Nec VERSA 6060 user Manual

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NEC Computer Systems Division,

A Division of Packard Bell NEC, Inc.

DECLARATION OF CONFORMITY

We, the Responsible Party

NEC Computer Systems Division

Packard Bell NEC, Inc.

1414 Massachusetts Avenue

Boxboro, MA 01719

(508) 264-8000

declare that the product

NEC V6060 Series

is in conformity with part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation of this product is subject to the following two conditions: (1) this device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) this devi ce must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.

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PROPRIETARY NOTICE AND L IABILITY DISCLAIM E R

The informa tion disc losed in this docu ment, inc luding a ll des igns a nd r ela t ed mat eri a ls, is t he valua ble pr oper ty of NEC Compu ter S yst ems Division, P acka r d Bell NE C, Inc. ( NEC CS D, PBNE C) and/ or it s licensors . NEC CS D and/or its lic ensors, as a ppr opr iate, reserve a ll pa tent, cop yright a nd other pr opriet ary r ights to t his document, including all design, manu facturing, reproduction, use, and sales rights thereto, except to the extent said rights are expressly granted to others.

The NEC CSD produ ct(s) disc ussed in this document a re warr anted in acc ordance with t he terms of the Wa r ra nt y St at ement acc ompanying ea ch p rodu ct. However , a ct ua l p erfor manc e of each s uc h product is dependent u p on fa ct or s s uc h a s s ys t em configur a t ion, cu st omer da t a , 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 warrant ed by NEC CSD .

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 writ ten approval of NECCSD is p rohibit ed.

NEC is a registered trademark of NEC Corporation; Versa is a U.S. registered trademark of NEC Technologies, Inc.; all are used

under license by NEC Computer Systems Division (NECCSD), Packard Bell NEC, Inc.

All other product, brand, or trade names used in this publication are the trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective

trademark owners.

First Pr inting — July 1997

Copyrigh t 1997

NEC Computer Systems Division, Packard Bell NE C , I nc.

1414 Massachusetts Avenue

Boxborough, MA 01719

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Using this Guide

The NEC Versa® 6060 User’s Guide gives you the information you need t o maximize t he u se of your NEC Versa notebook comp uter. Read this guide to familiarize your self with your NEC Ver sa and its features. For s p ecif ic information see

Cha pter 1, “Gett i ng Start ed,” to acquaint you rself with system har dware.

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Cha pter 2, “Introducing the Software,” for a concise summary of the

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applicat ions loaded on your system. Chapter 3, “ Using Setup,” to cus tomize your notebook’s parameter and

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power management settings .

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Cha pter 4, “Using Your NEC Vers a,” f or a n understanding of syst em feat u res a nd funct ionality. You’ll also mas ter procedures for c onnec ting exter nal options like headp hone, microphone or speakers.

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Chapter 5, “ Using Multimedia,” for st ep s on integrating video a nd sound clips into impressive pres ent ations .

TEXT SETUP

Chapter 6 , “Traveling with Your N EC Vers a,” lists valua b le tips for

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getting the most out of your s ystem while on the road.

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Chapter 7, “ Solving Problems,” provides s i mple s olu tions t o common problems that may a rise while oper ating you r notebook.

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Appendix A, “Setti ng Up a Healthy Work Environment,” provides guidelines to help promote a healthy work set ting.

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Appendix B, “Specific ations,” to review NEC Versa sys tem specifications.

To make this guide as easy to use as possible, text is set up in the following ways.

Warnings, c aut ions, a nd notes ha ve t he following f ormat :

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Using this Guide ix

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W arni ngs alert you to situations that could resul t in seri ous personal injury or loss of life.

Cauti ons indicat e situations that can dam age the system hardware or software.

NOTE

Notes giv e particularly important inf ormation about whatever

is being described.

WARNING

CA UT ION

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Names of keys are p rinted as they appear on the keyboard, for exa mp le,

Ctrl, Alt

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Text tha t you must type or keys that you mu st press are p resented in bold

, or

type. For example, type

Getting Started

Prolonged or improper use of a computer workstation may pose a risk of serious injury. To reduce your risk of i njury, set up and use your comput er in the manner described in Appendix A.

After completing the steps in the quick setup sheet that comes with your

comput er, your NEC Vers a is ready to go! To get started, look at t he f ollowing:

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Read Appendix A, Setting Up a Healt hy W ork Environment, for guidelines tha t help you u se your c omputer produ c tively and s afely. I nf ormation includes how to s et up and use you r compu ter t o reduce your r isk of developing nerve, muscle, or tendon disorders.

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Take the online System Tour to get acquainted with your N EC Ver sa. (The System Tour is in the Windows NE C Information group under the NEC Versa 6060 Help Center.)

WARNING

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View the o n l i n e system The Bas i cs . (Th e B as ics is in t he Windows NEC Information group under the NEC Versa 6060 Help Center).

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Read t his guide to familiarize you rself wit h t he NEC Vers a.

Getting Started 1-1

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GETTING TO KNOW YO UR NEC VERSA SYSTEM

The NEC Versa 6060 Series notebook computer offer s you a port able system filled with exciting res ou rces f or home, bu siness or tr avel. Sta ndard features include a powerful Intel works together with the la test Perip heral Component Interconnect (PCI) architecture.

Your NEC Versa 6060 model integrates Intel’s MultiMedia Extensions (MMX) technology. MMX speeds a udio, video, and 3D grap hics process ing, ultimately p roviding more distinct s ound and vis uals f or your pr es ent ations. More advantages inc l ude increa sed floating-point performance, and a more efficient bus.

In addition, your sys tem provides a high-performance hard disk dr ive, diskette drive or VersaBay II SuperDisk LS-120 drive, interchangeable 20X CD-ROM reader and Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA al so known as PC car d) support. As a multimedia system, your NEC Versa also provides the tools needed to c reate and present impres sive images us ing video clips and sound.

To get c omfortable with you r notebook, read the following sections a nd take a t our arou nd your s ystem!

Pentium 166 MMX microprocessor that

1-2 Getting Started

NEC Versa 6060 not ebook c om puter

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Around the System — Front

The NE C Vers a is comp act with featur es on every side. First, look at the front of your NEC Versa sys tem. T he following sections des crib e f ront features, b eginning with the Liquid Crys tal Di splay ( LCD) panel (t he s c reen area).

LCD features

LCD

Your NEC Versa system comes with a color LCD that you can adjust for a comfort able viewing position. The LCD is a 12.1-inch Thin Film Tr ansistor (TFT), S uper Video G raphics Array (SVGA) disp lay.

Additional LCD p anel feat ures inc lude:

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Built- in Ster eo S peakers — provide ster eo s ound for you r multimedia pres ent ations , or listening plea sure.

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Brightness Control — a slide switch that adjusts screen brightness. Moving the switch up increases the screen contrast.

Getting Started 1-3

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Controls

NEC Versa system cont rols are shown in the following figure. These features are described after the figure.

Controls

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LCD Status Bar — A liquid crystal status bar that keeps you informed

of your NEC Versa’s current operat ing status. S ee a descr i ption of icons

in the following sect ion.

1-4 Getting Started

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Power LED

 Li ghts gr een when the system is powered on.

 Blinks green when the system is in Suspend mode.

 Blinks amber to indicate that battery power is low.

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Suspend/Resume (S/R) Button — press the S/R button to put the unit

into Suspend mode when you need to b e away from your system for a

shor t peri od of time and want to return to wher e you left off . Press the

S/R button again to br ing your NEC Ver sa s ystem out of Sus pend mode

and back t o where you wher e b ef ore enter ing Sus pend.

Specif ic ally, Susp end mode shuts down a ll devices in the system while

retaining dat a and system st atus. You will fi nd mor e detailed informa tion

on using Suspend mode in your online NEC Versa 6060 Help Center.

Power Button — slide the power button to the right to power on and

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power off the computer.

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Status Icons

The power button is a “s mart ” switch, mea ning that it recogniz es when the sys tem is in Su spend mode. If in Sus pend mode, you cannot power off the s ystem until you press the su spend bu tton a gain to b ring it ou t of Suspend mode.

Your NEC Versa system uses an LCD status bar for communicating operating sta tus via ten status icons . See the following figure a nd list for each icon’s meaning.

Reviewing status icons

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Suspend — a ppears when the s ystem is in Suspend mode. Susp end mode conser ves system power by shutting down a ll devic es in the syst em while retaining data a nd system stat us.

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Power Management — shows the current power management mode in use, including Off, C ustom, High Perfor mance, or Longest Life.

Dis k ette D rive — appears when you r NEC Versa wr i tes dat a to or re-

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tr ieves data from a diskette drive or VersaBay II S uperDisk LS-120 drive.

Getting Started 1-5

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Keyboard

The NE C Vers a keyboa rd us es 83 keys ( 79 keys for internat ional sys tems), with the s tandard QW ERT Y- key layout. See Chapt er 4, “Using the K eyboard” for c omplete details. You can als o refer t o the online informat ion in the NEC Versa 6060 Help Center.

NEC VersaGlide

The NEC VersaGlide works l i k e a sta n dard comp uter mouse. Simpl y mov e your fingert ip over the Versa Glide to control the p osition of the cursor . Use the selection b uttons below the Vers aGlide to s elect menu it ems, or u se the adva nc ed tapping features. More deta iled Ver saGlide inf ormation app ears in Chapter 4, “Using Your NEC Versa.”

Hard Dis k — shows when you r NEC Vers a writes da ta t o or r et rieves

data fr om t he hard dis k.

Caps Lock — appears when Caps Lock is in effect.

Scroll Lock — shows that Scroll Lock is in eff ect.

Num Lock — appears when Number Lock mode is active.

Battery Status — displays the percentage of battery power available.

 Battery 1 a ppears when you have one or more batt eries installed.

 Battery 2 a ppears when you have an optional b attery installed in the

VersaBay II . See “Optional Second Battery,” later in this chapter for more information.

1-6 Getting Started

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Diskette Drive, CD-ROM Reader and the NEC VersaBay II™

A diskette drive or NEC Versa SuperDisk LS-120 drive comes installed in the NEC Vers aBay II on the front of your system, depending on the NEC Versa model pur c hased. You can u se this device, or remove it from the Ver saBay II and replace it with the 20X CD-ROM reader that also ships with your system. I t’s you r choice!

NEC VersaG lide

The VersaBay II let s you a dd options , including a second L i-Ion battery, or

an a dditional hard dis k drive, s ee “ Customizing Your Syst em with the VersaBay II,” in Chapt er 4 .

Remem ber to power of f or suspend your system bef ore i nstall ing an option. Hot swapping is not supported, although warm swapping (W indows 95) is supported and when swapping the CD-ROM reader, diskette drive or S uper Disk LS-120 drive.

WARNING

Getting Started 1-7

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IR Port and Microphone

You will find a n I R por t for c onnec ting your N EC Versa s ystem to ext ernal devices (like printers, other computers and any device that supports IR technology) and a built in microp hone for recording with you r NEC Vers a. For an underst anding of each feat ure, see the descript ions tha t follow the f igure.

Keyboard area

1-8 Getting Started

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Built- in Micr ophone — allows you to r ec ord monophonic sound direct ly

into your notebook c omp uter. You do not have to speak directly into the

microphone. Feel free to sp eak into t he microphone a t a comfortable dis-

tance.

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Infrared Port — This port lets you transfer files between your NEC

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Versa and an IR-equipped des ktop or notebook compu ter. You can als o print to an IR-equipped printer without using cables. Your NEC Versa will support either FIR (Windows 95 only), MIR or SI R trans f er rates .

IR Port and Built - in M ic r ophone

Getting Started 1-9

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AROUND THE SYSTEM — BACK

You’ll find syst em ports f or connect ing your N E C Vers a sys tem to opt ional devices (like a print er, docking sta tion, or exter nal monitor ) on to the back of your NEC Versa . For an understanding of each feature, see t he desc riptions that follow the figure.

Back system features

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1-10 Getting Started

Keyboa rd/Mouse Port — Use the standard PS/2 port to connect an

exter nal PS/2- style mouse or a P S/2 - style keyboa rd to the syst em. W i th

an optional Y- adapter , you can connect both a mou se and a keyb oard at

the same time.

Pa rallel P ort — Use this port t o c onnect a p arallel printer or other paral-

lel device. The port is an Ext ended Capa bilities P ort (E CP). The ECP

standard provides you wit h a greater proces sing sp eed t han the conven-

tional parallel port. It also supports bi-directional and unidirectional and

Enhanced Parallel Port (EPP).

Exp ansion P ort — This p ort p rovides a c onnec tion for N EC Ver sa op-

tions including the NEC PortBar 6000, NEC Versa Docking Station

6000 Plus, NEC Versa MiniDock 6000 and floppy adapter.

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Monitor (Video) Port — Use this 15-pin port to attach an external

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monitor to your N EC Ver sa. You can run the LCD display and the external monitor simultaneously or ru n eit her alone.

Seri al Port — Use this port to connect an ext ernal modem or ot her ser i al

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device. This port does not support serial pointing devices.

AROUND THE SYSTEM — LEFT SIDE

The left side of your NEC Versa has two slots for inser ting two Type II PC cards (formerly called PCMCIA cards). You can a lso insert one Type III PC card.

The battery ba y c over releas e is also located on the left side of the unit . The batter y b ay contains a Lit hiu m Ion ( Li-Ion) b attery that lets you r un your system on DC power.

Left side features

Getting Started 1-11

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AROUND THE SYSTEM — RIGHT SIDE

The ha rd disk drive cover r elea se, Kens ington lock socket , au dio port s, USB port, f an exha ust port and AC power port are located on t he right-side of your NEC Versa syst em. For an under sta nding of each feature, see the descr i ptions that f ollow the figure.

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1-12 Getting Started

Right side features

Volume Control — Allows you to cont rol the speaker volume.

Headp hones /Line-O ut — L ets you c onnect external headphones, speak-

ers or audio system to your NEC Versa syst em. Using this port disab les

the built-in system speakers.

Line-In — L ets you u se another au dio system, like a home stereo, as an

input source. Use a the cable t o connect to the Line-Out port on the other

audio system to record or play.

Microphone (MIC) — Allows you t o c onnect an ex terna l microphone for

monophonic recording or amplifica tion thr ou gh the unit. Plugging in an

exter nal microphone disab l es the built - i n microphone.

Hard Disk D rive Bay Cover — The hard disk drive bay contains the re-

movable ha rd disk drive. Dep ending on your NEC Ver sa’s configura tion,

it cont ains a 2.1-GB hard dis k drive or 3 .2-G B hard dis k drive.

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Refer to the “H ard D isk” sect ion in Chap ter 4 f or installation and removal instructions.

Kensington Lock — Let s you provide added security by inst alling an op-

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tiona l K ens ington Lock. USB P ort — The Univer sal S erial Bus (USB) allows the connection of

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up to 127 peripheral devices (printers, monitors, scanners, etc.) to your NEC Versa.

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Fa n E xhau st P ort — This p ort p rovides a ir flow from the inter i or of the comput er to a ssist in keeping the system running at op timal performance.

AC Power Port — Use the power jack to attach the NEC Versa to a DC

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power source, such as the AC adapter or the optional DC car adapter.

Getting Started 1-13

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AROUND THE SYSTEM — BOTT OM

The bottom of the NEC Versa system conta ins the features s hown. For an understa nding of each fea tur e, see the desc riptions that follow the figure.

Bottom features

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1-14 Getting Started

Hard Disk D rive Bay — Contains the syst em’s sta ndard hard dis k drive.

Also, if you remove the hard disk drive, you’ ll see two connectors for in-

stalling one additional memory module. T he ha rd disk drive bay also

conta i ns six dip switch settings. These are expla i ned in C hapt er 4, “Us-

ing Your NEC Versa.”

NEC Versa Bay II Release Latches — These latches let you r emove the

option c urrently inst alled in the bay.

Bat tery Bay — Contains the system’s main batt ery. It is a removable

Lithiu m Ion (Li-Ion) b att ery.

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POWER SOURCES FOR YOUR NEC VERSA

Your NEC Versa can be p owered using three different sources, making it a tr uly por tab le system. O pera te your N EC Ver sa s ystem just ab out anywhere using one of the following power sour c es:

the AC adap ter connected to a n electric al wall outlet ( using AC power)

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the ba tter y pack or an op tional s ec ond bat tery pack

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the opt ional DC adap ter connected to a c ar c igarette lighter .

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Read the following sections for specific steps on powering on the s ystem.

Using the AC Adapter

Use t he AC ad apter and power cable that ca me with your NE C Versa to r un your c omp uter on AC power, or to recharge the b attery p ack. Use the AC adapter when ev er a wall outl et is n ear by.

Keep the adap ter connec ted whenever pos sible. The AC adapter charges the batter y whether or not you a re us ing your NEC Ver sa.

NEC Versa 6060 AC adapter

Do not cover or place objec ts on the AC adapter. Doing so will not allow heat to dissipate properly.

CA UT ION

Getting Started 1-15

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NOTE

Check that the AC outlet volt age f al ls i n the range of 100–240 Volts AC. Ver ify t hat the cord and pl ug are appropriate for your AC source.

Connect the AC a dapter a s follows:

Connect the AC a dapter cable t o the power port on the r ight side of your

NEC Versa system. Plu g one end of the AC power ca ble into t he AC adapter and the other

end into a properly grounded 120- or 240-volt wall outlet.

NOTE

The AC power cable type t hat your system uses depends on the country you’r e using it in. Contact the l ocal dealer to purchase the correct power cable.

1-16 Getting Started

Connecting the A C adapter

Page 26

Powering On

Power on the system as follows.

Locate the latch on the front of the LCD panel, press the latch up, and

rais e the panel. Locate the power button and slide it to the right to turn on system power.

Using the Main Battery Pack

Your NEC Versa system comes with a rechargeable Lithium Ion (Li-Ion) battery pack. You can run your system on battery power for approximately one to three hours with power mana gement f eatures enabled. It’s easy to install and remove.

Your NEC Versa system integrates status icons in the LCD Status Bar that appear in the window panel located a bove your keyb oard. Two b att ery icons display to help you keep track of the main bat tery (or second battery if installed) power level. S ee the “Status Icons” section earlier in this c hapter for a description of the batt ery icons. Both let you know how much battery power remains.

When battery power is very low, the power LED flashes amber.

Powering on the system

Getting Started 1-17

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When batter y power gets low, do eit her of the f ollowing:

Pr ess the s uspend b utt on to put your system in S uspend mode, remove

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the ba tter y p ack, and rep lace it wit h a fully c harged L i- I on bat tery. Leave t he b att ery pack in the system and c onnect your NEC Versa to the

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AC adapter and a wall outlet. The battery recharges in approximately 2 hours.

You ca n also b uy an optional N EC Versa b att ery charger to quickly charge your bat ter y . S ee the online NEC Versa Accessories and Solutions Catalog.

NOTE

Use only the NEC battery charger designed for your NEC Versa battery type. Different NEC Versa models require different batteries and battery chargers.

To prevent accidental battery ignition or explosion, adhere to the following:

WARNING

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Keep the battery away from extreme heat.

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Keep metal objects away from the battery termi nals to prevent causing a short circ uit.

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Make sure the battery is properly i nstalled in t he battery bay.

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Read the precauti ons printed on the batt er y and in t he online

Basics

Determining Battery Status

You can determine battery status via the battery icon in the status bar discussed earlier in this chapt er. If you have one ba ttery pack ins talled, one batter y ic on appears . If you have two batt eries installed, two ba ttery ic ons appear.

1-18 Getting Started

The

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A blinking battery icon indica tes that t he b att ery is charging. A fast blinking

battery ic on oc c urs:

when installing a new battery

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duri ng unknown battery statu s

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when there is a problem with the battery.

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To return the battery to its normal state, try the following:

remove and then reinstall the battery

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reinstall the battery in your NEC Versa and fully recharge the battery (to

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100%).

The batt ery perc ent age icon blinks under the f ollowing c onditions:

when battery power is low, the nu mber icon blinks ,

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if ba tter y power is ex tremely low, t he nu mber icon blinks rapidly.

When to Replace the Battery

The following symptoms indicate that ba ttery lif e is nearing an end. Replace batteries that display these symptoms:

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Battery Ha ndling

Keep the following in mind when removing or repla c ing a battery.

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shorter work times discolor ation, warping hot to the touch strange odor.

Use Li-I on bat teries only in the NEC Versa comput er for whic h they are designed.

Use only the Li-Ion battery designed for your system in t he NEC Ver sa. Mixing other manu f act u rer’ s batter ies , or using a c ombination of very old and new batt eries can deteriora te batter y and equipment performance.

Turn off p o wer to the s ystem after use. Keep i n g sys tem power on can degrade b attery performa nc e and shor ten batter y lif e.

Getting Started 1-19

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Clean the ba tter y terminals with a dry cloth when they get dirty.

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Keep the batt ery out of the reach of children.

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Replacing the Battery Pack

Repla c e the bat tery pack inst alled in your N EC Versa system as f ollows.

NOTE

Use Li-Ion batter ies in the NEC Versa computer f or whic h they are designed. Installing another manufacturer’s battery, or using a combination of very old and new batteries can deteriorate battery and equipment per form anc e.

Sa ve you r files, exit Windows, and pr es s the Suspend button or turn off

system power. Close t he L CD Panel and turn the system over.

Releas e t he b att ery cover latch and slide the b att ery ba y c over away from

the system.

1-20 Getting Started

Removing the cov er

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Place a finger in the notch on the battery and lift the battery out of the

system.

Always li ft t he battery out of the system by the notc h. Fai lure to do so can damage the batt er y termi nals.

WARNING

Removing the bat tery

Getting Started 1-21

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Insert the new battery as follows:

Loca te the grooves on the end of the b attery opposit e t he terminals.

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Align the grooves with the projections inside the ba tter y bay. Lower the notched end of the battery into the battery compartment.

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1-22 Getting Started

Inserting the battery pack

Replace the battery bay cover as follows:

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Align the tabs on the bay cover with the grooves on the system chassis.

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Lower t he cover onto the b ay and s lide it into pla c e u ntil the relea se latc hes loc k.

Page 32

Turn the system over.

Battery Precautions

To prevent a c c idental b att ery ignition, rup tur e, or explosion, adhere to the following:

Replacing the cover

To av oid personal injury and property damage, read these battery precautions on handling, chargi ng, and disposing Li-Ion batteries.

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Keep the batt ery away from heat sources including direct sunlight, open

WARNING

fires, microwave ovens, and high-voltage containers. Temperatu res over 140º F (60ºC) may cause damage.

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Do not drop or impact the batter y.

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Do not disass emble the b att ery. Do not solder the battery.

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Do not puncture the battery.

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Getting Started 1-23

Page 33

Do not u se a battery that appears damaged or def ormed, ha s any rust on

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its casing, is discolored, over heats, or emits a foul odor. Keep the b attery dry and away from wat er.

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Keep metal objects a way from battery terminals. Meta l objects in c ontact

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with the terminals can c aus e a shor t cir c uit and damage.

If the battery leaks:

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If the b att ery leaks onto skin or c l othing, wash the area immediately with clean water . Batter y fluid can cause a skin rash a nd damage fabric.

If battery fluid gets into eyes, DO NOT Rub; rinse with clear water im-

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mediately a nd c onsult a doctor. Ta ke extra pr ecauti ons to keep a leaking battery away from fire. Ther e is

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a da nger of ignition or explosion.

Recharging Battery Precautions

Adhere to the following pr ecautions when rec harging the Li-Ion bat tery.

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Use only the NEC battery charger designed for your NEC Vers a battery type. Different NEC Versa models requir e different b att eries a nd bat tery chargers.

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Charge the battery for the specified charge time only.

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During charging, keep the environmental temperatur e b etween 32°F and 104°F (0°C to 40°C).

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Read the instructions that came with the battery charger before charging the battery.

Optional Second Battery

You ca n add a second batter y to boost the sys tem’s power level. You’ll need to purchase the NEC VersaBay II Battery and Adapter Kit. See the online Versa Tools Catalog in the NEC Versa 6060 Help Center, or your author- ized NEC dealer for details about the NEC VersaBay II Battery and Adapter Kit.

1-24 Getting Started

Page 34

The kit provides a Lit hium-Ion (Li- I on) bat tery a nd plas tic a dapter that installs in the Vers aBay I I . See “I nstalling a Device in the Vers aBay II ,” in Chapter 4, for battery adapter installation instructions. Inserting a second fully charged battery increases battery life approximately 3 to 6 hours.

Extending Battery Life

You will find a n extensive explanation of how best to a p ply the power management tools that your s ystem offer s within Advan ced T o p i cs in the NEC Versa 6060 Help Center. Other important topics to view in the online document includ e Maximizing Battery Life, Battery Charging and Disposal.

Using the DC Car Adapter

Another way to power your NEC Versa system is via car battery power using the opt ional DC c ar adap ter. Connect you r sys tem to the opt ional DC car adapter as follows.

Disconnec t the AC adapter from the s ystem if connect ed.

Plug the appropriate end of the car DC adapter into the power port on the

system. Connect the plug of the DC car adapter to a car c i garet te lighter.

Connecting the c ar DC adapter

Getting Started 1-25

Page 35

INTERNAL BATTERIES

As you have seen, a Lithium Ion (Li-I on) batter y provides the main power source in your NEC Versa computer. See Appendix B for a list of Li-Ion battery specifications. In addition to this battery, the CMOS battery and bridge bat tery a l so pr ovide s ystem power .

CMOS Ba ttery

This lithium battery provides battery backup and prevents data loss in the syst em’s c omplementa ry metal ox ide s emiconduc tor ( CMOS) RAM. This memory area contains information on the system’s configuration, for exa mple date, time, drives, and memory. The CMOS battery lasts approximately two years. An aut horized NEC servic e technician should r ep lace the C MOS battery for you.

Have your NEC Versa ser vic ed by an NEC authorized s ervice center. Call Customer Service at (800) 632-4525 for the dealer nearest you.

Bridge Battery

The internal 7.2 volt bridge battery saves your system status in Suspend mode for up to five minutes. Su spend mode is a fea tur e that halts all system operations temporarily when you need t o be awa y f rom your N EC Ver sa for a short p eriod. This gives you time to install a f ully charged battery or plug in AC p ower when your battery ch arge becomes low. An au thori z ed NEC service technician should r ep lace the bridge ba tter y f or you.

Have your NEC Versa ser vic ed by an NEC authorized s ervice center. Call Customer Service at (800) 632-4525 for the dealer nearest you.

SYSTEM CARE

Your NEC Versa system is a durable, dependable system built for extensive use a nd travel. F ollow these guidelines to mainta in the condition and performa nce of your c omp uter .

Precautions

Foll o w these precaution s when using your NEC Versa comput er, AC adapter, and VersaBay II.



1-26 Getting Started

Avoid dropping or bumping t he comp uter or the AC adapter . Do not s tack any object s on the computer.

Page 36

Avoid moving your NEC Ver sa computer during system operat ion, espe-



cially while the hard dis k or diskette drive is being access ed. When using the AC adapter, make sure the power source falls within the



system’s compatible range of 100–240 volts AC. Never use the AC ada p ter if the voltage falls outside of this range. (Watch for this when traveling to other countries.) Use of a surge suppressor while traveling is highly recommended.



Tu rn computer p ower off b efore atta c hing or r emoving non-p lug and play devices .

Avoid using the computer or AC adapter for ex tended periods in direct



sunlight .



Avoid using t he s ystem in humid or dusty environments. Turn computer power off before cleaning it.



Avoid expos ing the NEC Vers a compu ter or AC a dapter t o ex treme changes in tempera tur e or humidity. If it is una voidable, allow your NEC Versa to adjust to room temperature before using.



When cleaning the syst em, use a soft, clean, dry c l oth. Avoid wip ing the display surfa c e wit h abrasi ve material, including rou gh f abr ic . Do not use a c leaning solution, t his may da ma ge t he not eb ook’ s pla stic.



If the AC adapter becomes extremely hot, unplug the adapter and let it cool.

Storage Requirements

Store the computer and AC adapter i n an environment that meets the following conditions :



Maintain storage temperatures between –4°F and 104°F (–20°C and 40°C).

Getting Started 1-27

Page 37

If the tem perature of t he NEC Versa suddenly rises or fall s (for example, when you move the system from a warm place to a cold place), v apor condenses inside the system. Turni ng on the system under this condition can dam age the internal system components.

Before turning on the system, wait until the system’s internal temperature equalizes with the new environment and any internal moisture c an evaporat e.

Keep the storage ar ea free from vibration and magnetic f i elds .



Keep the system and it s components away f rom orga nic solvents or cor-



rosive gases.



Avoid leaving the system and it s components in direct s unlight or near heat sources.

Routine Cleaning

Clean or dust your sys tem as follows.

CA UT ION



1-28 Getting Started

Never

use harsh solutions, household cleaners, or spray cleaners

that contain caustic material s on your NE C V er sa computer. These cleaners are usually high in alkalinity which is measured in

pH. Using these cleaners can cause the pl astic surf ace to crack or discolor.

LC D screen — Ca refully wipe the L CD screen with a soft c l o th or a screen wipe designed for that purpose. Special screen wipes are available thr ou gh your local computer deal er.

System case — Carefully wipe the case with a slightly damp, almost dry cloth.

CA UT ION

Page 38

Introducing the Software

This chapter introduces you to the software* that comes with the NEC Versa 6060, including:

the Windows 95 operating system, the Windows NT 4.0 operating



system or the Windows for W orkgr oups op erating system with MS -



DOS Online Help



NEC Ut ilities



Setup



NE C Customize Utility



HD PREPEZ Utilit y



Other Software



Intel LANDesk C lient Manager



LapLink



M cAfee Virus Scan™



McAfee WebScan™



MediaMatics Arcade™ MPEG Player



XingMPEG Player™

The software listed here is current as of July 1997. The list is subject to change without notice. The software on your system is predicated by the operating system that

shipped on your notebook computer.

Introducing the Software 2-1

Page 39

WINDOWS INTRODUCTION

Your NEC Versa 6060 was purchased with Windows 9 5, Windows NT or Windows for Workgrou ps as your operating s ystem. These Mic rosoft operating systems provide a means of running applications , navigating thr ou gh your file s tru c tur e, and u sing your notebook computer. E ach operating system offer s its own look and tools .

All these Mic rosoft Windows opera ting systems employ a gr aphical inter fa ce to make t h e oper at i n g systems easy to use.

Windows 95

Windows 9 5 gives you t he newest featur es offered by Micr osoft, including a Desktop with r oom to maneuver, a T askbar f or quick navigation between open windows, plug and pla y f eatures, online networking functions, and more.

With Windows 95, the following icons are loaded on your desktop:



My Compu ter — provides access to drives, pr inters, the cont rol pa nel, and network features.



Inbox — lets you access the Microsof t fax and mail software a s well as Microsoft network services.



Inter net Exp l orer — provides an Internet browser for those systems with Inter net access via an optional modem or network PC card.

Recycle Bin — gives you a tr ash container in which to put unwant ed



files.



Networ k Neighborhood— shows you the network, int egrat ed L ANs, and WANs (i f your s ystem is connect ed t o a networ k) .



My Brief case — allows easy tra n sfer of f i l es between th e NEC Versa 6060 and another system.



Install Intel C lient — helps your manage your NEC Ver sa.



NEC Customize — inst alls NE C-designed deskt op f eatures, inc luding custom wallpaper, the latest VersaGlide soft ware cont rols, warn swap utility and t he automa tic running of McAf ee Anti Virus software eac h time you boot.

2-2 Introducing the Software

Page 40

Windows NT

NEC Versa O nline H elp — provides quick a c c ess to a variety of online



topics. (In some countries, the system ships with an online user’s guide instea d of the NEC Versa O nline Help .)



Start — displays a pop - up menu with which to st art pr ograms and applicat i ons, open documents, access system settings , look at online help, and shut down your syst em.

See the onlin e Us ing Windows 95 in the NEC Versa 6060 InfoCenter group for det ailed instructions on using Windows 9 5.

Windows NT 4.0 is the high-end member of t he Windows oper ating s ystem family. W indows NT p rovides a ll the benefits of the other W i ndows opera ting syst ems inc luding a means of running you r ap plications a nd navigating through your file structure in a n easy-to-use gr aphical inter f ace. In addition, Windows NT ext ends these benefits with a dditional p erfor ma nc e, security, and fault protection in a powerfu l platform of client-ser ver computing.

Windows NT allows you to run applications crea ted specific ally for W i ndows NT and Wi ndows 95. You can also ru n app lic ations created for other versions of Windows , MS -DOS ®, and charac ter-bas ed MS® OS/ 2® 1.x a s well as P O SIX-compliant a pplica tions.

Windows NT gives you the newest features off ered by Mic rosof t, including a deskt op with r oom t o ma neu ver, a ta skbar for quick na vigation b etween open windows, and more. The following icons appear on t he desktop.



My Compu ter — provides access to drives, pr inters, the Control Panel, and network featur es.



Networ k Neighborhood — shows you the network, int egrat ed L ANs, and WANs.



Inbox — lets you access the Microsof t fax and mail software a s well as Microsoft network services.

Inter net Explorer — let s you browse Web pages on your local network



and on t he Internet.



Recycle Bin — gives you a tr ash container in which to put unwant ed files.

Introducing the Software 2-3

Page 41

Install Intel C lient — helps your manage your NEC Ver sa.



My Br iefc ase — allows ea sy tr ansfer of files and dat a synchroniza tion



between your NEC Vers a and another sys tem.

In addition, the Start button at the bottom left of the desktop displays a popup menu wit h whic h to start pr ograms and applica tions, open documents, acces s system settings, look a t online help, and shut down your system.

For c omplete information on Windows N T, inc l uding feat ures and st ep - bystep procedu res for us ing tools, see the Mic rosof t Windows N T docu mentation provided with your noteb ook.

NOTE

If you ar e using Windows NT 4.0 Workstati on and change t he system conf iguration, you m ay need to run the Microsoft Wi ndows NT 4.0 W or kstati on Ser v i ce P ack. From t he Windows NT 4.0 Workstation desktop, press

C:\sp3\update.exe,

to complete the update.

click on

, select

Start

Follow the on screen instructi ons

OK.

Run…,

and type

Windows for Workgroups

Windows for Wor kgroup s offers the well-est ablis hed Windows inter f ace. Application icons are plac ed in groups, which are repres ent ed b y group icons. To st art an a pplica tion, highlight and doubl e clic k or double tap the applicat ion ic on.

The P rogram Manager c ontains the following groups .



Main — Includes programs and tools to help you control p rinting; set u p printers , plot ters, and modems; c ustomize t he desktop; and mana ge files.



Access ories — Inclu des desktop programs that come with Windows, such as a simple word proces sing progra m, a drawing program, a calenda r, and a calculator .

Startup — Lets you add programs to start automatically when you enter



Windows. Games — Gives you a way to prac tice your VersaG lide s kills or ju st



relax.

2-4 Introducing the Software

Page 42

Applications — Includes any applica tions t hat Windows detects on your



har d disk dur ing insta llation. NEC Utilities — I nc ludes small p rograms writ ten by NEC to help you



manage you r NE C Vers a compu ter.

See the onlin e Windows QuickStart 3.11 for detailed instru c tions on using Windows f or Wor kgroups.

DOS INTRODUCTION

MS- DOS is the Microsoft disk operating s ystem tha t ru ns the computer when Windows for Wor kgroup s is loa ded. DOS uses c ommands that every pers onal computer user needs t o know at lea st a little a bout. The Windows environment makes it possible for you to manage your system a nd applic ation programs without knowing DO S commands, bu t as you become more comfort able wit h c omputers you may want to begin learning DOS.

For det ailed instructions on how t o use MS - DOS, refer to the online book MS-DOS 6.22 QuickStart in the NEC Versa InfoCent er pr ogram group. Guide to Online Help

The NEC Versa 6060 has plenty of information for you online. The NEC Versa 6060 InfoCenter group contains information about your NEC Versa 6060, warranty coverage, and customer services. For Windows for Workgroups see t he p rinted documentat i on provided with your s ystem.

NEC VERSA HELP CENTER

The NEC Versa Help C ent er contains several specific a reas of informa tion to help you. Audio t rac ks and animated examples make this an exc iting learning experience. (In some countries, the system ships with an online us er’s gui d e i n stead of the Help C enter.)



System Tour

The NEC Versa System Tour gives you a complet e t our of the system, pointing ou t components, switc hes , softwar e and utilities. Take the tour to become comfortable with your new NEC Versa 6060.

The Basi cs



The Basi cs describes the NEC Versa 6060 main features, how to travel with the sy stem, use power man agement , a n d care for t h e system.

Introducing the Software 2-5

Page 43

Advanced T op i cs



Advanced T op i cs c overs s p ec if ic areas such as adding opt i ons, changing setup settings, and solving problems.

Questions and Answers



Questions and Answers provides frequently a sked quest ions and answers about porta ble computers to help you solve common prob lems you rself.

Versa Tools Catalog



The Versa Tools Catalog lists options such as memory cards, hard drives, carrying c ases, and PC cards that you ca n pur c hase for use wit h the NEC Versa 6060.



Service and Support

Service and Support provides infor ma tion on the ext ens ive p ost sale sup- port provided for your NEC Versa 6060.

NOTE

The price information i n the cable f or Nor th America.

Additional Online Topics

In addition to the H elp Center, your NEC Versa also contains the following online help.

Customer Support Guide



The NEC Customer Support Guide discusses the various levels of sup- port NEC offers you, our customer. We provide lots of inf ormation to help you become self- suffi c ient with your NEC Versa , but if you need help, we’re t here fo r you. If you pu rch ased the co mput er outside t he U.S ., p l ease cont act a loca l NEC of f i c e or dealer for t he warranty pr ogra m in your area.

UltraCare Guide



The NEC UltraCare Guide descr i bes NEC’s three-year warranty pro- gra m t o help you protect your inves tment in an N E C Vers a Series computer . If you purchased the computer outside t h e U.S ., plea se contact a local N E C office or dealer for t he warrant y program in your area.

Versa Tools Catalog

is only appli -

2-6 Introducing the Software

Page 44

Using Windows 95



This online help f ile let s you explore Windows 9 5 (if Windows 95 is installed) and learn about navigating through the new interfac e.

GUIDE TO N EC UTILITIES

NEC provides several programs and rou tines designed to ma ke you r NEC Versa 6060 run more efficiently. These programs are called utilities.

Setup Utility

The Set up utility automat i c ally configures your NEC Versa each t ime you start it up. This utility is not a c c es sible fr om Windows . To view b oot-up messages press the following prompt at boot-up :

ESC

, press F2 to access Setup when the NEC screen dis pla y s

Press <

See Chapter 3, “Using Setup ,” a nd A dva n ced Topics for a discus sion of the

Setu p utilit y. In a ddition, online help a ssists you in ma king appropriat e settings.

NEC Customize Utility

In Windows 9 5 systems, the NEC Customize utility installs NEC-desi gned desktop f eatures, inc luding custom wallpaper, the latest VersaGlide s of tware controls, and the a utomatic r unning of McAfee AntiVirus sof tware each time you boot.

HDPREPEZ Utility

NEC provides the HDPREPEZ ut ility to a utomat ic ally configu re your N EC Versa system hard disk space when you increase system memory.

OTHER SOFTWARE

Your NEC Versa 6060 comes with other programs that let you take full advantage of your system resources. The rest of this chapter discusses each program, including what it c an do for you, how t o get started, and how to use the p rogram help.

> for Boot Messages, F2 for Setup

Esc

Introducing the Software 2-7

Page 45

Client Manager

Client M anager pr ovides the cap abilit y f or mana ging c omp onent s in your NEC Versa comput er. These component s include network inter face cards, memory, printers, s of tware applications etc. Client Mana ger pr ovides you with self- help diagnost i c s, including a P C healt h meter, local alerting of potential pr oblems and ha rdware and s of tware inventory. (Windows 95 a nd Windows N T)

Install Client b y double clicking on the Install I ntel Client icon on t he Des ktop s c reen. On sc reen instruct ions will guide you through t he installation procedure.

Explore the features of LAN Desk as follows:

LapLink

Press

, slide t he c u rsor over t o Programs, and locate LAN Desk Cli-

Start

ent Ma nager folder. In the folder, highlight the LAND es k Client Manager line and press t he VersaGlide s elect ion button or t ap t he VersaGlide p ad once.

Highlight

HELP,

pres s the VersaGlide s election but ton or tap the

VersaGlide pad once. Highlight Contents , press t he Ver saG lide s elect ion button or tap the

VersaGlide pad once. This section introduces and guides you throu gh the capabilit ies , features

and instru c tions on using LANDes k Client Manager.

LapLink helps you stay in tou c h with your home offic e s ystem or get in touc h with other systems through infrared p ort, modem, network, or c able. Use LapLink to transfer files, gain access to files on a remote system, or exchange written inf ormat ion with anot her us er on a remote system. La pLink even bridges the communication gap between Windows f or Wor kgroup s

3.11 a nd W i ndows 95 syst ems. LapLink offers the following f eatures:

File Transfer — lets you move or copy files between computers. To



sp eed file t ransf er, LapL i n k compares files b ei n g updat ed and trans fers only the changed inf ormation.

2-8 Introducing the Software

Page 46

Remote Cont rol — gives you acc es s and control over a remote computer .



Activit y you perf orm on a local system, su c h as keystrokes, file ac c es s and change, a nd p rogr am execution, ac tually occur s on the r emote system.

Chat — provides a way for you to exchange information, instruct ions, or



other messages with a u ser at a remote computer.

LapLink software must be loaded on bot h the sending (loca l ) and receiving (r emote) systems fo r commu n i cation between them to wo rk p rop erly.

How to Use LapLink

Follow thes e s teps to get st arted using L apLink. Once you have LapLink up and r unning, refer t o L apL ink’ s online help for more information.

Start the LapLink Traveling soft ware as follows :



In Windows f or Wor kgroup s, locate a nd double click t he L apLink group icon. Select LapLink f or Windows.



In Windows 95, pres s locate the LapLink for Windows 9 5 folder. In the folder, highlight the LapLink line and p ress the VersaGlide selection button or tap the VersaGlide pad once.

, slide t he c u rsor over t o Programs, and

Start

If you do not have a p ort enabled, L apLink prompt s you to enable one. Press port. Otherwise, press

Once your ports a re configu red, s elect your communication method b y

to do so and follow the on-screen instru c tions t o c onf igure the

Yes

pres sing the a ppropriate button. The b uttons give you the following connection options. ( B alloon help disp lays ea c h button’s function.)



Connect over ca ble



Connect over wireless



Connect over modem Connect over networ k



Connect over dial- up network



Once communication is estab lished between systems, the L apLink wi ndow is disp layed.

Introducing the Software 2-9

Page 47

Select the proc edure you wa nt to use by pressing one of the last thr ee

but tons in t he LapL ink toolbar at the top of the sc reen. (Balloon help displays eac h button’s function.)



When you finis h, pr es s the disconnec t but ton to b reak t he link b et ween

the local and remote systems. Press

The other syst em is notified of the break in communications.

To find out more a b out LapLink c apa bilities and uses, refer to the online

help tha t is a vailab le when you op en L apLink.

McAfee VirusScan

The McAfee VirusScan software is set up to scan your system daily. You can change these s ettings throu gh the VShield C onf iguration Manager for Windows 9 5 and Windows for W orkgroups. If you r operat ing system is Windows NT, access the Mc Af ee VirusScan NT Console.

Press the file transfer button to transfer files between systems. Pr es s the Remote C ontrol b utton to exerc ise control over a remote

system. Pr ess the Chat button to converse with another user at the remote

system.

Fr om t he M cAfee VirusScan95 in W indows 95 or McAfee Virus Sca n in

Windows for Workgrou ps program group, highlight the VShield C onfigurat i on Manager; and from Windows NT highlight M c Afee Virus Sca n Console.

Open the conf iguration manager or c onsole. It contains a set of fou r tabs

with various c onfiguration f eatures. The Detection ta bs give you control over wha t is sc anned and when s c anning occu rs.

McAfee WebScan

Scans data and files that you import from Web sites befor e loading the files onto your sys tem. If the data or f iles contain viruses, WebScan wa rns you and lets you canc el the act ion.

WebSc an is ready to insta ll onc e you have installed a Web brows er (Windows for Workgroup s and Wi ndows 95 only) .

2-10 Introducing the Software

Page 48

MediaMatics Arcade MPEG Player

Pr ovides MP EG Playback sof tware for W i ndows 95. See C hapt er 5, “Usi ng Mult imedia,” for ins tru c tions on us ing this a p plication.

Xing MPEG Player

Pr ovides MPEG Playback sof tware for W indows for W orkgroups and Windows NT. See Chap ter 5, “Usi ng Multimedia,” for instr uctions on u sing this application.

Introducing the Software 2-11

Page 49

SETUP UTILITY

How to Enter Setup

Using Setup

Your NEC Versa syst em comes wit h a hardware pr ogram called Setup that allows you to view and set sy stem parameters. Setup also allows you to set password features that prot ect your syst em from unauthoriz ed use.

Use Setup to



set the current time and date customize your opera ting system to refl ect your comput er hardware



secure your system with a password



balance your per f ormance needs with power c onservation.

Access Setup at power-on. Just press F2 when the following prompt a p- pears.

Press <

> for B oot Messages, F2 for Setup

Esc

When you press F2 to enter Setup, the system automatically detects current parameter settings with the Power-On Self-Test (POST).

If the s ystem detects an error du ring POST, it prompts you with a double beep and a message: "Press <F1> to resume." If you press enters Setup automatically. If you want to fix the error, carefully read the err or message that ap pears above the prompt (taking notes if you want), and

press

the system

Using Setup 3-1

Page 50

Setup Utility Main Menu

After you press F2, the system displays the Setup Main Menu screen, simi- lar to the following.

AMIBIOS HIFLEX SETUP UTILITY - VERSION 1.05

Standard CMOS Setup Advanced CMOS Setup

Power Management Setup

Peripheral Setup

Change User Password

Change Supervisor Password

Auto Configuration with Defaults

Save Settings and Exit

Exit Without Saving

Standard CMOS setup for changing time, date, hard disk type, etc.

Setup Main Menu

Use the u p and down arrow keys (loc ated on t he lower right corn er of the

keyboard) to toggle through the Set up menu items.

How to Use Setup

The following s ections describe how t o use Set up, inc l u ding these top ic s:



Looking at screens



Using keys



Checking/setting system parameters.

3-2 Using Setup

Page 51

Looking at Screens

Setu p screens have three areas as shown next.

AMIBIOS SETUP - ADVANCED CMOS SETUP

BootUp Sequence A:,C:

Plug and Play Aware O/S NumLock (at BOOT) Keyboard Auto-repeat Rate Keyboard Auto-repeat Delay Password Check

Auto Off 30/sec 1/2 sec Setup

Available Options:

C:,A: A:,C:

ESC:Exit PgUp/PgDn:Modify F3/F4:Color

Advanced CMO S S etup menu



Parameters The left part of the screen. This area lists parameters and their current settings.

Available Options



The righ t par t of the s creen. This area l i sts al ternate setti n g s.



Key Legend The bot tom r i g h t corner of the screen. These l i n es display t h e key s th at move the cursor and select p arameters .

:Sel

Using Setup 3-3

Page 52

Using Keys

The following t able lists S et up keys and their f unctions .

Setup Key Functions

KEY

Esc Di spl ays t he “Quit without saving” pr ompt in the Main Menu

↓

↑ PgUp/PgDn Modif ies the current parameter settings. F3/F4 Changes the screen color. F10 Save changes and exit (works only from main menu).

WHAT IT DOES

screen or exits out of cur r ent Menu. Moves the cursor between the displayed parameters.

Checking/Setting System Parameters

See the following table for a list of parameters, their factory default settings, and a l terna te settings. A des crip tion of eac h setting f ollows the table.

To reset all parameters to the default settings, select “Auto Configuration with Defaults” from the Setup Main Menu and press Y.

3-4 Using Setup

Page 53

Setup Parameters

PARAMETER

Standard CMOS Setup

System Date System Time Diskette Drive A: **

Diskette Drive B: *

Internal Hard Disk Drive

Int Master Auto Not Installed

Int Slave Auto Not Installed

DEFAULT SETTING

mm/dd/yyyy hh:mm:ss

1.44MB, 3 1/2"

Not Installed

Enabled

ALTERNATE SETTING(S)

Not Installed

1.2 MB, 5 1/4"

1.44 MB, 3 1/2”

1.2 MB, 5 1/4”

1.44MB, 3 1/2" Not Installed Disabled Enabled

BIOS Defined User Defined Auto CD-ROM LS-120

Docking Station Hard Drives* Enabled Disabled

Enabled

Ds Master *

DS Slave *

Boot Docking St at ion IDE * System Memory

Auto Not Installed

BIOS Defined User Defined Auto CD-ROM LS-120

Auto Not Installed

BIOS Defined User Defined Auto CD-ROM LS-120

No 16MB

Yes No (Auto detect)

Using Setup 3-5

Page 54

Advanced CMOS Setup

Plug and Play Aware O/S

Bootup Sequence Docking Station Video BootUp NumLock Graphic/Text Panel View

Expansion Password Check

Power Management Setup

Power Management Under AC Power Savings Level

Hard Disk Timeout ***

Video Timeout ***

Peripheral Timeout ** * Audio Device Timeout *** Standby Timeout *** Auto Suspend Timeout *** Suspend Option Auto Save To File Panel Backlight

Suspend Warning Tone Modem Ring Resume

Setup Paramete rs (c ont’ d . )

A:, C: Dock Stn. Off Off Setup

Off Longest Life

2 min

ON On 4 min 10 min Suspend Enable Auto

On On

No Yes Auto C:, A: A:, C: Portable Dock Stn On Off Off On Setup Always

On Off Off Custom High Perform Longest Life Off 5, 30 or 45 sec, 1, 2,4, 6, 8, 10, 15 min Off 30 or 45 sec, 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, or 15 min Off On Off On Off 1, 2, 4, 6, 8,10 or 15 min Off 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 or 30 min STF (Save-To-File) Suspend Disable Enable Full Standard Auto Off On Off On

3-6 Using Setup

Page 55

Wake Up Alarm Resume Alarm Time

Off 8:00 AM

On Off 12:00 AM to 11:55 PM, 5 min. increments

Peripheral Setup

Serial Por t

Parallel Port

Parallel Mode

IR Serial Port

IR Serial Mode

Sound

Sound IRQ SB-Compatible DMA Full Duplex Mode DMA Docking Station Midi (MPU-401) **** Docking Station Joystick ****

Auto

ECP

Auto

FIR

Auto

N/A N/A N/A N/A

Auto

Disabled COM1, IRQ4 COM2, IRQ3 COM3, IRQ4 COM4, IRQ3 Auto (PnP OS Setup) Disabled LPT1 LPT2 Auto (PnP OS Setup) Uni-Directional Bi-Directional EPP ECP Disabled COM2, IRQ3 COM3, IRQ9 COM4, IRQ3 Auto PnP OS Setup SIR MIR FIR Disabled IO address 220h, 240h, 260h, 280h Auto (PnP OS Setup) 5, 7, 9, 10, 11 DMA #0, DMA #1

, DMA #3 DMA #0, DMA #1, DMA #3 Disabled 300h, 310h, 320h, 330h Disabled Auto PnP OS Setup

* Only visible when cold docked.

** When the portable diskette drive is present, the portable diskette drive is the bootable diskette drive. *** Only changeable when power saving is set to Custom. **** Only assessable when docked.

Using Setup 3-7

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Setup Menus

Read the following descr i p tions for an explanation of each item tha t ap pear s in th e Set up menus, as listed i n the preced i n g table.

Standard CMOS Setup

When you select the Standard CMO S Setup screen you will see Sys tem Time and System Date parameters as well as drive parameters.

Date/Time



Lets you set you r NEC Vers a’s c alendar month/yea r and syst em clock. The calendar clock is year 2000 compliant. These settings remain in memory even after you turn off system power.

To s et the date use t he Tab key to move from field to field. Use the Pg Up or Pg Dn key to c hange the numbers wit hin each field.

To s et the time, enter t he current hour, minute, and second in hr/min/sec, 24- hour format. Us e t he Tab key to move fr om field to field. Use the Pg Up or Pg Dn key to c hange the numbers wit hin each field.



Drives The dr ives parameter let you check and c hange sett i ngs for your drives, including internal hard drives, dis ket te drives, and C D - ROM reader . This parameter als o let s you check t he doc king sta tion’s hard drives, diskette drives, and C D-RO M rea der.

Advanced CMOS Setup

Sets CMOS settings for the following functions .



Plug and Play Operat ing System Allows the s elect ion of a Plug and P l ay aware system to operat e at bootup.



BootUp Sequence Sets the order that the drives (A:, C:) initialize, or sets the order to search for the boot dis k.



Docking Stat ion Video Sets the video contr oller when the notebook is docked.

3-8 Using Setup

Page 57

BootUp NumLock



Selects NumLock On or Off at system startup. Graphic/ Test Panel View Exp ansion



Exp ands or compres ses the on sc reen viewing area. When in expand mode the graphic/t ex t qua lity maybe adversely affect ed.

Pa sswor d Check



When the system prompts you to enter a passwor d, the password is ver i fied. If Always is s elect ed, press i ng Ctr l- Alt-Backspac e will lock u p the keyboard until the password is entered. The Nu m Loc k, Cap Loc k and Scroll Lock LED ’ s will flas h in sequence until you ent er the pa ssword.

Power Management Setup

The Power Ma nagement Setup menu lets you ba lance high per f ormance a nd energy conservat ion using parameters inc luding the following.

NOTE

Some operating systems such as Windows for W orkgroups, Wi ndows 95 and W indows NT hav e their own power managem ent software which overrides CMOS settings. In this case, be sure to set your desired power management settings accor dingly.



Power Management Under AC Norma lly, whenever AC power is c onnected to your NEC Vers a sys tem, power ma nagement is disabled. I f you enable t his pa rameter , the system automatic ally ac tivat es the power ma nagement profile you set.



Power Savings Level A High Perfor m setting provides t he great es t sys tem performance. Longest Li f e p rovides max imum p ower sa ving, and O f f disab les all device timeouts . You can also cus tomize power management by select ing Custom Settings a nd ent ering values for device t i meout s.

Hard Disk Timeout



Allows you t o select the amount of time before your hard disk shuts down when Power Management is set to custom.

Using Setup 3-9

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Video Timeout



Allows you to select the amount of time before you r video shu ts down when Power Mana gement is set to Custom.

Peripheral Timeout



If this f eature is On, onb oard s erial, parallel, diskette or Super D isk LS-120 devices are power managed after 2 seconds of ina c tivity.



Audio Device Timeout If this feat ure is O n, the a udio device turns off when no s ou nd device activity oc c urs f or 30 s ec onds.



Standby Timeout You ca n specify when the s ystem enters Standby mode after total s ystem inactivity.



Auto Sus pend Timeout You ca n select the s ystem sus pend timeout p eriod. I f no system activity has oc c u rred for the sp ecif ied t imeout , the sys tem will enter the selected Suspend Option.

Suspend Option



Suspend mode is the default power management mode. When you s elect Suspend, after a specified amount of inac tivity, your N E C Vers a shuts down all devices as sp ecif ied b y the user in Setup ( or ap plies default timeouts). All you r data is aut oma tica lly recovered from where you left off when you Resume.

3-10 Using Setup



Auto Save to File (STF) The system enters STF after 30 minutes in Suspend mode.

Pa nel Backlight



Lets you choose the b acklight intensity.



Suspend Wa rning T one This p arameter lets you enable or disable a warning tone when Suspend mode starts. It is best to keep this option On.



Modem Ring R es ume Lets you choose whether the system resumes automat ic ally when the external serial port modem receives a transmission.

Page 59



Peripherals Setup

The Peripher als Setup menu displays the connect ion loc ation b etween the system and the Input/Output (I/O) ports.



Wake Up Alarm/Resume Alarm Ti me Lets you set a resume time from Suspend mode.

Serial Port Disables or reassigns the serial port.

Parallel P ort/Parallel Mode Disables or reas signs the p arallel port, a nd/or select a p arallel port mode.

IR Serial Port Allows you to disable or reas sign the IR Serial port.

IR Seria l Mode Allows you to select the IR transfer rate.

Sound/Sou nd I RQ/SB-compatible DMA/ Full du plex Mode DMA/Docking Station Midi (MPU-401) Select the sound p arameter to user defined, dis abled or Auto. Change additional sound r elated items a s needed.

Docking Stat ion Joyst ic k



Select the parameter to Disabled, Auto, or Plug and Play Operating System a s needed.

Change User Password

You must set the Supervisor password first. Then you can set the user passwor d. You can have a supervisor password withou t having a user pa ssword. This gives the system a second level of password secu rity.

Change Supervisor Password

Sets a Supervisor password at system startup.

Auto Configuration with Defaults

Loads or cancels default settings.

Using Setup 3-11

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Save Settings and Exit

Accept s changes made to curr ent , or def ault setti ngs and exits S et up.

Exit Without Saving

Revert s to the previously selected sett ings and exits Setup.

USING SETUP TO SET POWER MANAGEMENT

As you have seen in this c hapter, Setup allows you to use the fa c tory s et power s avings level (Longes t Life), or c hoose between High Perform, Custom, or Off. Ea c h p rovides a specia l value to your cu rr ent work effor t. These p ower management levels have been designed with you in mind. For example, you ca n use them under the following cir c u ms tances :

Longest L i f e — Provides best bat tery life and good per f ormance. Use



while traveling long distances.



High Perfor m — Provides best performance a nd good bat tery life. Use while on the road, traveling s hort dis tances.



Custom — You dec ide! S et power management levels a ccording to your own needs and p resent environment.

Off — Office envir onment , using AC power .



See the online documentation in t he Windows NEC Infor ma tion grou p under the NEC Versa 6060 Help Center for a lengthier discussion of Power Management. See the following sect ion for information on how using the s pecial Sa ve t o File (STF) f eature can benefit you.

Using the Save to File (STF) Feature

ST F is a f eature tha t pr otects the integrit y of your working files. For example, if you get ur gent ly c alled awa y from your system without saving t he cur rent data , it a utomatically goes into Su spend mode. After 30 minu tes pass, and you don’t return, your working environment is saved t o a special file on your hard disk.

3-12 Using Setup

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STF Benefits

Ther e are t wo ways t o set your NEC Vers a’s STF feature. One method is via the Setup utility. Select Power Management from the Setu p Main Menu. Move the cu rsor down and highlight Suspend Mode. Pr ess the

PgUp

key

and select STF. Save t he s et tings a nd ex it Setup. The second method is to press the Fn Suspe nd buttons simultaneously, be-

fore you leave your NEC Versa . This function initia tes STF on dema nd.

NOTE

When the status bar reads that there is only 3% power remaining in the system, the NEC Versa automatically performs a STF.

Using STF c an benefit you in the following ways.



When in ST F, there is mi n i mum battery d rain. Preserves the life of yo ur NEC Versa.



Sa ves you time. When you retu rn fr om t hat u rgent call or meeting, you don’t have to per f orm a full reboot. You will only have to press the Power but ton.

Using Setup 3-13

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Using Your NEC Versa

The more you u se your N EC Versa system, the more p roficient you will become at ever ything, from using the function keys to setting up a pres ent ation.

This c hapt er gives concis e information on these and ot her import ant t asks, including how t o u se:

the LCD panel



the keyboa rd



the NEC Ver saGlide



the NEC VersaBay II



the 20X CD- ROM reader



the PC card slots



the IR port.

In addition, t his chap ter foc uses on ins talling op tions, ex panding hard disk space and memory, and (if approp ria te) updating the system Basic I nput/Output System (BIOS).

LCD

When you open your NEC Versa notebook LCD, you’ll notice the brightness control a nd speakers. Slide the brightness c ontrol u p to make you r scr een brighter. S lide the brightness control down t o make your screen darker.

The two system sp eakers work automat i c ally with you r au dio app lic ation soft ware. However, if you p l an on us ing ex ternal speakers, see “ External Audio Op tions. ”

Using Your NEC Versa 4-1

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KEYBOARD

Your NEC Versa syst em keyboard is equ ipped with ma ny features. T hes e include:

Func tion keys



Numeric keyp ad



Cursor control keys

 

Control keys Typ ewriter keys .



Featur e keys are located a s shown in the f ollowing f igure. K ey op erations are descri bed aft er the figure.

Func tion keys — Twelve function keys, F1 thr ough your N EC Ver sa keyb oard. These keys work together with the act i vate special functions . Six keys are pr eprogr ammed with dual functions, whic h are printed in b lue on the key.

Function keys are ap plication-driven. See the specific app lic ation’s user guide for inf ormat ion abou t how each f unction key works within the applicat ion you are using.

4-2 Using Your NEC Versa

Keyboard

are available on

F12,

key to

Page 64

The following function key combinations are p re-programmed for your NEC Versa system.



Windows 9 5 keys — If you have Windows 95, you can use the following two key combinations to f acilitate your work.

 Fn + x – Quic k access to shortc ut menus  Fn + y – Display the Start menu

Using Your NEC Versa 4-3

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Numeric Keypad — Pr essing Nu m L oc k on the keyboard ac tivates the



numeric keyp ad number s and f unctions pr inted in blue on t he keys. The keypad lets you type number s and mathematical oper ands (+, – ) as

you would on a calc ulat or. The keypad is ideal for entering long lists of numbers.

When you press Num Lock again, the keys rever t to their norma l f unctions as t ypewrit er keys.



Cursor Control keys — Cur sor control keys let you position the cu rsor on the screen where you want . On the s creen, t he cursor is a blinkin g underline, b l oc k, or vertical line depending on the ap plication. The cur sor indicates where the next text typed is inserted.



Control keys —

Ctrl, Alt, Fn

, a nd

ar e controls used in conjunction

Shift

with other keys to c hange their funct ions. To us e control keys , press and hold the control key while pres sing anot her key. F or exa mple, “p ress

” means to hold down the

key and typ e the letter c. How the key

Ctrl

combination works dep ends on the applica tions you are running. Typewriter keys — The t ypewriter keys (a lso called alpha numeric keys)



are used to enter text a nd c haracters. Thos e keys that have blue printing on them behave differently when combined with control keys or the F n key. Dou ble ta p your f i nger on the VersaGlide.

NEC VERSAGLIDE

The NE C VersaGlide is an easy way to control the cur sor wit h your finger. Lightly glide your finger acr oss the N EC VersaGlide and the cursor follows. You ca n select items in one of two ways:



Doub le tap your f inger on the VersaG lide. Double clic k the left bu tton (t his is the p rimar y button).



4-4 Using Your NEC Versa

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VersaGlide features

Try both ways and decide which you p refer. If you find the doub l e t ap diffi-

cult to use, go to the next section for general directions about adju sting the touchpad properties.

NOTE

If you install another mouse driver over the shipped default driv er, the double-tap capability may be lost. You will have to reinstall the VersaGli de driver l ocated on y our Restore CD t o get doubl e tap back.

Making VersaGlide Adjustments

The NE C VersaGlide offers a number of op tions t hat let you cus tomize how it fu nc tions with the cursor. T o access these options, loc ate the Contr ol Pa nel and double clic k on the VersaGlide icon. (In Windows f or Wor kgroups, look in the Ma in program gr oup; in W indows 95 and Windows N T, look in the Set tings gr oup. )

Using Your NEC Versa 4-5

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The options let you c ontrol the size and c olor of t he curs or, the cur sor s p eed, the accepted doub l e-c lic k speed, and selection b utton orientation. Use the NEC Versa G lide online help b utt on f or deta ils ab out configuring you r VersaG lide.

VersaGlide Tips

Follow thes e b asic ergonomic tips while working:



See App endix A, “Sett ing Up a H ealthy Work Environment,” for mor e information.

Use a light touc h on the VersaGlide surface. Set u p the NE C Vers a with you r keyboa rd a nd Versa G lide at a

comfort able height. Keep your for earms p arallel to the fl oor. You r wrists should b e relaxed and straight.

While using t he keyboard and Vers aGlide, keep you r shou lders a nd arms as relaxed as possible.

Take regular breaks from the compu ter t o rest your eyes. Per f orm stretching exercises to rela x your fingers, hands, wrists, forearms, a nd shoulder s.

NEC VERSABAY II

The NEC VersaBay I I is the drive b ay located below the VersaGlide. You r NEC Versa system ships with a standard 3.5 inch, 1.44-MB diskette drive or SuperDisk LS-120 drive installed in the bay. However, if you choose, you can remove the drive and install t he 2 0X CD-ROM reader that also ships with your system.

Your NE C Versa Bay II will support warm swapping of the diskette drive, SuperDisk LS-120 drive and CD-ROM reader. Warm Swapping allows you to r ep lace devices while your system is in Suspend mode. You do not have to reboot your system t o reconfigure for the new device. T o warm s wap pl ace the system in Suspend mode, by pressing the S uspend/Resu me (S/R ) button. Then follow the instruc tions to repl ace ei ther the diskette dr ive or CD- ROM reader.

4-6 Using Your NEC Versa

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Locating the V er s aB ay II

In addition to the CD-ROM reader, the VersaBay II accepts the following

options:



a sec ond bat tery pack a second hard disk drive.



See the NEC Versa Tools Catalog or you r author iz ed NEC deal er for det ails about t hese VersaBay II options.

Removing a Device from the VersaBay II

Use the following s teps t o remove the standard diskette drive (or other device) from the Versa Ba y II.

Make s ure the N EC Versa is powered off or in Su spend mode, all op-

tions are dis c onnected, a nd the LCD panel is c losed. Tu rn the s ystem upside down with the front f acing you.

Locate the VersaBay II release latches on the bottom of the unit.

Using Your NEC Versa 4-7

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VersaBay II release latches

Slide the front latch t owards the hard disk drive side of the s ystem, a nd

hold it. Push the middle latc h towards you u ntil the dr ive p ops part way out of

the unit. Continue to hold the la tch near the front of the syst em to the left, and pul l

the device the r est of the way out of the s ystem.

NOTE

device, the device casi ng may catch on t he inside of the latch.

4-8 Using Your NEC Versa

If you release the fr ont latch bef ore completel y remov ing the

Page 70

Installing a Device in the VersaBay II

Use the following step s to install a device in t he VersaBa y I I . Sp ecif ic ally, these steps show how to install the 20X CD-ROM reader that ships standard with the system.

Releasing the device

If you install a hard disk drive from a Versa model E, V, M , or P in the Ver-

saBay II, it becomes the master dr ive from which the syst em will boot. Your syst em must be powered off or placed in s uspend mode before remov-

ing or inserting devices in the VersaBay I I .

NOTE

To use a hard disk drive in the VersaBay II, the drive must be connected to the appropriate adapter. See the

Catalog

Disk Drive Adapter K it.

Locate the switc h labeled S (slave) and M (master) on your C D - ROM

or your authorized NEC dealer for details about the Hard

NEC Versa Tools

pack.

Using Your NEC Versa 4-9

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The slave/master switch default setting is S. Keep this default setting

even if you are booting to a bootab le CD-R O M. Align the CD-ROM reader in t he VersaBay II and push it in until it loc ks

into place.

Inserting the CD- ROM reader

Power on the system or r etur n f rom Su spend mode.

4-10 Using Your NEC Versa

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Customizing Your System with the VersaBay II

It’s easy to customize your NEC Versa us ing the VersaBay II. I f you find you requ ire addit ional hard disk space or inc reas ed b att ery longevity, s i mply remove the st andard device and pl u g in an opt ional hard disk drive or battery.

NOTE

If you i nstall a second hard disk driv e in the VersaBay II, it can be set to either master or slave.

However , if you use a 19m m hard disk driv e from a previ ous NEC Versa model, the driv e is automatical ly set to master. (T he Master drive is the dri ve from which the system boots.)

Add anot her hard disk dr ive, or second Li-I on bat tery pack a s follows.

Remove the st andard diskette drive or CD-ROM reader from the Ver -

saBay II as described earlier, steps 1 through 4. Pr ep are you r opt ion for installation as follows :



To install a batter y p ack, f irst c onnect it to the bay adap ter that came with the battery. (Follow the instructions that came with the battery pack.)



To install a hard disk drive, first connect it to t he a ppr opriate ba y adapter. (Follow the instructions that come with the hard disk drive.)

Align the opt ion and its c arrier in the VersaBay I I and push it in until the

option clic ks into place. Tu rn the system over and power on or retur n f rom Su spend mode. T he

syst em a utomat ic ally rec ogniz es the newly insta lled op tion.

Using Your NEC Versa 4-11

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NOTE

If a diskette drive is installed in the VersaBay II, it automatically def aults to t he A: driv e when docked. You cannot change thi s default .

W hen an optional hard disk driv e, battery, or CD-ROM reader i s installed in the VersaBay II, then the docking station diskette drive defaults to drive A:.

20X CD-ROM READER

Your NEC Versa system comes with a 20X CD-ROM reader that features the latest in C D-RO M technology. The CD- ROM reader is as signed the next available dr ive letter.

Use the C D -ROM reader to loa d and start programs from a compact disc (CD ) . You can also use t he CD-R OM r eader t o play you r audio CDs (see “CD-ROM Input” in Chapter 5). The CD-ROM readers are fully compatible with Kodak Mu ltisess ion Photo CDs™ and st andard audio CDs.

The C D - ROM reader operates at different speeds depending on whether the CD you are u sing contains da ta or music. This allows you to get your dat a fas ter and to see smoot her animation and video.

The 20X CD-RO M r eader fea tures are shown i n the fol l o wi n g figures . Descr i ptions of the feat ures f ollow.

4-12 Using Your NEC Versa

Page 74

20X CD-ROM r eader



Release Button — ejects the CD tray. Press this button when power is on to insert a CD into or remove a CD from the reader.

CD Loading



Emergency Eject Hole — a llows you to manually remove a disc f rom the CD -RO M r eader if the eject fu nctio n i s dis abl ed by so ftware o r a power failure occurs.

To remove a disc, insert the end of a paper c lip into the eject hole, and pus h in until you hear a click. Now you ca n manually open the drawer.



Statu s LED — lights during da ta read operat ions. Do not eject the C D or turn off the NEC Versa when this indicator is lit.

To i n ser t a CD i nto t h e CD- ROM reader, f o l l o w thes e steps

Pr es s the release button. The CD tray emerges fr om t he reader door.

Put your CD, printed side up, into the circular impression in the tray.

Pus h the CD tray in until it clicks shut.

Using Your NEC Versa 4-13

Page 75

NOTE

Some CDs v i brate when play ing. Thi s does not ef f ect the CDROM reader.

Card Bus/PC Card Slots

Your NEC Versa notebook integrates two card bus slots f or inserting two Type II PC cards. You can also insert one Type III PC card. The 32 bit ca rd bus also has zoomed video support in the bottom slot only.

NOTE

This 32-bit CardBus structure is backward compatible, but also accepts new CardBus cards.

Using the s ystem’s CardBus slots, you can add optional PC c ards and con-

nect ext ernal devices to your NEC Vers a. These devices inc lude periphera l devices, s uch as modems, LAN cards, a nd storage ca rds. For details on how to obtain these o pti on s, see the o n l i n e NEC Versa Tools Catalog. Also, for more informa tion on PC card technology, see the online Advanced T o p i cs in the NEC Versa 6060 Help Center.

Inserting a PC Card

To ins ert a PC c ard, open the s l ot cover and follow these steps.

NOTE

when using PC cards, especiall y if using the card in a warm env ironment or ov er an extended period of time. Fai lure to do so may cause some cards to overheat and damage the card or the system.

Align the ca rd so t hat the 68-pin connector points towards the slot.

Slide the card int o either slot. A low t one f ollowed b y a high tone lets you

know that the card is f u lly insert ed and recognized. (If you decide to turn off the s ound thr ough Setu p, no s ound is emitted.)

4-14 Using Your NEC Versa

We recommend that you keep the PC card slot cover open

Page 76

Other two-t one s equences su c h as high, then low tones indic ate t hat the

card is inserted, b ut the card type is unknown.

Inserting a card

You ca n use the C ar dBus™ software p reinst alled on your system t o

check PC c ard s l ot ava ilabilit y. For example, look for the SystemSoft icon on the Windows Program Manager or t he PC C ard icon in the Contr ol Panel on Windows 95 and Windows NT op erating systems. It shows which slot c ontains a PC card and whic h is empty.

Removing a PC card from Windows for Workgroups

To remove a PC card follow these steps.

To remove a PC c ard, press the but ton on the side of the slot. A doub le

tone sou nds. Pull the card firmly out of the slot.

Using Your NEC Versa 4-15

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NOTE

PC cards draw power even when not i n use. T o sav e ener gy, press the button to disconnect the card when it is not in use. You can leav e the card in t he slot while i t is disconnected f or easy storage.

Removing a PC card from Windows 95

To remove a PC card follow these steps.

From th e screen, select “My C o mputer,” then “ Contro l Pa n el .”

Select the PC Card (PCMCIA) icon.

Select t he PC card to remove, and s elect “Stop.” W indows 95 will a lert

you if a ny applications are still using the car d. If a ll applic ations using that card are closed, then services for that card will b e s hu t down, and you will get a message telling you it is safe to remove the card.

Pr ess the b utton on the side of t he PC C ard in the slot.

Pull the card firmly out of the slot.

Removing a PC ca r d from Windows NT

From th e screen, select “My C o mputer,” then “ Contro l Pa n el .”

Select the PC Card (PCMCIA) icon.

Select t he PC card to remove, and s elect “Stop.” W indows NT will alert

Pr ess the b utton on the side of t he PC C ard in the slot.

Pull the card firmly out of the slot.

4-16 Using Your NEC Versa

Page 78

IR Port

The IR por t on the front of your s ystem lets you r NE C Vers a communica te with other devices that a l s o use infr ared technology. The IR ports are Fas tInfrared (F-IR), Infr ared Data Association (IrDA) compatible. You can easily tr ansfer files bet ween your NEC Versa and an IR-equipped desktop computer, or print to an IR-equipped printer without using cables.

There are three tran sfer r ates for t h e IR port on yo ur NEC Versa FIR (Fast Infrared - 4.0 Mbit/sec), MIR (Medium Infrared - 1.152 Mbit/sec) and SIR (Ser ial Infrared Standard - 2. 4 Kbit /sec). W i ndows 95 supports F IR.

For the infrared t echnology to work, you need to follow t hes e gu idelines :

pos ition the NEC Versa no more than t h ree feet way fro m the infrared



device you are using.



make sure there is no greater than a 30° angl e between the computer and the device.

Using an IR port

Using Your NEC Versa 4-17

Page 79

The LapLink software t hat ships with your N EC Ver sa s ystem (Windows 95 or Windows for Workgroups operating s ystems) provides ways for you t o use the IR port. Read the instructions in Chapter 2, “How to Use LapLink,” for steps on using t he s of tware with the I R port.

INCREASING SYSTEM STORAGE AND MEMORY

As your needs grow and cha nge, you may need to add an optional hard disk drive with a grea ter capa c i ty, or addit ional memory. R ead the following sections to lear n how to install an optiona l hard disk drive, or a memory module.

Hard Disk Drive

You can increase the s ystem’ s stor age capaci ty by repl aci n g the s tan d ar d har d disk drive or adding a second hard disk dr ive in t he VersaB ay II. (Adding a s econd hard disk drive is des c ribed in t he s ection “Cust omizi ng Your Sys tem with the Ver saB ay II.” )

NOTE

NEC Versa 6060 model hard disk dri v es can be used in other NEC notebook computers such as the NEC Versa 2000 and 4000 Series systems. Howev er, hard disk dri ves f rom earlier models c an only be used in the VersaBay II. Check the top of the hard dri v e f or a blue dot. If t he driv e case has the blue dot on it , you can use the drive in either the inter nal drive bay or the Ver saBay II.

Replace the hard disk drive as f ollows.

Check that the NEC Versa power is off.

Tu rn the NEC Versa system up side down with the f ront of the unit ( Ver-

saBay II) facing you.

4-18 Using Your NEC Versa

Page 80

Remove the drive cover as follows:

Locate the drive cover releas e latch. Push the drive cover release latch



up while using some pressure to s lide t he cover to the left. Lift the cover u p and off the system.



Removing the hard dis k dr iv e bay c ov er

Remove the hard disk drive as follows:



Using your fingers, p ress down on the har d disk drive at the end closest t o the connector.



While mainta ining pressure, slide the dr ive t owards the front of the system.

Do not l ift the dri ve out of t he system before releasing it from t he system connector. Doing so can damage t he c onnec tors.

CA UT ION

Using Your NEC Versa 4-19

Page 81

Once the drive is disconnected, lif t the drive u p and out of the system.



Removing the hard dis k dr iv e

Lower t he new drive into the dr ive b ay and align its c onnector with the

har d disk drive connector in t he s ystem.

4-20 Using Your NEC Versa

Inserting the har d dis k dr iv e

Page 82

Slide the ha rd disk drive towards t he connec tor, and push firmly to se-

cur e the connection. Rep l ace the cover a s foll ows:

Align the tabs on the drive cover with the not c hes on the system chas-



sis. Sli d e the cover t o war d s th e center of the unit.

 

Gently pu sh the cover until it snaps into place.

Tu rn the system over, power on, and run S etup to check the new conf igu-

ra tion.

Installing a Memory Module

Your NEC Versa system comes standard with 16 megabytes (MB) of random access memory (RA M). Yo u can increas e syste m memory to a maximum of 80 MB b y insta lling one of the following memory modules in the system.

8- MB me mo ry module



16-MB memory modu le



Replacing the drive bay c ov er

Using Your NEC Versa 4-21

Page 83

32-MB memory modu le



64-MB memory modu le



Use the following steps to insta ll a memory module.

Follow steps 1 throu gh 4 in the preceding section, “Hard D i sk,” to re-

move the hard disk drive. Loca te the two memory module connectors in t he drive bay.

4-22 Using Your NEC Versa

Locating the c onnec tor

Page 84

Lower t he module int o the drive bay. Align t he module wit h the syst em

connectors a nd corner tab .

Inserting the m em or y m odule

Pr es s the module into t he connectors.

Onl y press the module direct ly over the connector s. Pressing elsewhere can damage the m odule.

Rep l ace the hard d i sk drive in the bay as fo l l o ws:



Lower t he hard dis k drive into t he drive bay and align its connect or with the connector in t he system.

Push the hard disk drive firmly to secur e t he connec tion.



CA UT ION

Using Your NEC Versa 4-23

Page 85

Inserting the har d dr iv e

Rep l ace the cover as fol l ows:

  

4-24 Using Your NEC Versa

Align the tabs on the drive cover with the slots on the s ystem chassis. Sli d e the cover t o war d s th e center of the unit. Gently pu sh the cover until it snaps into place.

Page 86

Replacing the cover

Tu rn the system over and power on. The system a utomatically c onfigur es

th e new memory. The Setup summa ry screen displays the total memory insta lled.

INSTALLING OPTIONS

Your NEC Versa notebook provides industr y-standard connect ors s o that you ca n integra te the following.



External monitor Pr inters (parallel and serial)



Ext ernal keyb oard



External mouse



Ext ernal bar code scanner



Ext ernal audio options

In addition, NEC offers t he following optiona l equ ipment developed to work with you r NE C Versa.



NEC Versa Docking Station 6000 Plus

Using Your NEC Versa 4-25

Page 87

NEC MiniDock 6000



NEC Versa PortBar 6000



NEC Versa 6000 DC Car Adapter (see Chapter 1 for car adapter information.

Floppy Disk D rive (FD D) Connect or Kit.



See the following sections for steps on installing the optional equipment.

External Monitor

You can add a standard external monit or to your N EC Ver sa s ystem. You need a display signal cable (usually p rovided with the monitor). O ne end of the ca ble must have a 1 5-pin c onnector f or the s ystem.

Follow these steps to connect an external monitor to your NEC Versa system.

Check that the NEC Versa is in Su spend mode or powered off a nd the

monitor power switch is turned off.

NOTE

while the m onitor is bei ng c onnec ted.

4-26 Using Your NEC Versa

The NEC Versa must be in Suspend mode or powered off

Page 88

Open the po rt cover on th e back of the sy stem.

Attach the 1 5-pin c able connector to the monitor port on the sys tem. Se-

cure the cable connection with the screws p rovided.

Connecting a monit or

Connect the monitor p ower cable and plug it into a properly grounded

wall out let . Follow a ny setup instr uctions in the monitor’s user’s gu ide.

Tu rn on power to the monitor.

Pr ess the Sus pend but ton to resume Act i ve mode or power on you r NE C

Versa system.

Press the

Fn + F3

function key combinat ion to toggle bet ween the L CD,

CRT, or simult aneous dis play on both.

Using Your NEC Versa 4-27

Page 89

Printer

You ca n att ach a print er with either a p arallel or a serial connect or. A p arallel printer c onnector has 25 pins; a s erial connec tor has 9 or 25 pins. Some printers c ome wit h both types of connectors.

Parallel Devices

To install a parallel device, such as a pr inter, you need a c able with a ma le 25-pin connector for the syst em a nd, for most pa rallel p rinter s, a Centronics

Connect a para llel device t o your NEC Ver sa system as f ollows.

-compa tible 36-pin c onnector.

NOTE

When you connect a printer, be sure to i nstal l t he appropri at e printer driv er through the Windows Control P anel, the Wi ndows 95 Start menu or v ia the Windows NT Start menu.

Check that b oth the NEC Vers a and p arallel device power are off . Open the po rt cover on th e back of the s ystem and lo cate the pa ra llel

port. Align and connect the 25-p i n par allel cable connector to the pa rallel p ort

on the system. Secure the cable wi th t h e screws p rovi ded . Align and connect the other end of the cab le t o the parallel p ort on

the device. Lock the connector c lips.

4-28 Using Your NEC Versa

Page 90

Connecting a parallel devic e

Connect the power c able t o the device and a prop erly grounded wall

outlet. Tu rn on power to the system and t he device.

Serial Devices

NOTE

Check that the dev ice is online bef ore you try to use it. See

the instruct ions that cam e with the dev ice for more informat ion.

To ins tall a serial device, s uch as a printer or an exter nal modem, you need a

cab le with a female 9 - pin connector.

NOTE

When you connect a print er, be sure to i nstall the appropri ate printer dri ver through the W indows for Workgroups Control Panel, the Windows 95 Start m enu or via the Windows NT Start m enu.

Follow these steps to connect a s erial devic e t o your N EC Versa system.

Using Your NEC Versa 4-29

Page 91

Check t hat b oth the NEC Ver sa and the device power are off.

Open the po rt cover on th e back of the s ystem and lo cate the ser i al port.

Align and connect the 9- pin connector with the serial port on the system.

Secure the connection with the screws provided. Align and connect the other end of the cable to the approp ria te port on

the device. Secur e the connections with the sc rews provided.

Connect the power c able t o the device and a prop erly grounded wall out-

let. Tu rn on power to the system and the device.

NOTE

printer guide for instructions.

4-30 Using Your NEC Versa

Connecting a serial dev ic e

Make sure your print er i s onli ne bef ore tr yi ng t o pri nt. S ee t he

Page 92

External Keyboard/Mouse

You ca n add a f ull-size PS/ 2-st yle keyboard or PS/2- style mouse t o your NEC Versa system. You can continue to us e the syst em keyboard while an exter nal keyboa rd is connected.

If you want to at tac h both an external keyb oard and an extern al mouse at t he same time, use the optional NEC Y-adap ter. For ordering inf ormation see the on l i n e NEC Versa Tools Catalog.

Follow these steps to connect an external keyboard/mouse to your sys tem.

Press the Suspend button o n the NEC Versa. Chec k that the system is in

Suspend mode.

Make sure the NEC Versa is in Suspend mode (l ook for the moon icon on the St atus Bar) or Powered off whenev er you add or remove the keyboard. Connect i ng an ex ternal key board to t he system i n Active mode can damage the keyboard controller c hip.

CA UT ION

Connect either t he keyboar d/mouse cable connect or to the key-

board/mouse port on the system.

Using Your NEC Versa 4-31

Page 93

Connecting an ext er nal k ey boar d/mouse

Pr ess the Sus pend but ton again to resume Active mode.

The system immediately recognizes the keyboard/mous e. After you connect an external keyb oard, you can us e b oth the built-in key-

board and ex terna l keyb oard simulta neou sly. (The numeric keyp ad on the internal keyboard will not wor k in this configu ration.)

NOTE

For instructions on connecti ng an external keyboard or external mouse to a docki ng station, see the use r' s g ui d e t hat c am e wi t h y ou r docking station.

External Bar Code Scanner

You ca n use an ex ternal ba r code sc anner u sing a PS/ 2-st yle c onnector with your N EC Versa system’s P lug and P lay featur e. You can s till use t he s ystem keyboard while a sc anner is c onnected.

To connect a b ar code sca nner, follow the instructions u nder “E xternal Keyboa rd/M ouse.”

4-32 Using Your NEC Versa

Page 94

External Audio Options

The NEC Versa system comes equipped with built-in audio ports that let you rec ord and play s ound.

Connect audio jacks, like a microp hone, headphones , or external speakers to the au dio port s as f ollows.

Loca te the audio por t that you want to use.

Plug the jack into the port on t he right side of the NE C Vers a.

Audio ports

NOTE

If you ar e using external speakers or an external micr ophone

and experienc e sound di stor tion or feedback, lower the volume. Som e feedback is caused by hav ing the m icrophone and speakers

too close to each other, so mov ing the external audio option away from the unit may also help.

Using Your NEC Versa 4-33

Page 95

NEC Versa Docking Station 6000 Plus

The optional NEC Versa Docking Station™ 6000 Plus lets you turn your portable computer into a desktop or a full-blo wn multim edia workstation, providing:

thr ee internal expans ion slots



one internal ba y f or a hard dis k drive or two exter nal bays for a 5.25 -



inch device high-qua lity speakers.



See the NEC Versa Docking Station 6000 Plus User's Guide for instruc- tions on c onnecting and u sing the docking station.

NOTE

Follow the i nstructions for i nstalling t he NEC Versa Docki ng Station Software Setup Utility provided with your docking station. See the user's guide that c am e with your docki ng station f or detai led installation instructions.

NEC Versa MiniDock 6000

The NEC Versa MiniDock™ 6000 provides the following ports or slots.

VersaBay II



Monitor Port



Audio Ports



Parallel Port



Serial Port Keyboa rd Port



Mouse Port



CardBus Slots (two) (Zoomed Video not supported) USB Port



Floppy Disk D rive Connect or

4-34 Using Your NEC Versa

Page 96

Midi Port



DC In Port.



Keep the MiniDock™ 6000 in your office connected to peripherals while you take your NEC Versa on the r oad.

See the instruction sheet that comes with the MiniDock™ 6000 or the online Advanced T op i cs for details a bout ins talling and using the MiniDock™

6000.

NEC Versa PortBar 6000

The NEC Versa PortBar™ 6000 duplicates the ports found on the back of your NEC Versa system providing the following,

Monitor Port



External Diskette Drive Port



Parallel Port



Serial Port



Keyboa rd Port Mouse Port



Line Out Port



DC In Port.

Keep the PortBar 6000 in your office connected to peripherals while you ta ke you r NE C Vers a on the road.

See the ins tr uct i o n sheet tha t comes with the P ort B ar or the onl i ne A dvanced Topics for details a bout insta lling and using the PortBar.

Floppy Disk Drive (FDD) Connector Kit

The NEC Versa 6000 Series FDD Connector Kit lets you u se an ext ernal diskette drive with your NEC Versa system and the optional PortBar 6000. The kit inc ludes an ex terna l diskette dr ive c onnector wit h c able, plus an ada pter that lets you use the op tion with you r NEC Vers a sys tem only.

Using Your NEC Versa 4-35

Page 97

SETTING SWITCHES

A six- position dip switc h is located next to the har d disk drive connector in the hard disk dr ive bay. The following list s each switch setting and it s special function.

NOTE

Switch settings 3, 4 and 6 are reserv ed for NEC fact ory use only.

Switch 1, BIO S Flash P rotect ion Switch — The defau lt sett i ng is “ON .”



Cha nge t he setting to “O FF” when you need t o upda te your syst em’s basic input/output system (or BIOS) flash memory. See “Updating the System BIOS”, to complete this procedure.

Switch 2, P ass word Override Switc h — The defau lt setting is “ O FF.”



For ex ample, if you for get your p ass word and c annot access the data on your NEC Versa , cha nge the sett ing to “O N” to er ase t his pa sswor d and requires you to enter a new one.

To enter a new password, reset the switch to “OFF,” and follow the instructions in C hapt er 3, “Using Setup ,” to set up a new pa sswor d. You may want to keep this new password in a sp ecial place so that you don’ t forget it again!



Switch 3 — Reserved for factory use.



Switch 4 — Reserved for factory use. Switch 5 — Not used.



Switch 6 — Reserved for factory use.



4-36 Using Your NEC Versa

Page 98

Updating the System BIOS

Use t h e following steps to up d ate y our NEC Versa s ystem BIOS wi th t he BIOS Update diskette (BUD). Specifically, the BIOS is the code transmitted onto your system’s microproces sor, or cent ral proces sing unit (CPU) .

NOTE

You only need to update the B IOS if NEC m akes significant improv em ents or f ix es to the cur rent system BI OS. Your authoriz ed NEC dealer, or T echnical Support Serv ice representat ive c an help you determine this.

If you are informed that the default BIO S needs an upgrade, you c an receive

a cop y of the BUD by contacting the NEC Versa Diskett e F ulfillment Center at (800) 842-6446, or NEC Customer Service and Support (800) 632-4525, Fax (508) 635-4666. You can also download from NEC’s BBS at (508) 635-4706.

You must use only the BIO S upgrade disket te for you r sp ecif ic model.

NOTE

If you purchased and are using this computer outside the U.S., please contact a local NEC office or dealer in your country. They will provide you with BIOS upgrades .

Check that computer power is off. Turn your NEC Versa system upside

down with the front of the unit (VersaBay II) facing you. Follow the ha rd disk dr ive removal pr oc edu res listed previously in the

“Hard D isk Dr ive” section, and remove the ha rd disk drive.

Using Your NEC Versa 4-37

Page 99

Locate switch 1 on the six-posit i on dip switch in t he hard disk drive ba y.

Locating the s witch sett ings

Set the switch to “off” to enable BIOS reprogramming.

Replace the hard disk drive and the compartment cover.

Now you a re ready to begin t he actu al up date procedur e u sing the following steps.

Make sur e t hat the comput er is connected to AC power, and that t he

power is off. Insert the BIOS Update diskette into diskette drive A. Power on the computer with the BUD diskette in drive A. T he compu ter

boots and au tomatic ally loads the utilit y. A message s imilar t o the following appear s:

Pr ess any key to continu e.

The ut ility checks t he currently inst alled BIOS version and the diskette’ s BIOS version. The Ma in Menu appears.

4-38 Using Your NEC Versa

The NEC BIOS Update Utility should not be used to modify

the BIOS in a Versa system which is do cked. If your Versa is docked, ple ase ex it the BIOS Update Utility, power down, and undock your Versa before running the utility. Plug in your AC cable before re-starting the flash utility.

Page 100

Use the a rrow keys to highlight the “Display BIOS Version” option on

the Ma in Menu. Use this op tion to check the cur rently installed BIO S version and the ver sion of the new r ep l acement BIOS.

Pr ess any key to ret urn t o the Ma in Menu.

Highlight t he “Install New BI O S” option and p ress

10.

Enter

11.

Press

, then press

Enter

After a brief pause, a message appears tell-

ing you to remove the diskette in drive A. Remove the diskett e and pr es s any key t o c ontinue. The utility updates

12.

the BIOS . You will see a message indicat ing that the update is now in progress .

Next, you will see the following message,

Your system has been updated. To complete the flashing procedure you shoul d power off y our system, thi s i nsures proper applicat ion operation on the next power cycle.

After reading this message, p ower off you r computer. The next time

13.

you power on, you will see the following message during the P ower On Self Test (POST).

CMOS Checksum B ad RUN SETUP Press F1 to Resume.

This mess age simply means t he previous CMOS RAM value is differ -

ent fr om t he current CM OS R AM value. Press the F1 key to enter the Setup utility.

14.

Use the a rrow keys to highlight “Aut o Configuration with Defaults. ”

15.

Press

16.

Press Y, then press Enter.

17.

Highlight “Save Sett ings and Exit” and pr es s

18.

Press

19.

Enter

The system reboots automatically. You now ha ve the lates t NEC Versa BIOS revisi on level for your NEC Versa 6060 Series computer.

Using Your NEC Versa 4-39