NEC Versa 4050C laptop video problem

[KBtrade]

Someone gave me an old NEC Versa 4050C laptop computer, the problem is the screen is blank most of the time. If I plug it into a CRT monitor it works perfectly, the LCD screen does come on sometimes (rarely) and looks great when it does. I installed the lastest video driver but that didn't help, I am also trying to update the bios but can't because I get a weird error on bootup that says "notebios partition or file doesn't exist". Any ideas or am I wasting my time playing with this dinosaur?...LOL Thanks!

 

[Workin']

I have a P90 4050H, it runs Win95, Office 97, and IE 5.5 quite well, so you are not wasting your time. Isn't the 4050C a P75?

Anyway, if the LCD randomly works, then the problem is probably physical - a loose connection or bad component. May be easy to fix or may be expensive to fix, depending on what it is.

Don't know what that boot error is. Mine has never done that, and I updated the BIOS, too. Did you try NEC support? You can download the 4xxx series service manual there, it's pretty helpful. NEC Computer Home Page

 

[KBtrade]

Thanks Workin' I already tried NEC's website and found no answers to my questions. Have you ever changed the CMOS battery in your unit?

btw the 4050C is a P90 too!

NEC Versa 4050C 90-MHz CPU, 810-MB hard disk drive, 10.1-inch thin-film
transistor (TFT) color LCD, 8-MB standard RAM, 1-MB video memory, 256-KB
ROM

NEC Versa 4050H 90-MHz CPU, 810-MB hard disk drive, 10.4-inch, high
resolution, thin-film transistor (TFT) color LCD, 8-MB standard RAM, 1-MB
video memory, 256-KB ROM

 

[Workin']

Hehe, I have three-tenths of an inch more screen than you! Does yours do 800x600? Mine does. Otherwise they seem pretty much identical. How much RAM do you have? Mine is maxed out at 40MB. I have a 16MB module I'll sell you real cheap if you decide to keep the thing .

No, I've never changed the CMOS battery. Sorry I can't help you there. But the manual says it lasts about 2 years, so it can't be impossible to change. The service reference manual shows a parts breakdown but not how to take it apart.

Let me know if you have any other questions or whatever you decide to do with it.