NEC Versa Note VX Series User manual

NEC Versa®Note VX Series Notebook Computers

VERSA NOTE VX

SERVICE AND REFERENCE

MANUAL

Preface vii

Preface

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

maintain the NEC Versa NoteVX notebook computer.

The manual also provides hardware and interface information for users who need an overview of

the system design. The manual is written for NEC-trained customer engineers, system analysts,

service centre personnel, and dealers.

The manual is organized as follows:

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

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

the notebook.

Chapter 3,Disassembly and Reassembly, provides detailed instructions on how to disassembly

the notebook.

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

Chapter 5, Preventive Maintenance, lists general notebook preventive maintenance procedures.

Chapter 6, Troubleshooting, lists troubleshooting procedures as well as helpful servicing hints.

Chapter 7, Specifications, lists physical specifications, connector locations, memory map and

interrupt controllers.

A Glossary and an Index are included for convenience.

Aampere

AC alternating current

AGP Advanced Graphics Port

AT advanced technology

(IBM PC)

BBS Bulletin Board Service

BCD binary-coded decimal

BCU BIOS Customized Utility

BIOS basic input/output system

bit binary digit

BUU BIOS Upgrade Utility

bpi bits per inch

bps bits per second

Ccapacitance

Ccentigrade

Cache high-speed buffer storage

CAM constantly addressable

memory

CAS column address strobe

CD-ROM compact disk-ROM

CG character generator

CGA Colour Graphics Adapter

CGB Colour Graphics Board

CH channel

clk clock

cm centimetre

CMOS complementary metal oxide

semiconductor

COM communication

CONT contrast

CPGA ceramic pin grid array

CPU central processing unit

DAC digital-to-analogue converter

DACK DMA acknowledge

DC direct current

DIP dual in-line package

DLAB Divisor Latch Address bit

DMA direct memory access

DMAC DMA controller

DOS disk operating system

DRAM dynamic RAM

DVD digital video disk

ECC error checking and correction

ECP enhanced capabilities port

EDO extended data output

EGA Enhanced Graphics Adapter

EPP enhanced parallel port

EPROM erasable and programmable

ROM

EVGA Enhanced Video Graphics

Array

FFahrenheit

FAX facsimile transmission

FCC Federal Communications

Commission

FG frame ground

FM frequency modulation

FP fast page

FRU field-replaceable unit

GB gigabyte

GND ground

HEX hexadecimal

Hz hertz

IC integrated circuit

ID identification

IDE intelligent device electronics

IDTR interrupt descriptor table

in. inch

INTA interrupt acknowledge

IPB illustrated parts breakdown

IR infrared

IRR Interrupt Request register

ISA Industry Standard Architecture

ISR In Service register

I/O input/output

IPC integrated peripheral

controller

ips inches per second

IRQ interrupt request

Kkilo (1024)

kkilo (1000)

KB kilobyte

kg kilogram

kHz kilohertz

Abbreviations

lb pound

LED light-emitting diode

LCD liquid crystal display

LSB least-significant bit

LSI large-scale integration

Mmega

mA milliamps

max maximum

MB megabyte

MDA Monochrome Display Adapter

MFM modified frequency modulation

MHz megahertz

mm millimetre

ms millisecond

MSB most-significant bit

NASC National Authorized Service

Center

NC not connected

NMI Non-maskable Interrupt

ns nanosecond

NSRC National Service Response

Center

PAL programmable array logic

PCB printed circuit board

PCI Peripheral Component

Interconnect

PDA personal digital assistant

PFP plastic flat package

PIO parallel input/output

pixel picture element

PLCC plastic leaded chip carrier

PLL phase lock loop

p-p peak-to-peak

PPI programmable peripheral

interface

PROM programmable ROM

QFP quad flat pack

RAM random-access memory

RAMDAC RAM digital-to-analogue

converter

RAS row address strobe

RGB red green blue

RGBI red green blue intensity

ROM read-only memory

rpm revolutions per minute

Rread

RTC real-time clock

R/W read/write

Sslave

SCSI Small Computer System

Interface

SDRAM synchronous dynamic

random-access memory

SG signal ground

SIMM single inline memory module

SPM standard page mode

SRS Sound Retrieval System

SVGA Super Video Graphics Array

SW switch

TFT thin film transistor

TSC Technical Support Center

TTL transistor/transistor logic

tpi tracks per inch

USB universal serial bus

Vvolt

Vac volts, alternating current

Vdc volts, direct current

VESA video electronics standards

association

VFC VESA-compliant feature

connector

VGA Video Graphics Array

VRAM video RAM

Wwatt

Wwrite

XGA Extended Graphics Array

System Overview

nGetting to Know the Versa Note VX

nAround the Front of the System

nAround the Back of the System

nAround the Left Side of the System

nAround the Right Side of the System

nAround the Bottom of the System

nInternal Components

nChipset

1-2 System Overview

Getting to Know the Versa Note VX

The Versa Note VX notebook computer offers you a portable system filled with exciting

resources for home, business or travel. Standard features include a powerful Intel®Celeron™,

Pentium®II or Pentium III microprocessor that works together with the latest Peripheral

Component Interconnect (PCI) architecture.

In addition, your system provides a high-performance hard disk drive, diskette drive, and PC

card support. Most models are equipped with a 24X CD-ROM drive, or a DVD-ROM drive, and

a V.90-compliant 56 kilobits per second (Kbps) modem. As a multimedia system, your Versa

Note VX provides the tools needed to create and present impressive images using video clips

and sound.

Versa Note VX notebook computer

To get comfortable with the notebook, read the following sections and take a tour around the

system!

System Overview 1-3

Around the Front of the System

The Versa is compact with features on every side. First, look at the front of the system. The

following sections describe front features, beginning with the liquid crystal display (LCD) panel.

LCD Panel

The Versa Note VX comes with a colour LCD panel that you can adjust for a comfortable

viewing position. The LCD panel can be a 12.1-inch Super Video Graphics Array (SVGA)

colour display, or a 13.3/14.1-inch Extended Graphics Array (XGA).

nPower and Battery Charging Status LEDs — (identified by icons) are located just under

the front of the LCD panel. The status LEDs are duplicated on the back of the LCD

panel to allow viewing when the panel is closed.

Power and Battery Charging LEDs

A– Power LED B– Battery Charging LED

Power LED — lets you know that power to the system is turned on. This LED is

positioned so that you see the power state whether the LCD panel is opened or

closed.

–Lights green when the system is powered on using the AC adapter, battery, or

auto adapter.

–Lights green when on and has normal battery power. Lights yellow when on and

low (8% to 4%) battery power. Lights amber when in Suspend mode and very

low (3% or less) battery power.

Battery Charging LED — lights to indicate battery-charging status.

–Lights amber to indicate the battery is charging.

–Blinks amber to indicate an error.

–Lights off to indicate the battery is fully charged.

Control Panel

The Versa Note VX control panel provides the features shown in the following figure. The

control panel features are described after the figure.

1-4 System Overview

Control panel

A– CD Control Buttons or Password Buttons D– Internet Button

B– Status LEDs E– Power Button

C– Email Button

nCD Control Buttons — use to control the CD-ROM drive (stop, reverse, play/pause, and

fast forward). Available on some systems.

nPassword Buttons — set a password or personal identification number for security.

Available on some systems.

nStatus LEDs — keep you informed of your Versa Note VX’s current operating status.

Descriptions of the status icons appear in the following section.

nEmail Button — press to access your email software.

nInternet Button — press to access the Internet.

nPower Button — press the Power button either to power on or power off the system.

Note If you are unable to power off the system, use the power override. Press the Power

button and hold it in place until the system powers off.

Status Icons

The Versa Note VX system uses status lights marked with icons to communicate system status.

See the following figure and list for each icon’s meaning.

Status LED icons

A– Hard Drive Access D– Scroll Lock

B– Diskette Drive Access E– Num Lock

System Overview 1-5

C– Caps Lock Lock

nHard Drive Access — lights when the Versa Note VX accesses the hard disk drive,

CD-ROM drive or DVD-ROM drive.

nDiskette Drive Access — lights when the Versa Note VX writes data to or retrieves data

from the diskette drive.

nCaps Lock — lights when caps lock is in effect.

nScroll Lock — lights when scroll lock is in effect.

nNum Lock — lights when Num Lock mode is active.

Keyboard Panel and Base Unit

The Versa Note VX keyboard panel and base unit contain the following features. The keyboard

panel and base unit features are described after the figure.

Keyboard panel

A– Keyboard B– VersaGlide

Base unit

A– Speakers D– Audio Ports

B– IR Port E– Volume Control

C– Microphone

1-6 System Overview

nKeyboard — standard QWERTY-key layout. (Models shipped outside of the U.S. are

equipped with country-specific keyboard layouts.) The keyboard is equipped with many

features. These include:

Function keys

Windows keys

Cursor control keys

Typewriter keys

Numeric keypad

Control keys.

Key features and operations are described after the figure.

Keyboard

A– Function Keys D– Windows Shortcut Key

B– Control Keys E– Cursor Control Keys

C– Windows Start Menu Key

nFunction Keys — Twelve function keys, F1 through F12, are available on the Versa

Note VX keyboard. These keys work together with the Fn key to activate special

functions. Eight keys (printed in blue) are pre-programmed with dual functions.

Function keys are application-driven. See the specific application’s user guide for

information about how each function key works within the application you are using.

The following function key combinations are pre-programmed for the Versa Note VX.

Fn-Left Ctrl — Simulates pressing the right control key to support IBM 327X

connections.

Fn-F3 —Toggles the video mode between LCD only, CRT only, Simultaneous mode,

and TV out.

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