Acer 8100 Series manual

TravelMate 8100 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. Your guides To help you use your TravelMat e, we have design ed a set of guides: First off, the Just for starters... poster helps you get started with settin g up your co mputer. The User&ap[...]

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 button below the LCD screen besi de the launch keys. See “Front view” on page 1 for the location of the power button. To turn the po wer off, do any of the following: • Use the Windows shutdown [...]

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. • The computer does not operate normally. Please refer to “Frequently-asked que stions” on page 55 . Caution Changes or modifications not expres sly approved by the manufacturer could void the user's authority, which is granted by t[...]

First things first iii Your guides iii Basic care and tips for using your computer iv Turning your computer on and off iv Taking care of your computer iv Taking care of your AC adapter v Taking care of your battery pack v Cleaning a nd servicing v A TravelMate tour 1 Front view 1 Closed fron t view 2 Left view 4 Right view 5 Rear view 6 Bottom view[...]

Setting up a home off ice 30 Traveling with the computer 30 Preparing the computer 30 What to take with you 30 Special consideration s 30 Traveling internationall y with the computer 31 Preparing the computer 31 What to bring with you 31 Special consideration s 31 Securing your computer 32 Using a computer security lock 32 Using the Smart Card 32 R[...]

Troubleshooti ng my computer 53 Frequently-asked questions 55 Troubleshooting tips 58 Error messages 58 Requesting service 59 International Traveler’s Warrant y (ITW) 59 Before you call 60 Appendix A Regulation & sa fety notices 61[...]

[...]

1 English A TravelMate tour After setting up your computer as illustrate d on the Just for Starters... poster, let us show you around your new TravelMate computer. Front view # Item Description 1 Display screen Liquid-Crystal Display (LCD), displays computer ou tput. 2 Power button Turns the computer on and off. 3 Status indicators Light-Emitting D[...]

2 English Closed front view 6 Click buttons (Left, center and right) The left and right butt ons function like the left and right mouse buttons; the center button serves as a 4-way scroll button. 7 Launch keys Buttons for launching freque ntly used programs. See “Launch keys” on page 19 for more details. 8 Touchpad Touch-sensitive pointing devi[...]

3 English 5 Power indicator Lights when the computer is on. 6 Battery indicator Lights when the battery is being charged. 7 Speaker/Line- Out/Headphone jack Connects to audio line-out d evices (e.g., speakers, headphones). 8 Line-in/Mic-in jack Accepts audio line-in devices (e.g., au dio CD player, stereo walkman). 9 Bluetooth communication button/[...]

4 English Left view # Item Description 1 External display port Connects to a display device (e.g., external monitor, LCD projector). 2 Ventilation Slots Enable the TravelMate to stay cool. 3 Network LAN Jack Connects to an Ethernet 10/100/1 000 - based network. 4 RJ-11 Modem Jack Connects to a phone line 5 One USB 2.0 port Connect to Universal Seri[...]

5 English Right view Note: The positions of the AcerMedia ind icator, eject button and emergency eject hole may differ depending on th e optical drive module installed. # Item Description 1 Three USB 2.0 ports Connect to Universal Serial Bus (USB) 2.0 devices (e.g., USB mouse, USB camera). 2 Optical d rive Internal optical drive; accepts CDs or DVD[...]

6 English Rear view # Item Description 1 DVI-D port Supports digital video co nnections 2 S-video port Connects to a te levision or display dev ice with S-video input. 3 124-pin ezDock connector Connects to the Acer ezDock.[...]

7 English Bottom view # Item Description 1 Battery lock latches Lock the battery in place. 2A c e r M e d i a b a y release latch Unlatches the AcerMedia drive for removal of drive (optional). 3 Cooling fan Helps keep the computer cool . Note : Do not cover or obstruct the opening of the fan. 4 AcerMedia bay Houses an AcerMedia d rive module. 5 Wir[...]

8 English Specifications Operating System • Microsoft ® Windows ® XP Home/Professional Service Pack 2 Edition Microprocessor • Intel ® Pent ium ® M Processor wit h Intel ® Centrino™ mobile technology at 1.6 ~ 2.13 GHz Memory • 256/512 MB of DDR2 533 SDRAM stand ard, upgradeable to 2 GB with dual soD IMM module s Data storage • One 60[...]

9 English solution with Ac er SignalUp wir eless techno logy • Bluetooth ® enabled Audio • 16-bit AC’97 stereo audio, Intel ® high-definition audio comp liant • Sound Blaster ® Pro and MS-Sou nd compatible • Dual speakers and one int ernal micr ophone Keyboard and pointing device • Acer FineTou ch™ keyboa rd with 5-degr ee curve, 8[...]

10 English Dimensions • 363 (W) x 265.7 (D) x 30.5 (H) front, 34.3 mm rear Environment • Temperature: - Operating: 5°C ~ 35°C, No n-operating: -20°C ~ 65°C • Humidity (non-con densing): - Operating: 20% ~ 80% RH, Non-operating: 20% ~ 80% RH System • ACPI 1.0b su pport, DM I 2.0 compli ant, CCX 3 com pliant Power • 71W Li-ion battery p[...]

11 English Indicators The computer has three easy-to-read status indicators below the display screen, and four located on the front of the computer. The Power, Battery, and Wireless co mmunication status indicat ors are visible eve n when t he LCD displ ay is clo sed. 1. Charging : the light shows amber when the battery is charging. 2. Fully charge[...]

12 English Using the keyboard The full-sized keyboard includes an embedded n umeric ke ypad, separate cursor keys, two Window s keys and twelve function keys. Lock keys The keyboard has three lock functions wh ich you can to ggle on and off using dedica ted keys. Lock key Description Caps Lock When Caps Lock is on, all alphabetic ch aracters entere[...]

13 English Embedded numeric keypad The embedded numeric keypad functi ons like a desktop PC’s numeric keypad. It is indicated b y small ch aracters located on the right-hand side of the ke ycaps. Desired action Num Lock on Num Lock off Type numbers Use embedded keypad in the same was as the numeric keypad on a standard keyboard . Type letters Hol[...]

14 English Windows keys The keyboard also has two keys that perform Win dows-sp ecific functions. Key Description Windows logo key Start button. Comb inations with this key perform shortcut functions. Below are a few examples: +< Tab > (Activates next taskbar button) +< E > (Explore My Computer) +< F > (Find document) +< F1 >[...]

15 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 pressing the other key i n the hot key comb ination. Hot key Icon Function De scription Fn + F1 Hot key help[...]

16 English Fn + F7 Touchpad toggle Turns the internal touchpad on an d off. Fn + F8 Speaker toggle Turns the speakers on and off. Fn+ ↑ Volume up Increases the speaker volume. Fn+ ↓ Volume down Decreases the speaker volume. Fn+ → Brightness up Increases the screen brightness. Fn+ ← Brightness down Decreases the screen brightness. Hot key Ic[...]

17 English The Euro symbol If your keybo ard layout i s set to United States-I nternational , 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 [...]

18 English Note : Some fonts and software do not support the Euro symbol. Please refer to www.microsoft.com/typograp hy/faq/faq12.htm for more information.[...]

19 English Launch keys The four launch keys are located abov e the ke yboard on the right hand side. They are de signated as the mail butt on, th e Web browser, the Acer empowering key “ .” , and a user programmable button. Press the empowering key “ ” to run Acer eManager. For details see “Acer eManager” on page 25 . The mail and We b [...]

20 English Touchpad 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. Touchpad basics The following items teach yo u how to use the touchpad : • Move yo[...]

21 English 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 movement, hence, the lighter the touch, the better the response. Tapping harder will not increase th e touchpad’s responsiveness. Function Left button (1) Right button (4) Main touchpad (2 ) Centre [...]

22 English Ejecting the optical (CD or DVD) drive tray To eject the optical drive tray when the computer is turned on, press the drive eject button. When the power is off, yo u can ejec t the drive tray using the emergency eject hole. Insert a straightened pape rclip into the hole to perform an eject. Using a computer security lock A securi ty keyl[...]

23 English Audio The computer comes with 16-bit high -fidelity AC'97 ste r eo audio, an d dual stereo speakers. Adjusting the volume Adjusting the volume on th e computer is easy. See “Hot keys” on page 15 for more information on ad justing the speaker volume.[...]

24 English Using system utilities Acer GridVista Acer GridVista is a handy util ity th at offers four pr e-defined display settings fo r users to view multiple win dows on the same screen. To access this function, please go to Start - All Programs and click on Acer GridVista . You may choose any one of th e four display settings indicated below: Do[...]

25 English Acer eManager Acer eManager is an innovative softwa re package designed for frequently used functions. Pr ess the Acer Empowe ring Key “ .” and the Acer eManager us er interface a ppears. It has four ma in features — Acer eSet ting, Acer ePresent ation, Acer ePowerManagement and A cer eRecovery. To locate the Em powering Key “ .?[...]

26 English Launch Manager Launch Manager allows you to set the two launch keys located above the keyboard. See “Launch keys” on page 19 for the location of the launch ke ys. You can access the Laun ch Manager by clic king on Start , All Programs , an d then Launch Manager to sta r t the appl ication.[...]

27 English Moving around with your Notebook PC This section gi ves you tips and hin ts to consider wh en moving around or traveling wi th your comp uter. Disconnecting from the desktop Follow these steps to disconnect your computer from external accessorie s: 1 Save your work in progress. 2 Remove any media, floppy discs or compact discs, from the [...]

28 English you can put the computer in Sleep mode b y pressing < Fn >+< F4 >. Then close and latch the di splay. 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 of f, the computer has entered Hibernation mode and turned off. If the pow[...]

29 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 p acking items next to the top cover of th e computer. Pressure against the top cover can damage th e screen. What to take with you Unless you already have some items at home, take the followin[...]

30 English Setting up a home office If you frequentl y work on your computer at h ome, you may want to purchase a secon d AC adaptor for use at home. With a second AC adaptor, you can avoid carrying th e extra weight to and from home. If you use your computer at home for significant periods of time, you might also want to add an extern al keyboard,[...]

31 English Traveling internationa lly with the computer When you are moving fro m country to country. Preparing the computer Prepare the computer as you would normally prepare it for traveling. What to bring with you Bring the foll owing items with you: • AC adaptor • Power cords that are appropriate for the country to which you are traveling ?[...]

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 notch and passwor ds. Using a computer security lock A security keylock notch, located on the rear of the computer, let[...]

33 English settings built right into your Smart Card. Y ou don’t have to remember your password to access your computer. To remove the Smart Card first pr ess t he Card and then remove it . For more details consult your Smart Card documentation. Registering your Smart Card Important! Your Acer notebook is equipped wi th a Smart Card security feat[...]

34 English operations: PlatinumSecure Options, Smart Card Manager, and Change Password. PlatinumSecure Options Click on the PlatinumSecure Options button to open the Smart Card Options window . It provides gr eat flexibilit y to meet the various privacy protecti on needs of many differe nt users. • Disable Smart Card Authentication When Di sable [...]

35 English PlatinumSecure screensaver comes up and access t o the system is locked. When Never lock the system after bootup is selected, there is no protection for th e notebook after boot up, and Password Option is disabled. • Password Option When A lways enter pa ssword wh en the Smart Car d is in use (default) is selected, the password is requ[...]

36 English of files. Running PlatinumKey PlatinumKey provides one-cli ck logon to all password-required websites. With its unique Smart Card caching techn ology, you can greatly extend the limited card me mory size to unlimited use by storing your private data in an encrypted file ei ther on the Smart Card, or on the 360 Degre e Web secure we bsite[...]

37 English website server for backup purposes in case the ca rd is lost/stolen. If you choose No, yo u will only be able to save My Info , Credit Cards and 5 Websites on your Smart Card. 5 Log in to a website wher e you are already registered. 6 PlatinumKey automatica lly stores your login data and asks for your confirmation to automa tically log y[...]

38 English Entering passwords When a password is se t, a password p rompt appears in the center of the display screen. • When the Supervisor Pa ssword is set, a pro mpt appears when you press < F2 > to enter the BIOS Utility at boot-up. • Type the Supervisor Password and press < Enter > to access the BIOS Utility. If you enter the p[...]

39 English Expanding through options Your Notebook PC of fers you a complete mobi le computin g 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/D[...]

40 English Built-in network feature The built-in network feature allows you to connect your computer to an Ethern et-based ne twork. To use the network feature, conn ect an Ethernet c able from the network jack on the r ear of the co mputer to a network jack or hub on your network. Fast Infrared The computer's Fast Infrared (FIR) po rt allows [...]

41 English Universal Serial Bus The USB 2.0 port is a high-speed seri al bus whic h allows you to conn ect USB perip herals with out takin g up precious system reso urces. IEEE 1394 port The computer's IEEE 1 394 port allo ws you to connect to an IEEE 1394- compatible device like a vide o camera or digital camera. See your video or digital cam[...]

42 English PC Card slot The Type II PC Card slot of the comp uter accepts PC Cards that enhance the usability and expandability of the computer. Thes e cards should have a PC Ca rd logo on the m. PC Cards (formerly PCMCIA) are add- on cards for po rtable co mputers, giving you expans ion possibil ities long affo rded by desktop PCs. Popular PC Card[...]

43 English 2 Left-click on the PC Card icon on the ta skbar and stop the card operation. 3 Press the slot eject bu tton to pop out t he ejec t button; then press it again to eject t he card. Installing memory Follow these steps to install m emory: 1 Turn off the computer, unplug th e AC adaptor (if connected) and remove the battery pack. Then turn [...]

44 English BIOS Utility The BIOS Utility is a hardware conf iguration program built into your computer's B IOS. Your computer is already properly configured and optimised, and yo u do not need to run this utili ty. However, if you encounter configuration prob lems, you may need to run it. To activate the BIOS Utility, press < F2 > du rin[...]

45 English Using software 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 programme asks you to enter th e region code. DVD dis[...]

46 English Power management This computer ha s a built-in powe r management unit that monitors system activity. System activity refers to any activity involving on e or more of the following devices: keyb oard, mouse, floppy drive, hard disc, peripherals connected to the se ria l and parallel ports, and video memory. If no activity is detected for [...]

47 English Acer eRecovery Acer eR ecovery is a tool to quic kly backup and restore the system. Users can create and save backup of the curre nt system co nfiguration to hard drive, CD, or DVD. Acer eRecovery consists of the following functions : 1 Create backup 2 Restore from backup 3 Create factory default imag e CD 4 Re-install bundled software w[...]

48 English a Use Backup to HDD to store the backup disc image on drive D:. b Backup to optical device to store the backup disc image on CD or DVD. 7 After choosing the ba ckup m ethod, cli ck Next . Follow the in struction on screen to complete th e process. Restore from backup User can restore backup previously created (as stated in the Create bac[...]

49 English 7 Follow the instruc tions on sc reen to complete the process. Re-install bundled software without CD Acer eR ecovery st ores pre -loaded s o ftware internally for easy driver and applicatio n re-installa tion. 1 Boot to Windows XP. 2 Press < Alt >+< F10 > to open the Acer eRecovery utility. 3 Enter the passwor d to proceed. [...]

50 English Acer disc-to-disc recovery Note : This feature is only available on certain m odels. Multilingual operating system installation Follow the instru ctions to choo se the operating syst em and langua ge you use when you first power-on the system. 1 Turn on the system. 2 Acer's multilingual operating sy stem selection menu will pop-up a[...]

51 English 1 Restart the system . 2 While the Ac er logo is showin g, press < Alt >+< F10 > at the same time to enter the recovery process. 3 The message "The system has pa ssword protection. Please enter 000000:" is displayed. 4 Enter six zeros and co ntinue. 5 The Acer Recovery mai n page appears. 6 Use the arrow keys to scr[...]

52 English[...]

Troubleshooting my computer[...]

This chapter shows you how to deal with common system problems. Read it before calling a technician if a problem oc curs. Solutions to more serious problems require opening up the computer. Do not attemp t to open the computer by yourself. Contact your dealer or an authorised service center for assistance. Key link: http://global.acer.com/[...]

55 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 button and opened the display, but the computer does not start or boot-up. Look at the power indicator: • If it is not lit, no power is b[...]

Troubleshooting my comp uter 56 English Image is not full-screen. Make sure the resolution is set to 1680 x 1050. This is the native resolution of your d isplay. If you se t the resolution lower than this, the screen expands to fill the comput er display. Right-click on your Windows desktop and select Pr op erties to bring up th e Display Propertie[...]

57 English The keyboard does not respond. Try attaching an external keybo ard to a USB 2.0 port on the computer. If it works, contact your dealer or an authorised service center as the internal keyboard cable may be loose. The infrared port does not work. Check the following: • Make sure that the infrared port s of the two devices are facing each[...]

Troubleshooting my comp uter 58 English Please note, on first booting your notebook, that you can skip the Internet Connection setup, as it is not necessary to affect the installation of your overall Oper ating System. After the Operating System is setup, you can proceed with the Intern et Connection setup. Troubleshooting tips This notebook comput[...]

59 English If you still encounter problems a fter going through the corrective measures, please contact your dealer or an authorised service center for assistance. Some problems may be solved using the BIOS Utility. Requesting service International Traveler’s Warranty (ITW) Your computer is backed by an International Trave ler’s Warranty (ITW) [...]

Troubleshooting my comp uter 60 English If the country you are traveling in does not have an Acer-authorised ITW service site, you can still get in contact with our offices worldwide. Please consult http://global.acer.c om. Before you call Please have the following information available when you call Acer for online service, and pl ease be at your [...]

Appendix A Regulation & safety notices[...]

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

63 English English Energy Star Guidelines Compliance As an Energy Star partner, Acer Inc. 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. These limits are designed [...]

Appendix A Regulation & safety notices 64 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[...]

65 English English equipment. Up on request, you must provide this information to your telephone company. If your telephon e equipment c auses harm to the telep hone network, the telephone company may disconti nue your ser vice temporarily. If possible, they will notify you in advanc e. But, if adva nce notice is no t practical, you w ill be notifi[...]

Appendix A Regulation & safety notices 66 English List of Applicable Countries EU member states as of May 2004 are: Belgium, Denmark, Ge rmany, Greece, Spain, France, Ireland, It aly, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Austria, Portugal, Finl and, Sweden, Un ited Kingdom Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Hun gary, Czech Re publ ic, Slovak Republic [...]

67 English English b The equipment shall go on-h oo k for a period of not less than 30 seconds between the end of one attem pt and the beginning of the next call attempt. 4 Some parameters required for compliance with Telecom's Telepermit requirements are depe ndent on the equipment (PC) associated with this device. In order to operate within [...]

Appendix A Regulation & safety notices 68 English 7 Some parameters required for compliance with Telecom's Telepermit requirements are depe ndent on the equipment (PC) associated with this device. The assoc iated equipment shall be set to operate within the followin g limits for comp liance with Telecom's specifications, the associ at[...]

69 English English parts that could result in a fire or electric shock. Ne ver spill liquid of any kind on the produ ct. 10 Do not attempt to service this product yourself, as open ing or removing covers may expose you to dangerous vo ltage points or other risks. Refe r all servicing to qualified service personnel. 11 Unplug this product from the w[...]

Appendix A Regulation & safety notices 70 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 R ADIATION WHEN OPEN. AVOID EXPOSURE TO BEAM. APPAREIL A LASER DE C[...]

71 English English and other limit ed viewing uses onl y unless otherwise authorised by Macrovisio n Corporation . Reverse engineering or disassembly is prohibit ed. Apparatus Claims of U.S. Patent No s. 4,631,603, 4,5 77,21 6, 4,819,098, 4,907,093, and 6,516,132 licensed for limited viewing uses only. Radio Device Regulatory Notice Note : Below r [...]

Appendix A Regulation & safety notices 72 English List of Applicable Countries EU member states as of May 2004 are: Belgium, Denmark, Ge rmany, Greece, Spain, France, Ireland, It aly, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Austria, Portugal, Finl and, Sweden, Un ited Kingdom Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Hun gary, Czech Re publ ic, Slovak Republic [...]

73 English English Canada - Low power license-exempt radio communication devices (RSS-210) a Common information Operation is subject to th e following two co nditions : 1. This device may not cause interference, and 2. this device must accept any interference, i ncluding interference that may ca use undesired operation of the device. b Operati on i[...]

Appendix A Regulation & safety notices 74 English population; c onsult Safety Co de 6, obtainable from Health Canada’s Web site at www. hc-sc.gc.ca/rpb . Note : Acer Wireless Mini PCI Adapter implements a transmission diversity function. The function does not emit radio frequen cies simultaneously from both antennas. One of the antennas is se[...]

75 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 A Regulation & safety notices 76 English Acer Incorporated 8F, 88, Sec. 1, Hsin Tai Wu Rd., Hsichih Taipei Hsien 221, Taiwan, R.O.C. Tel : 886-2 -2 696- 123 4 Fax : 886-2- 2696-3535 www.acer.com Declaration of Conformity for CE mar king We , Acer Inc. 8F, 88, Sec. 1, Hsin Tai Wu Rd., Hsichih, Taipei Hsien 221, T aiwan, R. O. C. Contact[...]