Dell OptiPlex Gxi - Manual (Page 39)

Using the System Setup Program 2-9
Mouse
MOUSE enables or disables the system’s built-in PS/2-
compatible mouse port. Disabling the mouse allows an
expansion card to use interrupt request (IRQ) 12.
Serial Port
SERIAL PORT configures the system’s built-in serial port.
This category can be set to AUTO (the default option) to
automatically configure the port to a particular designa-
tion (
COM1 through COM4 ) or to OFF to disable the port.
If you set the serial port to AUTO and add an expansion
card containing a port configured to the same designa-
tion, the system automatically remaps the built-in port to
the next available port designation that shares the same
IRQ setting:
• COM1 (input/output [I/O] address 3F8h), which
shares IRQ4 with COM3, is remapped to COM3
(I/O address 3E8h).
• Likewise, COM2 (I/O address 2F8h), which shares
IRQ3 with COM4, is remapped to COM4 (I/O
address 2E8h).
NOTE: When two COM ports share an IRQ setting, you
can use either port as necessary, but you may not be able
to use them both at the same time.
For more information about built-in ports, port designa-
tions, IRQs, and the remapping of ports, see “Connecting
External Devices” in your online System User’s Guide.
Parallel Port
PARALLEL PORT configures the system’s built-in parallel
port. This category can be set to 378H (the default), to
alternate addresses 278H or 3BCH , or to OFF to disable the
port.
NOTE: Do not set PARALLEL PORT to 278H if you have
an Enhanced Capabilities Port (ECP) device connected
to the port.
Parallel Mode
PARALLEL MODE controls whether the system’s built-in
parallel port acts as an AT-compatible (unidirectional) or
PS/2-compatible (bidirectional) port.
Your system also supports ECP mode, which can be used
by the Windows 95 operating system. Windows 95 uses
ECP protocol automatically if it detects an ECP-capable
device, removing the necessity for an ECP option in this
category.
Set this category according to the type of peripheral
device connected to the parallel port. To determine the
correct mode to use, see the documentation that came
with the device.
Hard Disk
HARD DISK enables or disables the system’s built-in EIDE
hard-disk drive interface.
With AUTO (the default option) selected, the system turns
off the built-in EIDE interface when necessary to accom-
modate a controller card installed in an expansion slot.
As part of the boot routine, the system first checks for a
primary hard-disk drive controller card installed in an
expansion slot. If no card is found, the system enables the
built-in EIDE interface to use IRQ14 and IRQ15.
If a primary controller is detected on the expansion bus,
the built-in EIDE interface is disabled.
Selecting OFF disables the built-in EIDE interface.
Diskette
DISKETTE controls the operation of the system’s built-in
diskette drive controller.
With AUTO (the default option) selected, the system turns
off the built-in diskette drive controller when necessary
to accommodate a controller card installed in an expan-
sion slot.
With WRITE-PROTECT selected, nothing can be written to
diskette drives and tape drives using the system’s built-in
diskette drive controller. (The system can still read from
the drives.) When this option is selected, the
AUTO option
(whereby the system turns off the built-in diskette drive
controller as necessary) is also in effect.
Selecting OFF turns off the built-in diskette/tape drive
controller; this option is used primarily for troubleshoot-
ing purposes.