AST M Series manuel d'utilisation

User'sManual TM A SCENTIA ® P ersonalNotebook M[...]

User'sManual TM A SCENTIA ® P ersonalNotebook M 003754-001A July1997[...]

First edit ion (July 1997) Copyright  1997 AST Research, Inc. All rights are reserved, incl uding those to reproduce this book or parts thereof in any form without permission in writing from AST Research, Inc. AST Research periodically ch anges the info rmation in this man ual; changes are inco rpo rated into ne w editions. AST Research reserves[...]

CAUTION Users should not attempt to mak e elec t ric al groun d co nn ec tio ns the m selv e s bu t shou ld co nt act the appropriat e electric inspecti on authori ty or ele ctrician. WARRANTY AND REPAIR SERVICE IN CAN ADA: AST Canada, Inc. 255 Matheso n Boulevard West Mississauga, Ontario, L5R 3G3 Telephon e: 90 5-5 07-3278 Warning: Replace the ba[...]

Signed Declaration of Conformit y Documents Signed Declaration of Conformity documents for AST products are on file at the AST Ireland facili ty located at: National Technolo gy Park Plassey Limerick Ireland This product contain s a Cla ss 1 laser product with a Class 1 laser source emp loying a laser diode that emits invisible laser radiation at 5[...]

Contents i Contents Using Your Documentation ........................................................... 1 Opening the Online Manu al ............... .................................................. 1 Getting Around in the Online Manual .................................................. 2 Using Hypertext Links in the Online Manual ...............[...]

ii Ascenti a M Series Use r’s Manual Using the Touchpad ....................................................................... 19 Reading the System Status Lights ........................................... 21 Connecting Peripheral Devices ................................................. 23 Connecting the Floppy Drive to the Floppy Connector ..[...]

Contents iii Using System Security .................................................................. 57 Creating a Password ......................................................................... 57 Deleting a Password ......................................................................... 58 Requiring a Password When the Computer Starts .....[...]

iv Ascent ia M Series Us er’s Manual Troubleshooting ............................................................................... 80 Operating Problems .......................................................................... 80 Infrared Problems .............................................................................. 83 Using Options .[...]

Using Your Docu mentation 1 Using Your Documentation Congratulations on your purchase of an AST ® Ascentia™ M Series computer! Whether you are new to using a portable computer or are an e xperienced user, your Ascentia M Se ries documentation can help you get the most from your computer. To get up and running quickly, see your Ascentia M Series [...]

2 Ascent ia M Series Us er’s Manual Getting Around in the Online Manual Go to the Acrobat Re ader Help for tips on using the R eader toolbar buttons t o get around in the online manual. To open the Help: 1. Click Help on the Acrobat Reader menu bar. 2. Click Reader Online Guide . Using Hypertext Links in the Online Manual Hypertext links a re bui[...]

Using Your Docu mentation 3 Special Features of the User’s Manual Three types of messages with icons appear in the manual: A note informs you of special circumstances. A caution warns you of possible damage to equipme nt. A warning indicates the possibility of personal injury. Keys that you need to press to perform certain functions are shown in [...]

4 Ascent ia M Series Us er’s Manual Using the Software User Documentation Your computer shipped from the factory with several software programs installed. The software may include its own online o r printed documentation. Refer t o the documentation or the Help options in the software for more information. Visiting the AST Web Site If you have an[...]

Introducing Yo ur Computer 5 Introducing Your Computer Your Ascentia M computer is a lightweight portable co mputer that includes features to meet your compu ting needs at home or on the road. Figures 1 through 3 show you the features of your computer. Figure 1. Front View of Computer LCD latch LCD Power button AC adapter connector Fan vent Hard dr[...]

6 Ascent ia M Series Us er’s Manual Figure 2. Back View of Computer Figure 3. Bottom View of Computer Infrared port Parallel port Docking connector PS/2™ mouse and keyboard port Microphone and audio-line-in jack Video port Serial port Floppy connector USB port PC Card compartment Volume control Audio-line-out jack Memory module compartment Smar[...]

Using Your Computer for the First Ti me 7 Using Your Computer for the First Time This section gives you detailed information on using your computer for the fi rst time. Attaching the AC Adapter Your computer runs on power from the battery that came installed in the computer or from an electrical outlet. The first time that you use you r computer, f[...]

8 Ascent ia M Series Us er’s Manual Figure 4. Connecting the AC Adapter The battery starts charging as soon as you plug the AC adapter into an electrical outl et. The battery charges faster if the computer is turned off during charging. If the battery is fully depleted and the computer is turned off, the battery charges in about 3 ho urs. If the [...]

Using Your Computer for the First Ti me 9 Turning On the Computer To turn on the computer’s power for the first time: 1. Slide the LCD cover latch to the right and hold it. 2. Lift up the LCD cover. 3. Press and then re lease the power button (Figur e 5). The power light is on when the computer’s power is on. Figure 5. Turning On the Computer?[...]

10 Ascentia M Series Use r’s Manual Adjusting the LCD Display You may wish to adjust the LCD display when you begin using your computer. A TFT LCD does not require adjustment for contrast be cause the contra st is set to remain at maximu m. You can adjust both the brightness and contrast on a DS-STN LCD. To adjust the bright ness of the LCD: • [...]

Using Your Computer for the Fi rst Time 11 Turning Off Your Computer If your operating system is Windows 95, turn off your computer by performing the shutdown procedure described in this section. Otherwise, you may lose data. To turn off the computer in Windows 95: 1. Click the Start button on the t askbar. A pop-up menu appears. 2. Click Shut Down[...]

12 Ascentia M Series Use r’s Manual You can also perform a so ft boot by saving your files and pressing <Ctrl+Alt+Del>. You can perform a cold (or hard) boot by pressing the power button to turn the computer off, waiting five seconds, and then pressing the power button to t urn the computer on. Tips for Using Your Computer The following inf[...]

Using Your Computer for the Fi rst Time 13 • Do not remove the memory-module compartment door, or try to install a memory module when the computer is on. (See Figure 3 for the location of the door.) (For information on installing memory modules, see “Memory Modules” on page 88.) • Set up your computer work area to avoid physical strain. Sit[...]

14 Ascentia M Series Use r’s Manual Handling Spills Do not spill anything on your computer. The best way to avoid spills is to avoid eating and drinking around your computer. If you do spill something on your co mputer, turn off your computer, unplug it immediately, and do the fo llowing: • If you spill liquid on the keyboard, drain as much of [...]

Using the Ke yboard 15 Using the Keyboard Your computer has an 87/88-key keyboard (Figure 6). By pressing designated key combinations, you can have access to all the key functions of a full-sized keyboard. Figure 6. Keyboard Although the layout of the keys on your computer’s keyboard is different from that on a desktop computer’s keyboa rd, the[...]

16 Ascentia M Series Use r’s Manual The keys on the keyboard can be grouped into the following categories: • Full-sized typewriter keys are arranged like a standard typewriter keyboard and are used for text entry. • Function keys, when pressed together with the <Fn> key, enable special functions. • Cursor control keys move the cursor.[...]

Using the Ke yboard 17 While the numeric functions are enabled, you can temporarily return a key to its normal function by pr essing <Fn> and the key. For example to type the letter m, press <Fn+m>. To turn the numeric keypad off, press <Num Lock> again. The Num Lock light turns off. Using Special Function Keys The <Fn> key [...]

18 Ascentia M Series Use r’s Manual When you press a function key combination, the system sound is temporarily muted. <Fn+F6> Gauge: Displays the battery gauge in the upper-right corner of your screen. This key combination functions only when the computer is run from the battery. To disable or enable the power-manag ement settings in System[...]

Using the Touc hpad 19 Using the Touchpad Your computer is equipped with the SmartPo int™ touchpad, which is an integrated-pointing device that is used to perform standard mouse functions (Figure 8). The touchpad is an advanced and reliable pointing device that works with a touch of your finger. Figure 8. Touchpad To use the touchpad : • Place [...]

20 Ascentia M Series Use r’s Manual You can also use the buttons at the b ottom of the touchpad in the same way you use standard mouse buttons. You can adjust the way t he touchpad operates through the Synaptics TouchPad software. To open the software, click on the icon showing a touchpad that is located in the right corner of the Windows taskbar[...]

Reading th e System Stat us Lights 21 Reading the System Status Lights System Status lights show the status of computer functions. The lights appear on the left edge of the comput er (Figure 9). Table 2 describes the meaning of the l ights. Figure 9. System Status Lights 3754-1.bk : 3754-2.fm Page 21 Wednesday, July 30, 1997 2:33 PM[...]

22 Ascentia M Series Use r’s Manual Table 2. System Status Lights Icon Function of Light Power light: Light is on when the computer’s power is on. The light blinks once eve ry second when the battery is low. Th e light blinks onc e every three seconds when the system is in rest mode. Num Lock light: Light is on when the embe dded numeric keypad[...]

Connecting Pe ripheral D evices 23 Connecting Peripheral Devices The connect ors on your computer enable you t o attach peripheral devices to the computer (Figure 10). Turn off your computer before you connect a peripheral device. Connecting a peripheral device with your computer turned on may seriously damage the device or your computer. Figure 10[...]

24 Ascentia M Series Use r’s Manual Table 3. Connecting Peripheral Devices Icon Connector Audio-line-out jack: Connect stereo headphones o r speakers to this jack. Speakers connected to this jack override the onboard speakers. Microphone and audio-line-in jack: Connect an external microphone or an external audio source to this jack. A micropho ne[...]

Connecting Pe ripheral D evices 25 Connecting the Floppy Drive to the Floppy Connector Some Ascentia M computers ship from the factory with both a floppy drive and a CD-ROM drive included. These systems also ship with a floppy cable. Turn off your computer before you install or remove devices from the SmartBay or connect or disconnect the floppy ca[...]

26 Ascentia M Series Use r’s Manual The floppy cable must be inserted as shown in Figure 11. To insert the cable correctly, make sure that • The arrows printed on th e cable connectors are both facing upward. • The cable bead is close to the computer, not the floppy drive. If the cable does not fit easily, do not force it . Make sure you have[...]

Using the SmartBay 27 Using the SmartBay Your computer includes the SmartBay™, a peripheral bay that can hold one of the following devices: • Floppy drive: shipped installed in your computer. • CD-ROM drive: shipped with some Ascentia M computers. • Optional secondary hard drive: available as an option for your comput er. Make sure that the[...]

28 Ascentia M Series Use r’s Manual To install a device in the SmartBay: 1. Turn the computer’s power off. 2. Place the device into th e bay. 3. Push the device in until it is flush with the chassis. 4. Push down on the SmartBay latch until t he latch snaps into place. Your computer’s operating system automatically recognizes the device in th[...]

Using the Floppy Drive 29 Using the Floppy Drive The computer comes with a removable 1.44-MB, 3.5-inch, high- density floppy drive, which can read, write to, and format the following disks: • A high-density, 3.5-inch disk, which stores 1.44 MB of data. • A double-density, 3.5-inch disk, which stores 720 KB of data. The floppy drive in your port[...]

30 Ascentia M Series Use r’s Manual To remove a floppy disk, press the eject button on the floppy drive. The drive light on the computer is amber when the computer writes to or reads from a floppy disk. Do not remove a disk when this light is on. To protect the data on your floppy disks, follow these guidelines: • Keep disks away from excessive[...]

Using the CD-ROM Drive 31 Using the CD-ROM Drive Some Ascentia M computers ship from the factory with a CD-ROM drive included. The CD-ROM drive fits into the computer’s SmartBay. For information on installing the CD-ROM drive, see “Using the SmartBay” on page 27. Compact discs are designed so that you can easily insert one into the computer w[...]

32 Ascentia M Series Use r’s Manual The name of the CD-ROM drive is the letter following the letter assigned to your last hard drive. For instance, if you have one hard drive with only one hard drive par tition, the hard drive is drive C and the CD-ROM drive is drive D. If necessary, you can use the emergency eject button to open the CD-ROM drive[...]

Using the CD-ROM Drive 33 To remove the CD: 1. Click the CD Player button on the Windows t askbar to open the CD Play er window (Figure 15). Figure 15. CD Player Window 2. Click the Stop butt on in the CD Player Window. 3. Click the Eject button on the CD Pla yer window or press the button on your CD-ROM dr ive. The drive tray ope ns and you can re[...]

34 Ascentia M Series Use r’s Manual Using the Hard Drive Your computer includes a removable IDE hard drive. The IDE hard drive can store the data and programs your computer uses. The drive plugs into a connect or on the system board. Although the storage capacity of hard drives varies according to model, any hard drive holds much more than a flop[...]

Using the Hard Drive 35 Removing the Hard Drive To prevent loss of data and damage to the disk, do not remove the hard drive while the computer’s power is on and do not drop or jar the hard drive. To remove the hard drive from the computer: 1. If you are installing a ne w hard drive, backup the application and data files on the old hard drive bef[...]

36 Ascentia M Series Use r’s Manual Installing a Hard Drive To install a hard drive: 1. Remove the old hard drive from the computer as described in the prev ious section. 2. Slide the new drive into the hard drive compartment. Make sure the drive is pushed back as far as it will go. 3. Install the screw that holds the hard drive in place. 4. If y[...]

Using the Battery 37 Using the Battery Your computer uses a rechargeable lithium-ion battery pack for power when the AC adapter is not attached to an electrical outlet. Charging the Battery Your computer’s battery starts charging automatically when you connect the AC adapter t o the compu ter. If the computer is off, the batt ery charges faster t[...]

38 Ascentia M Series Use r’s Manual All batteries eventually wear out and lose the ability to hold a charge. You may need to replace your battery pack after a year of average us age. Safely Using the AC Adapter and Batteries Follow these guidelines to safely use the AC adapte r and batteries: • Turn your equipment off and unplug the AC adapter [...]

Using the Battery 39 2. Close the LC D panel, and turn t he computer over s o that the bottom of the unit faces up. 3. Slide the battery compartment cover straight up and off the computer (Figure 17). Figure 17. Removing the Battery Pack 4. Grasp the plastic tab on th e battery and pull the b attery out of the compartment. To reinstall the batt ery[...]

40 Ascentia M Series Use r’s Manual Monitoring the Battery Charge Battery life is affect ed by factors such as the power-management settings in System Setup, the applications you use, and the brightness and contrast settings of the LCD. Under normal usage, the battery charge lasts approximately 2 hours. Battery life estimates are subject to varia[...]

Using the Battery 41 The gauge has three sections: • The top section shows you whether or not power management is turned on. An icon of a water faucet that is dripping water indicates that power management is enabled and the compute r is using minimum battery power. An icon of a water faucet with a full strea m of water indicates that power manag[...]

42 Ascentia M Series Use r’s Manual Battery Warnings Your computer gives you the following low-battery warnings (Table 4). Table 4. Battery Warnings If you cannot run your computer from the battery and the battery will not charge when you attach the AC adapter, the problem may be that • The battery temperature is over 95° F (35° C) or below 4[...]

Using System Setup 43 Using System Setup The System Setup program enables you to configure your computer hardware and set security and power-savings options. The settings you choose are stored in battery- maintained memory (CMOS memory) that saves the information even when th e computer’s power is turned off. When your computer is turned back on,[...]

44 Ascentia M Series Use r’s Manual Starting System Setup To start System Setup, turn on your computer and then press <F2> when prompted. The System Setup screen appears. The top of the System Se tup screen ha s a menu bar with the selections listed in Table 5. Table 5. System Setup Menus To open a menu, use the left or right arrow k eys to[...]

Using System Setup 45 A pointer symbol appearing to the left of a field indicates that you can open a submenu from this fi eld. A submenu c ontains additional options for a field. To open a submenu, highlight the field and press <Enter> . Use the same keys to e nter values an d move from fiel d to field within submenus as you use within menus[...]

46 Ascentia M Series Use r’s Manual Press <Home> to display the first page, or press <End> to go to the last page. To exit the help window, press <Enter> or < Esc > . If your computer will not boot after yo u have changed settings in System Setup and exited the program, reboo t and press <F2> to reenter Syste m Setup[...]

Using System Setup 47 To configure a replacement or upgrade hard drive, move the cursor to select the IDE Adapter 0 field in the System Setup Main menu, and then press the <Enter> key. The IDE Ada pter submenu appears. Normally, you can use the Autotype Fixed Disk field in the submenu to automatically set th e values for the other fields in t[...]

48 Ascentia M Series Use r’s Manual user documentation or look on the drive to obta in this information. If no drive is installed or if you are removing a drive and not replacing it, select None . Cylinders: C onfigures the number of cylinders for the hard drive. Refer to your drive’s user documentation or look on the drive to obtain this infor[...]

Using System Setup 49 Ultra DMA Transfer Mode: Enables the hard drive to use ultra DMA transfer mode to tr ansfer data betwe en the drive and system memory. The default setting is Disabled . Transfer Mode : Selects the method for tr ansferr ing data between th e hard drive and system mem ory. Refer to your drive’s user documentation to specify th[...]

50 Ascentia M Series Use r’s Manual System Memory: Displays the amount of conventional memory detected by your computer during startup. This field is for reference only. Extended Memory: Displays the amount of exte nded memory detected by your computer during startup. This field is for reference only. Advanced Menu Selecting Advanced from the men[...]

Using System Setup 51 COM2 Mode: Sets the mode for the COM 2 port. You can use the COM2 port for the inter nal infrared device . Options are FIR (fast infrared) (default) and Disabled . If you choose the option FIR , you can set an additional field, FIR Channel, to DMA 0, DMA 1, or DMA 3 (default) . LPT port: Sets the base address and IRQ line for [...]

52 Ascentia M Series Use r’s Manual Plug & Play O/S: Enables you to set the parameters for peripheral ports. Set this fi eld to No if your computer u ses an operating system that is not plug and play compliant, such as Windows NT. With an operating system that is not plug and play compliant, you manually change the settings for the COM1, COM2[...]

Using System Setup 53 System backup reminder: Enables the computer to prompt you to backup your files. The prompt appears each time you start your computer or reboo t until you respond with Y (yes ). The options for this field are • Daily : Every day when you start your computer for the first time, the prom pt appears. • Weekly: When you start [...]

54 Ascentia M Series Use r’s Manual field to Turbo, the microprocessor and hard drive run at full speed, unless affected by other power-savings settings. If you set this field to Non-Turbo, the microprocessor and the hard drive run at slow speed, unless there is user input o r device activity. Standby Timeout: Sets th e period of computer inactiv[...]

Using System Setup 55 Resume On Time: Enables the computer to r esume operation from rest mode at a scheduled time. The computer will resume only if the Rest Mode field is set to Power On Suspend, not Save To Disk. If you set this field to On , you must set the Resume Time field as well. The default setti ng is Off. Resume Time: Specifies the time [...]

56 Ascentia M Series Use r’s Manual Exit Menu Select Exit from the menu bar to display the Exit menu. Pressing <Esc> does not exit this menu. You must select one of the options from this menu or a menu bar item to exit this menu. Discard Changes & Exit: Exits System Setup withou t saving your changes. When you select this item and press[...]

Using System Sec urit y 57 Using System Security This section describes the security options provided with your computer. Creating a Password The computer password preven ts unauthorized access to the computer. You can set security fields in System Setup so that a password is needed at startup or to a ccess the hard disk bo ot sector. If you have s[...]

58 Ascentia M Series Use r’s Manual Deleting a Password To delete the password: 1. At startup, press <F2> to open System Setup. 2. Type your password when prompted and press <Enter>. 3. Use the <Right Arrow> key to selec t the Security menu. 4. Press <Ente r> at the Set Password field. The Se t Password dialog box appears.[...]

Using System Sec urit y 59 Locking the Hard Drive Boot Sector After you set a password, you can lock the hard drive boot sector to protect against viruses or alterations. To lock the hard drive boot sector, select the option Write protect in the Fixed disk boot sector field in System Setup. For more information about the Fixed disk boot secto r fie[...]

60 Ascentia M Series Use r’s Manual Using Power Management Options Your computer includes power-management options that can help the battery charge la st longer and extend the life of the battery, LCD panel, and other components. Power-management options slow down or shut off system components when the components are not being us ed. Power manage[...]

Using Power Ma nagement Option s 61 Standby Mode The Standby Timeout field in System Setup enables you to specif y the time period that the co mputer can remain idle (no user input or disk activi ty) before the compute r enters s tandby mode. You can disable this option by selecting Off , or you can specify a Standby Timeout delay time of from 1 to[...]

62 Ascentia M Series Use r’s Manual some power while in this mode. If you leave your computer in power on suspend for several days without the AC adapter attached, the computer’s battery will discharge. • Save To Disk : This mode provides the gre atest power- saving capabilities by essentially turning off your computer. In this mode, all syst[...]

Using Power Ma nagement Option s 63 • Do not try to resu me to full-power mode using battery power if the battery charge is low. If the battery charge is too low, the system may not be able to resume fully. Plug in the AC adapter if your computer cannot resume normal operation because of a low battery charge. When your computer is in power on sus[...]

64 Ascentia M Series Use r’s Manual Creating a Save to Disk Partition The hard drive shipped in your computer has a save to disk partition in which data from system and video memory is stored during save to disk mode. The partition is the maximum size needed for your computer and supports sy stem memory of 128 MB. You can add memory modules to yo[...]

Creating a Save to Disk Partition 65 After you complete th e above procedure s, use PHDISK to create a save to disk partition: 1. Turn off the computer, remove your old hard drive, and insert the new one int o your computer. (See “Us ing the Hard Drive” on page 34 for instructions.) 2. If you have a CD-RO M drive, install th e CD-ROM drive in t[...]

66 Ascentia M Series Use r’s Manual 10. Do one of the following to reinstall your applications: • If you have a CD-ROM drive, insert your Restore CD in the CD-ROM drive and start the computer. Follow the directions included with the restore CD to restore your operating system and factory- installed programs. • If you do not have a CD-ROM driv[...]

Changing the Vi deo Configura tion 67 Changing the Video Configuration Your computer includes either a DS-STN screen or a TFT screen. DS-STN screens use less energy than TFT screens but are not as sharp or bright. TFT screens, or active-matrix displays, consume more power but create sharper and brighter images. The capabilities of the scre en plus [...]

68 Ascentia M Series Use r’s Manual Table 7 lists the basic video mode capabilities and maxi mum colors supported by your compu ter. Table 7. Video Driver Capabilities All these video modes can be displayed on an external monitor. However, if you disconnect an external monitor that was attached to your com puter and th en start the computer , the[...]

Changing the Vi deo Configura tion 69 4. Double-click the Display icon. The Display Properties window appears. 5. Click the Settings tab. The Settings screen appears. 6. Click the Advanced Properti es button. The Advanced Properties scr een appears. 7. Click the Monitor tab. 8. Click the Change button . The Select De vice screen appears. 9. Select [...]

70 Ascentia M Series Use r’s Manual Working with PC Cards By installing PC Cards, you can add functions to your portable computer similar to those found on add-in boards for desktop computers. Available P C Cards include: • Input/output, su ch as modem, netwo rk, pager, video capture, and SCSI cards. • Storage, such as hard drive cards. • C[...]

Working with PC Cards 71 • Keep dust, magnets, and static electricity away from PC Cards. • When a card is not in use, carry it in its protect ive carrying case. • Some PC Cards include cables that extend from the back of the cards. Be careful not to bend or put excess ive strain on these cables. Using PC Cards You can install PC Cards while [...]

72 Ascentia M Series Use r’s Manual configuring a PC Card in Windows 95, see the index entry PC card in the Windows Help. Windows 95 also handles power management for PC Cards. To remove a PC Card from your computer if your operating system is Windows 95: Use the following procedures to remove PC Cards, or you may lose data that is being stored t[...]

Watching V ideo 73 Watching Video The SoftPEG™ MPEG sof tware on your computer enables you to run full-motion video movies or games that are formatted under MPEG-1, Video CD, and CD-I standards. To start a video compact disc: 1. Insert a compact disc into the CD-ROM dri ve. (See “Using the CD-ROM Drive” on page 31 for more information.) 2. Op[...]

74 Ascentia M Series Use r’s Manual The SoftPEG cont roller appears (Fi gure 20). Figure 20. SoftPEG Controller 3. Press the Load but ton (button 4 in Figure 20) on the controller. The video begins to play. 4. Use the other butto ns on the controller as needed whi le watching the video. Table 8 lists t he buttons that are numbered in Figure 20 an[...]

Watching V ideo 75 Table 8. SoftPEG Controller Buttons When you place the cursor over a button, the name of the butto n appears followed by a key that you can use to act ivate the button instead of using the touchpad. For more information on the So ftPEG video pla yer, see the README file in the SoftPEG folder. Number in Figure Function of Button 1[...]

76 Ascentia M Series Use r’s Manual Updating the System BIOS Your computer uses flash BIOS, which enables you to update the BIOS easily from a floppy disk. If AST releases a BIOS update for your computer, copy the disk image to your hard drive from • The AST Online! BBS: See the customer service reference that accompanied your computer for info[...]

Updating the System BIOS 77 To perform the BIOS update: 1. Attach the AC adapter to your computer, plug the adapter into an electrical outlet, and turn on the computer. 2. Copy the BIOS disk image from th e BBS or the AST We b site onto your computer’s hard drive. 3. Insert a formatted floppy disk in the floppy drive. 4. Click the Start butt on o[...]

78 Ascentia M Series Use r’s Manual About Drivers and System Resources This section gives you basic information about drivers and system IRQs. Drivers A driver is a program that enables th e operating syste m to work with a hardware device. Your computer includes drivers for the audio, video, infrared, touchpad, keyboard, CD-ROM drive, hard drive[...]

About Drivers an d System Resou rces 79 The IRQs that are used by your computer are listed in Table 9. Table 9. Ascentia M Series IRQs In Windows 95, you can configure a device so that the device is disabled when you connect you r computer to a docking station but enabled when th e computer is n ot connected to the d ocking station. With this confi[...]

80 Ascentia M Series Use r’s Manual Troubleshooting If you ever have difficulty running you r computer, follow these steps: 1. Consult the following sections for advice on how to handle system problems. 2. If you have an i nternet connecti on, visit the A ST Web site : http://www.ast.com Updates on your system and other AST products are periodica[...]

Troubleshoo ting 81 the External Cache setting in the Memory Cache field of System Setup. Nothing appears on the LCD panel when you turn on the computer. Adjust the brightness and contrast on an DS-STN LCD or the brightness on a TFT LCD. Are you using an external monitor? If so, press <Fn+F5> to return to the LCD panel. Nothing appears on the[...]

82 Ascentia M Series Use r’s Manual Certain software programs “hang” during operations when there is no interaction with the keyboard or peripheral devices. Your computer may be in standby or rest mode. Tap the touchpad to resume from standby or press the power button to resume from rest. A serial or parallel device attached to a serial or pa[...]

Troubleshoo ting 83 Infrared Problems If you are unable to transfer files with the infrared port, check the following: • The receiving dev ice must be positioned properly. There must be no more than three feet of distance between the computer’s infrared port and the receiving infrared device. • The sending and receiv ing devices nee d to be o[...]

84 Ascentia M Series Use r’s Manual Using Options You can order the following options for you r Ascentia M computer from your aut horized AST reseller: • An extra AC adapter. • An auto/airline adapter that enables you to charge the computer’s ba ttery and operate the computer while in an automobile or an airplane. • An extra batt ery pack[...]

Using Option s 85 Auto/Airline Adapter The auto/airline adapter enables you to power your computer and charge the computer bat tery • In an automobile, through the +1 2 volt cigarette lighter socket. • In an airplane th at is equipp ed with a portab le computer connector (Figure 21). Figure 21. Auto/Airline Adapter Portable computer connectors [...]

86 Ascentia M Series Use r’s Manual Contact your airline for info rmation on using an airline adapter on your flight. To use the adapter: 1. Plug the adapter cable into the AC adapter connector on the computer. 2. Connect the adap ter to the cigarette lighte r socket or the portable computer connector on the airplane. The light on the adapter is [...]

Using Option s 87 When you connect the adapter t o the cigarette lighter or the airplane connector, the b attery starts chargi ng immediately. To prevent loss of data and possible damage to the computer, unplug the auto/airline adapter when starting and st opping the automobile engine . Battery Pack You can order another lithium-ion battery pac k f[...]

88 Ascentia M Series Use r’s Manual Memory Modules You can increase system memory by installing optional memory modules. You can install 8, 16, 32, or 64 MB modules. Install memory modules in any combination of sizes. To avoid possible system problems, use only AST-approved memory modules in your computer. Before You Install Memory To prevent per[...]

Using Option s 89 Figure 22. Removing the Memory Module Compartment Door 3. Grasp the edge of the door and pull the doo r off the chassis. 4. Remove installed modules if necessary: When removing modules, pull on the plastic portion of the connector slots t abs only. Do not pull on the metal part of the tabs, or yo u may damage the tabs. a. Pull the[...]

90 Ascentia M Series Use r’s Manual Figure 23. Removing a Memory Module b. Hold the memory module by the edges and pull it forward out of the compa rtment. 5. Align the connector on the memory module wi th the connector of the slot. 6. Push the memory module into the slot at a slight angle until the connectors are fully engaged (Figure 24). 7. Pu[...]

Using Option s 91 Figure 24. Installing a Memory Module 8. Align the memory module compartment door with the compartment an d push the door down until it s naps into place. 9. Reinstall the screw you removed in step 2. 10. Turn on the computer and perform a complete POST to check the memory int egrity. 3754-1.bk : 3754-3.fm Page 91 Wednesday, July [...]

92 Ascentia M Series Use r’s Manual Battery Cradle The external battery cradle enables you to charge the computer battery outside of the computer. To charge a battery in the b attery cradle: 1. Insert the batt ery into the cradle, contact e nd first (Figure 27): Figure 25. Battery Cradle 2. Attach the com puter AC adapte r to the connect or at th[...]

Using Option s 93 Do not leave the battery cradle plugged into an electrical outlet for a long time if the battery cradle will not be used. Also do not store batteries in the battery cradle for a long time. Otherwise the battery or the battery cradle may be damaged. External Numeric Keypad The external numeric keypad has the same features as the in[...]

94 Ascentia M Series Use r’s Manual Specifications Table 10 gives the specif ications for your computer. Table 10. System Specifications Dimension System with 12.1 DS-STN LCD Width 12.2 in (30.9 cm) Height 1.7 in (4.2 cm) Length 9.5 in (24.1 cm) Weight (with floppy drive a nd battery installed) 6.4 lb (2,920 g) LCD viewing area (1 2.1 DS-STN) 9.8[...]

Specifi cations 95 Relative humidity (no ncondensing), storage 15–95% Altitude, operating 0 to 8,000 ft (0 to 2,348 m) Altitude, storage 0 to 40,000 ft (0 to 12,192 m) Shock, operating 10 G for 11 ms half sine Shock, nonoperating 60 G for 11 ms half sine Lithium-Ion Battery Weight 0.925 lb (420 g) Nominal open circuit voltag e 10.8 Vcc Capacity, [...]

96 Ascentia M Series Use r’s Manual Abbreviations Your Ascentia M documentation uses the following abbreviations: A . . . . . . . . . . Amperes AC . . . . . . . . Alternating current APM . . . . . . . Advanced Power Management ATA . . . . . . . AT attachment (refers to the hard-drive interface in an AT-compatible co mputer) BBS . . . . . . . Bull[...]

Abbreviati ons 97 hr . . . . . . . . . hour Hz . . . . . . . . . Hertz IDE . . . . . . . . Integrated drive electronics in . . . . . . . . . Inches I/O . . . . . . . . Input/Output IrDA . . . . . . . Infrared Data Association IRQ . . . . . . . Interrupt request line Kb/sec . . . . . Kilobits per second KB . . . . . . . . Kilobytes kg . . . . . . . [...]

98 Ascentia M Series Use r’s Manual SVGA . . . . . Super video graphics array TFT . . . . . . . . Thin-film transistor USB . . . . . . . Universal serial bus V . . . . . . . . . . Volt VAC . . . . . . . Voltage alternating current VCC . . . . . . . Voltage collector current VDC . . . . . . . Voltage direct current VGA . . . . . . . Video graphics[...]

Glossary 99 Glossary AC adapter The AC (or alternating current) adapter regulates current coming into your computer from the wall outlet. The current at the wall outlet is alternating current and needs to be changed by the adapt er to DC (direct curr ent) before your computer can use it for power. BIOS BIOS stands for basic in put/output system. Th[...]

100 Asce ntia M Series Use r’s Manual average time requ ired for the microprocessor to get the data it needs from the main memory by storing recently accessed data in the cache. CardBus CardBus technology enables the c omputer to use 32-bit PC Cards. Hardware in the computer and the Windows 95 operating system prov ide support for the 32-bit card[...]

Glossary 101 A cache is a buffer for transferring disk sectors in and out of RAM. Data stored in a disk cache is a copy of data already stored on the physical disk. DMA (direct memory access) A method of transferring data from a device to memory without having the data pass th rough the microprocesso r. Using DMA can speed up syst em performance. D[...]

102 Asce ntia M Series Use r’s Manual services. The number of IRQs is l imited by industry standards. LCD (liquid-crystal display) The LCD screen on your computer differs from the display screen of a desktop monitor. Most desktop monitors use CRT (cathode-ray tube) displays, which work by moving an electron beam across phosph or dots on the back [...]

Glossary 103 though they are connected. An LCD screen di splays thousands or millions of pixels. Plug and Play A plug and play operating system automatically configures computer components to work with your system. With this type of operating syst em, you normally do not nee d to set jumpers on devices or set memory addr esses or IRQs. POST POST st[...]

104 Asce ntia M Series Use r’s Manual Sector Also known as disk sector . The portion of a track tha t is numbered and can hold a specified number of characters (usually 512 KB). Shadow RAM A write-protected area of RAM that contains a copy of the BIOS. As the computer boots, th e BIOS is copied from its permanent location in ROM to RAM. The BIOS [...]

Recording the Co mputer Hardwa re Co nfiguration 10 5 Recording the Computer Hardware Configuration In the spaces provided, write the System Setup program settings. If your computer ever loses configuration information, you can enter the informatio n from this section into System Setup to restore i t. MAIN MENU Diskette A: Not Installed 1.44 MB 3 1[...]

106 Asce ntia M Series Use r’s Manual IDE Adapter 1: Type:__________Cylinders: __________ Heads:__________Sectors/Track:________ __ Write Precomp:________Multi-Sector Transfers:_____ LBA Mode Control: Enabled Di sabled 32 Bit I/O: Enab led Disabled Ultra DMA Transfer Mode: Enabled Disabled Transfer Mode: Standard Fast PIO 1 Fast PIO 2 Fast PIO 3 [...]

Recording the Co mputer Hardwa re Co nfiguration 10 7 ADVANCED MENU INTEGRATED PERIPHERALS SUBMENU COM1 port: Disabled Auto 2E8, IRQ 3 3E8, IRQ 4 2F8, IRQ 3 3F8, IRQ 4 COM2 port: Disabled Auto 2E8, IRQ 3 3E8, IRQ 4 2F8, IRQ 3 3F8, IRQ 4 COM2 Mode: FIR Disabled FIR Channel: DMA 0 DMA 1 DMA 3 LPT port: Disabled Auto 378, IRQ 7 278, IRQ 7 298, IRQ 7 3[...]

108 Asce ntia M Series Use r’s Manual SECURITY MENU Password is: Disabled Enabled Password on boot: Enabled Disabled Fixed disk boot sector: Normal Write Protect System backup reminder: Daily Weekly Monthly Disabled Virus check re minder: Daily Weekly Monthly Disabled POWER SAVINGS MENU Battery Power Saving Mode: Turbo Non-Turbo Standby Timeout: [...]

Index 109 Numerics 16-bit PC Card 70 32 Bit I/O field 48 32-bit PC Card 70 A Abbreviations used in documentati on 96 AC adapter 99 option al 84 using 7 Adjusting brightness 10 , 18 contrast 10 , 18 display 10 Advanced me nu, System Setup 50 AST Web site 4 , 80 Autotype Fixed Disk field 47 Auto/airline adapter 85 B Backing up software 10 Backlight k[...]

110 Asce ntia M Series Use r’s Manual Color depth 69 COM port 100 COM1 port field 50 COM2 Mode field 51 COM2 port field 50 Compact discs, playing 32 Configuring computer 43 video features 68 Connecting peripheral devices 23 Contrast adjustment keys 10 , 18 Contrast, adjusting 10 , 18 Conventional memor y 100 Creating password 57 save to disk part[...]

Index 111 G Get Default V alues field 56 Glossary 99 H Hard drive 101 configuring 46 installing 36 locking the boot sector 59 optional drive for SmartBay 87 partitions 34 removing 35 using 34 Hardware specifications 94 Heads field 48 I Icons port 24 status lights 21 IDE Adapter 0 field 46 IDE Adapter 1 field 46 Infrared, troubleshooting 83 Installi[...]

112 Asce ntia M Series Use r’s Manual O Online manual, accessing 1 Operating system 102 Options 84 P Passive matrix LCD 101 Password creati ng 57 deleting 58 Password is field 52 Password on boot field 52 PC Card 16-bi t 70 32-bi t 70 CardBus 70 , 100 definitio n 102 installing 71 maintaining 70 removing 71 slot 102 troubleshooting 82 types 70 us[...]

Index 113 Screen Expansion field 51 Scroll Lock keys 18 light 22 Sector 104 Sectors/Track field 48 Security features 57 Security menu, System Setup 52 Set Password field 52 Shadow RAM (random access memory) 104 Shutting down the computer 11 SmartBay, using 27 SoftPEG MPEG video player 73 Software backing up 10 documentation 4 Speed keys 17 Spills, [...]

114 Asce ntia M Series Use r’s Manual keys 16 Microsoft Backup utility 64 Microsoft Cre ate System Disks Utility 35 PC Card 72 playing compact discs 32 shutdown procedure 11 Write Precomp field 48 Z Zoomed video 70 , 104 62 3754-1.bk : 3754-1.ix Page 114 Wednesday, July 30, 1997 2:33 PM[...]

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