Acer M1640 manual

Aspire 1640 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 revisions o r change s. Su ch chan ges will b e incorp orated 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[...]

iii Disposal instructions Do not throw this electronic device into the trash when discarding. To minimize pollution and ensure utmost protectio n of the global environment, please recycle. USA For electronic products c ontaining an LCD/CRT mo nitor or display: Lamp(s) inside this product contain mercury and must be recycl ed or disposed of accordin[...]

iv First things first We would like to thank you for making the Aspire series of notebook PC yo ur choice for meeting your mobi le computing needs. Your guides To help you use your Aspire, we have designed a set of guides: Basic care and tips for using your computer Turning your computer on and off To turn on the computer, simply press and release [...]

v To turn the power off, do any of th e followin g: • Use the Windows shutdown command Click on Sta rt , Turn Off Computer , then click on Turn Off . • Use the power button You can also shut down the comp uter by closing the display cover, or by pressing the sleep hotkey <Fn> + <F4> . Note: If you cannot power off the com puter norm[...]

vi Taking care of yo ur battery pack Here are some ways to take care of your battery pack: • Use only batteries of the same kind as replacements. Turn the power off before removing or replacing batteries. • Do not tamper with batteries. Keep them away from children. • Dispose of used batteries accordin g to local regulations. Recycle if possi[...]

Disposal instructions iii First things first iv Your guides iv Basic care and tips fo r using your computer iv Turning your computer on and off iv Taking care of your computer v Taking care of your AC adapter v Taking care of your battery pack vi Cleaning and servicin g vi An Aspire tour 1 Front view 1 Closed front view 2 Left view 3 Right view 4 R[...]

Virtual keyboard 31 Background mode 31 Cinema 32 Settings 32 Album 33 Editing pictures 33 Slide show settings 33 Video 34 Playing a video file 34 Capturing video (TV models o nly) 34 Snapshot 34 Editing video 35 Music 35 Make DVDs 35 Authoring CD/DVDs 36 Taking your notebook PC with you 37 Disconnecting from the desktop 37 Moving around 37 Preparin[...]

Installi ng memor y 49 BIOS utility 49 Boot sequence 49 Enable disk-to-disk recovery 50 Password 50 Using software 50 Playing DVD movies 50 Power management 51 Acer eRecovery 51 Create backup 52 Restore from backup 52 Create factory default image CD 52 Re-install bundled software without CD 53 Change password 53 Troubleshooting 55 Troubleshooting t[...]

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1 English An Aspire tour After setting up your computer as illustrated in the Just for Starters... po ster, let us show you around yo ur new Aspir e computer. Front view # Item Description 1 Display screen Also called Liquid-Crystal Display (LCD); displays computer output. 2 Microphone Internal microphon e for sound recording. 3 Keyboard For enteri[...]

2 English Closed front view 5 Click buttons (left, center and right) The left and right buttons function like the left and right mouse buttons; the center button serv es as a 4-way scroll button. 6 Touchpad Touch-sensiti ve pointing dev ice which funct ions like a computer mouse. 7 Status indicators Light-Emitting Diodes (LEDs) that light up to sho[...]

3 English Left view 7 Microphone jack Accepts input from external microphones. 8 Headphones/speakers/ line-out jack Connects to aud io line-out devices (e.g., speakers, headphones). 9 USB 2.0 port Connect to USB 2.0 device s (e.g., USB mouse, USB camera) . 10 Latch Locks and releases the lid. # Item Description 1 Optical dr ive Internal op tical dr[...]

4 English Right view Rear view # Icon Item Description 1 PC Card slot eject button Ejects the PC Card from the slot. 2 PC Card slot Accepts one Type II PC Card. 3T w o U S B 2 . 0 ports Connect to USB 2.0 devices (e.g., USB mouse, USB cam era). 4 Ethernet (RJ-45) port Connects to an Ethernet 10/100-based network. 5 Modem (RJ-11) port Connects to a [...]

5 English Base view 3 Kensington lock slot Connects to a Kensington-compatible computer security lock. # Item Description 1 Hard disk bay Houses the computer's hard disk (se cured with sc rews). 2B a t t e r y release latch Releases the battery for removal. 3 Battery bay Houses the computer's battery pack. 4 Battery lock Locks the battery[...]

6 English Specifications Operating system Microsoft ® Windows ® XP Home Edition (Service Pack 2) Microsoft ® Windows ® XP Professional (Service Pack 2) Platform Processor: •I n t e l ® Pentium ® M processor 730/740/750/760/ 770/780 (2 MB L2 cache, 1.60/1.73/1.86/2/2.13/2.26 GHz, 533 MHz FSB) •I n t e l ® Pentium ® M processor 725/725A ([...]

7 English Communication Modem: 56K ITU V.92 with PTT approval; Wake-on-Ring ready LAN: 10/100 Mbps Ethernet; Wake-on-LA N ready WLAN: integrated 802.11b/g Wi-Fi CE RTIFIED ™ network solution, supporting Acer Signa lUp ™ wireless techno logy WPAN: integrated Bluetooth ® Size and weig ht 364 (W) x 279 (D) x 33.9/38.9 (H) mm (14.33 x 10.98 x 1.33[...]

8 English Note: The specifications listed above are for reference on ly. The exact config uration of you r PC depend s on the model p urchased. Optional items 8- cell Li-ion battery pack 65 W AC adapter 256/512 MB or 1 GB DDR2 533 MHz soDIMM modules External USB floppy disk drive Environment Temperature: • Operating: 5 °C to 35 °C • Non-opera[...]

9 English Indicators The computer has three easy-to-read statu s indicators on the upper-right above the keyboard, and four on the fron t panel. The power, battery and wireless communi cation status indicators are visible even when the LCD display is cl osed. Icon Function Description Caps Lock Lights up when Caps Lock is activated. Num Lock Lights[...]

10 English 1. Charging: The light shows amber when the battery is charging. 2. Fully charged: The light sho ws green when in AC mode. Easy-launch buttons Above the keyboard, located at the upper-rig ht, are four buttons. These buttons are called easy-launch buttons. Th ey are: mail, Web browser, Acer Empowering Key < > and one user-programmab[...]

11 English Touchpad The built-in touchpad is a poin ting device that senses movement on its surface. This means the cursor respon ds as you move your finger across the surface of the touchpad. The central location on the palmrest provides optimum co mfort and support. Touchpad basics The following items show you how to use the tou chpad: • Move y[...]

12 English 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 w ill not increase the touchpad's responsiveness. Function Left button (1) Right button (4) Main touchpad (2) Center button (3) Execute Qui[...]

13 English Using the keyboard The keyboard has full-sized keys and a n embedded numeric keypad, separate cursor, lock, Windows, functi on and special keys. Lock keys and embedded numeric keypad The keyboard has three lock keys which you can toggle on and off. The embedded numeric k eypad functions like a desktop n umeric keypad. It is indicated by [...]

14 English Windows keys The keyboard has two keys that perform Windows-specific functions. Hotkeys The computer employs hotkeys or key combinations to access m ost of the computer's controls like screen b rightness, volume output an d the BIOS utility. To activate hotkeys, press and hold the <Fn> key before pressing the other key in the [...]

15 English Hotkey Icon Function Description <Fn> + <F1> Hotkey help Displays h elp on hotkeys. <Fn> + <F2> Acer eSettings Launches Acer eSettings in Acer eManager. See "Acer eManager" on page 1 9 . <Fn> + <F3> Acer ePower Management Launches Acer ePower Management in Acer eManager. See "Acer eManag[...]

16 English Special keys You can locate the Euro symbol and th e US dollar sign at the upper-center and/or bottom-right of yo ur keyboard. The Euro symbol 1 Open a text editor or word processor. 2 Either press < > at the bottom-ri ght of the keyboard, or ho ld < Alt Gr> and then press the <5> key at the upper-center of the keyboard[...]

17 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, you can eject the drive tray by using the emergency eject hole. Using a computer security lock A security keylock notch, located on the c hassis of the computer, lets you connect[...]

18 English Audio The computer comes with 16-bit high -fidelity AC'97 stereo audio and dual stereo speakers. Adjusting the volume Adjusting the volume on the computer is as easy as pressing some buttons. See "Hotkeys" on page 14 for more information on ad justing the speak er volume.[...]

19 English Using the system utilities Note: The system utilities work under Microsoft Win dows XP only. Acer eManager The innovative Acer eMa nager software is designed for easy access to frequently used functions. Press < > to launch the Acer eManager user interface, which features five main settings: Acer ePowerManagement, Acer eNetManageme[...]

20 English For more information, ope n Acer eManager, click on the appropriate application and select the Help function . Note: If your computer did not com e with a Recovery CD or System CD, please use A cer eRecovery's "System backup to optical disk" feature to burn a backu p image to CD or DVD. To ensure the best results when reco[...]

21 English Double (vertical), Triple (primary a t left), Triple (primary at right), or Quad Acer Gridvista is dual-display compatible, allowing two d isplays to be partitioned independently. Acer GridVista is simple to set up: 1 Run Acer GridVista and select your preferred screen configuration for each display from the taskbar. 2 Drag and drop each[...]

22 English You can acces s the Launch Mana ger by click ing on Start , All Programs , and then Launch Man ager to start the application. Norton AntiVirus Norton AntiVirus is an anti-v irus software that finds and repairs infected files, and protects against viruses to keep your computer d ata safe and secure. How do I check for viruses? A Full Syst[...]

23 English Frequently asked questions The following is a list of possible situations that may arise during the use of your computer. Easy solutions are provided for each o ne. I pressed the power button, but the computer does not start or boot up. Look at the power indicator: • If it is not lit, no power is being supplied to the computer. Check t[...]

24 English No audio is heard from the computer. Check the following: • The volume may be muted. In Windo ws, look at the volume control (speaker) icon on the taskbar. If it is crossed-out, click on the icon and deselect the Mute all option. • The volume level may be too lo w. In Windows, look at the volume c ontrol icon on the taskbar. You can [...]

25 English • Make sure that the printer cable is connected secu rely to the computer's parallel port or a USB port a nd the corresponding port on the printer. I want to set up my location to use the internal modem. To properly use your commu nication software (e.g. HyperTermin al), you need to set up your location: 1 Click on Sta rt , Settin[...]

26 English To start the recovery process: 1 Restart the system. 2 While the Acer logo is sho wing, press <Alt> + <F10> at the same time to enter the recovery process. 3 Refer to the onscreen instruct ions to perform system recovery. Important! This feature o ccupies 2 to 3 GB in a hidden partition on your hard disk. Requesting service I[...]

27 English Acer Arcade (for selected models) Acer Arcade is an integrated player for music, photos, DVD m ovies and videos. It can be operated using yo ur pointing device or remote con trol. To watch or listen, click or select a content b utton (e.g., Music, Video, etc.) on the Arcade home page. • Cinema — watch DVDs o r VCDs • Video — watc[...]

28 English Arcade hotkeys When running in the Windows environmen t, the key combinations listed below are available to control and fine-tune the features and settings of Acer Arca de. InstantOn Arcade mode With some Aspire models, it is possible to use Acer Arcade to watch TV, listen to music and view photos without first switching on your PC. To d[...]

29 English Finding and playing content Clicking a button on the A rcade home page opens the corresponding feature's home page. The c ontent pages have button s on the left and a c ontent browsing area on the right. If a button shows one of several choices, such as sort order, the current setting is shown by a brig htly colored ba ll on the but[...]

30 English "Output mode" should be set to "Stereo" if you are listening to speakers; Dolby surround" or "Virtual surround sou nd" if you are u sing headphones. Note : If your speakers are not capable of outputti ng low- frequency signals, it is recommended that you d o not select Virtual surround sound, in order t[...]

31 English Virtual keyboard Whenever you are required to enter search information, or name a file, DVD or folder, you can use the onscree n virtual keyboard. You can quickly enter the information you need using the mouse, cursor keys or keyboard. Background mode With Acer Arcade, you can continue listening to music or watching live TV while you per[...]

32 English Cinema If your computer came with a DVD driv e, you can play mov ies from DVDs and Video CDs (VCDs) with the Cinema functi on of Acer Arcade. This player has the features and controls of a typical DVD player. When you insert a disk into the DV D drive, the movie begins playing automatically. To control the movie, the pop-up player co ntr[...]

33 English Album Acer Arcade lets you view digital photos individually or as a slide sho w, from any available drive on your comput er. Click the Album button on the Arcade Home page to show the Albu m main page. The content area on the right shows both indi vidual pictures and folders. Click on a folder to open it. To view a slide show, open the f[...]

34 English To add background music to a slide show , click on the "Slide Show Music" option. The Slide Sho w Music page will ask you to choose music from your personal music library. Click Load Default Settings to return your settings to their default values. Video To open the Video function, click Vi deo on the Arcade Home p age. Note : [...]

35 English Note: For more details on editing vid eo and all the associated features, please refer to the Acer Arcade help m enu. Music For convenient access to your music collectio n, click Music on the Arcade homepage to open the M usic homepage. Acer Arcade allows you to view your mu sic library using a number of categories, these include Album, [...]

36 English share any event with your friends and fam ily for playback on most D VD players. You can even add customize d theme menus and menu music. It is also possible to burn combo CD/DVDs with m usic, photos, film and TV clips all in one. The possibilities are endless! For specific details about each of these optio ns, click the Help button to o[...]

37 English Taking your notebook PC with you This section gives you tips and hin ts to consider when moving around or traveling with your comp uter. Disconnecting from the desktop Follow these steps to disconnect your computer from external accessories : 1 Save any open files. 2 Remove any media, floppy disks or compact disks from the drive(s). 3 Sh[...]

38 English Note: If the Sleep indicator is of f, the computer has entered Hibernation mode and is turned of f. If the power indicator is off but the Sleep indicator is on, the compu ter has entered Sleep mode. In both cases, press and release the power button to turn the computer back on. Note that the co mputer may enter Hibernation mode after bei[...]

39 English Special considerations Follow these guidelines to protect yo ur computer while traveling to and from work: • Minimize the effects of temperature changes by keeping th e computer with you. • If you need to stop for an extended period of time and cannot carry th e computer with you, leave the co mputer in the trunk of the car to a void[...]

40 English Special considerations In addition to the guidelines for taking the co mputer home, follow these guidelines to protect your comp uter while traveling: • Always take the computer as carry-on luggage. • If possible, have the computer inspected by hand. A irport security X-ray machines are safe, but do not put th e computer throug h a m[...]

41 English Securing your computer Your computer is a valuable investment that you need to take care of. Learn how to protect and take care of your compu ter. Security features include hardware an d software locks — a security notch and passwords. Using a computer security lock A security keylock notch, located on the c hassis of the computer, let[...]

42 English Entering passwords When a password is set, a password prompt appears in the center of the display screen. • When the Supervisor Password is set, a prompt appears when yo u press < F2 > to enter the BIOS utility at boot-up. • Type the Supervisor Password an d press < Enter > to access the BIOS utility. If you enter the pas[...]

43 English Expanding through options Your notebo ok PC offers you a complete mo bile computi ng experien ce. Connectivity options Ports allow you to connect peripheral de vices to your computer as you would with a desktop PC. For instru ctions on how to connect different external devices to the computer, read the following section. Fax/data modem Y[...]

44 English Built-in network feature The built-in network feature allows you to con nect your computer to an Ethernet-based network. To use the network feature, connect an Ethernet cab le from the Ethernet (RJ-45) port on the chassis of the comp uter to a network jack or a hub on your network. Fast Infrared (FIR) The computer's Fast Infrared (F[...]

45 English Universal Serial Bus (USB) The USB 2.0 port is a high-speed serial bus which allo ws you to connect USB peripherals without taking up precious system resources. IEEE 1394 port The computer's IEEE 1394 port allows you to connect to an IEEE 1394- compatible device like a video camera or dig ital camera. See your video o r digital came[...]

46 English The computer's IEEE 1394 port allows you to connect to an IEEE 1394-su pported device, like a DVD/CD-RW combo or DVD -Dual drive. PC Card slot The Type II PC Card slot of the comp uter accepts PC Cards that enhance the usability and expandability of the com puter. These cards should have a PC Card logo on the m. PC Cards (formerly P[...]

47 English Inserting a PC Card Insert the card into the slot and make the prop er connections (e.g., network cable), if necessary. See your card manua l for details. Ejecting a PC Card Before ejecting a PC Card: 1 Exit the application using the card. 2 Left-click on the PC Card icon on th e taskbar and stop the card operation. 3 Press the slot ejec[...]

48 English ExpressCard The ExpressCard is the newest version of th e PC Card. It is a smaller and faster interface that further enhances the usability and exp andability of your computer. ExpressCards support a vast number of expansion options, including flash memory card adapters, TV-tuners, Bluetooth co nnectivity and IEEE 1394B adapters. Express[...]

49 English Installing memory Follow these steps to install memory: 1 Turn off the computer, unplug the AC adapter (if connected) and remove the battery pack. Then turn the computer over to access its base. 2 Remove the screws from the memory co ver; then lift up and remove the memory cover. 3 (a) Insert the memory module diag onally into the slot, [...]

50 English Enable disk-to-disk recovery To enable disk-to-disk recovery (hard disk recovery), activate the B IOS utility, then select Main from the categories listed at the top of the screen. Find D2D Recovery at the bottom of th e screen and use the <F5> and <F6> keys to set this value to Enabled . Password To set a password on boot, a[...]

51 English Note: To change the region code, in sert a DVD movie of a different region into the DVD drive. Please refer to the online help for more information. Power management This computer has a built- in power management unit that monitors system activity. System activity refers to any ac tivity involving one or more of the following devices: ke[...]

52 English Create backup You can create and save b ackup images to hard disk, CD or DVD. 1 Boot to Windows XP 2 Press <Alt> + <F10> to open the Acer eRecovery utility. 3 Enter the password to proceed. Th e default password is six zeros. 4 In the Acer eRecovery window, select Recovery settings and click Next . 5 In the Recovery settings [...]

53 English 4 In the Acer eRecovery window, select Recovery settings and click Next . 5 In the Recovery setting s window, select Burn image to disk and click Next . 6 In the Burn image to disk window, selec t 01. Factory default image and click Next . 7 Follow the instructions on scr een to complete the process. Re-install bundled software without C[...]

54 English[...]

55 English English Troubleshooting This chapter shows you how to deal with common system problems. Read it before calling a technician if a pro blem occurs. Solutions to more serious problems require openin g up the computer. Do not atte mpt to open the computer yourself; co ntact your dealer or authorized service center for assistance. Troubleshoo[...]

56 English If you still encounter problems after going thro ugh the corrective measures, please contact your dealer or an authorized service c enter for assistance. Some problems may be solved using the BIOS u tility.[...]

57 English English Regulations and safety notices ENERGY STAR guidelines compliance As an ENERGY STAR partner, Acer Inc. has de termined that this product meets the ENERGY STAR guidelines for energy efficien cy. FCC notice This device has been tested and fo und to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC ru[...]

58 English Operation conditions This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC R ules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1) this d evice may not cause harmful interference, and (2) this device must accept any interference received, inclu ding interference that may cause undesired ope ration. Notice: Canadian users This Class B di[...]

59 English English Your telephone company may make chang es in its facilities, equipment, operations or procedures that c ould affect the proper functioning of your equipment. If they do, you will be notified in ad vance to give you an opportunity to maintain unin terrupted telephone service. If this equipment should fail to operate properly, disco[...]

60 English Notice for New Zealand For modem with approval numb er PTC 211/03/008 1 The grant of a Telepermit for any item of terminal equ ipment indicates only that Telecom has accepted that the item complies with minimum conditions for connection to its netw ork. It indicates n o endorsement of the product b y Telecom, nor do es it provide any sor[...]

61 English English 3 This device is equipped with p ulse dialing while the Telecom standard is DTMF tone dialing. There is no guarantee that Telecom lines will always continue to support puls e dialing. 4 Use of pulse dialing, when this equipment is con nected to the same line as other equipment, may giv e rise to bell tinkle or noise and may also [...]

62 English 8 If an extension cord is used with this product, m ake sure that the total ampere rating of the equipment plugge d into the extension cord does not exceed the extension cord ampere ra ting. Also, ma ke sure that the total rating of all products plugged into the wall outlet does no t exceed the fuse rating. 9 Never push objects of any ki[...]

63 English English Laser compliance statement The CD or DVD drive used with this computer is a laser p roduct. The CD or DVD drive's classification label (sho wn below) is located on the drive. CLASS 1 LASER PRODUCT CAUTION: INVISIBLE LASER RADIATION WH EN OPEN. AVOID EXPOSURE TO BEAM. APPAREIL A LASER DE CLASSE 1 PROD UIT LASERATTENTION: RAD [...]

64 English Radio device regulatory notice Note : Below regulatory information is for mo dels with wireless LAN and/o r Bluetooth on ly. General This product complies with the radio fre quency and safety standards of any country or region in which it has been approved for wireless use. De pending on configura tions, this prod uct may or may not con [...]

65 English English List of applicable countries EU member states as of May 2004 are: Belgium , Denmark, Germany, Greece, Spain, France, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Austria, Portugal, Finland, Sweden, United Kingdo m Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Hung ary, Czech Republic, Slovak Rep ublic, Slovenia, Cyprus and Malta. Usage all[...]

66 English 2 This device is restricted to indoor us e due to its operation in the 5.15 to 5.25 GHz frequency range. FCC requires this prod uct to be used indoors for the frequency range 5.15 to 5.25 GHz to reduc e the potential for harmful interference to co-channel Mo bile Satellite systems. 3 High power radar are allocated as primary users of the[...]

67 English English Federal Communications Comission Declaration of Conformity This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1) This d evice may not cause harmful interference, and (2) This device must ac cept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired opera[...]

68 English Declaration of Conf ormity for CE Marking Is in compliance with the essential requ irements and other relevant provisions of the following EC directives. The product specified ab ove was tested conforming to the applicable Rules under the most accurate measurement standards possible, and all the necessary steps have been taken and are in[...]

69 English Index A AC adapter caring for v audio 18 adjusting the volume 18 troublesh ooting 24 B battery pack caring for vi BIOS utility 49 brightness hotkeys 15 C caps lock 13 on indicator 9 care AC adapter v battery pack vi computer v CD-ROM ejecting 17 ejecting manually 24 troublesh ooting 24 cleaning computer vi computer caring for v cleaning [...]

70 English Notebook Man ager hotkey 15 num lock 13 on indicator 9 numeric keypad embedded 13 P password 41 types 41 PC Card 46 ejecting 47 inserting 47 ports 43 printer troublesh ooting 24 problems 23 CD-ROM 24 display 23 keyboard 24 printer 24 startup 23 troublesh ooting 55 Q questions setting location for modem use 25 S safety CD or DVD 63 FCC no[...]