TravelMate 290E series User's guide ii Copyright © 2004 Acer Incorporated. All Rights Reserved. TravelMate 290E series User's guide Original Issue: Jan 2004 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 290E 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. iv v 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. English 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, All Programs, AcerSystem. 2 Click on AcerSystem User's guide. Note: Viewing the file requires Adobe Acrobat Reader installed. For instructions on how to use Adobe Acrobat Reader, access the Help menu. For more information about our products, services, and support information, please visit our Web site (www.acer.com). vi English Basic care and tips for using your computer Turning your computer on and off To turn on the computer, simply press the power button on the left of the launch keys found above your TravelMate's standard keyboard. See "Front open view" on page 3 for the location of the power button. To turn the power off, do any of the following: · Use the Windows shutdown command For Windows 2000: Click on Start, Shut Down..., and select Shut down; then click on OK. - or For Windows XP: Click on Start, Turn off Computer; then click Turn Off. · Use the power button Note: You can also use the power button to perform power management functions. See Windows help for more information. · 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-Esc). See the online guide for details. Note: If you cannot power off the computer normally, press and hold the power button 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 0ºC (32ºF) or above 50ºC (122ºF). Do not subject the computer to magnetic fields. vii · · · · · · · 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. English 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. viii English Cleaning and servicing When cleaning the computer, follow these steps: · · · · 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. To clean the display screen, use an LCD cleaning kit. 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 45. First things first Your guides Basic care and tips for using your computer iv v v vi 1 Getting to know your TravelMate A TravelMate tour Front open view Front view Left view Right view Rear view Bottom view Features Indicators Using the keyboard Special keys Launch Keys Touchpad Touchpad basics Storage Hard disk AcerMedia bay Using software 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 9 11 13 13 19 20 20 22 22 22 23 25 25 26 27 27 27 28 30 30 32 32 32 2 Customizing my computer Expanding through options Connectivity options Upgrade options Using system utilities Launch Manager 35 37 37 41 44 44 Contents BIOS Utility 44 3 Troubleshooting my computer Frequently-asked questions Troubleshooting tips Error messages Requesting service International Traveler's Warranty (ITW) Before you call 45 47 50 51 52 52 52 Appendix A Specifications Appendix B Notices Index 55 61 73 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. English Front open view # 1 Item Display screen Description Also called LCD (liquid-crystal display), displays computer output. Turns on the computer. 2 Power button 4 1 Getting to know your TravelMate English # 3 Item Touchpad Description Touch-sensitive pointing device which functions like a computer mouse. The left and right buttons function like the left and right mouse buttons. Comfortable support area for your hands when you use the computer. Inputs data into your computer. LEDs (light-emitting diode) that turn on and off to show the status of the computer, its functions and components. Two special keys for frequently used programs. See "Launch Keys" on page 19 for more details. 4 Click buttons (left and right) 5 Palmrest 6 7 Keyboard Status indicators 8 Launch keys Front view # 1 2 Item Latch AcerMedia Bay Description Latch for opening and closing the computer. For hot-swappable modules including CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, DVD/CD-RW combo, DVD-RW, DVD-Dual or Super Multi drive . 5 Left view English # 1 Item Infrared port Description Interfaces with infrared devices (e.g., infrared printer, IR-aware computer). 2 PC Card slot Accepts one Type II 16-bit PC Card or 32-bit CardBus PC Card. 3 Wireless Communication switch Enables and disables Wireless communication devices. 4 5 Stereo speaker Headphone/ Speaker/ Lineout jack Outputs sound. Connects to headphones or other line-out audio devices (speakers). 6 Microphone/line-in jack Accepts input from external microphones, or other audio line-in devices (e.g. audio CD player, stereo walkman and etc.) Connects to Universal Serial Bus devices (e.g., USB mouse, USB camera). 7 One USB 2.0 port 6 1 Getting to know your TravelMate English Right view # 1 2 Item Stereo speaker HDD Description Outputs sound. Houses the computer's hard disk. 3 Ventilation slot Enables the computer to stay cool, even after prolonged use. Connects the AC adapter. 4 DC-in jack 7 Rear view English # 1 Item Ethernet port Description Connects to an Ethernet 10/100-based network. 2 Modem port Connects to a phone line. 3 Two USB 2.0 ports Connects to Universal Serial Bus devices (e.g., USB mouse, USB camera). 4 External display port Connects to a display device (e.g., external monitor, LCD projector) and displays up to 16.7 million colors and up to 1600x1200 at 85 Hz and 2048x1536 at 75 Hz resolution. 5 Parallel port Connects to a parallel device (e.g., parallel printer). 6 Security keylock Connects to a Kensington-compatible computer security lock. 8 1 Getting to know your TravelMate English Bottom view # 1 Item RAM slot Description The slot that houses the computer's main memory. Unlatches the AcerMedia drive for removing the optical drive. 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). Helps keep the computer cool. 2 AcerMedia bay release latch AcerMedia bay Battery bay Battery release latch 3 4 5 6 Hard disk bay 7 Cooling fan 9 Features Below is a brief summary of the computer's many features: English Performance · · · · · · · Intel® Celeron® M Processor at 1.2 ~1.5 GHz or higher, or Intel® Pentium® M Processor at 1.3 ~1.7 GHz or higher Intel 852GM chipset Memory upgradeable up to 2 GB with 2 slots Internal removable optical drive (AcerMedia bay) High-capacity, Enhanced-IDE hard disk Li-ion main battery pack Power management system with ACPI (Advanced Configuration Power Interface) Display · 14.1" or 15.0" Thin-Film Transistor (TFT) displaying at 1024 x 768 XGA resolution or 15.0" Thin-Film Transistor (TFT) displaying at 1400 x 1050 SXGA+ resolution 3D graphics engine Simultaneous LCD and CRT display support Dual indenpendent display · · · Multimedia · · · 16-bit high-fidelity AC'97 stereo audio Built-in dual speakers High-speed optical drive (AcerMedia bay) 10 1 Getting to know your TravelMate English Connectivity · · · · · · High-speed fax/data modem port Ethernet/Fast Ethernet port Fast infrared wireless communication Three USB 2.0 ports (Two in rear and one on left) InviLink 802.11 b/g or 802.11 a/b wireless LAN (manufacturing optional) Bluetooth ready (manufacturing optional) Expansion · · One type II CardBus PC Card slot Upgradeable memory 11 Indicators The computer has six easy-to-read status indicators below the display screen, and three on the front of the computer. English The Power and Battery status indicators are visible even when the display is closed. Icon Function HDD Description Lights when Hard Disk Drive is activated. ODD Lights when Optical Disk Drive is activated. Scroll Lock Lights when Scroll Lock is activated. 12 1 Getting to know your TravelMate English Icon Function Caps Lock Description Lights when Caps Lock is activated. Pad Lock (cursor) Lights when Pad Lock is activated. Num Lock Lights when Num Lock is activated. Wireless/ Bluetooth indicator Orange indicates that wireless LAN is enabled; blue indicates that Bluetooth (optional) is enabled; dark purple indicates that both wireless LAN and Bluetooth are enabled. Lights green when the power is on and flash ...