Acer Veriton 5900, Veriton 6900 User Guide

Veriton Series

User's Guide

Copyright © 2006. Acer Incorporated.
All Rights Reserved.

Veriton Series User's Guide
Original Issue: 08 / 2006

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.

Veriton Series Desktop 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.

Information for your safety and comfort

Safety instructions

Read these instructions carefully. Keep this document for future reference.
Follow all warnings and instructions marked on the product.

Turning the product off before cleaning

Unplug this product from the wall outlet before cleaning. Do not use liquid
cleaners or aerosol cleaners. Use a damp cloth for cleaning.

Warnings

• Do not use this product near water.

• Do not place this product on an unstable cart, stand or table. If the product

falls, it could be seriously damaged.

• Slots and openings are provided for ventilation to ensure reliable

operation of the product and to protect it from overheating. These
openings must not be blocked or covered. The openings should never be
blocked by placing the product on a bed, sofa, rug or other similar surface.
This product should never be placed near or over a radiator or heat
register, or in a built-in installation unless proper ventilation is provided.

• Never push objects of any kind into this product through cabinet slots as

they may touch dangerous voltage points or short-out parts that could
result in a fire or electric shock. Never spill liquid of any kind onto or into
the product.

• To avoid damage of internal components and to prevent battery leakage,

do not place the product on a vibrating surface.

i

Using electrical power

• This product should be operated from the type of power indicated on the

marking label. If you are not sure of the type of power available, consult
your dealer or local power company.

• Do not allow anything to rest on the power cord. Do not locate this

product where people will walk on the cord.

• If an extension cord is used with this product, make sure that the total

ampere rating of the equipment plugged into the extension cord does not
exceed the extension cord ampere rating. Also, make sure that the total
rating of all products plugged into the wall outlet does not exceed the fuse
rating.

• Do not overload a power outlet, strip or receptacle by plugging in too

many devices. The overall system load must not exceed 80% of the branch

circuit rating. If power strips are used, the load should not exceed 80% of
the power strip's input rating.

• This product's AC adapter is equipped with a three-wire grounded plug.

The plug only fits in a grounded power outlet. Make sure the power outlet
is properly grounded before inserting the AC adapter plug. Do not insert
the plug into a non-grounded power outlet. Contact your electrician for
details.

Warning! The grounding pin is a safety feature. Using a power
outlet that is not properly grounded may result in electric shock
and/or injury.

Note: The grounding pin also provides good protection from
unexpected noise produced by other nearby electrical devices that
may interfere with the performance of this product.

• Use the product only with the supplied power supply cord set. If you need

to replace the power cord set, make sure that the new power cord meets
the following requirements: detachable type, UL listed/CSA certified, type
SPT-2, rated 7 A 125 V minimum, VDE approved or its equivalent, 4.6
meters (15 feet) maximum length.

Product servicing

Do not attempt to service this product yourself, as opening or removing covers
may expose you to dangerous voltage points or other risks. Refer all servicing to
qualified service personnel.

Unplug this product from the wall outlet and refer servicing to qualified service
personnel when:

• the power cord or plug is damaged, cut or frayed

• liquid was spilled into the product

• the product was exposed to rain or water

• the product has been dropped or the case has been damaged

• the product exhibits a distinct change in performance, indicating a need

for service

• the product does not operate normally after following the operating

instructions

Note: Adjust only those controls that are covered by the operating
instructions, since improper adjustment of other controls may
result in damage and will often require extensive work by a
qualified technician to restore the product to normal condition.

Replacing the battery pack

The notebook uses lithium batteries. Replace the battery with the same type as
that which came bundled with your product. Use of another battery may
present a risk of fire or explosion.

Warning! Batteries may explode if not handled properly. Do not
disassemble or dispose of them in fire. Keep them away from
children. Follow local regulations when disposing of used
batteries.

Telephone line safety

• Disconnect all telephone lines from the equipment when not in use and/or

before servicing.

• To avoid the remote risk of electric shock from lightning, do not connect

the telephone line to this equipment during lightning or thunderstorms.

Disposal instructions

Do not throw this electronic device into the trash when discarding.
To minimize pollution and ensure utmost protection of the global environment,
please recycle. For more information on the Waste from Electrical and
Electronics Equipment (WEEE) regulations, visit
http://global.acer.com/about/

sustainability.htm.

iii

Mercury advisory

For projectors or electronic products containing an LCD/CRT monitor or display:
Lamp(s) inside this product contain mercury and must be recycled or disposed of
according to local, state or federal laws. For more information, contact the
Electronic Industries Alliance at www.eiae.org
information, check www.lamprecycle.org

. For lamp-specific disposal

.

Tips and information for comfortable use

Computer users may complain of eyestrain and headaches after prolonged use.
Users are also at risk of physical injury after long hours of working in front of a
computer. Long work periods, bad posture, poor work habits, stress,
inadequate working conditions, personal health and other factors greatly
increase the risk of physical injury.

Incorrect computer usage may lead to carpal tunnel syndrome, tendonitis,
tenosynovitis or other musculoskeletal disorders. The following symptoms may
appear in the hands, wrists, arms, shoulders, neck or back:

• numbness, or a burning or tingling sensation

• aching, soreness or tenderness

• pain, swelling or throbbing

• stiffness or tightness

• coldness or weakness

If you have these symptoms, or any other recurring or persistent discomfort
and/or pain related to computer use, consult a physician immediately and
inform your company's health and safety department.

The following section provides tips for more comfortable computer use.

Finding your comfort zone

Find your comfort zone by adjusting the viewing angle of the monitor, using a
footrest, or raising your sitting height to achieve maximum comfort. Observe
the following tips:

• refrain from staying too long in one fixed posture

• avoid slouching forward and/or leaning backward

• stand up and walk around regularly to remove the strain on your leg

muscles

• take short rests to relax your neck and shoulders

• avoid tensing your muscles or shrugging your shoulders

• install the external display, keyboard and mouse properly and within

comfortable reach

• if you view your monitor more than your documents, place the display at

the center of your desk to minimize neck strain

Taking care of your vision

Long viewing hours, wearing incorrect glasses or contact lenses, glare, excessive
room lighting, poorly focused screens, very small typefaces and low-contrast
displays could stress your eyes. The following sections provide suggestions on
how to reduce eyestrain.

Eyes

• Rest your eyes frequently.

• Give your eyes regular breaks by looking away from the monitor and

focusing on a distant point.

• Blink frequently to keep your eyes from drying out.

Display

• Keep your display clean.

• Keep your head at a higher level than the top edge of the display so your

eyes point downward when looking at the middle of the display.

• Adjust the display brightness and/or contrast to a comfortable level for

enhanced text readability and graphics clarity.

• Eliminate glare and reflections by:

• placing your display in such a way that the side faces the window or

any light source

• minimizing room light by using drapes, shades or blinds

• using a task light

• changing the display's viewing angle

• using a glare-reduction filter

• using a display visor, such as a piece of cardboard extended from the

display's top front edge

• Avoid adjusting your display to an awkward viewing angle.

• Avoid looking at bright light sources, such as open windows, for extended

periods of time.

v

Developing good work habits

Develop the following work habits to make your computer use more relaxing
and productive:

• Take short breaks regularly and often.

• Perform some stretching exercises.

• Breathe fresh air as often as possible.

• Exercise regularly and maintain a healthy body.

Warning! We do not recommend using the computer on a couch
or bed. If this is unavoidable, work for only short periods, take
breaks regularly, and do some stretching exercises.

Note: For more information, please refer to “Regulations and
safety notices” on page 89 in the AcerSystem User's Guide.

Information for your safety and comfort i

Safety instructions i
Disposal instructions iii
Tips and information for comfortable use iv

Empowering Technology 1

Acer Empowering Technology 3

Empowering Technology password 3
Acer eSettings Management 4
Acer eLock Management 5
Acer eDataSecurity Management 6
Acer ePerformance Management 8
Acer eAcoustics Management 9

Using Acer eAcoustics Management 9
Acer eAcoustics Management Main Page 10

Acer eRecovery Management 11

1 First things first 13

Specifications 15
Package contents 17
Accessing the User's Guide 17

2 System tour 19

Features 21

Performance 21
Multimedia 21
Connectivity 21

Front panel 22
Rear panel 24
Keyboard 27

Internet/Email/Search keys 28
Multimedia keys 28
Volume control/mute keys 29
Lock keys 29
Cursor keys 30
Windows keys 30
Function keys 31
Palm rest 31

Contents

Optical drive 32

Taking care of your CDs and DVDs 35

Hard disk 35

3 Setting up your computer 37

Arranging a comfortable work area 39

Adjusting your chair 39
Positioning your PC 39
Positioning your monitor 40
Positioning your keyboard 40
Positioning your mouse 40

Connecting peripherals 41

Connecting your mouse and keyboard 41

USB interface 41

PS/2 interface 41
Connecting a monitor 42
Connecting the power cable 43

Turning on your computer 44
Turning off your computer 44
Connecting options 45

Connecting your printer 45
Connecting the modem (optional) 46
Connecting to the network 46
Connecting multimedia devices 47
Connecting USB devices 49

4 Upgrading your computer 51

Installation precautions 53

ESD precautions 53
Preinstallation instructions 53
Post-installation instructions 54

Opening your computer 3900Pro 55

To remove the computer cover 55
To replace the computer cover 56

Opening your Veriton 5900Pro 57

To remove the computer cover 57
To replace the computer cover 57

Opening your Veriton 6900Pro/7900Pro 58

To remove the side panel 58

To replace the side panel 59

Upgrading your computer 60

Installing additional memory 60
To remove a DDR2 DIMM 60

To install a DDR2 DIMM 61

To reconfigure your computer 62
Replacing the Veriton 3900Pro's hard disk 62
Installing an expansion card 65
Replacing the Veriton 5900Pro's hard disk 65
Installing an expansion card 66
Replacing the Veriton 69/7900Pro's hard disk 67
Installing an expansion card 68

5 System utilities 69

Adobe Reader 71
NTI CD&DVD-Maker
(for models with CD or DVD Burner) 72
PowerDVD (for models with DVD) 74

How do I open and watch a DVD? 74

BIOS utility 75
Reinstalling programs 75
Recovering your system 76
Using backup (Windows XP only) 82

How do I back up files from my hard drive? 82

Disk defragmenter (Windows XP only) 83

How do I defragment my hard drive? 83

6 Frequently asked questions 85

Frequently asked questions 87

Appendix A: Regulations and safety notices 89

ENERGY STAR guidelines compliance 90
FCC notice 90
Modem notices 91
Laser compliance statement 94
Macrovision copyright protection notice 94
Radio device regulatory notice 94
General 94

European Union (EU) 95
The FCC RF safety requirement 95
Canada — Low-power license-exempt radio
communication devices (RSS-210) 96
Federal Communications Comission
Declaration of Conformity 97
Declaration of Conformity for CE marking 98

Index 99

Empowering

Technology

Acer's innovative Empowering Technology
makes it easy for you to access frequently
used functions and manage your new Acer
desktop.

Acer Empowering Technology

Acer's innovative Empowering Technology toolbar makes it easy for you to
access frequently used functions and manage your new Acer computer.
Displayed by default in the upper-right corner of your screen, it features the
following handy utilities:

• Acer eSettings Management accesses system information and adjusts

settings easily.

• Acer eLock Management limits access to external storage media and

interfaces.

• Acer eDataSecurity Management protects data with passwords and

advanced encryption algorithms.

• Acer ePerformance Management improves system performance by

optimizing disk space, memory and registry settings.

• Acer eAcoustics Management offers a useful tool to balance your

computing power needs with your desired level of quietness.

• Acer eRecovery Management backs up and recovers data flexibly, reliably

and completely.

• Acer eProtection Management provides exceptional protection against

viruses and other malware.

3

For more information, right click on the Empowering Technology toolbar, then
select the Help or Tutorial function.

Empowering Technology password

Before using Acer eLock Management and Acer eRecovery Management, you
must initialize the Empowering Technology password. Right-click on the
Empowering Technology toolbar and select "Password Setup" to do so. If you
do not initialize the Empowering Technology password, you will be prompted
to do so when running Acer eLock Management or Acer eRecovery
Management for the first time.

If you lose your password, there is no method to reset it except by

reformatting your computer or taking your computer to an Acer

Customer Service Center. Be sure to remember or write down your

password.

4

Empowering Technology

Acer eSettings Management

Acer eSettings Management allows you to inspect hardware specifications,
change BIOS passwords or other Windows settings, and to monitor the system
health status.

Acer eSettings Management also:

• Provides a simple graphical user interface for navigation.

• Displays general system status and advanced monitoring for power users

on Acer computer.

Acer eLock Management

Acer eLock Management is a security utility that allows you to lock your
removable data, optical and floppy drives to ensure that data can't be stolen
while your computer is unattended.

• Removable data devices — includes USB disk drives, USB pen drives, USB
flash drives, USB MP3 drives, USB memory card readers, IEEE 1394 disk
drives and any other removable disk drives that can be mounted as a file
system when plugged into the system.

• Optical drive devices — includes any kind of DVD-ROM drives.

• Floppy disk drives — 3.5-inch disks only.

• Interfaces — includes serial port, parallel port, infrared (IR), and Bluetooth.

To activate Acer eLock Management, a password must be set first. Once set, you
can apply locks to any of the devices types. Lock(s) will immediately
be set without any reboot necessary, and will remain locked after rebooting,
until unlocked.

Note: If you lose your password, there is no method to reset it
except by reformatting your computer or taking your computer
to an Acer Customer Service Center. Be sure to remember or write
down your password.

5

6

Empowering Technology

Acer eDataSecurity Management

Acer eDataSecurity Management is a handy file 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 and easy data
encryption/decryption and also supports on-the-fly file encryption for MSN
Messenger and Microsoft Outlook.

The Acer eDataSecurity Management setup wizard will prompt you for a
supervisor password and default encryption. This encryption will be used to
encrypt files by default, or you can choose to enter your own file-specific
password when encrypting a file.

Note: The password used to encrypt a file is the unique key that
the system needs to decrypt it. If you lose the password, the
supervisor password is the only other key capable of decrypting
the file. If you lose both passwords, there will be no way to
decrypt your encrypted file! Be sure to safeguard all related
passwords!

7

8

Empowering Technology

Acer ePerformance Management

Acer ePerformance Management is a system optimization tool that boosts the
performance of your Acer computer. It provides an express optimization
method to release unused memory and disk space quickly. The user can also
enable advanced options for full control over the following options:

• Memory optimization — releases unused memory and check usage.

• Disk optimization — removes unneeded items and files.

• Speed optimization — improves the usability and performance of your

Windows XP system.

Acer eAcoustics Management

Acer eAcoustics Management offers you a useful tool to balance your
computing power needs with your desired level of quietness. By reducing the
processor speed for tasks that require less processing, the CPU and system fans
can run slower, thus reducing the amount of sound generated by these
components.

Using Acer eAcoustics Management

To launch Acer eAcoustics Management:

• Click on the Acer eAcoustics Management icon in the Empowering

Technology toolbar shown on your desktop.

• From the Start menu, go to (All) Programs > Acer Empowering Technology

> Acer eAcoustics Management.

This will open the Acer eAcoustics Management main page.

9

10

Empowering Technology

Acer eAcoustics Management Main Page

Listed on the main page are two options for Acer eAcoustics Management,
labeled as Quiet and Professional. Select the mode that suits your working
requirements best, and exit the utility to apply the settings.

Quiet

Use this mode for tasks that require low processing power, like word
processing, Web browsing, and instant messaging. This mode creates the lowest
audio disturbance.

Professional Mode

Use this mode for processing-intensive tasks, when you require full-speed
operation.

11

Acer eRecovery Management

Acer eRecovery Management is a powerful utility that does away with the need
for recovery disks provided by the manufacturer. The Acer eRecovery
Management utility occupies space in a hidden partition on your system's hard
drive. By default, user-created backups are stored on the D:\ drive.

Acer eRecovery Management provides you with:

• Password protection.

• Recovery of applications and drivers.

• Image/data backup:

• Back up to HDD (set recovery point).

• Back up to CD/DVD.

• Image/data recovery tools:

• Recover from a hidden partition (factory defaults).

• Recover from the HDD (most recent user-defined recovery point).

• Recover from CD/DVD.

12

Empowering Technology

Note: If your computer did not come with a Recovery CD or
System CD, please use Acer eRecovery Management's "System
backup to optical disk" feature to burn a backup image to CD or
DVD. To ensure the best results when recovering your system
using a CD or Acer eRecovery Management, detach all peripherals
(except the external Acer ODD, if your computer has one),
including your Acer ezDock.

1 First things

first

This chapter describes the system specifications
and contents of your computer package.

Specifications

15

Operating
system

Platform

Chipset Intel® Q965 Express

System memory Dual channels supported on four DIMMs

Drives Veriton 3900Pro:

Genuine Microsoft ® Windows® XP Professional Edition
Genuine Microsoft® Windows® XP Home Edition

Celeron® with 533 MHz FSB

Intel®

Celeron® D with 533 MHz FSB

Intel®
Intel® Pentium® 4 with 533/800 MHz FSB
Intel® Pentium® D with 800/1066 MHz FSB

Supporting up to 4 GB of DDR2 533/667/800 RAM

External 5.25" drive bays

3.5" drive bays

Veriton 5900Pro:

Two external 5.25" drive bays
Three 3.5" drive bays (two internal, one external)

Veriton 6900Pro:

Two external 5.25" drive bays
Six 3.5" drive bays (four internal, two external)

Veriton 7900Pro:

Three external 5.25" drive bays
Six 3.5" drive bays (four internal, two external)

Network
interface

I/O interface Two PS/2 ports

I/O expansion Two PCI slots

Marvell® 88E8056 with Gigabit Ethernet

82566 DM Gigabit Ethernet Controller

Intel®

Optional PCI modem

9-pin serial port
25-pin parallel port
Eight USB 2.0 ports
Ethernet (RJ-45) port
VGA port
Six audio jacks

PCI Express™ x1 slot
PCI Express™ x16 slot

1 First things first16

Graphics Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator 3000

Audio Realtek ALC888 with embedded Intel® HDA CODEC

Keyboard PS/2 or USB multimedia keyboard

Monitor Choice of Acer CRT or LCD monitors

Security Lock pad and intrusion alert

Housing Veriton 3900Pro Series: 345 (H) x 101.3 (W) x 414.7 (D) mm

Management
software

Industry
standards

(Intel® GMA 3000) with Dynamic Video Memory
Technology (DVMT) support

Veriton 5900Pro Series: 370 (H) x 130.2 (W) x 435 (D) mm
Veriton 6900Pro Series: 370 (H) x 183 (W) x 450 (D) mm
Veriton 7900Pro Series: 450 (H) x 187 (W) x 495 (D) mm

Acer Empowering Technology

Acer eSettings Management
Acer eLock Management
Acer eDataSecurity Management
Acer ePerformance Management
Acer eAcoustics Management
Acer eRecovery Management

PC2001
SMBIOS (DMI) 2.3.1
PCI 2.3
WFM 2.0
ACPI 2.0
Microsoft® OnNow
ENERGY STAR
MacroVision

Power supply 300W

Certification FCC, CE, C-tick, BSMI, VCCI, CCC, cUL, UL, Nemko,

GS (TUV), ENERGY STAR

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

Package contents

Before you unpack your computer, make sure that you have enough space to
set up your computer.

Carefully unpack the carton and remove the contents. If any of the following
items are missing or damaged, contact your dealer immediately:

• Veriton series

• Items contained in the accessory box

• USB or PS/2 keyboard

• USB or PS/2 mouse

• User's Guide and installation poster

• Other user documentation and third-party software

Accessing the User's Guide

This User's Guide is also available on your computer as an Adobe Acrobat
PDF file.

To access the User's Guide (for Windows XP)

1 On the Windows XP taskbar, click on the Start button then select Help

and Support.

2 On the Help and Support Center home page, double-click the Veriton

Series Online icon.

17

1 First things first18