured by four screws, two on each side of the computer. Locate the small plastic in[...]

Figure 4-2. Side screws under plastic inserts 4. Figure 4-3 shows how to tilt the cover up and remove it from the computer. Set the cover aside for now. Figure 4-3. Removing the main unit cover 39[...]

Installing an Option Card You can install most option cards in any available slot. However, some cards work only in a specific slot. If you have such a card, your option card manual tells you which slot you need to use. Since the hard disk controller card must be connected to the hard disk, this card occu- pies slot 5, which is closest to the hard [...]

5. Once the connector pins are sitting in the connector slot, push the card downward firmly (but carefully) to fully insert it as shown in Figure 4-4. If the card does not go in smoothly, do not force it-pull it all the way out and try again, being sure to keep it straight. Figure 4-d. Inserting an option card 6. Secure the card’s metal retaining[...]

Notice that each access slot cover on the back panel is secured by a tab at the bottom and a clip at the top. Locate the access slot cover that corresponds to the position of the option card you installed. Then hold the back panel of the computer with the inside facing you. As shown in Figure 4-5, push down on the clip at the top and push out to re[...]

4. Replace the back panel and the three screws across the top edge. 5. Reconnect the main unit to the monitor, the keyboard, the printer, and any other peripherals you have. 6. Turn the main unit so the front faces you and place the monitor back on top of the main unit, if that is where you keep it. 7. Check to be sure the power switch on the main [...]

Using a Mouse You can use a mouse with special software to enter data and direct a pointer on the screen. For example, you can point to an instruction on the screen and press a button on the mouse to perform the command. See the software manual that comes with the mouse, or the application pro- gram, for instructions on how to use it. If you need t[...]

Chapter 5 Troubleshooting You should not encounter any serious difficulties as you set up and use the Equity II. But if anything out of the ordinary happens, refer to this chapter. Usually such a situation requires nothing more than adjust- ing a cable connection, repeating a software procedure, or resetting the computer. You can use the suggestion[...]

2. 3. 4. 5. Use the controls on the monitor to turn up the brightness and con- trast. Remove any diskettes and then turn off the power switches on the monitor and the main unit. Check that the monitor’s power cable is securely connected to the electrical outlet and that the monitor cable is properly connected to both the monitor and the main unit[...]

2. 3. 4. Have you inserted the right type of diskette? The diskette type is normally shown on the manufacturer’s label. In the top drive, which has a storage capacity of 360KB, use 51/4-inch, double-sided, doubledensity, 48 TPI, soft-sectored diskettes. If you have a second 360KB floppy disk drive, use the same type of diskettes in this drive. If[...]

Software Problems If you have trouble with a software program, check the following list of problems and solutions: 1. The software program does not start. Check that you are following the correct procedure for your operating system. Make sure you insert the system diskette in drive A (the top drive). 2. An application routine does not work. Refer t[...]

Option Card Problems If you install an option card and get unexpected results, check the following questions: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Is the option card installed correctly? Did you follow the setup and operation instructions in the option card manual? Did you set any necessary jumpers or DIP switches on the option card? See your option card instructions[...]

Contact your Epson dealer to obtain a new lithium battery and fol- low these steps to install it: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Follow the instructions in Chapter 4 to remove the main unit’s cover. Locate the battery just behind the front panel on the side with the Epson Equity II logo. , To disconnect the battery, grip the brown battery connector on the [...]

Appendix A Equity II Specifications CPU and Memory 16-Bit CPU Math coprocessor Main memory ROM Controllers Clock/Calendar/ Display Floppy disk Power DMA Interrupt NEC V30 microprocessor (8086-compati- ble), 4.77 or 7.16 MHz clockrate, operator- selectable execution speed and wait states 20-bit address and 16-bit data bus 8087 support (optional with[...]

Control/Timer Printer I/O Serial I/O Interfaces Serial Printer Option slots Speaker Power Supply Mass Storage Standard Optional Optional Optional One programmable interrupt timer Programmable parallel interface Multi-protocol serial controller RS-232C, programmable, asynchronous, DB-25P male connector IBM-compatible, &bit, parallel, DB-25S fema[...]

Keyboard Layout Function keys Environmental Requirements Temperature Operating range: 41" to 104°F (5"to35T) Storage range: 22" to 158°F (-30” to 65°C) Humidity Operating range: 20% to 80% non-condensing Storage range: 5 % to 95 % non-condensing Detachable, two positions, 83 sculpted keys 56-key QWERTY main keyboard, 17-key nume[...]

Options Monochrome video card TTL monochrome monitor (12-inch diagonal) Color/graphics video card RGB color monitor (13-inch diagonal) Epson mouse/ interface card Supports Epson- or IBM PC-compatible monochrome monitor, 82-character X 25- line display, 9 X 14 character block, installs in option slot High-persistence, green, P-39 phosphor screen; et[...]

Appendix B Glossary Application program Software designed to perform a specific task, such as word process- ing or accounting. ASCII American Standard Code for Information Interchange. A standard- ized coding system for representing characters, such as numbers, let- ters, and graphic symbols. An ASCII character occupies one byte of storage. Many di[...]

Code A system of symbols for representing data or instructions. Also any software program or part of a program. Command An instruction you enter on the keyboard to direct the computer to perform a specific function. Configuration The particular setup of a group of components. For example, a CPU with two floppy disk drives, connected to a monochrome[...]

Disk drive The physical device which allows the computer to read from and write to a disk. A floppy disk drive has a disk slot on the front panel of the main unit into which you insert diskettes. A hard disk is per- manently fixed inside the main unit and hidden behind the front panel. Diskette A flat piece of flexible plastic coated with magnetic [...]

Hardware Any physical component of a computer system, such as a monitor, printer, keyboard, or CPU. Highdensity A type of diskette format that allows you to store up to 1.2MB of data. Input/output port See Port. Interface A physical or software connection used to transmit data between equipment or programs. Kilobyte (KB) A unit used to measure stor[...]

Monochrome monitor A monitor that displays in only one color, such as green or amber, as opposed to a color monitor which can display in several colors. Mouse A device used (as an alternative to a keyboard) to control a pointer on the screen and operate a program. MS-DOS An operating system from Microsoft. See DOS, Operating system. Operating syste[...]

Program A disk file that contains coded instructions and tells a computer what to do and how to do it. Random Accesss Memory. The part of memory that a computer can both read and write to. The programs you use are temporarily stored in RAM. All data stored in RAM is erased when you turn off the power. Read To copy data from one area to another. For[...]

Software The programs that enable your computer to perform the tasks and functions you indicate. System diskette A diskette that contains the operating system. Tracks Addressable concentric circles on a diskette that resemble the grooves on a record and help to divide the diskette into separate accessable areas. There are 40 tracks on each side of [...]

Index Access slot cover 41-43 Access slots, option card 9-10 AC input 9-10, 21, 45 AC outlets switched 9, 12 unswitched 9, 12, 16 Adjusting keyboard legs 14 Alt 24-27 Application program 24, 44, B-1 ARCHIVE 35 Arranging components 5 horizontal main unit 5 vertical main unit 6 ASCII 16, B-1 Asynchronous A-2, B-1 Auxiliary power outlets 4 Back panel [...]

Character set, Equity II 16 Character size, color monitor 25 Choosing location 3-4 Clockrate 26, A-1 CMOS A-1, B-1 CMOS RAM backup battery 49 Code B-2 Color/graphics video card A-4 Color monitor 9, 11-12, 18-19, 25 Command 25-26, 34, 47, B-2 Compatibility diskette 30-31 software 1 Components, arranging 5-6 Composite video 9, 12, A-l, A-4 Configurat[...]

Cover, main unit removing 21, 37-39 replacing 42-43 CPU A-l, B-2 Ctrl 24-27 Ctrl Alt 26 Ctrl Alt /25 Ctrl Alt ] 25 Ctrl Alt 3 26 Ctrl Alt Del 27 Ctrl C 26 Cursor 25, B-2 Data B-2 diskette B-2 protecting 33-34 DB-25P A-2 DB-25S 14, A-2 D-connector 10, 15-16 Del 27 DIP switches 7-8, 17-20, B-2 coprocessor 18 floppy disk drives 18-19 internal video [...]

Diskette B-3 attaching labels to 32 backing up 33 care and handling 32 choosing type for disk drives 30-31 compatibility 30-31 copying 33 double-density 1, 30-31, 47, B-3 double-sided 30-31, 47 format 30-31, B-3 high-density 1, 30-31, 47, B-4 incompatibilities 30-31 inserting 23-24 labelling 31-32 problems 46-47 removing 23-24 single-sided 31 stori[...]

1.2MB 1, 7, 30-31, 47 optional 7 standard 7 Floppy disk problems 46-47 Format B-3 floppy disk 30-31 hard disk 36 Front panel 7-8 Green power LED lamp 7, 26 Grounded outlet 4 GW-BASIC 2-3, B-3 Hard disk 29, B-3 backing up 35 care of 32-33 controller card 37, 40 formatting 36 internal, 20MB 1, 7, A-2 LED lamp 7, 21, 33 partitioning 35 preparing for u[...]

Installing option card 37, 40-41, 44 Interface B-4 card 1, A-4 option slots A-2 parallel 1, 10, 14, 18-19 printer A-2 serial 1, 16, 19-20 speaker A-2 video 1, 10-11 Internal self-test 22 Internal video 1, 10-11, 18-19, A-l Keyboard cable 7-8, 12-14 connecting 12-14 disconnecting 14 function keys A-3 layout A-3 legs 14 placement 5-6 socket 7-8, 12 s[...]

Memory 49, A-l, B-4 Metal plate 40, 43 Microprocessor A-l, B-4 MODE 16 Models, Equity II l-2 Modem 37, 44, B-4 Monitor B-4 background color 25 brightness 22, 46 cable 11-12, 46 character size 25 color, RGB 1, 11-12, A-l, B-6 composite 9, 12, A-l, A-4 connecting 11-12 contrast 22, 46 display 22, 45 Epson 1 monochrome 9, 11, 25, A-l, B- S power 12, 4[...]

Operating system B-5 booting 22 diskette 3, 22 Option card B- S access slot cover 41-43 access slots 9-10 connector 41, 44 external device connector 41, 44 installing 37, 40-41, 44 metal plate 40, 43 post-installation adjustments 43 problems 49 retaining bracket 40-41, 43 retaining screw 40-41, 43 removing 43 slot 37, 40, A-2 Options, Equity II 1, [...]

Power auxiliary outlets 4, 9, 12, 16 cord 9-10, 21, 45 input, AC 9-10, 21, 45 LED lamp 7, 26 requirements A-3 source 4 supply A-2 switch 7, 21-22, 27 turning off 21, 27, 33 turning on 22 Power cord, connecting 10 Power/speed LED lamp 7 Primary parallel device 18-19 serial device 19-20 Printer cable 15-16 connecting 14-16 connector 15 interface A-2 [...]

Safety rules 21 Screws back panel 38 cover 38 retaining 40, 43 Secondary parallel device 18-19 serial device 19-20 Sector B-6 Self-test, internal 22, B-6 Serial B-6 interface 1, 16, 19-20 primary 19-20 printer 16 RS-232C port 9-10, 16, A-2, B-6 secondary 19-20 Set 1 DIP switches 18 Set 2 DIP switches 19 SETMODE 16 Setting DIP switches 17-20 Setting[...]

Tab key 25 Temperature A-3 Tracks 29, B-7 Troubleshooting 2, 45 TTL monochrome monitor 10-11, A-4 Turning off Equity II 21, 27, 33 Turning on Equity II 22 Unpacking Equity II 3 option card 40 Unswitched AC outlet 9, 12, 16 Ventilation 4 Vertical main unit 6 Video display 22, 45 Video interface, built-in 1, 10-11 Video interface card 12, A-4 Video m[...]

How To Obtain Warranty Service information: You may request additional war- ranty service information by contacting your Epson Dealer, the Epson Service Branch nearest you, or by contacting Epson America, Inc. at the address or phone number printed below : EPSON SERVICE BRANCHES Epson West 1000 A. Ortega Way Placentia, CA 92670 (714) 632-9560 Epson[...]