Acer TRAVELMATE C300 User Manual

TravelMate C300 series

User’s guide

TravelMate C300 series User’s guide Original Issue: October 2003

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 C300 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.

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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, All Programs, AcerSystem. 2 Click on AcerSystem 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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For more information about our products, services, and support information, please visit our Web site (www.acer.com).

Basic care and tips for using your computer

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Turning your computer on and off

To turn on the computer, simply slide and release the power switch on the left side of your TravelMate. See “Left view” on page 4 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 Tur n O ff.

• Use the power switch

Note: You can also use the power switch to perform power

management functions. See “Power management” on page 29..

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

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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.

4 If the computer does not operate normally.Please refer to

"Troubleshooting my computer" on page 51.

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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 4 Right view 5 Rear view 6 Bottom view 8

Using your computer in tablet mode 9

Writing in the tablet mode 9 Features 12 Indicators 14

Understanding the icons 16 Using the keyboard 17

Special keys 17 Touchpad 24

Touchpad basics 24 Storage 26

Hard disk 26

Optical drive 26 Audio 28 Power management 29 Acer light sensor 30 Moving around with your TravelMate 31

Disconnecting from the desktop 31

Moving around 31

Taking the computer home 32

Traveling with the computer 34

Traveling internationally with the computer 35 Securing your computer 36

Using a computer security lock 36

2 Customizing my computer 39

Expanding through options 41

Connectivity options 41

Upgrade options 44 Using system utilities 47

Notebook Manager 47

Launch Manager 48

BIOS Utility 49

3 Troubleshooting my computer 51

Frequently-asked questions 53 Requesting service 57

International Travelers Warranty (ITW) 57 Before you call 57

Appendix A Acer launch mate 59

Appendix B Specifications 65

Appendix C Notices 71

Index 81

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

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# Item Description

1 EMR stylus Electromagnetic resonate (EMR) stylus is

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

1 Getting to know your TravelMate4

# Item Description

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

3 Tablet Keys Add enhanced functionality when

4 Launch Keys Buttons for launching frequently used

5 Palmrest Comfortable support area for your hands

6 Click buttons (left,

center and right)

7 Touchpad Touch-sensitive pointing device which

8 Keyboard Inputs data into your computer.

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

displays computer output.

operating in Tablet mode.

programs. See“Launch Keys” on page 23 for more details.

when you use the computer.

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

functions like a computer mouse.

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

Left view

# Item Description

1 Security keylock Connects to a Kensington-compatible

computer security lock.

# Item Description

2 Power switch Turns on the computer power.

3 Ventilation slot Allows air to circulate through the

computer chassis.

4 AcerMedia Bay For hot-swappable modules including

DVD-ROM, DVD/CD-RW combo or DVD dual drive.

5 LED indicator Lights up when the optical drive is

active.

6 Eject button Ejects the optical drive tray from the

drive.

7 Emergency eject slot Ejects the optical drive tray when the

computer is turned off. See page 54 for more details.

8 Pen slot Keeps the stylus handy when not in

use.

Right view

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# Item Description

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

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

authentication system.

printer, IR-aware computer).

# Item Description

1 Getting to know your TravelMate6

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

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

CardBus PC Card.

Rear view

# Item Description

1 Line-in/Mic-in jack Accepts audio line-in devices (e.g., audio CD

player, stereo walkman).

2 Speaker/Line-out

Headphone jack

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

3 IEEE 1394 port Connects to IEEE 1394 devices.

4 Expansion port Connects to an I/O port replicator or Acer

5 Network jack Connects to a 10/100/1000 t-based Gigabit

6 Modem jack Connects to a phone line.

EasyPort port expansion device.

Ethernet network.

# Item Description

7 Convertible hinge Hinges the LCD screen in place when switching

8 External display

port

9 S-video Connect to a television or display device with

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

11 Power jack Connects to an AC adapter.

from PC mode to tablet mode and vice versa.

Connects to a display device (e.g., external monitor, LCD projector) .

S-video input.

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

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1 Getting to know your TravelMate8

Bottom view

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# Item Description

1AcerMedia bay

release latch

2 AcerMedia bay Houses an AcerMedia drive module.

3 Cooling fan Helps keep the computer cool.

4Memory

compartment

5 Hard disk

protector

6 Hard disk bay Houses the computers Hard disk drive.

7 Battery Lock &

release latch

8 Battery bay Houses the computer's battery pack.

Unlatches the AcerMedia drive for removal or swapping.

Note: Don’t cover or obstruct the fan opening.

Houses the computer's main memory.

Protects the hard disk from accidental dumps and vibration.

Unlock and unlatches the battery to remove the battery pack.

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.

Writing in the tablet mode

To write in the table mode, follow the steps below: 1 Turn the latch to the right (a) and open the display screen in the

direction as shown in the illustration below (b).

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Caution: In the notebook mode, please turn the latch to left to prevent any dangerous action.

1 Getting to know your TravelMate10

2 Open the display screen to an angle of about 90 degrees. Rotate

the display screen 180 degrees clockwise as shown in the illustration.

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Note: Do not rotate the display screen in any other angle.

3 With the screen facing away from the keyboard, close the display

cover and slide the lock lever to properly secure the screen.

4 Remove the EMR stylus from the pen slot to begin pen-based

input.

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Features

1 Getting to know your TravelMate12

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

Performance

• Intel® Pentium® M processor with 1MB L2 cache

• Intel® 855GM chipset

• CD ROM, DVD, DVD/CD-RW combo, DVD or DVD-dual drive

• High-capacity Enhanced-IDE hard disk

• High-capacity LI-ION battery

• Advanced Configuration Power Interface (ACPI) power

management system

Display

• 14.1” Thin-Film Transistor (TFT) liquid crystal display (LCD) supporting pen-based input, with 16M color at 1024x768 XGA (eXtended Graphics Array) resolution

• 3D capabilities

• Simultaneous LCD and CRT display support

• Dual display capability

• Supports other output display devices such as LCD projection

panels for large-audience presentations

• Light Sensing background luminance detection - panel automatically adjusts screen brightness

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

Multimedia

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

• Built-in stereo speakers

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

drive

Connectivity

• High-speed fax/data modem port

• 10/100/1000 t-based Gigabit Ethernet port

• USB (Universal Serial Bus) 2.0 ports

• IEEE 1394 port

• 802.11b, 802.11 a+b wireless LAN options

• Bluetooth option

Human-centric design and ergonomics

• Sleek, smooth and stylish design

• Full-sized keyboard

• Ergonomically-centered touchpad pointing device

• Rotating/folding screen for Tablet PC functionality

Expansion

• One Type II CardBus PC Card slot

• Upgradeable memory

• AcerMedia bay

• Acer EasyPort II

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Indicators

1 Getting to know your TravelMate14

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The computer has eight easy-to-read status icons at the top of 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

Wireless communication

Bluetooth Lights when Bluetooth is enabled or a

Power Lights when the computer is on.

Sleep Lights when the computer enters Standby mode

Lights when the Wireless LAN capabilities are enabled.

Bluetooth enabled device is within range.

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

Icon Function Description

Media Activity Lights when the floppy drive, hard disk or

optical drive is active.

Battery Charge Lights when the battery is being charged.

Caps Lock Lights when Caps Lock is activated.

Num Lock Lights when Num Lock is activated.

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1 Getting to know your TravelMate16

Understanding the icons

When the cover of your computer is closed, four easy-to-read icons are

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shown, indicating which state or feature is enabled or disabled.

Icon Description

Lights when Bluetooth is enabled or a Bluetooth enabled device is within range.

Lights when the Wireless LAN capabilities are enabled.

Lights up when the computer is on.

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

uppercase.

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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.

1 Getting to know your TravelMate18

Embedded numeric keypad

The embedded numeric keypad functions like a desktop numeric

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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)

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+ 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).

1 Getting to know your TravelMate20

Hot keys

The computer employs hot keys or key combinations to access most of

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the computer’s controls like screen brightness, volume output and the BIOS Utility.

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

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

mode.

+ 64 hidden pages

Acer TRAVELMATE C300 User Manual

First things first

Your guides

Basic care and tips for using your computer

Contents

A TravelMate tour

Front view

Left view

Right view

Rear view

Bottom view

Using your computer in tablet mode

Writing in the tablet mode

Features

Indicators

Understanding the icons

Using the keyboard

Special keys