Manuals

The system configuration utility (SCU) lets the user check or change the server's configuration. The SCU is PCI-aware, and it complies with both EISA and ISA Plug and Play standards. The SCU must be run each time an EISA or ISA add-in board is added, removed, or moved. Running the SCU is recommended for Plug and Play and PCI add-in boards to ensure that the system interrupt resources are properly distributed.

Each EISA add-in board comes with a diskette that contains a configuration (.cfg) file. It describes the board's characteristics and the system resources that it requires. The configuration registers on PCI and Plug and Play add-in boards contain the same type of information that an EISA .cfg file does. The server system board also comes with a .cfg file.

The SCU uses the information provided by .cfg files, configuration registers, NVRAM, and the information that the user enters to specify a system configuration. It configures the system by writing the configuration information to flash memory.

The SCU stores the configuration values in the NVRAM of the RTC. These values take effect when the system is booted. POST checks the values against the actual hardware configuration; if they do not agree, it generates an error message. If this happens run the SCU to specify the correct configuration before the system boots. Pressing F1 on the keyboard, in response to the BIOS prompt during POST, activates the BIOS.

The SCU modifies the ISA CMOS RAM and EISA NVRAM, under direction of the user. The BIOS POST routines and the ISA Plug and Play Auto Configuration Manager actually configure the hardware.

The SCU always updates a checksum for both areas so that the BIOS can detect any potential data corruption before the actual hardware configuration takes place. If the data is corrupted, the BIOS requests the user to configure the system before it can boot.

To run the SCU:

1. Turn on the monitor and the system.

2. To start the SCU, insert the System Configuration Utility diskette into drive A, and press the reset push-button switch or <CTRL-ALT-DEL> to reboot the system from the diskette.

3. When the SCU title appears on the screen, press <ENTER> to continue.

4. From the main menu, press <> or <> to highlight an item and then press <ENTER> to select it. To select an item using a mouse, point to an item and double-click the left button to select it. Press <F1>at any time for help about a selection.

5. From the main menu, select STEP 1: ABOUT SYSTEM CONFIGURATION for information about setting up the computer.

6. SCU can also be started from drive A by typing

amiscu

7. To speed up the execution of the SCU, copy the System Configuration Utiltiy diskette to a directory on the hard-disk drive and run it from there.