Acer TravelMate C100 User Manual

TravelMate C100 series

User’s Guide

TravelMate C100 series User’s Guide Original Issue: Septermber 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 C100 Series Convertible Tablet PC

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.

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A handy Pocket Guide is useful for quick glances at functional key combinations.

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 (http://global.acer.com

Basic care and tips for using your computer

Connecting your computer

Connecting the computer is as easy as 1-2-3. 1 Insert the battery pack into the battery compartment, and press

down until it clicks into place.

2 Connect one end of the AC adapter to the power jack on the

computer’s rear panel and the other end to a properly-grounded power outlet.

3 Push the display cover two-way latch to open the display.

4 Slide the power switch towards the rear of the computer (a) then

release it (b) to turn on the power. The POST (power-on self-test) routine executes and Windows begins loading.

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

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

• Use the power switch

Note: You can also use the power switch to perform power management functions. See “Power management” on page 32.

• 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).

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.

• 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

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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.

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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 6 Right view 7 Rear view 8 Bottom view 9

Using your computer in tablet mode 11

Switching to tablet mode 11

Switching to computer mode 15 Features 16 Indicators 18 Using the keyboard 20

Special keys 20 Touchpad 28

Touchpad basics 28 Storage 30

Hard disk 30

Optical drive 30 Audio 31

Adjusting the volume 31 Power management 32 Moving around with your TravelMate 33

Disconnecting from the desktop 33

Moving around 33

Taking the computer home 34

Traveling with the computer 36

Traveling internationally with the computer 36 Securing your computer 38

Using a computer security lock 38

Using the Smart Card 38

Using passwords 44

Contents

2 Customizing your computer 47

Expanding through options 49

Connectivity options 49

Upgrade options 54

Notebook Manager 56

Launch Manager 56 BIOS Utility 57

3 Troubleshooting your computer 59

Frequently-asked questions 61 Troubleshooting tips 64 Error messages 65 Requesting service 67

International Traveler’s Warranty (ITW) 67 Before you call 67

Appendix A Specifications 69

Appendix B Notices 75

Index 89

1 Getting to know your

TravelMate

Your TravelMate 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.

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 Two-way latch Use to latch the LCD screen in both normal

mode and tablet mode.

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

displays computer output. Input-capable with the aid of the EMR stylus.

3 Convertible hinge Hinges the LCD screen in place when

switching from PC mode to tablet mode and vice versa.

1 Getting to know your TravelMate4

# Item Description

4 Screen support Supports the LCD screen, press and release

before switching from PC mode to tablet mode and vice versa.

5 Launch keys Buttons for launching frequently used

programs. See “Launch keys” on page 25 for more details.

6 Touchpad Touch-sensitive pointing device which

functions like a computer mouse.

7 Click buttons (left,

center and right)

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

8 Microphone Captures sounds and voices into your

computer.

9 Infrared port Interfaces with infrared devices (e.g.,

infrared printer, IR-aware computers).

10 Palmrest Comfortable support area for your hands

when you use the computer.

11 Keyboard Inputs data into your computer.

12 Enter button Use to confirm selection in tablet mode. This

button can also be used to emulate the ESC button by first pressing the Fn button and then this button. This button can be configured by the user. See note on page 5.

13 Page down button Use to scroll one page down in tablet mode.

This button can also be used to emulate the Tab button by first pressing the Fn button and then this button. This button can be configured by the user. See note on page 5.

14 Page up button Use to scroll one page up in tablet mode.

This button is used to rotate the display by first pressing the Fn button and then this button. This button can be configured by the user. See note on page 5.

# Item Description

15 Function key button This button is used together with other

buttons to invoke the tablet applications. This button is set and cannot be configured by the user.

16 Windows Security

button

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

18 EMR stylus Electromagnetic resonance (EMR) stylus that is

Note: To configure the Enter, Page up and Page down buttons, double-click on the Change tablet and pen settings icon on the Windows taskbar.

- or -

Click on Start on the Windows taskbar and click on Control Panel to open the Control Panel dialog box. Click on Change to classic view, then double-click on the Change tablet and pen settings.

This button is used to emulate the CTRL+ALT+DEL key combination which launches the Windows Security dialog box. This button is set and cannot be configured by the user.

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

used to input data in tablet mode. Use only an EMR-compatible stylus to input data on the screen.

Click on the Tablet Buttons tab on the Tablet and Pen Settings dialog box and change the buttons accordingly.

Left view

1 Getting to know your TravelMate6

# Item Description

1 Screen support Supports the LCD screen, press and release

before switching from PC mode to tablet mode and vice versa.

2 Power switch Turns on the computer power.

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

a screw).

Right view

# Item Description

1 EMR stylus Electromagnetic resonance (EMR) stylus that is

used to input data in tablet mode. Use only an EMR-compatible stylus to input data on the screen.

2 PC Card eject button Ejects the PC Card from the slot.

3 PC Card slot Accepts one Type II 16-bit PC Card or 32-bit

CardBus PC Card.

4 Smart Card eject

button

5 Speaker/

Headphone-out jack

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

7 IEEE 1394 port Connects to IEEE 1394 devices.

Ejects the Smart Card from the slot.

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

player, stereo walkman).

1 Getting to know your TravelMate8

# Item Description

8 USB port 1 Connects to any Universal Serial Bus device

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

9 USB port 2 Connects to any Universal Serial Bus device

10 Screen support Supports the LCD screen, press and release

11 Smart Card slot Slot for Smart Card interface with pre-boot

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

before switching from PC mode to tablet mode and vice versa.

authentication system.

Rear view

# Item Description

1 Security keylock Connects to a Kensington-compatible

computer security lock.

2 External display

port

3 Modem jack Connects to a phone line.

Connects to a display device (e.g., external monitor, LCD projector) and displays up to 16M colors at 1024 x 768 resolution.

# Item Description

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

network.

5 Power jack Connects to an AC adapter.

Bottom view

# Item Description

1Memory

compartment

2 Battery lock/unlock

latch

3 Battery release latch Unlatches the battery to remove the

Houses the computer's main memory.

Locks and unlocks the battery bay.

battery pack.

1 Getting to know your TravelMate10

# Item Description

4 Battery bay Houses the computer's battery pack.

5 Hard disk bay Houses the computer's hard disk (secured

by a screw).

6 Hard disk anti-shock

protection

7 Personal

identification slot

Protects your hard disk against accidental shock and vibration.

Insert an identification card to personalize your computer.

Using your computer in tablet mode

Your computer is designed for convenience, ergonomic use, and portability. Running the Windows XP Tablet PC edition operating system, your TravelMate utilizes an EMR stylus for pen-based input. Software developed specifically for the computer allows for both handwriting recognition converted to application text, or handwriting captured as rich digital ink for manipulation, editing, and formatting. By combining Windows-based applications with the versatility of penbased input, this computer offers new ways for users to communicate in a wireless environment.

Switching to tablet mode

To switch to table mode, follow the steps below: 1 Push and slide the two-way latch in the direction as shown in the

illustration below (a) and open the display screen (b).

1 Getting to know your TravelMate12

Push and slide the two-way latch all the way as shown in the illustration above.

Warning: When switching to tablet mode, make sure that you open the display at an angle between 85° to 95°. Doing

otherwise will damage your keyboard when rotating the display screen.

1 Getting to know your TravelMate14

2 Press and release the screen support holding the display screen on

both sides.

3 Rotate the display screen 180 degrees clockwise as shown in the

illustration. Make sure that the display screen is aligned with the screen supports that will hold it in place.

Warning: Rotate the display screen clockwise only when switching to the tablet mode. Rotating the display screen counterclockwise might damage it.

4 Press the screen supports on both sides until they click into place

(a); then close and latch the display.

5 Remove the EMR stylus from its slot to begin pen-based input.

Switching to computer mode

To switch back to computer mode, reverse the steps of the “Switching to tablet mode” procedure.

1 Getting to know your TravelMate16

Features

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

Performance

• Mobile Intel® Pentium® III Processor-M with 512 KB level 2 cache featuring the new Enhanced Intel® SpeedStep™ technology

• Memory expandable up to 256 MB

• High-capacity, Enhanced-IDE hard disk

• Li-Ion main battery pack

• Power management system with ACPI (Advanced Configuration Power Interface)

• Smart Card interface with pre-boot authentication system for added security

Display

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

• 8 MB Video DRAM

• 3D capabilities

• Simultaneous LCD and CRT display support

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

• Dual display capability

• Tablet mode for LCD panel (Rotatable display)

Multimedia

• 16-bit high-fidelity AC’97 PCI stereo audio with wavetable synthesizer

• Built-in speaker and microphone

• High-speed optical (CD-ROM) drive

Connectivity

• High-speed fax/data modem port

• Fast infrared wireless communication

• USB (Universal Serial Bus) ports

• Ethernet/Fast Ethernet port

• IEEE 1394 port

• 802.11b wireless LAN (Available on select model)

Human-centric design and ergonomics

• Sleek, smooth and stylish design

• Acer FineTouch keyboard

• Ergonomically-centered touchpad pointing device

• Internet scroll key

• Support pen input via EMR stylus

Expansion

• Type II CardBus PC Card (formerly PCMCIA) slot

• Upgradeable memory

1 Getting to know your TravelMate18

Indicators

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

Icon Function Description

Num Lock Lights when Num Lock is activated.

Caps Lock Lights when Caps Lock is activated.

Battery Charge Lights when the battery is being charged.

Media Activity Lights when the floppy drive, hard disk or

optical drive is active.

Sleep Lights when the computer enters Sleep mode.

Power Lights when the computer is on.

Wireless Communication

Lights when the Wireless LAN capabilities are enabled.

The Power, Sleep and InviLink 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.

1 Getting to know your TravelMate20

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

uppercase.

Num Lock (Fn-F11)

Scroll Lock (Fn-F12)

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.

Note: To access the Num Lock and Scroll Lock functions, hold the Fn key down while pressing the F11 and F12 keys respectively.

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