Acer 3200 Series manual

TravelMate 3200 Series User’s Guide[...]

Changes may be made peri odically to the infor mation 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 publ ications. This company makes no representations or warra nties, either expre ssed or implied, with respe c[...]

iii English First things first We would like to thank you for ma king the TravelMate series of notebook computers your choice fo r 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 TravelMat e, we have design ed a set of guides: First off, the Just f[...]

iv English Basic care and tips for using your computer Turning your computer on and off To turn on the computer, simply pr ess and r elease the power switch below the LCD screen. See “Front view” on page 3 for th e locati on of the power switch. To turn the po wer off, do any of the following: • Use the Windows shutdown command Click on Start[...]

v English • 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. Taking care of yo ur AC adapter Here are some ways to take care of your AC adapter: • Do not connect the adapte r to any other device. • Do not st[...]

vi English If any of the following occurs: • The computer has been dropped or the body has been damaged. • Liquid has been spil led into the produc t. • The computer does not operate normally. Please refer to "Troubleshooti ng my computer" on page 49.[...]

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 view 3 Closed fron t view 5 Left view 6 Right view 7 Rear view 8 Bottom view 9 Features 10 Indicators 12 Using th e keyboar d 14 Lock keys 14 Embedded numeric keypad 15 Windows keys 16 Hot keys 17 The E[...]

2 Customizing my computer 35 Expanding th rough opti ons 37 Connectivity opti ons 37 Upgrade options 43 Using system utilities 45 Acer eManager 45 Launch Manager 46 BIOS Utility 46 D to D Recovery (Disc to Disc) 47 Multilingual o perating system install ation 47 Restore without a Recovery CD 47 Setup password and exit 48 3 Troubleshooting my comput[...]

1 Getting to know your TravelMate[...]

Your TravelMate computer combines high- performance, versatili ty, power management features and multimedi a capabilities with a unique style and ergonom ic design. Work with unmatched productivity and reliability with your new power computing partner.[...]

3 English 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 # Item Description 1 Display screen Also called Liquid-Crystal Display (LCD), displays computer output.[...]

1 Getting to know your TravelMate 4 English 2 Power button Turns the computer on and off. 3 Status indicators Light-Emitting Diodes (LEDs) that turn on and off to show the status of the computer’s functions and components. 4 Keyboard Inputs data into your computer. 5 Palmrest Comfortable support area for your hands when you use the computer. 6 Cl[...]

5 English Closed front view Note : The Bluetooth and Wi reless butto ns and indica tors only work on models with Bluetooth a nd Wireless features, respectively. # Item Description 1 Speakers Left and right speakers deliver stereo audio output. 2 Infrared port Interfaces with infrared devices (e.g., infrared printer and IR-aware comp uter). 3 Power [...]

1 Getting to know your TravelMate 6 English Left view # Item Description 1 Security keylock Connects to a Kensington-compatib le computer security lock. 2 IEEE 1394 port Connects to IEEE 1394 devices. 3 Modem jack Connects to a phon e line. 4 USB 2.0 port Connects to Universal Serial Bus (USB) 2.0 devices (e.g., USB mouse, USB camera). 5 Ventilatio[...]

7 English Right view # Item Description 1 Optical drive Internal optical drive; accepts CDs or DVDs depending on the optica l drive type. 2 LED indicator Lights up when the optical drive is active. 3 Emergency eject hole Ejects the optical drive tray when the computer is turned off. See page 52 for more details. 4 Optical drive eject button Ejects [...]

1 Getting to know your TravelMate 8 English Rear view # Item Description 1 100-pin port replicator connector Connects to an I/O port replicator , or Acer EasyPort expansion devices. 2 External display port Connects to a display device (e.g., external monitor, LCD projector).[...]

9 English Bottom view # Item Description 1M e m o r y compartment Houses the computer's main memory. 2 Cooling fan Helps keep the computer cool . Note : Do not cover or obstruct the opening of the fan. 3 Battery release latch Unlatches the battery to remove the battery pack. 4 Battery bay Houses the computer's battery pack. 5 Battery lock[...]

1 Getting to know your TravelMate 10 English Features Below is a brief summary of the computer’s many features: Performance • Intel® Pentium M® pr ocesso r 715, 72 5, 735, 745, 755 • Intel® 855GME chipset • 256/512 MB of DDR333 SDRAM sta nd ard, upgradeable to 204 8 MB with dual soD IMM module s • 40 GB and above high-capacit y, Enhanc[...]

11 English Connectivity • Integrated 10/100/ 10 00 Mbps Fast Ethernet connection • Built-in 56Kbps fax/data modem • Fast infrared wireless communication • IEEE 1394 port • Two Universal Serial Bus (USB) 2 .0 ports • InviLink™ 802.11b/g or Invi Link™ 802.11a/b/g Wireless LAN (manufacturing option) • Bluetooth® (ma nufacturing opti[...]

1 Getting to know your TravelMate 12 English Indicators The computer has three easy-to-r ead status icons on the upper-left above the keyboard. Icon Function Description Caps Lock Lights when Caps Lock is activated. Num Lock Lights when Num Lock is activated. Media activity Lights when the hard disk or optical drive is active.[...]

13 English In addition, there are two indicators at the front panel. Even when the cover is clos ed, the state or features can sti ll be seen. Icon Function Description Power Lights when the computer is on. Battery indicator Lights when the battery is being charged.[...]

1 Getting to know your TravelMate 14 English Using the keyboard The keyboard has full-sized keys and an embedded keypad, separate cursor keys, two Windows keys and twelve fu nction 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 betic characters typed[...]

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. Desired Access Num Lock On Nu m Lock Off Number keys on embedded ke[...]

1 Getting to know your TravelMate 16 English Windows keys The keyboard has two keys that pe rform Windows-spec ific functio ns. Key Description Windows key Pressed alone, this key has the same effect as clicking on the Windows Start button ; it launches the Start menu. It can also be used with other keys to pro vide a variety of functions: + Tab Ac[...]

17 English 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 hot keys, press and hold the Fn key before pr essing the other key i n the hot key comb ination. Hot Key Icon Function Description Fn-F1 Hot key help Displays he[...]

1 Getting to know your TravelMate 18 English Fn-F5 Display toggle Switches display output between the display screen, external monitor (if connected) and bo th the display screen and external monitor. Fn-F6 Screen blank Turns the display screen backlight off to save power. Press any key to return. Fn-F7 Touchpad toggle Turns th e internal touchpad [...]

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 layou t is set when you first set up Windows. For the Eu ro symbol to work, the keyboard layout has to[...]

1 Getting to know your TravelMate 20 English Launch keys Located at the upper-right above the ke yboard are four buttons. These buttons ar e called l aunch keys. They are designated as the mail, Web browser, Empowering a nd programmable keys. Press the Acer Empowering Key to run the Acer eManager. P lease see “Acer eManager” on page 45. The mai[...]

21 English In addition, there are tw o launch keys at the fro nt panel. Even when the cover is closed, you can easily access the features of Wireless and Bluetooth®. Ho wever, th e Wireless and Bluetoot h keys cann ot be set by users. Description Default Application Bluetooth communications Lights to indic ate the sta tus of Blueto oth (opti onal)[...]

1 Getting to know your TravelMate 22 English Touchpad The built-in touc hpad is a PS/2-com patible poin ting device that senses movement on its surface. This means t he cursor responds as you move your finger on the surface of the to uchpad . The central l ocation on th e palmrest provides optimum comfort and support. Note: When using an external U[...]

23 English • Use the 4-way scroll (2) button to scroll up or down and move left or right a page . This button mimi cs your cursor pressing on the right scroll bar of Windows applicat ions. Note: Keep your fingers dry and clean wh en using the touchpad. Also keep the touchpad dry an d clean. The touchpad is sensitive to finger movements. Hence, th[...]

1 Getting to know your TravelMate 24 English Storage This comput er suppli es you with the following media storage: Hard disk The high-capacity hard disk is the answer to your storage needs. T his is where your data files and appl ications are stored. Optical drive Your computer comes eq uipped with an optical drive which may be one of the follo wi[...]

25 English Playing DVD movies When the DVD drive module is installed in the optical drive b ay, you can play DVD movies on your computer. 1 Eject the DVD tray and insert a DV D movie disc; then close the DVD tray. Important! Whe n you launch the DVD pl ayer for the first time, the program asks you to input the region code. D VD discs are divided in[...]

1 Getting to know your TravelMate 26 English Audio The computer comes with 16-bit hi gh-fidelity AC’97 stereo audio and microphone. The built-i n dual stereo speakers are easy to access. There are audio ports on the left panel of the computer. See “Left view” on page 6 for more informa tion on external audio devices . Power management This co[...]

27 English Moving around with your TravelMate This section gives you tips and hints on thi ngs to consid er when moving around or traveling with your computer. Disconnecting from the desktop Follow these steps to disconnect your computer from ext ernal accessorie s: 1 Save your work in progress. 2 Remove any media or compac t disc from the drive(s)[...]

1 Getting to know your TravelMate 28 English - or - you can put the computer in S leep mode by pressi ng Fn-F4 . Then close the display. When you are ready to use the comput er again, open the display, and press and release the powe r swit ch. If the power indicator is off, the computer has entered Hibernation mode and turned of f. Press and releas[...]

29 English Caution: Avoid p acking items next to the top cover of th e computer. Pressure against the top cover can damage the screen What to bring with you Unless you already have some item s at home, bring the following items with you: • AC adapte r and power co rd • The printed user’s guide Special considerations Follow these gui delines t[...]

1 Getting to know your TravelMate 30 English Traveling with the computer “when you are moving within a larger distance, for instance, from your office building to a c lient’s office buil ding or traveling 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[...]

31 English What to bring with you Bring the foll owing items with you: • AC adapter • Power cords that are appropriate for the country to which you are traveling • Spare, fully-c harged batter y packs • Additional printer driver files if you plan to use ano ther printer • Proof of purchase, in case you need to show it to customs officials[...]

1 Getting to know your TravelMate 32 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 security lock and passwords. Using a computer security lock A security keylock notch located o[...]

33 English Setting a password Passwords prot ect your c omputer from unauthorized acc ess. When set, no one can access the computer without enteri ng the correct password. There are three types of passwords you can set: 1 Supervisor Password secures your computer against unauthorized entry to and use of the BIOS Utility. 2 User Password secures you[...]

1 Getting to know your TravelMate 34 English[...]

2 Customizing my computer[...]

After learning the basics of your TravelMate 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 through 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. Modem Your computer has a built-i n V.92 56Kbps AC’97 Link modem. Warning! This mode m port is not com patible with digital ph[...]

2 Customizi ng my compu ter 38 English Network Your computer has built-i n Ethernet /Fast Ethernet capabilities. To use the network feature, connect an Ethe rnet cable from the network jac k to an network jac k or hub. Cons ult your ne twork administrator for details. Fast infrared The computer’s fast infrared (FIR) po rt allows you to do wir ele[...]

39 English Universal Serial Bus The Universal Serial Bus (USB) 2.0 po rt is a high-speed serial bus which allows you to connect and daisy-ch ain USB peripheral s without taking up precious system resources. Your c omputer has two ports (one on the left and the other on the right) available. IEEE 1394 port The computer's IEEE 1 394 port allo ws[...]

2 Customizi ng my compu ter 40 English PC Card slot There is one Type II CardBus PC Card slot found on the right side of the computer. Th e slot acc epts credit-c a rd-sized cards that enhance the usability and expandability of the co mputer. These cards should have a PC Card logo on them. PC Cards (formerly PCMCIA) are add- on cards for po rtable [...]

41 English Ejecting a PC Card Before ejecting a PC Card: 1 Exit the applicatio n using the card. 2 Left-cli ck on the Safe ly Remove Ha rdware icon on the taskb ar and click on the PC C ard item. Click OK to confirm. 3 Press the slot eject bu tton to pop out t he ejec t button; then press it again to eject t he card. 3-in-1 card reader There is one[...]

2 Customizi ng my compu ter 42 English Port expansion devices Two types of expansion devices are available for your computer: • I/O replicator - adds PS/2, serial and parallel po rt connections to your computer. • Acer EasyPort - adds a host of ports for your computer, and allows you to connect and di sconnect pe ripherals from you r computer i[...]

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 d ealer if you decide to perform a key component upgrade. Memory upgrade Memor[...]

2 Customizi ng my compu ter 44 English Installing memory Follow these steps to install m emory: 1 Turn off the computer, unplug th e AC adapter (if connected) and remove the battery pack. Then turn the computer over t o access its base. 2 Remove the screw from the memo ry cover, then lift up and remove the memory cover. 3 Insert the memory module d[...]

45 English Using system utilities Acer eManager Acer eManager is an innovative sofware designed for frequently us ed functions. At the press of Acer Empowering Key, the Acer eMa nager user interface appears, featuring three main settings -- Acer eSetting, Acer ePresentati on and Acer ePowerManagement . To set the Acer Empowering Ke y, see “Launch[...]

2 Customizi ng my compu ter 46 English Launch Manager There are six Launch Keys located above the keyboard. The Wireless and Bluetooth bu ttons are not progr ammable. Launch Mana ger only allows you to set the other four Launch Keys . See “Launc h keys” on page 20 for more information. You can access the Laun ch Manager by cl icking on Start , [...]

47 English D to D Recovery (Disc to Disc) Note : This feature is only available on certain m odels. 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 Turn on the system. 2 Acer multilingual operating system selection menu will pop-up automa[...]

2 Customizi ng my compu ter 48 English 1 Restart the system. 2 The instruction "Press < F2 > to Ente r BIOS" is shown at the bottom of the screen, during POST. 3 Press < Alt > + < F10 > at the same time to ent er the recovery process. 4 The message "The system has password pr otection. Please enter 000000:" is [...]

3 Troubleshooting my computer[...]

This chapter instructs y ou on how to deal with common system problems. Read it before calling a technician if a problem occurs. Solutions to more serious problems require opening up the computer . Do not attempt to open the computer by yourself. Contact your dealer or an authoriz ed service center for assistance.[...]

51 English Frequently-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 switch and opene d the display, but the computer does not start or boot-up. Look at the Power indicator: • If it is not lit, no power is [...]

3 Troubleshooting my comp uter 52 English No audio is heard from the computer. Check the following: • The volume may be mu ted. In Windows, look at the volume control (speaker) icon on the taskbar. If it is c rossed-out, clic k on the icon a nd desele ct the Mute option. • The speakers may be turned off. Press Fn-F8 to turn the speakers on (thi[...]

53 English The CD or DVD drive cannot access a disc. Check the following: • Make sure the disc is supported by the drive. If your comput er connects to a CD-RO M drive, it can read CDs but cannot read DVDs. If your computer ha s a DV D drive, it can read DVDs i n addition t o CDs. • When placing th e CD or DVD in the drive tray, ma ke sure it i[...]

3 Troubleshooting my comp uter 54 English 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. • Depending on you r connection (US B or parallel), ma ke sure th at the printer cable is connected secu rely to the appropriate port on your computer and the correspon[...]

55 English Error messages If you receive an e rror message, note the message and take the corrective action. The fo llowing table lists th e error messages in alphabetical order together with the recommended course of action. If you still encounter problems a fter going through the corrective measures, please contact your dealer or an authorized se[...]

3 Troubleshooting my comp uter 56 English Requesting service ITW Your computer is backed by an International Trave ler’s Warranty (ITW) that gives you security and peac e of mind when tr aveling. Our worldwide network of service center s are there to give you a helping hand. An ITW passport comes with your co mputer. This pa ssport conta ins all [...]

57 English Before you call Please have the following information available when you call Acer for online service, and pl ease be at your computer when you call. Wi th your support, we ca n reduce the amou nt of time a call takes and help solve your problems efficiently. If there are error messages or beeps reported by your computer, write them down[...]

3 Troubleshooting my comp uter 58 English[...]

Appendix A Specifications[...]

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

61 English Microprocessor • Intel® Pentium M® pr ocesso r 71 5, 725, 735, 745, 755 Memory • 256/512 MB of DDR333 SDRAM sta nd ard, upgradeable to 204 8 MB with dual soD IMM module s • 512 KB flash ROM BIOS Data storage • One 40 GB and above E-IDE hard disk (2.5”, 9.5mm, UltraDMA-1 00) • One internal op tical drive • 3-in-1 MS/MMC/SD[...]

Appendix A Specifications 62 English Keyboard and pointing device • 84/85-key Windows keyboard • Ergonomically-cen tered touchpad pointi ng device with sc roll function I/O ports • One Type II PC Card slot • One RJ-11 ph one jack (V.92, 56Kbps modem ) • One RJ-45 network jack (Ethernet 10/100/1000 Base-T) • One DC-in jack (AC adapter) ?[...]

63 English System • Microsoft® Windows® XP Ho me/Pro • ACPI 1.0b support • DMI 2.0-compliant • Wi-Fi®-compl iant • CCX compli ant (certai n models only ) Power • 6-cell 53W Li-ion battery pack • 65W AC adapter 19V Options • 256MB/512MB/1GB memo ry upgrade module • Additional 65W AC adapter • Addition Li-ion battery pack • A[...]

Appendix A Specifications 64 English[...]

Appendix B Regulation & safety notices[...]

This appendix lists the general notices for your computer.[...]

67 English English Energy Star Guidelines Compliance As an Energy Star Partner, Acer In c. has determined that this product meets the Energy Star guidelines 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 designe[...]

Appendix B Regulation & safety notices 68 English Caution Changes or modifications not expres sly approved by the manufacturer could void the user's authority, which is granted 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 bject[...]

69 English English Your telephone company may ma ke changes in its facilities , equipment, operations, or procedures that could affect the proper functioning of your e quipment. I f they do, you will be notified in advance to give you an opportunity to maintain uninterrup ted telephone service. If this equipme nt should fail to operate prop erly, d[...]

Appendix B Regulation & safety notices 70 English Notice for New Zealand For Modem with approval number PTC 211/03/008 1 The grant of a Telepermit for any item of terminal equipment indicates only that Telecom has ac cepted that the item co mplies with minimum co nditions for connecti on to its network. It indicates no en dorsement of the pr od[...]

71 English English For Modem with approval number PTC 211/01/030 1 The grant of a Telepermit for any item of termi nal equipmen t indicates only that Telecom has ac cepted that the item co mplies with minimum co nditions for connecti on to its network. It indicates no en dorsement of the pr oduct by Telecom, nor does it provide any sort of warranty[...]

Appendix B Regulation & safety notices 72 English Important safety instructions Read these instructions carefully. Save them for future reference. 1 Follow all warnings and ins tructions mar ked on the product. 2 Unplug this produ ct from the wall outlet before cleaning. Do not use liquid cleaners or aerosol cleaners. Use a damp cloth for clean[...]

73 English English d If the product does not o perate normally when 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 technician to restore the p roduct to normal con[...]

Appendix B Regulation & safety notices 74 English PRODUCTO LÁSER DE LA CLASE I ADVERTENCIA: RADIACIÓ N LÁSER INVISIBLE AL SER ABIERTO. EVITE EXPONERSE A LOS RAYOS. ADVARSEL: LASERSTRÅLING VEDÅBNING SE IKKE IND I STRÅLEN. VARO! LAVATTAESSA OLET ALTTINA LASERSÅTEILYLLE. VARNING: LASERSTRÅLNING NÅR DENNA DEL ÅR ÖPPNAD ÅLÅ TUIJOTA SÅT[...]

75 English English General This product complies w i th the radio frequency an d safety standards of any country or region in which it ha s been approved for wireless use. Depending on config urations, this product may or may no t contain wireless radio devices (such as wi rele ss LAN and/or Bluetooth® modules). Below information is for products w[...]

Appendix B Regulation & safety notices 76 English The FCC RF safety requirement The radiated output power of Wi reless LAN Mini-PCI Card and Bluetooth car d is far below the FCC radio frequency exposure limits. Nevertheless, the TravelMa te series sh all be used in such a manner that the potential for human contact during normal operation is mi[...]

77 English English 2 This device is restricted to indo or use due to its operation in the 5.15 to 5.25 GHz freque ncy range. FCC requires this product to be used indoors for the frequency ra nge 5.15 to 5.25 GHz to reduc e the potential for harmful interfe rence to co-channel Mobile Satellite systems. 3 High power radar are allocated as primary use[...]

Appendix B Regulation & safety notices 78 English A cer Incorporated 8F, 88, Sec. 1, Hsin Tai Wu Rd., Hsichih Taipei Hsien 221, Taiwan, R.O.C. Tel : 886-2 - 2696- 1 234 Fax : 886-2- 2696- 3535 www.acer.com Declaration of Conformity for C E m ar king We , Acer Inc. 8F, 88, Sec. 1, Hsin Tai Wu Rd., Hsichih, Taipei Hsien 221, T aiwan, R. O. C. Con[...]

79 English 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 interference that may cause undesired opera[...]

Appendix B Regulation & safety notices 80 English[...]

81 Index A AC adapter caring for v audio 26 troublesh ooting 52 B battery pack caring for v BIOS Utility 46 BIOS utility 46 brightness hotkeys 18 C caps lock 14 on indicator 12 care AC adapter v battery pack v computer iv CD troublesh ooting 53 CD-ROM ejecting 24 ejecting manually 52 troublesh ooting 52 cleaning computer v computer bringing to meet[...]

82 on indicator 12 memory installing 44 upgrading 43 messages error 55 modem 37 N network 38 Notebook Man ager hotkey 17 notice DVD copyright protection 74 num lock 14 on indicator 12 numeric keypad embedded 15 num lock 15 O online services 56 optical drive 24 options memory upgrade 43 P PC Card 40, 41 ejecting 41 inserting 40 ports 37 Power-On Sel[...]