Acer 486 User Manual

& K DSWHU

System Board
System Board 1-1
This high-performance, 32-bit personal computer system is based on
the 486 series microprocessor. It features the single-chip upgrade
technology which allows maximum ease and flexibility for upgrading
the system. It is fully compatible with the IBM PC/AT and is suitable
for use as a Windows workstation, CAD/CAE/CAM workstation, UNIX
personal workstation or desktop PC.
The system board accommodates an ISA riser card slot and two 72-
pin SIMM sockets that can hold a maximum memory of 36 MB. The
system architecture is based on the VESA local bus featuring an
onboard VGA. The VGA memory is expandable to 1 MB or 2 MB.
In a LAN environment, the system supports 16-bit Arcnet cards,
Ethernet cards and Token Ring cards. It is fully compatible with Novell
NetWare and Microsoft LAN Manager and also with SCO UNIX,
XENIX and OS/2 operating systems.
The system has a number of software-controlled security features.
These include power-on password, disk drive read/write control,
diskette boot control, serial- and parallel-port control, and a system
setup control.
Installing options such as memory modules, expansion boards and an
upgrade CPU enhance system performance. This chapter gives step-
by-step instructions on how to install these options.

Acer 486 Specifications

General

Brand	Acer
Model	486
Category	Motherboard
Language	English

Summary

System Board

System Board Layout

Details the major components of the system board.

ESD Precautions

Essential safety guidelines to prevent damage from electrostatic discharge.

Pre-installation Instructions

Steps to follow before installing system components, including safety.

Jumper Settings

Explains jumper locations and functions for system configuration.

Installing Memory

Guide to installing and configuring memory modules (SIMMs) on the system board.

Installing a SIMM

Step-by-step instructions for correctly inserting a SIMM module into its socket.

Removing a SIMM

Procedure for safely removing SIMM memory modules from the system board sockets.

Reconfiguring the System

How the system detects installed memory and how to verify it.

Upgrading the CPU

Instructions for upgrading the Central Processing Unit (CPU) on the system board.

Unpacking the Upgrade CPU

Guidance on unpacking and inspecting the new CPU and its accompanying components.

Installing an Upgrade CPU

Detailed steps for safely installing a new CPU into the system board socket.

Power Daughter Board

Explains the purpose and installation of the power daughter board for 3.3V microprocessors.

Upgrading VGA Memory

Instructions on how to increase the Video Graphics Array (VGA) memory capacity.

Upgrading Cache Memory

Guide on how to install additional cache memory chips to improve system performance.

Post-installation Instructions

Final checks and steps to ensure system stability after component installation.

Power-Management Feature

Overview of the system's power-saving features and supported modes.

Advanced Power Management (APM)

Details on using the Advanced Power Management (APM) standard for power reduction.

Intel SL-Enhanced CPU

Information about Intel SL-Enhanced CPUs and their support for System Management Mode.

VESA DPMS

Explanation of the VESA Display Power-Management Signaling (DPMS) standard for monitors.

Error Messages

Information on identifying and understanding various software and system error messages.

Software Error Messages

Describes software error messages and how to resolve them using application manuals.

System Error Messages

Lists system error messages during power-on self-test and their corrective actions.

Correcting Error Conditions

Provides corrective measures for common system errors and configuration issues.