Epson 20020, 20040 Introduction

Introduction

Your Apex’” personal computer is powerful, versatile, and easy to use. After setting up your system with the simple instructions in this manual, you’ll soon be using your favorite software programs.

The Apex 200 computer is available in these configurations:

The Apex 200\20 provides one 1.2MB (megabyte) diskette drive and one 20MB hard disk drive

The Apex 200\40 provides one 1.2MB diskette drive and one 40MB hard disk drive.

Both models come with 640KB (kilobyte) of internal memory, a total of six internal option slots, an MGA (multi-graphics adapter) card, and built-in serial and parallel interfaces. You can connect either a monochrome or color graphics monitor to the MGA card in the computer.

Your computer comes with version 3.3 of MS-DOS®- the operating system by Microsoft? In addition to the introduction to MS-DOS provided in this manual, you’ll find a complete reference manual for the operating system packed in the box with the computer.

As a supplement to MS-DOS, Epson has included several time- saving utilities that make MS-DOS easier to use: HELP, MENU, and XTREE? The HELP program lets you display information on the screen about any MS-DOS command. MENU provides an easier way to run many of the most common MS-DOS commands. XTREE is a file management utility that simplifies all file and directory operations; it is especially useful for managing data on a hard disk.

As your needs grow, so can your computer; you can expand your system by adding a wide variety of options. You can install most option cards compatible with the IBM® Personal

Introduction 1

Contents

Page Reader Comment Card Page Page Page Page Contents Page Page Page B-4 Page Page Page Introduction How to Use This Manual Where to Get Help Page Setting Up Your System 1 Unpacking Page Removing the Diskette Drive Protector Card 2 Choosing a Location 3 Connecting a Monitor Page Connecting a Printer, Mouse, or Modem Using the Parallel Interface Using the Serial Interface Page 5 Connecting the Power Cord 6Connecting the Keyboard Page 7 Setting the Front Monitor Switch 8Turning On the Computer Page Page 9Copying System Diskettes Page Page Page Page Running the Setup Program Type and press Changing the Amount of Memory Setting the Type of Display Page Adding an 80287 Coprocessor Changing the Disk Drive Settings Setting the Real-timeClock mm-dd-yyyy Leaving the Setup Program Page Page Using Your Computer Changing the Operating Speed Special Keys on the Apex Keyboard Key Stopping a Command or Program Resetting the Computer Turning Off the Computer Using Disks and Disk Drives Page Types of Diskette Drives Drive and diskette incompatibilities Caring for Diskettes and Diskette Drives Page Inserting and Removing Diskettes Page release Write-protectingDiskettes Making Backup Copies Using a Single Diskette Drive Using the Hard Disk Drive Page Page Page Using MS-DOSWith Your Computer Starting and Exiting MS-DOS Starting an Application Program Using Drive Designators The Default Drive Changing the Default Drive Specifying the Drive Designator Types of MS-DOSCommands Page Entering an MS-DOSCommand Page Creating and Managing Files Copying Files Page Page Renaming Files Deleting Files Printing Files Using Directories Page way The Default Directory Changing the Default Directory Using Pathnames Including Filenames With Pathnames Including Drive Letters With Pathnames and Filenames With MS-DOSprovides several commands that make using pathnames easier: See your MS-DOSReference Manual for information on these helpful commands Creating Directories Listing the Contents of a Directory Displaying a List of Directories Removing Directories Formatting Diskettes Page Formatting Diskettes With One Diskette Drive (No Hard Disk) Backing Up Data Page Page Page Using the BACKUP Command Using HELP Page Using MENU Using the XTREE Utility Running XTREE Page Page Using an AUTOEXEC.BAT File Creating an AUTOEXEC.BAT File on your disk Using HDCACHE for the Hard Disk Installing Option Cards Removing the Cover Page Page Inserting the Option Card Page Page Jumper Settings Changing a Jumper Setting Memory Card Jumpers Page Main Circuit Board Jumpers Page Multi-functionCard Jumpers Page Page Removing an Option Card Replacing the Cover Page Post-installationSetup Troubleshooting The Computer Won’t Start The Computer Does Not Respond Keyboard Problems Monitor Problems Diskette Problems Page renames on the diskette, so use it only possible with the MS-DOS COPY command Diskette Drive Problems Hard Disk Problems Enter: the only after careful consideration and after the preceding steps Software Problems Printer Problems Option Card Problems Page Specifications Interfaces Power Supply Mass Storage Keyboard Environmental Requirements Physical Characteristics (CPU only) Power Requirements Video and Display Options Other Apex Options Page Parallel Port Pin Assignments Serial Port Pin Assignments Keyboard Connector Pin Assignments I/O Parallel Port Loop-backConnector Pin Assignments Serial Port Loop-backConnector Pin Assignments Page Power-OnDiagnostics System Device Check Timer and CMOS RAM Check RAM Check Keyboard Controller and Keyboard Check Display Card Check Optional RAM Check Diskette Drive Seek Check Hard Disk Controller and Hard Disk Check Page Performing System Diagnostics Starting System Diagnostics To start the system diagnostics program, follow these steps: 1.Insert the Reference diskette in drive A 2.Turn on or reset the computer. The OPERATION MENU appears 3. Press 4 reset System diagnostics and then When you start the system diagnostics, the computer checks the following: The positions of the internal jumpers Any peripheral devices that are connected to the system Modifying the DEVICE LIST Note Selecting a Test Resuming From an Error Do you want a printout of the error message(s) (Y/N) (Y/N) To continue without printing the error message, press and System Board Check Memory Check 640 KB OK Keyboard Check Page Monochrome Display Adapter and CRT Check Monochrome Adapter Check Attribute Check Character Set Check Video Check Color Graphics Adapter and CRT Check Color Graphics Adapter Check Page 40-columnCharacter Set Check Page Page Page Page Page Sequential Seek Check Random Seek Check Write, Read Check Speed Check Disk Change Check Math Coprocessor Check (80287) Parallel Port (Printer Interface) Check When you select option 9 from the DEVICE LIST, you see these prompts: Insert the loop-backconnector. Then press Y and Enter to start the check Parallel Port (on Video Adapter) Check Serial Port (RS-232C)Check Alternate Serial Port Check Dot-matrixPrinter Check Use this option to check: The operation of your printer in IBM-compatibilitymode Page Seek Check Page Head Select Check Error Detection and Correction Check Read, Verify Check Memory Page Page Physically Formatting a Hard Disk Formatting and Checking Options 2.Turn on or reset the computer. The OPERATION MENU appears 3.Press 2 to select Format hard disk, and then press Enter The following menu of formatting and checking options appears: These options work as follows: Reformatting a Used Disk Formatting a New Disk Starting the Formatting Process Conditional Format (Normal) Do you want to start formatting (Y/N) Do you want to exit and check your file copies (Y/N) When you are certain no valuable data will be destroyed, press N and Enter If you cancel formatting at either stage, you see these messages: Format cancelled Page Do you want default interleave of 3 (Y/N) Enter interleave factor (1-16): Page Destructive Surface Analysis Analyze Hard Disk Read/Save/Write/Read/Restore/Read check for all tracks Current cylinder is nnn Non-destructiveSurface Analysis Flagged bad tracks Tracks with read, verify errors Good tracks If no errors occur, you see this message: No read, verify error was detected After the status reports you see this message: Preparing a Hard Disk for Use Manual for instructions on using BACKUP Creating the MS-DOSPartition Press Y to use the maximum size for System will now restart Insert DOS diskette in drive A: Press any key when ready 9.Press Enter twice to accept the displayed date and then the time Creating the Extended Partition Page Press any key to restart the system (the 9.Press Enter twice to accept the date and time shown Formatting the Primary Partition Formats the partition Labels the partition Copies the MS-DOSsystem files to the hard disk Follow these steps to format the primary partition: Page Reading source file(s) The SELECT procedure described above copies all the files C named \DOS. This enables you to start MS-DOSfrom the hard disk. However, you should copy all the MS-DOS Remaining Files to the Hard Disk Copying the Remaining Files to the Hard Disk 3. At the A> prompt, type the following and press Enter: COPY *.* C:\DOS The procedure described above copies all the files on the included on the Startup and Operating 1 diskettes) must Creating the AUTOEXEC.BAT File Bypasses the date and time prompts Page Page Types of Hard Disk Drives Page Page Batch file Baud rate Bit To load the operating system or a program into the computer’s memory Byte A sequence or group of eight bits that represents one character CGA Character Page Page Page Disk drive Diskette Display adapter DOS Double-density Page Filename A name of up to eight characters that MS-DOSuses to identify a file Floppy disk See Diskette Format Page Megahertz (MHz) Page Parallel Parameter Parent directory Partition Pathname Page Relative pathname Reset RGB Red Green Blue. A type of color monitor ROM Page Target diskette The diskette to which you are copying data during a copy or backup operation Tracks VGA Wildcard Write To store data on a disk Write-protect Glossary Page Index