Acer 2300, 4000, 4500 User Manual

TravelMate

2300/4000/4500 Series

User’s Guide

Copyright © 2004. Acer Incorporated.

All Rights Reserved.

TravelMate 2300/4000/4500 Series User’s Guide

Original Issue: July 2004

Changes may be made periodically to the information 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 publications. This company makes no representations or warranties, either expressed or implied, with respect to the contents hereof and specifically disclaims the implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.

Record the model number, serial number, purchase date, and place of purchase information in the space provided below. The serial number and model number are recorded on the label affixed to your computer. All correspondence concerning your unit should include the serial number, model number, and purchase information.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of Acer Incorporated.

TravelMate 2300/4000/4500 Series Notebook Computer

Model Number : __________________________________

Serial Number: ___________________________________

Purchase Date: ___________________________________

Place of Purchase: ________________________________

Acer and the Acer logo are registered trademarks of Acer Incorporated. Other company's product names or trademarks are used herein for identification purposes only and belong to their respective companies.

iii

First things first

We would like to thank you for making the TravelMate series of notebook computers your choice for 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 TravelMate, we have designed a set of guides:

First off, the Just for starters... poster helps you get started with setting up your computer.

This User’s guide introduces you to the many ways your computer can help you be more productive. This guide provides clear and concise information about the computer, so read it thoroughly.

If you ever need to print out a copy, this User’s guide is also available in Portable Document Format (PDF). Follow these steps:

1Click on Start, All Programs, AcerSystem.

2Click on AcerSystem User’s guide.

Note: Viewing the file requires Adobe Acrobat Reader installed. If Adobe Acrobat Reader is not installed on your computer, clicking on TravelMate User’s guide will run the Acrobat Reader setup program first. Follow the instructions on the screen to complete the installation. For instructions on how to use Adobe Acrobat Reader, access the Help and Support menu.

English

English

iv

Basic care and tips for using your computer

Turning your computer on and off

To turn on the computer, simply press and release the power switch below the LCD screen beside the launch keys. See “Front view” on page 3 for the location of the power switch.

To turn the power off, do any of the following:

•Use the Windows shutdown command

Click on Start, Turn Off Computer; then click on Turn Off.

•Use the power switch

Note: You can also use the power switch to perform power management functions. See “Power management” on page 28.

•Use the customized functions for power management

You can also shut down the computer by closing the display cover, or by pressing the sleep hot key (Fn-F4). See “Power management” on page 28.

Note: If you cannot power off the computer normally, press and hold the power switch for more than four seconds to shut down the computer. If you turn off the computer and want to turn it on again, wait at least two seconds before powering up.

Taking care of your computer

Your computer will serve you well if you take care of it.

•Do not expose the computer to direct sunlight. Do not place it near sources of heat, such as a radiator.

•Do not expose the computer to temperatures below 0ºC (32ºF) or above 50ºC (122ºF).

•Do not subject the computer to magnetic fields.

•Do not expose the computer to rain or moisture.

•Do not spill water or any liquid on the computer.

•Do not subject the computer to heavy shock and vibration.

•Do not expose the computer to dust and dirt.

	v
	• Never place objects on top of the computer to avoid damaging the
		English
	computer.
	• Do not slam the computer display when you close it.
	• Never place the computer on uneven surfaces.
	Taking care 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 cord or place heavy objects on top of it. Carefully route the power cord and any cables away from personal traffic.

•When unplugging the power cord, do not pull on the cord itself but pull on the plug.

•The total ampere ratings of the equipment plugged in should not exceed the ampere rating of the cord if you are using an extension cord. Also, the total current rating of all equipment plugged into a single wall outlet should not exceed the fuse rating.

Taking care of your 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 according to local regulations. Recycle if at all possible.

Cleaning and servicing

When cleaning the computer, follow these steps:

1Power off the computer and remove the battery pack.

2Disconnect the AC adapter.

3Use a soft cloth moistened with water. Do not use liquid or aerosol cleaners.

English

vi

If any of the following occurs:

•The computer has been dropped or the body has been damaged.

•Liquid has been spilled into the product.

•The computer does not operate normally.

Please refer to "Troubleshooting my computer" on page 53.

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 front view	5
Left view	7
Right view	8
Rear view	9
Bottom view	10
Features	11
Indicators	13
Using the keyboard	15
Lock keys	15
Embedded numeric keypad	16
Windows keys	17
Hot keys	18
Special Key	20
Launch keys	21
Touchpad	23
Touchpad basics	23
Storage	25
Hard disk	25
Optical drive	25
AcerMedia bay (only in TravelMate 4500)	26
Audio	28
Adjusting the volume	28
Power management	28
Moving around with your TravelMate	29
Disconnecting from the desktop	29
Moving around	29
Taking the computer home	30
Traveling with the computer	32
Traveling internationally with the computer	32
Securing your computer	34
Using a computer security lock	34

Contents

2 Customizing my computer	37
Expanding through options	39
Connectivity options	39
Upgrade options	45
Using system utilities	48
Acer eManager	48
Launch Manager	49
BIOS Utility	49
D to D Recovery (Disc to Disc)	50
Multilingual operating system installation	50
Restore without a Recovery CD	50
Setup password and exit	51

3 Troubleshooting my computer	53
Frequently-asked questions	55
Troubleshooting tips	58
Error messages	59
Requesting service	60
ITW	60
Before you call	61
Appendix A Specifications	63
Appendix B Regulation & safety notices	69
Index	85

1 Getting to know your

TravelMate

Your TravelMate computer combines highperformance, versatility, power management features and multimedia capabilities with a unique style and ergonomic design. Work with unmatched productivity and reliability with your new power computing partner.

3

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

English

#	Item	Description
1	Display screen	Also called Liquid-Crystal Display (LCD),
		displaying computer output.

		4			1 Getting to know your TravelMate
	English		#	Item	Description
		2		Microphone	Internal microphone for sound recording.
		3		Keyboard	Inputs data into your computer.
		4		Palmrest	Comfortable support area for your hands
					when you use the computer.
		5		Click buttons	The left and right buttons function like the
				(Left, center and right)	left and right mouse buttons; the center
					button serves as a 4-way scroll button.
		6		Touchpad	Touch-sensitive pointing device which
					functions like a computer mouse.
		7		Status indicators	Light-Emitting Diodes (LEDs) that turn on
					and off to show the status of the
					computer’s functions and components.
		8		Launch keys	Buttons for launching frequently used
					programs. See“Launch keys” on page 21
					for more details.
		9		Power button	Turns the computer on and off.

Closed front view

5

English

#	Item	Description
1	Speakers	Left and right speakers deliver stereo audio
		output.
2	Infrared port	Interfaces with infrared devices
	(Manufacturing option)	(e.g., infrared printer and IR-aware
		computer).
3	Power indicator	Lights when the computer is on.
4	Battery indicator	Lights when the battery is being charged.
5	Bluetooth	Lights to indicate the status of Bluetooth
	communications	(optional) communications.
6	Wireless	Lights to indicate the status of wireless LAN
	communications	(optional) communications.

English

6		1 Getting to know your TravelMate
#	Item	Description
7	Line-in/Mic-in jack	Accepts audio line-in devices (e.g., audio CD
		player, stereo walkman).
8	Line-in/Mic-in jack	Accepts audio line-in devices (e.g., audio CD
		player, stereo walkman).
9	Speaker/Line-Out/	Connects to audio line-out devices (e.g.,
	Headphone jack	speakers, headphones).
10	USB 2.0 port	Connects to Universal Serial Bus (USB) 2.0
		devices (e.g., USB mouse, USB camera).
11	Latch	Locks and releases the lid.

Left view

7

English

#	Item	Description
1	Optical drive	Internal optical drive; accepts CDs or
		DVDs depending on the optical 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 56
		for more details.
4	Optical drive eject button	Ejects the optical drive tray from the
		drive.
5	AcerMedia bay	Houses an AcerMedia drive module.
	(Manufacturing option)

Note: The positions of the AcerMedia indicator, eject button and emergency eject hole may differ depending on the optical drive module installed.

English

8	1 Getting to know your TravelMate

Right view

#	Item									Description
1	IEEE 1394 port									Connects to IEEE 1394 devices.
	(Manufacturing option)
2	PC Card slot eject button									Ejects the PC Card from the slot.
3	PC Card slot									Connects to one Type II CardBus PC Card.
4	3-in-1 card reader									Accepts MS, MMC and SD card.
										Note: The 3-in-1 card reader is a
										manufacturing option, subject to
										configuration. Only one card can operate
										at any given time.
5	Two USB 2.0 ports									Connect to Universal Serial Bus (USB) 2.0
										devices (e.g., USB mouse, USB camera).
6	S-video port									Connects to a television or display device
	(Manufacturing option)									with S-video input.
7	Network jack									Connects to an Ethernet 10/100/1000-
										based network (manufacturing option).
8	Modem jack									Connects to a phone line.
9	Ventilation slots									Enable the computer to stay cool, even
										after prolonged use.

Rear view

9

English

#	Item									Description
1	Power jack									Connects to an AC adapter.
2	External display port									Connects to a display device (e.g., external
										monitor, LCD projector).
3	100-pin port replicator									Connects to an I/O port replicator, or
	connector									Acer EasyPort expansion devices.
	(Manufacturing option)
4	Security keylock									Connects to a Kensington-compatible
										computer security lock.

English

10	1 Getting to know your TravelMate

Bottom view

#	Item	Description
1	Cooling fan	Helps keep the computer cool.
		Note: Do not cover or obstruct the
		opening of the fan.
2	Battery lock	Locks the battery in place.
3	Memory compartment	Houses the computer's main memory.
4	Hard disk bay	Houses the computer's hard disk
		(secured by a screw).
5	AcerMedia bay	Unlatches the AcerMedia drive for
	release latch	removing the optical drive.
		(Only in TravelMate 4500)
6	AcerMedia bay	Houses an AcerMedia drive module.
7	Battery release latch	Unlatches the battery to remove the
		battery pack.
8	Battery bay	Houses the computer's battery pack.

11

Features

Below is a brief summary of the computer’s many features:

Performance

•Intel® Pentium® M Processor 705, 715, 725, 735, 745, 755, or Intel® Celeron® M Processor 320, 330

•Intel® 855GME or 852GM chipset (manufacturing option)

•256/512 MB of DDR333 SDRAM standard, upgradeable to 2048 MB with dual soDIMM modules

•30 GB and above high-capacity, Enhanced-IDE hard disk

•Advanced Configuration Power Interface (ACPI) power management system

•Internal removable optical drive (AcerMedia bay)

•Li-ion main battery pack

Display

•The TFT LCD panel providing a large viewing area for maximum efficiency and ease-of-use:

-14.1” XGA (1024x768) resolution

-15.0” XGA (1024x768) or SXGA+ (1400x1050) resolution

-15.4” WXGA (1280x800) or WSXGA+ (1680x1050) resolution

•ATI MOBILITY ™ RADEON™ 9700 with 64MB of video memory (manufacturing option)

•3D graphics support

•Simultaneous LCD and CRT monitor, and other display devices like projector support

•"Automatic LCD dim" feature that automatically deciding the best settings for your display and conserves power

•Dual independent display

Multimedia

•High-speed drive:

DVD/CD-RW Combo, DVD-Dual or DVD-Super Multi

•16-bit high-fidelity AC’97 stereo audio

•Built-in microphone and dual speakers

English

English

12	1 Getting to know your TravelMate

Connectivity

•Integrated 10/100/1000 Mbps Fast Ethernet connection (manufacturing option)

•Built-in 56Kbps fax/data modem

•Fast infrared wireless communication (manufacturing option)

•IEEE 1394 port (manufacturing option)

•Three Universal Serial Bus (USB) 2.0 ports

•InviLink™ 802.11b/g or 802.11a/b/g dual-band tri-mode Wireless LAN (manufacturing option)

•Bluetooth® (manufacturing option)

•100-pin port replicator connector (manufacturing option)

•SD/MMC/MS memory card reader (manufacturing option)

Human-centric design and ergonomics

•Rugged, yet extremely portable design

•Stylish appearance

•Full-size keyboard with four programmable launch keys

•Ergonomically-centered touchpad pointing device

•Acer FineTouch™ keyboard with a 5-degree curve

•Internet 4-way scroll button

Expansion

•One Tpye II CardBus PC Card slot

•Upgradeable memory modules

•Acer EasyPort (only in TravelMate 4500)

13

Indicators

The computer has three easy-to-read status icons on the upper-right above the keyboard.

English

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.

English

14	1 Getting to know your TravelMate

In addition, there are two indicators at the front panel. Even when the cover is closed, the state or features can still be seen.

Icon	Function	Description
	Power	Lights when the computer is on.
	Battery indicator	Lights when the battery is being charged.

15

Using the keyboard

The keyboard has full-sized keys and an embedded keypad, separate cursor keys, two Windows keys and twelve function keys.

Lock keys

The keyboard has three lock keys which you can toggle on and off.

English

Lock Key	Description
Caps Lock	When Caps Lock is on, all alphabetic characters typed are in
	uppercase.
Num Lock	When Num Lock is on, the embedded keypad is in numeric
(Fn-F11)	mode. The keys function as a calculator (complete with the
	arithmetic operators +, -, *, and /). Use this mode when you
	need to do a lot of numeric data entry. A better solution
	would be to connect an external keypad.
Scroll Lock	When Scroll Lock is on, the screen moves one line up or down
(Fn-F12)	when you press the up or down arrow keys respectively.
	Scroll Lock does not work with some applications.

English

16	1 Getting to know your TravelMate

Embedded numeric keypad

The embedded numeric keypad functions like a desktop numeric keypad. It is indicated by small characters located on the upper right corner of the keycaps. To simplify the keyboard legend, cursor-control key symbols are not printed on the keys.

Desired Access	Num Lock On	Num Lock Off
Number keys on	Type numbers in a normal
embedded keypad	manner.
Cursor-control keys	Hold Shift while using	Hold Fn while using
on embedded	cursor-control keys.	cursor-control keys.
keypad

Main keyboard keys	Hold Fn while typing letters
	on embedded keypad.

Type the letters in a normal manner.

17

Windows keys

The keyboard has two keys that perform Windows-specific functions.

English

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 provide a
	variety of functions:
	+ Tab	Activates the next Taskbar button.
	+ E	Opens the My Computer window.
	+ F1	Opens Help and Support.
	+ F	Opens the Find: All Files dialog box.
	+ M	Minimizes all windows.
	Shift +	+ M Undoes the minimize all windows

( + M) action.

	+ R	Opens the Run dialog box.
Application key	This key has the same effect as clicking the right mouse
	button; it opens the application's context menu.

English

18	1 Getting to know your TravelMate

Hot keys

The computer employs hot keys or key combinations to access most of the computer’s controls like screen brightness, volume output and the BIOS Utility.

To activate hot keys, press and hold the Fn key before pressing the other key in the hot key combination.

Hot Key	Icon	Function	Description
Fn-F1		Hot key help	Displays help on hot keys.
Fn-F2		Acer eSetting	Launches the Acer eSetting
			in the Acer eManager set by
			the Acer Empowering Key.
			See “Acer eManager” on
			page 48.
Fn-F3		Acer	Launches the Acer
		ePowerManagement	ePowerManagement in the
			Acer eManager set by the
			Acer Empowering Key. See
			“Acer eManager” on page
			48.
Fn-F4		Sleep	Puts the computer in Sleep
			mode.

19

Hot Key Icon	Function	Description
Fn-F5	Display toggle	Switches display output
		between the display screen,
		external monitor (if
		connected) and both 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 the internal touchpad
		on and off.
Fn-F8	Speaker toggle	Turns the speakers on and
		off.
Fn-↑	Volume up	Increases the sound volume.
Fn-↓	Volume down	Decreases the sound volume.
Fn-→	Brightness up	Increases the screen
		brightness.
Fn-←	Brightness down	Decreases the screen
		brightness.
Alt Gr-$	US dollar	Types the US dollar sign.
Alt Gr-	Euro	Types the Euro symbol.
Euro

English

English

20	1 Getting to know your TravelMate

Special Key

You can locate the Euro symbol and US dollar sign at the upper-center and/or bottom-right of your keyboard. To type:

The Euro symbol

1Open a text editor or word processor.

2Either directly press the Euro symbol at the bottom-right of the keyboard, or hold Alt Gr and then press the Euro symbol at the upper-center of the keyboard.

The US dollar sign

1Open a text editor or word processor.

2Either directly press the dollar sign at the bottom-right of the keyboard, or hold Alt Gr and then press the dollar sign at the upper-center of the keyboard.

Note: This function varies by the operating system version.

21

Launch keys

Located at the upper-right above the keyboard are four buttons. These buttons are called launch keys. They are designated as the mail, Web browser, Empowering and programmable keys.

Press the Acer Empowering Key to run the Acer eManager. Please see “Acer eManager” on page 48. The mail and Web browser are default for Email and Internet programs, but can be reset by users. To set the mail, Web browser and programmable keys, run the Acer Launch Manager. See “Launch Manager” on page 49.

No.	Description	Default Application
1	Mail	Email application (User-programmable)
2	Web browser	Internet browser application
		(User-programmable)
3	e	Acer eManager application (User-programmable)
4	P	User-programmable

English