NEC Versa 550 Series User manual

First Printing — March 1996
Copyright 1996 Copyright 1996
NEC Technologies, Inc. NEC Corporation
1414 Massachusetts Avenue 7-1 Shiba 5-Chome, Minato-Ku
Boxborough, MA 01719 Tokyo 108-01, Japan
All Rights Reserved All Rights Reserved
PROPRIETARY NOTICE AND LIABILITY DISCLAIMER
The information disclosed in this document, including all designs and related materials, is
the valuable property of NEC Corporation (NEC) and/or its licensors. NEC and/or its licen-
sors, as appropriate, reserve all patent, copyright and other proprietary rights to this docu-
ment, including all design, manufacturing, reproduction, use, and sales rights thereto, except
to the extent said rights are expressly granted to others.
The NEC product(s) discussed in this document are warranted in accordance with the terms
of the Warranty Statement accompanying each product. However, actual performance of
each such product is dependent upon factors such as system configuration, customer data,
and operator control. Since implementation by customers of each product may vary, the
suitability of specific product configurations and applications must be determined by the
customer and is not warranted by NEC.
To allow for design and specification improvements, the information in this document is
subject to change at any time, without notice. Reproduction of this document or portions
thereof without prior written approval of NEC is prohibited.
FastFacts, and NEC SVGA, are U.S. trademarks of NEC Technologies, Inc.
All other product, brand, or trade names used in this publication are the trademarks or registered
trademarks of their respective trademark owners.

xi
Preface
This service and reference manual contains the technical information necessary to set up,
and maintain the NEC Versa®550 Series notebook computer. It also provides hardware and
interface information for users who need an overview of the docking station design. The
manual is written for NEC-trained customer engineers, system analysts, service center per-
sonnel, and dealers.
The manual is organized as follows:
Section 1  Technical Information, provides an overview of the hardware and interface
components. System specifications are listed including dimensions, weight, environment,
safety compliance, and power consumption.
Section 2  NEC Versa 550 Specifications,lists system specifications including dimen-
sions, weight, environment, safety compliance, and power consumption.
Section 3  Hardware Functional Blocks,defines major system functions and subsys-
tems.
Section 4  Field Service Guidelines,provides system disassembly procedures,and an
exploded-view diagram with corresponding part numbers.
Section 5  Troubleshooting and Repair,lists technical support phone numbers, error
messages and their meanings, and ways to troubleshoot the notebook.
Appendix A  Supported Video Modes,provides a list of video modes available for use
with the notebook.
An Index is included for convenience.

xiii
Abbreviations
Aampere
AC alternating current
AT advanced technology
(IBM PC)
BBS Bulletin Board System
BCD binary-coded decimal
BCU BIOS Customized Utility
BIOS basic input/output system
bit binary digit
bpi bits per inch
bps bits per second
BUU BIOS Upgrade Utility
Ccentigrade
Cache high-speed buffer storage
CAM constantly addressable memory
CAS column address strobe
CD-ROM compact disk-ROM
CGA Color Graphics Adapter
CGB Color Graphics Board
CH channel
clk clock
cm centimeter
CMOS complementary metal oxide
semiconductor
COM communication
CONT contrast
CPGA ceramic pin grid array
CPU central processing unit
CRT cathode-ray tube
DAC digital-to-analog converter
DACK DMA acknowledge
DC direct current
DIP dual in-line package
DLAB Divisor Latch Address bit
DMA direct memory access
DMAC DMA controller
DOS disk operating system
DRAM dynamic RAM
DTE data terminal equipment
ECC error checking and correction
EDS error detecting system
EGA Enhanced Graphics Adapter
EMS Expanded Memory
Specification
EPP enhanced parallel port
EPROM erasable and programmable
ROM
EVGA Enhanced Video Graphics
Array
FFahrenheit
FAX facsimile transmission
FCC Federal Communications
Commission
FG frame ground
FM frequency modulation
Fn Function
FRU field-replaceable unit
GB gigabyte
GND ground
HDD hard diskdrive
HEX hexadecimal
HGA Hercules Graphics Adapter
Hz hertz
IC integrated circuit
ID identification
IDE intelligent device electronics
IDTR interrupt descriptor table
register
IMR Interrupt Mask register
in. inch
INTA interrupt acknowledge
IPB illustrated parts breakdown

xiv Abbreviations
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
kV kilovolt
lb pound
LDTR local descriptor table register
LED light-emitting diode
LSB least-significant bit
LSI large-scale integration
Mmega
mA milliamps
max maximum
MB megabyte
MDA Monochrome Display Adapter
MFM modified frequency modulation
Mhz megahertz
mm millimeter
ms millisecond
MSB most-significant bit
NASC National Authorized Service
Center
NC not connected
NDP numeric data processor
NMI Non-maskable Interrupt
ns nanosecond
NSRC National Service Response
Center
PAL programmable array logic
PC personal computer
PCB printed circuit board
PFP plastic flat package
PIO parallel input/output
pixel picture element
PJQFP plastic J-lead quad flat pack
PLCC plastic lead chip carrier
PLL phase lock loop
p-p peak-to-peak
PPI programmable peripheral
interface
PROM programmable ROM
QFP quad flat pack
RAM random-access memory
RAMDAC RAM digital-to-analog
RAS row address strobe
RGB red green blue
RGBI red green blue intensity
ROM read-only memory
rpm revolutions per minute
Rread
RTC real-time clock
R/W read/write
Sslave
SCSI Small Computer System
Interface
SDLC Synchronous Data Link
Control
SG signal ground
SIMM single inline memory module
SOIC small outline integrated circuit
SQFP silver quad flat package
SVGA Super Video Graphics Array
SW switch
TAC Technical Assistance Center
TCP Thin chip package
TQFP Thin-quad flat package
TSC Technical Support Center
TTL transistor/transistor logic

Abbreviations xv
tpi tracks per inch
UART universal asynchronous
receiver/transmitter
Vvolt
Vdc volts, direct current
VESA video electronics standards
association
VFO variable frequency oscillator
VGA Video Graphics Array
VLSI very large-scale integration
VRAM virtual RAM
Wwatt
µfmicrofarad
µPD microprocessor
µsmicrosecond
Ωohm

iii
Contents
Preface........................................................................................................................ xi
Abbreviations .............................................................................................................. xiii
Section 1 Technical Information
Feature Highlights ....................................................................................................... 1-2
System Configuration .................................................................................................. 1-3
Quick Tour of the Notebook........................................................................................ 1-4
The Front Side of the Notebook ........................................................................... 1-4
Color LCD Display Panel............................................................................... 1-4
Power Switch/LCD Cover Switch.................................................................. 1-5
Status Panel and Power Indicator................................................................... 1-5
Keyboard....................................................................................................... 1-7
Trackball ....................................................................................................... 1-9
The Right Side of the Notebook ........................................................................... 1-10
Built-in Floppy Disk Drive............................................................................. 1-10
Hard Disk Drive Compartment ...................................................................... 1-10
The Left Side of the Notebook.............................................................................. 1-11
Battery Compartment .................................................................................... 1-11
PCMCIA Slot Compartment.......................................................................... 1-12
DC-IN Connector Jack.................................................................................. 1-13
Hardware Reset Switch.................................................................................. 1-13
The Rear Side of the Notebook............................................................................. 1-13
External Keyboard and PS/2 Mouse Port....................................................... 1-14
VGA port...................................................................................................... 1-14
Printer Port (LPT 1) ...................................................................................... 1-15
Serial Port (COM 1)...................................................................................... 1-16
The Base of the Computer....................................................................................1-17
Battery Module Handle and Lock ..................................................................1-17
Memory Slot Compartment Cover.................................................................1-17
System BIOS Setup Program.......................................................................................1-18
The Bootup Setting Menu.....................................................................................1-18
The Power Management Setting Menu ........................................................................1-21
Notebook Drivers and Utilities.....................................................................................1-24
Installing the VGA Driver and Utility....................................................................1-24
Installing the PCMCIA Driver...............................................................................1-25

iv Contents
Installing the Mouse Driver...................................................................................1-26
Applying the System Utility Programs...................................................................1-26
TIME.SYS Driver .........................................................................................1-26
PHDISK.EXE Utility.....................................................................................1-27
System Upgrades.........................................................................................................1-27
Memory Upgrade Procedure.................................................................................1-27
System BIOS Upgrade Procedure.........................................................................1-29
Section 2 NEC Versa 550 Specifications
General Specification of the NEC VERSA 550 Series..................................................2-1
Product Mix ................................................................................................................2-6
Motherboard ...............................................................................................................2-6
LCD Status Board................................................................................................2-8
Cables...................................................................................................................2-8
Display Unit Specification............................................................................................2-8
LCD.....................................................................................................................2-8
Inverter.................................................................................................................2-9
LCD Status Bar Indicator.....................................................................................2-9
FDD Unit Specification.........................................................................................2-10
HDD Unit Specification........................................................................................2-11
NiMH Battery Pack Specification .........................................................................2-11
DC/DC Converter Specification............................................................................2-11
Battery Charger....................................................................................................2-12
Keyboard Unit Specification .................................................................................2-12
Pointing Device Specification................................................................................2-12
Switch Specification .............................................................................................2-13
AC/DC Adapter Specification...............................................................................2-13
BIOS Specification...............................................................................................2-14
Power Management Features (Mode Definition)...................................................2-15
Power Management Features (Mode Transition)...................................................2-16
Auto Power Reduction (APR) ..............................................................................2-17
HotKey Definitions...............................................................................................2-17
Environmental Specifications................................................................................2-17
AC Power Source.................................................................................................2-18
Vibration..............................................................................................................2-18
Shock...................................................................................................................2-18
ESD ............................................................................................................................2-19

Contents v
Section 3 Hardware Functional Overview
Functional Block Diagram ........................................................................................... 3-2
System BIOS........................................................................................................ 3-3
System Processor.................................................................................................. 3-3
Major Functional Blocks.............................................................................................. 3-4
System Logic Controller.............................................................................................. 3-4
Memory Subsystem ..................................................................................................... 3-6
DRAM Memory ................................................................................................... 3-6
ROM Memory...................................................................................................... 3-7
I/O Subsystem............................................................................................................. 3-7
Video Subsystem......................................................................................................... 3-7
Video Chipset Controller...................................................................................... 3-8
External VGA Capability...................................................................................... 3-9
Keyboard Subsystem ................................................................................................... 3-9
PCMCIA Controller and Sockets................................................................................. 3-10
Hard Disk Subsystem................................................................................................... 3-10
Floppy Disk Drive Subsystem...................................................................................... 3-11
Pointing Device Subsystem.......................................................................................... 3-11
Power Subsystem ........................................................................................................ 3-11
AC Power Adapter............................................................................................... 3-11
Internal Battery Pack............................................................................................ 3-11
Powerboard.......................................................................................................... 3-12
LCD Inverter Board Assembly.............................................................................. 3-12
Section 4 Field Service Guidelines
Preventive Maintenance............................................................................................... 4-1
Cleaning the Notebook’s Exterior......................................................................... 4-1
Cleaning the Notebook’s Interior.......................................................................... 4-2
Protecting the Disk Drives.................................................................................... 4-2
Handling the Computer Battery Packs................................................................... 4-3
Maintaining the LCD Quality................................................................................ 4-3
Cleaning the Trackball.......................................................................................... 4-3
Required Tools and Equipment.................................................................................... 4-4
Illustrated Parts Breakdown.................................................................................. 4-5
Field-Replaceable Parts and Assemblies....................................................................... 4-8
Cover-Display LCD Assembly.............................................................................. 4-8
System Unit Assembly ................................................................................... 4-9

vi Contents
Parts Removal and Replacement Procedures................................................................ 4-13
Removing/Replacing the Notebook Battery Pack.................................................. 4-13
Removing/Replacing the Internal Keyboard .......................................................... 4-13
Removing/Replacing the LCD Status Bar Cover, the LCD Panel, and the LCD Status
Bar Module....................................................................................................... 4-14
Removing/Replacing the System Top Cover Case Assembly and the Trackball
Assembly........................................................................................................... 4-15
Removing/Replacing the Hard Disk Drive............................................................. 4-15
Removing/Replacing the Floppy Disk Drive.......................................................... 4-16
Removing/Replacing the Powerboard ................................................................... 4-17
Removing/Replacing the CPU............................................................................... 4-18
Removing/Replacing the Entire Motherboard........................................................ 4-19
Section 5 Troubleshooting and Repair
Service Information..................................................................................................... 5-1
Technical Support........................................................................................................ 5-2
Product Information .................................................................................................... 5-2
Ordering Information from FastFacts........................................................................... 5-2
Helpful Questions........................................................................................................ 5-3
Power On Self Test (POST) ........................................................................................ 5-3
POST Messages ................................................................................................... 5-4
Informational Messages............................................................................................... 5-7
Beep Codes................................................................................................................. 5-7
Explanation of Test Terms for Beep Code Table................................................... 5-7
Beep Codes for System Board Errors ................................................................... 5-8
Run-Time Error Messages........................................................................................... 5-13
Quick Troubleshooting................................................................................................ 5-14
Appendix A Supported Video Modes
VGA Standard Modes................................................................................................. A-1
VGA Extended Modes ................................................................................................ A-2
VGA High Refresh Modes........................................................................................... A-4
List of Figures
1-1 NEC Versa 550 Series Notebook................................................................... 1-1
1-2 System Configuration Diagram ...................................................................... 1-3
1-3 Front of the Notebook................................................................................... 1-4

Contents vii
1-4 LCD Status Bar............................................................................................. 1-6
1-5 Standard Keyboard Layout ............................................................................ 1-7
1-6 Embedded Numeric Keypad........................................................................... 1-8
1-7 Trackball ....................................................................................................... 1-9
1-8 Right Side of the Notebook ........................................................................... 1-10
1-9 Left Side of the Notebook.............................................................................. 1-12
1-10 Removing the Battery Pack............................................................................ 1-12
1-11 Inserting a PCMCIA Card.............................................................................. 1-12
1-12 Connecting the AC Adapter to the Notebook................................................. 1-13
1-13 Rear Side of the Notebook............................................................................. 1-13
1-14 Connecting External Keyboard and PS/2 Mouse ............................................ 1-14
1-15 Connecting an External Monitor .................................................................... 1-15
1-16 Connecting to the Printer Port ....................................................................... 1-15
1-17 Connecting to the Serial Port......................................................................... 1-16
1-18 The Base of the Notebook............................................................................. 1-17
1-19 Memory Slot Compartment............................................................................ 1-17
1-20 The Bootup Setting Menu.............................................................................. 1-18
1-21 Power Management Setting Menu ................................................................. 1-21
3-1 Functional Block Diagram ............................................................................. 3-2
4-1 Removing and Replacing the Trackball Housing Cover.................................. 4-4
4-2 NEC Versa 550 Series Illustrated Parts Breakdown....................................... 4-7
4-3 Notebook Major Assemblies.......................................................................... 4-8
4-4 LCD Assembly .............................................................................................. 4-9
4-5 System Top Unit Assembly............................................................................ 4-11
4-6 System Base Unit Assembly........................................................................... 4-12
4-7 Hard Drive Module Assembly........................................................................ 4-16
4-8 Floppy Drive Module Assembly..................................................................... 4-17
4-9 Powerboard Module Assembly....................................................................... 4-18
4-10 The Motherboard........................................................................................... 4-19
List of Tables
1-1 Model Configurations.................................................................................... 1-1
1-2 Feature Highlights.......................................................................................... 1-2
1-3 LCD Status Bar Icons and Description........................................................... 1-6
1-4 Fn Key Combination Summary....................................................................... 1-8

viii Contents
1-5 Bootup Setting Menu..................................................................................... 1-19
1-6 Power Management Setting Menu ................................................................. 1-21
1-7 Power Management Setting Menu ................................................................. 1-23
2-1 NEC Versa 550 Series General Specification ................................................. 2-1
2-2 Model Configurations.................................................................................... 2-6
2-3 Motherboard Specifications ........................................................................... 2-6
2-4 LCD Status Board Specifications................................................................... 2-8
2-5 Motherboard Cable Specifications.................................................................. 2-8
2-6 LCD Panel Specifications............................................................................... 2-8
2-7 Inverter Specifications ................................................................................... 2-9
2-8 LCD Status Bar Indicator Specification ......................................................... 2-9
2-9 FDD Unit Specification.................................................................................. 2-10
2-10 HDD Unit Specification................................................................................. 2-11
2-11 NiMH Battery Pack Specification .................................................................. 2-11
2-12 DC/DC Converter Specification..................................................................... 2-11
2-13 Battery Charger Specification ........................................................................ 2-12
2-14 Keyboard Unit Specification .......................................................................... 2-12
2-15 Pointing Device Specification......................................................................... 2-12
2-16 Switch Specification ...................................................................................... 2-13
2-17 AC/DC Adapter Specification........................................................................ 2-13
2-18 BIOS Support................................................................................................ 2-14
2-19 Power Management Specifications................................................................. 2-15
2-20 Mode Definitions........................................................................................... 2-16
2-21 Mode Action ................................................................................................. 2-16
2-22 APR Times.................................................................................................... 2-17
2-23 Hotkey Definitions......................................................................................... 2-17
2-24 Environmental Specifications......................................................................... 2-17
2-25 AC Power Specifications ............................................................................... 2-18
2-26 Vibration Specifications................................................................................. 2-18
2-27 Shock Specifications...................................................................................... 2-18
2-28 ESD Specifications........................................................................................ 2-19
4-1 NEC Versa 550 Series Field-Replaceable Parts.............................................. 4-5
5-1 NEC Service and Information Telephone Numbers ........................................ 5-1
5-2 POST Error Messages................................................................................... 5-4

Contents ix
5-3 BIOS Informational Messages........................................................................ 5-7
5-4 BIOS Beep Codes.......................................................................................... 5-8
5-5 BIOS Run-time Error Messages..................................................................... 5-13
5-6 Quick Troubleshooting .................................................................................. 5-14
A-1 VGA Standard Modes (Text Mode)............................................................... A-1
A-2 VGA Standard Modes (Graphics Mode)........................................................ A-2
A-3 VGA Standard Modes ( Planar Mode ).......................................................... A-2
A-4 Packed Pixel Mode........................................................................................ A-2
A-5 VGA Extended Modes (Text Mode).............................................................. A-2
A-6 VGA Extended Modes (4-bit Linear Mode)................................................... A-3
A-7 VGA Extended Modes (8-Bit Linear Mode) .................................................. A-3
A-8 VGA Extended Modes (15-bit Linear Mode)................................................. A-3
A-9 VGA Extended Modes (16-bit Linear Mode)................................................. A-3
A-10 VGA Extended Modes (24-bit Linear Mode)................................................. A-3
A-11 VGA Extended Modes (Planar Mode) ........................................................... A-4
A-12 VGA Extended Modes (Packed Pixel Mode) ................................................. A-4
A-13 VGA High Refresh Modes (8-bit Linear Mode) ............................................. A-4
A-14 VGA High Refresh Modes (Planar Mode)...................................................... A-4
A-15 VGA High Refresh Modes (Packed Pixel Mode)............................................ A-5

Section 1
Technical Information
This section focuses on providing the features and operations of the NEC Versa 550 Series
including the BIOS Setup program. Refer to the User’s Guide for more information on how
to operate the notebook. The NEC Versa 550 Series of notebooks are lightweight, com-
pact, and fully IBM compatible computers.
The NEC Versa 550 Series comes with the following model configurations:
Table Section 1-1Model Configurations
Configuration Versa 500D (1) Versa 500D (2) Versa 550D
CPU Cyrix 486Dx4-75 Cyrix 486DX4-75 Cyrix 5x86-100
On-Board DRAM 4 MB 8 MB 8 MB
Video Memory 512 KB 1 MB 1 MB
Hard Disk Drive 340 MB 340 MB 540 MB
Color LCD 9.4” DSTN LCD 9.4” DSTN LCD 10.4” DSTN LCD
Battery Pack A (2400mA NiMH) A (2400mA NiMH) B (2800mA NiMH)
NOTE: Models 1 and 2 are European models
only.
Figure Section 1-1NEC Versa 550 Series Notebook

1-2 Technical Information
FEATURE HIGHLIGHTS
The NEC Versa 550 notebook series includes a variety of innovative features designed to
meet the most demanding computing requirements:
Table Section 1-2Feature Highlights
Features Description
CPU Cyrix 486DX4-75MHz (Cyrix 5x86-100MHz for Versa 550D) proces-
sor with internal 8KB cache memory (16KB for Cyrix 5x86) and math
coprocessor
Memory On-board 8MB RAM (4MB for Versa 500D1) and can be upgraded to
24MB (20MB for Versa 550D1)
Display 9.4” DSTN VGA Color LCD (10.4” for Versa 550D) at 640 x 480 pix-
els resolution with 256 colors
VGA 32-bit Video local bus VGA controller / 1MB RAM Video Memory
(512KB for Versa 550D1) / Supports up to 1024 x 768 pixels resolu-
tion for external CRT monitor with 256 colors (16 colors for Versa
550D1)
HDD Built-in 2.5-inch IDE high capacity hard drive (19mm / 17mm height)
FDD Built-in 3.5-inch 1.44MB floppy disk drive
Keyboard Built-in 85/86-key keyboard with 12 programmable function keys,
embedded numeric keypad and special function control keys, dedi-
cated screen control keys, and inverted “T” cursor keys / IBM en-
hanced 101/102-key compatible keyboard
Pointing Device Large integrated 19mm trackball
PCMCIA Slot Two PCMCIA 2.1 card slots that support two Type II PC cards at the
same time or one Type III and one Type II PC cards at the same time
I/O Port 1 x Serial Port / 1 x Printer Port / 1 x VGA Port / 1 x PS/2 keyboard &
mouse port
Power System Auto-switching AC Adapter (90V - 264V) / Rechargeable NiMH Bat-
tery pack / Advanced power management capabilities
SYSTEM CONFIGURATION
The following figure illustrates the Versa 500 Series configuration.

Technical Information 1-3
Cyrix DX4-75 /
Cyrix M1sc-100
CPU (3.45v)
BIOS
Flash ROM
4 / 8MB RAM
On-Board
Upgradable to
20 / 24MB
Color LCD
(640x480)
DSTN
VL Bus
Controller
(VGA)
Trackball
Pointing
Device
Serial Interface
(RS-232C)
Parallel
Interface
Bank 1 (Slot 1)
4 / 8 / 16MB
DIMM
Built-in
HDD
PCMCIA Card
Slot x 2
PS/2 Keyboard
Keyboard PS/2 Mouse
RS-232C
Peripheral
Printer
3.5" FDD
Battery Pack
External
VGA
Monitor
and
PCMCIA Card
Figure Section 1-2System Configuration Diagram

1-4 Technical Information
QUICK TOUR OF THE NOTEBOOK
Take a moment to become familiar with the location and function of controls, (the LCD
status panel, connectors, and ports), illustrated in this section. It is recommended to first go
through the NEC Versa User’s Guide of the notebook for more added information on how
to operate its feature as well as proper installation.
The Front Side of the Notebook
The following figure shows front side features.
Panel Release
Latch
ContrastControl
Brightness Control
Power Indicator
Status Panel
LCD Panel
Power Switch
Keyboard
Trackball
Figure Section 1-3Front of the Notebook
Color LCD Display Panel
Both the NEC Versa 500D1 and 500D2 have a built-in 9.4” passive matrix dual scan STN
(DSTN) color liquid crystal display (LCD) that you could adjust and tilt to your desired
viewing position. The LCD provides 640 x 480 pixels resolution at maximum 256 colors
and supports simultaneous display with an external VGA monitor. The NEC Versa 550D
provides a 10.4” DSTN color LCD that also supports 640 x 480 pixels resolution at maxi-
mum 256 colors and simultaneous display with the external monitor.

Technical Information 1-5
The LCD screen also uses CCFT (Cold Cathode Fluorescent Tube) backlighting which con-
sumes much of the power of the notebook. To save battery power, the system has an ad-
vanced power management feature that powers down the LCD when it has not been used
for a predetermined amount of time. You adjust the brightness and contrast level of the
LCD by adjusting the Brightness and Contrast controls found on the right side of the LCD
panel.
Power Switch/LCD Cover Switch
The power switch button, when pressed, turns on the notebook’s power. Pressing it again
turns the computer’s power off. Whenever the notebook is in “Save-to-disk” suspend mode,
the power switch button serves as a manual resume switch that allows you to continue your
application work to where you last left it before the suspend mode is activated.
NOTE: Always wait for a few seconds in be-
tween turning off and on the power. Check if the
power switch is turn off before installing the
power supply.
Also just on top of the power button switch found at the edge of the LCD hinge is the LCD
cover switch button. This button automatically depresses and releases when you lower or
raise the LCD display panel. Depending on your power management settings, the button
will either switch the notebook to Suspend mode or just shuts off the LCD when you close
the LCD panel.
NOTE: If the NEC Versa 550 has been left un-
used for a prolonged period of time with the AC
adapter disconnected, it is possible for the battery
to become completely discharged. In such case, it
is necessary to connect the AC adapter for ap-
proximately 30 minutes before the battery begins
to recharge normally.
Status Panel and Power Indicator
Right below the LCD panel, just at the center and inclined 45 degrees, is the Status Panel
LCD Bar. This LCD bar provides an easier way to distinguish the actual status of the note-
book’s operation. Different graphic icons will appear on the LCD bar indicating either a de-
vice being accessed, an operation being done, or a certain mode being activated. The
graphic icons displayed on the LCD bar resembles either their physical characteristics or
their primary function.
Also found just on the upper rightmost of the LCD Status Bar is the Power LED Indicator
which activates (yellow color) whenever the computer’s power is on.

1-6 Technical Information
AC
Adapter
Power
Management
Battery
Status
Suspend
Mode HDD
PCMCIA
Slots
FDD
Pad
Lock
Num
Lock
Caps
Lock
Scroll
Lock
Power
LED
Figure Section 1-4LCD Status Bar
Table Section 1-3LCD Status Bar Icons and Description
Graphic
Icons Description
Activates when system is powered by AC adapter. The battery cell
inside indicate that the battery pack is being charged also and will
disappear when battery has been fully charged. The icon will blink
whenever you first connect the AC adapter and recharging initializes.
Activates if power management feature is enabled. The power
management setup is found on the CMOS SETUP program.
Activates when battery is in use. When battery is already running low,
the icon will start to blink and will generate an intermittent audible
beep. This warns you to save your data files and connect an AC
adapter or swap battery pack.
This icon informs you that the system is in “save-to-RAM” suspend
mode when blinking. Press any key to resume operation.
Activates whenever the hard disk drive is being accessed. To avoid
any data loss, never turn off the computer when this icon is visible.
Activates whenever a PCMCIA card is inserted. The “0” icon will
appear when a PC card is inserted in the upper slot while the “1’ icon
will appear if a card is inserted into the bottom slot.
Activates whenever the floppy disk drive is being accessed. To avoid
any data loss, never turn off the computer when this icon is visible.
This icon, when visible, informs you that the keyboard Pad Lock
function is engaged. The Pad Lock function activates the keyboard’s
embedded editing keys, but only if the Num Lock is disengaged.

Technical Information 1-7
This icon activates whenever the Num Lock key is enabled. This
allows you to use the embedded numeric keypad. Press the Num
Lock key again to disable.
This icon activates whenever the Caps Lock key is engaged. When
activated, the letters entered on the keyboard will be in capital letters
(upper case).
This icon, when visible, informs you that the keyboard Scroll Lock
function is engaged. When visible, text scrolls without altering the
cursor position on screen.
Keyboard
The notebook has a built-in 85/86-key keyboard that provides complete emulation of a full-
sized IBM AT-enhanced keyboard with function keys and screen/cursor control keys.
Figure Section 1-5Standard Keyboard Layout
The notebook keyboard is a little bit different from a standard desktop keyboard. Aside
from the normal alphanumeric characters and the standard keyboard function keys, the
notebook keyboard includes an embedded numeric keypad, and special function keys that
activates by pressing the <Fn> key together with another key. These special function keys
or more popularly known as “hot keys” allows you to control and adjust some of the note-
book’s function like display controls, speaker volume, and power management feature. The
embedded numeric keypad is activated by pressing the <Num Lock> key. The LCD Status
Bar will display the Num Lock graphics icon to indicate that the Num Lock key has been
activated.

1-8 Technical Information
NOTE: Activating the Num Lock key (embed-
ded numeric keys) will in turn disable the actual
alphanumeric keys where the embedded keys are
located (i.e. pressing the “K” on the keyboard
will show “2” instead). Press the <Num Lock>
key again to disable the embedded keys and re-
sume normal keyboard operation.
Figure Section 1-6Embedded Numeric Keypad
Table Section 1-4Fn Key Combination Summary
Key Combina-
tion Function
<Fn> key +
<Esc> key This key combination puts the system in Suspend mode.
<Fn> key + <F1>
key This key combination brings up the Power Management menu.
<Fn> key + <F8>
key This key combination toggles between enabling and disabling the
battery low warning beep.
<Fn> key +
<F10> key This key combination toggles between video display output to the LCD
display or to an external CRT monitor.
<Fn> key +
<F11> key This key combination toggles the LCD display backlighting (CCFT) on
and off.
<Fn> key +
<PgUp> key This key combination increases the speaker volume level
incrementally.
<Fn> key +
<PgDn> key This key combination decreases the speaker volume level incremen-
tally.