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Silicon Graphics Zx10 Visual Workstation Owner's Guide
(document number: 007-4327-002 / published: 2000-09-20)    table of contents  |  additional info  |  download
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Chapter 4. Operating the System

This chapter contains important, basic information on operating your system.

Opening and Closing the Door

A door on the front of the system controls access to the Power button, the floppy disk drive, the CD-ROM drive, and other front-access peripheral devices.

Figure 4-1. Opening and Closing the Door


To open the door:

  1. Lift the bottom of the door to swing it up and away from the faceplate.

  2. Push the door straight into the base unit.

To close the door:

  1. Pull the door straight out of the base unit.

  2. Swing the door down until it clicks into place.

Controlling System Power


Caution: The AC power cord for this unit is the service disconnect. To remove AC power from the system, you must unplug the system power cord from its AC power outlet.

When you connect the system's base unit to AC power, auxiliary power is applied to the system. Auxiliary power ensures that system components power up quickly when needed.

The Power button is a momentary contact switch, changing system states when the button is pressed. Depending on the system's current power state, you can use the Power button to start, shut down, and power down the system.

Figure 4-2. System Power Button



Caution: Shut down the operating system before powering down the system. Simply pressing the Power button can cause data corruption or loss. Use Automatic Shutdown or the operating system's shutdown options first. See this and following sections for more information


.

Table 4-1. The Power Button

Press the Power button…

To...

Momentarily (less than 1 second)

 

Bring the system to full power from a powered-down state and start the operating system

Momentarily (less than 1 second)

 

Start the selected automatic shutdown option.

And hold it for at least 4 seconds

 

Power down the system without using the selected automatic shutdown option or after using the operating system's shutdown function.

See “ Getting Support” for more information on controlling system power.

Reading System LEDs

The LEDs on the faceplate describe the current operational state of the system.

Figure 4-3. Faceplate LEDs


Table 4-2. Reading the Power LED

If the Power LED is...

Then...

Unlit

Auxiliary power is off (fans are not running) or there is a system failure (fans are running)

Amber

Auxiliary power is on; power consumption is reduced

Blinking green

Auxiliary power is on; the system is in an ACPI-compliant power conservation state managed by the operating system; power consumption is reduced

Steady green

Full power is on; power conservation is per device


Table 4-3. Reading the Disk LED

If the Disk LED is...

Then...

Unlit

The system's disk drives are not active

Lit and blinking

The system's disk drives are active

Lit and unblinking

There may be a problem with one or more disk drives


Using Automatic Shutdown

The Shutdown Utility lets you configure various automatic shutdown options for your system. This utility provides shutdown options beyond those available from the operating system Start menu.

The Shutdown Utility displays an Automatic System Shutdown dialog. You can use this dialog to select from several automatic shutdown options. You can also use this dialog to set how long the system waits to execute the selected automatic shutdown option.

To run the Shutdown Utility:

  1. From the operating system Start menu, go to Programs » Shutdown » Shutdown Program.

  2. Double-click the Shutdown icon in the operating system's taskbar tray, or

  3. While the system is running, press the Power button momentarily (less than 1 second).

When you run the Shutdown Utility, the Automatic System Shutdown dialog displays. To configure an automatic shutdown, select an option in the dialog and click Apply. When you have finished configuring the utility, click Start Shutdown to start an automatic shutdown immediately. After you start the system again, the utility will use the settings you selected.

By default, an automatic shutdown is set for a 10-second delay. You can set a delay of up to 30 seconds. You should set a delay greater than 5 seconds to ensure that you have time to stop an automatic shutdown if needed.


Caution: When configuring an automatic shutdown, use Power Down the Computer to power down the system. If you use Shutdown the Computer, you must press and hold the Power button for 4 seconds to power down the system. You may “suspend” the system if you hold the Power button for less than 4 seconds. If the operating system does not support a Suspend mode, you must then power down the computer before you can restart the system.

See Shutdown Utility Help for more information on this utility.

Starting and Stopping the Operating System

To start the operating system:

  1. With the system connected to AC power, press the Power button to bring it to full power.

  2. At the boot menu, select the appropriate operating system option, and then press enter.

To log on to the operating system:

  1. If the logon dialog does not display, press ctrl+alt+delete to display it.

  2. If user accounts have been set up, type a user name and a password into the appropriate fields.

  3. If appropriate, type a domain name into the appropriate field.

  4. Select OK or press enter.

To log off, restart, shut down, or power down the system:

  1. Turn the Power keyswitch right momentarily (less than 1 second). Automatic Shutdown runs and the shutdown timer begins counting down.

  2. Select a shutdown option and click Start Shutdown.

  3. If you chose an option that requires you to power down the system manually, you can do so when prompted that it is safe to do so.


    Caution: The AC power cord for this unit is the service disconnect. To remove AC power from the system, you must unplug the system power cord from its AC power outlet.


For more information on starting and stopping the operating system, see the operating system documentation and Help.

Observing Operating Precautions

Observe the following precautions when operating the system:

  • When restarting the system, use the operating system controls instead of turning the power switch off and on. Use the power switch only when instructed, or as the last alternative for restarting the system.

  • Never turn off power to the base unit when the disk access LED is lit.

  • After turning off power to the base unit, wait at least 30 seconds before turning the power on again. This allows the power supply to stabilize and the disk drives to stop spinning.

Using the Keyboard

The system's PS/2-compatible keyboard includes the following features:

  • 104 standard keys, including special application function keys (f1 through f12), arrow keys for moving the cursor, and numeric keys in a keypad.

  • Special keys for use with Windows operating systems. Pressing the left or right Windows key (on either side of the space bar) displays the operating system Start menu and Taskbar. Pressing the Application key (to the right of the space bar) displays an application-specific pop-up menu.

Your keyboard may differ from the one shown in the following figure.

Figure 4-4. Keyboard


Some keyboard keys have special functions:

Table 4-4. Special Keyboard Functions

Key

Function

esc

Usually assigned to an application-specific function; often used to exit.

print scrn

Depending on the application in use, prints the displayed screen to a printer.

scroll lock

Prevents the screen from scrolling.

pause

Temporarily suspends screen scrolling or some operations.

caps lock

Types all letters as capitals.

num lock

Activates the numeric keypad.

ctrl

Used with another key for application-specific functions.

alt

Used with another key for application-specific functions.

delete

Deletes characters.

You can use the Windows keys with other keys to perform certain operating system functions:

Table 4-5. Key Combinations

Key Combination

Action

Windows - f1

Display a pop-up menu for the selected object

Windows - tab

Activate the next button on the taskbar

Windows - e

Run Explorer

Windows - f

Run Find Document

Windows - ctrl -f

Run Find Computer

Windows - m

Minimize all windows

shift - Windows - m

Restore all windows

Windows - r

Display the Run dialog


Using the Mouse

The system's PS/2-compatible mouse is a tracking device that controls the movement and positioning of the pointer (or cursor) displayed on the screen in a graphical display environment.

Your mouse may differ from the one shown in the following figure.

Figure 4-5. Mouse


To use the mouse, ensure it is connected to the system. Place the mouse on a clean, flat surface, such as a desktop or a mouse pad. Rest your hand on the mouse, with a finger on each button and the thumb to the side. Move the mouse across the flat surface to move the pointer on screen.

You can use the mouse to perform several actions:

Table 4-6. Mouse Actions

Action

Description

Point

Move the mouse to point to your selection on the screen.

Click

Press and release the left mouse button once.

Double-click

Press and release the left mouse button twice.

Drag

Press and hold the left mouse button, then move the mouse. Release the button when you finish dragging your selection to a new location.

Right-click

Press and release the right mouse button once.

Scroll

On a wheel mouse, move the wheel back and forth to scroll in an application.

You can find more information on using the wheel mouse by right-clicking the mouse icon in the taskbar tray, or by going to Start/Settings/Control Panel/Mouse and clicking Help in the toolbar.

Using the Floppy Disk Drive

The system's floppy disk drive occupies a 3.5-inch external peripheral device bay, and is accessible through a 3.5-inch slot on the front of the base unit. The drive accepts standard 3.5-inch 720 KB and 1.44 MB diskettes.

Figure 4-6. Floppy Disk Drive


Follow these guidelines to use the floppy disk drive:

  • To insert a diskette, slide the diskette with the arrow facing up into the slot. Push the diskette in until it clicks into place and the eject button pops out.

  • Before removing a diskette, ensure the drive LED is not lit.

  • To remove a diskette, push the eject button and pull the diskette out of the slot.

  • To protect the data on a diskette from being overwritten or erased, slide the write-protect tab on the diskette toward the diskette edge until it snaps into place.

Using the CD-ROM Drive

The system's CD-ROM drive occupies a 5.25-inch external peripheral device bay, and is accessible through a tray or a slot at the front of the base unit. The drive supports software ejection of discs and has an external amplified headphone jack.

Figure 4-7. CD-ROM Drive


To use the CD-ROM drive:

  • To insert a CD, press the eject button to extend the tray. Place the disc, printed side up, in the tray and press the eject button again to retract the tray.

  • To remove a CD, press the eject button, and remove the disc after the tray extends. Then press the eject button again to retract the tray.

  • The media player programs included with the operating system allow you to listen to audio compact discs. Insert an audio CD, printed side up, into the drive and start the media player application. Adjust the volume using the operating system's sound control programs.

  • Adjust the volume control on the drive for headphones connected to the drive.

Using System Management Software

Your system shipped with the following system management software installed:

  • Hardware Monitor is an interface to instrumentation data measured by sensors inside the computer. Event information is reported to the Event Log and displayed graphically.

  • DMI Console gives easy access to the system's status and configuration information. DMI Console works with the Desktop Management Interface (DMI), a technology standard that enables the effective management of computers.

  • ECC Monitor monitors the system's error correcting code (ECC) memory and reports any problems.

  • SMART Disk Driver (SMARTDRV) is a kernel-level driver that supports self-monitoring, analysis, and reporting technology (SMART) for disk drives.

You can find these programs by going to Programs on the operating system's Start menu. See the online Help for each program for more information on how to use it.

Learning About the Operating System

Documentation delivered with your system describes the basic functions of its operating system. Refer to this documentation if you are unfamiliar with the operating system interface and features. You can also refer to extensive online Help; from the operating system Start menu, go to Help.

Using Hardware Security Features

The system has security features to help prevent unauthorized tampering with internal components.

  • An intrusion alert switch notifies Hardware Monitor and the Windows NT Event Log if the left side panel (as viewed from the front of the base unit) is removed.

  • A hasp for locking the left side panel (as viewed from the back) is available on the back of the base unit.

Cleaning System Components

Follow these guidelines for cleaning system components:

Table 4-7. Cleaning System Components

Item

How to Clean

Exterior Surfaces

Wipe exterior surfaces of the base unit and the monitor screen with a soft cloth lightly moistened with a mild cleaning agent.

Keyboard

Dust the keys and the keyboard surface with a soft, dry cloth. Use an aerosol cleaner to remove dust and debris from between the keys. Never use liquid to clean the keyboard.

Mouse

Remove the retaining ring and the tracking ball from the bottom of the mouse. Blow gently into the opening. Wipe the tracking ball and the rollers in the opening with a cotton swab moistened with alcohol. Replace the tracking ball and the retaining ring.


Silicon Graphics Zx10 Visual Workstation Owner's Guide
(document number: 007-4327-002 / published: 2000-09-20)    table of contents  |  additional info  |  download

    Front Matter
    About This Guide
    Chapter 1. Setting Up the Hardware
    Chapter 2. Setting Up the Software
    Chapter 3. Configuring the System
    Chapter 4. Operating the System
    Chapter 5. Troubleshooting Operational Problems
    Chapter 6. Reinstalling the Operating System
    Chapter 7. Gaining Access to System Components
    Chapter 8. Upgrading the System
    Chapter 9. Servicing the System
    Chapter 10. System Hardware and Specifications
    Appendix A. Ergonomics Guide
    Index


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