User’s Manual
Portégé A100 Portégé A100
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User's Manual
Copyright
© 2003 by TOSHIBA Corporation. All rights reserved. Under the copyright
laws, this manual cannot be reproduced in any form without the prior
written permission of TOSHIBA. No patent liability is assumed, with
respect to the use of the information contained herein.
TOSHIBA Portégé A100 Portable Personal Computer User’s Manual
First edition November 2003
Disclaimer
This manual has been validated and reviewed for accuracy. The
instructions and descriptions it contains are accurate for the TOSHIBA
Portégé A100 Portable Personal Computer at the time of this manual’s
production. However, succeeding computers and manuals are subject to
change without notice. TOSHIBA assumes no liability for damages
incurred directly or indirectly from errors, omissions or discrepancies
between the computer and the manual.
Trademarks
IBM PC and PS/2 are trademarks of International Business Machines
Corporation.
Intel, Pentium and Centrino are registered trademarks and SpeedStep is a
trademark of Intel Corporation.
Windows and Microsoft are registered trademarks of Microsoft
Corporation.
Photo CD is a trademark of Eastman Kodak.
Bluetooth is a trademark owned by its proprietor and used by TOSHIBA
under licence.
i.LINK is a trademark of Sony Corporation.
Other trademarks and registered trademarks not listed above may be
used in this manual.
EU Declaration of Conformity
TOSHIBA declares, that the product: PPA10* conforms to the following
Standards:
Supplementary Information: “The product complies with the
requirements of the Low Voltage Directive
73/23/EEC, the EMC Directive 89/336/EEC
and/or the R&TTE Directive 1999/05/EEC.”
This product is carrying the CE-Mark in accordance with the related
European Directives. Responsible for CE-Marking is TOSHIBA Europe,
Hammfelddamm 8, 41460 Neuss, Germany.
Portégé A100 ii
User's Manual
The complete and official EU Declaration of Conformity can be found on
TOSHIBA’s web site http://epps.toshiba-te
g.com on the Internet.
Modem warning notice
Conformity Statement
The equipment has been approved to [Commission Decision “CTR21”] for
pan-European single terminal connection to the Public Switched
Telephone Network (PSTN).
However, due to differences between the individual PSTNs provided in
different countries/regions the approval does not, of itself, give an
unconditional assurance of successful operation on every PSTN network
termination point.
In the event of problems, you should contact your equipment supplier in
the first instance.
Network Compatibility Statement
This product is designed to work with, and is compatible with the
following networks. It has been tested to and found to conform with the
additional requirements conditional in EG 201 121.
Germany - ATAAB AN005,AN006,AN007,AN009,AN010 and
DE03,04,05,08,09,12,14,17
Greece - ATAAB AN005,AN006 and GR01,02,03,04
Portugal - ATAAB AN001,005,006,007,011 and P03,04,08,10
Spain - ATAAB AN005,007,012, and ES01
Switzerland - ATAAB AN002
All other
countries/regions
Specific switch settings or software setup are required for each network,
please refer to the relevant sections of the user guide for more details.
The hookflash (timed break register recall) function is subject to separate
national type approval. It has not been tested for conformity to national
type regulations, and no guarantee of successful operation of that
specific function on specific national networks can be given.
Portégé A100 iii
- ATAAB AN003,004
User's Manual
Panasonic CD-RW /DVD-ROM drive UJDA750 safety
instruction
1. The CD-RW/DVD-ROM drive employs a laser system. To ensure
proper use of this product, please read this instruction manual
carefully and retain for future reference. Should the unit ever require
maintenance, contact an authorized service location.
2. Use of controls, adjustments or the performance of procedures other
than those specified may result in hazardous radiation exposure.
3. To prevent direct exposure to the laser beam, do not try to open the
enclosure.
Location of the required label
CAUTION: This appliance contains a laser
system and is classified as a “CLASS 1 LASER
PRODUCT.” To use this model properly, read the
instruction manual carefully and keep this
manual for your future reference. In case of any
trouble with this model, please contact your
nearest “AUTHORIZED service station.” To
prevent direct exposure to the laser beam, do
not try to open the enclosure.
Portégé A100 iv
User's Manual
VORSICHT: Dieses Gerät enthält ein LaserSystem und ist als “LASERSCHUTZKLASSE 1
PRODUKT” klassifiziert. Für den richtigen
Gebrauch dieses Modells lesen Sie bitte die
Bedienungsanleitung sorgfältig durch und
bewahren diese bitte als Referenz auf. Falls
Probleme mit diesem Modell auftreten,
benachrichtigen Sie bitte die nächste
“autorisierte Service-Vertretung”. Um einen
direkten Kontakt mit dem Laserstrahl zu
vermeiden darf das Gerät nicht geöffnet werden.
ADVARSEL: Denne mærking er anbragt
udvendigt på apparatet og indikerer, at apparatet
arbejder med laserstråler af klasse 1, hviket
betyder, at der anvendes laserstrlier af svageste
klasse, og at man ikke på apparatets yderside
kan bilve udsat for utilladellg kraftig stråling.
APPARATET BOR KUN ÅBNES AF FAGFOLK
MED SÆRLIGT KENDSKAB TIL APPARATER
MED LASERSTRÅLER!
Indvendigt i apparatet er anbragt den her
gengivne advarselsmækning, som advarer imod
at foretage sådanne indgreb i apparatet, at man
kan komme til at udsætte sig for laserstråling.
OBS! Apparaten innehåller laserkomponent som
avger laserstråining överstigande gränsen för
laserklass 1.
VAROITUS. Suojakoteloa si saa avata. Laite
sisältää laserdiodin, joka lähetää näkymätöntä
silmilie vaarallista lasersäteilyä.
CAUTION: USE OF CONTROLS OR
ADJUSTMENTS OR PERFORMANCE OF
PROCEDURES OTHER THAN THOSE
SPECIFIED IN THE OWNER’S MANUAL MAY
RESULT IN HAZARDOUS RADIATION
EXPOSURE.
VORSICHT: DIE VERWENDUNG VON ANDEREN
STEURUNGEN ODER EINSTELLUNGEN ODER
DAS DURCHFÜHREN VON ANDEREN
VORGÄNGEN ALS IN DER
BEDIENUNGSANLEITUNG BESCHRIEBEN
KÖNNEN GEFÄHRLICHE
STRAHLENEXPOSITIONEN ZUR FOLGE
HABEN.
Portégé A100 v
User's Manual
General Precautions
TOSHIBA computers are designed to optimize safety, minimize strain and
withstand the rigors of portability. However, certain precautions should be
observed to further reduce the risk of personal injury or damage to the
computer.
Be certain to read the general precautions below and to note the cautions
included in the text of the manual.
Stress injury
Carefully read the Safety Instruction Manual. It contains information on
prevention of stress injuries to your hands and wrists than can be caused
by extensive keyboard use. Chapter 3, Getting Started, also includes
information on workspace design, posture and lighting that can help
reduce physical stress.
Heat injury
■ Avoid prolonged physical contact with the computer. If the computer
is used for long periods, its surface can become very warm. While the
temperature will not feel hot to the touch, if you maintain physical
contact with the computer for a long time (if you rest the computer on
your lap, or if you keep your hands on the palm rest, for example) your
skin might suffer low-heat injury.
■ If the computer has been used for a long time, avoid direct contact
with the metal plate supporting the I/O ports. It can become hot.
■ The surface of the AC adaptor can become hot when in use. This
condition does not indicate a malfunction. If you need to transport the
AC adaptor, disconnect it and let it cool before moving it.
■ Do not lay the AC adaptor on a material that is sensitive to heat. The
material could be damaged.
Pressure or impact damage
Do not apply heavy pressure to the computer or subject it to strong
impact. Excessive pressure or impact can cause damage to computer
components or otherwise cause malfunctions.
PC Card overheating
Some PC cards can become hot with prolonged use. Overheating of a PC
card can result in errors or instability in the PC card operation. Also be
careful when you remove a PC card that has been used for a long time.
Mobile phone
Use of mobile phones can interfere with the audio system. Computer
operation is not impaired but is recommended that a distance of 30cm be
maintained between the computer and a mobile phone in use.
Portégé A100 vi
User's Manual
Central Processing Unit (CPU) Performance Disclaimer
CPU Performance in your computer product may vary from specifications
under the following conditions:
■ use of certain peripheral products
■ use of battery power instead of AC power
■ use of certain multimedia games or videos with special effects
■ use of standard telephone lines or low speed network connections
■ use of complex modeling software, such as high end computer aided
design application
■ use of computer in areas with low air pressure
(high altitude >1,000 meters or >3,280 feet above sea level)
■ use of computer at temperatures outside the range of 5°C to 35°C
(41°F to 95°F) or >25°C (77°F) at high altitude (all temperature
reference are approximate).
CPU Performance may also vary from specifications due to design
configuration.
Under some conditions, your computer product may automatically shutdown. This is a normal protective feature designed to reduce the risk of
lost data or damage to the product when used outside recommended
conditions. To avoid risk of lost data, always make back-up copies of
data by periodically storing it on an external storage medium. For
optimum performance, use your computer product only under
recommended conditions Read additional restrictions under
“Environmental Conditions” in your product Resource Guide. Contact
TOSHIBA Service and Support for more information.
CE compliance
This product and the original options are designed to observe the related
EMC (Electromagnetic compatibility) and safety standards. However,
TOSHIBA should not guarantee that this product still observes these EMC
standards if options or cables not produced by TOSHIBA are connected
or implemented. In this case the persons who have connected /
implemented those options / cables have to assure that the system
(PC plus options / cables) still fulfils the required standards. To avoid in
general EMC problems following advice should be observed:
■ Only CE marked options should be connected / implemented
■ Only best shielded cables should be connected
Portégé A100 vii
User's Manual
Working environment
This product was designed to fulfil the EMC (electromagnetic
compatibility) requirements to be observed for so-called “Residential,
commercial and light industry environments”.
TOSHIBA do not approve the use of this product in working environments
other than the above mentioned “Residential, commercial and light
industry environments”.
For example, the following environments are not approved:
■ Industrial Environments (environments with a mains voltage >230V~)
■ Medical Environments
■ Automotive Environments
■ Aircraft Environments
If this product is supplied with a network port, please refer to the
paragraph “Network connection”.
Any consequences resulting from the use of this product in working
environments that are not approved are not the responsibility of TOSHIBA
Europe GmbH.
The consequences of the use of this product in non-approved working
environments may be:
■ Interference with other devices or machines in the near surrounding
area
■ Malfunction of, or data loss from, this product caused by disturbances
generated by other devices or machines in the near surrounding area
Therefore TOSHIBA strongly recommend that the electromagnetic
compatibility of this product should be suitably tested in all non-approved
working environments before use. In the case of automobiles or aircraft,
the manufacturer or airline respectively should be asked for permission
before use of this product.
Furthermore, for general safety reasons, the use of this product in
environments with explosive atmospheres is not permitted.
Portégé A100 viii
User's Manual
Network connection (class A warning)
If this product has networking capabilities and will be connected to a
network, Class A radiation limits will be observed (in accordance with
technical conventions). This means that if the product will be used in a
domestic environment, other devices in the near surrounding may suffer
interference. Consequently, please do not use this product in such
environments (for example a living room), otherwise you could be held
responsible for any ensuing interference.
Information on the secure use of the CD-RW
Please adhere to the following information on the use of the CD-RW to
minimise the risk of unsuccessful storing process. As the storing may be
unsuccessful despite your adhering to these information, for example
because of a defective storing medium, you should even if the software
indicates a successful storage, always check if the data has been stored
successfully.
Wireless LAN and your Health
Wireless LAN products, like other radio devices, emit radio frequency
electromagnetic energy. The level of energy emitted by Wireless LAN
devices however is far much less than the electromagnetic energy
emitted by wireless devices like for example mobile phones.
Because Wireless LAN products operate within the guidelines found in
radio frequency safety standards and recommendations, TOSHIBA
believes Wireless LAN is safe for use by consumers. These standards and
recommendations reflect the consensus of the scientific community and
result from deliberations of panels and committees of scientists who
continually review and interpret the extensive research literature.
In some situations or environments, the use of Wireless LAN may be
restricted by the proprietor of the building or responsible representatives
of the organisation. These situations may for example include:
■ Using the Wireless LAN equipment on board of aeroplanes, or
■ In any other environment where the risk of interference to other
devices or services is perceived or identified as harmful.
If you are uncertain of the policy that applies on the use of wireless
devices in a specific organisation or environment (e.g. airports), you are
encouraged to ask for authorisation to use the Wireless LAN device prior
to turning on the equipment.
Safety Instruction for Wireless Products
If your computer has wireless function, all safety instructions must be
read carefully and must be fully understood, before attempting to use our
Wireless Products.
This manual contains the safety instructions that must be observed in
order to avoid potential hazards that could result in personal injuries or
could damage your Wireless Products.
Portégé A100 ix
User's Manual
Limitation of Liability
For damage occurring due to an earthquake or thunder, fire beyond our
responsibility, action by third party, other accident, intentional or
accidental mistakes by a user, misuse, use under abnormal conditions,
we do not take any responsibility.
For incidental damage (loss of business profit, business interruption, etc.)
occurring due to use or disability of the product, we do not take any
responsibility.
For damage occurring due to non observance of the contents described
in the instruction manual, we do not take any responsibility.
For damage occurring due to erroneous operation or hang up caused by
use in combination with products not related to our company, we do not
take any responsibility.
Usage Restrictions
Do not use the Wireless Products for controlling equipment:
■ Equipment directly linked with human life corresponds to the
following.
■ Medical equipment such as life support systems, equipment used
in operations, etc.
■ Exhaust systems for gases such as poisonous gas etc. and
exhaust systems for smoke.
■ Equipment that must be set up in compliance with various laws
such as the Fire Services Act, the Construction Standard Act, etc.
■ Equipment corresponding to that mentioned above.
■ Equipment linked with human safety or having a serious influence on
the safe maintenance of public function, etc., because it is not
designed or manufactured for this type of use.
■ Traffic control equipment for air, railroad, road, marine transport,
etc.
■ Equipment used in atomic power plants etc.
■ Equipment corresponding to that mentioned above.
Portégé A100 x
User's Manual
WARNING
Turn OFF the Wireless Communication switch of Wireless Products in a
congested place, such as a crowded commuter train.
Keep this product away from a cardiac pacemaker at least 22cm.
Radio waves can potentially affect cardiac pacemaker operation, thereby
causing respiratory troubles.
Turn OFF the Wireless Communication switch inside a medical facility or
near medical electric equipment. Do not bring medical electric equipment
close to the product.
Radio waves can potentially affect medical electric equipment, thereby
causing an accident due to malfunction.
Turn OFF the Wireless Communication switch near an automatic door, fire
alarm or other automatic control equipment.
Radio waves can potentially affect automatic control equipment, thereby
causing an accident due to malfunction.
Do not turn ON the Wireless Communication switch in aircraft or in places
that generate or can generate radio interference.
Radio waves can potentially affect them, causing an accident due to
malfunction.
Monitor possible radio interference or other troubles to other equipment
while the product is used. If any effect is caused, turn OFF the Wireless
Communication switch.
Otherwise, radio waves can potentially affect other equipment, thereby
causing an accident due to malfunction.
When using the product in a car, check with the automobile dealer if the
car has an adequate electromagnetic compatibility (EMC).
Radio waves of the product can potentially hamper safe driving.
Depending on car model, the product can rarely affect car electronic
equipment if it is used in a car.
NOTE
Do not use the product in the following places:
Places near a microwave oven where a magnetic field generates and
places where static electricity or radio interference generates.
Depending on environment, radio waves can not reach to the product.
Portégé A100 xi
Table of Contents
Portégé A100
Table of Contents
General Precautions
Preface
Manual contents......................................................................... xviii
Conventions ................................................................................ xix
Chapter 1: Introduction
Equipment checklist.................................................................... 1-1
Features ...................................................................................... 1-3
Special features........................................................................... 1-7
Utilities ........................................................................................ 1-9
Options...................................................................................... 1-11
Chapter 2: The Grand Tour
Front with the display closed ...................................................... 2-1
Left side ...................................................................................... 2-2
Right side .................................................................................... 2-3
Back side .................................................................................... 2-3
Underside.................................................................................... 2-5
Front with the display open......................................................... 2-6
Indicators .................................................................................... 2-8
AC adaptor................................................................................ 2-10
USB diskette drive (optional)..................................................... 2-11
Fixed optical media drive .......................................................... 2-12
Portégé A100 xxi
xiii
Table of Contents
Chapter 3: Getting Started
Setting up your work space ........................................................ 3-2
Connecting the AC adaptor ........................................................ 3-5
Opening the display .................................................................... 3-6
Turning on the power .................................................................. 3-7
Starting up for the first time ........................................................ 3-7
Turning off the power .................................................................. 3-8
Restarting the computer ........................................................... 3-12
Restoring the preinstalled software from the Product
Recovery disk............................................................................ 3-12
Chapter 4: Operating Basics
Using the Touch Pad................................................................... 4-1
Using optical media drives.......................................................... 4-3
Writing CDs on CD-RW/DVD-ROM drive.................................... 4-6
Media care .................................................................................. 4-9
Using a optional USB diskette drive ......................................... 4-10
Wireless LAN............................................................................. 4-12
LAN ........................................................................................... 4-13
Using the microphone............................................................... 4-15
Using the internal modem ......................................................... 4-15
Cleaning the computer.............................................................. 4-18
Moving the computer................................................................ 4-18
Heat dispersal ........................................................................... 4-19
Portégé A100
Chapter 5: The Keyboard
Typewriter keys ........................................................................... 5-1
F1 … F12 function keys .............................................................. 5-2
Soft keys: Fn key combinations .................................................. 5-2
Windows special keys................................................................. 5-6
Keypad overlay ........................................................................... 5-6
Generating ASCII characters....................................................... 5-8
Chapter 6: Power and Power-Up Modes
Power conditions ........................................................................ 6-1
Power indicators ......................................................................... 6-2
Battery types............................................................................... 6-4
Care and use of the Battery pack ............................................... 6-5
Replacing the Battery pack....................................................... 6-12
Starting the computer by password.......................................... 6-14
Power-up modes....................................................................... 6-14
Panel power off ......................................................................... 6-15
System Auto Off........................................................................ 6-15
xiv
Table of Contents
Chapter 7: HW Setup and Passwords
HW Setup.................................................................................... 7-1
Supervisor password .................................................................. 7-9
Chapter 8: Optional Devices
PC cards ..................................................................................... 8-2
SD cards ..................................................................................... 8-3
Memory expansion...................................................................... 8-5
Battery pack................................................................................ 8-9
Universal AC adaptor .................................................................. 8-9
Battery charger.......................................................................... 8-10
USB diskette drive .................................................................... 8-10
External monitor........................................................................ 8-10
TV.............................................................................................. 8-10
i.LINK (IEEE1394) ...................................................................... 8-17
Security lock ............................................................................. 8-19
Chapter 9: Troubleshooting
Problem solving process............................................................. 9-1
Hardware and system checklist.................................................. 9-3
TOSHIBA support ..................................................................... 9-17
Appendix A: Specifications
Portégé A100
Appendix B: AC Power Cord and Connectors
Appendix C: Display Controller and Modes
Appendix D: If your computer is stolen
Appendix E: ASCII Character Codes
Appendix F: Wireless LAN
Appendix G: Internal Modem Guide
Glossary
Index
xv
Preface
Portégé A100
Preface
Congratulations on your purchase of the TOSHIBA Portégé A100
computer. This powerful, lightweight notebook computer is designed to
provide years of reliable, high-performance computing.
This manual tells how to set up and begin using your TOSHIBA Portégé
A100 computer. It also provides detailed information on configuring your
computer, basic operations and care, using optional devices and
troubleshooting.
If you are a new user of computers or if you’re new to portable
computing, first read over the Introduction and The Grand Tour chapters
to familiarize yourself with the computer’s features, components and
accessory devices. Then read Getting Started for step-by-step
instructions on setting up your computer.
If you are an experienced computer user, please continue reading the
preface to learn how this manual is organized, then become acquainted
with this manual by browsing through its pages. Be sure to look over the
Special features section of the Introduction, to learn about features that
are uncommon or unique to the computers and carefully read HW Setup
and Passwords. If you are going to install PC cards or connect external
devices such as a monitor, be sure to read Chapter 8, Optional Devices.
Portégé A100 xxiv
Preface
Manual contents
This manual is composed of nine chapters, nine appendixes, a glossary,
and an index.
Chapter 1, Introduction, is an overview of the computer’s features,
capabilities, and options.
Chapter 2, The Grand Tour, identifies the components of the computer
and briefly explains how they function.
Chapter 3, Getting Started, provides a quick overview of how to begin
operating your computer and gives tips on safety and designing your
work area.
Chapter 4, Operating Basics, includes instructions on using the following
devices: Touch Pad, external diskette drive, optical media drives, internal
modem, wireless communication features, LAN, internal microphone. It
also provides tips on care of the computer, diskettes and CD/DVDs.
Chapter 5, The Keyboard, describes special keyboard functions including
the keypad overlay and hotkeys.
Chapter 6, Power and Power-Up Modes, gives details on the computer’s
power resources and battery save modes.
Chapter 7, HW Setup and Passwords, explains how to configure the
computer using the HW Setup program. It also tells how to set a
password.
Chapter 8, Optional Devices, describes the optional hardware available.
Chapter 9, Troubleshooting, provides helpful information on how to
perform some diagnostic tests, and suggests courses of action if the
computer doesn’t seem to be working properly.
The Appendixes provide technical information about your computer.
The Glossary defines general computer terminology and includes a list of
acronyms used in the text.
The Index quickly directs you to the information contained in this manual.
Portégé A100
xviii
Preface
Conventions
This manual uses the following formats to describe, identify, and highlight
terms and operating procedures.
Abbreviations
On first appearance, and whenever necessary for clarity, abbreviations
are enclosed in parentheses following their definition. For example: Read
Only Memory (ROM). Acronyms are also defined in the Glossary.
Icons
Icons identify ports, dials, and other parts of your computer. The indicator
panel also uses icons to identify the components it is providing
information on.
Keys
The keyboard keys are used in the text to describe many computer
operations. A distinctive typeface identifies the key top symbols as they
appear on the keyboard. For example, Enter identifies the Enter key.
Key operation
Some operations require you to simultaneously use two or more keys.
We identify such operations by the key top symbols separated by a plus
sign (+). For example, Ctrl + C means you must hold down Ctrl and at the
same time press C. If three keys are used, hold down the first two and at
the same time press the third.
Display
Portégé A100
ABC When procedures require an action such as clicking
an icon or entering text, the icon’s name or the text
you are to type in is represented in the type face you
see to the left.
ABC
Names of Windows® or icons or text generated by
the computer that appears on its display screen is
presented in the type face you see to the left.
xix
Preface
Messages
Messages are used in this manual to bring important information to your
attention. Each type of message is identified as shown below.
Pay attention! A caution informs you that improper use of equipment or
failure to follow instructions may cause data loss or damage your
equipment.
Please read. A note is a hint or advice that helps you make best use of
your equipment.
Portégé A100
xx
Introduction
Portégé A100
Chapter 1
Introduction
This chapter provides an equipment checklist, and it identifies the
computer’s features, options and accessories.
Some of the features described in this manual may not function properly if
you use an operating system that was not preinstalled by TOSHIBA.
Equipment checklist
Hardware
Carefully unpack your computer. Save the box and packing materials for
future use.
Check to make sure you have all the following items:
■ Portégé A100 Portable Personal Computer
■ Universal AC adaptor and power cord
■ Modular cable
Portégé A100 1-1
Introduction
Software
Windows XP Professional
■ The following software is preinstalled:
®
■ Microsoft
■ Microsoft Office One Note
■ Modem driver
■ Display Drivers for Windows
■ TOSHIBA Utilities
■ Sound Driver
■ LAN Drivers
■ Wireless LAN Driver
■ Microsoft Internet Explorer
■ DVD-Video Player
■ TOSHIBA Power Saver
■ TOSHIBA Console
■ TOSHIBA Controls
■ Online manual
■ Documentation:
■ Portégé A100 Portable Personal Computer User’s Manual
■ Portégé A100 Quickstart
■ Microsoft Windows XP manual
■ Safety Instruction Manual
■ Warranty Information
■ Product Recovery disk (CD-ROM or DVD ROM)
■ Tools & Utilities CD-ROM
Windows XP Professional
TM
2003
Portégé A100 1-2
Introduction
Features
The computer uses TOSHIBA’s advanced Large Scale Integration (LSI),
Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) technology
extensively to provide compact size, minimum weight, low power usage,
and high reliability. This computer incorporates the following features and
benefits:
Processor
Built-in The computer is equipped with an Intel®
Pentium
®
M processor 1.4GHz, which
incorporates a math co-processor, a 64 KB level
1 cache memory and a 1MB level 2 cache
memory. It also supports Enhanced Intel
SpeedStep™ technology.
Other processors may be offered.
Some models of the computers carry Intel® Centrino™ technology, which
is based on three separate technologies of Intel® Pentium® M, Intel®
PRO/Wireless Network Connection, and Intel® 855 Chipset Family.
Memory
Slot The slot accepts a 128, 256, 512 or 1,024 MB
memory module can be installed in the two
memory slots for a maximum of 2GB system
memory.
Level 2 cache 1 MB level 2 cache is provided to maximize
performance.
Video RAM Part of system memory is used for Video RAM,
of which available capacity depends on the size
of system memory:
■ 128MB of system memory: the maximum
Video RAM capacity is 32MB.
■ 256MB or more of system memory: the
maximum Video RAM capacity is 64MB.
®
Portégé A100 1-3
Introduction
A
Disks
Built-in Hard disk
■ 40 billion bytes (37.26 GB)
CD-RW/DVD-ROM
drive
Some models are equipped with a full-size,
CD-RW/DVD-ROM drive module that lets you
run CD/DVDs without using an adaptor. It reads
DVD-ROMs at maximum 8 speed and CD-ROMs
at maximum 24 speed. It writes CD-R at up to 24
speed (maximum) and CD-RW at up to 24 speed
(maximum, Ultra speed media). The drive
supports the following formats:
■ DVD-ROM ■ DVD-Video
■ CD-ROM ■ CD-EXTRA
■ Photo CD™ ■ Audio CD
■ CD-ROM XA ■ CD-DA
■ CD-I ■ CD-Text
■ CD-R ■ CD-RW
Display
The computer’s LCD panel supports high-resolution video graphics. The
screen can be set at a wide range of viewing angles for maximum comfort
and readability.
Built-in 12" XGA-TFT, 1024 horizontal × 768 vertical
pixels, up to 16 M colours
Graphics controller Graphics controller maximizes display
performance. Refer to Appendix B for more
information.
Keyboard
Built-in 84 keys or 85 keys, compatible with IBM
enhanced keyboard, embedded numeric overlay,
dedicated cursor control,
Chapter 5, The Keyboard, for details.
and
keys. See
Touch Pad
Built-in
Portégé A100 1-4
Touch Pad and control buttons in the palm rest
enable control of the on-screen pointer and
scrolling of windows.
Introduction
Power
Battery pack The computer is powered by one rechargeable
lithium-ion Battery pack.
RTC battery The internal RTC battery backs up the Real Time
Clock (RTC) and calendar.
AC adaptor The universal AC adaptor provides power to the
system and recharges the batteries when they
are low. It comes with a detachable power cord.
Because it is universal, it can receive a range of
AC voltage between 100 and 240 volts.
Ports
Headphone Enables connection of a stereo headphone
Microphone Enables connection of a monaural microphone
External monitor 15-pin, analog VGA port supports VESA DDC2B
compatible functions.
Universal Serial Bus
(USB 2.0)
i.LINK™ (IEEE1394) This port enables high-speed data transfer
The computer has four Universal Serial Bus ports
that comply with the USB 2.0 standard, which
enables data transfer speeds 40 times faster
than the USB 1.1 standard. (The ports also
support USB 1.1.)
directly from external devices such as digital
video cameras.
Slots
PC card A PC card slot accommodates:
■ Two 5 mm Type II
■ One 10.5 mm Type III
SD card This slot lets you easily transfer data from
devices, such as digital cameras and Personal
Digital Assistants, that use SD card flashmemory.
You can use memory module in this slot.
Portégé A100 1-5
Introduction
Multimedia
Sound System Windows Sound System compatible sound
system provides internal speakers as well as
jacks for an external microphone and
headphone.
Communications
Modem An internal modem provides capability for data
and fax communication. It supports V.90 (V.92).
The speed of data transfer and fax depends on
analog telephone line conditions. It has a modem
jack for connecting to a telephone line. It is
preinstalled as a standard device in some
markets. Both of V.90 and V.92 are supported
only in USA and Canada. Only V.90 is available in
other regions.
LAN The computer is equipped with a LAN card that
supports Ethernet LAN (10 Mbit/s, 10BASE-T)
and Fast Ethernet LAN (100 Mbit/s, 100BASETX). It is preinstalled as a standard device in
some markets.
Wireless LAN Some computers in this series are equipped with
a Wireless LAN mini-PCI card that is compatible
with other LAN systems based on Direct
Sequence Spread Spectrum radio technology
that complies with the IEEE802.11 Standard
(Revision B). Revision-B supports a data transfer
rate up to 11 Mbit/s.
Security
Security lock slot Connects an optional security lock to anchor the
computer to a desk or other large object.
Portégé A100 1-6
Introduction
Software
Operating System One of the following operating systems are
available Windows XP. Refer to the preinstalled
software section at the front of this chapter.
TOSHIBA Utilities A number of utilities and drivers are preinstalled
to make your computer more convenient to use.
Refer to the Utilities section in this chapter.
Plug and Play When you connect an external device to the
computer or when you install a component, Plug
and Play capability enables the system to
recognize the connection and make the
necessary configurations automatically.
Special features
The following features are either unique to TOSHIBA computers or are
advanced features, which make the computer more convenient to use.
TOSHIBA Console
button
Internet button A push on a button starts the Internet browser
Mail button A push on a button starts mail software.
Hot keys Key combinations let you quickly modify the
Keypad overlay Keys with gray lettering make up the keypad
Display automatic
power off
HDD automatic
power off
Press this button to launch an application
automatically. The default is TOSHIBA Console.
software.
system configuration directly from the keyboard
without running a system configuration program.
overlay, which lets you use the keyboard for tenkey operations or cursor control.
This feature automatically cuts off power to the
internal display when there is no keyboard input
for a time specified. Power is restored when any
key is pressed. You can specify the time in the
Monitor Power OFFitem of the Basic Setup tab in
TOSHIBA Power Saver.
This feature automatically cuts off power to the
hard disk drive when it is not accessed for a time
specified. Power is restored when the hard disk
is accessed. You can specify the time in the HDD
Power OFF item of the Basic Setup tab in
TOSHIBA Power Saver.
Portégé A100 1-7
Introduction
System automatic
power off
This feature automatically turns off power to the
system when there is no input for a time
specified. You can specify the time in the System
standby or System hibernation item of the Basic
Setup tab in TOSHIBA Power Saver.
Battery save mode This feature lets you save battery power. You can
specify the Power Save Mode in the Profile item
of the Basic Setup tab in TOSHIBA Power
Saver.
Power on password Two levels of password security are available:
supervisor and user. This feature prevents
unauthorized access to your computer.
Instant security A hot key function blanks the screen and
disables the computer providing quick and easy
data security.
Panel power on/off This feature turns power to the computer off
when the display panel is closed and turns it
back on when the panel is opened. You can
specify the setting in the When I close the lid
item of the Setup Action tab in TOSHIBA Power
Saver.
Auto power on This feature lets you set a time and date for the
computer to turn on automatically. The feature is
useful for receiving remote communications
while you are asleep or away. You can specify
the setting in Scheduled Tasks.
Standby If you have to interrupt your work, you can turn
off the power without exiting from your software.
Data is maintained in the computer’s main
memory. When you turn on the power again, you
can continue working right where you left off.
Hibernation This feature lets you turn off the power without
exiting from your software. The contents of main
memory are saved to the hard disk, when you
turn on the power again, you can continue
working right where you left off.
Portégé A100 1-8
Introduction
Heat dispersal To protect from overheating, the CPU has an
internal temperature sensor. If the computer’s
internal temperature rises to a certain level, the
cooling fan is turned on or the processing speed
is lowered. Use the Cooling Method item of the
Basic Setup tab in TOSHIBA Power Saver.
Maximum Turns on fan first, then if
necessary
Performance lowers CPU processing
speed.
Performance Uses a combination of fan
and lowering the CPU
processing speed.
Battery optimized Lowers the CPU processing
speed first, then if necessary
turns on the fan.
Utilities
This section describes preinstalled utilities and tells how to start them. For
details on operations, refer to each utility’s online manual, help files or
readme.txt files.
TOSHIBA Power
Saver
HW Setup This program lets you customize your hardware
Display Driver for
Windows
Portégé A100 1-9
To access this power savings management
program, open the Control Panel, click
Performance and Maintenance and click the
TOSHIBA Power Saver icon.
settings according to the way you work with your
computer and the peripherals you use. To start
the utility, open the Control Panel, click Printers
and Other Hardware and click the TOSHIBA HW
Setup icon.
The display driver enables simultaneous display
on the internal LCD, and on an external
computer monitor. To enable this function, use
the Display Properties dialogue box.
Introduction
Sound drivers A broad range of audio controls are available
through the ADI sound driver, including Software
Synthesize, Mic Volume, Noise Resudction and
Audio Power Management.
Click Control Panel and click SoundMAX icon to
change the Mic Noise Reduction settings and
the Power Management settings.
For other sound settings, use the Windows
Device Manager, Multimedia Panel or Volume
Dial.
TOSHIBA
Accessibility
This utility lets you make the Fn key sticky, that
is, you can press it once, release it, and they
press an “F number” key. The Fn key remains
active until another key is pressed.
Hot key utility This utility lets you display or hide a confirmation
message when you press Fn + F3 or Fn + F4.
TOSHIBA Controls Use this utility to customize TOSHIBA Console
button settings.
TOSHIBA Console TOSHIBA Console is a graphical user interface
that provides easy access to help and services.
It is the default function launched by the
TOSHIBA Console button.
Drag’n Drop CD+DVD This easy-to-use software lets you record
CD/DVDs with just a few mouse clicks. You can
create CD/DVDs in several formats including
audio CDs that can be played on a standard
stereo CD player and data CDs to store the files
and folders on your hard drive. This software can
be used on a model with CD-RW/DVD-ROM
drive or DVD Multi drive.
DVD Video Player The DVD Video Player is used to play DVD-
Video. It has an on-screen interface and
functions. Click Start, point to All Programs,
point to InterVideo WinDVD 4, then click
InterVideo WinDVD 4.
ConfigFree ConfigFree is a suite of utilities to allow easy
control of communication devices and network
connections. ConfigFree also allows you to find
communication problems and create profiles for
easy switching between locations and
communication networks. To start Config- Free,
click the Windows Start button, point to All
Programs, point to TOSHIBA, point to
Networking and click ConfigFree.
Portégé A100 1-10
Introduction
A
Options
You can add a number of options to make your computer even more
powerful and convenient to use. The following options are available:
Memory expansion A 128, 256, 512 or 1,024 MB memory module
can easily be installed in the computer.
Battery pack
Universal AC Adaptor If you use your computer at more than one site,
USB FDD Kit A 3 1/2" diskette drive accommodates 1.44-
Battery charger The battery charger lets you charge extra
Security lock A slot is available to attach a security cable to
n addition Battery pack can be purchased from
your TOSHIBA dealer. The Battery pack is
identical to the one that came with your
computer. Use it as a spare or replacement.
it may be convenient to purchase an additional
Universal AC Adaptor for each site so you will
not have to carry the adaptor with you.
megabyte or 720-kilobyte diskettes. It connects
to a USB port. (You cannot format 720-kilobyte
diskettes on Windows XP, but you can use
previously formatted disks.)
batteries outside the computer.
the computer to deter theft.
Portégé A100 1-11
The Grand Tour
Portégé A100
Chapter 2
The Grand Tour
This chapter identifies the various components of your computer. Become
familiar with each component before you operate the computer.
Front with the display closed
The figure below shows the computer’s front with its display panel in the
closed position.
DISPLAY LATCH POWER SOURCE/SYSTEM INDICATORS
Front of the computer with display closed
Display latch This latch secures the LCD panel in its closed
position. Push the latch to open the display.
Power
source/system
indicators
Portégé A100 2-1
LEDs let you monitor the status of various
computer functions. Details are given in the
Indicators section.
The Grand Tour
A
Left side
The figure below shows the computer’s left side.
W
IRESS
COMMUNICATION
SD CARD SLOT
PC CARD SLOT VOLUME CONTROL
SD card slot This slot lets you transfer data from the device to
SWITCH
The left side of the computer
your computer.
MICROPHONE HEADPHONE
Keep foreign objects out of the SD card slot. A pin or similar object can
damage the computer’s circuitry.
PC card slot A PC card slot can accommodate two 5 mm PC
cards (Type II) or one 10.5 mm PC card (Type III).
The slot supports 16-bit PC cards and CardBus
PC cards.
Keep foreign objects out of the PC card slot. A pin or similar object can
damage the computer’s circuitry.
Wireless
communication
switch
Slide this switch to the right to turn off Wireless
LAN and Bluetooth functions. Slide it to the left
to turn on the functions.
Microphone jack A standard 3.5 mm mini microphone jack
enables connection of a monaural microphone or
other device for audio input. When you connect
an external microphone, the internal microphone
is automatically disabled.
Headphone jack
standard 3.5 mm mini headphone jack enables
connection of a stereo headphone (16 ohm
minimum) or other device for audio output. When
you connect headphones, the internal speakers
are automatically disabled.
Portégé A100 2-2
The Grand Tour
Volume control Use this dial to adjust the volume of the system
speakers and headphones.
Right side
The figure below shows the computer’s right side.
Fixed Optical Media
Drive
CD-RW/DVD-ROM
drive
Security lock slot A security cable attaches to this slot. The
Back side
The figure below shows the computer’s back side.
SECURITY LOCK SLOT
FIXED OPTICAL MEDIA DRIVE
DC IN
15V I.LINK
The right side of the computer
See Chapter 4, Operating Basics, for information
on using the drive and caring for CDs and DVDs.
Some models are equipped with a full-size
CD-RW/DVD-ROM drive module that lets you
run CD/DVDs without using an adaptor. You can
also write CDs.
optional security cable anchors your computer to
a desk or other large object to deter theft.
ACTIVE INDICATOR
LAN
PORT
(ORANGE)
INK INDICATOR
L
(
GREEN) FAN VENT
TV OUT PORT MODEM JACK
LAN
JACK
USB PORTS
E
XTERNAL
MONITOR PORT
The computer’s back side
Portégé A100 2-3
The Grand Tour
LAN jack This jack lets you connect to a LAN. The adaptor
has built-in support for Ethernet LAN
(10 megabits per second, 10BASE-T) and Fast
Ethernet LAN (100 megabits per second,
100BASE-TX).
LAN active indicator
(orange)
Link indicator (green) This indicator glows green when the computer is
This indicator glows orange when data is being
exchanged between the computer and the LAN.
connected to a LAN and the LAN is functioning
properly.
Modem jack In areas where an internal modem is installed as
standard equipment, there is a modem jack that
lets you use a modular cable to connect the
modem directly to a telephone line. The modem
is not supported in some marketing regions.
1. In case of a lightning storm, unplug the modem cable from the
telephone jack.
2. Do not connect the modem to a digital telephone line. A digital line will
damage the modem.
External monitor port This 15-pin port lets you connect an external
i.LINK (IEEE1394)
port
monitor.
Connect an external device, such as a digital
video camera to this port for high-speed data
transfer. You must connect the AC adaptor when
you use i.LINK.
Universal Serial Bus
(USB 2.0) ports
Four Universal Serial Bus ports are on the back
side. The ports comply with the USB 2.0
standard, which enables data transfer speeds 40
times faster than the USB 1.1 standard. (The
ports also support USB 1.1.)
Operation of all functions of all USB devices has not been confirmed.
Some functions might not execute properly.
TV out port Some models are equipped with a TV out port.
Plug an Composite cable into this jack for TV
out. Use the TV button to turn on and off the TV
display.
Portégé A100 2-4
Fan vent Provides air flow for the fan.
The Grand Tour
Be careful not to block the fan vent. Also be careful to keep foreign
objects out of the vents. A pin or similar object can damage the
computer’s circuitry.
DC IN 15V The AC adaptor connects to this socket. Use
only the model of AC adaptor that comes with
the computer. Using the wrong adaptor can
damage your computer.
Underside
The figure below shows the underside of the computer. Make sure the
display is closed before turning over your computer.
TAB TAB
BATTERY PACK BATTERY RELEASE LATCH
The underside of the computer
Battery pack The battery pack powers the computer when the
AC adaptor is not connected. The Batteries
section in Chapter 6, Power and Power-Up
Modes, describes how to access the battery
pack. Additional battery packs can be purchased
from your TOSHIBA dealer to extend the
computer’s battery operating time.
Battery release latch Slide this latch to release the battery pack for
removal. For detailed information on removing
Portégé A100 2-5
the battery packs, refer to Chapter 6, Power and
Power-Up Modes.
The Grand Tour
Front with the display open
The figure below shows the front of the computer with the display open.
To open the display, Push the display latch on the front of the computer
and lift the display up. Position the display at a comfortable viewing
angle.
DISPLAY SCREEN DISPLAY HINGE
STEREO SPEAKER
(LEFT)
TOSHIBA C
BUTTON
ONSOLE
TEREO SPEAKER
S
(
RIGHT)
ENSOR SWITCH
LCD S
(
NOT SHOWN)
TOUCH PAD
TOUCH PAD
CONTROL BUTTONS
INTERNET BUTTON MAIL BUTTON
OWER BUTTON
P
MICROPHONE
The front with the display open
Display hinge The display hinge holds the display screen at
easy-to-view angles.
Display screen The full-color LCD displays high-contrast text
and graphics and is compatible with the industry
standard Video Graphics Array (VGA). The LCD
consists of up to 1024 × 768 pixels or dots. The
computer has a Thin-Film Transistor (TFT)
display. Refer to Appendix B.
When the computer operates on power through
the AC adaptor, the display screen’s image will
be somewhat brighter than when it operates on
battery power. The lower brightness level is
intended to save battery power.
Portégé A100 2-6
The Grand Tour
Internet button A push on a button starts the Internet browser
software.
Mail button A push on a button starts mail software.
Power button Press the power button to turn the computer’s
power on and off. Refer to the Power indicators
section in Chapter 6, Power and Power-Up
Modes.
TOSHIBA Console
button
You can associate an application to this button
for automatic launch. If the computer is off,
pressing this button starts the computer and
launches the associated program automatically.
The default is TOSHIBA Console.
Touch Pad A Touch Pad located slightly in the left from the
center of the palm rest is used to control the onscreen pointer. Refer to the Using the Touch Pad
section in Chapter 4, Operating Basics.
Touch Pad control
buttons
Control buttons close to the Touch Pad let you
select menu items or manipulate text and
graphics designated by the on-screen pointer.
Microphone A microphone lets you record sound into your
applications.
Stereo speakers The speakers emits sound generated by your
software.
LCD Sensor switch This switch senses when the LCD panel is
closed or opened and activates the Panel Power
Off/On feature. When you close the panel the
computer enters Hibernation mode and shuts
down. When you open the panel the computer
starts in Hibernation mode. Use the TOSHIBA
Power Saver Utility to enable or disable this
features. The default is “enabled.” Refer to the
TOSHIBA Power Saver Utility and Panel Power
Off/On items in Chapter 1, Introduction, for
details on settings.
Do not put a magnetic object close to the switch. The computer will
automatically enter Hibernation mode and shut down even if the Panel
Power Off features is disabled.
Portégé A100 2-7
The Grand Tour
K
Y
V
Indicators
The figure below shows the indicators, which light when various computer
operations are in progress.
CD-ROM
DIS
MAIN BATTER
POWER
DC IN 15
SD CARD
WIRELESS
COMMUNICATION
The power source/system indicators
Power source/system indicators
DC IN 15V The DC IN 15V indicator glows green when DC
Power The Power indicator green when the computer is
Main battery The Main battery indicator shows the condition
Disk The Disk indicator glows green when the
CD-ROM drive This indicator glows green when the computer is
power is supplied from the AC power adaptor. If
the output voltage of the adaptor is abnormal or
if the power supply malfunctions, this indicator
flashes orange.
on. If you turn off the computer in Resume
mode, this indicator glows orange when the
computer shuts down. Refer to the Power
indicators section in Chapter 6, Power and
Power-Up Modes.
of the charge. Green means fully charged and
orange means being charged. Refer to
Chapter 6, Power and Power-Up Modes.
computer is accessing a disk drive.
accessing a diskette in the diskette drive or a
disk in the Optical Media drive
SD card The SD card indicator glows blue when the
Portégé A100 2-8
computer is accessing the SD card slot.
The Grand Tour
A
K
Wireless
communication
The Wireless communication indicator lights
when the Wireless LAN and Bluetooth functions
are turned on. (This indicator is used only
models with Wireless LAN or Bluetooth
functions.)
The figures below show the positions of the keypad overlay indicators
and the Caps Lock indicator.
When the F10 key indicator glows the keypad overlay lets you control the
cursor. When the F11 key indicator glows the keypad overlay lets you
enter numbers.
RROW MODE
INDICATIOR
When the Caps Lock indicator glows the keyboard is in all-caps mode.
NUMERIC MODE
INDICATOR
Keypad overlay indicators
CAPS LOC
INDICATIOR
Caps Lock indicator
Portégé A100 2-9
The Grand Tour
Keyboard indicator
Caps Lock This indicator glows green when the alphabet
Arrow mode When the Arrow mode indicator lights green,
Numeric mode You can use the keypad overlay (white labeled
AC adaptor
The AC adaptor converts AC power to DC power and reduces the voltage
supplied to the computer. It can automatically adjust to any voltage from
100 to 240 volts and to a frequency of either 50 or 60 hertz, enabling you
to use the computer in almost any region.
To recharge the battery, simply connect the AC adaptor to a power source
and the computer. See Chapter 6 Power and Power-Up Modes for details.
keys are locked in uppercase.
you can use the keypad overlay (white labeled
keys) as cursor keys. Refer to the Keypad
overlay section in Chapter 5, The Keyboard.
keys) for numeric input when the Numeric mode
indicator lights green. Refer to the Keypad
overlay section in Chapter 5, The Keyboard.
The AC adaptor
Some of the features described in this manual may not function properly if
Use only the AC adaptor that came with the computer or an equivalent
optional adaptor. Use of the wrong adaptor could damage your computer.
TOSHIBA assumes no liability for any damage in such case.
Use only the AC adaptor supplied as an accessory. Other AC adaptors
have different voltage and terminal polarities and use of them may
produce heat and smoke or even result in fine or rupture.
Portégé A100 2-10
The Grand Tour
USB diskette drive (optional)
A 3 1/2" diskette drive accommodates 1.44-megabyte or 720-kilobyte
diskettes. It connects to the USB port.
CONNECTOR
USB
DISK-IN-USE
I
NDICATOR
DISKETTE SLOT
USB diskette drive
Disk-In-Use Indicator This indicator lights when the diskette is being
EJECT BUTTON
accessed.
Diskette slot Insert a diskette in this slot.
Eject button When a diskette is fully seated in the drive, the
eject button pops out. To remove a diskette,
push in the eject button and the diskette pops
out partially for removal.
Check the Disk-In-Use indicator when you use the diskette drive. Do not
press the eject button or turn off the computer while the light is glowing.
Doing so could destroy data and damage the diskette or the drive.
1. The external diskette drive should be placed on a flat, horizontal
surface when in use. Do not set the drive on an incline greater than
20o while it is operating.
2. Do not set anything on top of the diskette drive.
3. If you need to boot the computer from the diskette drive or if you use
an OS that does not support USB, you must set the USB-FDD Legacy
Emulation feature in HW Setup to Enabled. Refer to the USB section
in Chapter 7.
Portégé A100 2-11
The Grand Tour
Fixed optical media drive
The following optical media drive is installed in the computer:
CD-RW/DVD-ROM drive. An ATAPI interface controller is used for
CD/DVD-ROM operation. When the computer is accessing a CD/DVD, an
indicator on the drive glows.
Region codes for DVD drives and media
CD-RW/DVD-ROM drives and media are manufactured according to the
specifications of six marketing regions. When you purchase DVD-Video,
make sure it matches your drive, otherwise it will not play properly.
Code Region
1 Canada, United States
2 Japan, Europe, South Africa, Middle East
3 Southeast Asia, East Asia
4 Australia, New Zealand, Pacific Islands, Central America,
South America, Caribbean
5 Russia, Indian Subcontinent, Africa, North Korea, Mongolia
6 China
Writable discs
This section describes the types of writable CD/DVD discs. Check the
specifications for your drive to for the type of discs it can write. Use
Drag'n Drop CD+DVD to write compact discs. Refer to Chapter 4,
Operating Basics.
CDs
■ CD-R discs can be written only once. The recorded data cannot be
erased or changed.
■ CD-RW discs can be recorded more than once. Use either 1, 2, or 4
multi speed
■ CD-RW discs or high-speed 4- to 10-speed discs. The write speed of
the ultra-speed CD-RW discs(Ultra-speed is CD-RW/DVD-ROM drive
only) is maximum 24-speed.
DVDs
■ DVD-R discs can be written only once. The recorded data cannot be
erased or changed.
■ DVD-RW discs can be recorded more than once.
■ DVD-RAM discs can be recorded more than once.
Portégé A100 2-12
The Grand Tour
Formats
The drives support the following formats:
■ DVD-ROM ■ DVD -Video
■ CD-DA ■ CD-Text
■ Photo CD
TM
(single/multi-session) ■ CD-ROM Mode 1, Mode 2
■ CD-ROM XA Mode 2 (Form1, Form2) ■ Enhanced CD (CD-EXTRA)
■ CD-G (Audio CD only) ■ Addressing Method 2
CD-RW/DVD-ROM drive
The full-size CD-RW/DVD-ROM drive module lets you record data to
rewritable CDs as well as run either 12 cm (4.72") or 8 cm (3.15")
CD/DVDs without using an adaptor.
The read speed is slower at the center of a disc and faster at the outer
edge.
DVD read 8 speed (maximum)
CD read 24 speed (maximum)
CD-R write 24 speed (maximum)
CD-RW write 24 speed (maximum, ultra-speed media)
Portégé A100 2-13
Getting Started
Portégé A100
Chapter 3
Getting Started
This chapter provides basic information to get you started using your
computer. It covers the following topics:
■ Setting up your work space — for your health and safety
Be sure also to read the Safety Instruction Manual. This guide, which is
included with the computer, explains product liability.
■ Connecting the AC adaptor
■ Opening the display
■ Turning on the power
■ Windows XP Starting up for the first time setup
■ Turning off the power
■ Restarting the computer
■ Restoring the Windows system
If you are a new user, follow the steps in each section of this chapter as
you prepare to operate your computer.
All users should be sure to carefully read the section Windows XP setup,
which describe actions to take when you turn on the power for the first
time.
Portégé A100 3-1
Getting Started
Setting up your work space
Establishing a comfortable work site is important for you and your
computer. A poor work environment or stressful work habits can result in
discomfort or serious injury from repetitive strain to your hands, wrists or
other joints. Proper ambient conditions should also be maintained for the
computer’s operation. This section discusses the following topics:
■ General conditions
■ Placement of the computer
■ Seating and posture
■ Lighting
■ Work habits
General conditions
In general, if you are comfortable, so is your computer, but read the
following to make sure your work site provides a proper environment.
■ Make sure there is adequate space around the computer for proper
ventilation.
■ Make sure the AC power cord connects to an outlet that is close to
the computer and easily accessible.
■ The temperature should be 5 to 35 degrees Centigrade (41 to
95 degrees Fahrenheit) and the relative humidity should be 20 to
80 percent.
■ Avoid areas where rapid or extreme changes in temperature or
humidity may occur.
■ Keep the computer free of dust, moisture, and exposure to direct
sunlight.
■ Keep the computer away from heat sources, such as electric heaters.
■ Do not use the computer near liquids or corrosive chemicals.
■ Do not place the computer near objects that create strong magnetic
fields (e.g., stereo speakers).
■ Some computers in the computer, including data storage media, can
be damaged by magnets. Do not place the computer near magnetic
objects or bring magnetic objects close to the computer. Be careful of
objects, such as stereo speakers, that produce strong magnetic fields
during operation. Also, be careful with metal objects, such as
bracelets, which can be inadvertently magnetized.
■ Do not operate the computer in close proximity to a mobile phone.
■ Leave ample ventilation room for the fan. Do not block the vents.
Portégé A100 3-2
Getting Started
Placement of the computer
Position the computer and peripheral devices to provide comfort and
safety.
■ Set the computer on a flat surface at a comfortable height and
distance. The display should be no higher than eye level to avoid
eyestrain.
■ Place the computer so that it is directly in front of you when you work
and make sure you have adequate space to easily operate other
devices.
■ Allow adequate space behind the computer to let you freely adjust the
display. The display should be angled to reduce glare and maximize
visibility.
■ If you use a paper holder, set it at about the same height and distance
as the computer.
Seating and posture
The height of your chair in relation to the computer and keyboard as well
as the support it gives your body are primary factors in reducing work
strain. Refer to the following tips and to figure below.
BELOW EYE LEVEL
OOT REST
F
Posture and positioning of the computer
90° ANGLES
■ Place your chair so that the keyboard is at or slightly below the level of
your elbow. You should be able to type comfortably with your
shoulders relaxed.
Portégé A100 3-3
Getting Started
■ Your knees should be slightly higher than your hips. If necessary, use
a foot rest to raise the level of your knees to ease pressure on the
back of your thighs.
■ Adjust the back of your chair so it supports the lower curve of your
spine.
■ Sit straight so that your knees, hips and elbows form approximately
90 degree angles when you work. Do not slump forward or lean back
too far.
Lighting
Proper lighting can improve legibility of the display and reduce eyestrain.
■ Position the computer so that sunlight or bright indoor lighting does
not reflect off the screen. Use tinted windows, shades or other screen
to eliminate sun glare.
■ Avoid placing the computer in front of bright light that could shine
directly in your eyes.
■ If possible, use soft, indirect lighting in your computer work area. Use
a lamp to illuminate your documents or desk, but be sure to position
the lamp so that it does not reflect off the display or shine in your
eyes.
Work habits
A key to avoiding discomfort or injury from repetitive strain is to vary your
activities. If possible, schedule a variety of tasks into your work day. If you
must spend long periods at the computer, finding ways to break up the
routine can reduce stress and improve your efficiency.
■ Sit in a relaxed posture. Good positioning of your chair and equipment
as described earlier can reduce tension in your shoulders or neck and
ease back strain.
■ Vary your posture frequently.
■ Occasionally stand up and stretch or exercise briefly.
■ Exercise and stretch your wrists and hands a number of times during
the day.
■ Frequently, look away from the computer and focus your eyes on a
distant object for several seconds, for example 30 seconds every
15 minutes.
■ Take frequent short breaks instead of one or two long breaks, for
example, two or three minutes every half hour.
■ Have your eyes examined regularly and visit a doctor promptly, if you
suspect you might be suffering from a repetitive strain injury.
A number of books are available on ergonomics and repetitive strain injury
or repetitive stress syndrome. For more information on these topics or for
pointers on exercises for such stress points as hands and wrists, please
check with your library or book vendor. Also refer to the computer’s
Instruction Manual for Safety & Comfort.
Portégé A100 3-4
Getting Started
Connecting the AC adaptor
Attach the AC adaptor when you need to charge the battery or you want
to operate from AC power. It is also the fastest way to get started,
because the Battery pack will need to be charged before you can operate
from battery power.
The AC adaptor can be connected to any power source supplying from
100 to 240 volts and 50 or 60 hertz. For details on using the AC adaptor
to charge the Battery pack, refer to Chapter 6, Power and Power-Up
Modes.
Use only the AC adaptor supplied as an accessory. Other AC adaptors
have different voltage and terminal polarities and use of them may
produce heat and smoke or even result in fine or rupture.
1. Use only the AC adaptor supplied with your computer or an equivalent
adaptor that is compat ible. Use of any incompatible adaptor could
damage your computer. TOSHIBA assumes no liability for any damage
caused by use of an incompatible adaptor.
2. When you connect the AC adaptor to the computer, always follow the
steps in the exact order as described in the User’s Manual.
Connecting the power cable to a live electrical outlet should be the
last step otherwise the adaptor DC output plug could hold an electrical
change and cause an electrical shock or minor bodily injury when
touched. As a general safety precaution, avoid touching any metal
parts.
1. Connect the power cord to the AC adaptor.
Connecting the power cord to the AC adaptor
Portégé A100 3-5
Getting Started
2. Connect the AC adaptor’s DC output plug to the DC IN 15V port on
the back of the computer.
3. Plug the power cord into a live wall outlet. The Main battery and
DC IN 15V indicator on the front of the computer should glow.
Opening the display
The display panel can be rotated in a wide range of angles for optimal
viewing.
1. Push the display latch on the front of the computer to unlatch the
display panel.
2. Lift the panel up and adjust it to the best viewing angle for you.
When you open the display, hold it with both hands and lift up slowly.
Connecting the adaptor to the computer
Opening the display panel
Portégé A100 3-6
Getting Started
Turning on the power
This section describes how to turn on the power.
After you turn on the power for the first time, do not turn it off until you
have set up the operating system. Refer to the section, Starting up for the
first time, in this chapter.
1. If the optional external diskette drive is connected, make sure it is
empty. If a diskette is in the drive, press the eject button and remove
the diskette.
2. Open the display.
3. Press and hold the computer’s power button for two or three
seconds.
Turning on the power
Starting up for the first time
When you first turn on the power, the computer's initial screen is the
Microsoft Windows XP Startup Screen Logo. Follow the on-screen
directions for each screen. During setup, you can click the Back button to
return to the previous screen.
Be sure to read the Windows End User License Agreement display
carefully.
Be sure to read the License Agreement carefully.
Portégé A100 3-7
Getting Started
Turning off the power
The power can be turned off in one of the following modes: Shut down
(Boot), Hibernation or Standby mode.
Shut Down mode (Boot mode)
When you turn off the power in Shut Down mode no data is saved and
the computer will boot to the operating system’s main screen.
1. If you have entered data, save it to the hard disk or to a diskette.
2. Make sure all disk activity has stopped, then remove any CD/DVDs
or diskette.
Make sure the Disk and Disk indicators are off. If you turn off the power
while a disk is being accessed, you can lose data or damage the disk.
3. Click start then click Turn off computer. From the Turn off
computer menu select Turn of f .
4. Turn off the power to any peripheral devices.
Do not turn the computer or devices back on immediately. Wait a moment
to let all capacitors fully discharge.
Hibernation mode
The hibernation feature saves the contents of memory to the hard disk
when the computer is turned off. The next time the computer is turned on,
the previous state is restored. The hibernation feature does not save the
status of peripheral devices.
1. Save your data. While entering hibernation mode, the computer saves
the contents of memory to the HDD. However, for safety sake, it is
best to save your data manually.
2. Data will be lost if you remove the battery or disconnect the AC
adaptor before the save is completed. Wait for the Disk indicator to go
out.
3. Do not install or remove a memory module while the computer is in
hibernation mode. Data will be lost.
Benefits of hibernation
The hibernation feature provides the following benefits:
■ Saves data to the hard disk when the computer automatically shuts
down because of a low battery.
Portégé A100 3-8
Getting Started
For the computer to shut down in hibernation mode, the hibernation
feature must be enabled in two places in TOSHIBA Power Saver: the
Hibernate tab in Power Options and Setup Action tab in TOSHIBA Power
Saver. Otherwise, the computer will shut down in Standby mode. If
battery power becomes depleted, data saved in Standby will be lost.
■ You can return to your previous working environment immediately
when you turn on the computer.
■ Saves power by shutting down the system when the computer
receives no input or hardware access for the duration set by the
System hibernate feature.
■ You can use the panel power off feature.
Starting Hibernation
You can also enable Hibernation by pressing Fn + F4. See Chapter 5,
The Keyboard, for details.
To enter Hibernation mode, follow the steps below.
1. Click start.
2. Select Turn Off Computer.
3. Open the Turn Off Computer dialog box. Hibernate is not
displayed.
4. Press the Shift key. The Standby item will change to Hibernate.
5. Select Hibernate.
Automatic Hibernation
The computer will enter Hibernate mode automatically when you press
the power button or close the lid. First, however, make the appropriate
settings according to the steps below.
1. Open the Control Panel.
2. Open Performance and Maintenance and open Power Options.
3. Select the Hibernate window in the Power Options
Properties, select the Enable hibernation check box and click
the Apply button.
4. Open TOSHIBA Power Saver.
5. Select the Setup Action window.
6. Enable the desired Hibernation settings for When I press the power
button and When I close the lid.
7. Click the OK button.
Portégé A100 3-9
Getting Started
Data save in hibernation mode
When you turn off the power in hibernation mode, the computer takes a
moment to save current memory data to the hard disk. During this time,
the Disc indicator will light.
After you turn off the computer and memory is saved to the hard disk,
turn off the power to any peripheral devices.
Do not turn the computer or devices back on immediately. Wait a moment
to let all capacitors fully discharge.
Standby mode
If you have to interrupt your work, you can turn off the power without
exiting from your software. Data is maintained in the computer’s main
memory. When you turn on the power again, you can continue working
right where you left off.
1. When the AC adaptor is connected, the computer will go into Standby
mode according to the settings in the TOSHIBA Power Saver utility.
2. To restore operation from Standby mode, press the power button or
press any key. The latter action works only if Wake-up on Keyboard is
enabled in HW Setup.
3. If the computer automatically enters Standby mode while a network
application is active, the application might not be restored when the
computer wakes up from Standby.
4. To prevent the computer from automatically entering Standby mode,
disable Standby in TOSHIBA Power Saver. That action, however, will
nullify the computer’s Energy Star compliance.
1. Before entering Standby mode, be sure to save your data.
2. Do not install or remove a memory module while the computer is in
standby mode. The computer or the module could be damaged.
3. Do not remove the Battery pack while the computer is in standby
mode (unless the computer is connected to an AC power source).
Data in memory will be lost.
4. If you carry the computer on board an aircraft or into a hospital, be
sure to shut down the computer in hibernation mode or in shutdown
mode to avoid radio signal interference.
Portégé A100 3-10
Getting Started
Benefits of standby
The standby feature provides the following benefits:
■ Restores the previous working environment more rapidly than does
hibernation.
■ Saves power by shutting down the system when the computer
receives no input or hardware access for the duration set by the
System Standby feature.
■ You can use the panel power off feature.
Executing standby
You can also enable Standby by pressing Fn + F3. See Chapter 5,
The Keyboard, for details.
You can enter standby mode in one of three ways:
1. Click Start, click Turn Off Computer and click Stand by.
2. Close the display panel. This feature must be enabled. Refer to the
Setup Action tab in TOSHIBA Power Saver Utility described in the
Control Panel.
Open Performance and Maintenance and open TOSHIBA Power
Saver.
3. Press the power button. This feature must be enabled. Refer to the
Setup Action tab in TOSHIBA Power Saver Utility described in the
Control Panel.
Open Performance and Maintenance and open TOSHIBA Power
Saver.
When you turn the power back on, you can continue where you left when
you shut down the computer.
1. When the computer is shut down in standby mode, the power
indicator glows orange.
2. If you are operating the computer on battery power, you can lengthen
the operating time by shutting down in hibernation mode. Standby
mode consumes more power.
Standby limitations
Standby will not function under the following conditions:
■ Power is turned back on immediately after shutting down.
■ Memory circuits are exposed to static electricity or electrical noise.
Portégé A100 3-11
Getting Started
Restarting the computer
Certain conditions require that you restart the computer system.
For example, if:
■ You change certain computer settings.
■ An error occurs and the computer does not respond to your keyboard
commands.
■ There are two ways to restart the computer system:
1. Click start then click Turn off computer. From the Turn off
computer menu select Restart.
2. Press Ctrl + Alt + Del to display the Windows Task Manager, then
select Shutdown and Restart.
3. Press the power button and hold it down for five seconds. Wait 10 to
15 seconds, then turn the power on again by pressing the power
button.
Restoring the preinstalled software from the Product
Recovery disk
If preinstalled files are damaged, use the Product Recovery disk (CDROM or DVD-ROM) to restore them. To restore the operating system and
all preinstalled software, follow the steps below.
When you reinstall the Windows operating system, the hard disk will be
reformatted and all data will be lost. Make sure you have a backup copy
of your data, before you perform a complete system recovery.
1. Load the Product Recovery disk in the fixed optical media drive and
turn off the computer’s power.
2. Hold down the F12 key and turn on the power. When In Touch
with Tomorrow TOSHIBA appears, release the F12 key.
3. Use the left or right cursor key to select the DVD-ROM icon in the
display menu. For details, refer to the Boot priority section in
Chapter 7, HW Setup and Passwords.
4. Follow the on-screen instructions.
5. If your computer came with additional software installed, this
software cannot be recovered from the Recovery CD. Re-install
these applications (e.g. Works Suite, DVD Player, Games, etc)
separately from other media.
Restoring Toshiba utilities and drivers
If Windows is working properly, individual drivers or applications can be
separately restored. Use the Tools & Utilities CD-ROM according to
instructions in the booklet contained in the CD box to reinstall Toshiba
utilities and drivers.
Portégé A100 3-12
Operating Basics
Portégé A100
Chapter 4
Operating Basics
This chapter gives information on basic operations including using the
Touch Pad, optical media drives, the external diskette drive, the wireless
communication, LAN, the microphone and the internal modem. It also
provides tips on caring for your computer and on heat dispersal.
Using the Touch Pad
To use the Touch Pad, simply press and move your finger tip across it in
the direction you want the on-screen pointer to go.
T
OUCH PAD
OUCH PAD
T
Touch Pad and Touch Pad control buttons
Two buttons below the keyboard are used like the buttons on a mouse
pointer. Press the left button to select a menu item or to manipulate text
or graphics designated by the pointer. Press the right button to display a
menu or other function depending on the software you are using.
Do not press on the Touch Pad too hard or press a sharp object such as a
ball point pen against the Touch Pad. The Touch Pad could be damaged.
Portégé A100 4-1
CONTROL BUTTONS
Operating Basics
For some functions, you can tap the Touch Pad instead of pressing a
control button.
Click Tap the Touch Pad once
Double-click Tap the Touch Pad twice
Drag and drop 1. Hold down the left control button and move
the cursor to drag the item you want to
move.
2. Lift your finger to drop the item where you
want it.
Scroll Vertical: Move your finger up or down the right
edge of the Touch Pad.
Horizontal: Move your finger left or right along
the bottom edge of the Touch Pad.
Adjusting the sensitivity of your Touchpad
You can adjust the sensitivity settings of Touchpad to your own
preferences. When your Touchpad is too sensitive or not sensitive enough
to your finger pressure, please read the following instructions to adjust the
sensitivity settings.
1. Open the Control Panel window..
2. Double Click Mouse. The Mouse Properties window appears. For
some functions, you can tap the Touch Pad instead of pressing a
control button.
3. Click the Device Config tab and click the Settings button.
Adjusting the sensitivity of the Touchpad
4. In the Device Config window, double-click Sensitivity from the list
on the left and then click Touch sensitivity.
Portégé A100 4-2
Operating Basics
5. Move the Touch Sensitivity slide bar to adjust the sensitivity and
click the OK button. Move the Touch Sensitivity slide bar toward
Slow (right) when your Touchpad is too sensitive. Move the slide bar
toward Fast (left) when your Touchpad is not sensitive enough.
6. Click the OK button in the Device Config window to save your
setting. If the setting is not satisfactory, use the Touch Sensitivity
slide bar to adjust the sensitivity again.
Using optical media drives
The illustrations in this section might differ slightly from your drive, but
operation is the same for all optical media drives. The full-size drive
provides high-performance execution of CD/DVD-ROM-based programs.
You can run either 12 cm (4.72") or 8 cm (3.15") CD/DVDs without an
adaptor. An ATAPI interface controller is used for CD/DVD-ROM
operation. When the computer is accessing a CD/DVD, an indicator on
the drive glows.
Use the WinDVD 4 application to view DVD-Video discs.
If you have a CD-RW/DVD-ROM drive, refer also to the Writing CDs on
CD-RW/DVD-ROM drive section for precautions on writing to CDs.
If you have a DVD Multi drive, refer also to the Writing CD/DVDs on
DVD Multi drive section for precautions on writing to CDs.
Loading discs
To load CD/DVDs, follow the steps below and refer to figures below.
1. a. When the power is on, press the eject button to open the drawer
slightly.
Pressing the eject button
b. Pressing the eject button will not open the drawer when the drive’s
power is off. If the power is off, you can open the drawer by
inserting a slender object (about 15 mm) such as a straightened
paper clip into the eject hole just to the right of the eject button.
Portégé A100 4-3
EJECT BUTTON EJECT BUTTON
Operating Basics
Manual release with the eject hole
2. Pinch the drawer gently and pull until it is fully opened.
Pulling the drawer open
3. Lay the CD/DVD, label side up, in the drawer.
When the drawer is fully opened, the edge of the computer will extend
slightly over the CD/DVD tray. Therefore, you will need to turn the
CD/DVD at an angle when you place it in the tray. After seating the
CD/DVD, however, make sure it lies flat, as shown in next figure.
1. Do not touch the laser lens. Doing so could cause misalignment.
2. Do not keep foreign matter from entering the drive. Check the back
edge of the tray to make sure it carries no debris before closing the
drive.
4. Press gently at the center of the CD/DVD until you feel it click into
place. The CD/DVD should lie below the top of the spindle, flush
with the spindle base.
Portégé A100 4-4
Operating Basics
Inserting a CD/DVD
5. Push the center of the drawer to close it. Press gently until it locks
into place.
If the CD/DVD is not seated properly when the drawer is closed, the
CD /DVD might be damaged. Also, the drawer might not open fully when
you press the eject button.
Closing the CD/DVD drawer
Removing discs
To remove the CD/DVD, follow the steps below and refer to figure below.
Do not press the eject button while the computer is accessing the optical
media drive. Wait for the CD-ROM indicator to go out before you open
the drawer. Also, if the CD/DVD is spinning when you open the drawer,
wait for it to stop before you remove it.
1. To pop the drawer partially open, press the eject button. Gently pull
the drawer out until it is fully opened.
Portégé A100 4-5
Operating Basics
1. When the drawer pops open slightly, wait a moment to make sure the
CD/DVD has stopped spinning before pulling the drawer fully open.
2. Turn off the power before you use the eject hole. If the CD/DVD is
spinning when you open the drawer, the CD/DVD could fly off the
spindle and cause injury.
2. The CD/DVD extends slightly over the sides of the drawer so you
can hold it. Hold the CD/DVD gently and lift it out.
Removing a CD/DVD
3. Push the center of the drawer to close it. Press gently until it locks
into place.
Writing CDs on CD-RW/DVD-ROM drive
Depending on the type of drive installed, you may be able to write CDs.
The CD-RW/DVD-ROM drive lets you write as well as read CD-ROMs.
Observe the precautions in this section to ensure the best performance
for writing CDs. For information on loading and unloading CDs refer to the
Using optical media drive section.
CD-R discs can be written only once. CD-RW discs can be rewritten
many times.
Before writing or rewriting
Please observe the following points when you write or rewrite the data.
■ We recommend the following manufacturers of CD-R and CD-RW
media. Media quality can affect write or rewrite success rates.
CD-R: TAIYO YUDEN CO., LTD.
MITSUBISHI CHEMICAL CORPORATION
RICOH Co., Ltd.
Hitachi Maxell Ltd.
CD-RW*: MITSUBISHI CHEMICAL CORPORATION
RICOH Co., Ltd.
Portégé A100 4-6
Operating Basics
*The following special media recommend the next manufacturers.
■ Multi-Speed and High-Speed CD-ROM:
MITSUBISHI CHEMICAL CORPORATION, RICOH Co., Ltd.
■ Ultra-Speed CD-ROM:
MITSUBISHI CHEMICAL CORPORATION
TOSHIBA has confirmed the operation of CD-R and CD-RW media of the
manufacturers above. Operation of other media cannot be guaranteed.
■ CD-RW can generally be rewritten about 1,000 times. However, the
actual number of rewrites is affected by the quality of the media and
the way it is used.
■ Be sure to connect the universal AC adaptor when you write or
rewrite.
■ Be sure to close all other software programs except the writing
software.
■ Do not run software such as a screen saver which can put a heavy
load on the CPU.
■ Operate the computer at full power. Do not use power-saving features.
■ Do not write while virus check software is running. Wait for it to finish,
then disable virus detection programs including any software that
checks files automatically in the background.
■ Do not use hard disk utilities, including those intended to enhance
HDD access speed. They may cause unstable operation and damage
data.
■ Write from the computer's HDD to the CD. Do not try to write from
shared devices such as a LAN server or any other network device.
■ Writing with software other than Drag'n Drop CD+DVD has not been
confirmed. Therefore, operation with other software cannot be
guaranteed.
When writing or rewriting
Note the following when you write or rewrite a CD-R or CD-RW.
■ Always copy data from the HDD to the CD. Do not use cut-and-paste.
The original data will be lost if there is a write error.
■ Do not perform any of the following actions:
■ Change users in the Windows XP operating system.
■ Operate the computer for any other function, including use of a
mouse or Touch Pad, closing / opening the LCD panel.
■ Start a communication application such as a modem.
■ Apply impact or vibration to the PC.
■ Install, remove or connect external devices, including the
following: PC card, SD card, USB devices, external display, i.LINK
devices, optical digital devices.
■ Use the CD/MP3 control buttons to reproduce music and voice.
■ Open the optical media drive.
Portégé A100 4-7
Operating Basics
■ If the media is poor in quality, dirty or damaged, writing or rewriting
errors may occur.
■ Set the computer on a level surface and avoid places subject to
vibration such as airplanes trains, or cars. Do not use an unstable
surface such as a stand.
■ Keep mobile phones and other wireless communication devices away
from the computer.
Drag’n Drop CD+DVD
Note the following limitations when you use Drag'n Drop CD+DVD:
■ DVD-Video cannot be created using Drag'n Drop CD+DVD.
■ DVD-Audio cannot be created using Drag'n Drop CD+DVD.
■ You cannot use Drag'n Drop CD+DVD's music CD function to record
music to a DVD-R/-RW disc.
■ Do not use the DISC Backup function of Drag'n Drop CD+DVD to
copy DVD-Video and DVD-ROM with copyright protection.
■ DVD-RAM disc cannot be backed up with the DISC Backup function
of Drag'n Drop CD+DVD.
■ You cannot backup a CD-ROM or CD-R/-RW to DVD-R/-RW using the
DISC Backup function of Drag'n Drop CD+DVD.
■ You cannot back up DVD-ROM, DVD-Video or DVD-R/-RW to
CD-R/-RW using the DISC Backup function of Drag'n Drop CD+DVD.
■ Drag'n Drop CD+DVD cannot record in packet format.
■ You might not be able to use the DISC backup function of Drag'n Drop
CD+DVD to back up a DVD-R/-RW disc that was made with other
software on a different DVD-R/-RW recorder.
■ If you add data to a DVD-R disc that you have already recorded to,
you might not be able to read the added data under some
circumstances. It cannot be read in 16-bit operating systems, such as
Windows 98SE and Windows ME. In Windows NT4, you will need
Service Pack 6 or later to read added data. In Windows 2000, you will
need Service Pack 2 or later to read it. Some DVD-ROM and
CD-RW/DVD-ROM drives cannot read added data regardless of the
operating system.
■ Drag'n Drop CD+DVD does not support recording to DVD-RAM discs.
To record to a DVD-RAM, use Explorer or other utility.
■ If you try to back up a DVD disc to a DVD-RW disc that was erased by
the Quick erase option, you might get an error message. Use the Full
erase option to clear the DVD-RW disc and try again.
■ When you back up a DVD disc, be sure the source drive supports
recording to DVD-R/-RW discs. If the source drive does not support
recording to DVD-R/-RW discs, it might not be backed up correctly.
Portégé A100 4-8
Operating Basics
Data Verification
To verify that data is written or rewritten correctly, follow the steps below
before you write or rewrite a Data CD/DVD.
1. Right-click Data BOX and select Options to display the DATA DISC
Option window.
2. Mark the Record and Verify check box and select Byte compare.
3. Click the OK button.
The “Record and Verify” function automatically checks whether data has
been correctly recorded onto a CD/DVD. “Byte compare” compares the
original data file with the data recorded on the CD/DVD and checks that
the data completely matches.
Media care
This section provides tips on protecting data stored on your CD/DVDs
and diskettes.
Handle your media with care. The following simple precautions will
increase the lifetime of your media and protect the data stored on them:
CD/DVDs
1. Store your CD/DVDs in the container they came in to protect them
and keep them clean.
2. Do not bend the CD/DVD.
3. Do not write on, apply a sticker to, or otherwise mar the surface of
the CD/DVD that contains data.
4. Hold the CD/DVD by its outside edge or the edge on the center hole.
Fingerprints on the surface can prevent the drive from properly
reading data.
5. Do not expose to direct sunlight, extreme heat or cold. Do not place
heavy objects on your CD/DVDs.
6. If your CD/DVDs become dusty or dirty, wipe them with a clean dry
cloth. Wipe from the center out, do not wipe in a circular direction
around the CD/DVD. If necessary, use a cloth dampened in water or
a neutral cleaner. Do not use benzine, thinner or similar cleaner.
Portégé A100 4-9
Operating Basics
Diskettes
1. Store your diskettes in the container they came in to protect them
and keep them clean. If a diskette is dirty, do not use cleaning fluid.
Clean it with a soft damp cloth.
2. Do not slide back the diskette’s protective metal covering or touch
the diskette’s magnetic surface. Fingerprints may prevent the
diskette drive from reading data from the diskette.
3. Data may be lost if the diskette is twisted; bent; or exposed to direct
sunlight, extreme heat or cold.
4. Do not place heavy objects on your diskettes.
5. Do not eat, smoke, or use erasers near your diskettes. Foreign
particles inside the diskette’s jacket can damage the magnetic
surface.
6. Magnetic energy can destroy the data on your diskettes. Keep your
diskettes away from speakers, radios, television sets and other
sources of magnetic fields.
Using a optional USB diskette drive
A 3 1/2" diskette drive connects to the computer’s USB port. It
accommodates 1.44-megabyte or 720-kilobyte diskettes. Refer to
Chapter 2, Grand Tour, for more information.
Connecting a optional USB diskette drive
To connect the drive, plug the diskette drive connector into a USB port.
Refer to figure below.
Make sure the connector is back side up and properly aligned with the
socket. Do not try to force the connection, doing so can damage the
connecting pins.
Connecting the USB diskette drive to the computer
Portégé A100 4-10
Operating Basics
If you connect the diskette drive after turning on the computer, it will take
about 10 seconds for the computer to recognize the drive. Do not
disconnect and reconnect before 10 seconds has elapsed.
Disconnecting a optional USB diskette drive
When you have finished using the diskette drive, follow the procedures
below to disconnect it:
1. Wait for the indicator light to go out to make sure all diskette activity
has stopped.
If you disconnect the diskette drive or turn off the power while the
computer is accessing the drive you may lose data or damage the
diskette or the drive.
2. Pull the diskette drive connector out of the USB port.
Diskette care
Handle your diskettes with care. The following simple precautions will
increase the lifetime of your diskettes and protect the data you store on
them:
1. Store your diskettes in the container they came in to protect them
and keep them clean. If a diskette is dirty, do not use cleaning fluid.
Clean it with a soft damp cloth.
2. Do not slide back the diskette’s protective metal covering or touch
the diskette’s magnetic surface. Fingerprints may prevent the
diskette drive from reading data from the diskette.
3. Data may be lost if the diskette is twisted; bent; or exposed to direct
sunlight or extreme heat or cold.
4. Do not place heavy objects on your diskettes.
5. Do not eat, smoke, or use erasers near your diskettes. Foreign
particles inside the diskette’s jacket can damage the magnetic
surface.
6. Magnetic energy can destroy the data on your diskettes. Keep your
diskettes away from speakers, radios, television sets and other
sources of magnetic fields.
Portégé A100 4-11
Operating Basics
Wireless LAN
The Wireless LAN is compatible with other LAN systems based on Direct
Sequence Spread Spectrum radio technology that complies with
IEEE802.11 Wireless LAN standard. (Revision B)
Supported features
It supports the following features:
■ Automatic Transmit Rate Select mechanism in the transmit range of
11, 5.5, 2 and 1 Mbit/s. (Revision B)
■ Frequency Channel Selection (Revision B: 2.4 GHz)
■ Roaming over multiple channels
■ Card Power Management
■ Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) data encryption, based on the 152 bit
encryption algorithm. (Revision B)
■ Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) data encryption, based on 256
bit encryption algorithm. (Revision B)
Wake-up on LAN does not function on a Wireless LAN.
Security
1. Be sure to enable WEP (encryption) function. Otherwise your
computer will allow the illegal access by outsider through Wireless
LAN to cause illegal intrusion, eavesdropping, and loss or
destruction of stored data. TOSHIBA strongly recommend the
customer to enable the WEP function.
2. TOSHIBA is not liable for the eavesdropping of data due to the use
of Wireless LAN and the damage thereof.
Wireless communication switch
You can enable or disable Wireless LAN and Bluetooth functions, with the
on/off switch. No transmissions are sent or received when the switch is
off. Slide the switch toward the back of the computer to turn it on and
toward the front of the computer to turn it off.
Set the switch to off in airplanes and hospitals. Check the indicator. It will
stop glowing when the wireless communication function is off.
Wireless communication Indicator
The Wireless communication indicator indicates the status of the wireless
communication functions.
Portégé A100 4-12
Operating Basics
Indicator status Indication
Indicator off Wireless communication switch is set to off.
Automatic power down because of overheating.
Power malfunction
Indicator glows Wireless communication switch is on.
Wireless LAN or Bluetooth is turned on by an
application.
If you used the Task Bar to disable W-LAN, restart the computer or follow
the procedures below to enable the system to recognize W-LAN. Open or
click the following: start, Control Panel, System, Hardware Device
Manager, Network adapters, TOSHIBA Wireless LAN Mini PCI Card
and enable.
LAN
LAN circuits support Ethernet LAN (10 megabits per second, 10BASE-T)
and Fast Ethernet LAN (100 megabits per second, 100BASE-TX). This
section describes how to connect/disconnect to a LAN.
Do not install or remove an optional memory module while Wake-up on
LAN is enabled.
Wake-up on LAN does not work without the AC adaptor. Leave it
connected, if you are using this feature.
LAN cable types
The computer must be configured properly before connecting to a LAN.
Logging onto a LAN using the computer’s default settings could cause a
malfunction in LAN operation. Check with your LAN administrator
regarding set-up procedures.
If you are using Fast Ethernet LAN (100 megabits per second, 100BASETX), be sure to connect with a CAT5 cable. You cannot use a CAT3 cable.
If you are using Ethernet LAN (10 megabits per second, 10BASE-T), you
can connect with either a CAT5 or a CAT3.
Portégé A100 4-13
Operating Basics
Connecting LAN cable
To connect the LAN cable, follow the steps below.
1. Connect the AC adaptor before connecting the LAN cable. The AC
adaptor must remain connected during LAN use. If you disconnect the
AC Adaptor while the computer is accessing a LAN, the system may
hang up.
2. Do not connect any other cable to the LAN's jack except the LAN
cable. Otherwise, malfunctions or damage may occur.
3. Do not connect any power supplying device to the LAN cable that is
connected to the LAN's jack. Otherwise, malfunctions or damage may
occur.
1. Turn off the power to the computer and to all external devices
connected to the computer.
2. Plug one end of the cable into the LAN’s jack. Press gently until you
hear the latch click into place.
Connecting the LAN cable
3. Plug the other end of the cable into a LAN hub connector.
Check with your LAN administrator before connecting to a hub.
Disconnecting LAN cable
To disconnect the LAN cable, follow the steps below.
Make sure the LAN Active indicator (yellow LED) is out before you
disconnect the computer from the LAN.
1. Pinch the lever on the connector in the computer’s LAN jack and pull
out the connector.
2. Disconnect the cable from the LAN hub in the same manner. Check
with your LAN administrator before disconnecting from the hub.
Portégé A100 4-14
Operating Basics
Using the microphone
Your computer has a built-in microphone that can be used to record
monaural sounds into your applications. It can also be used to issue voice
commands to applications that support such functions.
Since your computer has a built-in microphone and speakers, “howling”
may be heard under certain conditions. Howling occurs when sound from
the speakers is picked up in the microphone and amplified back to the
speakers, which amplifies it again to the microphone.
This howling occurs repeatedly and causes a very loud, high-pitched
noise. It is a common phenomenon that occurs in any sound system
when the microphone input is output to the speakers (throughput) and the
speakers volume is too loud or too close to the microphone. You can
control throughput by adjusting the volume of your speakers or through
the Mute function.
To adjust the volume or activate Mute, click start, point to All Programs,
point to Accessories, point to Entertainment and click Volume Control.
In the Master Volume panel, you can use the slide bars to adjust the
volume level or click Mute at the bottom of the panel.
Using the internal modem
If you purchased a computer model with a preinstalled internal modem,
read this section for directions on connecting the modem. Refer to the
online help files for the internal modem and for details on operation of
your modem and modem software.
The internal modem does not support the voice functions.
All data and fax functions are supported.
1. In case of a lightning storm, unplug the modem cable from the
telephone jack.
2. Do not connect the modem to a digital telephone line.
A digital line will damage the modem.
Region selection
Telecommunication regulations vary from one region to another, so you
will need to make sure the internal modem’s settings are correct for the
region in which it will be used.
To select a region, follow the steps below.
1. Click start, point to All Programs, point to TOSHIBA, Networking and
click Modem Region Select.
Portégé A100 4-15
Operating Basics
Do not use the Country/Region Select function in the Modem setup utility
in the Control Panel if the function is available. If you change the
Country/Region in the Control Panel, the change may not take effect.
2. The Region Selection icon will appear in the Windows Task Bar.
3. Click the icon with the primary mouse button to display a list of
regions that the modem supports. A sub menu for telephony
location information will also be displayed. A check will appear next
to the currently selected region and telephony location.
4. Select a region from the region menu or a telephony location from
the sub-menu.
■ When you click a region it becomes the modem’s region selection,
and the New Location for telephony will be set automatically.
■ When you select a telephony location, the corresponding region is
automatically selected and it becomes the modem’s current region
setting.
Properties menu
Click the icon with the secondary mouse button to display properties
menu on the screen.
Setting
You can enable or disable the following settings:
AutoRun Mode
Region Select Utility starts automatically when you start up the operating
system.
Open the Dialing Properties dialog box after selecting region.
The dialing properties dialog box will be displayed automatically after you
select the region.
Location list for region selection.
A submenu appears displaying location information for telephony.
Open dialog box, if the modem and Telephony Current
Location region code do not match.
A warning dialog box is displayed if current settings for region code and
telephony location are incorrect.
Modem Selection
If the computer cannot recognize the internal modem, a dialog box is
displayed. Select the COM port for your modem to use.
Portégé A100 4-16
Operating Basics
Dialing Properties
Select this item to display the dialing properties.
If you are using the computer in Japan, technical regulations described in
the Telecommunications Business Law require that you select Japan
region mode. It is illegal to use the modem in Japan with any other
selection.
Connecting
To connect the internal modem cable, follow the steps below.
The modular cable that comes with the computer must be used to
connect a modem. Connect the end of the modular cable with the core to
the computer.
1. In case of a lightning storm, unplug the modem cable from the
telephone jack.
2. Do not connect the modem to a digital telephone line. A digital line will
damage the modem.
1. Plug one end of the modular cable into the modem jack.
2. Plug the other end of the modular cable into a telephone jack.
Connecting the internal modem
Do not pull on the cable or move the computer while the cable is
connected.
If you use a storage device such as a optical media drive or HDD
connected to a 16-bit PC card, modem speed might be slow or
communication might be interrupted.
Portégé A100 4-17
Operating Basics
Disconnecting
To disconnect the internal modem cable, follow the steps below.
1. Pinch the lever on the connector in the telephone jack and pull out
the connector.
2. Disconnect the cable from the computer in the same manner.
3. In the same way, pull the cable’s other connector out of the
computer.
Cleaning the computer
To help ensure long, trouble-free operation, keep the computer free of
dust and use care with liquids around the computer.
■ Be careful not to spill liquids into the computer. If the computer does
get wet, turn the power off immediately and let the computer dry
completely before you turn it on again.
■ Clean the computer using a slightly damp (with water) cloth. You can
use glass cleaner on the display. Spray a small amount of cleaner on a
soft, clean cloth and wipe the screen gently with the cloth.
Never spray cleaner directly onto the computer or let liquid run into any
part of it. Never use harsh or caustic chemical products to clean the
computer.
Moving the computer
The computer is designed for rugged durability. However, a few simple
precautions taken when moving the computer will help ensure troublefree operation.
■ Make sure all disk activity has ended before moving the computer.
Check the Disk indicator on the computer and the indicator on any
external disk drive.
■ If a diskette is in the external disk drive, remove it.
■ If a CD/DVD is in the drive, remove it. Also make sure the drawer is
securely closed.
■ Disconnect the AC adaptor and all other peripherals before moving
the computer.
■ Turn off the power to the computer.
■ Close the display. Do not pick up the computer by its display panel or
back (where the interface ports are located).
■ Close all port covers.
■ Use the carrying case when transporting the computer.
Portégé A100 4-18
Operating Basics
Heat dispersal
To protect from overheating, the CPU has an internal temperature sensor.
If the computer’s internal temperature rises to a certain level, the cooling
fan is turned on or the processing speed is lowered. You can select
whether to control the CPU temperature by turning on the fan first, then if
necessary, lowering the CPU speed. Or, by lowering the CPU speed first,
then if necessary, turning on the fan. Use the Cooling Method item of the
Basic Setup tab in TOSHIBA Power Saver.
Maximum
Performance
Turns on the fan first, then if necessary, lowers
the CPU processing speed.
Performance Uses a combination of the fan and lowering the
CPU processing speed.
Battery optimized Lowers the CPU processing speed first, then if
necessary turns on the fan.
When the CPU temperature falls to a normal range, the fan is turned off
and the CPU operation returns to standard speed.
If the CPU temperature reaches an unacceptably high level with either
setting, the system automatically shuts down to prevent damage. Data in
memory will be lost.
Portégé A100 4-19
The Keyboard
Portégé A100
Chapter 5
The Keyboard
The computer’s keyboard layouts are compatible with a 101/102-key
enhanced keyboard. By pressing some keys in combination, all the
101/102-key keyboard functions can be executed on the computer.
The number of keys on your keyboard depends on which country/region’s
keyboard layout your computer is configured with. Keyboards for
numerous languages are available.
There are five types of keys: typewriter keys, keypad overlay, function
keys, soft keys and cursor control keys.
Typewriter keys
The typewriter keys produce the upper- and lowercase letters, numbers,
punctuation marks, and special symbols that appear on the screen.
There are some differences, however, between using a typewriter and
using a computer keyboard:
■ Letters and numbers produced in computer text vary in width.
Spaces, which are created by a “space character,” may also vary
depending on line justification and other factors.
■ The lowercase l (el) and the number 1 (one) are not interchangeable on
computers as they are on a typewriter.
■ The uppercase O (oh) and the 0 (zero) are not interchangeable.
■ The Caps Lock function key locks only the alphabetic characters in
uppercase while the shift lock on a typewriter places all keys in the
shifted position.
■ The Shift keys, the Ta b key, and the BkSp (backspace) key perform
the same function as their typewriter counterparts but also have
special computer functions.
Portégé A100 5-1
The Keyboard
F1 … F12 function keys
The function keys (not to be confused with Fn) are the 12 keys at the top
of your keyboard. These keys function differently from other keys.
F1 through F12 are called function keys because they execute
programmed functions when pressed. Used in combination with the Fn
key, keys marked with icons execute specific functions on the computer.
See the section, Soft keys: Fn key combinations, in this chapter. The
function executed by individual keys depends on the software you are
using.
Soft keys: Fn key combinations
The Fn (function) is unique to TOSHIBA computers and is used in
combination with other keys to form soft keys. Soft keys are key
combinations that enable, disable or configure specific features.
Some software may disable or interfere with soft-key operations.
Soft-key settings are not restored by the Standby feature.
Emulating keys on enhanced keyboard
A 101-key enhanced keyboard layout
The keyboard is designed to provide all the features of the 101-key
enhanced keyboard, shown in figure above. The 101/102-key enhanced
keyboard has a numeric keypad and scroll lock key. It also has additional
Enter and Ctrl keys to the right of the main keyboard. Since the keyboard
of a portable computer is smaller and has fewer keys, some of the
enhanced keyboard functions must be simulated using two keys instead
of one on the larger keyboard.
Your software may require you to use keys that the keyboard does not
have. Pressing the Fn key and one of the following keys simulates the
enhanced keyboard’s functions.
Portégé A100 5-2
The Keyboard
Press Fn + F10 or Fn + F11 to access the integrated keypad. When
activated, the keys with white markings on the bottom edge become
numeric keypad keys (Fn + F11) or cursor control keys (Fn + F10). Refer
to the Keypad overlay section in this chapter for more information on how
to operate these keys. The power on default for both settings is off.
Press Fn + F12 (ScrLock) to lock the cursor on a specific line.
The power on default is off.
Press Fn + Enter to simulate Enter on the enhanced keyboard’s numeric
keypad.
Press Fn + Ctrl to simulate the enhanced keyboard’s right Ctrl key.
Hotkeys
Hotkeys (Fn + a function or Esc key) let you enable or disable certain
features of the computers.
Sound mute: Pressing Fn + Esc in a Windows environment turns sound
on or off. When you press these hotkeys, the current setting will be
displayed as an icon.
Instant security: Press Fn + F1 to blank the screen to prevent others
from accessing your data. To restore the screen and original settings,
press any key. If a screensaver password is registered, a dialog box will
appear. Enter the screensaver password and click OK. If no password is
set, the screen will be restored when you press any key.
Portégé A100 5-3
The Keyboard
Power save mode: Pressing Fn + F2 changes the power save mode.
If you press Fn + F2, the Power Save Mode is displayed in a dialog box.
Continue holding down Fn and press F2 again to change the setting. You
can also change this setting through the Profile item in TOSHIBA Power
Saver.
Standby: When you press Fn + F3, the computer can enter Standby.
To avoid entering Standby unexpectedly, a dialog box appears for
verification. However, if you check the checkbox in the dialog box, it will
not appear from the next time.
Hibernation: When you press Fn + F4, the computer can enter
Hibernation. To avoid entering Hibernation unexpectedly, a dialog box
appears for verification. However, if you check the checkbox in the dialog
box, it will not appear from the next time.
Display selection: Press Fn + F5 to change the active display device.
When you press these hot keys a dialog box appears. Only selectable
devices will be displayed. Hold down Fn and press F5 again to change
the device. When you release Fn and F5, the selected device will change.
If you hold down the keys for three seconds the selection will return to
LCD.
LCD Display Brightness: Pressing Fn + F6 decreases the display
brightness in decrements. When you press these hot keys, the current
setting will be displayed for two seconds by an icon. You can also change
this setting through the Screen brightness item of the Basic Setup tab in
TOSHIBA Power Saver.
Portégé A100 5-4
The Keyboard
LCD Display Brightness: Pressing Fn + F7 increases the display
brightness in increments. When you press these hot keys, the current
setting will be displayed for two seconds by a pop-up icon. You can also
change this setting through the Screen brightness item of the Basic Setup
tab in TOSHIBA Power Saver.
You cannot change the display brightness for about 18 seconds after the
LCD turns on. To protect display quality, the brightness level is set at the
maximum value.
Wireless setting: If your computer has both Bluetooth and Wireless LAN
functions, you can press Fn + F8 to select which type of wireless
communication you want to use. When you press these hot keys, a dialog
box will appear. Continue holding down Fn and press F8 to change the
setting. If wireless communication is turned off, Disabled Wireless
Communication Switch will be displayed.
If no wireless communication device is installed, no dialog box will appear.
Touch Pad: Pressing Fn + F9 enables or disables the Touch Pad function.
When you press those hotkeys, the current setting will change and be
displayed as an icon.
Fn Sticky key
You can use the TOSHIBA Accessibility Utility to make the Fn key sticky,
that is, you can press it once, release it, and they press an “F number”
key.
Portégé A100 5-5
The Keyboard
Windows special keys
The keyboard provides two keys that have special functions in Windows:
one activates the Start menu and the other has the same function as the
secondary mouse button.
This key activates the Windows Start menu.
This key has the same function as the secondary mouse button.
Keypad overlay
Your computer’s keyboard does not have an independent numeric
keypad, but its numeric keypad overlay functions like one.
The keys in the center of the keyboard with white letters make up the
numeric keypad overlay. The overlay provides the same functions as the
numeric keypad on the 101/102-key enhanced keyboard in next figure.
Turning on the overlays
The numeric keypad overlay can be used for numeric data input or cursor
and page control.
Arrow mode
To turn on the Arrow mode, press Fn + F10. The Arrow mode indicator
lights. Now try cursor and page control using the keys shown in next
figure. Press Fn + F10 again to turn off the overlay.
Numeric mode
To turn on the Numeric mode, press Fn + F11. The Numeric mode
indicator lights. Now try numeric data entry using the keys in next figure.
Press Fn + F11 again to turn off the overlay.
Portégé A100 5-6
The Keyboard
The numeric keypad overlay
Temporarily using normal keyboard (overlay on)
While using the overlay, you can temporarily access the normal keyboard
without turning off the overlay:
1. Hold Fn and press any other key. All keys will operate as if the
overlay were off.
2. Type uppercase characters by holding Fn + Shift and pressing a
character key.
3. Release Fn to continue using the overlay.
Temporarily using overlay (overlay off)
While using the normal keyboard, you can temporarily use the keypad
overlay without turning it on:
1. Press and hold down Fn.
2. Check the keyboard indicators. Pressing Fn turns on the most
recently used overlay. If the Numeric mode indicator lights, you can
use the overlay for numeric entry. If the Arrow mode indicator lights,
you can use the overlay for cursor and page control.
3. Release Fn to return to normal keyboard operation.
Portégé A100 5-7
The Keyboard
Temporarily changing modes
If the computer is in Numeric mode, you can switch temporarily to Arrow
mode by pressing a shift key.
If the computer is in Arrow mode, you can switch temporarily to Numeric
mode by pressing a shift key.
Generating ASCII characters
Not all ASCII characters can be generated using normal keyboard
operation. But, you can generate these characters using their ASCII
codes.
With the overlay on:
1. Hold down Alt.
2. Using the overlay keys, type the ASCII code.
3. Release Alt, and the ASCII character appears on the display screen.
With the overlay off:
1. Hold Alt + Fn.
2. Using the overlay keys, type the ASCII code.
3. Release Alt + Fn, and the ASCII character appears on the display
screen.
Portégé A100 5-8
Power and Power-Up Modes
Portégé A100
Chapter 6
Power and Power-Up Modes
The computer’s power resources include the AC adaptor and internal
batteries. This chapter gives details on making the most effective use of
these resources including charging and changing batteries, tips for saving
battery power, and power up modes.
Power conditions
The computer’s operating capability and battery charge status are
affected by the power conditions: whether an AC adaptor is connected,
whether a battery is installed and what the charge level is for the battery.
Power on Power off (no operation)
AC adaptor
connected
Main battery
fully charged
Main battery
partially charged
or no charge
No main battery
installed
• Operates
• No charge
• LED: Main battery green
DC IN 15V green
• Operates
• Charge*
• LED: Main battery orange
• Operates
• No charge
• LED: Main battery green off
1
DC IN 15V green
DC IN 15V green
• No charge
• LED: Main battery green
DC IN 15V green
• Quick charge
• LED: Main battery orange
• No charge
• LED: Main battery green off
DC IN 15V green
DC IN 15V green
Portégé A100 6-1
Power and Power-Up Modes
Power on Power off (no operation)
AC adaptor
not
connected
Main battery
charge is above
low battery
trigger point
Main battery
charge is below
low battery
trigger point
Main battery
charge is
exhausted
No main battery
installed
*1 For the computer to shut down in hibernation mode, the hibernation feature must be
enabled in two places: the Hibernate tab in Power Options and the Setup Action tab in
TOSHIBA Power Saver
• Operates
• LED: Main battery off
DC IN 15V off
• Operates
• LED: Main battery
flashes orange
DC IN 15V off
Computer shut down*1 –
• No operation
• LED: Main battery off
DC IN 15V off
–
–
–
Power indicators
The Main battery, DC IN 15V and Power indicators on the system
indicator panel alert you to the computer’s operating capability and
battery charge status.
Battery indicators
Check the Main Battery indicator to determine the status of the main
battery. The following indicator lights indicate the battery status:
Flashing orange The battery charge is low. The AC adaptor must
be connected to recharge the battery.
Orange Indicates the AC adaptor is connected and
charging the battery.
Green Indicates the AC adaptor is connected and the
battery is fully charged.
No light Under any other conditions, the indicator does
not light.
If the battery becomes too hot while it is being charged, the charge will
stop and the battery indicator will go out. When the battery’s temperature
falls to a normal range, charge will standby. This event occurs regardless
of whether the power to the computer is on or off.
Portégé A100 6-2
Power and Power-Up Modes
A
DC IN 15V indicator
Check the DC IN 15V indicator to determine the power status with the
AC adaptor connected:
Green Indicates the AC adaptor is connected and
supplying proper power to the computer.
Flashing orange Indicates a problem with the power supply. Plug
the AC adaptor into another outlet. If it still does
not operate properly, see your dealer.
No light Under any other conditions, the indicator does
not light.
Power indicator
Check the Power indicator to determine the power status.
The light on the Power button comes on when the display is opened, and
goes off when it is closed.
Also the light goes off:
■ when one minute has elapsed since you last turned the power off.
■ when one minute has elapsed since you opened the display panel and
have not pressed the Power button.
The Power button light glows differently depending on the status of your
computer.
Status Power on Standby Power off/
Hibernation
Disabled Always off
Mode 1 (default) Glows blue Glows yellow Glows orange
Mode 2 Glows blue Alternately flashes
green and orange
Mode 3 Changes in order
of green, orange
Glows yellow and
blue
lternately flashes
green and blue
Glows orange
1. When you remove both the AC adaptor and the Battery pack, Mode 1
(default) is automatically selected. However, the setting will return to
the mode you has selected when you power your computer on.
2. Please refer to the section, Power Button tab, in Chapter 7 for more
information on the options for the light.
Portégé A100 6-3
Power and Power-Up Modes
Battery types
The computer has two types of batteries:
■ Main Battery pack
■ Real Time Clock (RTC) battery
Main battery
When the AC adaptor is not connected, the computer’s main power
source is a removable lithium ion Battery pack, also referred to in this
manual as the main battery. You can purchase additional Battery packs
for extended use of the computer away from an AC power source.
Before you remove the Battery pack, set the computer to Hibernation
mode or save your data and shut down the computer. Do not change the
Battery pack while the AC adaptor is connected.
1. The Battery pack is a lithium ion battery, which can explode if not
properly replaced, used, handled or disposed of. Dispose of the
battery as required by local ordinances or regulations. Use only
batteries recommended by TOSHIBA as replacements.
2. Do not remove the Battery pack while the computer is in Standby
mode. Data is stored in RAM, so if the computer loses power it will be
lost. When the computer is powered off in Standby mode, and the AC
adaptor is not connected, the Battery pack supply power to maintain
data and program in memory. If the Battery pack is completely
discharged, Standby mode does not function and the computer loses
all data in memory.
To ensure that the Battery pack maintains its maximum capacity, operate
the computer on battery power at least once a month until the Battery
pack is fully discharged. Refer to Extending battery life in this chapter for
procedures. If the computer is continuously operated on AC power
through an AC adaptor for an extended period, more than a month, the
battery may fail to retain a charge. It may not function efficiently over the
expected life of the battery and the Main Battery indicator may not
indicate a low-battery condition.
Real Time Clock battery
The Real Time Clock (RTC) battery provides power for the internal real
time clock and calendar. It also maintains the system configuration.
If the RTC battery becomes completely discharged, the system loses this
data and the real time clock and calendar stop working. The following
message appears when you turn on the power:
**** RTC battery is low or CMOS checksum is inconsistent ****
Press [F1] key to set Date/Time.
Portégé A100 6-4
Power and Power-Up Modes
The computer’s RTC battery is a lithium ion battery and should be
replaced only by your dealer or by a TOSHIBA service representative. The
battery can explode if not properly replaced, used, handled or disposed
of. Dispose of the battery as required by local ordinances or regulations.
You can change the setting of RTC by pressing F1 key. Refer to chapter 9
for the detail.
Care and use of the Battery pack
The Battery pack is a vital component of portable computing. Taking
proper care of it will help ensure longer operating time on battery power
as well as a longer life for your Battery pack. Follow the instructions in this
section carefully to ensure safe operation and maximum performance.
Safety precautions
Mishandling of batteries can cause death, serious injury or property
damage. Carefully observe the following advisories:
Danger: Indicates an imminently hazardous situation, which could result
in death or serious injury, if you do not follow instructions.
Warning: Indicates a potentially hazardous situation, which could result in
death or serious injury, if you do not follow instructions.
Caution: Indicates a potentially hazardous situation, which if not avoided,
may result in moderate or minor injury or property damage.
Note: Provides important information.
Danger
1. Never try to dispose of the Battery pack by burning or expose it to a
heating device such as a microwave oven. The Battery pack could
explode and cause bodily injury.
2. Never try to disassemble, repair or otherwise tamper with a Battery
pack. The Battery pack will overheat and ignite. Leakage of caustic
alkaline solution or other electrolytic substances will cause fire or
injury, possibly resulting in death or serious injury.
3. Never short-circuit the Battery pack by contacting the terminals with
a metal object. A short-circuit can cause fire or otherwise damage
the Battery pack and possibly cause injury. To avoid accidental
short-circuit, always wrap the Battery pack in plastic and cover the
terminals with electrical tape when storing or disposing of the
Battery pack.
4. Never puncture the Battery pack with a nail or other sharp object.
Never strike it with a hammer or other object. Never step on it.
Portégé A100 6-5
Power and Power-Up Modes
5. Never try to charge the Battery pack in any manner other than that
described in the user’s manual. Never connect the Battery pack to a
plug socket or to an automobile’s cigarette lighter socket. It may
rupture or ignite.
6. Use only the Battery pack supplied with the computer or other
device or an Battery pack approved by the computer or device’s
manufacturer. Battery packs have different voltages and terminal
polarities. Use of an improper battery could cause smoke, fire or
rupture of the Battery pack.
7. Never subject a Battery pack to heat, such as storage near a heat
source. Exposure to heat can cause the Battery pack to ignite,
explode or leak caustic liquid and cause death or serious injury.
It could also fail or malfunction causing data loss.
8. Never expose the Battery pack to abnormal shock, vibration or
pressure. The Battery pack’s internal protective device will fail,
causing it to overheat, explode, ignite or leak caustic liquids possibly
resulting in death or serious injury.
9. Never let a Battery pack become wet. A wet Battery pack will
overheat, ignite or rupture possibly resulting in death or serious
injury.
War ning
1. Never allow caustic electrolyte fluid leaked from a Battery pack to
contact your eyes, skin or clothing. If caustic electrolyte fluid should
contact your eyes, immediately wash your eyes with large amounts
of running water and seek medical attention, to help prevent eye
damage. If electrolyte fluid should contact your skin immediately
wash it under running water to prevent rash. If it contacts your
clothes, promptly remove them to prevent the fluid from contacting
your skin or eyes.
2. Immediately turn off the power, disconnect the AC adaptor and
remove the battery if any of the following events are observed in the
Battery pack: offensive or unusual odor, excessive heat,
discoloration or deformation. Never use the computer again until it
has been checked by a TOSHIBA service provider. It might generate
smoke or fire, or the Battery pack might rupture.
3. Make sure the battery is securely installed in the computer before
attempting to charge the Battery pack. Improper installation could
generate smoke or fire, or cause the Battery pack to rupture.
4. Keep the Battery pack out of reach of infants and children. It can
cause injury.
Caution
1. Never continue to use a Battery pack after its recharging capacity
has become impaired, or after the display of a warning message
indicating that the Battery pack’s power is exhausted. Continued
use of an exhausted or impaired Battery pack could cause the loss
of data.
Portégé A100 6-6
Power and Power-Up Modes
2. Never dispose of Battery packs with normal trash. Bring them to
your TOSHIBA dealer or to another recycling center to save
resources and prevent environmental damage. Cover the terminals
with electrical tape to prevent short-circuits, which could cause the
Battery pack to ignite or rupture.
3. Use only Battery packs recommended by TOSHIBA as
replacements.
4. Always make sure the Battery pack is installed correctly and
securely. Otherwise, a Battery pack could fall out and possibly cause
injury.
5. Charge the Battery pack only in an ambient temperature between 5
and 35 degrees Celsius. Otherwise, the electrolyte solution might
leak, Battery pack performance might deteriorate and the battery life
might be shortened.
6. Be sure to monitor the remaining battery power. If the Battery pack
and real time clock battery discharge completely, Standby and
Suspend will not function and data in memory will be lost. Also, the
computer might register an incorrect time and date. In this case,
connect the AC adaptor to recharge the batteries.
7. Never install or remove the Battery pack without first turning off the
power and disconnecting the AC adaptor. Never remove the Battery
pack while the computer is in Suspend or Standby mode. Data will
be lost.
Note
1. Never remove the Battery pack while the Wake-up on LAN function
is enabled. Data will be lost. Before you remove a Battery pack,
disable the Wake-up on LAN function.
2. To ensure the Battery pack maintains maximum capacity, operate
the computer on battery power once a week until the Battery pack is
fully discharged. Refer to the section Extending battery life in this
chapter for procedures. If the computer is continuously operated on
AC power for an extended period, more than a week, the battery
might fail to retain a charge. It might not function efficiently over the
expected life of the Battery pack and the Main battery indicator
might not indicate a low-battery condition.
3. After the Battery pack is charged, avoid leaving the AC adaptor
connected and the computer turned off for more than a few hours at
a time. Continuing to charge a fully-charged Battery pack can
damage the battery.
Charging the batteries
When the power in the Battery pack becomes low, the Main battery
indicator flashes orange indicating that only a few minutes of battery
power remain. If you continue to use the computer while the Main
battery indicator flashes, the computer enables Hibernation mode (so
you don’t lose data) and automatically turns off.
Portégé A100 6-7
Power and Power-Up Modes
The computer enters Hibernation mode only if Hibernation is enabled in
two places: the Hibernate tab in Power Options and the Setup Action tab
in TOSHIBA Power Saver:.
You must recharge a Battery pack when it becomes discharged.
Procedures
To recharge a Battery pack while it is installed in the computer, connect
the AC adaptor to the DC IN 15V socket and plug the other end into a
working outlet.
The Main battery indicator glows orange when the battery is being
charged.
Use only the computer connected to an AC power source or the optional
TOSHIBA Battery charger to charge the Battery pack. Do not attempt to
charge the Battery pack with any other charger.
Time
The following table shows the approximate time required to fully charge a
discharged battery.
Charging time (hours)
Battery type Power on Power off
Battery pack 3 to 12 or longer 2.5
RTC battery 8 Doesn’t charge
The charging time when the computer is on is affected by ambient
temperature, the temperature of the computer and how you use the
computer. If you make heavy use of external devices, for example, the
battery might scarcely charge at all during operation. Refer also to the
section Maximizing battery operating time.
Portégé A100 6-8
Power and Power-Up Modes
Battery charging notice
The battery may not charge right away under the following conditions:
■ The battery is extremely hot or cold. If the battery is extremely hot, it
might not charge at all. Also, to ensure the battery charges to its full
capacity, charge the battery at room temperature of 10° to 30°C (50°
to 86°F).
■ The battery is nearly completely discharged. Leave the AC adaptor
connected for a few minutes and the battery should begin charging.
The Main battery indicator may show a rapid decrease in battery
operating time when you try to charge a battery under the following
conditions:
■ The battery has not been used for a long time.
■ The battery has completely discharged and been left in the computer
for a long time.
■ A cool battery is installed in a warm computer.
In such case, follow the steps below.
1. Fully discharge the battery by leaving it in the computer with the
power on until the power automatically shuts off.
2. Plug in the AC adaptor.
3. Charge the battery until the Main battery indicator glows green.
Repeat the steps two or three times until the battery recovers normal
capacity.
Leaving the AC adaptor connected will shorten battery life.
At least once a month, run the computer on battery power until the
battery is fully discharged, then recharge the battery.
Monitoring battery capacity
Remaining battery power can be monitored in TOSHIBA Power Saver of
Windows.
1. Wait at least 16 seconds after turning on the computer before trying to
monitor the remaining operating time. The computer needs this time
to check the battery’s remaining capacity and to calculate the
remaining operating time, based on the current power consumption
rate and remaining battery capacity. The actual remaining operating
time may differ slightly from the calculated time.
2. With repeated discharges and recharges, the battery’s capacity will
gradually decrease. Therefore, an often used, older battery will not
operate for as long as a new battery even when both are fully charged.
In this case, TOSHIBA Power Saver will indicate a 100% charge for
both the old and new battery, but the displayed estimated time
remaining will be shorter for the older battery.
Portégé A100 6-9
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