Acer ASPIRE 1400 User Manual

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Acer Aspire 1400 series

User’s guide

Acer Aspire 1400 series Notebook computer User’s guide

Original Issue: March 2002

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.

Acer Aspire 1400 series Notebook computer

Model Number : __________________________________

Serial Number: ___________________________________

Purchase Date: ___________________________________

Place of Purchase: ________________________________

All trademarks and registered trademarks are the properties of their respective companies.

First things first Your guides

Basic care and tips for using your computer

Getting familiar with your computer

A tour of your computer Front view

Left view Right view Rear view Bottom view

Features

Display Indicators Keyboard

Special keys Keyboard ergonomics

Touchpad

Touchpad basics Launch keys

Storage

Inserting and ejecting a diskette Ejecting the optical drive tray

Connectivity options Ethernet and LAN Fax/data modem

Audio

Adjusting the volume Using the Audio DJ feature

Securing your computer Security notch Passwords

Operating on battery power

Battery pack

Battery pack characteristics

Installing and removing the battery pack Charging the battery

Checking the battery level Optimizing battery life Battery-low warning

Power management

vii vii viii

Contents

Peripherals and options	39
External display devices	41
External monitor	41
External display with s-video input	42
Using simultaneous display	42
External input devices	43
External keyboard	43
External keypad	43
External pointing device	43
Printer	44
Audio devices	45
Expansion devices	46
PC Card slots	46
USB	47
Miscellaneous options	48
Battery pack	48
AC adapter	48
Key component upgrades	49
Memory upgrade	49
Hard disk upgrade	50

Moving with your computer	51
Disconnecting from the desktop	53
Moving around	54
Preparing the computer	54
What to bring to short meetings	54
What to bring to long meetings	54
Taking the computer home	55
Preparing the computer	55
What to bring with you	55
Special considerations	55
Setting up a home office	56
Traveling with the computer	57
Preparing the computer	57
What to bring with you	57
Special considerations	57
Traveling internationally with the computer	58
Preparing the computer	58
What to bring with you	58
Special considerations	58
Software	59

System software

Easy Button	62
BIOS Setup Utility	63
Main	64
Advanced	65
Security	66
Others	69
Boot	70
Exit	71

Troubleshooting	73
Frequently-asked questions	75
Error messages	79
Appendix A Specifications	83
Appendix B Notices	89
Index	97

vii

First things first

We would like to thank you for making the Aspire series of notebook computers your choice for your mobile computing needs. We hope you will be happy with your Aspire as much as we enjoyed making it for you.

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.

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.

Lastly, there may be a Read me first sheet included with your package which contains important reminders and updates. So, please read through it.

For more information about our products, services, and support information, please visit our web site (global.acer.com).

viii

Basic care and tips for using your computer

Turning your computer on and off

To turn on the computer, open the display cover, and press the power switch above the keyboard.

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

•Use the Windows shutdown command

Click on Start, and select the Windows Turn Off command.

•Use the power switch

If you set the power switch to “Shut down” in the Power Options control panel, you can use this button to turn off the computer. See Windows Help and Support for details.

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 0°C (32°F) or above 50°C (122°F).

•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.

•Never place objects on top of the computer to avoid damaging the 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.

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 73.

Getting familiar with

your computer

This computer combines high-performance, 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.

This chapter gives an in-depth "tour" of the computer’s many features.

A tour of your computer

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

Front view

4	Getting familiar with your computer

#	Item	Description

1	Display screen	Also called LCD (liquid-crystal display), displays computer
		output.

2	Power button	Turns on the computer power.

3	Launch keys	Buttons for launching frequently-used programs. See
		“Launch keys” on page 21 for more details.

4	Keyboard	Inputs data into your computer.

5	Touchpad	Touch-sensitive pointing device which functions like a
		computer mouse.

6	Click buttons (left	The left and right buttons function like the left and right
	and right)	mouse buttons.

7	Palmrest	Comfortable support area for your hands when you use the
		computer.

8	Lock indicators	LEDs (light emitting diodes) that show the status of the lock
		keys.

9	Speakers	Outputs sound.

10	Status indicators	LEDs (light emitting diodes) that show the status of the
		computer and its functions and components.

11	Audio DJ controls	Button and indicators for the Audio DJ function. For more
	and indicators	information, see “Using the Audio DJ feature” on page 27.

Left view

#	Item	Description

1	Speaker/headphone-out jack	Connects to audio line-out devices (e.g.,
		speakers, headphones).

2	Microphone-in jack	Connects an external microphone.

3	Volume control slider	Adjusts the volume level.

4	Security keylock	Connects to a Kensington-compatible computer
		security lock.

5	PC Card eject buttons	Eject the selected PC Card from its slot.

6	PC Card slots	Accepts one Type III or two Type II/I PC Card(s).

6	Getting familiar with your computer

Right view

#	Item	Description

1	Floppy drive	Accepts a 3.5-inch diskette.

2	Floppy drive eject button	Press to eject the diskette from the floppy drive.

3	Wireless networking button	Enables or disables the wireless networking feature.

4	Optical drive	Depending on your model:
		•	CD-ROM drive reads CDs
		•	DVD-ROM drive reads CDs and DVDs
		•	DVD/CD-RW combo drive reads CDs and
			DVDs, and writes to CD-Rs and CD-RWs.

5	Optical drive eject button	Ejects the disc from the optical drive.

6	Optical drive emergency	Ejects the disc from the optical drive when the
	eject hole	computer is turned off. See “How do I eject the
		optical drive tray with the computer turned off?” on
		page 76 for more details.

Rear view

Item

Description

USB ports

Connects to USB devices (e.g., USB digital camera).

Network jack

Connects to an Ethernet 10/100-based network.

Modem jack

Conncts a phone line (only for models with an internal

fax/data modem).

Parallel port

Connects to a parallel device (e.g., parallel printer).

External display port

Connects to a display monitor.

Video-out port

Connects to a display device with S-video input.

DC-in jack

Connects to the AC adapter.

8	Getting familiar with your computer

Bottom view

#	Item	Description

1	Hard disk bay	Houses the computer’s hard disk.

2	Battery bay	Houses the computer’s battery pack.

3	Battery release latch	Slide and hold to unlatch the battery pack.

4	Memory compartment	Houses the computer’s memory upgrade slot.

Features

This computer was designed with the user in mind. Here are just a few of its many features:

Performance

•Intel® Pentium® 4 processor with on-die level 2 cache

•256 MB memory expandable to 1 GB

•High-capacity, Enhanced-IDE hard disk

•Lithium-Ion battery pack

•Power management system

Multimedia

•16-bit high-fidelity stereo audio with 3-D sound

•Built-in dual stereo speakers

•Internal optical drive (CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, or DVD/CD-RW combo)

•Audio DJ feature

•Large LCD display with simultaneous LCD and CRT display support

•S-video (NTSC/PAL) output

Connectivity

•High-speed 56Kbps V.90 fax/data software modem

•Ethernet/Fast Ethernet (10/100 Mbps)

•Universal Serial Bus (USB) ports

•Wireless networking (802.11b) option

Human-centric design and ergonomics

•All-in-one design (CD or DVD, floppy drive, and hard disk)

•Sleek, smooth and stylish design

•Full-sized keyboard

•Wide and curved palm rest

•Ergonomically-centered touchpad pointing device

•Launch keys

•Audio DJ feature

10	Getting familiar with your computer

Expansion

•CardBus PC Card slots

•Upgradeable memory and hard disk

Display

The large graphics display offers excellent viewing, display quality and desktopperformance graphics. The computer supports a Thin-Film Transistor (TFT) liquid crystal display (LCD) displaying up to 16.7 million colors at 1024x768 eXtended Graphics Array (XGA) resolution.

Video performance

Video peformance is boosted with 16 MB of Double Data Rate (DDR) Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory (SDRAM) for graphics-intensive games and applications.

Simultaneous display

The computer’s large display and multimedia capabilities are great for giving presentations. If you prefer, you can also connect an external monitor when giving presentations. This computer supports simultaneous LCD and CRT display. Simultaneous display allows you to control the presentation from your computer and at the same time face your audience. You can also connect other output display devices such as an LCD projector or a television for large-audience presentations.

Dualview

The computer’s video chip takes advantage of the multi-display capability of Windows. This feature allows you to extend your desktop to an external display device, such as an external monitor or projector. With this feature enabled, you can move program windows to and from the computer LCD and external display device. For more information, see Windows help.

12	Getting familiar with your computer

Indicators

The computer has easy-to-read lock indicators (A) found above the keyboard, and status indicators (B) and Audio DJ mode indicators (C) on the front panel of the computer.

These indicators show the status of the computer and its components.

#	Function	Description

A. Lock indicators

1	Caps lock	Caps Lock is activated.

Num lock

Numeric Lock (for embedded keypad) is activated.

3	Scroll lock	Scroll Lock is activated.

#	Function	Description

B. Status indicators

4	Power	Lights when the computer is on.

5	AC power	Computer is running on AC power.

6	Battery charge	Battery is being charged.

7	Hard disk activity	Hard disk is being accessed.

8	Wireless networking	Wireless networking feature is enabled. Use the wireless
		networking switch to enable or disable this feature. See
		“Right view” on page 6 for the location of this switch.

9	Optical drive activity	Optical drive (CD or DVD) is being accessed.

C. Audio DJ mode indicators

10	MP	Audio DJ is set to launch the Windows Media Player for
		audio playback.

11	CD	Audio DJ is set to CD playback.

14	Getting familiar with your computer

Keyboard

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

Special keys

Lock keys

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

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 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. See “External
	keyboard” on page 43.

Scroll Lock	When Scroll Lock is on, the screen moves one line up or down when you
(Fn-Scroll Lk)	press ↑ or ↓ respectively. Scroll Lock does not work with some applications.

Embedded keypad

The embedded keypad functions like a desktop numeric keypad. It is indicated by small characters located on the lower edge of the keycaps. The embedded keypad can function in numeric mode or cursor-control mode.

Desired Access	Num lock On	Num lock Off

Number keys on embedded	Type numbers in a normal	Hold Shift while typing
keypad	manner.	numbers.

Cursor-control keys on	Hold Shift while using	Use cursor-control keys in a
embedded keypad	cursor-control keys.	normal manner.

Main keyboard keys	Hold Fn while typing letters
	on embedded keypad. Also
	hold down Shift for capital
	letters.

Hold Fn while typing letters on embedded keypad. Also hold down Shift for capital letters.

16	Getting familiar with your computer

Windows keys

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

Key	Description

Windows logo key	Start button. Combinations with this key perform special functions.
	Below are a few examples:
	+ Tab (Activates next Taskbar button)
	+ E (Explores My Computer)
	+ F (Finds Document)
	+ M (Minimizes All)
	Shift + + M (Undoes Minimize All)
	+ R (Displays Run dialog box)

Application key	Opens the application’s context menu (same as right-click).

Hotkeys

The computer uses hotkeys or key combinations to perform functions such as controlling the screen brightness and specifying where to display output.

HotKey	Function	Description

Fn-Esc	Speaker toggle	Turns the speakers on and off.

Fn-F3	Standby	Puts the computer in standby mode.

Fn-F4	Hibernation	Puts the computer in hibernation mode.

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	Brightness up	Increases the screen brightness.

Fn-F7	Brightness down	Decreases the screen brightness.

Fn-F8	Wireless networking toggle	Toggles wireless networking on and off.

When activating hotkeys, press and hold the Fn key before pressing the other key in the hotkey combination.

18	Getting familiar with your computer

Keyboard ergonomics

Located below the keyboard, the wide and curved palm rest is ergonomically designed to provide you with a very comfortable place to rest your hands while you type.

Touchpad

The built-in touchpad is a PS/2-compatible pointing device that senses movement on its surface. This means the cursor responds as you move your finger on the surface of the touchpad. The central location on the palm rest provides optimum comfort and support.

Touchpad basics

The following teaches you how to use the touchpad:

•Move your finger across the touchpad to move the cursor.

•Press the left (1) and right (2) buttons located on the edge of the touchpad to do selection and execution functions. These two buttons are similar to the left and right buttons on a mouse. Tapping on the touchpad produces similar results.

20	Getting familiar with your computer

Function	Left Button	Right
Function	Left Button	Tap
		Button

Execute	Click twice quickly.	Tap twice (at the same speed as
		double-clicking the mouse button).

Select	Click once.	Tap once.

Drag	Click and hold,
	then use finger to
	drag the cursor on
	the touchpad.

Tap twice (at the same speed as double-clicking the mouse button) and hold finger to the touchpad on the second tap to drag the cursor.

Access

Click once.

context

Note: Keep your fingers dry and clean when using the touchpad. Also keep the touchpad dry and clean. The touchpad is sensitive to finger movements. Hence, the lighter the touch, the better the response. Tapping too hard will not increase the touchpad’s responsiveness.

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