Aspire Series User's Guide Copyright© 2006 Acer Incorporated All Rights Reserved Aspire series User's Guide Changes may be made periodically to the information in this publication without obligation to notify any person of such revisions or changes. Such changes will be incorporated in new editions of this manual or supplementary documents and publications. This company makes no representations or warranties, either expressed or implied, with respect to the contents hereof and specifically disclaims the implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. Record the model number, serial number, purchase date, and place of purchase information in the space provided below. The serial number and model number are indicated on the label affixed to your computer. All correspondence concerning your unit should include the serial number, model number, and purchase information. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronically, mechanically, by photocopy, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of Acer Incorporated. Model number: __________________________________ Serial number: ___________________________________ Purchase date: ___________________________________ Place of purchase: ________________________________ Acer and the Acer logo are registered trademarks of Acer Inc. Other companies' product names or trademarks are used herein for identification purposes only and belong to their respective companies. iii Information for your safety and comfort Safety instructions Read these instructions carefully. Keep this document for future reference. Follow all warnings and instructions marked on the product. Turning the product off before cleaning Unplug this product from the wall outlet before cleaning. Do not use liquid cleaners or aerosol cleaners. Use a damp cloth for cleaning. Warnings · · · Do not use this product near water. Do not place this product on an unstable cart, stand or table. If the product falls, it could be seriously damaged. Slots and openings are provided for ventilation to ensure reliable operation of the product and to protect it from overheating. These openings must not be blocked or covered. The openings should never be blocked by placing the product on a bed, sofa, rug or other similar surface. This product should never be placed near or over a radiator or heat register, or in a built-in installation unless proper ventilation is provided. Never push objects of any kind into this product through cabinet slots as they may touch dangerous voltage points or short-out parts that could result in a fire or electric shock. Never spill liquid of any kind onto or into the product. To avoid damage of internal components and to prevent battery leakage, do not place the product on a vibrating surface. · · Using electrical power · · · This product should be operated from the type of power indicated on the marking label. If you are not sure of the type of power available, consult your dealer or local power company. Do not allow anything to rest on the power cord. Do not locate this product where people will walk on the cord. If an extension cord is used with this product, make sure that the total ampere rating of the equipment plugged into the extension cord does not exceed the extension cord ampere rating. Also, make sure that the total rating of all products plugged into the wall outlet does not exceed the fuse rating. Do not overload a power outlet, strip or receptacle by plugging in too many devices. The overall system load must not exceed 80% of the branch · · circuit rating. If power strips are used, the load should not exceed 80% of the power strip's input rating. This product's AC adapter is equipped with a three-wire grounded plug. The plug only fits in a grounded power outlet. Make sure the power outlet is properly grounded before inserting the AC adapter plug. Do not insert the plug into a non-grounded power outlet. Contact your electrician for details. Warning! The grounding pin is a safety feature. Using a power outlet that is not properly grounded may result in electric shock and/or injury. Note: The grounding pin also provides good protection from unexpected noise produced by other nearby electrical devices that may interfere with the performance of this product. · Use the product only with the supplied power supply cord set. If you need to replace the power cord set, make sure that the new power cord meets the following requirements: detachable type, UL listed/CSA certified, type SPT-2, rated 7 A 125 V minimum, VDE approved or its equivalent, 4.6 meters (15 feet) maximum length. Product servicing Do not attempt to service this product yourself, as opening or removing covers may expose you to dangerous voltage points or other risks. Refer all servicing to qualified service personnel. Unplug this product from the wall outlet and refer servicing to qualified service personnel when: · the power cord or plug is damaged, cut or frayed · · · · · liquid was spilled into the product the product was exposed to rain or water the product has been dropped or the case has been damaged the product exhibits a distinct change in performance, indicating a need for service the product does not operate normally after following the operating instructions Note: Adjust only those controls that are covered by the operating instructions, since improper adjustment of other controls may result in damage and will often require extensive work by a qualified technician to restore the product to normal condition. v Replacing the battery pack The notebook uses lithium batteries. Replace the battery with the same type as that which came bundled with your product. Use of another battery may present a risk of fire or explosion. Warning! Batteries may explode if not handled properly. Do not disassemble or dispose of them in fire. Keep them away from children. Follow local regulations when disposing of used batteries. Telephone line safety · · Disconnect all telephone lines from the equipment when not in use and/or before servicing. To avoid the remote risk of electric shock from lightning, do not connect the telephone line to this equipment during lightning or thunderstorms. Disposal instructions Do not throw this electronic device into the trash when discarding. To minimize pollution and ensure utmost protection of the global environment, please recycle. For more information on the Waste from Electrical and Electronics Equipment (WEEE) regulations, visit http://global.acer.com/about/sustainability.htm. Mercury advisory For projectors or electronic products containing an LCD/CRT monitor or display: Lamp(s) inside this product contain mercury and must be recycled or disposed of according to local, state or federal laws. For more information, contact the Electronic Industries Alliance at www.eiae.org. For lamp-specific disposal information, check www.lamprecycle.org. Tips and information for comfortable use Computer users may complain of eyestrain and headaches after prolonged use. Users are also at risk of physical injury after long hours of working in front of a computer. Long work periods, bad posture, poor work habits, stress, inadequate working conditions, personal health and other factors greatly increase the risk of physical injury. Incorrect computer usage may lead to carpal tunnel syndrome, tendonitis, tenosynovitis or other musculoskeletal disorders. The following symptoms may appear in the hands, wrists, arms, shoulders, neck or back: · · · · · numbness, or a burning or tingling sensation aching, soreness or tenderness pain, swelling or throbbing stiffness or tightness coldness or weakness If you have these symptoms, or any other recurring or persistent discomfort and/or pain related to computer use, consult a physician immediately and inform your company's health and safety department. The following section provides tips for more comfortable computer use. Finding your comfort zone Find your comfort zone by adjusting the viewing angle of the monitor, using a footrest, or raising your sitting height to achieve maximum comfort. Observe the following tips: · · · · · · · refrain from staying too long in one fixed posture avoid slouching forward and/or leaning backward stand up and walk around regularly to remove the strain on your leg muscles take short rests to relax your neck and shoulders avoid tensing your muscles or shrugging your shoulders install the external display, keyboard and mouse properly and within comfortable reach if you view your monitor more than your documents, place the display at the center of your desk to minimize neck strain Taking care of your vision Long viewing hours, wearing incorrect glasses or contact lenses, glare, excessive room lighting, poorly focused screens, very small typefaces and low-contrast displays could stress your eyes. The following sections provide suggestions on how to reduce eyestrain. vii Eyes · · · · · · · Rest your eyes frequently. Give your eyes regular breaks by looking away from the monitor and focusing on a distant point. Blink frequently to keep your eyes from drying out. Display Keep your display clean. Keep your head at a higher level than the top edge of the display so your eyes point downward when looking at the middle of the display. Adjust the display brightness and/or contrast to a comfortable level for enhanced text readability and graphics clarity. Eliminate glare and reflections by: · · · · · · · · placing your display in such a way that the side faces the window or any light source minimizing room light by using drapes, shades or blinds using a task light changing the display's viewing angle using a glare-reduction filter using a display visor, such as a piece of cardboard extended from the display's top front edge Avoid adjusting your display to an awkward viewing angle. Avoid looking at bright light sources, such as open windows, for extended periods of time. Developing good work habits Develop the following work habits to make your computer use more relaxing and productive: · Take short breaks regularly and often. · · · Perform some stretching exercises. Breathe fresh air as often as possible. Exercise regularly and maintain a healthy body. Warning! We do not recommend using the computer on a couch or bed. If this is unavoidable, work for only short periods, take breaks regularly, and do some stretching exercises. Note: For more information, please refer to "Regulations and safety notices" on page 11 in the AcerSystem User's Guide. iii iii v vi 1 1 2 2 2 2 3 3 3 4 4 4 5 5 5 6 6 6 System tour Safety instructions Disposal instructions Tips and information for comfortable use Front panel Rear panel System features Performance Multimedia Connectivity System peripherals Input devices Output devices 1 Setting up your computer Necessary to know before setup Selecting a location Opening the package Connecting peripherals Starting your computer Shutting down your computer System upgrade Opening the computer Setting up new components 4 Troubleshooting Taking care of your computer Important tips Cleaning and servicing To clean your computer and keyboard To clean your pointing device To clean your optical mouse To clean your monitor When to contact a service technician Asking for technical assistance ENERGY STAR guidelines compliance FCC notice 7 9 Regulations and safety notices 11 9 9 9 10 10 10 10 10 11 11 Contents Information for your safety and comfort Modem notices Laser compliance statement Macrovision copyright protection notice Radio device regulatory notice General European Union (EU) The FCC RF safety requirement Canada -- Low-power license-exempt radio communication devices (RSS-210) Federal Communications Comission Declaration of Conformity Declaration of Conformity for CE marking 12 15 15 15 16 16 17 17 18 19 Remark: All images are for reference purposes only. Actual configuration may vary. 1 System tour Your computer consists of the following: English Front panel Icon Description Power button Icon Description Floppy drive (selected models only) Optical drive (selected models only) Media card reader (selected models only) Microphone jack Speaker or headphone jack USB port IEEE 1394 port (selected models only) Rear panel Icon Description PS/2 keyboard connector Icon Description PS/2 mouse connector VGA port Printer connector Serial port (selected models only) USB port Microphone-in jack RJ-45 Ethernet connector Line-in jack Line-out / Speaker-out jack 2 System tour English System features Performance · · · · · · · · Intel® mainstream high-performance processor Expandable system memory Power management functionality 3.5" inch floppy drive (selected models only) Multimedia card reader (selected models only) CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, CD-RW ...