Nec VERSA 5060X, VERSA 5060 SERVICE MANUAL

PROPRIETARY NOTICE AND LIABILITY DISCLAIMER

The information disclosed in this document, including all designs and related materials, is the valuable property of NEC Computer Systems Division, Packard Bell NEC, Inc. (NECCSD, PBNEC) and/or its licensors. NECCSD 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 NECCSD 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 NECCSD.

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 NECCSD is prohibited.

NEC is a registered trademark, Versa is a U.S. registered trademark, MiniDock, VersaBay, VersaGlide, and PortBar are trademarks, and UltraCare is a U.S. registered service mark of NEC Corporation, used under license.

FaxFlash is a service mark of NEC Computer Systems Division (NECCSD), Packard Bell NEC, Inc.

All other product, brand, or trade names used in this publication are the property of their respective owners.

First Printing — October 1997

Copyright 1997

NEC Computer Systems Division, Packard Bell NEC, Inc.

1414 Massachusetts Avenue

Boxborough, MA 01719

All Rights Reserved

xi

Preface

This service and reference manual contains the technical information necessary to set up and maintain the NEC Versa® 5060 and 5060X notebook computer.

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:

Section 1 ¾ Technical Information, provides an overview of the hardware and interface components. System specifications are listed including computer dimensions, weight, environment, safety compliance, power consumption, and system memory specifications.

Section 2 ¾ Setup and Operation, takes the authorized service technician or dealer from unpacking to setup and operation. The section includes a description of operating controls, setting parameters and accessing the NECCSD bulletin board system (BBS).

Section 3 ¾ Troubleshooting, lists troubleshooting procedures as well as helpful servicing hints.

Section 4 ¾ Field Service Guidelines, provides disassembly and assembly procedures, and an exploded-view diagram of the NEC Versa system with part numbers.

Appendix A ¾ Connector Locations and Pin Assignments, provides a list of the main board internal connector pin assignments and a list of external pin assignments.

Appendix B ¾ Video Modes, lists NEC Versa supported video modes.

An Index is included for convenience.

xiii

Abbreviations

A	ampere
AC	alternating current
ACPI	advanced control power
	interface
APM	advanced power management
AT	advanced technology
	(IBM PC)
BBS	Bulletin Board System
BCD	binary-coded decimal
BCU	BIOS Customized Utility
BIOS	basic input/output system
bit	binary digit
bpi	bits per inch
bps	bits per second
BUD	BIOS Upgrade Diskette
C	Celsius or centigrade
Cache	high-speed buffer storage
CAM	constantly addressable memory
CAS	column address strobe
CCFT	cold cathode fluorescent tube
CD-ROM	compact disk ROM
CGA	Color Graphics Adapter
CGB	Color Graphics Board
CH	channel
clk	clock
cm	centimeter
CMOS	complementary metal oxide
	semiconductor
codec	compressor/decompressor
COM	communication
CONT	contrast
CPGA	ceramic pin grid array
CPU	central processing unit
CRT	cathode-ray tube
DAC	digital-to-analog converter
DACK	DMA acknowledge

DC	direct current
DIMM	dual-inline memory module
DIP	dual in-line package
DLAB	Divisor Latch Address bit
DMA	direct memory access
DMAC	DMA controller
DOS	disk operating system
DRAM	dynamic RAM
DTE	data terminal equipment
ECC	error checking and correction
ECP	extended capabilities port
EDO	enhanced date out
EDS	error detecting system
EGA	Enhanced Graphics Adapter
EMS	Expanded Memory
	Specification
EPP	enhanced parallel port
EPROM	erasable and programmable
	ROM
EVGA	Enhanced Video Graphics
	Array
F	Fahrenheit
FAX	facsimile transmission
FCC	Federal Communications
	Commission
FDD	floppy disk drive
FG	frame ground
FIR	fast infrared
FM	frequency modulation
Fn	Function
FPU	floating-point unit
FRU	field-replaceable unit
GB	gigabyte
GND	ground
GUI	graphical user interface
HDD	hard disk drive

xiv Abbreviations

HEX	hexadecimal
HGA	Hercules Graphics Adapter
Hz	hertz
IC	integrated circuit
ID	identification
IDE	intelligent device electronics
IDTR	interrupt descriptor table
	register
IMR	Interrupt Mask 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
kV	kilovolt
lb	pound
LCD	liquid crystal display
LDTR	local descriptor table register
LED	light-emitting diode
LSB	least-significant bit
LSI	large-scale integration
LVDS	low voltage differential
	signaling
M	mega
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
NDP	numeric data processor
NMI	Non-maskable Interrupt
ns	nanosecond
NSRC	National Service Response
	Center
NTFS	NT file allocation
PAL	programmable array logic
PC	personal computer
PCB	printed circuit board
PCI	peripheral component
	interconnect
PFP	plastic flat package
PIO	parallel input/output
pixel	picture element
PJQFP	plastic J-lead quad flat pack
PLCC	plastic lead chip carrier
PLL	phase lock loop
p-p	peak-to-peak
PnP	Plug and Play
PPI	programmable peripheral
	interface
PROM	programmable ROM
QFP	quad flat pack
RAM	random-access memory
RAMDAC	RAM digital-to-analog
RAS	row address strobe
RGB	red green blue
RGBI	red green blue intensity
ROM	read-only memory

Abbreviations xv

rpm	revolutions per minute
R	read
RTC	real-time clock
R/W	read/write
S	slave
SCSI	Small Computer System
	Interface
SDLC	Synchronous Data Link
	Control
SG	signal ground
SIMM	single inline memory module
SIR	serial infrared
SOIC	small outline integrated circuit
SQFP	silver quad flat package
SVGA	Super Video Graphics Array
SW	switch
TCP	thin chip package
TFT	thin film transistor
TQFP	thin-quad flat package
TSC	Technical Support Center
TTL	transistor/transistor logic
tpi	tracks per inch
UART	universal asynchronous
	receiver/transmitter
USB	Universal Serial Bus
V	volt
Vdc	volts, direct current
VESA	Video Electronics Standards
	Association
VFO	variable frequency oscillator
VGA	Video Graphics Array
VLSI	very large-scale integration
VRAM	virtual RAM
W	watt
μf	microfarad
μPD	microprocessor
μs	microsecond

Ωohm

	iii
Contents
Preface.........................................................................................................................	xi
Abbreviation ................................................................................................................	xiii
Section 1 Technical Information
Hardware Overview—Front.........................................................................................	1-2
Liquid Crystal Display (LCD)................................................................................	1-3
Power Button and Status LEDs.............................................................................	1-4
Keyboard ..............................................................................................................	1-6
NEC VersaGlide ...................................................................................................	1-6
UltraSlim VersaBay ..............................................................................................	1-7
Hardware Overview—Sides of the system....................................................................	1-7
Around the Bottom of the System.........................................................................	1-9
Around the Back of the System.............................................................................	1-10
Hardware Overview—Internal Components .................................................................	1-11
Battery Pack .........................................................................................................	1-11
Hard Disk Drive....................................................................................................	1-12
Diskette Drive.......................................................................................................	1-12
20X CD-ROM Reader ..........................................................................................	1-12
CPU Board ...........................................................................................................	1-12
Audio Board .........................................................................................................	1-12
Main Board...........................................................................................................	1-12
Bridge Battery ......................................................................................................	1-13
System Memory...........................................................................................................	1-13
Memory Map ........................................................................................................	1-13
System Video...............................................................................................................	1-14
Parallel Interface ..........................................................................................................	1-14
Serial Interface.............................................................................................................	1-14
NEC Versa Chip Set ....................................................................................................	1-15
Intel Pentium P55CLM Microprocessor ................................................................	1-15
FireStar System Controllers ..................................................................................	1-15
USB Controllers ...................................................................................................	1-15
256K X Flash ROM ..............................................................................................	1-16
ROM BIOS....................................................................................................	1-16
VGA Controller ....................................................................................................	1-16
Parallel Interface ...................................................................................................	1-17

iv Contents

Keyboard Controller .............................................................................................	1-17
PC CardBus Controller .........................................................................................	1-17
Sound Integrated Circuit .......................................................................................	1-17
Interrupt Controllers .............................................................................................	1-18
Power Management Overview .....................................................................................	1-19
System Power Management ..................................................................................	1-20
Local Power Management.....................................................................................	1-20
Plug and Play...............................................................................................................	1-21
Specifications...............................................................................................................	1-22
Section 2 Setup and Operation
Unpacking the System..................................................................................................	2-1
Hardware Setup ...........................................................................................................	2-1
Cable Connections ................................................................................................	2-3
Power Sources.............................................................................................................	2-4
Using the AC Adapter...........................................................................................	2-4
Using the Main Battery Pack.................................................................................	2-5
Checking Battery Power Levels......................................................................	2-5
What to Do When Battery Power Gets Low...................................................	2-5
When to Change the Battery ..........................................................................	2-5
Battery Handling ............................................................................................	2-6
Replacing the Battery Pack ...................................................................................	2-7
Battery Precautions ........................................................................................	2-10
Recharging Battery Precautions......................................................................	2-11
Extending Battery Life ..........................................................................................	2-11
Operating Controls ......................................................................................................	2-12
Power Button and Status LEDs......................................................................	2-12
Function Keys (Fn Keys).......................................................................................	2-14
Smart Power Switch .............................................................................................	2-15
Power-on Self-Test (POST).........................................................................................	2-16
POST Errors.........................................................................................................	2-17
Setup Utility ................................................................................................................	2-18
Accessing Setup....................................................................................................	2-19
With an Error at POST ..................................................................................	2-19
With No Errors at POST................................................................................	2-19
Setup Utility Main Menu.......................................................................................	2-19
How to Use Setup..........................................................................................	2-19

	Contents v
Looking at Screens ........................................................................................	2-20
Using Keys.....................................................................................................	2-20
Checking/Setting System Parameters..............................................................	2-21
Setup Menus.........................................................................................................	2-25
Main ..............................................................................................................	2-25
Advanced.......................................................................................................	2-25
Security .........................................................................................................	2-26
Power Savings ...............................................................................................	2-28
Exit................................................................................................................	2-29
Using Power Management ....................................................................................	2-29
Power Saving Modes .....................................................................................	2-29
Power Management Settings ..........................................................................	2-30
Section 3 Troubleshooting
Quick Troubleshooting ................................................................................................	3-1
Helpful Questions ........................................................................................................	3-4
Section 4 Field Service Guidelines
Preventive Maintenance ...............................................................................................	4-1
Cleaning the Notebook Exterior ............................................................................	4-1
Cleaning the Notebook Interior .............................................................................	4-2
Protecting the Disk Drives ....................................................................................	4-2
Handling the Battery Pack.....................................................................................	4-3
Maintaining the LCD Quality ................................................................................	4-3
Disassembly and Reassembly........................................................................................	4-3
Required Tools and Equipment .............................................................................	4-4
Battery Pack .........................................................................................................	4-5
UltraSlim VersaBay ..............................................................................................	4-5
Removing the Hard Disk Drive .............................................................................	4-8
Keyboard ..............................................................................................................	4-10
LCD and Top Cover Assembly.............................................................................	4-10
Hinge covers ..................................................................................................	4-10
Bottom Assembly..................................................................................................	4-11
Illustrated Parts Breakdown .........................................................................................	4-12
Service Information......................................................................................................	4-16
Technical Support ........................................................................................................	4-16
Product Information.....................................................................................................	4-17

vi Contents

Ordering Information from Faxflash .............................................................................

4-17

Appendix A Connector Locations and Pin Assignments

Appendix B Video Modes

Index
List of Figures
1-1	NEC Versa 5000 Notebook ...........................................................................	1-1
1-2	Location of Controls on the Front of the NEC Versa 5000 .............................	1-2
1-3	LCD Status Bar and Button Locations ...........................................................	1-4
1-4	Keyboard Layout ...........................................................................................	1-6
1-5	VersaGlide Location ......................................................................................	1-7
1-6	Left Side Features ..........................................................................................	1-8
1-7	Bottom of the System ....................................................................................	1-9
1-8	Back system features......................................................................................	1-9
2-1	Connecting the AC Adapter ...........................................................................	2-1
2-2	Power and I/O Connector Locations ..............................................................	2-3
2-3	NEC Versa AC Adapter.................................................................................	2-4
2-4	Batter Release Latches ...................................................................................	2-7
2-5	Sliding the Battery Release Latches ................................................................	2-8
2-6	Removing the Battery Pack ............................................................................	2-8
2-7	Installing the Battery Pack..............................................................................	2-9
2-8	Replacing the Latch........................................................................................	2-10
2-9	Power Button and Status LED Location ........................................................	2-12
2-10	Setup Main Menu...........................................................................................	2-19
2-11	Password Override Switch .............................................................................	2-27
4-1	Releasing the Battery Pack .............................................................................	4-5
4-2	Release Lever Cover ......................................................................................	4-6
4-3	Opening the Cover .........................................................................................	4-6
4-4	Pressing the Release Lever .............................................................................	4-7
4-5	Removing the Device .....................................................................................	4-7
4-6	Releasing the Spacer ......................................................................................	4-8

Contents vii

4-7	Sliding the Drive Towards the Spacer.............................................................	4-9
4-8	Removing the Hard Drive...............................................................................	4-9
4-9	Top Cover Subassembly.................................................................................	4-11
4-10	NEC Versa Model 5000 Illustrated Parts Breakdown.....................................	4-15
A-1	CPU Board Layout ........................................................................................	A-1
A-2	I/O Board Layout...........................................................................................	A-2
List of Tables
1-1	Model Configurations ....................................................................................	1-2
1-2	Memory Map .................................................................................................	1-13
1-3	NEC Versa Series Chip Types and Technologies ............................................	1-15
1-4	Interrupt Controllers ......................................................................................	1-18
1-5	Automatic Power-Saving Features .................................................................	1-19
1-6	Maximum Performance Default Settings.........................................................	1-21
1-7	Specifications.................................................................................................	1-22
2-1	I/O Connector Descriptions............................................................................	2-3
2-2	Control and Switch Functions ........................................................................	2-12
2-3	Fn Key Operations .........................................................................................	2-14
2-4	POST Error Messages....................................................................................	2-17
2-5	Setup Key Functions ......................................................................................	2-20
2-6	Setup Parameters ...........................................................................................	2-21
2-7	Automatic Power-Saving Features .................................................................	2-30
3-1	Quick Troubleshooting...................................................................................	3-1
4-1	NEC Versa 5000 Series Disassembly Sequence ..............................................	4-4
4-2	Top Cover Components .................................................................................	4-12
4-3	NEC Versa 5000 Series Field-Replaceable Parts.............................................	4-13
4-4	NEC Service and Information Telephone Numbers.........................................	4-16
A-1	CPU Board Connectors..................................................................................	A-2
A-2	Top Cover Subassembly.................................................................................	A-3
A-3	Keyboard/Mouse Connectors .........................................................................	A-3
A-4	Serial Port Connector Pin Assignments ..........................................................	A-3
A-5	CRT Connector Pin Assignments ...................................................................	A-4

viii Contents

A-6	Parallel Printer Pin Assignments .....................................................................	A-4
A-7	Power Connector ...........................................................................................	A-5
A-8	Hard Disk Drive Connector............................................................................	A-5
B-1	LCD Display Mode Setting (800x600 TFT Color LCD and
	Simultaneous CRT Display) .......................................................................	B-1
B-2	LCD Display Mode Setting (800x600 TFT Color LCD and
	Simultaneous CRT Display) .......................................................................	B-3
B-3	Panning Video Mode (800x600 TFT Color LCD and Simultaneous
	CRT Display) ..............................................................................................	B-4

Section 1

Technical Information

The NEC Versa 5000 Series notebook computer is lightweight, compact, and fully IBM compatible.

NOTE This service manual covers only the NEC Versa 5060 and 5060X models. All figures in this manual reflect these models.

Figure 1-1 NEC Versa 5000 Series Notebook

This section of the manual provides system configuration information, including an overview of hardware and interface components. See the following table for a system-specific breakdown of the hardware.

1-2 Technical Information

Table 1-1 Model Configurations

Feature	NEC Versa 5060	NEC Versa 5060X
CPU	Intel Pentium® with	Intel Pentium® with
	MMX technology	MMX technology
	P55CLM/166 MHz	P55CLM/166 MHz
On-Board DRAM	16-MB	16-MB + 16-MB
		installed in slot
Video Memory	2-MB	2-MB
Hard Disk Drive	1.6 GB	2.1 or 3.2 GB
CD-ROM Reader	20X CD ROM Reader	20X CD ROM Reader
Color LCD	12.1” Super VGA	13.3” Extended
	(SVGA),TFT Color	Graphics Array
	Display	(XGA),TFT Color
		Display

HARDWARE OVERVIEW—FRONT

Take a moment to become familiar with the location and function of controls located on the front of the system.

Figure 1-2 Location of Controls on the Front of the NEC Versa 5000

Technical Information	1-3

Liquid Crystal Display (LCD)

The LCD operates with the NeoMagic NM2160 controller. The controller supports XGA and SVGA, uses a 64-bit accelerator with a Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) interface. The LCD also supports VESA timing.

The NEC Versa 5060 LCD features the following:

T12.1-inch Super Video Graphics Array (SVGA) TFT high-resolution active matrix SVGA color display

T0.3075 mm dot pitch

T18-bit digital interface

T800 x 600 resolution

T65,536 colors.

The NEC Versa 5060X LCD features the following:

T13.3-inch Extended Graphics Array (XGA) TFT high-resolution active matrix XGA color display

T0.264 mm dot pitch

T18-bit digital interface with LVDS

T1024 x 768 resolution

T65,536 colors.

Additional LCD panel features:

Power LED that indicates the current power status. This LED is visible with the LCD panel opened or closed.

Another video feature includes a CRT port on the system's rear panel that allows the user to connect an optional monochrome or color external display to the system. The computer can support the LCD and external display simultaneously.

Power-saving features for controlling the LCD's backlighting include the ROM-based hot key combination Fn F5, and Auto Setup power management settings. See Section 2, Setup and Operation, for information on using these settings. In addition, the automatic LCD status feature conserves the backlight.

1-4 Technical Information

Power Button and Status LEDs

NEC Versa provides a Power button and LEDs to track system status. Descriptions of these features follow the figure.

Figure 1-3 LCD Status Bar and Button Locations

TPower Button — The Power button is located on the chassis just below the LCD. It turns NEC Versa 5000 power on and off. Press the button to turn power on; press it again to turn power off.

¾When power is on, the Power LED to the right of the Power button lights. (The Power LED is the left-most LED in the row of LEDs.) See “Setup Parameters” in Section 2 for information about defining this button as a Suspend/Resume button.

¾If your system is in Suspend mode or has gone into Save to Disk mode, pressing the Power button puts the system in Operation mode.

NOTE After turning off the system, wait 5 seconds before turning it back on. This gives system components a chance to power down properly.

Technical Information	1-5

TThe Battery/Charging Status LED is located on the right-hand LCD hinge and lights to indicate the following:

¾Green – the battery is fully charged and the system is connected to AC power.

¾Amber – the battery is recharging.

¾Off – the AC adapter is disconnected or the battery is not installed.

TA bank of status LEDs is located on the chassis at the top of the keyboard to the right of the Power button. These LEDs are identified by icons and include the following (described from left to right):

¾The Power LED lights in the following sequence to indicate system operation status.

–lights green when running on AC power.

–blinks green when the system is in Suspend mode.

–lights amber when running on battery power with

a charged battery.

The Power LED also warns you about a low battery state. The system emits a beep and the Power LED behaves as follows:

–blinks amber when battery power is low.

–flashes amber when battery power is extremely low.

The Power LED remains unlit under the following conditions:

–if the system is not connected to AC power and the battery is not charged or installed.

–the system is not powered on.

–the system is in Save to Disk mode.

¾Hard Disk Drive – Lights when the NEC Versa 5000 writes data to or retrieves data from the hard disk drive.

¾CD-ROM Reader – Lights when data is read from a compact disc in the CD-ROM drive.

¾Diskette Drive – Lights when data is written to or retrieved from the 3.5-inch diskette drive.

¾Caps Lock – Lights when Caps Lock is on.

¾Num Lock – Lights when Num Lock mode is active.

1-6 Technical Information

¾Scroll Lock – Lights when the Scroll Lock is on.

Keyboard

The built-in, 85-key keyboard (U.S.) or 79-key keyboard (UK and Germany) uses the standard QWERTY format. The keyboard provides 12 function keys and 7 cursor control keys, with an Fn key for ROM-based key functions. The numeric keypad is embedded in the standard key layout.

Figure 1-4 Keyboard Layout

NEC VersaGlide

The NEC VersaGlide is a built-in mechanism that functions as the system’s mouse. It controls the on-screen pointer (cursor). To use the VersaGlide, move your finger across the NEC VersaGlide pad, and the cursor follows. The buttons below the NEC VersaGlide allow the user to select or deselect menu items. Tap and double-tap are supported on the VersaGlide pad.

Technical Information	1-7

Figure 1-5 VersaGlide Location

UltraSlim VersaBay

A standard 1.44-MB diskette drive comes installed in the UltraSlim VersaBay slot on the front of the computer. The UltraSlim VersaBay expansion slot lets the user replace the standard diskette drive with the 20X CD-ROM reader that also ships with the system. In addition to the CD-ROM reader, the UltraSlim VersaBay accepts NEC options including a Weight Saving Module.

HARDWARE OVERVIEW—SIDES OF THE SYSTEM

Your NEC Versa 5000 comes with many features on the left side of the system. The right side of the system features a port for securing the PortBar and air vents. Keep the air vents clear to allow for proper air circulation.

! CAUTION

Do not block the air vents. Doing so can damage the system by causing it to overheat.

1-8 Technical Information

The features found on the left side of the system are shown in the following figure. Descriptions follow the figure.

Figure 1-6 Left side features

TPC Card Release Buttons — Press the Release button when you want to remove an installed PC card.

TAudio Ports — Use these ports to attach your external audio options, including the following:

¾Microphone — Connects to an external microphone for monophonic recording or amplification through the unit. Plugging in an external microphone disables the built-in microphone.

¾Stereo Line In — Lets you use another audio system, like a home stereo, as an input source. Use a cable to connect to the Line-Out port on the other audio system to record or play.

¾Headphones — Lets you plug in stereo headphones or powered speakers.

TVolume Control Dial — Turn the volume control dial clockwise to increase speaker volume, or counter-clockwise to decrease speaker volume.

TKensington Lock Port — Use this port for added security by attaching a Kensington Lock.

TEmergency Reset Switch — This recessed switch lets you restart your system. Use a pointed object, like a straightened paper clip, to push in the Reset switch. Do not use a pen or pencil to push the reset switch. Use this button only if your system locks up, fails to respond to keystrokes, or fails to respond to the power button.

TPC Card Slots — Two PC card slots let you insert one or two Type II PC cards, or one Type III PC card.

Technical Information	1-9

TPortBar Port — Use these ports to secure the PortBar. A matching PortBar port is located on the right side of the system. Two others are located on the back.

Around the Bottom of the System

The bottom of the NEC Versa 5000 is the location of the system’s memory module sockets, password override switch, battery pack release latches, VersaBay release lever and hard disk drive bay, as described next.

Figure 1-7 Bottom of the system

TPassword Override Switch — This recessed switch removes any settings that you made in the Setup utility, including your system password.

To remove your password, power on your system. Use a pointed object, such as a straightened paper clip, to push in the switch. Power off, and then power on to restart your computer. Go into the Setup utility and set a new password. Reset any other system settings that you may have changed.

TVersaBay Release Lever Cover — Open the release lever cover to access the VersaBay Release Lever. Pushing the lever towards the front of the system releases the device currently installed in the VersaBay.

1-10 Technical Information

NOTE Opening the VersaBay Release Lever Cover immediately puts the system into Suspend mode. After installing the VersaBay device, press the Power button to resume the system from Suspend.

TBattery Pack — A Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion) rechargeable battery pack comes installed in this bay on the bottom of the NEC Versa.

TBattery Release Latches — Lets you remove the battery pack installed in the battery bay.

TMemory Expansion Bay Cover — Pop open the protective cover to access two RAM expansion sockets for small outline double inline memory modules (SO-DIMM).

THard Disk Drive — A removable hard disk drive ships standard with your system and is located on the bottom of the unit. Depending on your configuration, this bay contains a 1.6-, 2- or 3-gigabyte (GB) hard disk drive. (Chapter 4 describes how to remove this drive.)

The drive letter assigned to 1.6-GB and 2-GB hard drives is C:. If your system ships with a 3-GB drive, it is partitioned into two drives. Drive letters are C: and D:.

Around the Back of the System

System ports for connecting your NEC Versa 5000 to optional devices (like a printer or external monitor) are located on the back of the system. For an understanding of each feature, see the descriptions that follow the figure.

Figure 1-8 Back system features

Technical Information 1-11

TKeyboard/Mouse Port — Use the standard PS/2 port to connect an external PS/2-style mouse or a PS/2-style keyboard to the system.

TSupport Feet — Slide the two support feet down from the back of the unit to tilt your system forward for more comfortable keyboard access.

TInfrared (IR) Port — Use this port to transfer files between your NEC Versa and an IR-equipped desktop or notebook computer. You can also print to an IR-equipped printer without using cables.

TExpansion Port — Use this 120-pin port to connect to the NEC PortBar 5000.

TMonitor (Video) Port — Use this 15-pin port to attach an external monitor to your NEC Versa 5000. You can run the LCD display and the external monitor simultaneously or run either alone.

TUSB Port — Use this port to connect a USB device or devices to your NEC Versa system.

TPortBar Ports — Use these ports to secure the optional PortBar. PortBar ports are located on the back and sides of the system at each end.

TExternal Diskette Drive Connector — Connect the External Diskette Drive cable that came with your system to this port. Using the FDD connector frees up the VersaBay for installing the 20X CD-ROM reader.

TParallel Port — Use this 25-pin port to connect a parallel printer or other parallel device. This port provides ECP mode support. The ECP standard provides you with a greater transfer speed than the conventional parallel port. It also supports bi-directional and uni-directional protocols.

TSerial Port — Use this 9-pin port to connect an external modem or other serial device.

TAC Power Port — Lets you attach the NEC Versa 5000 to the AC power source using the AC adapter that comes with your system. Keep the system connected to AC power whenever possible to keep the battery pack and internal CMOS battery charged.

HARDWARE OVERVIEW—INTERNAL COMPONENTS

Review the following sections for a description of the system’s internal hardware.

Battery Pack

The system uses a rechargeable Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion) battery as its transient power source. The battery pack installs in the compartment next to the UltraSlim VersaBay on the bottom of the NEC Versa.

1-12 Technical Information

Hard Disk Drive

A standard 2.5-inch 1.6-GB 9.5 mm, 2.1-GB 12.7 mm or 3.2-GB 12.7 mm hard disk drive ships with the system.

Diskette Drive

The interchangeable 3.5-inch 1.44 MB diskette drive installs in the front of the system in the UltraSlim VersaBay slot.

20X CD-ROM Reader

A 20X CD-ROM reader ships with the NEC Versa 5000. The interchangeable twentyspeed CD-ROM reader features the latest in CD-ROM technology. It installs in the front of the system in the UltraSlim VersaBay slot.

CPU Board

The CPU board is located between the Main board and Fan/Heat Sink assembly. The CPU board is part of a subassembly, which includes a heat sink, fan and the CPU board.

Audio Board

The audio board provides the NEC Versa system with its audio capabilities via line-in/line- out jacks, and headphone/microphone jacks. It is situated on top of the main board. Audio board integrates the following features:

¾ESS Technology Plug and Play support

¾ES1869A

¾Integrated Music Synthesis, ESFM™ and Stereo Digital to Analog Converter (DAC) FM Synthesizer

¾16 bit Stereo CODEC

¾4.0KHz to 44.1KHz Sampling Rate

¾7 Channel Mixer.

Main Board

The system Main board contains peripheral subsystems including serial, parallel and video ports, and CPU. It is located underneath the keyboard. Refer to Appendix A for a list of connectors.

Technical Information 1-13

Bridge Battery

The bridge battery saves the memory contents and system status for up to 5 minutes while in Suspend mode. It is connected to the Audio board via connector P11. The AC adapter maintains voltage in the bridge battery when the system is powered on or off. The bridge battery stores 3.6 Volts, 70 mAH.

SYSTEM MEMORY

The CPU board provides 16 MB (3.3 V SO-DIMM) of standard RAM.

Optional SO-DIMMs with a value of 16-MB, 32-MB and 64 MB can be added to increase system memory Versa 5060/5060X: Maximum 80-MB, Versa 5080/5080X: Maximum 144-MB.

In addition, 256-KB of read-only memory (ROM), 1 x 28F020, enables the system BIOS to be flashed.

The system provides 2 MB of video RAM (50-ns HyperPage mode, self-refresh).

The following Cache RAM is provided:

L1: 32 KB (Internal Pentium)

L2: 256 KB write back (External).

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. Table 1-2 lists the system's memory map.

		Table 1-2 Memory Map
Memory Space		Size	Function
0000000h-009FFFFh		640 KB	DOS Applications & Optional Memory
			Space Gap
00A0000h-00B7FFFh		96 KB	Video (VGA) Graphics Memory
00B8000h-00BFFFFh		32 KB	Text Mode Memory (SMM Space)
00C0000h-00C7FFFh		40 KB	Video (VGA) BIOS
00C8000h-00D7FFFh		128 KB	PCMCIA Window and USB (Extended
			Memory or Upper Memory Block)
00D8000h-00DFFFFh		32 KB	Boot Block Code CMOS Save Area
00E0000h-000FFFFFh		64 KB	System BIOS ROM
To	-00FFFFFFh	16 MB	Total Base Memory
To	-FFFEFFFFh	80 MB	Total Expansion Memory

1-14 Technical Information

SYSTEM VIDEO

The system's LCD operates using the NeoMagic NM2160 Controller. Video signals travel from the controller through the system's 15-pin D-SUB connector using 3.3/5 volts.

System video integrates a PCI-bus interface. The system ships with 2 MB Video RAM (VRAM). It supports video modes up to 1024 x 768 with 64K colors in LCD mode.

See Appendix B for a list of Video modes.

PARALLEL INTERFACE

The system' s parallel interface integrates National Semiconductor’s PC87338 chip with a 25-pin D-subconnector. The port is located on the system's rear panel.

The modes of operation available for a PC87338 chip are:

Tcompatibility mode

Tnibble mode

Tbyte mode

TExtended Capabilities Port (ECP)

The user selects between three parallel interface modes using Auto Setup. These include unidirectional, bidirectional, extended or enhanced. Unidirectional mode sends data output from the standard ISA port only. Bidirectional mode sends data using the standard ISA port or PS/2 technology. Enhanced mode enables high speed data transmission to occur using either the unidirectional or bidirectional modes.

The default parallel port address is 378h and the interrupt level is IRQ07. Pin locations for the parallel interface are listed in Appendix A.

SERIAL INTERFACE

The RS-232C serial port is a 9-pin connector on the system’s rear panel. The serial port consists of a 16550A and 16450 compatible serial port controller with a programmable baud rate up to 115,200 bps. The serial port connects an RS-232C device or an external modem. The default serial port address is 3F8h and the interrupt level is IRQ04.

Technical Information 1-15

NEC VERSA CHIP SET

Refer to Table 1-3 for a quick summary of chip types used in the system. See the Abbreviations section at the beginning of this manual for a translation of chip technologies.

Table 1-3 NEC Versa Series Chip Types and Technologies

Chip	Manufacturer	Description	Technology
Intel Pentium	Intel	166 MHz CPU	320-pin TCP
P55CTT80503
82C700(FireStar)	Opti	FireStar System Controller	432--pin BGA
82C861(FireLink)	Opti	USB Controller	100-pin TQFP
N28F002BC-90	Intel	256k x 8 Flash ROM	32-pin PLCC
NM2160	NeoMagic	VGA Controller	208-pin FQFP
PC97338	National	Diskette Controller, IDE,	100-pin TQFP
	Semiconductor	Parallel Interface
H8/3434	Hitachi	Keyboard Controller	64-pin TQFP
PCI1131	Texas Instruments	PC Card Controller	208-pin QFP
ES1869	ESS Technologies	Sound Controller	100-pin PQFP

Intel Pentium P55CLM Microprocessor

The 166 MHz Intel Pentium microprocessors with MMX technology used in the NEC Versa Series computer is built on Intel’s advanced 2.5V BiCMOS silicon technology. The CPU has on-chip dual-processing, a local multiprocessor interrupt controller, and power management features. NEC adopted the chip specifically for its pipelined Floating Point Unit (FPU), and local interrupt management.

FireStar System Controllers

NEC implements Opti’s 64-bit single chip controller (82C700) for the NEC Versa 5000 Series notebook’s subsystems including the DRAM controller, Second Level Cache Controller and PCI Bus interface. The FireStar PCI set features include:

T3.3V EDO DIMM (70-ns) support

Tdirect mapped organization write-back policy

Tfully synchronous 33 MHz PCI bus interface.

USB Controller

The Opti 82C861 FireStar chip is a PCI USB controller. The controller based on Open HCI standard and supports hot plug in and unplug.

1-16 Technical Information

The chip features include:

TUSB Specification Rev 1.0

TOpen HCI Specification Rev 1.0a.

256K X Flash ROM

The N28F002BC-90 flash ROM is a 32-pin, plastic lead chip carrier (PLCC). The chip allows easy updates to the system's BIOS if needed. More specifically, the ROM is flashed electronically, installing the latest BIOS revisions to the system. It is possible to reprogram the BIOS up to 100,000 times. See Section 2, Setup and Operation, for BIOS update procedures.

The N28F002BC-90 provides the system upgrade capability as well as the following:

T256 KB memory

TQuick-Pulse Programming Algorithm

T150 nanoseconds (ns) maximum access time

TETOX Nonvolatile flash technology

TCMOS low power consumption

ROM BIOS

The system uses a Flash ROM known as the system's ROM BIOS to store machine language programs. The BIOS size is 256 KB, consisting of the system utility (for PC cards, Auto Setup), system BIOS, video BIOS, and power management.

The BIOS programs execute the power-on self-test (POST), initialize CPU controllers, and interact with the LCD indicator panel, diskette drive, hard drive, communication devices and peripherals. The system BIOS also contains Auto Setup and provides VGA controller support. The ROM BIOS is copied into RAM (shadowing) for optimum performance.

The ROM BIOS contains both the system and video BIOS. The system BIOS is located in the upper portion of the device; video BIOS is located in the lower portion. System BIOS is located between 00F0000h-000FFFFFh.

The BIOS often changes after the product release to provide enhanced features or bug fixes. To acquire the latest BIOS release, the ROM is flashed electronically allowing the BIOS update to occur without removing the ROM. See Section 2, Setup and Operation, for BIOS upgrade procedures.

Technical Information 1-17

VGA Controller

The NeoMagic NM2160 is a PCI 128-bit Graphics Accelerator. The integrated programmable linear address feature accelerates the graphics user interface (GUI) performance. The controller also supports Hardware Multimedia and VESA interface standards. The controller provides advanced power management that helps to minimize power usage in the following modes:

Tnormal operation

TStandby (sleep) mode

Tpanel off power saving modes.

Parallel Interface

The PC87338VJG chip is a 100-pin Thin Quad Flat Plastic (TQFP) chip. The controller changes 8-bit parallel data into serial data and writes the data to the diskette. Conversely, the serial data is transmitted from the diskette into parallel data, where it remains until the read operation takes place.

TAdditional PC87338VJG chip operations include:

TISA compatibility

Tlow-power CMOS with enhanced power-down mode

Keyboard Controller

The keyboard controller (H8/3434) supports a PS/2-style keyboard and, mouse. Refer to Appendix A for keyboard interface connector pin assignments.

When data is written to the output buffer, the controller generates an interrupt, and requests the CPU to receive the data. The controller automatically adds an even parity bit to the data sent and waits for a response. The device must acknowledge that the data was successfully received by sending a response to the controller for each byte of data received.

PC CardBus Controller

The Texas Instruments PCI1131 controller interfaces with the PCI bus, PC CardBus socket and configuration registers to provide:

Tcompliant with PCI 2.1 and 1995 PC card standards

TCardBus slots with hot insertion and removal

Tindependent Read and Write buffers for each direction

Tburst transfers to maximize data throughput on the PCI CardBus bus.

1-18 Technical Information

Sound Integrated Circuit

The ESS Technologies chip set ES1869A provides dynamic audio circuitry with the following:

TAudio digital processor

TPlug and Play support

THigh-performance 16-bit Stereo Codec

TFull-duplex operation for simultaneous record and playback

TAnalog joystick quad timer and digital joystick support.

Interrupt Controllers

Using interrupts, it is possible to change the system’s code sequence. To change the sequence, reassign the interrupt-levels. Fifteen interrupts can be used with a cascade connection of two 82C59 interrupt controllers.

Interrupt-level assignments 0 through 15 are listed in Table 1-4, in order of decreasing priority.

Table 1-4 Interrupt Controllers

Channel	Device
IRQ00	System Timer
IRQ01	Keyboard
IRQ02	Second Interrupt Controller
IRQ03	COM2 (internal IR port)
IRQ04	COM1 (internal serial port)
IRQ05	Sound Chip, MIDI (default)
IRQ06	Floppy Disk Drive Controller
IRQ07	LPT1 Default (internal printer port)
IRQ08	Real Time Clock
IRQ09	USB
IRQ10	Not Used
IRQ11	CardBus controller
IRQ12	Internal Glide Pointer or External
	PS/2 Mouse
IRQ13	Co-Processor
IRQ14	Primary IDE (Hard Disk Drive)
IRQ15	Secondary IDE (CD-ROM)

Technical Information 1-19

POWER MANAGEMENT OVERVIEW

Power Management in the NEC Versa lets you conserve energy, save battery power, extend the life of your LCD backlight, and protect against data loss due to low battery power.

Set some features to function automatically or activate them manually with the keyboard or a button. It is wise to keep Power Management features enabled, even when using AC power.

The system ships with many power-saving features already enabled. See the following table.

Table 1-5 Automatic Power-Saving Features

Device		Default
		Timeout	Comment
Idle Mode		On	Idle mode slows down the CPU during brief
			periods when the system is not busy.
Standby Timeout		4 minutes	Specifies how long the system is in Idle mode
			before entering Standby mode. Standby turns off
			various system devices including the screen.
Auto Suspend		10 minutes	This setting specifies how long the system
Timeout			remains in Standby mode before entering
			Suspend.
Hard Disk Timeout		2 minutes	Stops the hard disk motor when the hard disk is
			not accessed for the specified timeout.
Video Timeout		2 minutes	Shuts off video screen after the timeout specified
			elapses.
CD-ROM Timeout		45 seconds	Specifies how long the CD-ROM reader remains
			inactive before being turned off.

NOTE In Windows 95 systems, power management settings under Windows override the settings established in Setup.

You can change the timeout period for any of the devices using Setup. See Section 2 for Setup utility procedures.

Use the FnF7 key combination to set the power management level you can toggle between Highest Performance, Longest Battery Life, Custom Power Management, and Off. Default values change depending on the type of power management you use.