TravelMate 220/260 series User's guide Copyright © 2001. Acer Incorporated. All Rights Reserved. TravelMate 220 / 260 series User's guide Original Issue: December 2001 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 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, electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of Acer Incorporated. TravelMate 220/ 260 series Notebook computer Model Number : __________________________________ Serial Number: ___________________________________ Purchase Date: ___________________________________ Place of Purchase: ________________________________ Acer and the Acer logo are registered trademarks of Acer Incorporated. Other company's product names or trademarks are used herein for identification purposes only and belong to their respective companies. iii First things first We would like to thank you for making the TravelMate series of notebook computers your choice for your mobile computing needs. We hope you will be happy with your TravelMate as much as we enjoyed making it for you. Your guides To help you use your TravelMate, we have designed a set of guides: First off, the Just for Starters... poster helps you get started with setting up your computer. This User's guide introduces you to the many ways your computer can help you be more productive. This guide provides clear and concise information about the computer, so read it thoroughly. If you ever need to print out a copy, this User's guide is also available in PDF (Portable Document Format). Follow these steps: 1 Click on Start, Programs, TravelMate. 2 Click on TravelMate User's guide. Note: Viewing the file requires Adobe Acrobat Reader installed. If Adobe Acrobat Reader is not installed on your computer, clicking on TravelMate User's guide will run the Acrobat Reader setup program first. Follow the instructions on the screen to complete the installation. For instructions on how to use Adobe Acrobat Reader, access the Help menu. A handy Hot key pocket reference card is useful for quick glances at functional key combinations. iv An Online guide is your helping hand on-the-go, with easy to access, detailed and linked information about your computer. To access the online guide: 1 Click on Start, Programs, TravelMate. 2 Click on TravelMate Online guide. Lastly, there may be a Read me first sheet included with your package which contains important reminders and updates. So, please read through it. For more information about our products, services, and support information, please visit our Web site (global.acer.com). Basic care and tips for using your computer Turning your computer on and off To turn on the computer, simply slide and then release the power switch on the left side of your TravelMate. See "Left view" on page 4 for the location of the power switch. To turn the power off, do any of the following: · · Use the Windows shutdown command Click on Start, Turn Off Computer; then click on Turn Off. Use the power switch Note: You can also use the power switch to perform power management functions. See "Power management" on page 23. · Use the customized functions for power management You can also shut down the computer by closing the display cover, or by pressing the sleep hot key (Fn-F4). See "Power management" on page 23. Note: If you cannot power off the computer normally, press and hold the power switch for more than four seconds to shut down v the computer. If you turn off the computer and want to turn it on again, wait at least two seconds before powering up. 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 subject 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 and vibration. Do not expose the computer to dust and dirt. Never place objects on top of the computer to avoid damaging the computer. Do not slam the computer display when you close it. Never place the computer on uneven surfaces. Taking care of your AC adapter Here are some ways to take care of your AC adapter: · · Do not connect the adapter to any other device. 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 personal traffic. When unplugging the power cord, do not pull on the cord itself but pull on the plug. The total ampere ratings 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. · · Taking care of your battery pack Here are some ways to take care of your battery pack: · Use only batteries of the same kind as replacements. Turn the power off before removing or replacing batteries. vi · · Do not tamper with batteries. Keep them away from children. Dispose of used batteries according to local regulations. Recycle if at all possible. Cleaning and servicing When cleaning the computer, follow these steps: 1 2 3 Power off the computer and remove the battery pack. Disconnect the AC adapter. Use a soft cloth moistened with water. Do not use liquid or aerosol cleaners. The computer has been dropped or the body has been damaged. Liquid has been spilled into the product. The computer does not operate normally. If any of the following occurs: · · · Please refer to "Troubleshooting my computer" on page 43. First things first Your guides Basic care and tips for using your computer iii iii iv 1 Getting to know your TravelMate A TravelMate tour Front view Left view Right view Rear view Bottom view Features Indicators Using the keyboard Special keys Touchpad Touchpad basics Storage Hard disk AcerMedia drive Floppy drive Audio Adjusting the volume Power management Moving around with your TravelMate Disconnecting from the desktop Moving around Taking the computer home Traveling with the computer Traveling internationally with the computer Securing your computer Using a computer security lock Using passwords 1 3 3 4 5 6 7 8 10 11 11 17 17 19 19 19 21 22 22 23 24 24 24 25 27 27 29 29 29 2 Customizing my computer Expanding through options AcerMedia bay modules Connectivity options Upgrade options Using system utilities Notebook Manager Launch Manager 33 35 35 35 39 41 41 41 Contents viii BIOS Utility 42 3 Troubleshooting my computer Frequently-asked questions Error messages Requesting service International Traveler's Warranty (ITW) Before you call 43 45 49 51 51 51 Appendix A Specifications Appendix B Notices Index 53 59 67 1 Getting to know your TravelMate Your TravelMate computer combines highperformance, versatility, power management features and multimedia capabilities with a unique style and ergonomic design. Work with unmatched productivity and reliability with your new power computing partner. 3 A TravelMate tour After setting up your computer as illustrated in the Just for Starters... poster, let us show you around your new TravelMate computer. Front view # 1 Item Display screen Description Also called LCD (liquid-crystal display), displays computer output. Touch-sensitive pointing device which functions like a computer mouse. LED (light-emitting diode) that turns on and off when the floppy is active. Internal diskette drive; accepts 3.5-inch diskettes. Push this button to eject the floppy disk. The left and right buttons function like the left and right mouse buttons; the center button serves as a scroll up/down button. 2 Touchpad 3 Floppy activity indicator 4 Floppy drive 5 6 Floppy disk eject button Click buttons (left, center and right) 4 1 Getting to know your TravelMate # 7 Item Palmrest Description Comfortable support area for your hands when you use the computer. Inputs data into your computer. LEDs that turn on and off to show the status of the computer, its functions and components. 8 9 Keyboard Status indicators Left view # 1 Item Security keylock Description Connects to a Kensington-compatible computer security lock. Connects to one Type III or one Type II 16-bit PC Card or 32-bit CardBus PC Card. Ejects PC Card from the card slot. Turns on the computer power. Connects to audio line-out devices (e.g., speakers, headphones). 2 PC Card slot 3 4 5 Eject button Power switch Speaker/Headphone-out jack 6 Line-in jack Accepts audio line-in devices (e.g., audio CD player, stereo walkman). 5 # 7 Item Microphone-in jack Description Accepts a mono/stereo condenser microphone. 8 9 Volume control Video capture kit slot Controls the volume of the speakers. Accepts the video capture kit option on the left side of the computer. Right view # 1 Item Video capture kit slot Description Accepts the video capture kit option on the right side of the computer. Houses the computer's battery pack. Houses removable media drive modules. Lights up when the AcerMedia drive is active. Ejects the compact disc from the drive. Ejects the compact disc when the computer is turned off. See page 46 for more details. Connects to an AC adapter. 2 3 4 5 6 Battery bay AcerMedia drive LED indicator Eject button Emergency eject slot 7 Power jack 6 1 Getting to know your TravelMate Rear view # 1 Item PS/2 port Description Connects to any PS/2-compatible device (e.g., PS/2 keyboard/mouse/keypad). 2 Serial port Connects to a serial device (e.g., serial mouse). 3 Parallel port Connects to a parallel device (e.g., parallel printer). 4 USB ports (two) Connect to any Universal Serial Bus devices (e.g., USB mouse, USB camera). 5 External display port Connects to a display device (e.g., external monitor, LCD projector) and displays up to 64K colors at 1280x1024 resolution. 6 Modem jack Connects to a phone line. 7 Network jack Connects to an Ethernet 10/100-based network. 7 Bottom view # 1 Item Memory compartment Hard disk antishock protection Personal identification slot Description Houses the computer's main memory. 2 Protects your hard disk against shocks. 3 Insert a business card or similar-sized identification card to personalize your computer. Unlatches the AcerMedia drive for removal or swapping. Houses an AcerMedia drive module. Houses the computer's battery pack. Unlatches the battery to remove the battery pack. Houses the computer's hard disk (secured by a screw). 4 AcerMedia bay release latch AcerMedia bay Battery bay Battery release latch Hard disk bay 5 6 7 8 8 1 Getting to know your TravelMate Features Below is a brief summary of the computer's many features: Performance · · · · · · · Intel® Mobile Pentium® III processor with 512 KB cache or Intel® Mobile Celeron® processor with 128 KB or 256 KB cache 64-bit memory bus AcerMedia bay (removable CD or DVD drive) Built-in floppy drive High-capacity Enhanced-IDE hard disk High-capacity battery pack Advanced Configuration Power Interface (ACPI) power management system Display · Large Thin-Film Transistor (TFT) liquid crystal display (LCD) displaying 32-bit true-color at 1024x768 XGA (eXtended Graphics Array) resolution 3D capabilities Simultaneous LCD and CRT display support Supports other output display devices such as LCD projection panels for large-audience presentations "Automatic LCD dim" feature that automatically decides the best settings for your display and conserves power Dual display capability · · · · · Multimedia · · · · 16-bit high-fidelity AC'97 stereo audio with 3D sound and wavetable synthesizer Built-in dual speakers High-speed CD or DVD drive (AcerMedia bay) USB video capture kit option 9 Connectivity · · · High-speed fax/data modem port Ethernet/Fast Ethernet port USB (Universal Serial Bus) ports Human-centric design and ergonomics · · · · All-in-one design (CD or DVD drive, floppy drive, and hard disk) Sleek, smoo ...