Acer Aspire 1600 series User's guide Copyright © 2003 All Rights Reserved Acer Aspire 1600 Series Notebook Computer User's Guide Original Issue: February 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 1600 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 Getting familiar with your computer A tour of your computer Top view 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 Optional wireless communication Audio Adjusting the volume Securing your computer Security slot Passwords 1 3 3 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 14 14 19 20 21 23 25 25 26 28 29 29 29 31 32 32 33 33 33 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 35 37 37 38 40 41 41 41 English First things first Your guides Basic care and tips for using your computer vii vii viii English iv Power management 43 English Peripherals and options External display devices S-video External input devices External keyboard External keypad External pointing device Printer Audio devices Expansion devices PC Card USB devices IEEE 1394 devices Miscellaneous options Battery pack AC adapter Key component upgrades Memory upgrade Hard disk upgrade 45 47 48 49 49 50 52 53 54 55 55 57 58 59 59 59 60 60 62 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 63 65 66 66 66 66 67 67 67 67 68 69 69 69 69 70 70 70 70 v System software Launch Manager BIOS Utility A note on HT Technology To exit the BIOS Utility 73 73 74 76 76 Troubleshooting Frequently asked questions Error messages 77 79 82 Appendix A Specifications Appendix B Notices Index 87 91 101 English Software 71 English English vi vii 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.global.acer.com. English First things first English viii English Basic care and tips for using your computer Turning your computer on and off To turn on your computer, open the lid (1, 2) and press the power button (3) 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. ix 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. Note: If you are unable to shut down the computer in the usual way, press and hold the power switch 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. English · Push the power button. English x · 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. English · · · · · 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. Taking care of your battery pack 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: 1 2 3 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 "Troubleshooting" on page 77 if any of the following occurs: · You drop the computer or damage the case. xi · The computer does not operate normally. English · You spill liquid on the computer. English English xii Getting familiar with your computer Your Aspire 1600 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. Top view # 1 2 Item Display Status indicators Description Large liquid crystal display (LCD) provides visual output. Light emitting diodes (LED) that show the status of the computer and its components. English A tour of your computer English 4 Getting familiar with your computer English # 3 4 Item Power button Wireless communication button Description Turns the computer on and off. Lights when the Wireless LAN capability is enabled. 5 6 7 Keyboard Touchpad Click buttons & scroll key Full-size keyboard for inputting typed data. 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, left and right. Provides a comfortable platform for your hands when typing on the keyboard. Buttons that can be programmed to start frequently used applications. See "Launch keys" on page 23 for more details. 8 Palm rest 9 Launch keys Note: The wireless communication button works for models with 802.11b wireless LAN only. 5 # 1 Item Optical drive emergency eject hole Optical disc read indicator Optical drive Description Used to eject an optical disc when the computer is turned off. 2 Light emitting diode (LED) that indicates when an optical disc is being read. 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-Rs and CD-RWs. 3 4 5 Eject button Latch Ejects the optical drive tray from the drive Locks and releases the lid. English Front view English 6 Getting familiar with your computer English Left view # 1 Item Floppy disk read indicator Description Light emitting diode (LED) that indicates when floppy diskette is being read. Supports a standard 3.5" diskette. Press the eject button to remove a diskette from the floppy disk drive. For attaching a security connector. 2 3 Floppy disk drive Floppy disk eject button 4 Kensington lock slot 5 IEEE 1394 port Port for connecting IEEE 1394 devices. 6 Line-out jack Connects headphones or external speakers for audio output. 7 Line-in jack Connects an external microphone for audio input. 8 9 Volume control Speaker Controls the volume of the speakers. Delivers stereo audio output. 7 # 1 2 Item Speaker PC card eject button Description Delivers stereo audio output. Press the eject button to remove a PC card from the PC card slot. The slots supports two standard Type II or one Type III PC card (PCMCIA or CardBus). 3 PC card slots English Right view English 8 Getting familiar with your computer English Rear view # 1 Item DC-in jack Description Connects the AC adapter. 2 S-video port Connects to a television or dislay device with S-video input. 3 External display port Connects an external (VGA) display monitor. 4 Modem jack Connects the built-in fax/data modem to a phone line. 5 Network jack Connects the computer to an Ethernet 10/100-based network. 6 USB ports 4 ports for connecting USB devices. 9 # 1 Item Battery release latches Description Slide and hold the latches, and then pull the battery to remove it from the unit. The computer's removable battery. 2 Battery 3 4 Battery lock/unlock latch Optical media bay Use to lock and unlock the battery bay. Houses the removable optical media drive module (e.g. CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, or DVD/CD-RW combo drive). Unlatches the optical media drive for removal or swapping. Removable cover provides access to the memory slots for upgrading the computer's memory. 5 Optical media bay release latch Memory compartment 6 English Bottom view English 10 Getting familiar with your computer English Features Performance · · · · Intel® Pentium® 4 with 512K cache. 2 memory slots supporting PC2100/PC2700 (266/333MHz DDR) soDIMM, upgradeable to 1GB. 20 GB or higher Enhanced-IDE hard disk. Microsoft Windows XP operating system. Multimedia · · · · Built-in optical drive (CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, or DVD/CD-RW combo drive). 15.0" XGA TFT LCD 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 (4-pin) port. Human-centric design and ergonomics · · · · · All-in-one design (incorporating hard drive, optical drive and floppy disk drive). Rugged, yet extremely portable, construction. Stylish appearance. Full-size keyboard with 4 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. 11 The 15.0" display panel provides a large viewing area for maximum efficiency and easeof-use. The thin-film transistor (TFT) liquid crystal display (LCD) supports extended graphics array (XGA) with resolution up to 16.7 million colors at 1024 x 768. Video performance Your Aspire 1600 series notebook computer features an ATI accelerated graphics port (AGP). This provides a robust solution, while enabling high quality video output. Simultaneous display Your computer's large display, combined with its multime ...