Acer Aspire S3-391-53314G12 manual

Acer Aspire S3 Series User's Manual[...]

Model number: Serial number: Date of purcha se: Place of purc hase: © 2011 All Rights Reserved. Acer Aspire S3 Series User's Manual Original Issue: 02/2012[...]

Table of content s - 3 T ABLE OF CONTENTS Safety and comfort 5 First things first 16 Your guides ............ ............. ............. ............. ... 1 6 Basic care an d tips for usin g your computer .............. ............. ............. ............. ..... 16 Turning your c omputer on an d off ....... ..... 16 Taking care of y our compu[...]

4 - Table of contents Securing your computer 58 Using passwords ........... ............. ................ ..... 58 Entering pa sswords ........... ............. .......... 59 Wireless networks 60 Connecting t o the Inte rnet ............... ............. ... 6 0 Acer Instan t Connect ........... ............. ........ 60 Wireless n etworks .......[...]

Safety and comfort - 5 S AFETY AND COMFORT S AFETY INSTRUCTIONS Read these instru ctions car efully . Keep this docume nt for future refe rence. F ollow all warnings and instructions ma rked on the pro duct. T urning the product off before cleaning Unplug this product from the wall outlet befo r e cleaning. Do not use liquid cleane rs or aeros ol c[...]

6 - Safety and comfort  If an extension cord is used with this pr oduct, make sure that the total ampere rating of the equipment plugged in to the extension cor d does not exceed the extension cord amper e rating. Also, ma ke sure that th e total rating of all products plugged into the wall outlet does not ex ceed the fuse rating .  Do not ov[...]

Safety and comfort - 7  Do not increase the volume to block out noisy surr oundings.  Decreas e the volume if you can't hear people speaking near you. Bundled dummy cards  Note : Information in th is section ma y not apply to your computer . Y our computer shi pped with plastic du mmies insta lled in the car d slots. Dummies pr otect [...]

8 - Safety and comfort Product servicing Do not attempt to service th is product yourself, as opening or removing covers may expose you to danger ous voltage po ints or other r isks. Refer all ser vicing to qualified service personnel. Unplug this product fr om the wall outlet and refer servicing to qualified servi ce personnel when:  The power [...]

Safety and comfort - 9 The full performa nce of a new battery is achieved only after two or three co mplete char ge and discharge cycles. The batte ry can be charged and dischar ged hundreds of times, but it will eventually we ar out. When the oper ation time becomes noti ceably shorter than normal, re fer to qualifie d service pers onnel. Use only[...]

10 - Safety an d comfort data files or mess ages, this device r equir es a goo d quality connect ion to the network. In some cases, transm ission of da ta files or mess ages may be delayed until such a connection is av ailable. Ensure that the above sepa ration distance ins tructions are followed until the transm ission is completed. Par ts of the [...]

Safety and comfort - 11 information, c heck with the manufac turer , or its representative, of your vehicle or any equipment that has been added. Only qualified personnel should servic e the device, or install the device in a vehicle. Fa ulty installati on or service may be dangero us and may invalidate any warranty that may apply to the devi ce. C[...]

12 - Safety an d comfort E MERGENCY CALLS  W arning: Y ou cannot make emergency c alls through this dev ice. T o make a n emergency cal l you shall dia l out through your mobil e phone or other telephone call system. D ISPOSAL INSTRUCTIONS Do not throw this electr onic device into the trash when discarding. T o minimize pollution and ensu re utm[...]

Safety and comfort - 13  wake from "Sleep" mode if the keyboa rd is press ed or mouse is moved.  save more tha n 80% ener gy when in "Sleep" mode. ENERGY ST AR and the ENER GY ST AR mark ar e re gistere d U.S. marks. T IPS AND INFORMATION FOR COMFORTABLE USE Computer users may c omplain of eyestrai n and headaches after pr[...]

14 - Safety an d comfort  Avoid tens ing your muscles or shr ugging your shoulders.  Install the exter nal displa y , keyboard and mouse proper ly and within comforta ble reach.  If you view your monitor mor e than your documents , place the display at the center of your desk to mi nimize neck strain. T aki ng care of your vision Long view[...]

Safety and comfort - 15 using a glar e-r eduction filt er , using a display v isor , such as a pie ce of car dboar d extended fr om the display's top front edge .  Avoid adj usting your disp lay to an awkwar d viewing angl e.  Avoid lo oking at bri ght light source s for extended per iods of time. Developing good work habits The followin[...]

16 - First things first F IRST THINGS FIRST We would like to thank you for making an Acer notebook your choice for meeting your mobile computing needs. Y our guides To help you use your Acer notebook, we have designed a set o f guides: First off, the setup pos ter helps you get started with setting up your computer. The Quick Guide introduces you t[...]

First things first - 17 • Use the Windows shutdown command: click Start then Click Shut Down . • Use the power button. • Y ou can also put the computer in Sleep mo de by pr essing the Sleep hotkey < Fn > + < F4 >. Note: If you cannot power off the computer normally, press and hold the power button for more than four seconds to shu[...]

18 - First things first • Never place the computer on uneven surfaces. T aking car e of your AC adapter Here are some ways to take care of your AC adapter: • Do not connect the adapter to any other device . • Do not step on the power cor d or place heavy o bjects on top of it. Carefully r oute the power cor d and any cables away from foot tra[...]

Your Acer noteb ook tour - 19 Y OUR A CER NOTEBOOK TOUR After setting up your computer as illustrated in the setup poster, let us show you around your new Acer computer. Acer Aspire S3 Series[...]

20 - Your Acer not ebook tour To p v i e w[...]

# Icon Item Description 1 Display screen Displays computer output. 2 Power button T urns the computer on and of f. 3 Microphone Internal microphone for sound r ecordin g. 4 Keyboard For enteri ng data into your computer . Caution: Do not use a keybo ard protector o r similar cover as the keyboard design includes ventilation intakes for cooling. 5 T[...]

22 - Your Acer not ebook tour Rear view # Icon Item Description 1 DC-in jack Connects to an AC adapter . 2 HDMI port Supports high-definition digital video co nnections. 3 USB 2.0 ports Connects to USB 2.0 devices (e.g., U SB mouse, USB c amera). Note: Small holes on the rear of t he computer are part of the antenna assembly. Do not insert any obje[...]

Your Acer noteb ook tour - 23 Left view # Icon Item Description 1 Headset/speaker jack Connects to audio devices (e.g., speakers, head phones) or a headset with microphone. Right view # Icon Item Descr iption 1 2-in-1 card r eader Accepts one Secur e Digital (SD or SDHC) car d or one MultiMediaCar d (MMC). Note: T o remove the car d, simply pull it[...]

24 - Your Acer not ebook tour Base view # Icon Item Description 1 Battery reset pinhole Insert a paperclip into t he hole and pr ess for four seconds to reset the computer (simulates removing a nd reinstalling the battery). 2 Speakers Deliver stereo audio output.[...]

Touchpa d - 25 T OUCHPAD The built-in touchpad is a pointing device that senses movement on its surface. This means the cursor responds as you move your finger across the surface of the touchpad. The central location on the palmrest provides optimum comfort and support. T o uchpad basics The following items show you how to use the touchpad. • Mov[...]

26 - Touchpad Note: When using the touchpad, keep it — and your fingers — dry and clean. The touchpad is sensitive to finger movement; hence, the lighter the touch, the better the response. Tapping harder will not increase the touchpad's responsiveness. Function Bottom left corner Bottom rig ht co r ne r Main touchpad Open Quickly press tw[...]

Using the keyboard - 27 U SING THE KEYBOARD The keyboard has full-sized keys and an embedded numeric keypad, separate cursor, lock, Windows, function and special keys. Lock keys and embedded numeri c keypad Note : Information in this section may not apply to your computer. The keyboard has three lock keys which you can toggle on and off. The embedd[...]

28 - Using the keyboard keycaps. To simplify the keyboard legend, cursor-control key symbols are not printed on the keys. Hotkeys The computer employs hotkeys or key combinations to access most of the computer's controls like screen brightness and volume output. To activate hotkeys, press and hold the < Fn > key before pressing the other[...]

Using the keyboard - 29 < Fn > + < F4 > Sleep Puts the computer in Sleep mode. < Fn > + < F5 > Display toggle Switches display output between the display screen, external monitor (if connected) and both. < Fn > + < F6 > Display off T urns the display screen backlight off to save power . Press any key to r eturn. [...]

30 - Using the keyboard Windows keys The keyboard has two keys that perform Windows-specific functions. Key Descri ption Windows key Pressed alone it launches the Start menu. It can also be used with other keys for special functions, please check Windows Help. Application key This key has the same effect as clicking the right mouse button; it opens[...]

Recovery - 3 1 R ECOVERY Acer e Recovery Management Note: Acer eRecovery Management is only available with a preinstalled Windows operating system. If your computer experiences problems that are not recoverable by other methods, you may need to reinstall the Windows operating system and factory-loaded software and drivers. To ensure yo u can recove[...]

32 - Recovery To use the password protectio n feature of Acer eRecovery Management, you must first set the password. The password is set by launching Acer eRecovery Management and clicking Settings . Creating r ecov ery discs To reinstall using discs, you must create a set of recovery discs beforehand. Throughout the process, you will be guided by [...]

Recovery - 3 3 Caution: If you are using a USB flash drive , ensure it is at least 12 GB and does not contain any previo us data. 1. Click on Start > All Pr ograms > Acer , then click on Acer eRecovery Managemen t . 2. T o create recovery backup for the har d drive’ s entir e or iginal contents, including Windows and all factory-loaded soft[...]

34 - Recovery The Create Factory Default Backup dialog box opens. This dialog box tells you the estimated size of the backup file. • If you are using optical discs, it will also show the number of blank, recor dable discs you will need to complete the r ecovery discs. Make sure that you have the r equir ed number of identical, blank discs. • If[...]

Recovery - 3 5 3. Plug in the USB disk or insert a blank disc into the d rive indicated in the Backup to list, then click Next . Y ou will be shown the backup progr ess on the screen. 4. Follow the process until it completes: • If you are using optical discs, the drive ejects each disc as it completes burning it. Remove the disc fr om the dr ive [...]

36 - Recovery Backup’. Make sure you keep the backup in a safe plac e that you will remember. Recover ing your system If Acer support did not help fix your problem, you can use the Acer eRecovery Management program. This will restore your computer to the same state as when you purchased it, while giving you an option to retain all settings and pe[...]

Recovery - 3 7 If nothing else has solved the problem and you want to reset yo ur system to factory condition, see “ Returning your system to its factory condition ” on page 40. T y pes of r ecovery Returning to a previous system condition Microsoft System Restore periodically takes ’snapshots’ of your system settings and saves them as rest[...]

38 - Recovery Recovering pre-installed software and drivers As a troubleshooting step, you may need to reinstall the software and device drivers that came pre-installed on your computer from the factory. You can recover using either your hard drive or the backup you have created. • New software - If you need to r ecover softwar e that did not com[...]

Recovery - 3 9 If you are recovering from a driver and application recovery backup on optical discs: • Insert the driver and application recovery backup disc ( ’Apps/ Drivers Recovery Backup’ ) into the disc dr ive. • Restart your computer and wait for the program to start, then go to "Reinstall drivers or applications: Click Contents.[...]

40 - Recovery • Click Reinstall Dr ivers or Application fr om a USB device . • Reinstall drivers or applications: Click Contents . A list of software and device drivers opens. • Click the install icon for the item you want to install, then follow the on-screen pr ompts to complete the installation. Repeat this step fo r each item you want to [...]

Recovery - 4 1 were pre-installed on your system. If you can access importan t files on your hard drive, back them up now. • If you can still run Windows, see “ Rec overing from within Windows ” below . • If you cannot run Windows and your or i ginal hard drive is still working, see “ Recovering from the hard drive during startup ” on p[...]

42 - Recovery When the recovery has finished, a dialog b ox prompts you to restart your computer. 5. Click on OK . Y our computer restarts. 6. Follow the on-screen pr ompts for first-time system setup. Recovering from the hard drive during startup To reinstall Windows and all pre-installed software and dr ivers: 1. T urn on your computer , then pr [...]

Recovery - 4 3 2. If it is not already enabled, you must enable the F12 Boot Menu : 1. Press F2 when starting your computer . 2. Use the left or right arr ow keys to select the Main menu. 3. Press the down key until F12 Boot Menu is selected, pr ess F5 to change this setting to Enabled . 4. Use the left or right arr ow keys to select the Exit menu.[...]

44 - Acer cl ear.fi A CER CLEAR . FI Acer clear.fi is a home media database viewer and controller. It allows you to browse media contents on devices that are on the same subnet . Media content types When you launch Acer clear.fi, you can choose the med ia content type. There are three types defined: video, music, and photos. DMS (Digital Media Serv[...]

Acer clear.fi - 45 make it available to DMP (Digital Media Player) and DMR (Digital Media Renderer) devices. Acer clear.fi will list DMS devices on the main screen, and you can choose ALL DEVICES or a specific device to browse the media stored. Display media conten t If you want to display media content on your computer, you just need to double-cli[...]

46 - Acer cl ear.fi Search media If you want to search your media content, you need to choose the media type first; then enter a keyword in the search bar. Acer clear.fi will list the media content that matches the keyword. Block and unblock devices If you want to block a device, you can right-click it, and select Block fr om the menu. After blocki[...]

Power management - 47 P OWER MANAGEMENT This computer has a built-in power management unit that monitors system activity. System activity refers to any activity involving one or more of the follow ing devices: keyboar d, mouse, hard disk, per ipherals connected to the computer, and video memory. If no activity is detected for a period of time, the [...]

48 - Battery pack B ATTERY PACK The computer uses a battery pack that gives you long use between charges. Battery pack character istics The battery pack has the following characteristics: • Employs current battery techn ology standards. • Delivers a battery-low warning. The battery is recharged whenever you con nect the computer to the AC adapt[...]

Battery pack - 49 Note : You are advised to charge the battery before retiring for the day. Charging the battery overnight before traveling enables you to start the next day with a fully charged battery. Conditioning a new battery pack Before you use a battery p ack for the first time, there is a conditioning process that you should follow: 1. Conn[...]

50 - Battery pack In addition, the useful lifespan of the bat tery is adversely affected by the following usage patterns: • Using the computer on constant AC power . • Not dischar ging and r echar ging the battery to its extr emes, as described above. • Frequent use; the mor e you use the battery , the faster it will r each the end of its eff[...]

Battery pack - 51 Checking the battery lev el The Windows power meter indicates the current battery level. Rest the cursor over the battery/power icon on the taskbar to see the battery's present charge level. Battery-low warning When using battery power pay attention to the Windows power meter. Warning: Connect the AC adapter as soon as possi [...]

52 - Traveling wi th your comp uter T RAVELING WITH YOUR COMPUTER This section gives you tips and hints to consid er when moving around or traveling with your computer. Disconnecting fr om the desktop Follow these steps to disconnect your computer from external accessories: 1. Save any open files. 2. Remove discs from optical dr ive(s). 3. Shut dow[...]

Traveling with your computer - 53 Prep aring t he computer Before moving the computer, close and latch the display cover to place it in Sleep mode. You can now safely take the computer anywhere you go within the building. To bring th e computer out of Sleep mode, open the display; then press and release the power button. If you are taking the compu[...]

54 - Traveling wi th your comp uter < F4 > or close the display cover whenever you are not actively using the computer. T a king the computer home When you are moving from your offi ce to your home or vice versa. Prep aring t he computer After disconnecting the computer from your desktop, follow these steps to prepare the computer for the tri[...]

Traveling with your computer - 55 Special considerations Follow these guidelines to protect your computer while traveling to and from work: • Minimize the effe cts of temperatur e changes by keeping the computer with you. • If you need to stop fo r an extended per iod of time and cannot carry the computer with you, leave the computer in the tru[...]

56 - Traveling wi th your comp uter 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 traveling locally. Prep aring t he computer Prepare the computer as if you were taking it home. Make sure that the battery in the computer is charged. Airport se[...]

Traveling with your computer - 57 Prep aring t he computer Prepare the computer as you would normally prepare it fo r traveling. What to bring with you Bring the following items with you: • AC adapter . • Power cords that ar e appr opriate for the country to which you ar e traveling. • Additional printer dr iver files if you plan to use anoth[...]

58 - Securing you r computer S ECURING YOUR COMPUTER Your computer is a valuable investment that you n eed to take care of. Learn how to protect and take care of your co mputer. Using passwords Passwords protect your computer from unauthorized access. Setting these passwords creates several different levels of protectio n for your computer and data[...]

Securing yo ur computer - 59 Entering pas swords When a password is set, a password prompt appears in the center of the display screen. • When the Supervisor Passwor d is set, a pr ompt appears when you press < F2 > to enter the BIOS utility at boot-up. • T ype the Supervisor Password and p ress < Enter > to access the BIOS utility [...]

60 - Wireless networks W IRELESS NETWORKS Connecting to the Internet Your computer's wireless connection is turned on by def ault. Windows will detect and display a list of available networks during setup. Select your network and enter the password if required. To turn your computer's Bluetooth or wireless connections on or o ff, press Fn[...]

Wireless networks - 61 What are benefits of a wireless network? Mobility Wireless LAN systems allow you and other users of your home network to share access to files and devices connected to the network, for example a printer or scanner. Also you can share an internet connection with other computers in your home. Installation speed and simplicity I[...]

62 - HDMI HDMI HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) is an industry-supported, uncompressed, all-digital audio/video interface. HDMI provides an interface between any compatible d igital audio/video source, such as a set-top box, DVD player, and A/V receiver and a compatible digital audio and/or video monitor, such as a digita l tele vision ([...]

Universal Serial Bus (USB) - 63 U NIVERSAL S ERIAL B US (USB) The USB 2.0 port is a high-speed serial bus which allows you to connect USB peripherals without taking up system resources.[...]

64 - BIOS utility BIOS UTILITY The BIOS utility is a hardware config uration program built into your computer's BIOS. Your computer is already properly configured and optimized, and you do not need to run this utility. However, if you encounter configuration problems, you may need to run it. To activate the BIOS utility, press < F2 > dur[...]

Frequently asked qu estions - 6 5 F REQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS The following is a list of possible situations that m ay arise during the use of your computer. Easy solutions are provided for each one. I turned on the power , but the c omputer does not start or boot up. Look at the power indicator: • If it is not lit, no power is being supplied to [...]

66 - Freque ntly asked questions If pressing a key does not turn the display back on, three things might be the cause: • The brightness level might be too low . Press < Fn > + < > (incr ease) to adjust the brightness level. • The display device might be set to an ext ernal monitor . Pr ess the display toggle hotkey < Fn > + &l[...]

Frequently asked qu estions - 6 7 The keyboard does not respond. Try attaching an external keyboard to a USB port o n the computer. If it works, contact your dealer or an authorized service center as the int ernal keyboard cable may be loose. The printer does not work. Check the following: • Make sure that the print er is connected to a power out[...]

68 - Freque ntly asked questions 3. Exit the BIOS utility and save changes. The system will r eboot. Note: To activate the BIOS utility, press < F2 > during POST. To start the recovery process: 1. Restart the system. 2. While the Acer logo is showing, p ress < Alt > + < F10 > at t he same time to enter the reco very process. 3. Re[...]

Frequently asked qu estions - 6 9 Before you call Please have the following information available when you call Acer for online service, and please be at your computer when you call. With your support, we can reduce the amount of time a call takes and help solve your problems efficiently. If there are error messages or beeps reported by your comput[...]

70 - T roubleshooting This chapter shows you 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 yourself; contact your dealer or authorized service center for assistance. T roublesh ooting tips This [...]

- 71 If you still encounter problems after going through the corrective measures, please contact your dealer or an authorized service center for assistance. Disk boot failure Insert a system (bootable) disk, then pr ess < Enter > to r eboot. Equipment configuration error Press < F2 > (during POST) to enter the BIOS utility , then press [...]

72 - Regulations an d safety notices R EGULATIONS AND SAFETY NOTICES FCC STATEMENT This device has been tested a nd found to co mply with the limits for a Cl ass B digital device pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC rules. These li mits are designed to provide reason able pro tection against harmful int erference in a r esidential installation. This devi[...]

Regulations and saf ety notices - 73 Caution: Changes o r modifications no t expressly approved by the manufa cturer could void the use r's authority , which is granted by the Fede ral Communications Commission, to ope rate this com puter . N OTICE FOR C ANADA This Class B digital apparatus complies with Canadian ICES-003. Remarque à l'i[...]

74 - Regulations an d safety notices Declaration of C onformity fo r EU countri es Hereby , Acer, declares that this co mputer is in co mpliance with the essenti al requirements and other r elevant provisions of Di r ective 1999/5/EC. Wireless operation channels for different domains France: Restr icted wir e less fr equency bands Some area s of Fr[...]

Regulations and saf ety notices - 75 Departments in which the use of the 2400 - 2 483.5 MHz band is permitted with an EIRP of less than 100 mW indoors and less than 10 mW outdoors: This requirement is likely to change over tim e, allowing you to use your wireless LAN card in more ar eas within Franc e. Please check with AR T for the latest inf orma[...]

76 - Regulations an d safety notices List of national code s This equipment ma y be operated in the following countries: C ANADA — L OW - POWER LICENSE - EXEMPT RADIO COMMUNICATION DEVICES (RSS-210) Exposure of humans to RF fields (RSS-102) The computer em ploys low gain integ ral antennas that do not em it RF field in exces s of Health Canada li[...]

Regulations and saf ety notices - 77 This device compli es with RSS210 of Industry Canada. This Class B digital a pparatus complies with Canadian IC ES-003, Issue 4, and RSS-210, No 4 (Dec 2000) and No 5 (Nov 2001). "T o prevent radio interfer ence to the licensed service, this devi ce is intended to be operated indoors and awa y from windo ws[...]

78 - The FCC RF safety r equir ement The radiated output power of the wireless LA N Mini PCI Card and Bluetooth car d is far below the FCC radio frequency exposure limits. Neverthel ess, the computer sha ll be used in such a manner that the potential fo r human contact dur ing normal oper ation is minimized as follows : 1. This dev ice is restricte[...]