NEC VERSA LXI RELEASE NOTES Instruction Manual

NEC Versa LXi Release Notes 1
NEC Versa®LXi
Release Notes
Congratulations on purchasing an NEC Versa LXi notebook computer that ships with 16 MB of video
RAM for enhanced graphics processing. Before using your system read the important information
detailed in this document.
Contents
Installing Windows 2000 or Windows NT.......................................................................................................2
Notes to All Users...........................................................................................................................................2
Entering the BIOS Setup Utility..................................................................................................................2
Optimizing the LCD Panel Display..............................................................................................................2
Toggling Between Video Modes .................................................................................................................2
Disabling Power Management.....................................................................................................................2
Using a TV as an External Display Device...................................................................................................3
Hot Docking Your System ..........................................................................................................................3
Upgrading to a New Versa Dock Monitor Stand..........................................................................................3
Notes for Using Windows 98 Second Edition..................................................................................................3
Restoring the Hard Disk Drive ....................................................................................................................3
Docking Your System.................................................................................................................................3
Modifying the System’s Color Settings........................................................................................................3
Updating the IR (infrared) Driver................................................................................................................4
Disabling Save-to-Disk ...............................................................................................................................4
Using PC Cards ..........................................................................................................................................4
Resuming from Save-to File........................................................................................................................5
Using the Internal Microphone....................................................................................................................5
Using Novell Software................................................................................................................................5

2NEC Versa LXi Release Notes
Installing Windows 2000 or Windows NT
Your NEC Versa LXi systems ship with a dual configuration, giving you a choice between the
Windows 2000 Professional Edition and Windows NT 4 Workstation operating systems. When you
power on the system for the first time, you must select the operating system of your choice. Read the
screens carefully before making your selection. Once you choose an operating system, a message
appears allowing you to either ‘Continue’with the installation or go ‘Back’to alter your selection.
Note
Please note that once you click ‘Continue,’ you are unable to alter your choice of operating
systems.
Notes to All Users
Be sure to read the following notes when using any of the Windows operating systems on your NEC
Versa LXi.
Entering the BIOS Setup Utility
A new Microsoft requirement affects the speed of the system boot process and the time it takes to load
the operating system. The boot process speed is increased, thereby decreasing the time between power
on and that during which you can access the BIOS Setup utility.
To access the BIOS Setup utility to view or modify the system’s BIOS settings, you must press F2 at
system startup. Follow these steps to ensure that you access the BIOS Setup utility before the operating
system loads.
1. Press the power button to power on your system.
2. Immediately after pressing the power button, press F2, twice, to enter the BIOS Setup utility.
Optimizing the LCD Panel Display
To optimize the LCD panel display, be sure to set your system’s colors setting to High Color, 16 bit.
To modify the Colors setting, right click on the Windows desktop and select Properties. Select the
Settings tab, then use the drop-down box in the Colors section of the window to change the setting to
High Color (16 bit).
Toggling Between Video Modes
Pressing Fn-F3 toggles the system between video modes. With a TV and monitor attached, using
Fn-F3 to repeatedly toggle between video modes results in CRT and LCD, only, in simultaneous
display mode. To reestablish simultaneous mode for the TV, reenable the TV display settings. Follow
these steps to enable the TV display settings for Windows 98.
To enable the TV display settings in Windows 98, right click on the Windows desktop, click
Properties, select the Settings tab, and select the Advanced tab. Next, select the S3 DuoVue tab and
place a check in the box next to the TV graphic.
Disabling Power Management
NECC recommends that you disable power management on the NEC Versa when using the following
hardware devices or software.

USB devices

cordless mouse

SlimSCSI PC cards

NEC Versa LXi Release Notes 3

PC storage cards

Applications requiring a full-screen DOS box

Optional DVD-ROM drive.
Using a TV as an External Display Device
Follow these guidelines when using a TV as an external display device.

Always connect your NEC Versa LXi to an AC power source.

To toggle back to the LCD when in TV out only mode, right click on the Windows desktop,
click Properties, select the S3 DuoVue tab, and enable the LCD.

In Windows 98, you cannot use Fn-F3 to toggle the display from LCD to TV while playing a
DVD movie.
Hot Docking Your System
If your system has an internal mini-PCI card and you hot dock to the NEC Versa Dock, it takes
approximately 90 seconds for the system to acknowledge docked status.
Upgrading to a New Versa Dock Monitor Stand
If you purchased an NEC Versa Dock prior to October 29, 1999, the monitor stand that shipped with
the docking station cannot accommodate the NEC Versa LXi with 14.5-inch and 15-inch LCD panels.
You need to order a new monitor stand. To order a new monitor stand call 1-800-632-4525 to order the
part number, 136-245512-001A.
Notes for Using Windows 98 Second Edition
Be sure to read the following notes when using Windows 98 Second Edition on your NEC Versa LXi.
Restoring the Hard Disk Drive
Your NEC Versa system ships with a single partition on the hard disk drive. If you choose to change to
multiple partitions and want to use the Product Recovery CD to restore the hard disk drive to its initial
shipped configuration, you must format all the partitions before performing the hard disk drive
restoration. For details about using the Product Recovery CD, see the NEC Versa LXi User's Guide.
Docking Your System
The optional NEC Versa Dock lets you turn your NEC Versa LXi with Windows 98 into a desktop or a
multimedia workstation. With the optional docking station you can warm dock or cold dock your NEC
Versa LXi.
Warm docking occurs when your NEC Versa is in a suspended state and then docked with the NEC
Versa Dock. Cold docking occurs when your NEC Versa is powered off and then docked with the
NEC Versa Dock.
Currently, your NEC Versa LXi with Windows 98 does not support hot docking with an NEC Versa
Dock.
Modifying the System’s Color Settings
Your NEC Versa LXi ships with the default color setting of High Color (16 bit). If you modify the
color settings using the Display Properties function provided with the Windows operating system, you
are prompted to restart the system.

4NEC Versa LXi Release Notes
However, if you choose to modify the color settings to 256 colors, from either the default or any other
color setting, video corruption may occur upon system restart. If video corruption occurs, it is
necessary to reboot your system a second time to eliminate the corruption.
Updating the IR (infrared) Driver
Before using IR data transfer on your NEC Versa LXi, be sure to install the latest IR driver, v3.08R,
from the Application and Driver CD.
Follow these steps to install the latest IR driver.
1. Insert the Application and Driver CD into the CD-ROM drive.

If autorun is enabled, the CD automatically runs.

If autorun is not enabled, double click the CD-ROM icon in Windows Explorer to launch the
CD.
2. Click the Drivers tab.
3. Click on Latest Non-Logo'd IR Drivers.
4. Highlight Installation Instructions.
5. Click View.
6. Print out and follow the on-screen instructions to install the latest IR driver.
Disabling Save-to-Disk
To optimize system performance when using a hard disk drive in the VersaBay III, disable the
Save-to-Disk parameter in the Power Management section of the BIOS Setup utility as follows.
1. Press F2 when booting the system to enter the BIOS Setup utility.
2. Select Power Management Setup from the main menu.
3. At the Power Management Setup menu, select Auto Save-to-File and set it to Disabled.
4. Press Esc to return to the main menu.
5. Select Save Settings and Exit.
Using PC Cards
Follow these guidelines when using PC cards on your NEC Versa LXi system.

After inserting a PC card into the PC card slot with the system powered on, the system
recognizes and loads the card driver. If the cursor toggles repeatedly between a pointer and
hourglass, click on the PC card icon on the lower right corner of the taskbar. Stop the PC card.
Eject and reinsert the PC card. The system loads the card and functions correctly.

When using PC storage cards with your NEC Versa LXi, do not change the default settings for
Power Button and Lid Close functions in Windows.

When using the Adaptec SlimSCSI PC card in the NEC Versa LXi, always have a device
attached to the card.

Do not swap PC cards between slots when the system is in Suspend mode.

NEC Versa LXi Release Notes 5
Resuming from Save-to File
When the NEC Versa resumes from Save-to-File, a progress bar displays on the screen. When the
progress bar shows 100% and the resume process is complete, the screen goes blank for approximately
15 seconds as the system resumes normal operation.
Using the Internal Microphone
Use the Audio Mixer to mute the internal microphone in Windows 98 as follows.
1. Click Start, Programs, Accessories, Entertainment, and then Volume Control.
2. Select Options, Properties, and Recording , then click OK.
3. Deselect the MIC as a source of input by removing the check from the Select box.
Using Novell Software
When resuming from Standby mode with Novell software installed, do not use the VersaGlide for
approximately 10 seconds until the system fully resumes operation.

6NEC Versa LXi Release Notes
819-200700-000
10/2000
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