Acer 5000 User Manual

Aspire 3000/5000 Series

User's Guide

Aspire 3000/5000 Series User's Guide Original Issue: March 2005

Changes may be made periodically to the information in this publication without obligation to notify any person of such revisions 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, electronically, mechanically, by photocopy, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of Acer Incorporated.

Aspire 3000/5000 Series Notebook Computer

Model Number: __________________________________

Serial Number: ___________________________________

Purchase Date: ___________________________________

Place of Purchase: ________________________________

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

First things first

We would like to thank you for making the Aspire series of notebook computers your choice for your mobile computing needs.

Your guides

To help you use your Aspire, we have designed a set of guides:

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

The printed User's Guide introduces you to the basic features and functions of your new computer. For more on how your computer can help you to be more productive, please refer to the AcerSystem User's Guide. This guide contains detailed information on such subjects as system utilities, data recovery, expansion options, and troubleshooting. In addition it contains warranty information and the general regulations and safety notices for your notebook. It is available in Portable Document Format (PDF) and comes preloaded on your notebook. Follow these steps to access it:

1 Click on Start, All Programs, AcerSystem. 2 Click on AcerSystem User's Guide.

Note: Viewing the file requires Adobe Acrobat Reader. If Adobe Acrobat Reader is not installed on your computer, clicking on AcerSystem 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.

iii

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 button below the LCD screen beside the launch keys. See "Front view" on page 1 for the location of the power button.

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 button

Note: You can also use the power button to perform power management functions. See "Moving around" on page 43 of the AcerSystem User's Guide.

• 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 "Moving around" on page 43 of the AcerSystem User's Guide.

Note: If you cannot power off the computer normally, press and hold the power button 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 0 ºC (32 ºF) or above

50 ºC (122 ºF).

• 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 or vibration.

• Do not expose the computer to dust and dirt.

• Never place objects on top of the computer.

• Do not slam the computer display when you close it.

• Never place the computer on uneven surfaces.

Taking care of your AC adaptor

Here are some ways to take care of your AC adaptor:

• Do not connect the adaptor 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 foot 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: 1 Power off the computer and remove the battery pack.

2 Disconnect the AC adaptor. 3 Use a soft, moist cloth. Do not use liquid or aerosol cleaners. If either 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 questions" on page 23.

Caution

Changes or modifications not expressly 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 Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1) this device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) this device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.

Users are requested to follow the RF safety instructions on wireless option devices that are included in the user's manual of each RF option device.

An improper installation or unauthorized use may cause harmful interference to radio communications. Also any tampering of the internal antenna will void the FCC certification and your warranty.

To prevent radio interference to the licensed service, this device is intended to be operated indoors and installation outdoors is subject to licensing.

For more information about our products, services, and support information, please visit our website: http://global.acer.com

First things first iii

Your guides iii Basic care and tips for using your computer iii

Turning your computer on and off iii Taking care of your computer iv Taking care of your AC adaptor iv Taking care of your battery pack v Cleaning and servicing v

An Aspire tour 1

Front view 1 Closed front view 2 Left view 3 Right view 3 Rear view 4 Base view 5

Specifications 6

Contents

Indicators 9 Launch keys 10 Touchpad 11

Touchpad basics 11

Using the keyboard 13

Lock keys and embedded numeric keypad 13 Windows keys 14 Hot keys 14

Special keys 16 Ejecting the optical (CD or DVD) drive tray 17 Using a computer security lock 17 Audio 18

Adjusting the volume 18 Using the system utilities 19

Acer eManager 19

Acer GridVista (dual-display compatible) 20

Launch Manager 22 Frequently asked questions 23

Requesting service 27

International Travelers Warranty (ITW) 27 Before you call 27

Arcade (for selected models) 29

An Aspire tour

After setting up your computer as illustrated in the Just for Starters... poster, let us show you around your new Aspire computer.

Front view

English

# Item Description

1 Display screen Also called Liquid-Crystal Display (LCD), displays computer

2 Microphone Internal microphone for sound recording. 3 Keyboard For entering data into your computer.

4 Palmrest Comfortable support area for your hands when you use the

output.

computer.

English

# Item Description

5 Click buttons

(Left, center and right)

6 Touchpad Touch-sensitive pointing device which functions like a computer

7 Status indicators Light-Emitting Diodes (LEDs) that turn on and off to show the

8 Launch keys Buttons for launching frequently used programs. See “Launch

9 Power button Turns the computer on and off.

The left and right buttons function like the left and right mouse buttons; the center button serves as a 4-way scroll button.

mouse.

status of the computer’s functions and components.

keys” on page 14 for more details.

Closed front view

# Item Description

1 Speakers Left and right speakers deliver stereo audio

2 Power indicator Lights up when the computer is on.

output.

3 Battery indicator Lights up when the battery is being charged.

4 Bluetooth communication

button/indicator (for selected models)

5 Wireless communication

button/indicator

6 Line-in jack Accepts audio line-in devices (e.g., audio CD

7 Mic-in jack Accepts inputs from external microphones.

Press to enable/disable the Bluetooth function. Indicates the status of Bluetooth communication (optional).

Press to enable/disable the wireless function. Indicates the status of wireless LAN communication (optional).

player, stereo walkman).

# Item Description

8 Speaker/Line-Out/

Headphone jack

9 USB 2.0 port Connects to Universal Serial Bus (USB) 2.0

Connects to audio line-out devices (e.g., speakers, headphones).

devices (e.g., USB mouse, USB camera).

Left view

# Item Description

1 Optical drive Internal optical drive; accepts CDs or DVDs depending

2 LED indicator Lights up when the optical drive is active. 3 Emergency eject hole Ejects the optical drive tray when the computer is

4 Optical drive eject button Ejects the optical drive tray from the drive.

on the optical drive type.

turned off

English

Right view

# Item Description

1 PC Card slot

eject button

2 PC Card slot Accepts one Type II CardBus PC Card.

Ejects the PC Card from the slot.

English

# Item Description

3 Two USB 2.0

ports

4 Network jack Connects to an Ethernet 10/100 based network.

5 Modem jack Connects to a phone line.

Connect to Universal Serial Bus (USB) 2.0 devices (e.g., USB mouse, USB camera).

6 Ventilation slots Enable the computer to stay cool, even after

prolonged use.

Rear view

# Item Description

1 Power jack Connects to an AC adaptor.

2 External display port Connects to a display device (e.g., external

3 Security keylock Connects to a Kensington-compatible computer

monitor, LCD projector).

security lock.

Base view

# Item Description

1 Hard disk bay Houses the computer's hard disk (secured by a screw). 2 Battery release

latch 3 Battery bay Houses the computer's battery pack.

4 Battery lock Locks the battery in place.

5 Cooling fan Helps keep the computer cool.

6 Memory

compartment

Releases the battery for removal.

Note: Do not cover or obstruct the opening of the fan. Houses the computer's main memory.

English

+ 23 hidden pages