Acer TRAVELMATE 280 series, TRAVELMATE 230 series User Manual

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TravelMate 230/280 series

User’s guide

TravelMate 230/280 series User’s guide Original Issue: November 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.

TravelMate 230/280 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.

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 PDF (Portable Document Format). Follow these steps:

1 Click on Start, Programs, TravelMate. 2 Click on TravelMate 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 menu.

iii

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

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 26.

• 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 26.

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:

1 Power off the computer and remove the battery pack. 2 Disconnect the AC adapter. 3 Use 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 59.

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 Left view 4 Right view 5 Rear view 6

Bottom view 7 Features 9 Indicators 11

Understanding the icons 12 Using the keyboard 13

Special keys 13 Touchpad 20

Touchpad basics 20 Storage 22

Hard disk 22

Optical drive 22

Floppy drive 24 Audio 25

Adjusting the volume 25 Power management 26 Moving around with your TravelMate 27

Disconnecting from the desktop 27

Moving around 27

Taking the computer home 28

Traveling with the computer 30

Traveling internationally with the computer 30 Securing your computer 32

Using a computer security lock 32

2 Customizing my computer 35

Expanding through options 37

Connectivity options 37

Upgrade options 41 Using system utilities 44

Notebook Manager 44

Launch Manager 44

BIOS Utility 45

3 Troubleshooting my computer 59

Frequently-asked questions 61 Error messages 65 Requesting service 69

International Traveler’s Warranty (ITW) 69 Before you call 69

Appendix A Specifications 71

Appendix B Notices 77

Index 85

Contentsviii

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.

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

# Item Description

1 Display screen Also called LCD (liquid-crystal display),

displays computer output.

1 Getting to know your TravelMate4

# Item Description

2 Status indicators LEDs (light-emitting diodes) that turn on

and off to show the status of the computer, its functions and components.

3 Touchpad Touch-sensitive pointing device which

functions like a computer mouse.

4 Click buttons (left,

center and right)

5 Palmrest Comfortable support area for your hands

6 Keyboard Inputs data into your computer.

7 Launch Keys Buttons for launching frequently used

8 Power switch Turns on the computer power.

The left and right buttons function like the left and right mouse buttons; the center button serves as a scroll up/down button.

when you use the computer.

programs. See“Launch Keys” on page 18 for more details.

Left view

# Item Description

1 PC Card slot Connects to one Type III or one Type II

16-bit PC Card or 32-bit CardBus PC Card.

2 Eject button Ejects the PC Card from the slot.

# Item Description

3 Floppy activity indicator LED (light-emitting diode) that turns

on and off when the floppy is active.

4 Speaker/Headphone-out jack Connects to audio line-out devices

(e.g., speakers, headphones).

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

audio CD player, stereo walkman).

6 Microphone-in jack Accepts a mono/stereo condenser

microphone.

7 Floppy drive Internal diskette drive; accepts 3.5-

8 Volume control Controls the volume of the speakers.

9 Floppy disk eject button Push this button to eject the floppy

inch diskettes.

disk.

Right view

# Item Description

1 Battery bay Houses the computer's battery pack.

2 Optical drive Internal optical drive; accepts CDs or DVDs

depending on the optical drive type.

1 Getting to know your TravelMate6

# Item Description

3 LED indicator Lights up when the optical drive is active.

4 Emergency eject slot Ejects the optical drive tray when the

computer is turned off. See page 62 for more details.

5 Eject button Ejects the optical drive tray from the drive.

6 Security keylock Connects to a Kensington-compatible

computer security lock.

Rear view

# Item Description

1 Power jack Connects to an AC adapter.

2 Parallel port Connects to a parallel device (e.g., parallel

printer).

3 USB ports (2) Connect to Universal Serial Bus (USB) 2.0

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

4 Modem jack Connects to a phone line.

# Item Description

5 Network jack Connects to an Ethernet 10/100-based

network.

6 External display

port

Bottom view

Connects to a display device (e.g., external monitor, LCD projector) and displays up to 16M colors at 1024x768 resolution.

# Item Description

1 Battery bay Houses the computer's battery pack.

2 Battery release

latch

3 Hard disk bay Houses the computer's hard disk (secured by a

Unlatches the battery to remove the battery pack.

screw).

# Item Description

1 Getting to know your TravelMate8

4Memory

compartment

Houses the computer's main memory.

Features

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

Performance

• Intel® Mobile Pentium® 4 processor with 512 KB L2 cache or Intel® Mobile Celeron® processor with 256 KB L2 cache

• 64-bit memory bus

• CD, DVD or DVD/CD-RW combo drive

• Built-in floppy drive

• High-capacity Enhanced-IDE hard disk

• High-capacity battery pack

• Advanced Configuration Power Interface (ACPI) power

management system

Display

• 14.1” or 15” Thin-Film Transistor (TFT) liquid crystal display (LCD) displaying 16M color at 1024x768 XGA (eXtended Graphics Array) resolution

• 3D capabilities

• Simultaneous LCD and CRT display support

• Supports other output display devices such as LCD projection

panels for large-audience presentations

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

• Dual display capability

Multimedia

• 16-bit high-fidelity AC’97 stereo audio with 3D sound and wavetable synthesizer

• Built-in dual speakers

• High-speed CD, DVD or DVD/CD-RW combo drive

Connectivity

• High-speed fax/data modem port

1 Getting to know your TravelMate10

• Ethernet/Fast Ethernet port

• USB (Universal Serial Bus) 2.0 ports

• 802.11a/802.11b wireless LAN option

• Bluetooth option

Human-centric design and ergonomics

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

• Sleek, smooth and stylish design

• Full-sized keyboard

• Ergonomically-centered touchpad pointing device

Expansion

• One Type III or one Type II CardBus PC Card (formerly PCMCIA) slot

• Upgradeable memory

Indicators

The computer has six easy-to-read status icons below the display screen.

The Power and Sleep status icons are visible even when you close the display cover so you can see the status of the computer while the cover is closed.

Icon Function Description

Power Lights when the computer is on.

Sleep Lights when the computer enters Standby mode

and blinks when it enters into or resumes from hibernation mode.

Media Activity Lights when the floppy drive, hard disk or

Battery Charge Lights when the battery is being charged.

Caps Lock Lights when Caps Lock is activated.

optical drive is active.

1 Getting to know your TravelMate12

Icon Function Description

Num Lock Lights when Num Lock is activated.

Understanding the icons

When the cover of your computer is closed, 4 easy-to-read icons are shown, indicationg which state or feature is enabled or disabled.

No. Description

1 Lights up when Bluetooth is enabled.

2 Lights up when the wireless LAN is enabled.

3 Lights up when the computer is on.

4 Lights when the computer enters Standby mode and blinks

when it enters into or resumes from hibernation mode.

Using the keyboard

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

Special keys

Lock keys

The keyboard has three 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

Num Lock (Fn-F11)

Scroll Lock (Fn-F12)

uppercase.

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.

When Scroll Lock is on, the screen moves one line up or down when you press the up or down arrow keys respectively. Scroll Lock does not work with some applications.

1 Getting to know your TravelMate14

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 embedded keypad

Cursor-control keys on embedded keypad

Main keyboard keys Hold Fn while typing letters

Note: If an external keyboard or keypad is connected to the computer, the Num Lock feature automatically shifts from the internal keyboard to the external keyboard or keypad.

Type numbers in a normal manner.

Hold Shift while using cursor-control keys.

on embedded keypad.

Hold Fn while using cursor-control keys.

Type the letters in a normal manner.

Windows keys

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

Key Description

Windows logo key Start button. Combinations with this key perform

shortcut 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 the Run... dialog box)

Application key Opens a context menu (same as a right-click).

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.

1 Getting to know your TravelMate16

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 Setup Accesses the computer’s

configuration utility.

Fn-F3 Power

Management Scheme Toggle

Fn-F4 Sleep Puts the computer in Sleep

Fn-F5 Display Toggle Switches display output

Fn-F6 Screen Blank Turns the display screen

Switches the power management scheme used by the computer (function available if supported by operating system).

mode.

between the display screen, external monitor (if connected) and both the display screen and external monitor.

backlight off to save power. Press any key to return.

Hot key Icon Function Description

Fn-F7 Touchpad Toggle Turns the internal touchpad

on and off.

Fn-F8 Speaker Toggle Turns the speakers on and off.

Fn-→ Brightness up Increases the screen

brightness.

Fn-

←

Fn-PgUp Home Functions as the “Home” key.

Fn-PgDn End Functions as the “End” key.

Alt GrEuro

Brightness down Decreases the screen

brightness.

Euro Types the Euro symbol.

The Euro symbol

If your keyboard layout is set to United States-International or United Kingdom or if you have a keyboard with a European layout, you can type the Euro symbol on your keyboard.

Note for US keyboard users: The keyboard layout is set when you first set up Windows. For the Euro symbol to work, the keyboard layout has to be set to United States-International.

To verify the keyboard type: 1 Click on Start, Control Panel. 2 Double-click on Regional and Language Options. 3 Click on the Language tab and click on Details. 4 Verify that the keyboard layout used for "En English (United

States)" is set to United States-International.

1 Getting to know your TravelMate18

If not, select and click on ADD; then select United States- International and click on OK.

5 Click on OK. To type the Euro symbol:

1 Locate the Euro symbol on your keyboard. 2 Open a text editor or word processor. 3 Hold Alt Gr and press the Euro symbol.

Some fonts and software do not support the Euro symbol. Please refer to http://www.microsoft.com/typography/faq/faq12.htm for more information.

Launch Keys

Located at the top of the keyboard are five buttons. These buttons are called launch keys. They are designated as Wireless/Bluetooth button, Web browser button, mail button, P1 and P2. The Wireless/Bluetooth button cannot be set by the user. To set the other four launch keys, run the Acer Launch Manager.

Note: Press the Wireless/Bluetooth button once to enable the wireless LAN feature, press again to enable the Bluetooth feature. Pressing the button a third time turns on both features, while pressing it the fourth time turns off both features.

No. Description Default application

1 Wireless/Bluetooth 802.11a/802.11b wireless LAN/Bluetooth

(Optional)

2 Web browser Internet browser application

3 Mail Email application

4 P1 User-programmable

5 P2 User-programmable

1 Getting to know your TravelMate20

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 palmrest provides optimum comfort and support.

Note: When using an external USB mouse, you can press Fn-F7 to disable the touchpad.

Touchpad basics

The following items teach you how to use the touchpad:

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

• Press the left (1) and right (3) 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.

• Use the center (2) button (top and bottom) to scroll up or down a page. This button mimics your cursor pressing on the right scroll bar of Windows applications.

Function Left button

Execute Click twice

quickly

Select Click once Tap once

Drag Click and

hold, then use finger to drag the cursor on the touchpad

Access context menu

Scroll Click

Right button

Click once

Center buttons

and hold the up/ down button

Tap

Tap twice (at the same speed as double-clicking a mouse button)

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

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 harder will not increase the touchpad’s responsiveness.

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