TravelMate 230/280 series User's guide Copyright © 2002. Acer Incorporated. All Rights Reserved. TravelMate 230/280 series User's guide Original Issue: November 2002 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 230/280 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. Lastly, there may be a Read me first sheet included with your package which contains important reminders and updates. So, please read through it. iv 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 press and release the power switch below the LCD screen beside the Launch keys. See "Front view" on page 3 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 26. · 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 26. Note: If you cannot power off the computer normally, press and hold the power switch for more than four seconds to shut down 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. v · · · · · · 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. 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. vi If any of the following occurs: · · · The computer has been dropped or the body has been damaged. Liquid has been spilled into the product. The computer does not operate normally. Please refer to "Troubleshooting my computer" on page 59. 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 Understanding the icons Using the keyboard Special keys Touchpad Touchpad basics Storage Hard disk Optical 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 1 3 3 4 5 6 7 9 11 12 13 13 20 20 22 22 22 24 25 25 26 27 27 27 28 30 30 32 32 2 Customizing my computer Expanding through options Connectivity options Upgrade options Using system utilities Notebook Manager Launch Manager BIOS Utility 35 37 37 41 44 44 44 45 Contents viii Contents 3 Troubleshooting my computer Frequently-asked questions Error messages Requesting service International Traveler's Warranty (ITW) Before you call 59 61 65 69 69 69 Appendix A Specifications Appendix B Notices Index 71 77 85 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. 4 1 Getting to know your TravelMate # 2 Item Status indicators Description LEDs (light-emitting diodes) that turn on and off to show the status of the computer, its functions and components. Touch-sensitive pointing device which functions like a computer mouse. The left and right buttons function like the left and right mouse buttons; the center button serves as a scroll up/down button. Comfortable support area for your hands when you use the computer. Inputs data into your computer. Buttons for launching frequently used programs. See"Launch Keys" on page 18 for more details. Turns on the computer power. 3 Touchpad 4 Click buttons (left, center and right) 5 Palmrest 6 7 Keyboard Launch Keys 8 Power switch Left view # 1 Item PC Card slot Description Connects to one Type III or one Type II 16-bit PC Card or 32-bit CardBus PC Card. Ejects the PC Card from the slot. 2 Eject button 5 # 3 Item Floppy activity indicator Description LED (light-emitting diode) that turns on and off when the floppy is active. Connects to audio line-out devices (e.g., speakers, headphones). 4 Speaker/Headphone-out jack 5 Line-in jack Accepts audio line-in devices (e.g., audio CD player, stereo walkman). 6 Microphone-in jack Accepts a mono/stereo condenser microphone. 7 Floppy drive Internal diskette drive; accepts 3.5inch diskettes. Controls the volume of the speakers. Push this button to eject the floppy disk. 8 9 Volume control Floppy disk eject button Right view # 1 2 Item Battery bay Optical drive Description Houses the computer's battery pack. Internal optical drive; accepts CDs or DVDs depending on the optical drive type. 6 1 Getting to know your TravelMate # 3 4 Item LED indicator Emergency eject slot Description Lights up when the optical drive is active. Ejects the optical drive tray when the computer is turned off. See page 62 for more details. Ejects the optical drive tray from the drive. Connects to a Kensington-compatible computer security lock. 5 6 Eject button Security keylock Rear view # 1 Item Power jack Description Connects to an AC adapter. 2 Parallel port Connects to a parallel device (e.g., parallel printer). 3 USB ports (2) Connect to Universal Serial Bus (USB) 2.0 devices (e.g., USB mouse, USB camera). 4 Modem jack Connects to a phone line. 7 # 5 Item Network jack Description Connects to an Ethernet 10/100-based network. 6 External display port Connects to a display device (e.g., external monitor, LCD projector) and displays up to 16M colors at 1024x768 resolution. Bottom view # 1 2 Item Battery bay Battery release latch Hard disk bay Description Houses the computer's battery pack. Unlatches the battery to remove the battery pack. Houses the computer's hard disk (secured by a screw). 3 8 1 Getting to know your TravelMate # 4 Item Memory compartment Description Houses the computer's main memory. 9 Features Below is a brief summary of the computer's many features: Performance · · · · · · · Intel® Mobile Pentium® 4 processor with 512 KB L2 cache or Intel® Mobile Celeron® processor with 256 KB L2 cache 64-bit memory bus CD, DVD or DVD/CD-RW combo drive Built-in floppy drive High-capacity Enhanced-IDE hard disk High-capacity battery pack Advanced Configuration Power Interface (ACPI) power management system Display · 14.1" or 15" Thin-Film Transistor (TFT) liquid crystal display (LCD) displaying 16M 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, DVD or DVD/CD-RW combo drive Connectivity · High-speed fax/data modem port 10 1 Getting to know your TravelMate · · · · Ethernet/Fast Ethernet port USB (Universal Serial Bus) 2.0 ports 802.11a/802.11b wireless LAN option Bluetooth option Human-centric design and ergonomics · · · · All-in-one design (CD, DVD or combo drive, floppy drive, and hard disk) Sleek, smooth and stylish design Full-sized keyboard Ergonomically-centered touchpad pointing device Expansion · · One Type III or one Type II CardBus PC Card (formerly PCMCIA) slot Upgradeable memory 11 Indicators The computer has six easy-to-read status icons below the display screen. The Power and Sleep status icons are visible even when you close the display cover so you can see the status of the computer while the cover is closed. Icon Function Power Description Lights when the computer is on. Sleep Lights when the computer enters Standby mode and blinks when it enters into or resumes from hibernation mode. Lights when the floppy drive, hard disk or optical drive is active. Lights when the ba ...