Basic PC 97

C H A P T E R   3

Basic PC 97

This chapter presents the PC 97 requirements and recommendations for basic PC design under the Microsoft Windows family of operating systems.Contents

Overview for Basic PC 97

Basic PC 97 defines a standard PC (both desktop and mobile) with no particular market category or customer application. This PC is designed to support typical Windows-based applications running under either the Microsoft Windows 95 or Windows NT Workstation operating system.

The new critical design requirements for PC 97 are the following:

The Basic PC 97 requirements serve as the basis for all system requirements for the "Designed for Microsoft Windows" logo, with the requirements for Workstation PC 97 and Entertainment PC 97 defined as differences from these basic requirements.

For PC 97, the following definitions are used to distinguish the types of devices present in a PC system:

Important The system requirements defined in PC 97 Hardware Design Guide provide guidelines for designing PC systems that best run Windows 95 and Windows NT. These design requirements are not the basic system requirements for running the Windows operating system.

Hardware features are described as Required, Recommended, or Optional for the "Designed for Microsoft Windows" logo program:

General System Requirements for Basic PC 97

This section summarizes the requirements and recommendations for the basic components of desktop and mobile systems.

1. Minimum CPU: Pentium-class 120 MHz or equivalent

Basic PC 97 Workstation PC 97 Entertainment PC 97
120 MHz Required 166 MHz Required 166 MHz Required

This minimum computational capability is required to support the demands of Windows-based applications.

The requirement for RISC-based systems is one of the following:

Notice that all requirements and recommendations for RISC-based PCs are for the Windows NT operating system only. There are no plans to enable Windows 95 to run on RISC-based PCs.

Note If multiprocessor support is provided in any PC 97 system with x86-based processors, such support must comply with MultiProcessor Specification v. 1.4 or higher (available from Intel).

2. L2 cache with 256K minimum, for Pentium-class processor

Basic PC 97 Workstation PC 97 Entertainment PC 97
Recommended Required Required

This minimum Level 2 cache is recommended for performance on an x86-based Basic PC 97 system that uses a Pentium-class processor. This requirement does not apply for a system that uses a Pentium Pro-class processor with a built-in L2 cache.

3. Minimum system memory: 16 MB

Basic PC 97 Workstation PC 97 Entertainment PC 97
Required 32 MB Required Required

Recommended: 32 MB (64 MB for Workstation PC 97).

For Basic PC 97, at least 12 MB of system memory must be completely available for the system to use at boot time and cannot be locked from use by the operating system. For Workstation PC 97, 28 MB of system memory must be available to the system.

Note This minimum requirement for memory available to the operating system does not preclude applications that use dynamically allocated memory for audio or video playback or other temporary uses of system memory.

4. Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) support

Basic PC 97 Workstation PC 97 Entertainment PC 97
Required Required Required

The system board must support the Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) Specification v. 1.0 or higher. This requirement ensures that the system correctly supports the Plug and Play and power management functionality described in Part 1 of this guide. ACPI support includes the following:

Recommended: The following additional recommendations from the ACPI specification are also recommended for PC 97:

Note Any other system board power management or Plug and Play features must be implemented compliant with ACPI, even if a particular feature is not a specific PC 97 requirement or recommendation.

5. Hardware support for OnNow initiative

Basic PC 97 Workstation PC 97 Entertainment PC 97
Required Required Required

Elements of the OnNow design initiative ensure that the operating system and device drivers control the state of individual devices and the system board. The following support is required for PC 97 hardware:

6. BIOS support for OnNow initiative for x86-based systems

Basic PC 97 Workstation PC 97 Entertainment PC 97
Required Required Required

This requirement applies only for x86-based systems. For PC 97, the OnNow initiative requires the following additional BIOS support:

7. System BIOS support for boot devices, for x86-based systems

Basic PC 97 Workstation PC 97 Entertainment PC 97
Required Required Required

For any x86-based system that includes CD-ROM as a bootable device, the system BIOS must support the No Emulation mode in "El Torito - Bootable CDROM Format Specification Version 1.0," by IBM and Phoenix or an equivalent method that supports the Windows NT CD-ROM installation process.

For any x86-based system that includes a network adapter as a boot device, the system BIOS must comply with the requirements defined in section 3 and 4 (as they apply to Plug and Play devices) of the Compaq, Phoenix, Intel BIOS Boot Specification v. 1.01 or higher, which describes the requirements for Initial Program Load (IPL) devices.

8. BIOS boot support for USB keyboard, if USB is the only keyboard

Basic PC 97 Workstation PC 97 Entertainment PC 97
Required Required Required

For any x86-based system with a USB keyboard as the only keyboard in the system, the system BIOS must provide boot support for USB keyboards. The specification for this support is defined in "Universal Serial Bus PC Legacy Compatibility Specification," v. 1.0 or higher, available from:

http://www.teleport.com/~usb/data/usb_le9.pdf.

Industrial Design Requirements for Basic PC 97

This section summarizes physical design requirements and recommendations for PC 97 systems. These requirements are in addition to those related to the OnNow initiative for power-state indicators and easily accessible power switches.

9. All expansion slots in the system are accessible for users to insert cards

Basic PC 97 Workstation PC 97 Entertainment PC 97
Required Required Required

The expansion slots cannot be physically blocked by components or devices provided with the system. This requirement does not exclude configurations that allow space for only half-height cards for some slots or passive back planes used for connectors, and so on.

10. Audible noise meets PC 97 standards

Basic PC 97 Workstation PC 97 Entertainment PC 97
Recommended Recommended Required

A PC 97 system should be "silent" in the Sleeping state, and an Entertainment PC 97 system must also be quiet during active operations, including hard-disk seek activities. Recommended test procedures and measurements will be documented by Microsoft.

The need to limit audible noise comes from the OnNow design initiative. A PC that uses OnNow technologies will be active even when not under direct operation by the user. For example, OnNow PCs will perform scheduled and background tasks such as receiving faxes and voice mail, checking e-mail, and downloading Internet information using a modem. These operations must happen silently so as not to interfere with other activities in the home or at work.

11. System and component design practices follow accessibility guidelines

Basic PC 97 Workstation PC 97 Entertainment PC 97
Recommended Recommended Recommended

Accessibility design guidelines are provided in Appendix C, "Accessibility," in this guide. These guidelines were developed in consultation with the Trace Research and Development Center at the University of Wisconsin. This recommendation will not become a requirement.

General Device Requirements for Basic PC 97

The requirements in this section apply for every device, whether it is present on the system board or as an expansion device provided by the OEM in a default system configuration. Most general device requirements are related to Plug and Play capabilities.

12. Each device and driver meets PC 97 device requirements

Basic PC 97 Workstation PC 97 Entertainment PC 97
Required Required Required

Each device, whether provided in the PC system, as an expansion card, or as an external device, must comply with all PC 97 requirements for the related device class and must have supporting device drivers that work for both Windows 95 and Windows NT, as tested by Microsoft WHQL. This includes support for power management IRPs (for WDM drivers) or messages (for VxD drivers) if power management hardware is nonstandard.

In addition to the device requirements in this section, see also the requirements for specific device classes in Part 4 of this guide.

13. Each bus complies with written specifications and PC 97 requirements

Basic PC 97 Workstation PC 97 Entertainment PC 97
Required Required Required

In the past, some bus designs did not fully implement all of the bus requirements on every expansion card connector. Each bus used in the system must meet all the requirements for that bus, as defined in Part 3 of this guide.

14. Each bus and device complies with current Plug and Play specifications

Basic PC 97 Workstation PC 97 Entertainment PC 97
Required Required Required

Each bus and device provided in a PC 97 system must meet the current Plug and Play specifications related to its class, including requirements defined in the ACPI specification and clarifications published for some Plug and Play specifications. This includes requirements for automatic device configuration, resource allocation, and dynamic disable capabilities.

There is only one change to Plug and Play specifications from those defined in 1995: the addition of SCANNER and DIGCAM as new CLASS key values for Plug and Play parallel devices.

The following shows current version numbers for all Plug and Play specifications:

The following specification provides an optional format for non-volatile storage of configuration information for PCs where form factors limit available non-volatile storage. This specification is not a PC 97 requirement:

Note Standard system devices are excluded from the Plug and Play requirement. The system can reserve static resources for standard devices such as interrupt controllers 1 and 2, timer (8254-2), keyboard controller (8042), real-time clock, DMA page registers, DMA controllers 1 and 2, and math coprocessor (if present). For an x86-based system, these fixed resources are located at I/O addresses under 100h and can also include an NMI mask. For more information, see Appendix D, "Legacy I/O Assignments."

15. Unique Plug and Play device ID for each system device and add-on device

Basic PC 97 Workstation PC 97 Entertainment PC 97
Required Required Required

Each device connected to an expansion bus must be able to supply its own unique identifier. Each type of bus contains different information for uniquely identifying devices on expansion cards. For more information, see the chapters for particular bus designs in Part 3 of this guide.

The following are exceptions to this requirement:

16. Option ROMs meet Plug and Play requirements (for x86based systems)

Basic PC 97 Workstation PC 97 Entertainment PC 97
Required Required Required

This requirement applies only for x86-based systems for any devices that might use option ROM, whether the device is present on the system board or provided through an expansion card. Related option ROM requirements are also defined for specific bus classes and specific devices, such as SCSI and graphics adapters, respectively.

For x86-based systems, option ROMs are usually located on cards used as system boot devices. During the boot process, option ROMs initialize the boot devices, which provide the primary input, primary output, and IPL device to boot the system. However, Plug and Play option ROMs can be used to supply the Plug and Play expansion header to devices other than boot devices, enabling them to initialize both devices when the system boots.

To design an option ROM with Plug and Play capabilities, follow the requirements described in the Plug and Play BIOS Specification, which discusses the Plug and Play expansion header and the interaction between the system BIOS and the option ROM. In particular, note the following points from the specification:

Option ROM requirements for specific devices are defined in the "ATA and ATAPI" and "SCSI" chapters in Part 3, and also in the "Graphics Adapters" chapter in Part 4 of this guide.

17. "PNP" vendor code used only to define a legacy device's CompatibleID

Basic PC 97 Workstation PC 97 Entertainment PC 97
Required Required Required

All ISA and other legacy devices not enumerated by the system board interface must not use "PNP" in their Vendor and Device codes. The "PNP" vendor code is reserved for Microsoft and the vendors whose hardware is specifically assigned a particular ID. Other hardware can only use a "PNP" code when defining a device's CompatibleID after first indicating the device's HardwareID in the Plug and Play header.

For non-BIOS enumerated ISA devices, rather than using "PNP" in the
vendor ID code, vendors must register any new vendor IDs by sending e-mail
to pnpid@microsoft.com. For information about using "PNP" CompatibleIDs,
see Appendix B, "Device Identifiers."

Use of CompatibleIDs is strongly recommended for devices that use device drivers provided with the Windows operating system, such as a "Standard PC COM Port" (PNP0500) or "Sound Blaster 16-compatible Sound Device" (PNPB003).

18. All devices support correct 16-bit decoding for I/O port addresses

Basic PC 97 Workstation PC 97 Entertainment PC 97
Required Required Required

Each device must support a unique I/O port address in the 16-bit address range. This requirement means, at a minimum, the upper address lines A10 - A15 can be used as device enable, so the device does not respond to addresses outside of the 10bit address range. CardBus controllers and cards must meet the requirements defined in the "PC Card" chapter in Part 3 of this guide.

Devices that that use less than 16-bit I/O decode create conflicts that cannot be resolved by a Plug and Play operating system. Phantom (alias) addressing is not supported by the Windows operating system and cannot be used to meet the PC 97 requirements.

Notice, however, that this requirement does not apply for the three ISA auto-configuration registers used during device enumeration and configuration. The ADDRESS, WRITE_DATA, and READ_DATA registers will continue to use 12-bit decoding as described in the ISA Plug and Play specification.

19. Devices and buses support hot plugging if using USB, 1394, or PC Card

Basic PC 97 Workstation PC 97 Entertainment PC 97
Required Required Required

Any bus or device designed to use USB, IEEE 1394, or PC Card (which all support hot plugging) must support being added or removed while the system is fully powered.

20. The user is protected from incorrectly connecting devices

Basic PC 97 Workstation PC 97 Entertainment PC 97
Required Required Required

This requirement is to help ensure that the end user can correctly make the physical connections required for adding a device in the system. This requirement includes the following:

Note It is recognized that the design for legacy ports such as the PS/2-compatible mouse and keyboard ports, analog audio and video jacks, and the microphone and speaker jacks will not change, and therefore cannot fully meet this requirement. However, icons and labels must be provided wherever possible to assist the user in making correct connections.

21. Minimal user interaction needed to install and configure devices

Basic PC 97 Workstation PC 97 Entertainment PC 97
Required Required Required

After physically installing the device, the user must not be required to perform any action other than to insert disks that contain drivers and other files. The user should have to restart the system only for devices that do not support hot plugging. As specified earlier in this section, devices that use USB, IEEE 1394, or PC Card must support hot plugging. For devices that use other buses, detection occurs when the system is powered on after the device is inserted.

22. Device driver and installation meet Windows and Windows NT standards

Basic PC 97 Workstation PC 97 Entertainment PC 97
Required Required Required

Each device must have drivers for both Window 95 and Windows NT to ensure correct support under both operating systems. For some device classes, this support can be provided using a WDM driver, as defined in the specific requirements for devices in Part 4 of this guide.

The manufacturer does not need to supply a driver if a standard driver provided with the operating system can be used. If the manufacturer supplies drivers, the requirements for device drivers and installation include the following:

23. Multifunction add-on devices meet general device requirements for each device

Basic PC 97 Workstation PC 97 Entertainment PC 97
Required Required Required

Multifunction add-on devices can contain more than one device. Multifunction add-on devices must meet the standards defined earlier in this section for automated software-only settings for device configuration, standard device drivers, and Windows-based installation. In addition, the following requirements must be met:

The exception to this requirement is a device such as a multifunction PCI device that supports several functions but uses only a single set of relocatable resources. When each device is not individually enumerated, there is no requirement to provide separate identifiers and separate resources for each function on the device.

24. Standard system board devices use ISA-compatible addresses

Basic PC 97 Workstation PC 97 Entertainment PC 97
Required Required Required

For x86-based systems, this includes devices with I/O port addresses within the reserved range 0h through 0ffh. For information about legacy system I/O addresses, see Appendix D, "Legacy I/O Assignments."

Basic PC 97 Buses and Devices

This section defines specific requirements for buses and devices provided in a PC 97 system, in addition to the basic requirement for supporting the Advanced Configuration and Power Interface specification, as defined earlier in this chapter.

System Buses for Basic PC 97

This section defines the general requirements for system buses. Additional requirements are defined in Part 3 of this guide for particular buses.

25. Universal Serial Bus with one USB port, minimum

Basic PC 97 Workstation PC 97 Entertainment PC 97
Required Required Required, with 2 USB ports

Recommended: 2 ports. Universal Serial Bus (USB) provides a bidirectional, isochronous, dynamically attachable serial interface for adding peripheral devices such as game controllers, communications devices, and input devices on a single bus.

The USB implementation in the system must meet the requirements defined in USB specifications, plus any additional requirements for PC 97 defined in the "USB" chapter in Part 3 of this guide.

26. Support for other high-speed expansion capabilities

Basic PC 97 Workstation PC 97 Entertainment PC 97
Recommended Recommended IEEE 1394 Required
CardBus Required for mobile

Additional support for expansion capabilities can be provided using PCI v. 2.1, IEEE 1394, CardBus, or other high-speed buses. For a mobile PC, one CardBus slot is required, and two slots are recommended. Any expansion bus implemented in the system must meet the requirements defined in the related chapter in Part 3 of this guide.

27. If present, PCI bus meets PCI v. 2.1 and higher, plus PC 97 requirements

Basic PC 97 Workstation PC 97 Entertainment PC 97
Required Required Required

If PCI is used in a PC system, the PCI bus must meet the requirements defined in PCI v. 2.1 or higher, plus any additional requirements for PC 97 defined in the "PCI" chapter in Part 3 of this guide. Exceptions for particular devices are noted in Part 3 and Part 4.

For example, add-on PCI IDE devices must comply with PCI 2.1 requirements and also provide Subsystem IDs and Subsystem Vendor IDs, but PCI-to-PCI bridges and core chip sets do not have to provide Subsystem IDs and Vendor Subsystem IDs.

28. ISA expansion bus

Basic PC 97 Workstation PC 97 Entertainment PC 97
Optional Optional Optional

It is recommended that system designers consider not providing expansion capabilities using the ISA bus in PC 97 systems and that all hardware vendors plan for migration away from ISA in their product lines. However, the PC system designer might choose to include the ISA expansion bus to support customers who want to "recycle" legacy add-on hardware.

If ISA is implemented in a PC 97 system, the following is required:

Notice that including ISA in the system will probably require support for traditional keyboard, parallel, and serial ports. For related requirements, see the "Serial, Parallel, and Wireless Support" and "Input Components" chapters in Part 4 of this guide. For a complete list of ISA requirements for PC 97, see the "ISA" chapter in Part 3 of this guide.

I/O Devices for Basic PC 97

This section defines the general requirements for I/O devices. Additional requirements are defined in the sections titled "Graphics Adapter and Monitor for Basic PC 97" and "Storage and Related Peripherals for Basic PC 97" later in this chapter.

29. Keyboard connection and keyboard

Basic PC 97 Workstation PC 97 Entertainment PC 97
Required Required USB or Wireless Required

Recommended: USB. The external connection requirements on any PC can also be met using a PS/2-style or AT-style port or wireless capabilities in the system. A mobile or all-in-one system that has a built-in keyboard must also provide the capability for an external keyboard connection, which can be implemented using a port replicator or a single PS/2-style port with special cabling for both external keyboard and mouse. For complete requirements for keyboard ports and peripherals, see the "Input Components" chapter in Part 4 of this guide.

30. Pointing device connection and pointing device

Basic PC 97 Workstation PC 97 Entertainment PC 97
Required Required USB or Wireless Required

Recommended: USB or other external bus. The external connection requirements on any PC can also be met using a PS/2-style port or wireless capabilities in the system. A mobile or all-in-one system that has a built-in pointing device must also provide the capability for an external mouse connection, which can be implemented using a port replicator or a single PS/2-style port with special cabling for both external keyboard and mouse. A second serial port is not recommended as the external connection for a pointing device. For complete requirements for mouse ports and peripherals, see the "Input Components" chapter in Part 4 of this guide.

31. Connection for external parallel devices

Basic PC 97 Workstation PC 97 Entertainment PC 97
Required Required Required

Recommended: USB or other external bus. This can also be provided as a parallel port with ECP mode capabilities. For complete requirements for parallel ports, see the "Serial, Parallel, and Wireless Support" chapter in Part 4 of this guide.

32. Connection for external serial devices

Basic PC 97 Workstation PC 97 Entertainment PC 97
Required Required Required

Recommended: USB or PC Card. This can also be provided as a 16550A serial port. For complete requirements for serial ports, see the "Serial, Parallel, and Wireless Support" chapter in Part 4 of this guide.

33. Wireless capabilities in PC system

Basic PC 97 Workstation PC 97 Entertainment PC 97
Recommended Recommended Required

If wireless capabilities are included in the system, PC 97 requirements must be met, as defined in the "Serial, Parallel, and Wireless Support" chapter in Part 4 of this guide.

34. Support for installing the operating system

Basic PC 97 Workstation PC 97 Entertainment PC 97
Required Required Required

The PC 97 system must include I/O device support (and system BIOS support for boot devices, as described earlier in this chapter) to allow the user to install (or reinstall) the operating system. This support can be included as one of the following types of devices, depending on specific customer requirements:

For the Windows NT operating system, either a CD-ROM drive or network adapter must be included in the system, because Windows NT does not support installing the operating system from a floppy disk drive.

Note It is recognized that OEMs supply PC systems to corporations with specific feature requirements. For example, a customer might want to insert network adapters at the end-user site and might require no local storage devices for remote-boot, diskless workstations. PC systems designed for specific corporate customer features are exempt from this PC 97 requirement.

35. Audio support in PC system meets PC 97 requirements

Basic PC 97 Workstation PC 97 Entertainment PC 97
Recommended Recommended Advanced audio Required

Recommended: PC 97 Advanced audio. Audio in a PC 97 system - whether it is implemented as baseline audio built into the PC system or PC 97 Advanced audio - must meet the minimum requirements defined in the "Audio Components" chapter in Part 4 of this guide.

36. Communications device provided with PC system

Basic PC 97 Workstation PC 97 Entertainment PC 97
Recommended Required Required

If a modem or networking adapter is implemented in the PC system, the device must meet the requirements defined in the "Modems" chapter or "Network Communications" chapter in Part 4 of this guide.

Graphics Adapter and Monitor for Basic PC 97

This section summarizes the PC 97 requirements for the graphics adapter and monitor. For complete details related to basic graphics adapter requirements, including recommendations for hardware acceleration, see the "Graphics Adapters" chapter in Part 4 of this guide.

37. Display adapter meets PC 97 minimum requirements

Basic PC 97 Workstation PC 97 Entertainment PC 97
800x600x16 bpp 1024x768x16 bpp 1024x768x16 bpp
640x480x8 bpp, small LCD

A Basic PC 97 system must contain a graphics adapter that permits a color depth of 16 bpp, minimum.

38. Support for NTSC or PAL TV output, if no large-screen monitor

Basic PC 97 Workstation PC 97 Entertainment PC 97
Recommended Recommended Required

This recommendation will not become a requirement for the Basic PC system in the future. For complete information, refer to the "Graphics Adapters" chapter in Part 4 of this guide.

39. Color monitor supports DDC 2.0 Level B, EDID, and 800x600, minimum

Basic PC 97 Workstation PC 97 Entertainment PC 97
Required Required Required

A monitor designed for or included with a PC 97 system must be compliant with Display Data Channel Standard v. 2.0, Level B (DDC2B), which defines the communication channel between the display and host system. In addition, the monitor must transmit an Extended Display Identification Data (EDID) structure containing unique ID Manufacturer Name and ID Product Code identifiers, and all required fields as described in Section 3 of Extended Display Identification Data Standard 2.0 (or higher).

For complete PC 97 requirements for monitors, including requirements for image color matching (ICC), ergonomic timing standards, and DDC support, see the "Video Components" chapter in Part 4 of this guide.

40. System supports MPEG-1 playback

Basic PC 97 Workstation PC 97 Entertainment PC 97
Required Required Required

Microsoft provides operating system support through Microsoft ActiveMovie. For information about performance and graphics hardware requirements to support video playback, see the "Video Components" chapter in Part 4 of this guide.

41. PC 97 DVD playback requirements, if PC system includes DVD-Video

Basic PC 97 Workstation PC 97 Entertainment PC 97
Required with DVD-Video Required with DVD-Video Required

All PC 97 systems that include DVD-Video support must provide PC 97 playback support for DVD content, as defined in the "Video Components" chapter in Part 4 of this guide. For other requirements related to DVD if it is implemented in a PC system, see the "Storage and Related Peripherals" chapter in Part 4 of this guide.

Storage and Related Peripherals for Basic PC 97

This section summarizes the requirements for storage devices for PC 97. For system requirements related to CD-ROM and floppy disk drives, see the "System Buses and I/O Devices for Basic PC 97" section earlier in this chapter.

42. Support Int 13h Extensions in system and option ROMs

Basic PC 97 Workstation PC 97 Entertainment PC 97
Required Required Required

This requirement applies only for x86-based systems. The Int 13h Extensions ensure correct support for high-capacity drives. Support for the "fixed disk access" subset of Int 13h Extensions must be provided in the system BIOS and in any option ROMs for storage devices that include BIOS support. The Int 13h Extensions are defined in "Int 13h Extension APIs" in the Layered Block Device Drivers section of the Windows 95 DDK.

43. Host controller for storage device meets PC 97 requirements, if present

Basic PC 97 Workstation PC 97 Entertainment PC 97
Required Required Required

If present in the PC 97 system, the host controller must meet requirements defined for the bus it uses; for SCSI or IDE controllers, it must also meet the requirements in the "ATA and ATAPI" or "SCSI" chapter in Part 3 of this guide.

44. Primary host controller supports bus mastering

Basic PC 97 Workstation PvC 97 Entertainment PC 97
Recommended Required Required

The primary host controller should support bus mastering, whether using IDE, SCSI, or IEEE 1394. Bus mastering support should also be enabled for IDE devices, including hard disks, CD-ROM, and tape drives.

Bus master capabilities, if implemented, must meet the related specification for the particular controller. For example, the programming register set for PCI IDE bus master DMA is defined in Small Form Factor (SFF) 8038i.

Note This recommendation will become a requirement in 1998. This recommendation does not apply to legacy floppy disk controllers, and will not become a requirement for the floppy disk controller.

45. Hard drive meets PC 97 requirements, if present

Basic PC 97 Workstation PC 97 Entertainment PC 97
Required Required Required

If present in the PC 97 system, the hard disk drive must meet the requirements defined in the "Storage and Related Peripherals" chapter in Part 4 of this guide; for SCSI or IDE peripherals, it must also meet the requirements in the "ATA and ATAPI" or "SCSI" chapter in Part 3 of this guide.

46. Media status notification support for removable media

Basic PC 97 Workstation PC 97 Entertainment PC 97
Required Required Required

IDE and ATAPI removable devices must follow the Microsoft specification named Media Status Notification v. 1.03 or higher (included in SFF 8020i v. 2.6 in 1996). SCSI devices must follow the Media Status Notification Support Specification for SCSI and ATAPI Devices v. 1.0 or higher.

47. Legacy floppy disk controller built into system

Basic PC 97 Workstation PC 97 Entertainment PC 97
Optional Optional Optional

Recommended: floppy disk capabilities provided through expansion card or external bus. To support migration away from legacy devices for PC 97, it is recommended that support for floppy disk drives be provided by using a solution based on an external bus such as USB, IEEE 1394, PC Card, or a peripheral device that uses SCSI or IDE. If a legacy FDC is included on a PC 97 system, it must meet the requirements defined in the "Storage and Related Devices" chapter in Part 4 of this guide.

Mobile PC and Form-Factor Related Requirements

This section summarizes exceptions and additional requirements for mobile PCs and provides requirements for docking stations and port replicators.

Note PC 97 Hardware Design Guidelines do not apply for so-called personal digital assistants (PDAs) or other sub-PC form factor designs.

The following is a specific requirement for mobile PCs.

48. CardBus for high-speed expansion capabilities on mobile PCs

Basic PC 97 Workstation PC 97 Entertainment PC 97
Required Required Required

One CardBus slot is required; two slots are recommended. For more information about the PC 97 requirements for implementing CardBus, see the "PC Card" chapter in Part 3 of this guide.

Mobile PC Design Exceptions and Clarifications

A few design exceptions are called out in the Basic PC 97 requirements in regards to capabilities that cannot be met on mobile PCs because of form factors issues or limitations in chip designs for mobile units. Exceptions and clarifications for general system design and general device requirements for mobile PCs are the following:

Exceptions and clarifications for system buses on mobile PCs are the following:

Exceptions and clarifications for I/O devices on mobile PCs are the following:

Exceptions and clarifications for graphics on mobile PCs are the following:

Docking Station Requirements

Docking systems for mobile PCs allow docking of a PC with additional hardware capabilities. A docking station adds capability to a mobile PC that allows the end user to add other devices to the system - for example, sound, network adapter, hard disks, CD-ROM, different display adapter, SCSI, modems, and so on.

Resource conflicts can occur with a mobile PC that is paired with a docking station if the docking station contains an expansion bus that allows users to add non-proprietary expansion cards to the system. For a mobile PC-and-docking station pair, the system designer must ensure that the docking system is capable of arbitrating resources for conflicts that might occur if an expansion card is added to the docking station. However, the system designer does not need to add to the mobile PC unit all of the Basic PC 97 resource-arbitration capabilities.

49. Mobile unit and docking station meet PC 97 requirements as a pair

Required

Manufacturers who submit a mobile PC unit that has a docking station companion for "Designed for Microsoft Windows" logo testing must submit the combined docking station and mobile PC for testing, and this combination must pass WHQL testing.

50. Docking station meets ACPI requirements

Required

The Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) specification, as discussed in Part 1 of this guide, ensures support for recognizing and managing docking and undocking events and the related power states and resource requirements.

51. Docking station meets all Basic PC 97 requirements for general devices, expansion cards, system bus, and system board

Required

This is required if the docking station allows addition of non-proprietary devices, but is not a requirement if the docking station does not allow addition of non-proprietary devices. These requirements are defined earlier in this chapter.

52. Automatic resource assignment and dynamic disable capabilities for mobile/docking station pair

Required

The mobile PC unit that is part of a docking system does not require all of the resource-arbitration capabilities required for expandable PC systems. However, the system as a whole must be capable of dynamically disabling add-on devices completely and freeing all the resources used by that device when the mobile unit is docked. (This requirement excludes fixed-resource devices, such as the DMA controller, interrupt controller, and so on.)

With this capability, individual devices in the mobile PC will be disabled when it is docked, allowing the appropriate devices in the docking station to be enabled.

The system could fail if an add-on card requires resources that conflict with a device on either the mobile PC or the docking station. The mobile/docking station combination must be able to resolve resource conflicts between all the devices in the docking system.

This means that docking-station devices must be available to replace disabled devices in the mobile PC, and these devices must meet the basic resource arbitration requirements for PC 97, as described earlier in this chapter. However, it is up to the design engineer of a mobile/docking station combination to determine which component (mobile or docking station) will resolve the conflict when the mobile unit is docked.

53. Fail-safe docking

Required

The system must provide a fail-safe system for docking and undocking the mobile unit. Working in conjunction with the operating system and ACPI, the mechanism for fail-safe docking must ensure the following:

There is no requirement for mechanical lockout to block the user from removing the mobile unit without operating system notification.

Port Replicator Requirements

A port replicator duplicates externally and extends features that are already available in a mobile PC - for example, providing an extra PC Card slot.

A port replicator with dedicated features allows the end user to add a specific feature to the original mobile PC - for example, providing a CD-ROM drive when the mobile unit does not have such a drive.

A mobile PC with a port replicator does not need to meet the expansion card requirements defined for Basic PC 97, and also does not need to meet all the resource requirements of a mobile/docking station combination. A port replicator is not required to provide an undock or eject button.

However, some mobile PC system designs include a port replicator that has dedicated features for networking, additional PC Card slots, CD-ROM, and so on. This means that the system could have additional resource requirements so that all available IRQs in the system are already allocated; and therefore the PC Card slots (for example) would not have any IRQs available, rendering them useless. In such cases, the port replicator must contain devices that replace any devices in the mobile PC that do not meet the resource requirements for a PC 97 computer.

54. Automatic resource assignment and dynamic disable capabilities for replacement devices

Required

A port replicator that can accept expansion cards must contain devices that replace any devices in the mobile PC that do not meet Basic PC 97 requirements for IRQ, DMA, I/O port, and memory resources. This allows the operating system to disable the device on the mobile PC, enable the corresponding device on the port replicator, and then arbitrate resources among the remaining devices in the mobile unit and the devices on the port replicator.

Devices in the system must be capable of being disabled dynamically, so that the user can choose to free resources in order to allow other devices in the system to function. For ISA devices included with the PC system that do not otherwise meet the resource requirements defined for PC 97, the system designer must implement IRQ sharing for ISA, as described in the "ISA" chapter in Part 3 of this guide.

Multimedia PC Guidelines for PC 97

Entertainment PC 97 defines a system that is optimized for home recreation applications such as game playing, Internet browsing, personal communications, and educational multimedia CD-ROMs. Many features of Entertainment PC 97 are designed to ensure quick adoption of the advanced technologies required for new forms of digital entertainment and to provide the very best multimedia capabilities in every category when compared to all other competing platforms for game playing, education and entertainment, and Internet browsing.

However, it is recognized that there is a market category for lower-end PCs that support good quality output for entertainment and educational software applications that are graphics- and audio-intensive. Such systems have been commonly known as "multimedia PCs." This section summarizes the subsystem features of a Basic PC 97 system that is designed for this market.

55. "Multimedia PC" meets PC 97 minimum requirements

Basic PC 97 Workstation PC 97 Entertainment PC 97
Required Required N/A

The following table summarizes the minimum requirements and recommendations for each subsystem.

Notice that for a multimedia PC that implements a recommended feature, the PC 97 requirements for that particular feature must be met. However, the system designer can implement recommended items on a feature-by-feature basis. That is, not all recommended features need to be implemented if one or more features are selected for a multimedia PC.

Multimedia PC Requirements and Recommendations
Required Recommended PC 97 reference

System requirements:
Basic PC 97 minimum Pentium-class 166 MHz "Basic PC 97"
MMX instruction set, or equivalent

System buses:
Basic PC 97 minimum IEEE 1397 "USB"; "IEEE 1394"
No ISA add-on devices provided with PC

I/O devices:
Basic PC 97 minimum USB game pad "Input Components"
Devices use USB or IEEE 1394 bus
Remote control

Graphics components:
Basic PC 97 minimum 64-bit accelerator "Graphics Adapters"; "Video Components"
MPEG-1 graphics support Low resolution modes
PC 97 recommendations or 2D and 3D acceleration
20" or larger monitor or NTSC/PAL TV output
PC 97 DVD playback, if video discs are supported

Audio components:
Basic PC 97 audio Advanced PC 97 audio "Audio Components"
Devices use USB bus
Support music synthesis

Communications:
Internal 28.8 Kbps V.34 data/fax/voice modem ISDN "Modems"

Storage capabilities:
6x CD-ROM Bus mastering "Storage and Related Peripherals"
1 GB hard disk DVD-ROM
Larger capacity hard disk

References for Basic PC 97

The following presents some of the references, services, and tools available to help build hardware that is optimized to work with Windows operating systems.

Plug and Play specifications

http://www.microsoft.com/hwdev/pnpspecs.htm
Vendor ID registration: pnpid@microsoft.com

Microsoft Device Driver Kits (DDKs) for Windows operating systems

Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN) Professional membership

Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) specification

http://www.teleport.com/~acpi/

Power management specifications for device and bus classes
Guidelines for audible noise and other OnNow technologies

http://www.microsoft.com/hwdev/onnow.htm

MultiProcessor Specification Version 1.4

Intel part number 242016002
Phone: (800) 8794683

El Torito - Bootable CD-ROM Format Specification Version 1.0
Compaq, Intel, Phoenix BIOS Boot Specification v. 1.01

http://www.ptltd.com/techs/specs.html

Intel/Duracell Smart Battery System Specification

http://www.intel.com/ial/powermgm/specs.htm

Checklist for Basic PC 97

Basic PC 97 Workstation PC 97 Entertainment PC 97


General System Requirements for Basic PC 97
1. Minimum CPU: Pentium-class 120 MHz or equivalent
120 MHz Required 166 MHz Required 166 MHz Required
2. L2 cache with 256K minimum, for Pentium-class processor
Recommended Required Required
3. Minimum system memory: 16 MB
Required 32 MB Required Required
4. Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) support
Required Required Required
5. Hardware support for OnNow initiative
Required Required Required
6. BIOS support for OnNow initiative for x86-based systems
Required Required Required
7. System BIOS support for boot devices, for x86-based systems
Required Required Required
8. BIOS boot support for USB keyboard, if USB is the only keyboard
Required Required Required

Industrial Design Requirements for Basic PC 97
9. All expansion slots in the system are accessible for users to insert cards
Required Required Required
10. Audible noise meets PC 97 standards
Recommended Recommended Required
11. System and component design practices follow accessibility guidelines
Recommended Recommended Recommended

General Device Requirements for Basic PC 97
12. Each device and driver meets PC 97 device requirements
Required Required Required
13. Each bus complies with written specifications and PC 97 requirements
Required Required Required
14. Each bus and device complies with current Plug and Play specifications
Required Required Required
15. Unique Plug and Play device ID for each system device and add-on device
Required Required Required
16. Option ROMs meet Plug and Play requirements (for x86based systems)
Required Required Required
17. "PNP" vendor code used only to define a legacy device's CompatibleID
Required Required Required
18. All devices support correct 16-bit decoding for I/O port addresses
Required Required Required
19. Devices and buses support hot plugging if using USB, 1394, or PC Card
Required Required Required
20. The user is protected from incorrectly connecting devices
Required Required Required
21. Minimal user interaction needed to install and configure devices
Required Required Required
22. Device driver and installation meet Windows and Windows NT standards
Required Required Required
23. Multifunction add-on devices meet general device requirements for each device
Required Required Required
24. Standard system board devices use ISA-compatible addresses
Required Required Required

Basic PC 97 Buses and Devices
System Buses for Basic PC 97
25. Universal Serial Bus with one USB port, minimum
Required Required Required, with 2 USB ports
26. Support for other high-speed expansion capabilities
Recommended Recommended for mobile IEEE 1394 Required
CardBus Required
27. If present, PCI bus meets PCI v. 2.1 and higher, plus PC 97 requirements
Required Required Required
28. ISA expansion bus
Optional Optional Optional

I/O Devices for Basic PC 97
29. Keyboard connection and keyboard
Required Required USB or wireless Required
30. Pointing device connection and pointing device
Required Required USB or wireless Required
31. Connection for external parallel devices
Required Required Required
32. Connection for external serial devices
Required Required Required
33. Wireless capabilities in PC system
Recommended Recommended Required
34. Support for installing the operating system
Required Required Required
35. Audio support in PC system meets PC 97 requirements
Recommended Recommended Advanced audio Required
36. Communications device provided with PC system
Recommended Required Required

Graphics Adapter and Monitor for Basic PC 97
37. Display adapter meets PC 97 minimum requirements
800x600x16 bpp 1024x768x16 bpp 1024x768x16 bpp
640x480x8 bpp, small LCD
38. Support for NTSC or PAL TV output, if no large-screen monitor
Recommended Recommended Required
39. Color monitor supports DDC 2.0 Level B, EDID, and 800x600, minimum
Required Required Required
40. System supports MPEG-1 playback
Required Required Required
41. PC 97 DVD playback requirements, if PC system includes DVD-Video
Required with DVD-Video Required with DVD-Video Required

Storage and Related Peripherals for Basic PC 97
42. Support Int 13h Extensions in system and option ROMs
Required Required Required
43. Host controller for storage device meets PC 97 requirements, if present
Required Required Required
44. Primary host controller supports bus mastering
Recommended Required Required
45. Hard drive meets PC 97 requirements, if present
Required Required Required
46. Media status notification support for removable media
Required Required Required
47. Legacy floppy disk controller built into system
Optional Optional Optional

Mobile PC and Form-Factor Related Requirements
48. CardBus for high-speed expansion capabilities on mobile PCs
Required Required Required

Mobile PC Design Exceptions and Clarifications
Docking Station Requirements
49. Mobile unit and docking station meet PC 97 requirements as a pair
Required
50. Docking station meets ACPI requirements
Required
51. Docking station meets all Basic PC 97 requirements for general devices, expansion cards, system bus, and system board
Required
52. Automatic resource assignment and dynamic disable capabilities for mobile/docking station pair
Required
53. Fail-safe docking
Required

Port Replicator Requirements
54. Automatic resource assignment and dynamic disable capabilities for replacement devices
Required

Multimedia PC Guidelines for PC 97
55. "Multimedia PC" meets PC 97 minimum requirements
Required Required N/A