AcerPower series User's Guide Copyright© 2005 Acer Incorporated All Rights Reserved AcerPower 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. 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 Front panel Rear panel System features Performance Multimedia Connectivity System peripherals Mouse (PS/2 or USB, manufacturing option) Keyboard (PS/2 or USB, manufacturing option) Speakers 4 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 3 3 3 4 4 4 5 5 5 6 6 6 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 Declaration of conformity for EU countries Modem notices TBR 21 Important safety instructions Lithium battery statement Laser compliance statement Declaration of conformity for CE marking Federal Communications Comission declaration of conformity 7 9 9 9 9 10 10 10 10 10 11 11 11 11 11 13 14 15 17 Contents System tour 1 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 (optional) Multimedia card reader (optional) CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, CD-RW (52X/24X), DVD/CD-RW combo or DVD writer (optional) High-capacity, PATA / SATA HDD (optional) Supports USB 2.0 high-performance peripherals Multimedia · · Stereo-surround audio system via onboard audio controller Audio-in/line-in, audio-out/line-out, headphone-out and external microphone-in jacks Connectivity · · · · · Two PS/2 ports for keyboard and mouse One parallel port USB 2.0 ports (two front, others rear) High-speed V.92, 56K fax/data modem (optional) Ultra-fast Ethernet connection System peripherals The AcerPower series computer consists of the system itself and system peripherals, like a mouse, keyboard, and a set of speakers (all optional). This section provides a brief description of basic system peripherals. 3 Mouse (PS/2 or USB, manufacturing option) The included mouse is a standard two-button wheel mouse. Connect the mouse to the PS/2 mouse port or USB port on the back panel of the system. English Keyboard (PS/2 or USB, manufacturing option) Connect the keyboard to the PS/2 keyboard port or USB port on the back panel of the system. Speakers For systems bundled with speakers, before powering on the system, connect the speaker cable to the audio-out (external speaker) port on the back panel of the system. Note: All images are for reference purposes only. Actual configuration may vary. 4 Setting up your computer English For more detailed information about the speakers, please refer to the included operating instructions. Note: Speakers are optional and the appearance might be different, depending on the actual product. Setting up your computer The AcerPower series is a versatile and powerful system, supporting an Intel® CPU. The computer uses a state-of-the-art bus architecture, which improves system efficiency and helps the system support varied multimedia and software applications. Your AcerPower series has standard I/O (input/output) interfaces such as a parallel port, PS/2 keyboard and mouse ports, USB ports, two microphone ports and stereo line-out jacks (one in front and one on the rear panel) and a stereo line-in jack. The system can accommodate extra peripheral equipment through these I/O ports. Your system can also support an optional high-speed fax/data modem or an additional LAN (local area network) card. Furthermore, the system is compatible with Microsoft® Windows® XP operating systems. Necessary to know before setup Selecting a location Selecting the optimum location for your computer: · · · Do not place the system too close to other electrical equipment. Do not place the system in high-traffic areas or where the power cord or other cords may be stepped on. Avoid placing the system in any location that is excessively dusty or damp. Opening the package Open the package carefully and keep all packing materials for later use. 5 Ensure that all items are present and in good condition. If any of the following items are missing or appear damaged, contact your dealer immediately: · · · · · AcerPower series PS/2 or USB keyboard (manufacturing option) PS/2 or USB mouse (manufacturing option) Speakers (selected models only) User's Guide and Starter poster English Other user documentation and third-party software. Connecting peripherals After everything is connected, plug the power cord into the system and insert the other end into a power outlet. Note: Don't connect the system power cord before connecting all peripherals to the system. Starting your computer After connecting all the peripheral equipment, start your computer according to the steps below: 1 2 Turn on all peripheral equipment, such as the monitor, printer, fax, speakers, etc. Turn on the system. Once the start up process is complete, you can begin to use your computer. Shutting down your computer From the "Start" menu, select "Shut Down" and click OK. In the event of a system crash, press and hold the power button on the front of the system for four seconds. After the system has shut down, turn off all peripheral devices. 6 Setting up your computer English System upgrade You can expand your AcerPower series system quickly and easily by adding components. You can also upgrade the components of your AcerPower series system. Opening the computer Before removing any panels or covers, please make sure to shut off the computer and unplug the power cord from the outlet. · · Remove the two screws on the side panel. Slide the panel back and off. Setting up new components You can only use components compatible with AcerPower series computers. Before you choose new components, please ask your authorized Acer dealer whether the part will operate within your AcerPower series system. In order to ensure proper setup and installation, please refer to the instructions provided with your new components. Probable upgrades are: Upgrade to high-capacity HDD Expand high-level memory Upgrade from a CD-ROM drive to CD-RW, DVD-ROM, DVD/CD-RW combo or DVD writer Install additional interface cards in empty PCI slots, e.g., PCI fax/modem card 7 Troubleshooting The following are possible situations that may arise during the use of your computer, and each is followed by simple answers and solutions. Q: I pressed the power switch but the system did not boot up. A: Check the LED located above the power switch. If the LED is not lit, no power is being applied to the system. Do any of the following: · · · Check if the voltage selector switch located on the rear panel of the computer is set to the correct voltage. Check if you have properly plugged the power cable into an electrical outlet. If you are using a power strip or AVR, make sure it is plugged in and turned on. English If the LED is lit, check the following: · Is a non-bootable (non-system) floppy disk in the floppy drive? If yes, remove or replace it with a system floppy disk and press + + to restart your computer. Q: Nothing appears on the screen. A: Your computer's power management function automatically blanks the screen to save power. Press any key to turn the display back on. If pressing a key does not work, restart your computer. If restarting your computer does not work, contact your dealer or the technical support center for assistance. Q: The printer does not work. A: Do the following: · · · Make sure the printer is connected to a power outlet and that it is turned on. Make sure the printer cable is connected securely to the system's parallel port and the corresponding port on the printer. For additional information concerning the printer, refer to the printer's documentation. Q: No sound comes out of the speakers. 8 Troubleshooting English A: Check the following: · The volume may be muted. Look for the Volume icon on the taskbar. If it is crossed-out, click on the icon and deselect the mute option. You can also press the volume control/mute knob on your USB keyboard to toggle the mute function. If headphones, earphones or external speakers are connected to the line-out jack of your computer, the internal or built-in speakers are automatically turned off. · Q: System cannot read floppy disk, hard disk, CD or DVD information. A: Check the following: · · Make sure you are using the correct type of media. Check if the floppy disk is formatted correctly. If not, format it again. Caution: If you reformat a floppy disk, you will lose all data on it. Make sure the floppy disk, CD or DVD is inserted correctly (rightside up) into the proper drive (floppy disk goes into floppy drive, DVD goes into DVD drive). · · Check to be sure the CD or DVD is clean and unscratched. Check your drive by using a good (undamaged) floppy or optical disk. If your floppy, CD or DVD drive cannot read the information on the good floppy disk, CD or DVD, there may be a problem with the drive. Contact your dealer or technical support center for assistance. Q: System cannot write to floppy disk, hard disk or optical disk. A: Check the following: · · Make sure the media is not write-protected. Make sure you are using the correct type of floppy disk. Check if the floppy disk is formatted correctly. If not, format it again. Caution: If you reformat a floppy disk, you will lose all data on it. 9 Taking care of your computer Please read the instructions listed in this section. Following these instructions will help you maximize the durability of your computer. English Important tips · · · · · · · · Do not expose the computer to direct sunlight. Do not place it near sources of heat, such as a radiator. Do not subject the computer to magnetic fields. Do not expose the computer to rain or moisture. Do not spill water onto or into the computer. Do not subject the computer to heavy shock or vibration. Do not expose the computer to dust or dirt. Never place the system on uneven surfaces. Do not step on the power cord or place heavy objects on top of it. Carefully route the power cord and any cables away from foot traffic. When unplugging the power cord, do not pull on the cord itself but pull on the plug. The total ampere rating of the equipment plugged in should not exceed the ampere rating of the cord, if you are using an extension cord. Also, the total current rating of all equipment plugged into a single wall outlet should not exceed the fuse rating. Check the documentation that came with your software and/or drivers to see if you can ...