Acer 380 series manual

T ravelMate 380 series User’ s guide[...]

Changes may be made peri odically to the infor mation in this publication without obligation to notify any person o f such revision or changes. Such changes wi ll be inco rporated in new editions of this ma nual or supplementary docum ents and publications. This company makes no representations or warra nties, either expre ssed or implied, with res[...]

iii English First things first W e would like to thank you for m aking the T ravelMate series of notebook computers your choice fo r your mobile computing needs. W e hope you will be happ y with your T ravelMate as much as we enjoyed making it for you. Yo u r g u i d e s To help you use your TravelMat e, we have design ed a set of guides: For more [...]

iv English Basic care and tips for using your computer T urning your computer on and off To turn on the computer, simply pr ess the power butto n on the left of the launch keys found above your Tr avelMate’s standard keyboar d. See “Front open view” on page 3 for the location of the po wer button. To turn the po wer off, do any of the fo llow[...]

v English • Do not expose the co mputer to dust and dirt. • Never pla ce objec ts on to p of the co mputer to avoid d amaging the computer . • Do not slam the computer display when you close it. • Never place the computer on uneven surface s. T aking care of your AC adapter Here are some ways to take care of your AC adapter: • Do not conn[...]

vi English Cleaning and servicing • When cleaning the computer , follow these steps: • Power off the computer and remove the battery pack. • Disconnect the AC adap ter . • Use a soft cloth moistened with water . Do not use liquid or aerosol cleaners. • T o clean the display scre en, use an LCD cleaning kit. If any of the following occurs:[...]

First things first iii Your guides iii Basic care and tips for using your computer iv 1 Getting to know your TravelMate 1 A TravelMate tour 3 Front open view 3 Front view 5 Left view 6 Right view 7 Rear view 8 Bottom view 9 Features 10 Indicators 12 Using th e keyboar d 14 Special keys 14 Launch Keys 21 Touchpad 22 Touchpad b asics 22 Storage 24 Ha[...]

BIOS Utility 46 Disk to Disk Recovery 47 3 Troubleshooting my computer 49 Frequently-asked questions 51 Troubleshooting tips 54 Error messages 54 Requesting service 55 International Travelers Warranty (ITW) 55 Before you call 55 Appendix A Specifications 57 Appendix B Regulation & safety notices 63 Index 79[...]

1 Getting to know your T ravelMate[...]

Y our T r avelMate computer combines high- performance, versatility , power management features and multimedia capabilities with a unique style and ergonomic design. W ork with unmatched productivity and reliability with your new power co mputing partner .[...]

3 English A T ravelMate tour After setting up your computer as illustrated in the Just for Starters... poster, let us show you ar ound your new TravelMate computer. Front open view # Item Description 1 Display screen Also called LCD (liquid-crystal display), displays computer output.[...]

1 Getting to know your T ravelMate 4 English 2 Status indicators LEDs (light-emi tting diode) that turn on and off to show the status of the computer , its functions and components. 3 Power butto n T urns on t he computer . 4 Launch keys Six special keys for freque ntly used programs. See “Launch Keys” on page 21 for more details. 5 Palmrest Co[...]

5 English Front view # Item Description 1 USB 2.0 port Connects to Universal Serial Bus devices (e.g., USB mouse, USB camera). 2 Latch Latch for op ening an d closing the comput er . 3 Headphone/ Speaker/ Line-out (SPDIF) jack Connects to headphones or o ther line-out audio devices (speaker). 4 Micropho ne/ Line- in jack Accepts input from ex terna[...]

1 Getting to know your T ravelMate 6 English Left view # Item Description 1 Modem port Connects to a phon e line. 2 Ethernet port Connects to an Ethernet 10/100- based network. 3 EasyPort Connects to Acer EasyPort or I/O port replicator 4 DC-in jack Connects the AC adapter . 5 IEEE 1394 port Connects to IEEE 1394 devices. 6 PC Card slot Accepts one[...]

7 English Right view # Item Description 1 HDD Houses the computer’ s hard disk. 2 Infrared port Interfaces with infrared devices (e.g., infrared printer , IR-aware computer). 3 USB 2.0 ports Connects to Unive rsal Serial Bus devices (e.g., USB mouse, USB camera). 4 V entilation Slot Enables the computer to stay cool, even after prolonged use. 5 S[...]

1 Getting to know your T ravelMate 8 English Rear view # Item Description 1 Battery release latch Unlatches the battery to remove the battery pack. 2 External display port Connects to a display devic e (e.g., external monitor , LCD projector) a nd displays up to 16.7 million colors with 2048x1536 pixel resolution.[...]

9 English Bottom view # Item Description 1M e m o r y compartment This compartment hou ses the computer's main memory . 2 Battery bay Houses the computer's battery pack. 3 V entilation Slot Enables the computer to stay cool, even after prolonged use.[...]

1 Getting to know your T ravelMate 10 English Featur es Below is a brief summary of the computer’s many features: Performance • Intel® Pentium® M 715 ~ 755 or higher • Intel® 855GM chip set • Memory upgradeable up to 2 GB with 2 slots • High-capacity , Enhanced-IDE hard disk • Li-ion main battery pack • Power management system with[...]

11 English Connectivity • High-speed fax/data modem port • Ethernet/Fast Ethernet port • Fast infrared wireless communication • T wo USB 2.0 ports • IEEE 1394 port • InviLink™ 802.11 b/g wi reless LAN and Wi-Fi® • Bluetooth® wireless communication • 100-pin Acer EasyPort or I/O port replicator connecto r Human-centric design and[...]

1 Getting to know your T ravelMate 12 English Indicators The computer has seven easy-to-read st atus indicators on the display screen and three on the LCD panel. The Wireless, Power and Sleep stat us indicators (marked area) are visible eve n when the display is closed. Icon Function Description InviLink™/ Bluetoot h® Orange indicates that wirel[...]

13 English Media Activity Lights when the floppy drive, hard disk or optical drive is active. Battery Charge Lights when the battery is being charged. Caps Lock Lights when Caps Lock is activated. Num Lock Lights when Num Lock is activated. Icon Function Description[...]

1 Getting to know your T ravelMate 14 English Using the keyboar d The full-sized keyboard includes an embedded n umeric ke ypad, separate cursor keys, two Window s keys and twelve function keys. Special keys Lock keys The keyboard has three lock keys whic h you can toggle on an d off. Lock key Description Caps Lock When Caps Lock is on, all alpha b[...]

15 English Embedded numeric keypad The embedded numeric keypad func tions like a desktop numeric keypad. It is indicated b y small ch aracters located on the upper right corner of the keycaps. To simplify the keyboard legend, cursor-cont rol key symbols are not printed on the keys. Desire d access Num lock on Num lock off Number keys on embedded ke[...]

1 Getting to know your T ravelMate 16 English W indows keys The keyboard has two keys that perform Wind ows-specific functions. Key Description Windows logo key Start button. Combinations with this key perform shortcut functions. Below are a few examples: + Ta b (Activates next taskbar button) + E (Explores My Computer) + F (Finds Document) + M (Mi[...]

17 English Keyboard Hot keys The computer employs hot keys or ke y combinations to acces s most of the computer’s controls like screen brightness, volume output an d the BIOS Utility. To activate a ke yboard ho t key, press and hold the Fn ke y before pressing the other key(s) in the hot key comb ination . Hot key Icon Function Description Fn-F1 [...]

1 Getting to know your T ravelMate 18 English Fn-F5 Display toggle Switches display output between the display screen, external monitor (if connected) and b oth the display screen and external monitor . Fn - F6 Screen blank T urns the display screen backlight off to save power; press any key to resume. Fn-F7 T ouch pad T oggle T urns the intern al [...]

19 English The Euro symbol If your ke yboard la yout is set to United Stat es-International or United Kingdom or if you have a keyboard with a European layout, you can type the Euro symbol on your keyboard. Note for US keyboard users: The keyboard layout is set when you first set up Windows. For the Euro symbol to work, the keyboard layout has to b[...]

1 Getting to know your T ravelMate 20 English If not, select an d click on ADD ; then select United State s- International and click on OK . 5 Click on OK . To type the Euro symbol: 1 Locate the Euro symbol on your keyboard. 2 Open a text editor or word proc essor . 3H o l d Alt Gr and press the Euro symbol. Note : Some fonts and software do not su[...]

21 English Launch Keys Located above the keyboard are six buttons . These keys are special one-click but tons that pe rform special functions. # Launch key Default appl ication 1 InviLink™/ Bluetooth® This button permits user Enab led/Disabled Wireless LAN network and Bluetooth® options. 2 P1 User-programm able 3 P2 User-programm able 4 P3 User[...]

1 Getting to know your T ravelMate 22 English T ouchpad The built-in touchpad is a pointing de vice that sen ses movement on its surface. This means the cursor respon ds as you move your finger on the surface of the touchpad. The central lo cation on the palmrest provides optimum comfort and support. T ouchpad basics The following items teach yo u [...]

23 English Note: A .Keep your fingers dry and clean when using the touchpad. Also keep the touchpad dry a nd clean. The touchpad is sensitive to finger movements. Hence, th e lighter the touch, the better the response. T apping harder will not increase the tou chpad’ s responsiveness. B .When using an external US B mouse, you can press Fn-F7 to d[...]

1 Getting to know your T ravelMate 24 English Storage This comput er suppli es you with the following media storage: • High-capacity Enhanc ed-IDE hard disk • IEEE 1394 Optical (DVD-ROM, DV D/C D-RW combo or DVD-D ual) drive • USB Floppy drive Har d disk The high-capacity hard disk is the answer to your storage needs. T his is where your prog[...]

25 English Using softwar e Playing DVD movies When an external drive module is connected, you can play DV D movies on your com puter. 1 Eject the DVD tray and insert a DV D movie disc; then close the DVD tray . Important! When you launc h the DVD player for the first time, the program asks you to input the region code. DVD discs are divided into 6 [...]

1 Getting to know your T ravelMate 26 English Audio The computer comes with 16-bit high -fidelity AC’97 ste r eo audio, an d one speaker. Adjusting the volume Adjusting the volume on the comput er is as easy as pressing some buttons. See “Keyboard Ho t keys” on page 17 for more inf ormations on adjusting the speaker volume.[...]

27 English Power management This computer ha s a built-in powe r management unit that monitors system activity. System activity refe rs to any activity involving one or more of the following devices: keyboard, touchpad, hard disk, peripherals connected to the US B and IEEE 1394 po rts , and video memory. If no activity is detected for a period of t[...]

1 Getting to know your T ravelMate 28 English Moving ar ound with your T ravelMate This section gi ves you tips and hints to consider when moving around or traveling with your compute r. Disconnecting fr om the desktop Follow these steps to disconnect your computer from external accessorie s: 1 Save your work in progress. 2 Remove any media, disket[...]

29 English you can put the computer in Sleep mode by pressing Fn-F4 . Then close and latch the display. When you are ready to use the comp uter again, unla tch and open the display; then press and release the power button. Note: If the sleep indicator is off, the computer has entered Hibernatio n mode and turne d off. If the power indicator is off [...]

1 Getting to know your T ravelMate 30 English • Pack the computer in a protecti ve case that can prevent the computer from slid ing around and cushio n it if it should fall . Caution: Avoid packing items next to the top cover of the computer . Pressure a gainst the top cover can damage the screen What to bring with you Unless you already have som[...]

31 English T raveling with the computer “when you are moving within a larger distance, for instance, from your office building to a client’s office building or trav eling locally” Preparing the computer Prepare the computer as if you were tak ing it home. Make sure that the battery in the computer is char ged. Airport security may require you[...]

1 Getting to know your T ravelMate 32 English • AC adapter • Power cords that are appropriate for the country to which you are traveling • Spare, fully-c harged batter y packs • IEEE 1394 optical drive module(s) • Additional printer driver files if you plan to use ano ther printer • Proof of purchase, in case you need to show it to cust[...]

33 English Securing your computer Your computer is a valuable i nvestme nt that you need to take ca re of. Learn how to protect and tak e care of your comput er. Security features include hardware and software locks — a securit y notch and passwor ds. Using a computer security lock A security keylock notch located on the right of the computer let[...]

1 Getting to know your T ravelMate 34 English • User Password secures your comp ut er against unauthorized use. Combine the use o f this password wit h password checkp oints on boot-up and resume from hibe rn ation for maximum security . • Password on Boot secures yo ur compu ter ag ain st unauthorized use. Combine the use of this pass word wit[...]

2 Customizing my computer[...]

After learning the basics of your T ravelMate computer , let’ s get acquainted with the advanced features of your computer . In this chapter , you will lear n how to add options, upgrade components for better performance, and customize your computer .[...]

37 English Expanding thr ough options Your TravelMate offers you a complete mobile computing experience. Connectivity options Ports allow you to co nnect peripheral devices to your comput er as you would with a desktop PC. For instructions on how to connect different external devices to the computer, see your online guide for more details. Fax/data[...]

2 Customizi ng my compu ter 38 English Built-in network feature The built-in network feature allows you to connect your computer to an Ethernet-based (1 0/100 Mbps) network. To use the network feature, conn ect an Ethernet c able from the network jack on the l eft of the c omp uter to a network jack or hub on your network. Fast infrar ed The comput[...]

39 English Universal Serial Bus The Universal Serial Bus (USB 2.0) port is a high-speed seri al bus which allows you to connect and daisy-ch ain USB peripheral s without taking up precious system resources. Your computer has two ports available, one on front and th e other one on right.[...]

2 Customizi ng my compu ter 40 English IEEE 1394 port The computer's IEEE 1 394 port allo ws you to connect to an IEEE 1394 supported devices like a DVD-ROM, DVD/CD-RW Comb o or DVD-Dual drive. PC Card slot The type II CardBus PC Ca rd slot foun d on the left side of the computer accepts credit-car d-si zed cards that enhance the usability and[...]

41 English Inserting a PC Card Insert the card into th e slot and make the prop er connections (e .g., network cable ), if nec essary. Se e your card m anual for details. Ejecting a PC Card Before ejecting a PC Card: 1 Exit the applicatio n using the card. 2 Left-click on the PC Card icon on the taskbar and stop the ca rd operation. 3 Press the slo[...]

2 Customizi ng my compu ter 42 English Port Expansion devices Two types of expansion devices are available for your computer: • I/O port replicato r - adds PS/2, serial and parall el port connections to your computer • Acer EasyPort III - adds a host of ports to your comput er and allows you to connect and di sconnect pe ripherals from you r co[...]

43 English Upgrade options Your computer delivers sup erior power and performance. However, some users and the applications they use ma y demand more. This computer allo ws you to upgrad e ke y components when you need increased performance. Note: Contact your authorized dealer if you decide to perform a key component upgrade. Memory upgrade Memory[...]

2 Customizi ng my compu ter 44 English 3 Insert the memory module diagonally into the sl ot (1), then gently press it down (2) unti l it clicks i nto place. 4 Replace the memory cover an d secure it with the screw . 5 Reinstall the battery pack, and reconnect the AC adapter . 6 T urn on the comput er . The computer automatically dete cts and reconf[...]

45 English Using system utilities Notebook Manager The computer has a built-in syst em setup program called Notebook Manager . The Windows-based Notebo ok Manager allows you to set passwords, the star tup sequenc e of the drives, and po wer management settings. It also show s current hardware configurat ions. T o start the Notebook Manager , press [...]

2 Customizi ng my compu ter 46 English Launch Manager Launch Manager comes with five la unch keys, two of wihich are pre- defined. All five launch keys located above the keyboard are programmable. See “Launch Keys” on page 21 for the loca tion of the launch key. You can access the Laun ch Manager by clic king on Start , All Programs , and then [...]

47 English Disk to Disk Recovery Note: This feature is only available on certain models Multilingual operating system installation Follow the instructi ons to choose th e operating system an d language you use when you first power-on the system. 1 T urn on the system. 2 Acer multilingual operating system selection menu will pop-up automatically . 3[...]

2 Customizi ng my compu ter 48 English 2 The instruction “Press < F2 > to Enter BIOS” is shown at the bott om of the screen, during POST . 3 Press < Alt > + < F10 > at the same time to enter the recovery process. 4 The message “The system has password pr otection. Please enter 000000:” is displayed. 5 Enter six 0s and cont[...]

3 T r oubleshooting my computer[...]

This chapter instructs y ou on how to deal with common system problem s. Read it before calling a technician if a problem occurs. Solutions to more se rious problems require opening up the computer . Do not attempt to open the computer by yourself. Contact your dealer or an authorized service center for assistance. Key link: www .acersupport.com[...]

51 English Fr equently-asked questions The following is a list of possible situations th at may arise during the use of your compute r. Easy answe rs and solutions ar e provided for each one. I pressed the power button and opened the display , but the computer does n ot start or boot-up. Look at the Power indicator: • If it is not lit, no po wer [...]

3 T roubleshooting my computer 52 English to fill the computer di splay. Right-click on your Windows desktop and select Pr operties to bring u p the Display Properties dialog box. Then click on the Settings tab to make sure that the resolution is set to the approp riate res olutio n. Resolu tions lowe r than t he specif ied res olution are not full[...]

53 English • During the POST , press F2 to access the BIOS Utility and verify that the infrared port is enable d. • Make sure both devi ces are IrDA-co mpliant. The printer does not work. Check the following: • Make sure that the printe r is conn ected to a power outlet and that it is turned on. • Make sure that the printer cabl e is connec[...]

3 T roubleshooting my computer 54 English T r oubleshooting tips This notebook computer inc orporates an advanced design that delivers onscreen error message reports to help you solve problems. If the system reports an err or message or an err or sy mptom occurs, see “Error message s” on page 54. If the problem cannot be resolved, contact your [...]

55 English If you still encounter problems a fter going through the corrective measures, please contact your dealer or an authorized service ce nter for assistance. Some problems may be solved using the BIOS Utility. Requesting service International T ravelers W arranty (ITW) Your computer is backed by an In ternational Travelers Warrant y (ITW) th[...]

3 T roubleshooting my computer 56 English them down as they app ear on the screen (or the number and sequence in the case of be eps). You are required to provide the following information: Name:________________________________________ Address:______________________________________ ___________________________________________ ___ Telephone number:___[...]

Appendix A Specifications[...]

This appendix lists the gener al specifications of your computer .[...]

59 English Micropr ocessor • Intel® Pentium® M Processor 715~7 55 at 1.5~2.0 GHz with 2 MB L2 cache Memory • Main memory expandab le up to 2 GB • T wo DDR soDIMM slots • Support 256 MB, 512 MB & 1GB DDR SDRAM modules • 512 KB Flash ROM BIOS Data storage • One high-capa city , Enhanced-I DE hard disk Display and video • 12.1 inch[...]

Appendix A Specifications 60 English I/O ports • One 100-pin Acer EasyPor t or I/ O port repl icator connector • One type II CardBu s PC Card slot • One RJ-45 jack (Et hernet 10/100) • One RJ-11 phone jack (V .92) • One DC-in jack for AC adapter • One VGA port for ex ternal monitor • One speaker/headphone-out jack (SPDIF) • One micr[...]

61 English System • ACPI support • DMI 2.0-compliant • Microsoft Windows XP op erating system Power • 48.84 Wh Li-ion battery pac k • 2.5-hour rapi d charge /3.5-hou r charge-in-u se • AC adapter • 65-Watt • Auto sensing 90~264V ac, 47~63 Hz Options • 256 MB/512 MB/1GB me mory upgra de modules • Additional Li-Ion ba ttery pack ([...]

Appendix A Specifications 62 English[...]

Appendix B Regulation & safety notices[...]

This appendix lists the gene ral notices of your computer .[...]

65 English Energy Star Guidelines Compliance As an Energy Star Partner , Acer In c. has determined that this product meets the Energy Star guidel ines for energy efficiency . FCC notice This device has been tested and foun d to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device pursu ant to Par t 15 of the FCC Rules. Thes e limits are designed to [...]

Appendix B Regulation & safety notices 66 English Caution Changes or modifications not expres sly approved by the manufacturer could void the user' s authority , which is gra nted by the Federal Communications Commission, to operate this computer . Operation conditions This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rule s. Oper ation is su b[...]

67 English practical, you w ill be noti fied as soon as possib le. Y ou will also be informed of your right to fi le a complaint with the FCC. Y our telephone company may make chang es in its facil ities, equipment, op erations, or pro cedur es t hat could affect the proper functioning of your e quipment. I f they do, you will be notified in advanc[...]

Appendix B Regulation & safety notices 68 English Notice for Australia For safety reasons, only connect he adsets with a telecom munications compliance label. This in cludes cust omer equipment pre viously lab elled permitted or certified. Notice for New Zealand For Modem with appro val number PTC 211/03/008 1 The grant of a T elepermit for an [...]

69 English 5 This equipment shall not be set up to make automat ic calls to T elecom's 111 Emergency Service. For Modem with approv al number PTC 211/01/ 030 1 The grant of a T elepermit for an y item of termina l equipment indicates only that T elecom has ac cepted th at the ite m complies with minimum co nditions for connecti on to its netwo[...]

Appendix B Regulation & safety notices 70 English Important safety instructions Read these instructions carefully . Save them for future reference. 1 Follow all wa rnings an d instructi ons marked o n the pr oduct. 2 Unplug this product from the wall outlet before cleaning. Do not use liquid cleaners or aerosol cleaners. Use a damp cloth for cl[...]

71 English c If the product has been exposed to rain or water . d If the product does not operate normally wh en the operating instructions are followed. Adjust only those controls that are covered by the operating instructions si nce improper adjustment of other controls may result in damage and will often require extensive work by a qualified tec[...]

Appendix B Regulation & safety notices 72 English Laser compliance statement The CD or DVD drive used with t his computer is a laser product. The CD or DVD drive's classifica tion labe l (shown below) is loc ated on the drive. CLASS 1 LASER PRODUCT CAUTION: INVISIBLE LASER RADIA T ION WHEN OPEN. A VOID EXP OSURE TO BEAM. APP AREIL A LASER [...]

73 English other rights ow ners. Use of this co pyright prote ction technolo gy must be authorized by Mac rovision Co rporation , and is intende d for home and other limit ed viewing uses onl y unless otherwise authorized by Macrovisio n Corporation . Reverse engineering or disassembly is prohibit ed. Apparatus Claims of U.S. Patent No s. 4,631,603[...]

Appendix B Regulation & safety notices 74 English Euro pean Union (EU) This device complies wi th the essential requirements of the European Council Directives listed belo w: 73/23/EEC Low Voltage Directive • EN 60950 89/336/EEC Electromagnetic Co mpatibility (EMC) Directive • EN 55022 • EN 55024 • EN 61000-3-2/-3 99/5/EC Radio & Te[...]

75 English The FCC RF safety r equir ement The radiated output power of Wi reless LAN Mini-PCI Card and Bluetooth car d is far below the FC C radio frequency exposure limits. Nevertheless, the T ravelMate series s h all be used in such a manner that the potential for human contact during normal operation is minimized as follows : 1 This device is r[...]

Appendix B Regulation & safety notices 76 English Exposure of humans to RF fields (RSS-102) The Acer TravelMate series e mploys lo w gain in tegral ante nnas that do not emit RF field in excess of Health Cana da limits for the general population; c onsult Safety Co de 6, obtainable from Health Canada’s Web site at www. hc-sc.gc.ca/rpb .[...]

77 English Acer Incorporated 8F, 88, Sec. 1, Hsin Tai Wu Rd., Hsic hih Taipei Hsien 221, Taiwan Tel : 886-2 - 2696- 12 34 Fax : 886-2- 2696- 3535 www.acer.com Declaration of Conformity for CE marking We , Acer Inc. 8F, 88, Sec. 1, Hsin Tai Wu Rd., Hsichih, Taipei Hsien 221, T aiwan Contact Person: Mr. Easy Lai Tel: 886-2- 8691- 3089 Fax: 886-2- 869[...]

Appendix B Regulation & safety notices 78 English Federal Communications Commission Declaration of Conformity This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1) this device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) this device must accept a ny interference received, including interfer[...]

79 Index A AC adapter caring for v AcerMedia drive 24 audio 26 adjusting the volume 26 troublesh ooting 52 B battery pack caring for v BIOS utility 46 brightness hotkeys 18 C caps lock 14 on indicator 13 care AC adapter v battery pack v computer iv ejecting 24 ejecting manually 52 troublesh ooting 52 cleaning computer vi computer bringing to meetin[...]

Index 80 modem 37 N network 38 Notebook Man ager 45 hotkey 17 notice DVD copyright protection 72 num lock 14 on indicator 13 numeric keypad num lock 15 O online services 55 options memory upgrade 43 P password 33 types 33 PC Card 40 ejecting 41 inserting 41 ports 37 POST (power-on self-test) 46 printer troublesh ooting 53 problems 51 display 51 key[...]