* Optional - Optionnel - Opcional - Optioneel - Opzionale - Valmulighed - Valmöjlighet Details of the product may vary from those illustrated. Dettagli dei prodotti possone variare de quelli illustrati. Color y especificaciones de los productos pueden variar respecto a los aparecidos en las ilustraciones. Details van de producten kunnen verschillen van deze in de afbeelding. Form der tatsäglich gelieferten Geräte kann abweichen. Les détails des produits peuvent légèrement varier par rapport aux illustrations. Detaljer i produkten kan skilja sig från illustrationerna. Produktdetaljer kan afvige fra den viste figur. Produktdetaljene kan avvike fra illustrasjonen. Copyright 2001 NEC Computers International BV 1
2 Copyright 2001 NEC Computers International BV
Dear Customer, Table of Contents Copyright Notice ----------- 4 Safety Notices -------------- 5 Your Working Environment ---------------- 9 Setting up your Notebook Computer ----- 11 System Controls ---------- 17 Function Keys ------------- 18 Tips and Techniques ----- 19 The Electronic Guide --- 20 Trouble Shooting Guide 22 Restoring your Configuration ------------- 25 Smart Restore ------------ 29 Travelling with your Notebook Computer ----- 32 Index------------------------ 33 NEC UltraCare SM Congratulations on the purchase of your new notebook computer. We are sure it will be a useful assistant in your professional tasks. The world of computer science changes rapidly. After releasing this Quick Start Guide, updates may have been made to software or hardware configurations. Therefore some of the instructions in this guide may have to be changed slightly and some of the pictures may vary slightly from what appears. This Quick Start Guide was designed to cover the basics of the full range of our systems. Some of the hardware or software mentioned in this manual may not be included with your system. Therefore you may find certain sections of the guide irrelevant. Should you have any questions or remarks concerning the User s Documentation, and you have a valid Internet connection, please send us an e-mail at the following address: - nec.authors@nec-computers.com Please do not use this e-mail address for questions or remarks regarding your computer. WARRANTY TERMS & CONDITIONS --------------131 Copyright 2001 NEC Computers International BV 3
Copyright Notice English Notebook Quick Start Guide, version 7521N 1.0, 07/2001. Copyright 2001 NEC Computers International BV. All Rights Reserved. No part of this manual may be reproduced or transmitted, in any form or by any means, whether electronic, chemical, manual or otherwise, including but not limited to photocopying, recording, or information storage and retrieval systems, for any purpose without prior written permission of NEC Computers International. Disclaimer NEC Computers International specifically disclaims all warranties, either express or implied, including but not limited to implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose with respect to this product and documentation. NEC Computers International reserves the right to revise or make changes or improvements to this product or documentation at any time without obligation to notify any person of such revisions or improvements. In no event shall NEC Computers International be liable for any consequential or incidental damages, including but not limited to loss of business profits or any other commercial damages, arising out of the use of this product. Trademarks Microsoft, MS-DOS, Windows NT and Windows are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. Intel and Pentium are registered trademarks and Celeron is a trademark of Intel Corporation in the United States and other countries. NEC and Packard Bell are registered trademarks of NEC Computers International. All other company or product names are trademarks, registered trademarks or service marks of their respective owners. CE Statement This equipment has been designed to comply with the requirements for CE Mark Certification, pertaining to products intended for sale within the European Union. 4 Copyright 2001 NEC Computers International BV
Safety Notices Regulatory Information European Notice Products with the CE marking comply with both the Electromagnetic Compatibility Directive (89/336/EEC) and the Low Voltage Directive (72/23/ EEC) - modified by the Directive 96/68/ECC - issued by the Commission of the European Community. Compliance with these directives implies conformity to the following European Standards: EN55022: Radio Frequency Interference EN55024: Immunity Characteristics EN6100-3-2: Limits for harmonic current emissions EN6100-3-3: Limitation of voltage fluctuation and flicker in low-voltage supply system EN60950: Product Safety If your computer includes a telecommunication network board, the input/output socket is classified as Telecommunication Network Voltage (TNV-3) FCC Notice This device complies with part 15 of the FCC rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions: This device may not cause harmful interference and, This device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation. Modifications to the Product CE Mark Certification NEC Computers International cannot be held responsible for modifications made by the User and the consequences thereof, which may alter the conformity of the product with the CE Mark certifications. Radio Frequency Interference The manufacturer is not responsible for any radio or TV interference caused by unauthorised modifications to this equipment. Connections PELV (Protected Extra Low Voltage) To ensure the extra-low voltage integrity of the equipment, only connect equipment with mains-protected electrically-compatible circuits to the external ports. English Copyright 2001 NEC Computers International BV 5
Safety Notices English SELV (Safety Extra Low Voltage) Every input and output of this product is classified as Safety Extra Low Voltage. Remote Earths To prevent electrical shock, connect all local (individual office) computers and computer support equipment to the same electrical circuit of the building wiring. If you are unsure, check the building wiring to avoid remote earths conditions. Building Supply Only connect the equipment to a building supply that is in accordance with current wiring regulations in your country. In the U.K., those are the IEE regulations. British Approvals Board for Telecommunications (BABT)'s Apparatus Approval This equipment complies with BABT's Apparatus Approval No. NS/G/1234/ J/100003 with regard to indirect Connection to the BT Public Switched Telephone Network. Refer to OFTEL statement SA29 for further information. AC Adapter Always plug the AC adapter cord into an easily accessible outlet. It is important to be able to easily shut off power to the computer by unplugging the AC adapter. Under no circumstances should the user attempt to disable the AC adapter. The AC adapter has no user-replaceable parts. Inside the AC adapter are hazardous voltages that can cause serious personal injury. A defective AC adapter must be returned to your dealer. Batteries Replacing Batteries A lithium battery in some computers maintains system configuration information. In the event that the battery fails to maintain system configuration information, we recommend that you replace the battery. For battery replacement information, call your dealer or your Customer Assistance Centre. WARNING: there is a danger of explosion if the battery is incorrectly replaced. Replace only with the same or equivalent type recommended by the manufacturer. 6 Copyright 2001 NEC Computers International BV
Safety Notices Battery Disposal Ultimate disposal of the batteries should be handled according to all national laws and regulations. Do not place used batteries in your regular waste: the incineration, landfilling or mixing of batteries with the municipal solid waste stream is prohibited by law in most countries. Contact your local waste management officials for other information regarding the environmentally sound collection, recycling, and disposal of the batteries. Laser Compliance Statement The optical devices are tested and certified to be compliant with International Electro-technical Commission IEC825-1 and European Norm EN60825-1 and EN60825-2 regulations for Class 1 laser products. Class 1 laser products are not considered hazardous. The optical devices are designed such that there is never human access to laser radiation above a Class 1 level during normal operation or prescribed maintenance conditions. The optical devices installed in your computer is designed for use solely as a component of such electronic product and therefore does not comply with the appropriate requirements of Code of Federal Regulation Sec. 1040.10 and Sec. 1040.11 for COMPLETE laser products. English Thunderstorm Warning In thunderstorm conditions, make sure that you disconnect your modem from the telephone line. A lightning strike to nearby telephone lines could damage your modem or even your whole computer system. Please note that the product warranty does not apply if damage to your computer is the result of a lightning strike. Care and Handling Use the following guidelines to properly handle and care for your notebook. Protect the notebook from extremely low or high temperatures. Let the notebook warm (or cool) to room temperature before using it. Keep the notebook away from magnetic forces. (Some airline tray tables are magnetic, do not set your notebook on top of it. Doing so can destroy the data on your hard disk drive.) Keep the notebook dry. Do not wash the notebook with a wet cloth or pour fluid into it. Copyright 2001 NEC Computers International BV 7
Safety Notices English Check the notebook for condensation. If condensation is present, allow it to evaporate before switching on the notebook. Protect the notebook from being bumped or dropped. Keep the notebook away from dust, sand, and dirt. WARNING - Avoid Electrostatic Discharge! ESD can damage disk drive, cards, memory modules and other parts. We recommend that you follow all procedures described in the electronic User s Guide only when at an ESD workstation. If one is not available, provide some ESD protection by wearing an antistatic wrist strap attached to any unpainted metal surface when handling parts. If you don t have one, discharge static electricity from yourself and your clothing by touching a nearby metal surface before handling any internal components. (You will need to maintain continuous contact with the metal surface during the procedure.) Epilepsy Warning Some people are susceptible to epileptic seizures or loss of consciousness when exposed to certain flashing lights or light patterns in everyday life. Such people may have a seizure while watching television or computer images. This may happen even if the person has no medical history of epilepsy or has never had any epileptic seizures. If you or anyone in your family has ever had symptoms related to epilepsy (seizures or loss of consciousness) when exposed to flashing lights, consult your doctor prior to using your computer. If you experience any of the following symptoms: dizziness, blurred vision, eye or muscle twitches, loss of consciousness, disorientation, any involuntary movement or convulsion while using your computer, IMMEDIATELY discontinue use and consult your doctor. Virus Warning We guarantee that this product is 100% virus free. Please take the following precautions to protect your system against new viruses: Do not use illegal copies of software protected by copyright. Check all floppy disks carefully using a virus scanner before you start using them. 8 Copyright 2001 NEC Computers International BV
Your Working Environment When your computer is connected to a network, please make sure that only authorised persons have access to your system. For example, you can use passwords and share files as Read Only. English Your Working Environment Please consider the following suggestions when setting up a comfortable work area. Arrange Your Equipment Arrange your equipment so that you can work in a natural and relaxed position. Place items that you use frequently within easy reach. Adjust your workstation setup to the proper height by lowering the table or stand that holds your computer equipment or raising the seat height of your chair. Position your notebook computer directly in front of you for increased safety and comfort. Adjust Your Chair Your chair should be adjustable and stable. Vary your posture throughout the day. Keep your body in a relaxed yet upright position. Use the entire seat and backrest to support your body. The angle formed by your thighs and back should be 90 or more. Place your feet flat on the floor. Adjust Your Input Devices Position your keyboard directly in front of you. Adjust the keyboard height so that your elbows are near your body and your forearms are parallel to the floor. If you use a mouse, position it at the same height as the keyboard and next to the keyboard. Type with your hands and wrists floating above the keyboard. Keep from bending your wrists, hands and fingers sideways. Adjust Your Screen or Monitor Correct placement and adjustment of the screen or external monitor can reduce eye, shoulder and neck fatigue. Adjust the height of your screen or external monitor so that the top of the screen is at or slightly below eye level. Your eyes should look slightly downward when viewing the middle of the screen. Position your screen Copyright 2001 NEC Computers International BV 9
Your Working Environment English no closer than 30 centimetres and no further away than 70 centimetres from your eyes. The optimal distance is between 35 and 45 centimetres. Vary Your Workday Vary your tasks throughout the day. Take frequent short breaks that involve walking, standing and stretching. Some disorders of the hands, wrists, arms, neck, shoulders, legs and back may be associated with or aggravated by certain repetitive actions. To reduce your risk of developing these disorders, type with your wrists straight and your hands and wrists floating above the keyboard and avoid resting your wrists on sharp edges. If you experience periods of pain, tingling, numbness or other discomfort, please contact your doctor. 10 Copyright 2001 NEC Computers International BV
Setting up your Notebook Computer Installing the Battery Before turning on your Versa for the first time, we recommend you to install the battery pack. Install the battery in your system as follows: 1 Close the LCD panel and turn over the system. 2 Locate the empty battery bay. 3 Check that the battery security lock is in the unlocked position. If applicable, rotate it from position A to B as shown in the picture. 4 Slide the battery into the battery bay (it will only fit one way) until it clicks into place. 5 Rotate the security lock to the locked position. 6 Turn the system over. Connecting Optional Audio Devices A ferrite core is required when connecting audio output devices (such as headphones or speakers) to your Versa. This ferrite core is not required for SPDIFcompliant devices. The ferrite core (supplied with your notebook) must be attached to the cable of the audio device you wish to connect. Attach the ferrite core to the cable as follows: 1 Open the ferrite core. 2 Wind the cable in a loop around the core, and close the core. Please make sure that the core is at about 3 to 5 centimeters of the end of the cable plugged into the Versa. Refer to the Audio chapter of the electronic documentation for more information about connecting audio devices. English Copyright 2001 NEC Computers International BV 11
English Setting up your Notebook Computer Booting for the First Time Your notebook is easy to use right out of the box. Use the pictures on the inside cover page to locate the connectors and buttons and follow these steps: 1 Connect the AC adapter cable into the power port ( )on the notebook. 2 Plug the AC adapter cable into the adapter and connect to a grounded wall outlet. 3 Locate the latch on the front of the LCD panel. Slide the latch to the right and raise the panel to open the notebook. 4 Press the power button to power on. 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 adapter if the voltage falls outside of this range (watch for this when travelling to other countries). Once all connections have been made, you are ready to begin. For a successful installation procedure, we recommend you use the AC power the first time you use your notebook computer. Windows 98 Setup The first time you switch your notebook on, you will be asked to enter your name and company. When prompted, accept the Microsoft License Agreement by checking the white dot in front of I accept the agreement. Your notebook has already been setup in the factory to best reflect the installed components. The Welcome to Windows 98 dialogue box will appear on your screen. We advise you to reboot at that time to take advantage of the NEC Recovery Menu. Windows Me Setup The first time you switch your notebook on, you will be asked to enter your name and company. When prompted, accept the Microsoft License Agreement by checking the white dot in front of I accept the agreement. Follow the on-screen instructions until the setup is complete. The Welcome to Windows Me dialogue box will appear on your screen. We advise you to reboot at that time to take advantage of the NEC Recovery Menu. 12 Copyright 2001 NEC Computers International BV
Setting up your Notebook Computer Booting for the Second Time: the NEC Recovery ery Menu The following section contains detailed instructions needed to set up your NEC Recovery Process. This menu will be displayed at each start-up until you select your recovery process. You can prevent it from appearing by removing the check mark in front of Show this menu next time (at the bottom of the menu window). You can then access the NEC Recovery Menu by clicking the Start button, selecting Programs, then Tools and clicking NEC Recovery Menu. English You should disable your anti-virus program before using the NEC Recovery Menu. First you should read carefully the Selecting Your Recovery Process chapter below and set up your NEC Recovery Process. Later, if you ever need to either restore your system to its initial installation state or to reinstall software or hardware components, follow the instructions provided in the relevant chapters further in this guide. Selecting Your Recovery ery Process Your computer is supplied with a Backup Partition on the hard disk drive which contains all data you may need in order to restore your configuration as it was when leaving the factory. This partition occupies about 1.5 to 2 GB of your hard disk drive. This backup partition is hidden, but can be tempered with using the FDisk (Windows 98/Windows Me) utility. Do NOT erase the partition with this utility. The NEC Recovery Menu allows you to choose the way you will restore your system and to create the necessary tools. This menu presents four options: Leave your system as it is, with the backup partition on the hard disk drive (Default). Transfer the contents of the backup partition to a self-made recovery CD (this option requires a CD-R or CD-RW drive installed on your system), allowing you to restore your system from a CD. Transfer the contents of the backup partition to your network (this option requires a valid LAN connection on your system), allowing you to restore your system from the network. Copyright 2001 NEC Computers International BV 13
Setting up your Notebook Computer English Erase the contents of the backup partition completely to free space on your hard disk drive. 1. Use the Backup Partition (Default) Leave the backup partition as it is. For the full recovery process, boot on the recovery media supplied with your system, either a bootable floppy disk or CD- ROM. With this option, the Backup Partition remains on your hard disk drive, occupying about 1.5 to 2 GB. 2. Create Master CDs from Backup Partition This option will be greyed out if no CD-RW drive is installed on your system. If you install later a CD-RW drive in your system, you will have to use Smart Restore (see this chapter later in this guide) to install the Prassi Primo DVD program before being able to use this option. If you installed a very recent CD-RW drive, it may not be recognised by your version of Prassi Primo DVD. In this case, download from the Prassi web site (www.prassieurope.com, Px Engine update section) the latest update for your Prassi product. This option will copy the contents of the backup partition to a self-made Master CD and free up the space on your hard disk drive. The backup partition is automatically deleted from your hard drive following the transfer. However, as long as the transfer has not been completed successfully, the backup partition is not erased. This option will run the Master CD Creator program. It requires a CD-RW drive and a blank recordable CD; DO NOT USE A CD-RW. During the whole process, do not shutdown the computer nor run any other programs. Make sure that your anti-virus software, screen saver and energy saving mode are deactivated. 1 Click the Create Master CDs from Backup Partition button to begin the procedure. The system will reboot, the Master CD Creator program will be launched and a warning window will appear. 2 Please read the information contained in this window carefully and click the OK button to continue. 3 Insert a blank recordable CD and click OK when prompted. 4 When the writing process is complete, the program will automatically eject the CD; click the OK button to continue. 14 Copyright 2001 NEC Computers International BV
Setting up your Notebook Computer 5 Finally, the program will check the Master CD for errors. When prompted, insert the Master CD into the CD-RW drive (close the CD-RW drive tray) and click the OK button to continue. 6 This test takes several minutes. When the test is complete and successful, the message The Master CD was successfully created is displayed. 7 Remove the Master CD from the CD-RW drive and click the OK button to continue. 8 Label your Master CD. Use a permanent pen to write on the CD s label side. DO NOT USE STICKERS ON THE CD FACES. English Store your Master CD in a safe place. It now contains the backup data of your computer. The Master CD is mandatory to use NEC utilities such as Smart Restore and the Recovery Program (Refer to these sections later in this guide). 3. Network Recovery from Backup Partition This option will copy the contents of the backup partition onto a directory on the network (this procedure requires a valid LAN connection on your system). The backup partition is automatically deleted from your hard drive following the transfer. However, as long as the transfer has not been completed successfully, the backup partition is not erased. This option should only be used by a Network Administrator. While preparing this recovery process, you will need to update the network boot floppy relevant to your network. Make sure you have one ready before you start. Click the Network Recovery from Backup Partition button to begin the procedure. You will first be prompted to define a logical drive on your network, onto which the backup partition will be copied. Follow the on-screen instructions carefully, and click OK when you re done. You will then be prompted to insert a network boot floppy in the floppy disk drive, click OK when done. Remove the floppy disk when prompted to do so, and click OK. The files should be copied in approximately 20 minutes. Label this floppy disk Network Recovery Boot Floppy. We advise you to make a backup copy of this boot floppy and keep it in a safe place because there is no way to re-create it. Copyright 2001 NEC Computers International BV 15
Setting up your Notebook Computer English During this procedure, the start menu shortcut for Smart Restore will be automatically updated. If you removed this shortcut, you can still access Smart Restore via the executable file that can now be found at the relevant network path. 4. Erase Backup Partition This option will simply erase the 1.5 to 2 GB Backup Partition and make this space available for your data. It will not create any tool to restore your system. Before using this option, we recommend you to either create a copy of the backup partition on a Master CD or on a network drive. When selecting this option, a new window will be displayed with two buttons: With Network If you choose this option, the system will assume that a copy of the Backup Partition already exists on the network and will ask you to select the mapped network drive where the backup partition has been saved. This button can be used in the following situation: you have for instance ten identical systems connected to your network. Use the Network Recovery from Backup Partition option on one of those systems to copy the backup partition on a mapped drive on your network. Erase the Backup Partition on the nine other systems using the With Network button as described in this section. If you need to restore the whole configuration or only some software or hardware elements of one or several of the ten systems, launch the Recovery Program or Smart Restore. These programs will use the Network Backup Partition you created. Without Network If you choose this option, the program will assume that you intend to use a Recovery CD to restore your system. Next time you will use the Recovery Program or Smart Restore, you will be prompted to insert the Recovery CD. This is the option to use if you want to free some space on your hard disk drive and plan to never use the Recovery Program or Smart Restore. 16 Copyright 2001 NEC Computers International BV
System Controls Power and Battery Charging Status LEDs (identified by icons) are located on the front of your Versa and can be viewed when the panel is closed. AC Power LED The AC Power LED lets you know that your Versa is on and connected to AC power. Lights green when the system is powered on using the AC adapter. Flashes green when the computer is in Standby mode (AC Power only). Turns off when the computer is in Hibernation mode (AC Power only). English Battery Power LED The Battery Power LED lets you know that your Versa is on and running on battery. Lights green when the system is powered on using the battery. Flashes green when the computer is in Standby mode (running on battery only). Turns off when the computer is in Hibernation mode (running on battery only). Battery Charging LED The Battery Charging LED indicates battery charging status. Lights green to indicate the battery is fully charged. Lights amber to indicate the battery is charging. Blinks amber to indicate an error. Try removing and replacing your battery. Blinks red to indicate the battery is almost fully discharged Copyright 2001 NEC Computers International BV 17
Function Keys English Function keys are found at the top of the keyboard. These key combinations perform system-specific functions. Fn-F5 - Toggles the video mode between LCD only, CRT only, and Simultaneous mode. Fn-F6 - Decreases the LCD panel s brightness. Fn-F7 - Increases the LCD panel s brightness. Fn-F10 - Toggles the Battery Low Warning Beep on and off. This disables the beep temporarily without changing the "Battery Low Beep" setting in the BIOS Setup. Fn-F11 - Toggles the LCD on and off. Fn-F12 - Puts the system in Standby mode. 18 Copyright 2001 NEC Computers International BV
Tips and Techniques To o Prolong Battery Life Enable power management features. (Refer to the section Managing System Power in the electronic User s Guide.) Put the system in Standby mode if you must leave for a short time. Turn off the system when you finish using it. Launch the battery refresh utility regularly. (Refer to the section Exit Menu in the electronic User s Guide.) Set LCD brightness to the lowest comfortable setting. Remove PC cards when not in use. English What to do on Low Battery Power off the system, remove the battery pack and replace it with a fully charged battery. Leave the battery pack in the system and connect your notebook to the AC adapter and a wall outlet. When the system is off, or in Standby mode and the AC adapter is connected, charge time is approximately 42 hours. When the system is powered on and the AC adapter is connected, charge time is approximately 4 hours. Copyright 2001 NEC Computers International BV 19
The Electronic Guide English A complete User s Guide can be found on the Online Documentation CD delivered with your notebook. Put the CD into its drive. An application should start automatically and you will see an introduction screen. On clicking Next you will be faced with the choice of viewing or installing your Guide. If you would like to view the Guide without installing it, select View your documentation, and click Next. The Electronic Guide will run automatically. To install the guide, select Install your documentation and click Next. You will be asked to choose an installation folder and a Program group. We suggest you keep the default settings and click Next. The Guide will be installed. When prompted, click on Finish to end the installation process, and the Guide will run automatically. A shortcut can now be found at Start, Programs, Online Documentation. If necessary, you can uninstall the Guide by simply inserting the Online Documentation CD and clicking on OK when the message appears. You can also uninstall the Guide by selecting Add/Remove Programs in the Control Panel, clicking on Online Documentation, and then the Add/ Remove button. There are several ways to move through this electronic guide: Using the Internet Explorer Toolbar When reading the guide, a menu bar appears across the top of the window, providing easy access to the following commands. Hide/Show Click Hide to hide the left-tab components (table of contents, index or search results list) in the window. Click Show to display the left-tab components (table of contents, index or search results list) in the window. Back Click Back to display the previously displayed page. Forward Click Forward to display the next page in a previously displayed sequence of pages. Print Click the page you want to print and then click Print in the menu bar. The print dialogue box appears, allowing you to define your print options. To print a pop-up page, right-click inside the pop-up window, and then click Print Topic. 20 Copyright 2001 NEC Computers International BV