Acer TRAVELMATE-C310 User Manual

TravelMate C310 Series

User's Guide

TravelMate C310 Series User's Guide Original Issue: April 2005

Changes may be made periodically to the information in this publication without obligation to notify any person of such revisions 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, electronically, mechanically, by photocopy, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of Acer Incorporated.

TravelMate C310 Series Notebook Computer

Model number: __________________________________

Serial number: ___________________________________

Purchase date: ___________________________________

Place of purchase: ________________________________

Acer and the Acer logo are registered trademarks of Acer Incorporated. Other companies' 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 meeting your mobile computing needs.

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.

The printed User's Guide introduces you to the basic features and functions of your new computer. For more on how your computer can help you to be more productive, please refer to the AcerSystem User's Guide. This guide contains detailed information on such subjects as system utilities, data recovery, expansion options, and troubleshooting. In addition it contains warranty information and the general regulations and safety notices for your notebook. It is available in Portable Document Format (PDF) and comes preloaded on your notebook. Follow these steps to access it: 1 Click on Start, All Programs, AcerSystem.

2 Click on AcerSystem User's Guide. Note: Viewing the file requires Adobe Acrobat Reader. If Adobe Acrobat Reader is not installed on your computer, clicking on

AcerSystem 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 and Support menu.

iii

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 1 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 "Moving around" on page 31 of the AcerSystem User's Guide.

• Use the customized functions for power management

You can also shut down the computer by closing the display cover, or by pressing the sleep hotkey <Fn> + <F4>. See "Moving around" on page 31 of the AcerSystem User's Guide.

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 ºC (32 ºF) or above

50 ºC (122 ºF).

• 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 or vibration.

• Do not expose the computer to dust or dirt.

• Never place objects on top of the computer.

• Do not slam the computer display when you close it.

• Never place the computer on uneven surfaces.

Taking care of your AC adaptor

Here are some ways to take care of your AC adaptor:

• Do not connect the adaptor 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 foot 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 possible.

Cleaning and servicing

When cleaning the computer, follow these steps: 1 Turn off the computer and remove the battery pack. 2 Disconnect the AC adaptor.

3 Use a soft, moist cloth. Do not use liquid or aerosol cleaners. If either of the following occurs:

• the computer has been dropped or the body has been damaged;

• the computer does not operate normally

please refer to "Frequently asked questions" on page 21.

Caution

Changes or modifications not expressly approved by the manufacturer could void the user's authority, which is granted by the Federal Communications Commission, to operate this computer.

Operation conditions

This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1) This device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) This device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.

Users are requested to follow the RF safety instructions for wireless option devices that are included in the user's manual of each RF option device.

An improper installation or unauthorized use may cause harmful interference to radio communications. Also, any tampering of the internal antenna will void the FCC certification and your warranty.

To prevent radio interference to the licensed service, this device is intended to be operated indoors, and installation outdoors is subject to licensing.

For more information about our products, services, and support information, please visit our website: http://global.acer.com

First things first iii

Your guides iii Basic care and tips for using your computer iii

Turning your computer on and off iii Taking care of your computer iv Taking care of your AC adaptor iv Taking care of your battery pack v Cleaning and servicing v

A TravelMate tour 1

Front view 1 Closed front view 2 Left view 3 Right view 3 Rear view 4 Base view 5

Specifications 6 Indicators 9 Launch keys 10 Touchpad 11

Touchpad basics 11

Using the keyboard 13

Lock keys and embedded numeric keypad 13 Windows keys 14 Hotkeys 14 Special keys 16

Ejecting the optical (CD or DVD) drive tray 17 Using a computer security lock 17 Audio 18

Adjusting the volume 18

Using the system utilities 19

Acer eManager 19 Launch Manager 20

Frequently asked questions 21

Requesting service 24

International Travelers Warranty (ITW) 24 Before you call 24

Using your computer in Tablet mode 26

Writing in Tablet mode 26 Acer soft button 28

Taking your notebook PC with you 31

Disconnecting from the desktop 31 Moving around 31

Preparing the computer 31 What to take to short meetings 32 What to take to long meetings 32

Taking the computer home 32

Preparing the computer 32 What to take with you 33 Special considerations 33 Setting up a home office 33

Traveling with the computer 33

Preparing the computer 33 What to take with you 34 Special considerations 34

Traveling internationally with the computer 34

Preparing the computer 34 What to bring with you 34 Special considerations 35

Securing your computer 35

Using a computer security lock 35 Using passwords 35

Entering passwords 36 Setting passwords 36

Expanding through options 37

Connectivity options 37

Fax/data modem 37 Built-in network feature 38 Fast Infrared 38 Universal Serial Bus (USB) 39 IEEE 1394 port 39 PC Card slot 40

BIOS utility 41

Boot sequence 41 Enable disk-to-disk recovery 42 Password 42

Using software 42

Playing DVD movies 42

Power management 43 Acer eRecovery 44

Create backup 44 Restore from backup 45 Create factory default image CD 45 Re-install bundled software without CD 45 Change password 46

Troubleshooting 47

Troubleshooting tips 47 Error messages 47

Regulations and safety notices 50

ENERGY STAR guidelines compliance 50 FCC notice 50 Modem notices 52 Important safety instructions 55

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

English

# Item Description 1 EMR stylus Electromagnetic Resonance (EMR) stylus is used to input

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

2 Display screen Also called Liquid-Crystal Display (LCD), displays

3 Tablet Keys Add enhanced functionality when operating in Tablet

computer output.

mode.

English

# Item Description 4 Launch keys Buttons for launching frequently used programs.

See "Launch keys" on page 10 for more details.

5 Palmrest Comfortable support area for your hands when you use

the computer.

6 Click buttons

(left, center and right)

7 Touchpad Touch-sensitive pointing device which functions like a

8 Keyboard For entering data into your computer. 9 Status

indicators

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

computer mouse.

Light-Emitting Diodes (LEDs) that turn on and off to show the status of the computer's functions and components.

Closed front view

# Item Description 1 Speakers Left and right speakers deliver stereo audio

output.

2 Release latch and lock Release (slide right) the latch; lock (slide left) the

latch to secure the lid.

Left view

# Icon Item Description 1 Security keylock Connects to a Kensington-compatible

computer security lock. 2 Power switch Turns the computer on and off. 3 Ventilation slots Enable the computer to stay cool, even after

prolonged use. 4 Acer MediaBay

module

5 Optical drive eject

button 6 LED indicator Lights up when the optical drive is active. 7 Emergency eject

hole 8 Pen slot Keeps the stylus handy when not in use.

Hot-swappable Acer MediaBay modules: DVD-Dual drive, DVD/CD-RW combo drive, secondary hard disk drive or weight-saver.

Ejects the optical drive tray from the drive.

Ejects the optical drive tray when the computer is turned off.

English

Right view

# Icon Item Description 14-in-1 card

reader

Accepts an MS, MS PRO, MMC or SD card. Note: Only one card can operate at any given time.

English

# Icon Item Description 2 USB 2.0 port Connects to USB 2.0 devices (e.g., USB

mouse, USB camera).

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

infrared printer, IR-aware computer).

4 PC Card slot Accepts one Type II PC Card.

5 PC Card slot

eject button

Ejects the PC Card from the slot.

Rear view

# Icon Item Description 1 Line-in/Mic-in jack Accepts inputs from external microphone

or audio devices (e.g., portable cd players, walkmans).

2 Speaker-out/line-

out/Headphone jack

3 IEEE 1394 port Connects to IEEE 1394 devices.

4 124-pin Acer ezDock

connector

5 Ethernet (RJ-45) port Connects to an Ethernet 10/100/1000-based

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

Connects to Acer ezDock.

network (depends on model).

6 Modem (RJ-11) port Connects to a phone line.

7 Convertible hinge Hinges the LCD screen in place when

switching from PC mode to Tablet mode and vice versa.

# Icon Item Description 8 External display port Connects to a display device (e.g., external

monitor, LCD projector).

9 S-video out port Connects to a television or display device

with S-video input.

10 USB 2.0 ports (2) Connects to USB 2.0 devices (e.g., USB

mouse, USB camera).

11 Power jack Connects to an AC adaptor.

Base view

English

# Item Description 1Acer MediaBay

release latch

2 Acer MediaBay Houses an Acer MediaBay module. 3 Cooling fan Helps keep the computer cool.

4Memory

compartment

5Hard disk

protector 6 Hard disk bay Houses the computer's hard disk (secured by a screw). 7 Battery lock and

release latch 8 Battery bay Houses the computer's battery pack.

Unlatches the Acer MediaBay module for removal of module.

Note: Do not cover or obstruct the opening of the fan. Houses the computer's main memory.

Protects the hard disk from accidental bumps and vibration.

Releases the battery for removal.

Specifications

English

Operating system

Platform

Microsoft

Intel

Windows® XP Tablet PC Edition

Centrino™ Mobile Technology, featuring:

• Intel

Celeron® M Processor 350/360/370 (1 MB

L2 cache, 1.30/1.40/1.50 GHz, 400 MHz FSB)

• Intel

Pentium® M Processor 730/740/750/760/ 770 (2 MB L2 cache, 1.60/1.73/1.86/2/2.13 GHz, 533 MHz FSB), supporting Enhanced Intel

SpeedStep

• Intel

• Wireless solution: Intel

Technology

915GM Express chipset (UMA graphics)

915PM Express chipset (discrete graphics)

PRO/Wireless 2200BG

network connection (dual-band 802.11b/g) Wi-

CERTIFIED™ solution, supporting Acer

SignalUp wireless technology

System memory 256/512 MB of DDR2 400/533 MHz memory, upgradeable

to 2 GB using two soDIMM modules (dual-channel support)

Display and graphics

14.1" XGA TFT LCD supporting EMR pen-based input: 1024 x 768 resolution LCD rotates to convert from notebook to Tablet mode

Intel

915GM integrated 3D graphics, featuring Intel®

Graphics Media Accelerator 900 and up to 128 MB of VRAM, supporting Microsoft

DirectX® 9.0

NVIDIA supporting NVIDIA Express

GeForce™ Go 6200 with 32 MB of VRAM,

™

and Microsoft® DirectX® 9.0

TurboCache™ technology, PCI

Dual independent display support

16.7 million colors MPEG-2/DVD hardware-assisted capability S-video/TV-out (NTSC/PAL) support

Storage subsystem

40/60/80/100 GB ATA/100 hard disk drive Acer MediaBay hot-swappable optical drive modules:

• 8X DVD-Super Multi double layer

• DVD/CD-RW combo

4-in-1 card reader supporting Secure Digital (SD), MultiMediaCard (MMC), Memory Stick

™

Stick PRO

(MS PRO)

(MS) and Memory

Dimensions and weight

326 (W) x 272 (D) x 36.5/39 (H) mm, (12.83 x 10.7 x 1.4/1.53 inches)

2.89 kg (6.4 lbs.) with DVD/CD-RW combo drive module and 8-cell battery

Power subsystem

ACPI 2.0 power management standard: supports Standby and Hibernation power-saving modes 65 W 8-cell (4400 mAH) Li-ion battery pack 5-hour battery life

2.5-hour rapid charge, 3.5-hour charge-in-use 3-pin 65 W AC adaptor

Input devices

84-/85-key Acer FineTouch

™

keyboard Touchpad with 4-way integrated scroll button Four easy-launch buttons Five tablet-mode buttons Electromagnetic Resonance (EMR) pen with eraser

Audio Realtek ALC655 Codec audio system with built-in speakers

and microphone Sound Blaster Pro

™

and MS-Sound compatible

Communication Modem: 56K ITU V.92 with PTT approval;

Wake-on-Ring ready LAN: gigabit Ethernet; Wake-on-LAN ready

WLAN: Intel (dual-band 802.11b/g) Wi-Fi

PRO/Wireless 2200BG network connection

CERTIFIED™ solution,

supporting Acer SignalUp wireless technology WPAN: integrated Bluetooth

I/O interface 124-pin Acer ezDock connector

Three USB 2.0 ports IEEE 1394 port External display (VGA) port S-video/TV-out port 4-in-1 card reader (MS/MS PRO/MMC/SD) Type II PC Card slot Infrared (FIR) port Ethernet (RJ-45) port Modem (RJ-11) port Microphone/line-in jack Headphones/speaker/line-out port DC-in jack for AC adaptor

Security Kensington lock slot

BIOS user and supervisor passwords

English

Software Acer eManager (ePowerManagement/eNetManagement/

ePresentation/eRecovery/eSettings.) Acer Soft Button Acer Launch Manager

Microsoft Microsoft Adobe

Experience Tablet PC

Reader

Acer System Recovery CD

™

Options and accessories

Norton AntiVirus CyberLink® PowerDVD NTI CD-Maker Acer ezDock

Acer MediaBay DVD-Super Multi double layer drive module

Acer MediaBay 60/80/100 GB 2 Acer MediaBay 40 W 6-cell (3600 mAH) Li-ion 2

hard disk drive module

battery

pack 256/512 MB or 1 GB DDR2 400/533 MHz

soDIMM modules

External USB floppy disk drive

Environment Temperature:

• Operating: 5° C to 35° C

• Non-operating: -20° C to 65° C

Humidity (non-condensing):

• Operating: 20% to 80%

• Non-operating: 20% to 80%

System compliance

Mobile PC 2001 ACPI 2.0 DMI 2.0 LDCM 6.0 PC2002 ENERGY STAR

Wi-Fi Cisco Compatible Extensions (CCX)

Warranty One-year International Travelers Warranty (ITW)

Note: The specifications listed above are for reference only. The exact configuration of your PC depends on the model purchased.

Indicators

The computer has 8 easy-to-read status indicators on the upper-right above the keyboard, and 4 on the front panel.

The power, battery, and wireless communication status indicators are visible even when the LCD display is closed.

Icon Function Description

Wireless LAN Indicates the status of wireless LAN communication.

Bluetooth Indicates the status of Bluetooth communication.

Power Lights up when the computer is on.

English

Sleep Indicates PC is in Sleep or Hibernation mode.

Media activity Indicates when the hard disk or optical drive is active.

Battery Lights up when the battery is being charged.

Caps Lock Lights up when Caps Lock is activated.

Num Lock Lights up when Num Lock is activated.

1. Charging: The light shows amber when the battery is charging.

2. Fully charged: The light shows green when in AC mode.

Launch keys

English

Located at the upper-right, above the keyboard are four buttons. These buttons are called launch keys. They are: mail, Web browser, Acer Empowering Key

" " and one user-programmable button.

Press " " to run the Acer eManager. Please see "Acer eManager" on page 19. The mail and Web buttons are pre-set to email and Internet programs, but can

be reset by users. To set the Web browser, mail and programmable keys, run the Acer Launch Manager. See "Launch Manager" on page 20.

Launch key Default application Bluetooth Activate Bluetooth communication Wireless LAN Activate wireless LAN communication

Acer eManager (user-programmable)

Mail Email application (user-programmable) Web browser Internet browser (user-programmable)

User-programmable

Touchpad

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

Touchpad basics

The following items show you how to use the touchpad:

English

• 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.

English

Function Left button (1)

Execute Quickly click

twice.

Select Click once. Tap once. Drag Click and hold,

then use finger on the touchpad to drag the cursor.

Access context menu

Scroll Click and

Note: Keep your fingers dry and clean when using the touchpad. Also keep the touchpad dry and clean. The touchpad is sensitive to finger movement; hence, the lighter the touch, the better the response. Tapping harder will not increase the touchpad's responsiveness.

Right button (4)

Click once.

Main touchpad (2)

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

Tap twice (at the same speed as double-clicking a mouse button); rest your finger on the touchpad on the second tap and drag the cursor.

Center button (3)

hold to move up/down/ left/right.

Using the keyboard

The keyboard has full-sized keys and an embedded keypad, separate cursor keys, two Windows keys and 12 function keys.

Lock keys and embedded numeric keypad

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

Num Lock <Fn> + <F11>

Scroll Lock <Fn> + <F12>

in 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.

English

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.

English

Windows keys

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

Key Description

Windows key

Application key

Pressed alone, this key has the same effect as clicking on the Windows Start button; it launches the Start menu. It can also be used with other keys to provide a variety of functions:

< > + <Tab> Activates the next Taskbar button.

< > + <E> Opens the My Computer window.

< > + <F1> Opens Help and Support.

< > + <F> Opens the Find: All Files dialog box.

<> + <R> Opens the Run dialog box.

< > + <M> Minimizes all windows.

<Shift> + < > + <M> Undoes the minimize all windows action. This key has the same effect as clicking the right mouse

button; it opens the application's context menu.

Hotkeys

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

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

+ 50 hidden pages

Acer TRAVELMATE-C310 User Manual

TravelMate C310 Series

First things first

Your guides

Basic care and tips for using your computer

Contents

A TravelMate tour

Front view

Closed front view

Left view

Right view

Rear view

Base view

Specifications

Indicators

Launch keys

Touchpad

Touchpad basics

Using the keyboard

Lock keys and embedded numeric keypad

Windows keys

Hotkeys