NEC VERSA UltraLite, DayLite, Versa DayLite Service And Reference Manual

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NEC Versa® UltraLite™/DayLite™ Series Notebook Computers

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SERVICE AND REFERENCE

SERVICE AND REFERENCESERVICE AND REFERENCE

MANUAL

MANUALMANUAL

Proprietary Notice and Liability Disclaimer

The information disclosed in this document, including all designs and related materials, is the valuable property of NEC Computers Inc. and/or its licensors. NEC and/or its licensors, as appropriate, reserve all patent, copyright and other proprietary rights to this document, including all design, manufacturing, reproduction, use, and sales rights thereto, except to the extent said rights are expressly granted to others.

The NEC product(s) discussed in this document are warranted in accordance with the terms of the Warranty Statement accompanying each product. However, actual performance of each such product is dependent upon factors such as system configuration, customer data, and operator control. Since implementation by customers of each product may vary, the suitability of specific product configurations and applications must be determined by the customer and is not warranted by NEC.

To allow for design and specification improvements, the information in this document is subject to change at any time, without notice. Reproduction of this document or portions thereof without prior written approval of NEC is prohibited.

As an ENERGY STAR partner, NEC Computers Inc. has determined that this product meets the ENERGY STAR

guidelines for energy efficiency. ENERGY STAR is a U.S. registered mark.

NEC is a registered trademark; Versa is a U.S. registered trademark; UltraLite, DayLite, and VersaGlide are trademarks;

and UltraCare is a U.S. registered service mark of NEC Corporation and/or one or more of its subsidiaries. All are

used under license. Microsoft and Windows are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.

Transmeta, Crusoe, and LongRun are trademarks of Transmeta Corporation. All other trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of their respective trademark owners.

First Printing — August 2001

NEC Computers Inc.

15 Business Park Way

Sacramento, CA 95828

Contents

Preface .................................................................................................................................................. vii

Abbreviations.........................................................................................................................................ix

1 System Overview

About the NEC Versa Notebook .........................................................................................................1-2

Front Features......................................................................................................................................1-2

LCD Panel and Base Unit..............................................................................................................1-2

Keyboard........................................................................................................................................1-4

Front Features ................................................................................................................................1-6

Back Features ......................................................................................................................................1-7

Left Side Features................................................................................................................................1-7

Right Side Features..............................................................................................................................1-7

Power Button .................................................................................................................................1-8

Bottom Features...................................................................................................................................1-8

Component Features............................................................................................................................1-9

Primary Battery..............................................................................................................................1-9

Secondary Battery..........................................................................................................................1-9

CMOS Battery ...............................................................................................................................1-9

Hard Drive .....................................................................................................................................1-9

Chipset Features ................................................................................................................................1-10

2 System Configuration and Setup

Power Sources .....................................................................................................................................2-2

AC Adapter....................................................................................................................................2-2

Connecting the AC Adapter...........................................................................................................2-2

Powering on the System.................................................................................................................2-3

Batteries .........................................................................................................................................2-4

Extending Battery Life .......................................................................................................2-4

Determining Battery Status ................................................................................................2-4

Low Battery Status .............................................................................................................2-5

Charging the Battery...........................................................................................................2-5

Secondary Battery Handling ..........................................................................................................2-5

Precautions .........................................................................................................................2-6

Replacing the Secondary Battery........................................................................................2-6

BIOS Setup..........................................................................................................................................2-8

BIOS Setup Main Menu.................................................................................................................2-8

Main Menu.....................................................................................................................................2-9

Advanced Menu...........................................................................................................................2-12

Security Menu..............................................................................................................................2-13

Boot Menu ...................................................................................................................................2-14

Exit Menu ....................................................................................................................................2-14

Updating the BIOS ............................................................................................................................2-15

Obtaining the BIOS Update.........................................................................................................2-15

Preparing the BIOS Update Diskette ...........................................................................................2-15

Setting the DIP Switch.................................................................................................................2-16

Performing the BIOS Update.......................................................................................................2-17

Transmeta LongRun Utility...............................................................................................................2-18

Uninstalling the LongRun Utility.................................................................................................2-19

NEC Customize Utility......................................................................................................................2-19

Application and Driver CD................................................................................................................2-19

Launching the Application and Driver CD ..................................................................................2-19

Contents iii

Product Recovery CD ....................................................................................................................... 2-20

Guidelines for Using the Product Recovery CD ......................................................................... 2-20

Product Recovery CD Options.................................................................................................... 2-20

Full Disk Drive Restore............................................................................................................... 2-21

Partition Only Restore................................................................................................................. 2-22

3 Disassembly and Reassembly

Required Tools and Equipment........................................................................................................... 3-2

Disassembly........................................................................................................................................ 3-2

Secondary Battery ......................................................................................................................... 3-3

Memory Module............................................................................................................................ 3-4

Hard Drive..................................................................................................................................... 3-5

Keyboard....................................................................................................................................... 3-6

Top Cover Assembly..................................................................................................................... 3-7

Speaker.......................................................................................................................................... 3-9

CMOS Battery............................................................................................................................... 3-9

USB Connector Board................................................................................................................... 3-9

Mini PCI Board........................................................................................................................... 3-10

Power Switch Board.................................................................................................................... 3-10

Main Board ................................................................................................................................. 3-11

Processor Assembly .................................................................................................................... 3-12

Communication Board ................................................................................................................ 3-12

LCD Panel................................................................................................................................... 3-13

Reassembly ....................................................................................................................................... 3-13

4 System Boards

Mini PCI Board................................................................................................................................... 4-2

Power Switch Board ........................................................................................................................... 4-2

USB Connector Board ........................................................................................................................ 4-2

Main Board ......................................................................................................................................... 4-3

Communications Board ...................................................................................................................... 4-3

5 Illustrated Parts Breakdown

Illustrated Parts Breakdown................................................................................................................ 5-2

Parts List ............................................................................................................................................. 5-3

6 Preventive Maintenance

Cleaning the Exterior .......................................................................................................................... 6-2

Cleaning the Interior ........................................................................................................................... 6-2

Protecting the Hard Drive ................................................................................................................... 6-2

Maintaining the Secondary Battery..................................................................................................... 6-3

7 Troubleshooting

Problem Checklist............................................................................................................................... 7-2

Startup Problems................................................................................................................................. 7-3

POST Error Messages................................................................................................................... 7-3

Beep Codes ................................................................................................................................... 7-5

Diagnostics.......................................................................................................................................... 7-6

8 NEC Computers Information Services

Service and Support Functions ........................................................................................................... 8-2

Technical Support............................................................................................................................... 8-2

NEC Computers Web Site............................................................................................................. 8-2

Email to Technical Support Services ............................................................................................ 8-3

NEC Computers Technical Support Services................................................................................ 8-3

iv Contents

9 Specifications

System Components ............................................................................................................................9-2

Memory Map .......................................................................................................................................9-7

Interrupt Controllers ............................................................................................................................9-8

Glossary

Index

Contents v

Preface

This service and reference manual contains the technical information necessary to set up and maintain the NEC Versa

The manual also provides hardware and interface information for users who need an overview of the system design. The manual is written for NEC-trained customer engineers, system analysts, service center personnel, and dealers.

The manual is organized as follows:

Chapter 1, System Overview, provides an overview of the hardware and interface components.

Chapter 2, System Configuration and Setup, provides information on setup and how to operate

the notebook.

Chapter 3, Disassembly and Reassembly, provides detailed instructions on how to disassemble the notebook.

Chapter 4, System Board Layout, shows the system boards and the board connectors.

Chapter 5, Illustrated Parts Breakdown, shows the Illustrated Parts Breakdown (IPB) and

corresponding part numbers.

Chapter 6, Preventive Maintenance, lists general notebook preventive maintenance procedures.

Chapter 7, Troubleshooting, lists troubleshooting procedures as well as helpful servicing hints.

Chapter 8, NEC Computers Information Services, provides information as to how to contact

NEC Computers Inc. for service information and technical support.

Chapter 9, Specifications, lists physical specifications, memory map, and interrupt controllers.

UltraLite™ notebook and the NEC Versa DayLite™ notebook series.

A Glossary and an Index are included for convenience.

Preface vii

Abbreviations

Aampere

AC alternating current

AGP Advanced Graphics Port

AT advanced technology (IBM PC)

BBS Bulletin Board Service

BCD binary-coded decimal

BCU BIOS Customized Utility

BIOS basic input/output system

bit binary digit

BUU BIOS Upgrade Utility

bpi bits per inch

bps bits per second

C capacitance

C centigrade

Cache high-speed buffer storage

CAM constantly addressable memory

CAS column address strobe

CD-ROM compact disk-ROM

CG character generator

CGA Color Graphics Adapter

CGB Color Graphics Board

CH channel

clk clock

cm centimeter

CMOS complementary metal oxide

semiconductor

COM communication

CONT contrast

CPGA ceramic pin grid array

CPU central processing unit

DAC digital-to-analog converter

DACK DMA acknowledge

DC direct current

DIP dual in-line package

DLAB Divisor Latch Address bit

DMA direct memory access

DMAC DMA controller

DOS disk operating system

DRAM dynamic RAM

DVD digital video disk

ECC error checking and correction

ECP enhanced capabilities port

EDO extended data output

EGA Enhanced Graphics Adapter

EPP enhanced parallel port

EPROM erasable and programmable ROM

EVGA Enhanced Video Graphics Array

F Fahrenheit

FAX facsimile transmission

FCC Federal Communications Commission

FG frame ground

FM frequency modulation

FP fast page

FRU field-replaceable unit

GB gigabyte

GND ground

HEX hexadecimal

Hz hertz

IC integrated circuit

ID identification

IDE intelligent device electronics

IDTR interrupt descriptor table register

in. inch

INTA interrupt acknowledge

IPB illustrated parts breakdown

IR infrared

IRR Interrupt Request register

ISA Industry Standard Architecture

ISR In Service register

I/O input/output

IPC integrated peripheral controller

ips inches per second

IRQ interrupt request

K kilo (1024)

k kilo (1000)

KB kilobyte

kg kilogram

kHz kilohertz

lb pound

LED light-emitting diode

LCD liquid crystal display

LSB least-significant bit

LSI large-scale integration

Mmega

mA milliamps

max maximum

MB megabyte

MDA Monochrome Display Adapter

MFM modified frequency modulation

MHz megahertz

mm millimeter

ms millisecond

MSB most-significant bit

NASC National Authorized Service Center

NC not connected

NMI Non-maskable Interrupt

ns nanosecond

NSRC National Service Response Center

PAL programmable array logic

PCB printed circuit board

PCI Peripheral Component Interconnect

PDA personal digital assistant

PFP plastic flat package

PIO parallel input/output

pixel picture element

PLCC plastic leaded chip carrier

PLL phase lock loop

p-p peak-to-peak

PPI programmable peripheral interface

PROM programmable ROM

QFP quad flat pack

RAM random-access memory

RAMDAC RAM digital-to-analog converter

RAS row address strobe

RGB red green blue

RGBI red green blue intensity

ROM read-only memory

rpm revolutions per minute

R read

RTC real-time clock

R/W read/write

Sslave

SCSI Small Computer System Interface

SDRAM synchronous dynamic random-access

memory

SG signal ground

SIMM single inline memory module

SPM standard page mode

SRS Sound Retrieval System

SVGA Super Video Graphics Array

SW switch

TFT thin film transistor

TSC Technical Support Center

TTL transistor/transistor logic

tpi tracks per inch

USB universal serial bus

Vvolt

Vac volts, alternating current

Vdc volts, direct current

VESA video electronics standards

association

VFC VESA-compliant feature connector

VGA Video Graphics Array

VRAM video RAM

Wwatt

XGA Extended Graphics Array

System Overview

About the NEC Versa Notebook

Front Features

Back Features

Left Side Features

Right Side Features

Bottom Features

Component Features

Chipset Features

About the NEC Versa Notebook

The NEC Versa UltraLite and NEC Versa DayLite series of notebooks consist of the following models:

NEC Versa UltraLite notebook with a 10.4-inch Thin Film Transistor (TFT), backlit Extended Graphics Array (XGA), liquid crystal display (LCD) panel

NEC Versa DayLite notebook with a 10.4-inch TFT, reflective Super Video Graphics Array (SVGA) LCD panel

NEC Versa DayLite notebook with a 10.4-inch TFT, XGA, transflective (transmissive/reflective) LCD panel. The transflective panel allows maximum visibility in high light conditions (reflective mode) or in dim light conditions using the backlight (transmissive mode) feature.

The three notebooks are similar, differing mainly in the type of LCD panel and in the type of primary and secondary batteries. Additionally, the NEC Versa DayLite notebook with the transflective LCD panel has an on/off backlight switch on the side of the panel.



Each notebook features a Transmeta VersaGlide™ Touchpad, Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) architecture, LCD panel, internal hard drive, external CD-ROM and diskette drives, and PC Card support.

Crusoe TM5600 600-MHz microprocessor, NEC

Front Features

The following sections describe the front features of the notebook.

LCD Panel and Base Unit

The LCD panel and base unit features are shown in the following figures. Feature descriptions are provided after the figures.

NEC Versa UltraLite backlit notebook/DayLite reflective notebook

A – Operating Status LEDs D – NEC VersaGlide Touchpad B – LCD Panel E – Speaker C – Microphone F – Keyboard

1-2 System Overview

NEC Versa DayLite transflective notebook

A – LCD Panel E – Speaker B – LCD Backlight On/Off Switch F – Keyboard C – Microphone G – Operating Status LEDs D – NEC VersaGlide Touchpad

LCD Panel — Provides a high-resolution display for sharp visuals on the notebook.

— Adjust the LCD panel by tilting it up or down.

— Adjust the LCD panel brightness by pressing the

LCD Panel Backlight On/Off Switch (NEC Versa DayLite transflective notebook only)

Fn-F8

and

Fn-F9

functions keys.

— Provides backlighting to the reflective LCD panel.

— Switch up position is on, down position is off.

Microphone — Allows recording of monophonic sound directly into the notebook hard drive.

NEC VersaGlide Touchpad — Move a fingertip over the VersaGlide Touchpad to control the position of the mouse pointer. Use the selection buttons below the VersaGlide Touchpad to select menu items.

Speaker — Provides mono sound for the notebook when speakers are not plugged into the speaker jack.

Keyboard — 86 keys with a country-specific QWERTY-key layout.

Operating Status LEDs — Informs user of the notebook's current operating status. See the following figure and list for each icon's meaning.

System Overview 1-3

Operating status LEDs

Keyboard

– Hard Drive

– Caps Lock

– Scroll Lock

– Num Lock

— Hard Drive — lights when the notebook writes data to or retrieves data from the

internal hard drive.

— Caps Lock — lights when Caps Lock is on.

— Scroll Lock — lights when Scroll Lock is on.

— Num Lock — lights when Num Lock in on.

The keyboard features are shown in the following figure. Feature descriptions are provided after the figure.

Keyboard

– Function Keys

– Numeric Keys

C – Windows keys

Function keys — Twelve function keys, F1 through These keys work together with the preprogrammed with dual functions and some are printed in blue on the key.

Function keys are application-driven. See the specific application's user guide for information about how each function key works within the application you are using.

1-4 System Overview

– Cursor Control Keys

– Control Keys

F12

, are available on the keyboard.

key to activate special functions. Several keys are

The following function key combinations are preprogrammed.

Fn-F3

— toggles between three video modes: LCD, CRT, or both (LCD and CRT).

Fn-F6

— sets the beeper volume to low, medium, high, or mute.

Fn-F8

— increases the LCD panel brightness.

Fn-F9

— decreases the LCD panel brightness.

Fn-F10

— increases the system speaker volume.

Fn-F11

— decreases the system speaker volume.

Fn-F12

— toggles the scroll lock feature.

Fn-Ins

—print screen.

Fn-Del

— system request.

Fn-Pause

— break.

Fn-↑↑↑↑ — page up. Fn-↓↓↓↓ — page down. Fn-←←←← — end. Fn-→→→→ — home.

Numeric keypad — Pressing NumLk on the keyboard activates the numeric keypad numbers and functions printed in blue on the keys.

The keypad lets you type numbers and mathematical operands (+, -) as you would on a calculator. The keypad is ideal for entering long lists of numbers.

When you press NumLk again, the keys revert to their normal functions as typewriter keys.

Cursor Control keys — Cursor control keys let you position the cursor on the screen where you want. On the screen, the cursor is a blinking underline, block, or vertical line depending on the application. The cursor indicates where the next text typed is inserted.

Windows keys — In Windows use the following two keys to facilitate the work.

Quick access to shortcut menus

Control keys — change their functions. To use control keys, press and hold the control key while pressing another key. For example, “press c. How the key combination works depends on the application you are running.

Typewriter keys — The typewriter keys (also called alphanumeric keys) are used to enter text and characters. Keys with blue printing on them behave differently when combined with control keys or the

Displays the Start menu

Ctrl, Alt, Fn

, and

key.

Shift

are controls used in conjunction with other keys to

Ctrl c

” means to hold down the

Ctrl

key and type the letter

System Overview 1-5

Front Features

The front features are shown in the following figure. Feature descriptions follow the figure.

Front features

– IR Port

– Battery Charging LED

Power Status LED — This LED lights to indicate the following:

– Power Status LED

— Lights green when the system power is on.

— Blinks green when the system is in Standby mode.

— Lights yellow (blinks when in Standby mode) to indicate that battery power is at 8%

capacity or less.

— Lights amber (blinks when in Standby mode) to indicate that battery power is at 3%

capacity or less.

Battery Charging LED — lights to indicate battery charging activity.

— Lights amber when the primary battery is charging. Blinks amber to indicate an error.

The primary battery is installed in the battery bay.

— Lights green when the secondary battery is charging. Blinks green to indicate an error.

The secondary battery is connected to the back of the system.

IR Port — Use this infrared (IR) port to transfer files between the NEC Versa notebook and an IR-equipped desktop or notebook computer or to print to an IR-capable printer.

Note

enable the IR port, see Chapter 6, “Communicating with The NEC Versa” in the user’s guide that ships with the system.

The NEC Versa ships with the IR port disabled. For detailed instructions on how to

1-6 System Overview

Back Features

The system's secondary lithium-ion (Li-Ion) battery or an optional Extra Life Li-Ion battery can be installed in the battery bay at the back of the notebook.

Left Side Features

The left side features are shown in the following figure. Feature descriptions follow the figure.

A – AC Power Port D – RJ-11 Jack B – Vent E – USB Port C – External Monitor (Video) Port F – LAN Cable Jack

AC Power Port — Attaches the notebook to a power source, such as the AC adapter.

Vent — Allows the system to cool properly and maintain a safe operating temperature.

Left-side features

External Monitor (Video) Port — Use this port to attach an external monitor to the notebook. The LCD display and external monitor can be run simultaneously or run alone.

RJ-11 Jack — Connects the internal modem to an analog telephone line.

USB Port — The Universal Serial Bus (USB) port allows connection of up to 127 USBequipped peripheral devices (printers, monitors, scanners, etc.).

LAN Cable Jack (optional) — If the system has this feature, the system ships with a local area network (LAN) adapter cable to connect the jack to a LAN.

Right Side Features

The right side features are shown in the following figure. Feature descriptions follow the figure.

A – Headphone Jack/External Speakers D – PC Card Slot B – External Microphone Jack E – USB Port C – Power Button F – Kensington

Right-side features

Lock Slot

Headphone Jack/External Speakers — Connect an external headphone set or speakers to this jack. Plugging in headphones disables the built-in system speakers.

System Overview 1-7

Power Button

The Power button is a “smart” switch and recognizes when the notebook is in Standby mode. If in Standby mode, the Power button must be slid to the right to resume operation. (The BIOS parameter “System Switch” must be set to “Sleep.”)

Put the unit in Standby mode when it’s necessary to be away from the system for a short period of time and want to return to where you left off. Standby mode shuts down all devices in the system while retaining data and system status. Go to Start, Shut Down, Standby to put the system into Standby mode.

Use the Power button in the following ways:

External Microphone (MIC) Jack — Connect an external microphone to this jack. Plugging in an external microphone disables the built-in microphone.

Power Button — Slide the Power button forward to power on, power off, and to resume from Standby mode. For more information, see “Power Button” in the following section.

PC Card Slot — Accommodates one type II PC Card. These cards are often storage or communication devices such as Static Random Access Memory (SRAM), Read Only Memory (ROM), Flash Memory, LAN, and Small Computer System Interface (SCSI).

USB Port — The Universal Serial Bus (USB) port allows connection of up to 127 USBequipped peripheral devices (printers, monitors, scanners, etc.).

Kensington Lock Slot — Provides a connection for an optional Kensington Lock.

— Slide the Power button forward to power on.

— Slide the Power button forward to resume from Standby mode and proceed with normal

operation.

— Hold the Power button in place for four or more seconds to power off the system

(power override). Only use this option if you cannot power off the system using Start, Shut Down.

Bottom Features

The bottom features are shown in the following figure. Feature descriptions follow the figure.

Bottom features

A – Memory Module Bay D – Secondary Li-Ion Battery B – Notebook Feet (2 of 5) E – Battery Release Latch C – Hard Drive Bay F – Vents

Memory Module Bay — Holds an optional memory module.

1-8 System Overview

Notebook Feet — Opens space under the notebook for proper ventilation.

Hard Drive Bay — Holds the notebook’s hard drive.

Secondary Li-Ion Battery — Removable secondary power supply.

Battery Bay Release Latch — Releases and removes the notebook’s secondary battery.

Vents — Allow the notebook to cool properly and maintain a safe operating temperature.

Component Features

The following sections contain brief descriptions of the notebook’s internal hardware.

Primary Battery

Each notebook is equipped with a rechargeable, non-replaceable, primary Lithium Polymer (Li-Poly) battery. The NEC UltraLite notebook uses a 12-cell battery. The NEC DayLite SVGA reflective notebook uses a 12-cell battery. The NEC DayLite XGA transflective notebook uses a 9-cell battery. The primary battery is built into the back of the LCD panel.

Secondary Battery

Always keep the vents unobstructed for proper system cooling.

A removable secondary Li-Ion 3-cell battery is installed in the battery bay to help prevent data loss. An optional Extra Life Li-Ion battery can be installed in the battery bay in place of the standard secondary battery.

CMOS Battery

The lithium CMOS battery on the main board provides battery backup and prevents data loss in the system's complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) RAM. This memory area contains information on the system's configuration, for example date, time, drives, and memory. The CMOS battery charges when the notebook is connected to AC power. The CMOS battery may discharge completely if the notebook remains unused for approximately two months.

Hard Drive

A standard 2.5-inch, 9.5 mm hard drive ships with the system.

System Overview 1-9

Chipset Features

The following table provides information on the chipset.

Chip Manufacturer Description

TransMeta TM5600 Crusoe TransMeta 600 MHz CPU

82440MX Intel System Controller

FDC37N869 Standard Microsystems Super I/O

SM721 Silicon Motion Video

EV1938 Creative Technology Audio

29F004TC-90 ROM BIOS

M38813M4 Mitsubishi Keyboard Controller

TI PCI 1420 Texas Instruments PCI CardBus Controller

System Chipset

1-10 System Overview

System Configuration and Setup

Power Sources

BIOS Setup

Updating the BIOS

Transmeta LongRun Utility

NEC Customize Utility

Application and Driver CD

Product Recovery CD

Power Sources

The notebook can be powered using one of the following sources:

AC adapter connected to an electrical wall outlet [alternating power (AC) power]

primary battery and secondary battery

optional Auto adapter (for use, see the accessory sheet that ships with the option).

The following sections include specific information about using the power sources.

AC Adapter

Use the AC adapter and power cable that came with the notebook to run it on AC power, or to recharge the primary and secondary batteries. Use the AC adapter whenever a wall outlet is nearby.

Keep the adapter connected whenever possible. The AC adapter charges the battery when it is connected, whether the notebook is powered on or off.

AC adapter

A – AC Adapter C – Power Cable B – Adapter Cable

replaceable or serviceable parts inside. Dangerous voltage in the AC adapter can cause serious personal injury or death. The AC adapter is intended for use with a notebook computer and must meet EN609050 standards.

Connecting the AC Adapter

Note

being used. Contact the local dealer to purchase the correct power cable.

Connect the AC adapter as follows:

The AC power cable type that the system uses depends on the country where it is

Connect the AC adapter cable to the power port on the left side of the notebook.

Plug one end of the AC power cable into the AC adapter and the other end into a properly grounded 120- or 240-volt, 50- or 60-Hz wall outlet.

Do not disassemble the AC adapter. The AC adapter has no

2-2 System Configuration and Setup

Connecting the AC adapter

A – Adapter Cable C – AC Adapter B – AC Power Port D – Power Cable

clear of objects lets the adapter cool properly during use.

Only use the AC adapter that comes with the NEC Versa notebook. Although other adapters look similar, using them can damage the system.

Powering on the System

Power on the system as follows:

Locate the latch on the front of the notebook, slide it to the right, and raise the LCD panel.

Locate the Power button and slide it forward to turn on power. For additional information about power buttons and LEDs, see Section 1, “System Overview.”

Note

system, you might encounter a warning message suggesting that a problem exists with the hibernation file. The warning message is inaccurate. To disable this message, simply enable hibernate support.

When powering on the notebook running the Microsoft Windows 2000 operating

Do not cover or place objects on the AC adapter. Keeping the adapter

System Configuration and Setup 2-3

Batteries

The notebook comes with a rechargeable Lithium Polymer primary battery, a rechargeable Li-Ion secondary battery, and a rechargeable CMOS battery. In addition, an optional Li-Ion battery can be purchased as a backup battery.

The primary battery is installed behind the LCD panel and is not replaceable. The secondary battery is installed in the battery bay and is replaceable. The CMOS battery is installed on the main board and is replaceable (see Section 3, “Disassembly and Reassembly,” for CMOS battery replacement).

The following sections include information for extending battery life, determining battery status, and handling the secondary battery.

Extending Battery Life

The following tips can help ensure the longest possible battery run time for the primary and secondary batteries.

Change the display color depth setting from 16-million colors to 64K colors. This change is not detectable in non-graphics applications, and uses less power. The system default setting is 16M colors.

Install the LongRun™ utility, which is described in more detail later in this document. You can use the LongRun utility to force the processor to run at a slower speed, extending battery run time.

Note that add-in PC Cards increase battery usage, reducing battery run time.

Keep the notebook fully charged when working near available AC power.

Use the

Fn-F8

and

extend battery life.

Disable the IR device port if not using it.

Determining Battery Status

Notebook tools help keep track of the primary and secondary battery power levels. If the notebook is configured to display the power icon on the taskbar (default setting), an electrical plug appears when it is connected to an AC power source or a battery icon appears when it is not connected to an AC power source.

Use the power meter to determine battery status. Access the power meter in the following ways:

Move the cursor over the Power icon on the taskbar to display the remaining battery power for the primary battery.

Right click the Power icon on the taskbar to open the power meter or to adjust power properties.

Double click the Power icon on the taskbar to display the remaining power for both the primary battery and the secondary battery.

On the Windows desktop, point to

Management

. Select the Power Meter tab.

Fn-F9

function keys to control brightness. Lowering brightness can

Start, Settings, Control Panel

, and double click

Power

2-4 System Configuration and Setup

Low Battery Status

When battery power is

low (8% or less), the power LED lights yellow when in use, and flashes yellow in standby.

very low (3% or less) the power LED lights amber when in use, and flashes yellow in standby.

When the notebook is in a low battery status, do one of the following:

Power off the notebook, remove the secondary battery, and replace it with a fully charged battery.

Leave the secondary battery in the notebook and charge the battery. (See “Charging the Battery” in the following section. Also see the appropriate user’s guide for specifics on charging times.)

Charging the Battery

Adhere to the following precautions when recharging the battery (also see “Secondary Battery Precautions” later in this section).

Charge the battery for the specified charge time only.

During charging, keep the environmental temperature between 32° F and 104° F (0° C to 40° C).

Charge the primary and secondary batteries by connecting the notebook to an AC power source. It takes approximately 8 hours to fully charge the battery while the notebook is on, and 4.5 hours while off. To monitor the charging activity, observe the battery charging LED on the front of the notebook. The battery charging LED lights as follows:

Lights amber when the primary battery is charging.

Blinks amber if the primary battery encounters an error while charging.

Lights green when the secondary battery is charging.

Blinks green if the secondary battery encounters an error while charging.

Secondary Battery Handling

Keep the following in mind when removing or replacing the secondary battery (the primary battery is not replaceable).

Use only the NEC Versa notebook battery designed for the notebook. Using other manufacturers’ batteries or using very old batteries can deteriorate battery and equipment performance.

Turn off power to the notebook after use. Keeping power on can degrade battery performance and shorten battery life.

Clean the battery connectors with a dry cloth when they get dirty.

Keep the battery out of the reach of children.

System Configuration and Setup 2-5

Precautions

To prevent accidental secondary battery ignition, rupture, or explosion, adhere to the following precautions.

replaced. Replace only with the same or equivalent type recommended by the manufacturer. Discard used batteries according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

To avoid personal injury and property damage, read these battery precautions on handling, charging, and disposing of Li-Ion batteries.

If the battery leaks:

There is a danger of explosion if the battery is incorrectly

Keep the battery away from heat sources including direct sunlight, open fires, microwave ovens, and high-voltage containers. Temperatures over 140º F (60º C) may cause damage.

Do not drop or strike the battery.

Do not disassemble the battery.

Do not solder the battery.

Do not puncture the battery.

Do not use a battery that appears damaged or deformed, has any rust on its casing, is discolored, overheats, or emits a foul odor.

Keep the battery dry and away from water.

Keep metal objects away from battery connectors. Metal objects in contact with the

connectors can cause a short circuit and damage.

If the battery leaks onto skin or clothing, wash the area immediately with clean water. Battery fluid can cause a skin rash and damage fabric.

If battery fluid gets into eyes, DO NOT rub; rinse with clear water immediately and consult a doctor.

Take extra precautions to keep a leaking battery away from fire. There is danger of ignition or explosion.

Replacing the Secondary Battery

Replace the secondary battery (or optional Extra Life battery) when it displays the following end-of-life symptoms:

shorter work times

discoloration, warping

hot to the touch

strange odor.

Replace the secondary battery as follows.

Save the files, exit the Windows operating system, and turn off notebook power.

Close the LCD panel and turn over the notebook.

Slide the battery release latch toward the right side of the notebook and hold firmly.

2-6 System Configuration and Setup

Locating the battery bay release latch

A – Battery Release Latch

While holding the battery release latch to the right, slide the battery out of the notebook.

Removing the secondary battery

A – Battery Bay Connectors C – Secondary Li-Ion Battery B – Battery Bay Release Latch

Install the new secondary (or optional Extra Life) battery as follows:

! Locate the alignment grooves on the edge of the battery and inside the battery bay (see

the following figure).

! Align the grooves on the battery with the grooves in the bay.

! Slide the battery into the bay until it is securely locked in place.

Turn over the notebook.

Installing the secondary battery

A – Battery Bay Connectors C – Alignment Grooves B – Battery Bay Release Latch D – Secondary Li-Ion Battery

System Configuration and Setup 2-7

BIOS Setup

The notebook comes with a BIOS Setup Utility that allows parameter viewing and setting. BIOS Setup also allows setting password features that protect the system from unauthorized use.

Use BIOS Setup to:

set the current time and date

customize the operating system to reflect the computer hardware

secure the system with a password

balance the performance needs with power conservation.

Access the BIOS utility at power-on by pressing

Press <F2> to Enter Setup.

When you press F2 to enter BIOS Setup, the system interrupts the Power-On Self-Test (POST) and displays the current CMOS RAM settings.

If the system detects an error during POST, it prompts you with a double beep and a message: “Press <F1> to resume.” If you press want to fix the error, carefully read the error message that appears above the prompt (taking notes if you want), and press discharged.

when the following prompt appears.

, the system enters BIOS Setup automatically. If you

. You will see this message if the CMOS battery becomes fully

BIOS Setup Main Menu

After pressing F2, the system displays the BIOS Setup Main Menu window. The bar at the top of the Main Menu window lists the following top-level menus.

Main  Use the Main menu for basic system configuration. For example, select Main to set

the system time and date, set diskette and hard disk parameters, or check memory parameters.

Advanced  Use the Advanced menu to set IR serial port, I/O device configuration, LCD

panel view, and more.

Security  Use this menu to set User and Supervisor passwords, password on boot, fixed

disk boot sector.

Boot — Use this menu to set boot sequence.

Exit  Exits the Setup utility with various save or discard options.

Use the keys listed in the legend bar on the bottom of the Setup menu to make the selections or exit the current menu. The following table describes the legend keys.

2-8 System Configuration and Setup

Setup Key Functions

Key Function

F1 Provides help for the parameter field being displayed.

Esc Exits the menu.

Up or down arrow keys Moves cursor up and down for item selection.

Left or right arrow keys Selects next menu.

F5/F6 Changes values.

Enter Executes a command or selects submenu.

F9 Loads the default configuration values for the current menu.

F10 Saves the current values and exits Setup.

To select one of the five menus from the menu bar, use the left and right arrow keys. Use the up or down arrow keys to select an item under the menu.

Menu items preceded by a > contain a submenu of selectable fields for setting system parameters. Display a submenu by using the up or down arrow keys to move the cursor to the desired submenu, then press

An Item Specific Help window on the right side of each menu displays the help text for the currently selected Setup option. It updates as the cursor moves to each new field.

Enter

Pressing their functions.

Press

The following subsections describe the five top-level menus and their submenus.

Note

may differ, depending on the notebook model and the hardware installed in the notebook.

Main Menu

Choose the Main menu by selecting Main in the legend bar on the Main menu screen. Other Main menu options are available by selecting submenus.

Use the arrow keys to select one of the Main menu options and press Items with grayed-out text are not available. Explanations of each Main menu item are in the following table.

on any menu brings up the General Help window that describes the legend keys and

Esc

to exit the current window.

The following menu information is typical. The actual settings on the menu screens

Enter

to select a submenu.

System Configuration and Setup 2-9

Setting items on this menu to incorrect values can cause notebook

malfunctions.

Main Menu Items

Menu Item Settings (default is bold)

System Time

System Date

Language

Diskette A

Internal HDD

Set system time in this field. Press Tab or Enter to move between hour, minute, and second fields.

Example: 09:30:00

Set system date in this field. Press Tab or Enter to move between month, date, and year fields.

Example: 07/09/2001

English, Japanese

Selects the display language for the BIOS. Bring up the Language submenus by pressing

Disabled,

Selects the diskette drive type. Bring up the Diskette A submenu by pressing Enter.

Displays the HDD capacity.

Example: xxxxx MB

Bring up the Internal HDD submenu by pressing Enter. The submenus include Type and LBA Format.

See the table, “Internal HDD Menu Items” for descriptions of each submenu and its fields.

1.44

Enter

LCD

Boot Display Device

System Memory Displays amount of conventional memory detected during

Extended Memory Displays amount of extended memory detected during

CPU Type Displays the processor type.

Both,

Allows you to choose either display devices, or both.

boot.

This field is read-only and cannot be changed from BIOS Setup.

Example: 640 KB

boot.

This field is read-only and cannot be changed from BIOS Setup.

Example: xxxxx KB

This field is read-only and cannot be changed from BIOS Setup.

, CRT

2-10 System Configuration and Setup

Main Menu Items

Menu Item Settings (default is bold)

CPU Speed Displays the processor speed.

This field is read-only and cannot be changed from BIOS Setup.

Example: 600 MHz

BIOS Revision Displays the BIOS revision number.

This field is read-only and cannot be changed from the BIOS Setup.

Example: 1.0F-3707-6211/149A-0100

QuickBoot Mode

Enabled, Disabled

Internal HDD Submenu Items

Menu Item Settings (default is bold)

Type

Cylinders When Type is Auto, value in the Cylinders field is auto-

Heads When Type is Auto, value in Heads field is auto-detected

Auto, None, User

When set to Auto, the values for Cylinders, Heads, Sectors, and Maximum Capacity as read only.

When set to Auto, the BIOS detects what the drive is capable of, not the translation mechanism that was used to format the drive. If a drive is run in a mode other than the mode in which it was partitioned and formatted, unpredictable results may occur, including data loss.

When set to None, informs the system to ignore this drive.

When set to User, allows the manual entry of all fields described next.

detected and field is read only.

and field is read only.

Sectors When Type is Auto, value in Sectors field is auto-detected

Maximum Capacity This field is read-only and cannot be changed from BIOS

Multi-Sector Transfers

and field is read only.

Setup.

Example: xxxxx MB

Disabled, 2, 4, 8, 16 sectors

Determines the number of sectors per block for multi-sector transfers.

When Type is Auto, value in Multi-Sector Transfers field is auto-detected and field is read only.

System Configuration and Setup 2-11

Internal HDD Submenu Items

Menu Item Settings (default is bold)

LBA Mode Control

32-Bit I/O

Transfer Mode Standard, Fast PIO1, Fast PIO2, Fast PIO3, Fast PIO4,

Ultra DMA Mode

Enabled, Disabled

When Enabled is selected, it causes logical block addressing to be used in place of cylinders, heads, and sectors.

When Type is set to Auto, the value in the LBA Mode field is auto-detected and the field is read only.

Disabled,

When Enabled, allows 32 bit data transfers.

Fast PIO3/DMA1, Fast PIO4/DMA2

Selects the method for moving data to and from the drive.

When Type is set to Auto, the value in the field is autodetected and the field is read only.

Disabled, Mode 0, Mode 1, Mode 2, Mode 3, Mode 4

Selects the Ultra DMA Mode for moving data to and from the drive. Autotype the drive to select the optimum transfer mode.

When Type is set to Auto, the value in the field is autodetected and the field is read only.

Enabled

Advanced Menu

Choose the Advanced menu by selecting Advanced in the legend bar on the Main menu screen. Other Advanced menu options are available by selecting submenus.

Use the arrow keys to select one of the Advanced menu options and press submenu. Items with grayed-out text are not available. Explanations of each Advanced menu item are in the following table.

malfunction.

Menu Item Settings (default is bold)

BootUp Num-Lock

PS/2 Mouse

Enter

to select a

Setting items on this menu to incorrect values can cause the system to

Advanced Menu

LockOn,

Selects the state for Num Lock at power on.

Enabled, Disabled

Enabled forces the PS/2 mouse port to be enabled regardless of whether a mouse is present. Disabled prevents any installed PS/2 mouse from functioning, but frees up IRQ 12.

LockOff

2-12 System Configuration and Setup

Advanced Menu

Menu Item Settings (default is bold)

LCD Panel View Expansion

BootUp Message

Summary Screen Disabled, Enabled.

Silent Boot

I/O Device Configuration

On Board Device Configuration

USB Device

Enabled, Disabled

Disabled reduces the panel view in some video modes. Enabled expands the panel view. The enabled setting sometimes affects graphic quality.

Enabled, Disabled

Disabled suppresses the logo screen during boot.

When set to Enabled, information about the system’s configuration is displayed onscreen during boot.

Disabled, Enabled, Black

When set to Enabled, the logo screen appears during boot. Disabled causes the POST messages to appear during boot. Black causes the screen to remain black during boot.

Press Enter to bring up the I/O Device Configuration submenu to configure the IR serial port.

Press Enter to view submenu.

Enable, Disable

Security Menu

Choose the Security menu by selecting Security from the Main menu screen. Other Security menu options are available by selecting submenus.

Use the arrow keys to select one of the Security menu options and press submenu. Items with grayed-out text are not available. Explanations of each Security menu item are in the following table.

Menu Item Settings (default is bold)

Set Supervisor Password

Set User Password

Enter

to select a

Security Menu Items

Press Enter to access.

Use this field to set or change the supervisor password. Press Enter to bring up a dialog box where the password can be entered and confirmed.

Press Enter to access.

Use this field to set or change the user password. Press Enter to bring up a dialog box where the password can be entered and confirmed.

System Configuration and Setup 2-13

Security Menu Items

Menu Item Settings (default is bold)

Boot Menu

Password on Boot

Fixed Disk Boot Sector

Disabled, Enabled

When Enabled, requires password entry before boot. System remains in secure mode until the password is entered.

Normal

Write Protect protects the boot sector on the hard disk from viruses.

, Write Protect

Choose the Boot menu by selecting Boot in the legend bar on the Main menu screen. Other Boot menu options are available by selecting submenus.

Use the arrow keys to select one of the Boot menu options and press

Enter

to select a submenu. Items with grayed-out text are not available. Explanations of each Boot menu item are in the following table.

Boot Menu Settings

Menu Item Settings (default is bold)

USB Drive Hard Drive

The Boot Menu displays the bootable devices in the current boot order.

Exit Menu

Use the up or down arrows to select a device.

Press Enter to expand or collapse device information.

Press Ctrl Enter to expand or collapse all device information.

Use the plus (+) or minus (-) key to move a selected device up or down in the boot order.

Choose the Exit menu by selecting Exit in the legend bar on the Main menu screen. Other Exit menu options are available by selecting submenus.

Use the arrow keys to select one of the Exit menu options and press

Enter

. Explanations of each

Exit menu item are in the following table.

Exit Menu Items

Menu Item Settings (default is bold)

Exit Saving Changes Implements the changes just made, and exits BIOS.

Exit Discarding Changes Exits, leaving BIOS unchanged.

Load Setup Defaults Loads default values for all BIOS setup fields.

2-14 System Configuration and Setup

Menu Item Settings (default is bold)

Discard Changes Loads previous values from BIOS for all setup fields.

Save Changes Saves all setup value changes to BIOS.

Battery Refresh Reactivates the battery (applies to the Li-Ion battery).

Updating the BIOS

The BIOS only needs updating if NEC Computers makes significant improvements or fixes to the current system BIOS. Call NEC Computers Support Services to determine if the BIOS needs updating and for assistance in updating the BIOS (see Section 8, “Getting Service and Support” for contact information).

If the BIOS needs updating, use the procedures in the following sections. Be sure to use the BIOS Update Diskette for the specific NEC Versa notebook model.

To update the BIOS you must:

obtain the BIOS Update

prepare the BIOS Update Diskette

enable the BIOS Flash DIP Switch

perform the BIOS Update

Exit Menu Items

disable the BIOS Flash Setting.

Obtaining the BIOS Update

Contact NEC Computers Support Services to obtain the BIOS Update Diskette. Or you can download the BIOS update from the NEC Computers web site (see Section 8 for web site information). Download the BIOS Update onto a diskette.

Preparing the BIOS Update Diskette

Once the BIOS Update Diskette is available (either from NEC Computers or downloaded), you must make it BIOS flash ready. See the readme.txt file on the diskette before using the diskette.

Use these steps to prepare the BIOS Update Diskette.

Scan the hard drive for viruses.

Enable the diskette for write access.

Insert the diskette into the external diskette drive.

Type a:install at the DOS prompt and follow the prompts.

Install.bat copies the DOS system files from the hard drive onto the BIOS Update Diskette to make it BIOS flash ready.

The system prompts you when the process is complete.

Scan the BIOS Update Diskette for viruses.

The BIOS Update Diskette is ready for use.

Set the BIOS Flash switch (DIP switch 5) to OFF (see “Setting the DIP Switch,” later in this section).

System Configuration and Setup 2-15

Setting the DIP Switch

Several system settings, including BIOS Flash, are set through a six-position DIP switch located on the bottom of the notebook, under the memory bay cover. The following list identifies each switch, its default setting, and its function. Procedures for setting the switches follow the list.

Switch 1 — Password override, default setting is OFF. If the password is forgotten, change the switch setting to ON and the current password is erased.

Switch 2 — Keyboard select; default setting is ON for U.S. 85 key keyboard and OFF for European keyboard.

Switch 3 — Not assigned; default setting is OFF.

Switch 4 — Keyboard select 2; default setting is ON for US and OFF for European keyboards.

Switch 5 — Reserved for factory use; default setting is ON. Off is for BIOS Flash.

Switch 6 — Logo select; default setting is OFF.

Use these steps to access the DIP switch in the memory bay and to set a switch.

Power off the system and disconnect any peripheral devices.

processor, and other system components. Before opening the system and handling system components, attach an antistatic wrist strap to your wrist and to chassis ground (any unpainted metal surface on the system) to avoid ESD damage.

Hold a board only by its edges. If removing a board, place it component-side up on a grounded, static-free surface or in a static-free wrapper. If installing a new board, do not remove it from its protective wrapper until you are ready to install it.

Electrostatic discharge (ESD) can damage hard drives, boards,

Turn the system over and locate the memory bay cover and fastening screw (see the following figure).

Remove the screw and memory bay cover.

Removing the memory bay cover

A – Screw B –Memory Bay Cover

2-16 System Configuration and Setup

Check and set the DIP switch as necessary (see the following figure for switch location).

! Use a ball point pen to slide the switch to the desired setting.

! If setting for BIOS Flash, set switch 5 to its OFF position.

Default switch settings

Replace the memory bay cover and screw.

Turn over the notebook.

Continue to “Performing the BIOS Update.”

Performing the BIOS Update

Use these steps to perform the BIOS update.

Before you begin, do the following.

! Connect the notebook to AC power and power on the notebook.

! Configure the Boot Device Setup to boot from a diskette.

! Remove any bootable CDs from the CD-ROM drive, if connected.

! Document all customized BIOS settings.

Power on the notebook with the BIOS Update diskette in the drive. The computer boots and automatically loads the utility. A message similar to the following appears.

The NEC BIOS Update Utility should not be used to modify the BIOS in a Versa system which is docked. If your Versa is docked, please exit the BIOS Update Utility, power down, and undock your Versa before running the utility. Plug in your AC cable before restarting the flash utility.

3. Press

Enter

The utility checks the currently installed BIOS version and the diskette’s BIOS version. The Main Menu appears.

Use the arrow keys to highlight the “Display BIOS Version” option on the Main Menu. Use this option to check the currently installed BIOS version and the version of the new replacement BIOS. Press any key to return to the Main Menu.

to continue.

System Configuration and Setup 2-17

Highlight the “Install New BIOS” option and press

Enter

Press Y and press

Enter

. After a brief pause, a message appears telling you to remove the

diskette from the drive.

Remove the diskette and press any key to continue. The utility updates the BIOS.

Power off the notebook. The next time the notebook is powered on, you will have the latest NEC Versa notebook BIOS.

Power on the notebook. A CMOS Checksum message appears and prompts you to press to enter Setup.

10.

Press F1 to enter Setup and restore the default parameter settings.

11.

Modify any custom settings that that may have been configured in the old BIOS. Use the BIOS setting information that was copied before starting the BIOS upgrade.

12.

Set DIP switch 5 to “ON” after completing the BIOS update.

Transmeta LongRun Utility

The Crusoe processor that powers the notebook is equipped with the LongRun power management utility. This utility automatically adjusts the clock speed and voltage of the processor based on the needs of the application. If the system is in an idle state, or doing processing that doesn’t require faster clock speeds, it automatically lowers to 300MHz. If the system is completing more demanding tasks, it adjusts up to a full 600MHz. The ability to lower the processor speed results in longer battery life for your notebook.

The LongRun utility allows overriding the automatic adjustments by the processor. You can

! Force the processor to stay at the lower 300MHz speed to preserve the battery when

you need the notebook to run for a long time without an AC source. Forcing the battery to run at lower speeds slows some applications but extends the battery life by hours.

! Force the processor to stay at the higher 600MHz speed when speed is necessary, or

when the notebook is running on an AC power source.

To install the LongRun utility, run the NEC Customize utility (see “NEC Customize Utility” later in this section) and select “Install/Uninstall LongRun Utility.” Press

and reboot the notebook after the installation is completed. Click on the LongRun icon in the Windows desktop tray to bring up the LongRun Utility status bar.

LongRun utility status bar

A – Current Speed D – Current Speed Indicator B – Range of Speeds E – Maximum Speed Slider C – Minimum Speed Slider

2-18 System Configuration and Setup

To manually adjust the processor speed, use the slider bar on the LongRun utility status. To adjust the default GUI properties of the LongRun utility, right click on the top of the LongRun dialog title bar and select Properties from the pull-down menu.

Uninstalling the LongRun Utility

The LongRun utility can be removed and reinstalled at any time.

Before removing the utility, close the application by right clicking on the icon in the system tray and choosing “Close LongRun.” Run the NEC Customize utility and select “Install/Uninstall

LongRun Utility.” Click

and reboot the notebook after the uninstall process is completed.

Uninstalling the LongRun utility does not remove it from the hard drive. If the LongRun utility is uninstalled, it can be reinstalled at any time through the NEC Customize Utility.

NEC Customize Utility

The NEC Customize Utility allows installation or launch of the following:

Application and Driver CD — to install a variety of software applications, drivers, utilities, internet browsers, and the NEC INFO Center.

Transmeta LongRun Utility — to optimize battery power consumption by managing processor speed.

NEC wallpaper — to set the NEC logo as the background image.

Follow these steps to use the NEC Customize utility.

Double click the NEC Customize icon on the Windows desktop.

From the display window, select the desired option, click

For some of the selected options, you are prompted to reboot the system.

If necessary, click

Exit

to close the NEC Customize screen after rebooting.

Application and Driver CD

A variety of third-party software applications, drivers, utilities, internet browsers, and the NEC INFO Center are provided on the Application and Driver CD that ships with the NEC Versa notebook. Some of the drivers are already installed as part of the operating system environment.

Use the Application and Driver CD to install the software. Some software applications install their own desktop icon allowing quick access to the application. Some applications can be accessed through the Start, Programs pop-up menus on the Windows desktop.

Launching the Application and Driver CD

Follow these procedures to launch the Application and Driver CD using the NEC Customize Utility.

Insert the Application and Driver CD into the CD-ROM drive.

Install

, and follow the prompts.

If AutoPlay is enabled, the CD launches and the Application and Driver CD dialog box appears. Continue to step 3.

If AutoPlay is disabled and the CD does not auto run, continue to step 2.

System Configuration and Setup 2-19

Double click the NEC Customize icon on the Windows desktop.

! Select Application and Driver CD.

! Click

! The Application and Driver CD dialog box appears.

Note

and then click the CD icon. The Application and Driver CD dialog box appears.

At the Application and Driver CD, click the selection tab of your choice.

Click the desired application, driver, or utility.

Click

Remove the CD from the CD-ROM drive when the installation is complete.

Install

to launch the CD.

If the NEC Customize icon is not available, double click My Computer on the desktop

Install

to install your selection. Follow the on-screen prompts to install the selection.

Exit

to close the Application and Driver CD dialog box.

Product Recovery CD

The Product Recovery CD allows restoration of the notebook’s operating system and software to its initial installation state. If you determine that the notebook needs to be restored to its initial installation state, follow the procedures provided here.

Note

state as a last resort. Check the problem checklist in Section 7 for information about solving problems before using the CD. The Product Recovery utility provides options that either remove or replace existing files, a process that might result in data loss.

Only use the Product Recovery utility to restore the notebook to its initial installation

Before using the Product Recovery CD, enter the BIOS Setup utility and restore the BIOS default settings. Save the default settings before exiting the BIOS Setup utility.

Guidelines for Using the Product Recovery CD

Follow these guidelines when using the Product Recovery CD.

Use AC power.

Remove all optional hardware such as PC Cards, USB devices, printers, and monitors.

Product Recovery CD Options

The Product Recovery CD and Utility provides a number of choices. Move the cursor over each selection on the NEC Product Recovery Utility screen to display a description of the selection in the window at the right side of the screen.

Restore System — Select this option to restore the hard drive to its initial installation state.

Restore System allows restoration in one of the following ways.

— Full Disk Drive — Completely rebuilds the hard drive, destroying all existing data in

the process.

Note

Use the Full Disk Drive restore option if the hard drive consists of one partition (drive).

2-20 System Configuration and Setup

— Partition Only — Lets you preserve the existing hard drive partition structure and

format only the primary partition without affecting the extended partition(s). Partition Only formats drive C: (of a multiple partitioned drive) and restores drive C: to its initial installation state. To use the Partition Only option, drive C: must be equal to or greater than 1 GB. Additional partitions, e.g., drives D:, E:, etc., remain intact.

Note

partitions (drives).

Use the Partition Only restore option if the hard drive is partitioned into two or more

Exit — Exits the NEC Product Recovery utility.

Full Disk Drive Restore

If the preinstalled software becomes unusable and you cannot boot from the hard drive, use the Product Recovery utility to restore the notebook to its initial shipping configuration. The Full Disk Drive restore option erases the hard disk completely before reinstalling the files.

replaces them with the original factory installed files.

Only use the Full Disk Drive restore option if the preinstalled software is unusable.

Use these steps to perform a Full Disk Drive restore.

Check the Product Recovery CD title and make sure that it is the correct CD for the NEC Versa notebook and operating system.

Power off the system before connecting the external CD-ROM drive to the notebook.

Put the CD into the CD-ROM drive tray, close the drive door, and power on the notebook.

The Full Disk Drive restore option deletes

all

files on the hard drive and

Read the License Agreement screen that appears.

You have the option of accepting or declining the agreement. If you decline the agreement, the recovery utility exits.

In the NEC Product Recovery utility screen, select Full Disk Drive to restore the hard drive to its original factory installed state.

Choose the restore option carefully to prevent losing data and

applications installed on the notebook.

Read the Warning screen.

A warning displays indicating that the hard drive is about to be erased.

Select Continue to proceed to perform a Full Disk Drive restore.

Do not turn off or disturb the notebook during the recovery process.

When the recovery process is complete, you are prompted to remove the CD from the CD-ROM drive and reboot the notebook.

Press

Enter

, click

Reboot

, or press

Alt-R

to reboot.

System Configuration and Setup 2-21

A series of hardware detection screens display, the system reboots, and the Windows Setup screen appears. Follow the on-screen instructions to set up Windows.

You are required to reenter the Microsoft license number.

Partition Only Restore

If the preinstalled software on drive C: of the multiple partitioned drive becomes unusable and you cannot boot from the hard drive, use the Product Recovery Utility to restore the primary partition to its initial shipping configuration.

multiple partitions and if drive C: contains the operating system and related drivers. Move all other data and applications to other partitions (drives) or the Partition Only restore process will erase them completely.

The Partition Only restore option deletes all files on drive C: and replaces them with the original factory installed files. Only use the Partition Only restore option if the preinstalled software on drive C: is unusable.

Use these steps to perform a Partition Only restore as follows:

Check the Product Recovery CD title and make sure that it is the correct CD for the NEC Versa notebook and operating system.

Use the Partition Only restore option only if the hard drive consists of

Power off the system before connecting the external CD-ROM drive to the notebook.

Put the CD into the CD-ROM drive tray, close the drive door, and reboot the notebook.

Read the License Agreement screen that appears. Left click to accept the agreement.

You have the option of accepting or declining the agreement. If you decline, the recovery utility exits.

In the NEC Product Recovery Utility screen, select Partition Only to restore drive C: of a multiple partitioned drive to its original factory installed state.

Choose the restore option carefully to prevent losing data and

applications installed on the notebook.

If the hard drive is configured with multiple or extended partitions, you might have to reinstall some software to restore configuration settings and shared files.

Read the Warning screen.

A warning displays indicating that drive C: (the primary drive/partition) is about to be erased and formatted. It may be necessary to reinstall software to the other drives (partitions) to reestablish Start Menu links and other configuration requirements stored on drive C:.

Select Continue to proceed to perform a Partition Only restore.

When the recovery process is complete, you are prompted to remove the CD from the CD-ROM drive and reboot.

2-22 System Configuration and Setup

Do not turn off or disturb the notebook during the recovery process.

Press

Enter

, click

Reboot

, or press

Alt-R

to reboot the notebook.

A series of hardware detection screens display, the notebook reboots, and the Windows Setup screen appears. Follow the on-screen instructions to set up Windows.

You are required to reenter the Microsoft license number.

System Configuration and Setup 2-23

Disassembly and Reassembly

Required Tools and Equipment

Disassembly

Reassembly

Required Tools and Equipment

All NEC Versa UltraLite/DayLite notebook disassembly/reassembly procedures are performed using the following tools:

set of small Phillips screwdrivers (small and large #0 and #1)

set of small flat-head screwdrivers (1/32 inch through 1/8 inch)

magnifying glass

tweezers.

Disassembly

This section contains step-by-step disassembly procedures for the system. Reassembly is the reverse of disassembly. Each procedure is supported by a simplified disassembly illustration. The Illustrated Parts Breakdown and parts lists for the system unit are shown in Chapter 5.

For complete disassembly of the system, follow the disassembly order in the following table. For disassembly of a specific part, go the section containing the part removal procedure.

NEC Versa UltraLite/DayLite Notebook Disassembly Sequence

Sequence Part Name Page

1 Secondary Battery 3-3

2 Memory Module 3-4

3 Hard Drive 3-5

4 Keyboard 3-6

5 Top Cover Assembly 3-7

6 Speaker 3-9

CMOS Battery 3-9

7 USB Connector Board 3-9

8 Mini PCI Board 3-10

10 Power Switch Board 3-10

11 Main Board 3-11

12 Processor Assembly 3-12

13 Communication Board 3-12

14 LCD Panel 3-13

When disassembling the notebook, follow these general rules.

Record the BIOS settings before disassembling the notebook. All customized BIOS settings are lost if the CMOS battery is disconnected.

3-2 Disassembly and Reassembly

Turn off the notebook and disconnect all power and options, including the AC adapter (if connected). Remove the secondary battery (or optional battery, if installed).

Note

secondary battery removed.

The non-removable primary battery still provides power to the notebook, even with the

Do not disassemble the notebook into parts that are smaller than those specified in the procedure.

Label all removed screws and connectors. Note where the screws and connectors go and in what position they were installed.

Secondary Battery

Remove the secondary battery as follows.

Note

another manufacturer’s battery can deteriorate battery and equipment performance.

Use the batteries specifically designed for use in the NEC Versa notebook. Installing

Electrostatic discharge (ESD) can damage hard drives, boards,

Save any open files, exit Windows, and turn off notebook power.

Close the LCD panel and turn over the notebook.

Slide the battery release latch toward the right side of the notebook and hold in place.

Continue to hold the battery release latch in place as you slide the battery out of the notebook.

Removing the secondary battery

A – Battery Bay Connectors C – Lithium-Ion Secondary Battery B – Battery Release Latch

Disassembly and Reassembly 3-3

Memory Module

Remove the memory module as follows.

Save any open files, exit Windows, turn off notebook power, unplug the power cable, and disconnect any peripherals.

Close the LCD panel, turn over the notebook, and locate the memory module bay.

Remove the screw and bay cover.

Removing the memory module bay cover

A – Screw B – Memory Module Bay Cover

Press the locking tabs away from the sides of the memory module until the module pops up at an angle.

Carefully pull the memory module out of its socket. Store the module in a static-free bag.

Removing the memory module

3-4 Disassembly and Reassembly

Hard Drive

Remove the internal hard drive as follows.

Save any open files, exit Windows, turn off notebook power, unplug the power cable, and disconnect any peripherals.

Close the LCD panel, turn over the notebook, remove the secondary battery, and locate the hard drive bay cover.

Hard drives on earlier notebooks might not be accessible from the bottom. If so, remove the top cover assembly to access the hard drive from inside the notebook. See “Top Cover Assembly” later in this section for removal procedures.

Remove the two screws securing the cover. Slide the cover out of the notebook.

Removing the hard drive bay cover

A – Hard Drive Bay Cover Screws (2) B – Hard Drive Bay Cover

Carefully unplug the hard drive cable from connector P6 on the main board.

Grasp the pull tab on the hard drive and carefully pull up until the hard drive is released from the bay.

Remove the hard drive from the bay and set aside on a static-free surface. Handle the hard drive by its edges to avoid squeezing the top and bottom of the drive.

Disassembly and Reassembly 3-5

Keyboard

Remove the keyboard assembly as follows.

Save any open files, exit Windows, turn off notebook power, unplug the power cable, and disconnect any peripheral devices.

Close the LCD panel, turn the notebook over, and remove the secondary battery.

Remove the three screws holding the keyboard in place.

Removing the keyboard screws

A – Keyboard Screws (3)

Turn the notebook over, open the LCD panel, and locate the slot on the keyboard above and between the F8 and F9 keys.

Removing the keyboard

A – Keyboard Slot

Insert the blade of a small flat-blade screwdriver into the slot and pull up on the keyboard enough to gain access to the keyboard cable.

Use care in this step to avoid damage to the keyboard cable clamp. Release the keyboard cable from main board connector P8 by gently grasping the cable clamp at the left and right corners (nearest the cable insertion point) and pulling up on the corners (the clamp pivots up at an angle). Slide the cable out of the connector and set the keyboard aside. Press the clamp down on the connector to avoid breaking the clamp while disassembling.

3-6 Disassembly and Reassembly

Top Cover Assembly

Remove the top cover assembly as follows.

Note

The assembly is replaceable as a whole unit.

The top cover assembly consists of the top cover, VersaGlide Touchpad, and speaker.

Save any open files, exit Windows, turn off notebook power, close the LCD panel, unplug the power cable, and disconnect any peripheral devices.

Remove the secondary battery, hard drive cover, and keyboard.

The two screws securing the hard drive cover and the three screws securing the keyboard also partially secure the front cover assembly.

On the bottom of the notebook, remove

! two adhesive-backed feet (

! two long screws (

! three short screws (

)

Removing the bottom screws

Turn the system over and open the LCD panel.

A – Long Screws (2) C – Foot (2) B – Short Screws (3)

Disassembly and Reassembly 3-7

Open the LCD panel approximately half way. Remove the left and right inside caps by carefully pushing each cap towards the middle of the notebook until it pops off the top cover assembly. The caps are held tightly in place by three internal tabs.

Removing the inside cap

A – Left Inside Cap (right side similar)

Unplug the following top cover assembly cables from the main board.

! Unplug the speaker cable from connector P18 on the main board. (The speaker is

fastened to the underside of the top cover.)

! Release the cable locks on connectors P9 and P10 on the main board and unplug the

two VersaGlide Touchpad cables from the connectors. Remove and save the tape holding the two cables.

Remove the six screws securing the top cover assembly.

Removing the top cover assembly screws

– Round Head Screws (4)

– Flat Head Screws (2)

Carefully lift a corner of the top cover assembly to unsnap it from the base. Slowly work around the cover, carefully unsnapping a small portion of the cover at a time.

When reassembling, be careful to align the top cover assembly with the base so that the power slide switch is positioned against the inside wall of the base.

3-8 Disassembly and Reassembly

During reassembly and after the cover assembly is snapped in place, check that the switch slides smoothly and returns to the off position when released. Slide the switch and release it quickly so that power is not turned on.

Lift the top cover assembly off the two LCD panel hinges and remove the from the base.

Speaker

Remove the speaker from the top cover assembly as follows.

Save any open files, exit Windows, turn off notebook power, close the LCD panel, unplug the power cable, and disconnect any peripheral devices.

Remove the secondary battery, hard drive cover, keyboard, and top cover assembly.

Turn the top cover assembly over, carefully lift the black insulator off the speaker, and remove the two screws fastening the speaker to the top cover assembly.

Remove the speaker from its mount.

CMOS Battery

Remove the CMOS battery as follows.

Save any open files, exit Windows, turn off notebook power, close the LCD panel, unplug the power cable, and disconnect any peripheral devices.

Remove the secondary battery, hard drive cover, keyboard, and top cover assembly.

Note

customized BIOS settings are lost when the CMOS battery is disconnected.

Be sure that the BIOS settings are recorded before removing the CMOS battery. Any

Unplug the CMOS battery from connector P36 on the communication board (see the following figure “Removing the Mini PCI Board” for connector location).

Remove the CMOS battery from the base.

USB Connector Board

Remove the USB connector board as follows.

Save any open files, exit Windows, turn off notebook power, close the LCD panel, unplug the power cable, and disconnect any peripheral devices.

Remove the secondary battery, hard drive cover, keyboard, and top cover assembly.

Unplug the following cables from the USB connector board (see the following figure “Removing the Mini PCI board” for board and connector locations):

! Mini PCI board cable from connector P43 on the USB connector board

! main board cable from connector P41 on the USB connector board.

Open the three access panels covering the USB connectors, and lift the USB connector board off its guide pin on the base. Remove the USB connector board from the base.

Remove the two screws fastening the board to its frame. Save the frame and screws.

Disassembly and Reassembly 3-9

Mini PCI Board

Remove the Mini PCI LAN/modem board as follows.

Save any open files, exit Windows, turn off notebook power, close the LCD panel, unplug the power cable, and disconnect any peripheral devices.

Remove the secondary battery, hard drive cover, keyboard, and top cover assembly.

Unplug the Mini PCI board cable from connector P34 on the communication board and the Mini PCI board cable from connector P43 on the USB connector board (see the following figure).

Remove the two screws securing the Mini PCI board to the communication board.

Unplug the PCI board from connector P32 on the communication board.

Remove the Mini PCI board from the base.

Removing the Mini PCI board

A – Mini PCI Board Cable Connector P34 G – Mini PCI Board B – CMOS Battery H – CMOS Battery Connector P36 C

– Main Board Cable Connector P41 I – PCI Board Connector P32 (under board)

– USB Connector Board

– Mini PCI Board Cable Connector P43

– Communication Board

Power Switch Board

Remove the power switch board as follows.

Save any open files, exit Windows, turn off notebook power, close the LCD panel, unplug the power cable, and disconnect any peripheral devices.

Remove the secondary battery, hard drive cover, keyboard, and top cover assembly.

Unplug the signal cable from connector P5 on the power switch board (see the previous figure “Removing the Mini PCI board” for board and connector locations).

Carefully lift the power switch board out of the base.

You might need to flex the side of the base to release the board.

Use care to prevent loss of the plastic power slide switch between the hard drive bay and the side of the base.

3-10 Disassembly and Reassembly

– Power Switch Board

– Main Board Cable Connector P51

Main Board

Remove the main board as follows.

Save any open files, exit Windows, turn off notebook power, close the LCD panel, unplug the power cable, and disconnect any peripheral devices.

Remove the secondary battery, hard drive, keyboard, top cover assembly, and USB connector board.

If installed, remove the PC Card or dummy card from the PC Card bay.

Unplug the LCD panel cables from connectors P20 and P2 on the main board (see the following figure for connector locations).

Unplug the switch board cable from connector P16 on the main board.

Remove the screws (A, B, C on the figure) fastening the main board to the base.

Removing the main board

A – Long Screws (2) E – Switch Board Connector P16 B – Short Black Screw (1) F – LCD Panel Connector P2 C – Short Silver Screw (1) G – LCD Panel Connector P20 D – Main Board

Carefully lift the main board off the base.

You might need to flex the sides of the base to allow clearance for board removal.

When reinstalling the main board, use care to prevent damage to the PC Card ejection lever.

Set the main board on a static-free surface.

If replacing the board, remove and save the processor assembly, memory module, and Mini PCI board for installation on the new board.

Disassembly and Reassembly 3-11

Processor Assembly

Remove the processor assembly as follows.

Save any open files, exit Windows, turn off notebook power, close the LCD panel, unplug the power cable, and disconnect any peripheral devices.

Remove the secondary battery, hard drive cover, keyboard, top cover assembly, USB connector board, and main board.

Lift the processor assembly off its four standoffs on the base. Store the assembly in a staticfree bag.

Removing the processor assembly and communication board

A – Processor Assembly D – LAN Connector B – Processor Standoff (1 of 4) E – Micro Switch Connector P37 C – Communication Board F – Mini PCI Board Connector P32

Communication Board

Remove the communication board as follows.

Save any open files, exit Windows, turn off notebook power, close the LCD panel, unplug the power cable, and disconnect any peripheral devices.

Remove the secondary battery, hard drive, keyboard, top cover assembly, Mini PCI board, USB connector board, and main board.

Unplug the following cables from the communication board (see the preceding figure “Removing the processor assembly and communication board” for cable connector and component locations):

! LAN connector cable from connector P35

! CMOS battery cable from P36 or, to avoid losing BIOS customized settings, move the

battery off the base, out of the way, without unplugging the cable

! microswitch cable from connector P37.

Remove the screw and standoff fastening the communication board to the base.

Remove the board from the base.

3-12 Disassembly and Reassembly

LCD Panel

Remove the LCD panel as follows.

Save any open files, exit Windows, turn off notebook power, close the LCD panel, unplug the power cable, and disconnect any peripheral devices.

On the back of the notebook, remove the adhesive backed foot and screw from each side of the battery bay. The two screws partially secure the LCD panel to the base.

Remove the secondary battery, hard drive, keyboard, top cover assembly, and main board.

Remove the screw and cable clamp securing the LCD panel cable in place on the base (see the preceding figure “Removing the processor assembly and communication board” for clamp and cable locations).

On each side, remove the screw securing the LCD panel hinge bracket to the base (the following figure shows the left side hinge bracket and screw, the right side is similar).

Remove the LCD panel and place in a safe place.

Removing the LCD panel screw

A – Bracket Screw (left side) B – LCD Panel Hinge Bracket (left side)

Reassembly

Reassembly is the reverse of the disassembly process. Use care to ensure that all cables and screws are returned to their correct positions.

Check that the power switch on the side of the notebook slides smoothly and does not bind. If it does not slide smoothly, remove the top cover assembly (see “Top Cover Assembly” earlier in this section for removal procedures). Reseat the top cover assembly, ensuring that the power switch is against the side of the base while snapping the top cover assembly in place.

Disassembly and Reassembly 3-13

System Boards

Mini-PCI Board

Power Switch Board

USB Connector Board

Main Board

Communications Board

This chapter includes information on the five circuit boards used in the notebook.

Mini PCI Board

The Mini PCI LAN/modem board is located under the top cover assembly. The board is mounted on the communications board. The Mini PCI board connectors include communications board cable connector J1, a modem cable connector, and a LAN cable connector.

Power Switch Board

The power switch board (G7EZAB) is located under the top cover assembly. The board is mounted on the right side of the notebook, between the hard drive bay and the side of the base. The following figure shows the board and its connectors and ports.

A – Main Board Cable Connector P51 C – Headphone Jack P53 B – Microphone Jack P52

Power switch board

USB Connector Board

The USB connector board (G7EWK A 2/3) is located under the top cover assembly. The board is mounted on the left side of the notebook. The following figure shows the board and its connectors and ports.

A – USB Port D – Cable Connector P42 B – Parallel Port E – Mini PCI Board Cable Connector P43 C – Main Board Cable Connector P41

USB connector board

4-2 System Boards

Main Board

The main board (G7EZA B A2) is located under the keyboard and the top cover assembly . The following figure shows the board and its connectors and ports. The back of the main board contains the processor (non-removable), communications board connector P12, memory module connector P1, hard drive connector P6, and a DIP switch.

Main board connectors

A – Secondary Battery Connector P11 H – VersaGlide Touchpad Cable Connector P10 B – LCD Panel Cable Connector P20 I – Speaker Cable Connector P18 C – LCD Panel Cable Connector P2 J – Cable Connector P14 (not used) D – USB Port P4 K – Keyboard Cable Connector P8 E – PC Card Bay L – Cable Connector P19 (not used) F – Power Switch Board Cable Connector P16 M – Monitor Connector Port P15 G – VersaGlide Touchpad Cable Connector P9 N – USB Board Cable Connector P5

Communications Board

The communications board (G7EWK B A 1/3) is located under the top cover assembly. The board is connected to the main board. The following figure shows the board and its connectors.

Communications board connectors

A – Main Board Connector P31 E – Cable Connector P35 (not used) B – Mini PCI Board Connector P32 F – CMOS Battery Cable Connector P36 C – Cable Connector P33 (not used) G – Microswitch Cable Connector P37 D – Mini PCI Board Cable Connector P34

System Boards 4-3

Illustrated Parts Breakdown

Parts List

Illustrated Parts Breakdown

The NEC Versa UltraLite/DayLite notebook computers illustrated parts breakdown (IPB) is shown in the following figure. See the table, “Field-Replaceable Parts List,” later in this chapter for a list of field-replaceable unit (FRU) parts.

NEC Versa UltraLite/DayLite Notebook illustrated Parts Breakdown

5-2

Illustrated Parts Breakdown

Parts List

The following table contains a listing of the NEC Versa UltraLite/DayLite notebook computers field-replaceable unit (FRU) parts.

Field-Replaceable Parts List

Item Description

1 USB Connector Board Cable

2 USB Connector Board

3 USB Connector Board Bracket

4 RJ-11 Connector Assembly

5 CMOS Battery

6 Base, Bottom

7 Main Board (G7EZAD)

8 Heatsink Assembly

9 Speaker Assembly

10 128-MB Memory Module

11 Communications Board (G7EWKBA, 1/3)

12a 12b

13 Keyboard

14 LCD Panel (shown for reference purposes only)

15 Secondary Battery, 3-Cell

16 Outer and Inner LCD Hinge Caps (left and right)

17 Mini PCI LAN/Modem Board Modem Cable

18 Mini PCI LAN/Modem Board LAN Cable

19 Mini PCI LAN/Modem Board

20 Dummy PC Card

21 Power Switch Board Cable

22 Power Switch

23 Power Switch Board

24 Power Switch Board Bracket

25 Hard Drive, 10 MB or 20 MB

26 Hard Drive Access Panel

27 Hard Drive Cable

Top Cover VersaGlide Touchpad

28a 28b

Foot, Rear Foot, Front

Illustrated Parts Breakdown 5-3

Field-Replaceable Parts List

Item Description

* External USB CD-ROM Drive

* External USB Diskette Drive

* UltraLite Backlight LCD Panel

* DayLite Reflective LCD Panel

* DayLite Transflective LCD Panel

UltraLite Backlight LCD Cable

DayLite Reflective LCD Cable

DayLite Transflective LCD Cable

UltraLite Backlight Inverter

DayLite Transflective Inverter

Speaker Bracket

Speaker Cable

Auto Adapter

Auto Adapter DC Cable

Microphone and Cable Assembly

* Item not shown on IPB.

5-4

Illustrated Parts Breakdown

Preventive Maintenance

Cleaning the Exterior

Cleaning the Interior

Protecting the Hard Disk Drive

Maintaining the Secondary Battery

This section contains general preventive maintenance information for cleaning the notebook case, LCD, and keyboard.

battery, if installed) before performing maintenance. Voltage is present inside the notebook and LCD even after it is turned off.

Cleaning the Exterior

Clean the exterior of the notebook as follows.

Power off the notebook, unplug all cables and peripherals connected to the notebook, and remove the secondary battery (or optional battery, if installed).

contain caustic materials. These cleaners are usually high in alkalinity which can cause the notebook case to crack or discolor.

Wipe the outside of the notebook with a slightly damp, almost dry soft, clean cloth. Never use solvents or strong, abrasive cleaners on any part of the notebook.

Clean the LCD screen with a soft lint-free cloth or a screen wipe designed for that purpose.

Unplug the AC adapter and remove the secondary battery (or optional

Never use harsh solutions, household cleaners, or spray cleaners that

Clean the keyboard with a slightly damp, almost dry soft, clean cloth. If necessary, use a small, soft-bristle brush to clean between the keys.

Periodically use a head-cleaning diskette in the USB diskette drive to prolong the life of the drive and to help maintain data integrity. Do not use abrasive head cleaning kits (kits without cleaning solution).

Cleaning the Interior

Clean the interior of the notebook as follows.

Remove the front cover and VersaGlide™ assembly, keyboard, and top cover to access the interior of the notebook (see Chapter 3, “Disassembly and Reassembly” for procedures).

Dust or use a vacuum specifically designed for computer use (with a rubber-tipped nozzle) to clean inside the notebook, particularly the main board surface. Use care to avoid damaging or dislodging any components or cables.

Inspect all cables connectors for damage. Ensure that connectors are seated properly before replacing the removed assemblies.

Protecting the Hard Drive

To protect the hard drive and data, back up the drive periodically on diskettes, CD-RW discs, or a network drive.

Here are some tips to use when servicing a hard drive:

Do not squeeze the top and bottom of the hard drive or the drive might be damaged.

Always back up the data files on the hard drive.

Run a virus detecting program to check for possible virus infected areas on the hard drive.

6-2 Preventive Maintenance

Use the Microsoft® Windows® operating system ScanDisk program to correct any errors found in the directory and File Allocation Table (FAT). This also frees up space from any unused sectors.

Never turn the notebook off when the hard drive is being accessed.

Use a hard drive maintenance program like the Microsoft Windows operating system DEFRAG program to eliminate fragmentation and improve the hard drive access time.

Maintaining the Secondary Battery

Periodically inspect the secondary battery (or optional battery) terminals and the battery for evidence of corrosion and oxide build-up.

Observe the following precautions when handling the secondary battery.

Observe the safety precautions outlined under “Secondary Battery Handling” in Section 2, “System Configuration and Setup.”

Do not drop the secondary battery or subject it to excessive shock and vibration.

Do not expose the secondary battery to direct sunlight, moisture, chemical compounds, or extreme heat.

Do not disassemble the secondary battery.

Do not use the secondary battery to power other devices.

Never attempt to charge the secondary battery in any way other than as described in this manual (see Section 2, “Batteries”) and the user’s guide.

Always charge the secondary battery as soon as possible after a low battery indication.

Preventive Maintenance 6-3

Troubleshooting

Problem Checklist

Startup Problems

Diagnostics

This chapter provides information to help isolate and repair notebook malfunctions at the field level. The notebook has a built-in program that automatically checks its components when the notebook is powered on. If there is a problem, the notebook displays an error message. If this happens, follow any instructions on the screen.

If screen messages do not help or an error message does not appear, refer to the information in this chapter to help determine and correct the problem. For the more common problems, refer to “Problem Checklist” for assistance. If the information in the checklist does not help, refer to “Startup Problems” for additional help. See “Diagnostics” for more detailed problem solving.

If disassembly is required, see Section 3, “Disassembly and Reassembly.” Jumper setting information is given in Section 2, “System Configuration.”

Problem Checklist

Check the items in the following list. If these items don't help, see the “Troubleshooting” table that follows the list.

Check that power is on to the notebook.

Check that the AC adapter is plugged into a working electrical outlet. Test the outlet by plugging in a lamp or other electrical device.

Check that all cables are securely plugged in.

Check that the display setting is configured correctly.

Check that the display’s brightness control is adjusted properly.

If using battery power, check that the secondary battery is properly inserted and fully charged.

Troubleshooting

Problem What to Do

The notebook does not power on.

LCD screen is dark and blank. Power-saving mode has shut off the backlight. Recover by

Battery power does not last long.

If you are operating the notebook with battery power, check that the secondary battery is correctly inserted. Attach the AC adapter to recharge the battery.

If you have the AC adapter attached, check that the electrical outlet you are using works.

pressing any keyboard key.

Fn-F3

The built-in LCD may not be selected. Press

Screen brightness needs adjustment. Use the Fn-F8 and Fn-F9 keys.

The notebook entered Standby mode due to low battery power. Use the power meter to check battery status. Plug in the AC adapter or replace the battery, and then press the power button to resume operation.

Use power-saving modes.

Fully charge and fully discharge the battery several times to recondition it.

once or twice.

7-2 Troubleshooting

Replace the battery.

Troubleshooting

Problem What to Do

Information on the LCD screen is difficult to see.

An optional component does not work.

The power button does not resume the notebook from Standby mode.

The notebook does not autosuspend (Standby).

Upon resuming from a manual STF, the notebook displays the message “Following system component(s) changed since last suspend – Do you want to (B)oot or (P)ower down?

Startup Problems

The notebook displays an invalid configuration error message at power on and when there are the following conditions:

Use the Fn-F8 and Fn-F9 function keys to adjust the brightness control.

Make sure the component is securely installed or connected. Verify that the parameter for the I/O port configuration is set correctly in Setup.

If the notebook does not resume, it may have auto suspend suspended (Standby) or a low battery. Attach the AC adapter and try again.

Check that the “System Switch” BIOS parameter is set to “Sleep.”

A disk drive might be busy. Wait until the disk drive stops and try again.

Check that Auto Play is disabled.

Power down the notebook and reseat the memory.

If new memory was installed prior to manual STF, remove the new memory before resuming.

current configuration information doesn't match configuration information stored in Setup, such as when an internal option is added.

notebook loses configuration information.

If either condition is true, the notebook displays an invalid configuration information message.

To continue start-up procedures, press current notebook parameters.

Note

either the LCD or a CRT. The notebook warns you by beeping.

When the notebook detects an error related to display devices, it cannot display on

POST Error Messages

The notebook computer has a built-in Power-On Self-Test (POST) checking program that automatically tests its components when you turn power on. If the notebook finds a problem during POST, it displays an error message or emits a series of beep signals. If this happens, follow the instructions in the “POST Error Messages” table or the “Beep Code” table, as appropriate.

If an error message appears before the operating system starts, look up the error message in the following table and follow the instructions. If you see other error messages, the hardware might need repair.

(or

when prompted) and run the Setup utility to set

Troubleshooting 7-3

Post Error Messages

Message Resolution

Address line is short Error in the address decoding circuit on the main board.

C: Drive Error Hard disk drive C: does not respond. Confirm that C: hard disk

type in Setup is correct.

C: Drive Failure Hard disk drive C: does not respond. Replace the hard disk drive.

Cache Memory Bad, Do Not Enable Cache

CH-2 Timer Error Most ISA computers include two timers. There is an error in timer

CMOS Battery State Low CMOS RAM is powered by a battery. The battery power is low.

CMOS Checksum Failure After CMOS RAM values are saved, a checksum value is

CMOS System Options Not Set

CMOS Display Type Mismatch

CMOS Time and Date Not Set

Diskette Boot Failure The boot diskette is corrupt. It cannot be used to boot the

DMA Error Error in the DMA controller. Replace the CMOS battery.

DMA#1 Error Error in the first DMA channel.

Cache memory is defective. It must be replaced.

Connect the system to AC power to charge the CMOS battery. If the battery does not charge, replace the CMOS battery.

generated for error checking. The previous value is different from the current value. Run Setup to reset the value.

The values stored in CMOS RAM are either corrupt or nonexistent. Run Setup to reset the value.

The amount of memory on the main board is different than the amount in CMOS RAM. Run Setup to reset the value.

Run Setup to set the time and date.

notebook. Use another boot disk and follow the on-screen instructions.

DMA#2 Error Error in the second DMA channel.

FDD Controller Failure The BIOS cannot communicate with the floppy disk controller.

HDD Controller Failure The BIOS cannot communicate with the hard disk drive

INTR #1 Error Interrupt channel 1 failed POST.

INTR #2 Error Interrupt channel 2 failed POST.

Invalid Boot Diskette The BIOS can read the diskette in the disk drive, but cannot boot

Keyboard is Locked Unlock It

Keyboard Error There is a timing problem with the keyboard. Set the keyboard

KB/interface Error There is an error in the keyboard connector.

7-4 Troubleshooting

Check all appropriate connections.

controller. Check all appropriate connections.

the notebook. Use another boot diskette.

The keyboard lock on the notebook is engaged. The notebook must be unlocked to continue.

option in Setup to “Not Installed” to skip the keyboard POST routines.

Message Resolution

Off Board Parity Error Parity error in an expansion slot. Check that the memory module

On Board Parity Error Parity error in main board memory.

Parity Error Parity error in system memory at an unknown address.

Beep Codes

Fatal errors that occur during POST are communicated through a series of beeps. All beep code errors, except beep code 8, are fatal errors and do not allow the notebook to continue to boot.

If beep codes occur during POST, check the items in the Problem Checklist (at the start of this chapter), verify that all the hardware is set up properly and securely connected, and try rebooting. If you still get a beep code, go to the section “If You Need Assistance” at the end of this chapter.

Beep Codes are listed in the following table.

Post Error Messages

is installed correctly.

The error format is: OFF BOARD PARITY ERROR ADDR(HEX) = (XXXX) XXXX is the hex address where the error occurred.

Beep Codes

Number of Beeps Error Description

1 Refresh Failure The memory refresh circuit on the

main board is faulty.

2 Parity Error Parity error in the first 64 KB of

memory.

3 Base 64 KB Memory

Failure

4 Timer Not Operational Memory failure in the first 64 KB of

5 Processor Failure The CPU on the main board

6 Gate A20 Failure The keyboard controller may be bad.

7 Processor Exception

Interrupt Error

8 Display Memory

Read/Write Error

Memory failure in the first 64 KB.

memory or Timer 1 on the main board is not functioning.

generated an error.

The BIOS cannot switch to protected mode.

The CPU generated an exception interrupt.

The system video adapter is either missing or its memory is faulty. (This is not a fatal error.)

9 ROM Checksum Error The ROM checksum value does not

match the value encoded in the BIOS.

Troubleshooting 7-5

Beep Codes

Number of Beeps Error Description

10 CMOS Shutdown

11 Cache Error/External

Cache Bad

The shutdown register for CMOS RAM failed.

The external cache is faulty.

Diagnostics

This section summarizes problems that might develop during notebook operation and lists suggested corrective actions.

Diagnostics

Problem or Symptoms Corrective Actions

No power Check that the AC adapter is plugged into the power port of the

notebook. Also, check that the AC adapter is plugged into a properly grounded and working AC power outlet.

Check that the secondary battery is the correct type, charged properly, and is inserted correctly.

Power LED is on but no display and notebook does not turn on

Check if the memory module is inserted properly.

Check that the CPU is inserted properly.

Display on the LCD can not be read

LCD screen does not show display

Replace the memory module, CPU, or main board.

Adjust the brightness.

Check if the installed driver is correct and resolution is set according to the LCD size and type.

Check if the LCD panel is connected properly.

Replace the main board.

Check if the power saving mode is activated. Press any key or press the power button to resume operation and display.

Check if the display output is switched to the external monitor.

Check if there is power.

Check if the LCD panel is disconnected or loose.

Replace the LCD panel.

7-6 Troubleshooting

Diagnostics

Problem or Symptoms Corrective Actions

Battery power does not last long

Notebook halts during boot sequence

I/O processing malfunctions Check the connections of all internal devices.

USB diskette drive does not work

Make sure that the power management options under BIOS Setup are enabled and set properly.

Recharge the secondary battery for at least 4.5 hours before using.

Discharge and recharge the secondary battery twice.

Replace the secondary battery.

Check condition of the selected bootload device (diskette or hard drive) for bad boot track or incorrect O/S files.

Try booting from a new boot diskette and recopy or repartition the hard drive.

Check for any BIOS error messages on the display.

Replace the main board.

Check if the diskette drive option is set properly in BIOS Setup.

Check if the diskette USB cable is connected properly.

Check that the diskette is not faulty.

Replace the USB diskette drive.

Replace the main board.

Hard drive malfunction Check if the hard drive is set properly in BIOS Setup.

Check that the hard drive interface cable is firmly connected to P9 on the main board and that the cable is firmly connected to the hard drive.

Try reseating the interface cable to the main board and to the hard disk drive.

Replace the hard drive.

Replace the main board.

USB CD-ROM drive malfunction

Check if the drive is set properly in BIOS Setup.

Check if the drive has the latest software driver (check the internet for the vendor’s latest driver).

Check that the USB cable is connected properly.

Check the drive with a different CD.

Troubleshooting 7-7

Diagnostics

Problem or Symptoms Corrective Actions

Memory malfunction Check if the memory module is seated properly.

Reseat the module.

Replace the memory module.

Replace the main board.

PC Card does not work Check if the PC Card is correctly inserted.

Check that the PC Card is the correct type.

Replace the PC Card.

Check the PC Card software for malfunctions.

Check if the PC Card assembly is firmly plugged into its connector on the main board. Otherwise, replace the PC Card assembly.

Replace the main board.

NEC VersaGlide™ Touchpad does not work

USB port does not work Check if the USB controller in BIOS Setup is enabled.

Audio components do not work

Check if the PS/2 or Alps mouse driver is properly installed.

Check if the VersaGlide Touchpad cable is firmly connected to P18 on the main board.

Replace the front panel and VersaGlide Touchpad assembly.

Replace the main board.

Check the USB device connection. Unplug and reseat the device.

Check if the USB port driver and the USB device driver are installed.

Replace the USB device or contact the USB device manufacturer for support.

Replace the main board.

Check that the external connections are set properly.

Check if the audio source (CD, tape) is faulty.

Check if the audio driver is installed.

Check if the internal connections for speaker and microphone are working.

7-8 Troubleshooting

Check the sound board, cables, and connections.

Replace the main board.

NEC Computers Information Services

Service and Support Functions

Technical Support

This chapter contains the following NEC Computers service and support information:

service and support telephone numbers and web addresses

technical support.

Service and Support Functions

The following table lists the telephone numbers and web addresses for the NEC Computers service and support functions.

NEC Computers Service and Support Telephone and Web Addresses

Service Telephone Numbers and Web Addresses

To contact NEC Computers Technical Support Center:

To order spare parts: Call 800-632-4525

To send technical questions by email: tech-support@nec-computers.com

To access the NEC Computers web site: www.neccomp.com

Technical Support

The following sections provide information for obtaining technical support from NEC Computers. With access to a telephone and/or modem, you can use these services to obtain information about the system at any time, day or night, seven days a week.

NEC Computers Web Site

If you have access to the Internet (via a network or a modem connection), you can access the NEC Computers web site. You can do this through a commercial online service or through your Internet account. The NEC Computers web site contains general information about NEC Computers and its products. The web site also contains press releases, reviews, and service and support information.

Look in the Service and Support area for the following:

technical documentation, including Frequently Asked Questions, user’s guides, reference manuals, and warranty information

In the U.S., call 800-632-4525

BIOS updates and drivers to download

contact information, including telephone numbers for Technical Support and links to vendor web sites

automated email form for your technical support questions

a password-accessible area for Resellers.

To access the NEC Computers web site, enter the following Internet Uniform Resource Locator (URL) in your browser:

http://www.neccomp.com

8-2 NEC Computers Information Services

Email to Technical Support Services

The NEC Computers Technical Support Center offers technical support by email over the Internet network if you have access. The Internet email address is:

tech-support@nec-computers.com/

When using the email support service, please include the word prompt response from the appropriate technical person.

Provide as much specific information in your questions as possible. You should receive a response to your questions within one business day.

NEC Computers Technical Support Services

NEC Computers also offers direct technical support through its Technical Support Center. (NEC Computers technical support is for U.S. and Canadian customers only; international customers should check with their sales provider.)

Direct assistance is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Call the NEC Computers Technical Support Center, toll free, at

1-800-632-4525

Please have the system accessible when you call the Technical Support Center so that a technician can troubleshoot the system.

For callers outside the U.S. or Canada, please contact your local NEC Computers sales provider.

(U.S. and Canada only).

Notebook

in the subject field for

NEC Computers Information Services 8-3

Specifications

System Components

Memory Map

Interrupt Controllers

System Components

The following system component specifications are standard except where noted.

Note

The components that ship with the system are subject to change without notice.

System Processor

600-MHz Transmeta Crusoe TM5600 microprocessor

Architecture

64-bit Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI)

Random Access Memory

System Memory

— 64-MB SDRAM on main board, 125-MHz SDRAM

— 128-MB SDRAM SO-DIMM module in single DIMM slot, 125-MHz SDRAM

— 192 MB total system memory (approximately 16 MB of total system memory shared

with video)

Cache Memory

— L1: 64-KB code and 64-KB data 8/16 way set associate, write back (data)

— L2: 512-KB built-in (4-way)

— operates at full core speed

— 4-GB cacheable range

Read-Only Memory

2-MB x 8-bit, Flash ROM

Calendar Clock

Year/month/day/hour/minute/second maintained by internal back-up battery

Input/Output (I/O) Facilities

Integrated industry-standard interfaces

Infrared — 1 FIR

VGA — 1 port, 20-pin (via CRT cable)

Mono microphone — 1 port, 3-pin, Mini Pin Jack

Stereo Headphones — 1 port, stereo 3-pin, Mini Pin Jack

DC In — 1 port, for AC adapter cable

USB ports — 2 ports, 4-pin

Modem — 1 port, RJ-11 modular jack

LAN I/F — 1 port, 26-pin

9-2 Specifications

Speaker

LCD Panel

One built-in speaker, 1 watt

Mono speaker

Sound Blaster PRO compatible

ESS® Solo-1 PCI AudioDrive + ESS 1946S

Software-controlled sound and beep volume

UltraLite (Reflective)

— 10.4-inch high-resolution active-matrix illuminated reflective XGA

— 1024 x 768 resolution TFT display

DayLite (Reflective)

— 10.4-inch high-resolution active-matrix illuminated reflective SVGA

— 1024 x 768 resolution TFT display

DayLite (Transflective)

— 10.4-inch high-resolution active-matrix transmissive/reflective XGA

— 1024 x 768 resolution TFT display

Colors — 32 bit

Graphics

ATI® RAGE™ MOBILITY™-M graphics accelerator with 4-MB VRAM and 2X AGP graphics capability

Keyboard

Membrane 86 keys with country-specific QWERTY-key layout

Function keys — 12 keys

Cursor Control keys — 8 functions on 5 keys; arrow keys arranged in inverted T layout

Numeric keypad — embedded

Fn key — function key for ROM-based key functions

Stroke — 2.5 mm

Height — 6 mm

Pitch — 17.5 mm

External USB Floppy Diskette Drive

Size — 3.5-inch

Capacity — 1.44 MB1 (formatted), 2 MB1 (unformatted)

Transfer Rate — 250 to 500 K/bps

Number of tracks — 160

Specifications 9-3

Hard Drive

Specifications vary depending upon model:

When referring to storage capacity, GB stands for one billion bytes and MB stands for one million bytes. Some utilities may indicate varying storage capabilities. Total user-accessible capacity may vary depending on operating environments.

PC Card Slots

Busmaster IDE, Ultra DMA/33 support

Capacity — Internal 10- or 20-GB

Drive height — 9.75 mm

Read/write track-to-track seek rate — 3 ms

Average seek time — 12 ms – 14 ms

Revolutions per minute — 4200

Data transfer rate

— 16.6 MB/sec (PIO mode4/DMA mode2)

— 66.6 MB/sec (ultra DMA mode 4)

One 32-bit card slot for a Type II card, 5 V or 3.3 V interface

32-bit CardBus support

External 24X-Maximum/10X-Minimum Variable Speed USB CD-ROM Drive

Type — 5-inch CD-ROM Pack

Average Data Transfer Rates — 1545 KB/second to 3600 KB/second

Burst Transfer Rate — 16.7 MB/second, PIO mode4/DMA mode

Average Access Time

— 190 ms (Random)

— 350 ms (Fullstroke)

Photo CD Compatibility — Single Session/Multisession Photo CD, Video CD (CD-1, CD-I Ready, CD-G, CD-Plus, CD-DA, CD-EXTRN, and CD-ROM XA mode 2)

Internal Xircom

Mini PCI LAN/Modem Combo

10BASE-T and 100BASE-TX compatible

IEEE 802.3 and IEEE 802.3u compliant

10/100 Mbps transmission rate

10/100M, LINK, and ACT diagnostic LEDs

V.90 data/V.17 fax soft, MMX optimized

K56flex™ compatible

SmartDAA™ technology

V.80 synchronous access mode

9-4 Specifications

Power

AC Adapter

Batteries

Dimensions

Input Voltage — 100 to 240 volts (V) AC, 50 or 60 Hz, maximum 2.8A

Output Voltage — 16.0 V DC, 45 watt

Australia, Europe, and Asia use an AC power cable specific to each country's standards.

Primary Battery

— DayLite Transflective, 9-cell Lithium Polymer

— DayLite Reflective, 9-cell Lithium Polymer

— UltraLite Reflective, 12-cell Lithium Polymer

Secondary Battery — 3-cell Lithium Ion; 10.9 volts, 2000 mAh

Recharging Time — Approximately 8 hours when the system is on, 4.5 hours when off.

Width — 10.4 in. (264 mm)

Depth — 8.3 in. (211 mm)

Height — 1.06 in. (27 mm)

Weight

3.3 lb. (1.39 kg) — without external drives

Recommended Environment

Operation

Temperature — 41°F to 95°F (5°C to 35°C)

Relative Humidity — 20% to 80% (Noncondensing)

Storage

Temperature — -4°F to 104°F (-20°C to 40°C)

Relative Humidity — 20% to 80% (Noncondensing)

Specifications 9-5

Memory Map

The system supports system and video shadowing, both controlled through complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS). The system supports BIOS as a cacheable area with write protection. The following table shows the system's memory map.

Memory Space Size Function

FFFE 0000H-FFFF FFFFH 128K Upper ROM, System and Video

FFFC 0000H-FFFD FFFFH 128K Lower ROM, Power Management

System Memory Map

BIOS

FFFA 0000H-FFFB FFFFH

FFF8 0000H-FFF9 FFFFH

FFF0 0000H-FFF7 FFFFH 512K 1MB Extended, BIOS 512KB

0A00 0000H-0BFF FFFFH Up to 176MB Extended Memory

000F 0000H-000F FFFFH

000E 0000H-000E FFFFH

000A 0000H-000B FFFFH 128K Video Buffer Ram

000C 0000H-000D FFFFH 128K Available for Applications

0000 0000H-0009 FFFFH 640K System/Application Memory

128K 128K

64K 64K

New Extended Area

System BIOS, 128K

9-6 Specifications

Interrupt Controllers

Using interrupts, hardware can request software services. If non-Plug and Play software is being used, the interrupt may need to be moved for software application or driver compatibility. Some interrupts cannot be moved. Fifteen interrupts can be used with a cascade connection of 8259INTC x 2. The table shows default interrupt level assignments 0 through 15, in order of decreasing priority.

Priority Name Device

0 IRQ00 Internal Timer 1

1 IRQ01 Keyboard

2IRQ02 PIC

3 IRQ08 Real-time Clock

4 IRQ09 SCI, CardBus, Modem, LAN

5 IRQ10 Video

6 IRQ11 Sound

7 IRQ12 Mouse

8 IRQ13 Coprocessor

9 IRQ14 IDE Controller

10 IRQ15 (Free)

11 IRQ03 or IRQ04 (Free) Infrared Port

12 IRQ04 or IRQ03 (Free)

13 IRQ05 or IRQ09 USB

14 IRQ06 (Free)

15 IRQ07 (Free)

When enabled.

Specifications 9-7

Glossary

applications programs

Software designed to perform specific functions, like solving business or mathematical problems.

AC Adapter

A device that connects an NEC Versa portable computer and an AC wall outlet to provide AC power for running the system or recharging the battery.

AGP

Advanced Graphics Port is an interface specification designed for the throughput demands of 3D graphics. AGP introduces a point-to-point channel allowing the graphics controller direct access to main memory, increases bandwidth to 266-MBps, and supports throughputs of 533-MBps and 1.07-GBps.

base RAM

Area of system memory between 0 and 640 kilobytes available to the user for operating system and application programs.

BIOS

Basic Input Output System. A collection of primitive computer routines, usually burnt into ROM, that controls the real-time clock, keyboard, disk drives, video display, and other peripheral devices.

bit

Binary digit. The smallest unit of computer data.

bits per second

(bps) A unit of transmission. Also called baud rate.

board

Printed circuit board. Board onto which computer components are soldered and thin wires are printed to connect the components.

boot

To start up a computer. See cold boot and warm boot.

bus

An electronic circuit within a computer used for transmitting data or electrical power from one device to another.

byte

Group of eight contiguous bits.

Glossary 1

clock

Electronic timer used to synchronize computer operations.

CMOS

Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor. A chip that contains nonvolatile memory in the NEC Versa. CMOS is backed up by an internal lithium battery that preserves clock/calendar data and system configuration parameters stored in CMOS.

cold boot

Process of starting up the computer by turning on the power. If power is already on, the process means to turn off the computer and turn it on again. A cold boot reinitializes all devices.

crt

Cathode-Ray Tube. A type of display screen used in desktop monitors. It forms the screen image using tiny dots called pixels. See also LCD.

cursor

A movable image on the display screen that indicates where the next entered data appears.

diskette

A thin flexible platter coated with a magnetic material for storing information.

diskette drive

A magnetic drive that writes on and retrieves data from a diskette.

DSTN

Double-Scan Super-Twisted Nematic. A type of technology used in some NEC Versa LCD screen displays.

enhanced VGA

A video interface that offers more colors or higher resolution than VGA.

extended RAM

The area of RAM above the first megabyte of memory in the system available for enhancing system performance.

function key

The set of keys on the keyboard (usually F1 through F12) that let you get help and error message information or quickly select frequently used commands.

2 Glossary

hard disk

A rigid magnetic storage device that provides fast access to stored data.

hardware

The electrical and mechanical parts from which a computer is made.

hertz

(Hz) A unit of frequency equal to one cycle per second.

hot key

Combination of two or three keys (such as Ctrl-Alt-Del) that you press simultaneously for

a particular function.

input/output

(I/O) The process of transferring data between the computer and external devices.

IDE

Intelligent Drive Electronics. A hard disk drive type that has controller electronics built into

the drive and delivers high throughput.

interface

A connection that enables two devices to communicate.

interrupt

A special control signal from an I/O device that diverts the attention of the microprocessor from the program to a special address.

kilobyte

(KB) 1024 bytes.

LAN

Local Area Network.

LCD

Liquid Crystal Display. An LCD consists of a thin sandwich of two glass plates with sealed edges, containing nematic liquid-crystal material that forms the screen image. The NEC Versa displays are LCD type.

load

To copy a program into the computer's memory from a storage device.

Glossary 3

megabyte

(MB) 1,048,576 bytes.

memory

Electronic storage area in a computer that retains information and programs. A computer has two types of memory — read-only memory (ROM) and random access memory (RAM).

A video display of programs or options.

microprocessor

A semiconductor central processing unit that is the principal component of a microcomputer. Usually contained on a single chip that includes an arithmetic logic unit, control logic, and control-memory unit.

mode

A method of operation; for example, the NEC Versa operates in either normal or powersaving modes.

modem

MOdulator-DEModulator. A device that links computers over a telephone line.

nonvolatile memory

Storage media that retains its data when system power is turned off. Nonvolatile memory in the NEC Versa is a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) chip which is backed up by an internal battery. The backup battery preserves the clock/calendar data and system configuration parameters stored in CMOS. See volatile memory.

operating system

Set of programs that manage the overall operation of the computer.

overwrite

Storing information at a location where information is already stored, thus destroying the original information.

page

A type of message transmission in which a message is sent or received via modem to a paging device from a computer (with paging communications software) or telephone.

parallel interface

Interface that communicates eight bits at a time.

parallel printer

A printer with a parallel interface.

4 Glossary

parameter

A characteristic of a device or system.

password

A string of characters that the user must enter before the system allows access or system privileges.

PCMCIA

A credit card sized peripheral interface standard for portable devices. Types of PCMCIA cards currently offered by major vendors include fax/modems, LAN, storage cards, and wireless communications devices.

peripheral

Input or output device not under direct computer control. A printer is a peripheral device.

pixels

Picture elements. Tiny dots that make up a screen image.

port

Provides the means for an interface between the microprocessor and external devices. A cable connector is usually plugged into the port to attach the device to the computer.

processor

In a computer, a functional unit that interprets and executes instructions.

prompt

A special symbol indicating the beginning of an input line. Also a message that appears on the screen indicating that the user must take a certain action.

QWERTY

The QWERTY keyboard, designed in the 1800s for mechanical typewriters, refers to the first six keys (QWERTY) on the top row of letters on the standard keyboard.

RAM

Random Access Memory. A storage device into which data is entered and from which data is retrieved in a nonsequential manner.

read

To extract data from a storage device such as a diskette.

ROM

Read-Only Memory. Memory in which stored data cannot be modified by the user except under special conditions.

reset

The process of returning a device to zero or to an initial or arbitrarily selected condition.

Glossary 5

resolution

The degree of screen image clarity. Video display resolution is determined by the number of pixels on the screen. Resolution is usually specified in pixels by scan lines, for example, 640 by 480. See pixels.

RS-232C

Standard interface for serial devices.

scanner

An optical device that reads printed material and converts it to a computer screen image.

serial interface

An interface that communicates information one bit at a time.

serial printer

A printer with a serial interface.

software

Programs that run on a computer, such as operating systems, word processors, and spreadsheets.

super video graphics array (SVGA)

A color bit-mapped graphics display standard, that provides a resolution of 1024x 768 with up to 256 colors displayed simultaneously.

system board

The main printed circuit board inside the system unit into which other boards and major chip components, such as the system microprocessor, are connected.

TFT

Thin Film Transistor. A type of NEC Versa LCD color screen that supports 256 colors and provides exceptional screen display.

VersaGlide

A small, touch-sensitive pad used as a pointing device on your NEC Versa notebook computer. With the VersaGlide, you can move your finger along the pad to move the cursor or simulate a mouse click by tapping the pad.

VGA

Video Graphics Array. Graphics technology that supports up to 256 K colors and a graphics resolution of 640 by 480 pixels.

volatile memory

Storage media that loses its data when system power is turned off. Standard memory and memory that you add to the NEC Versa are volatile memory. See nonvolatile memory.

6 Glossary

warm boot

Process of resetting the computer without turning off the power through keyboard input (pressing Ctrl, Alt, and Del keys simultaneously) or the reset button. The system returns to an initial or arbitrarily selected condition.

write

To record or store information to a storage device.

Glossary 7

Index

AC adapter

connecting, 2-2

using, 2-2 AC Power port, 1-7 ACPI

hibernation, 2-3 Application and Driver CD

using, 2-19

Backup

hard drive, 6-2 Battery

bay, 1-7

charging, 2-5

charging LED, 1-6

CMOS, 1-9

determining power status, 2-4

extending life, 2-4

handling, 2-5

low power status, 2-5

primary, 1-9

recharging, 2-5

recharging precautions, 2-5

secondary, 1-9, 2-5

secondary, removal, 3-3

types of, 2-4 Beep codes, 7-5 BIOS

Advanced menu, 2-12

Boot menu, 2-14

Exit menu, 2-14

Main menu, 2-9

performing update, 2-17

Security menu, 2-13

update diskette, 2-15

updating, 2-15 BIOS setup, 2-8

entering, 2-8

legend bar, 2-8

using, 2-8 Board layout

communications board, 4-3

Main board, 4-3

Mini PCI board, 4-2

power switch board, 4-2

USB connector board, 4-2

Cache memory, 9-2 Caps lock, 1-4 Charging

battery, 2-5

Chipset

features, 1-10

Cleaning

notebook exterior, 6-2 notebook interior, 6-2

CMOS battery, 1-9

removal, 3-9

Communication board

removal, 3-12

Communications board

layout, 4-3 Component features, 1-9 Connecting

AC adapter, 2-2 Control keys, 1-5 Cursor control keys, 1-5 Customize Utility

NEC, 2-19

Determining battery status, 2-4 Diagnostics, 7-6 DIP switch

settings, 2-16 Disassembly

CMOS battery, 3-9

communication board, 3-12

hard disk, 3-5

keyboard, 3-6

LCD panel, 3-13

main board, 3-11

memory module, 3-4

Mini PCI board, 3-10

power switch board, 3-10

processor assembly, 3-12

required tools, 3-2

secondary battery, 3-3

sequence, 3-2

speaker, 3-9

top cover assembly, 3-7

USB/printer connector board, 3-9

Electrostatic discharge

avoiding, 2-16, 3-3 Email

support, 8-3 Error messages

POST, 7-3 Extending battery life, 2-4 External devices

microphone, 1-8

Index-1

Features

front, 1-2 FRU Parts list, 5-3 Full restore, 2-21 Function keys, 1-4

Graphics

ATI RAGE, 9-3

Hard disk

removal, 3-5 Hard drive

features, 1-9

protection, 6-2 Headphones, 1-7 Hibernate mode, 2-3 Hibernation, 2-3

Interrupt controllers, 9-8 IPB

illustrated parts breakdown, 5-2 IR port, 1-6

Keyboard, 1-3, 1-4

removal, 3-6

LCD panel

backlight switch, 1-3

display, 1-3

removal, 3-13 Low battery

power, 2-5

Main board

layout, 4-3

removal, 3-11 Memory

cache, 9-2

map, 9-7

module bay, 1-8

system, 9-2 Memory module

removal, 3-4 Menus

Advanced, 2-12

Boot, 2-14

Exit, 2-14

Main, 2-9

Security, 2-13 Microphone, 1-3 Mini PCI board

layout, 4-2 removal, 3-10

Monitor

port, 1-7

NEC

VersaGlide Touchpad, 1-3

NEC Computers

email support, 8-3 Technical support services, 8-3 web site, 8-2

NEC Customize Utility

using, 2-19 Num lock, 1-4 Numeric keypad, 1-5

Operating status LEDs, 1-3

Partition Only restore, 2-22 Parts list

FRU, 5-3 PC Card Slot, 1-8 Ports

DC power, 9-3

headphones, 9-3

infrared, 9-3

LAN, 9-3

microphone, 9-3

modem, 9-3

monitor, 9-3

USB, 9-3 POST error messages, 7-3 Power

button, 1-8

status LED, 1-6 Power switch board

layout, 4-2

removal, 3-10 Powering on, 2-3 Power-on self test (POST), 2-8 Primary battery

features, 1-9 Problems

checklist, 7-2

startup, 7-3 Processor assembly

removal, 3-12 Product Recovery CD, 2-20

Full Disk Drive restore, 2-21

Partition Only restore, 2-22

restore options, 2-20

Index-2

Reassembly, 3-13 Recharging

battery, 2-5 Recommended operating environment, 9-6 Release latch

battery, 1-9 Replacing

secondary battery, 2-6

Scroll lock, 1-4 Secondary battery, 1-9

end-of-life symptoms, 2-6

features, 1-9

handling precautions, 2-6

maintaining, 6-3

optional, 1-9

removal, 3-3

replacing, 2-6 Service and Support

contact information, 8-2 Speaker, 1-3

removal, 3-9 Specifications

calendar clock, 9-2

CD-ROM drive, 9-5

diskette drive, 9-4

hard drive, 9-4

input/output facilities, 9-3

keyboard, 9-4

main battery, 9-6

Mini PCI LAN/modem combo, 9-5

PC card slots, 9-5

power, 9-5

read-only memory, 9-2

secondary battery, 9-6

speaker, 9-3

system processor, 9-2 Startup problems, 7-3 Switch

DIP, 2-16 System

dimensions, 9-6

feet, 1-9

weight, 9-6 System features

back, 1-7

bottom, 1-8

front, 1-2, 1-6

left, 1-7

right side, 1-7 System memory, 9-2

Top cover assembly

removal, 3-7

Transmeta LongRun utility, 2-18

installing, 2-18 uninstalling, 2-19

Troubleshooting, 7-2

diagnositcs, 7-6 problems, 7-2

USB

port, 1-7, 1-8

USB connector board

layout, 4-2

USB/printer connector board

removal, 3-9

Using

AC adapter, 2-2

Utility

Transmeta LongRun, 2-18

Web site

NEC Computers, 8-2

Windows keys, 1-5

Technical support, 8-2 Tools required

disassembly, 3-2

Index-3

Regulatory Statements

The following regulatory statements include the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Radio Frequency Interference Statement, compliance statements for Canada and Europe, and battery disposal and replacement information.

FCC Statement for United States Only

Changes or modifications to this unit not expressly approved by the party responsible for compliance could void the user’s authority to operate the equipment.

Note This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications.

However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures.

! Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.

! Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.

! Connect the equipment to an outlet on a circuit different from the one to which the

receiver is connected.

! Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.

Canadian Department of Communications Compliance Statement

This Class B digital apparatus meets all requirements of the Canadian Interference-Causing Equipment Regulations (pursuant to ICES-003 Issue 2, Revision 1).

Avis de conformité aux normes du ministere des communications du Canada

Cet equipment numérique de la Classe B respecte toutes les exigences du Reglement sur le matérial brouillage du Canada (en conformité avec ICES-003 Emission 2, Révision 1).

European Community Directive Conformance Statement

This product is in conformity with the protection requirements of EC Council Directive 89/336/EEC on the approximation of laws of the Member States relating to electromagnetic compatibility. This product satisfied the Class B limits of EN55022.

Regulatory Statements 1

Battery Replacement

A lithium battery maintains system configuration information. In the event that the battery fails to maintain system configuration information, NEC Computers recommends that you replace the battery. For battery replacement information, see Chapter 3 in this manual.

There is a danger of explosion if the battery is incorrectly replaced. Replace only with the same or equivalent type recommended by the manufacturer. Discard used batteries according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

incorrect de la batterie. Remplacer uniquement avec une batterie du même type ou d’un type recommandé par le constructeur. Mettre au rébut les batteries usagées conformément aux instructions du fabricant.

Battery Disposal

The secondary battery is made of Lithium Ion (Li-Ion) and the CMOS battery is made of Lithium.

Contact your local waste management officials for other information regarding the environmentally sound collection, recycling, and disposal of the batteries.

Mini PCI FCC Registration Numbers

If the system has a built-in Mini PCI modem, the FCC registration number of the system is H8NTAI-34309-M5-E REN 0.4A. If the system has a built-in Mini PCI modem/LAN, the FCC registration number of the system is 2U6MLA-34036-M5-E REN 0.5A.

Il y a danger d’explosion s’il y a replacement

2 Regulatory Statements

NEC Computers Inc. 15 Business Park Way Sacramento, CA 95828

819-200725-000

8/2001

*819-200725-000*

NEC VERSA UltraLite, DayLite, Versa DayLite Service And Reference Manual

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual