Acer Aspire 1350 series User's guide Copyright © 2003 All Rights Reserved Acer Aspire 1350 Series Notebook Computer User's Guide Original Issue: August 2003 Changes may be made periodically to the information in this publication without obligation to notify any person of such revision 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 recorded on the label affixed to your computer. All correspondense 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, electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of Acer Incorporated. Acer Aspire 1350 series Notebook computer Model Number : _________________________________ Serial Number: ___________________________________ Purchase Date: ___________________________________ Place of Purchase: ________________________________ All trademarks and registered trademarks are the properties of their respective companies. iii Your guides A set of guides is provided to help you set up and use your Aspire computer.: The Just for starters... poster shows you how to set up your computer. This User's Guide provides clear and concise information on using your computer productively. You are advised to read it thoroughly and keep it handy for future reference. For more information on our products, services, and support, please visit our web site: www.acer.com. Basic care and tips for using your computer Turning your computer on and off To turn on your computer, open the lid and press the power button above the keyboard. To turn the power off, you can do any of the following: · · Click on the Start button in Windows, and then select Shut Down on the popup menu. Push the power button. To use this method, you must first click on the Power Management icon in Windows Control Panel, and then check that the power button is set to shut down the computer when pressed. See Windows Help for more information. English First things first English iv English Note: If you are unable to shut down the computer in the usual way, press and hold the power button for more than four seconds. You should then wait at least two seconds before turning the computer on again. Taking care of your computer Your computer will serve you well if you take care of it. · · · · · · · · · · Do not expose the computer to direct sunlight. Do not place it near sources of heat, such as a radiator. Do not expose the computer to temperatures below 0°C (32°F), or above 50°C (122°F). Do not expose the computer to magnetic fields. Do not expose the computer to rain or moisture. Do not spill water or any liquid on the computer. Do not subject the computer to heavy shock or vibration. Do not expose the computer to dust or dirt. Do not place objects on top of the computer. Do not slam the lid shut. Close the computer gently. Do not place the computer on unstable or uneven surfaces. Taking care of your AC adapter It is important that you look after your AC adapter. · · Do not connect the adapter to any other device. Do not step on the power cord or place heavy objects on it. Route the power cord away from areas where people might walk on it or trip over it. Do not pull on the power cord when disconnecting from the mains power socket. Grasp and pull the plug instead. The total ampere ratings of equipment plugged into a power strip should not exceed the ampere rating for that power strip. · · v It is also important that you look after your computer's battery pack. · · · · Use the correct battery model for your computer. Do not use other kinds of batteries. Turn the power off before removing or replacing the battery. Do not tamper with the battery. Keep the battery away from children. Dispose of batteries according to local regulations. Recycle if possible. Cleaning and servicing When cleaning your computer, it is important that you follow these steps: · · · Turn off the computer and remove the battery. Disconnect the AC adapter. Clean with a soft cloth moistened with a little water. Do not use liquid or aerosol cleaners. Refer to the chapter entitled "Frequently asked questions" on page 61 if any of the following occurs: · · · You drop the computer or damage the case. You spill liquid on the computer. The computer does not operate normally. English Taking care of your battery pack English English vi Getting familiar with your computer A tour of your computer Front view Left view Right view Rear view Bottom view Features Display Indicators Keyboard Special keys Keyboard ergonomics Touchpad Touchpad basics Launch keys Storage Inserting and ejecting a diskette Ejecting the optical drive tray Emergency ejection of the optical drive tray Connectivity options Ethernet and LAN Fax/data modem Audio Securing your computer Security slot Passwords 1 3 3 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 13 13 17 18 18 20 21 21 22 22 23 23 24 25 26 26 26 Operating on battery power Battery pack Battery pack characteristics Installing and removing the battery pack Charging the battery Checking the battery level Optimizing battery life Battery-low warning Power management 27 29 29 30 31 31 31 32 33 English First things first Your guides Basic care and tips for using your computer iii iii iii Contents English Peripherals and options External display devices External input devices External keyboard External keypad External pointing device USB devices IEEE 1394 Port Printer Audio devices Expansion devices PC Card Miscellaneous options Battery pack AC adapter Key component upgrades Memory upgrade Hard disk upgrade 35 37 37 37 37 37 38 39 40 40 41 41 43 43 43 44 44 45 Moving with your computer Disconnecting from the desktop Moving around Preparing the computer What to bring to short meetings What to bring to long meetings Taking the computer home Preparing the computer What to bring with you Special considerations Setting up a home office Traveling with the computer Preparing the computer What to take with you Special considerations Traveling internationally with your computer Preparing the computer What to take with you Special considerations 47 49 50 50 50 50 51 51 51 51 52 53 53 53 53 54 54 54 54 Software System software Launch Manager BIOS Setup Utility 55 57 57 58 Frequently asked questions 61 Appendix A Specifications Appendix B Notices Index 65 71 81 English Troubleshooting 59 English Getting familiar with your computer Your Aspire 1350 series notebook computer combines solid performance, versatility, multimedia capabilities and portability with a stylish design. Increase your productivity by working wherever you are. This chapter provides an in-depth "tour" of your computer's features. 3 After setting up your new Aspire notebook computer, as illustrated in the Just for starters... poster, take a few minutes to explore the unit. Front view # 1 Item Display Description Large liquid crystal display (LCD) provides visual output. Turns the computer on and off. 4 buttons that can be programmed to start frequently used applications. 2 3 Power button Launch keys English A tour of your computer English 4 Getting familiar with your computer English # 4 Item InviLink button (manufacturing option) Bluetooth button (manufacturing option) Touchpad Description Enables or disables wireless LAN feature. Enables or disables Bluetooth functionality. Touch sensitive pad that functions like a computer mouse. Right and left buttons that provide the same functions as the buttons on a computer mouse. The scroll key scrolls the contents of a window up and down, as well as right and left. Speakers that deliver stereo audio output. Provides a comfortable platform for your hands when typing on the keyboard. Full-size keyboard for inputting typed data. Seven light emitting diodes (LED) that show the status of the computer and its components. Locks and releases the lid. 5 6 7 Click buttons & 4-way scroll key 8 Speakers 9 Palm rest 10 Keyboard 11 Status indicators 12 Latch Note: The wireless communication and Bluetooth buttons work for models with 802.11b, 802.11a+g wireless LAN and Bluetooth only. 5 # 1 Item Ventilation slots Description Enables the computer to stay cool, even after prolonged use. LED that turns on and off when the floppy is activated. Supports a standard 3.5" diskette or 4-in-1 card reader (Manufacturing option). Press the eject button to remove a diskette from the floppy disk drive. Connects IEEE 1394 devices. Connects an external microphone for audio input. Connects headphones for audio output. Interfaces with infrared devices (e.g., infrared printer, IR-aware computer). 2 Floppy activity indicator 3 Floppy disk drive / 4-in-1 card reader 4 Floppy disk eject button 5 6 IEEE 1394 port Microphone-in jack 7 8 Headphone jack Infrared port English Left view English 6 Getting familiar with your computer English Right view # 1 Item Optical drive Description Depending on your model, the optical drive is one of the following: · · · · · CD-ROM drive for reading CDs. DVD-ROM drive for reading CDs and DVDs. DVD/CD-RW combo drive for reading CDs and DVDs and writing to CD-RWs. DVD-RW drive for reading DVD-RWs and writing to DVD-RWs. DVD dual for reading both DVD+/RWs and writing to DVD+/-RWs. 2 Optical disc access indicator Optical drive eject button Optical drive emergency eject hole PC card eject button LED that indicates when an optical disc is being read or written. Press the eject button to remove a disc from the optical drive. Used to eject an optical disc when the computer is turned off. Press the eject button to remove a PC card from the PC card slot. The slot supports a standard Type II or Type III PC card (PCMCIA or CardBus). 3 4 5 6 PC card slot 7 # 1 2 Item DC-in jack Modem jack Description Connects the AC adapter. Connects the built-in fax/data modem to a phone line. Connects the computer to an Ethernet 10/ 100-based network. Connects to a television or display device with S-video input. Four 2.0 ports for connecting USB devices. Connects an external (VGA) display monitor. Connects a parallel device, such as a printer. Enables the computer to stay cool, even after prolonged use. For attaching a security connector. 3 Network jack 4 S-video 5 6 7 8 USB ports External display port Parallel port Ventilation slots 9 Kensington lock slot English Rear view English 8 Getting familiar with your computer English Bottom view # 1 Item Ventilation slots Description Enables the computer to stay cool, even after prolonged use. Forces the computer to shut down in the event of system lockup. Note: Any unsaved data will be lost. 2 Reset switch 3 Battery pack release latch Battery pack Hard disk bay Slide and hold the latch, and then pull the battery to remove it from the unit. The computer's removable battery. Removable cover provides access to the computer's hard drive. Removable cover provides access to the memory slots for upgrading the computer's memory. 4 5 6 Memory compartment 9 Performance · · · · AMD Athlon XP-M 2000+ ~ 3000+ processor. VIA KN 400 series. 2 memory slots supporting 266/333 MHz DDR, upgradeable to 2GB. High-capacity, Enhanced-IDE hard disk. Multimedia · · · · Built-in optical drive (CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, DVD/CD-RW combo, DVD-RW or DVD dual). 14.1" or 15.0" TFT XGA (1024x768 resolution) panel. Built-in stereo speakers. Audio input and output jacks. Connectivity · · · · · Integrated 10/100Mbps Ethernet connection. Built-in 56Kbps fax/data modem. Four universal serial bus (USB 2.0) ports. One IEEE 1394 port. 802.11b and 802.11a+g Wireless LAN and Bluetooth (manufacturing optional). Human-centric design · · · · · All-in-one design (incorporating hard drive, optical drive and floppy disk drive). Rugged, yet extremely portable, construction. Stylish appearance. Full-size keyboard with four programmable launch keys. Comfortable palm rest area with well-positioned touchpad. Expansion · · PC card slot enables a range of add-on options. Upgradeable hard disk and memory modules. English Features English 10 Getting familiar with your computer English Display · The 14.1" or 15.0" display panel provides a large viewing area for maximum efficiency and ease-of-use. The Thin-Film Transistor (TFT) supports XGA resolution. 3D graphics support. Supports simultaneous display between LCD and CRT ...