Acer Aspire 6920 Service Manual

Aspire 6920 Series

Service Guide

Service guide files and updates are available

on the ACER/CSD web; for more information,

please refer to http://csd.acer.com.tw

PRINTED IN TAIWAN

Revision History

Please refer to the table below for the updates made on Aspire6920 service guide.

Date Chapter Updates

Copyright © 2008 by Acer Incorporated. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, transmitted, transcribed, stored in a retrieval system, or translated into any language or computer language, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, magnetic, optical, chemical, manual or otherwise, without the prior written permission of Acer Incorporated.

Disclaimer

The information in this guide is subject to change without notice.

Acer Incorporated makes no representations or warranties, either expressed or implied, with respect to the contents hereof and specifically disclaims any warranties of merchantability or fitness for any particular purpose. Any Acer Incorporated software described in this manual is sold or licensed "as is". Should the programs prove defective following their purchase, the buyer (and not Acer Incorporated, its distributor, or its dealer) assumes the entire cost of all necessary servicing, repair, and any incidental or consequential damages resulting from any defect in the software.

Acer is a registered trademark of Acer Corporation. Intel is a registered trademark of Intel Corporation. Pentium and Pentium II/III are trademarks of Intel Corporation. Other brand and product names are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective holders.

III

Conventions

The following conventions are used in this manual:

SCREEN MESSAGES

NOTE Gives bits and pieces of additional

WARNING Alerts you to any damage that might

CAUTION Gives precautionary measures to

IMPORTANT Reminds you to do specific actions

Denotes actual messages that appear on screen.

information related to the current topic.

result from doing or not doing specific actions.

avoid possible hardware or software problems.

relevant to the accomplishment of procedures.

Preface

Before using this information and the product it supports, please read the following general information.

1. This Service Guide provides you with all technical information relating to the BASIC CONFIGURATION decided for Acer's "global" product offering. To better fit local market requirements and enhance product competitiveness, your regional office MAY have decided to extend the functionality of a machine (e.g. add-on card, modem, or extra memory capability). These LOCALIZED FEATURES will NOT be covered in this generic service guide. In such cases, please contact your regional offices or the responsible personnel/channel to provide you with further technical details.

2. Please note WHEN ORDERING FRU PARTS, that you should check the most up-to-date information available on your regional web or channel. If, for whatever reason, a part number change is made, it will not be noted in the printed Service Guide. For ACER-AUTHORIZED SERVICE PROVIDERS, your Acer office may have a DIFFERENT part number code to those given in the FRU list of this printed Service Guide. You MUST use the list provided by your regional Acer office to order FRU parts for repair and service of customer machines.

System Specifications

Features

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

Chapter 1

Operating system: Windows Vista™

NOTE: Windowsl

to Windows to: Microsoft.com/windowsvista.

VistaTM Capable PCs come with Windows® XP installed, and can be upgraded

VistaTM. For more information on Windows® VistaTM and how to upgrade, go

Platform and memroy

• Intel® Centrino® Duo mobile processor technology, featuring:

• Intel® Core™2 Duo mobile processor

• Mobile Intel® GM965/PM965 Express Chipset

• Intel® Wireless WiFi Link Wi-Fi CERTIFIED® network connection

• Intel® PRO/Wireless Wi-Fi CERTIFIED® network connection.

• Dual-Channel DDR2 SDRAM support

• Up to 2 GB of DDR2 667 MHz memory, upgradeable to 4 GB using two soDIMM modules

Display and graphics

• Mobile Intel® GM965/PM965 Express Chipset (for selected models)

• NVIDIA® GeForce® 9500M GS with 512MB of dedicated VRAM supporting TurboCache™ (for

selected models)

TV-tuner

• Digital TV-tuner supporting DVB-T

Audio

• Dolby® -certified surround sound system with two built-in stereo speakers and one subwoofer

supporting lowfrequency effects

• S/PDIF (Sony/Philips Digital Interface) support for digital speakers

• Built-in stereo microphones

Chapter 1 1

Storage subsystem

• 2.5" hard disk drive

• Optical drive options:

• Blu-ray Disc™ (BD) drive (for selected models)

• DVD-Super Multi double-layer drive

• 6-in-1 card reader

Input devices

• 88-/89-key keyboard

• Touchpad pointing device

• Acer CineDash media console capacitive human interface device, including: capacitive

human interface device.

Communication

• Acer Video Conference, featuring:

• Integrated Acer Crystal Eye webcam

• Acer Video Conference Manager software

• Acer PureZone technology

• Optional Acer Xpress VoIP phone

• WLAN: Intel

• WPAN: Bluetooth

• LAN: Gigabit Ethernet, Wake-on-LAN ready

• Modem: 56K ITU V.92

® Wireless WiFi Link network connection or Intel® PRO/Wireless network connection

® 2.0+EDR

I/O Ports

• ExpressCard™/54 slot

• 6-in-1 card reader (SD™, MMC, MMCplus™, MS, MS PRO, xD)

• Four USB 2.0 ports

• HDMI™ port with HDCP support (for selected models)

• Consumer infrared (CIR) port

• External display (VGA) port

• Headphone/speaker/line-out jack with S/PDIF support

• Microphone-in jack

• Line-in jack

• Ethernet (RJ-45) port

• Modem (RJ-11) port

NOTE:

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• HDCP is acronym for High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection. An encryption system for enforcing

digital rights management (DRM) over DVI and HDMI interfaces

Environment

• Temperature:

•operating: 5 C to 35 C

°°

•Non-operating: -20 C to 65 C

•Humidity (non-condensing):

•operating: 20%~80%

•Non-operating: 20%~80%

°°

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System Block Diagram

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Board Layout

Chapter 1 5

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Your Acer Notebook tour

After knowing your computer features, let us show you around your new Aspire computer.

Chapter 1 7

Closed Front View

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Left View

Chapter 1 9

Right View

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Chapter 1 11

Base view

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Indicators

The computer has several easy-to-read status indicators.

The front panel indicators are visible even when the computer cover is closed up.

NOTE: 1. Charging: The light shows amber when the battery is charging. 2. Fully charged: The light shows

green when in AC mode.

Easy-Launch Buttons

Located beside the keyboard are application buttons. These buttons are called easy-launch buttons. They are: WLAN, Internet, email, Bluetooth and Acer Empowering Technology.

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The mail and Web browser buttons are pre-set to email and Internet programs, but can be reset by users. To set the Web browser, mail and programmable buttons, run the Acer Launch Manager.

Touchpad Basics

The following teaches you how to use the touchpad:

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Move your finger across the touchpad (2) to move the cursor.

Press the left (1) and right (4) buttons located beneath the touchpad to perform selection and execution functions. These two buttons are similar to the left and right buttons on a mouse. Tapping on the touchpad is the same as clicking the left button.

Use the 4-way scroll (3) button to scroll up or down and move left or right a page. This button mimics your cursor pressing on the right scroll bar of Windows applications.

NOTE: When using the touchpad, keep it - and your infers - 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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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 and embedded numeric keypad

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

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 embedded keypad

Cursor-control keys on embedded keypad

Main keyboard keys Hold <Fn> while typing

Type numbers in a normal manner.

Hold <Shift> while using cursor-control keys.

letters on embedded keypad.

Hold <Fn> while using cursor-control keys.

Type the letters in a normal manner.

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Windows Keys

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

Hot Keys

The computer employs hotkeys or key combinations to access most of the computer’s controls like sreen brightness, volume output and the BIOS utility.

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

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Special Key

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

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The Euro symbol

1. Open a text editor or word processor.

2. Either directly press the <> symbol at the bottom-right of the keyboard, or hold <Alt Gr> and then press the<5> symbol at the upper-center of the keyboard.

NOTE: Some fonts and software do not support the Euro symbol. Please refer to www.microsoft.com/

typography/faq/faq12.htm for more information.

The US dollar sign

1. Open a text editor or word processor.

2. Either directly press the <> key at the bottom-right of the keyboard, or hold <Shift> and then press the <4> key at the upper-center of the keyboard.

NOTE: This function varies by the operating system version.

Chapter 1 19

Acer Empowering Technology

Acer’s innovative Empowering Technology makes it easy for you to access frequently used functions and manage your new Acer notebook. It features the following handy utilities:

• Acer eAudio Management allows you to easily control the enhanced sound effects of Dolby Home

Theater on your system.

• Acer ePower Management optimizes battery usage via customizable power plans.

• Acer eDataSecurity Management protects data with passwords and encryption (for selected

models).

• Acer eRecovery Management backs up and recovers data flexibly, reliablyand completely.

• Acer eSettings Management accesses system information and adjusts settings easily.

For more information, press the < > key to launch the Empowering Technology menu, then click on the appropriate utility and select the Help or Tutorial function.

Empowering Technology password

You must set the Empowering Technology password to use the password

protection feature of Acer eRecovery Management to protect your data.

To set the Empowering Technology password:

1 Launch Acer eRecovery Management.

2 Click the Restore tab.

3 Click Password settings. The Empowering Technology Password Center dialog box pops up.

4 Click Create a new password.

5 In the Create a New Password dialog box, key in and confirm your password in the appropriate boxes.

Your password should have a minimum of 4 and a maximum of 12 characters.

6 Enter a password hint that will help you remember your password.

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7 Make sure the box Use for Acer eRecovery Management is checked.

8 Click OK to set the password.

Acer eAudio Management

Acer eAudio Management allows you to easily control the enhanced sound

effects of Dolby Home Theater on your system. Select Movie or Game mode to

experience the awesome realism of 5.1-channel audio output from the speakers

fitted to your system via Dolby Surround sound technology. Music mode lets

you enjoy your favorite tunes, in vivid detail.

Chapter 1 21

To choose your playback device, click the icon on the upper right side of

the Acer eAudio Management window.

Acer ePower Management

Acer ePower Management features a straightforward user interface for

configuring your power management options. To access this utility, select Acer

ePower Management from the Empowering Technology toolbar, run the

program from the Acer Empowering Technology program group in Start menu,

or right-click the Windows power icon in the system tray and select Acer ePower

Management.

AC Mode (Adapter mode)

The default setting is “Maximum Performance.” You can adjust CPU speed, LCD brightness and other settings, or click on buttons to turn the following functions on/off: Wireless LAN, Bluetooth, CardBus, FireWire (1394), Wired LAN and Optical Device if supported.

DC Mode (Battery mode)

There are four pre-defined profiles - Entertainment, Presentation, Word Processing, and Battery Life. You can also define up to three of your own.

To create new power profile

1. Change power settings as desired.

2. Click “Save as...” to save to a new power profile.

3. Name the newly created profile.

4. Select whether this profile is for Adapter or Battery mode, then click OK.

5. The new profile will appear in the profile list.

Battery status

For real-time battery life estimates based on current usage, referto the panel on the lower left-hand side of the window.

22 Chapter 1

For additional options, click “Settings” to:

Set alarms.

Re-load factory defaults.

Select what actions will be taken when the cover is closed or the power button is pressed.

View information about Acer ePower Management.

Acer eDataSecurity Management

(for selected models)

Acer eDataSecurity Management is an encryption utility that protects your files

from being accessed by unauthorized persons. It is conveniently integrated with

Windows Explorer as a shell extension for quick data encryption/decryption and

also supports on-the-fly file encryption for Lotus Notes and Microsoft Outlook.

On first use, the Acer eDataSecurity Management setup wizard will prompt you

to create the Master Password. You will use this password to access the Personal

Secure Disk (PSD). The Master Password may also be used to encrypt/decrypt

files by default.

If you set a different password to encrypt a file, but you forgot the encryption

password, you can use the Master Password to decrypt the file.

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