Wistron MS2140BG Users Manual

Launch Keys

Located at the top of the keyboard are six buttons. These buttons are called launch keys. They are designated as Wireless, Bluetooth, P1 , P2, mail, and Web browser buttons. The Wireless and Bluetooth buttons cannot be set by the user. To set the other four launch keys, run the Acer Launch Manager.

No. Description Default application

1 Wireless LAN

(optional)

Activate wireless LAN for wireless communication.

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3 P1 User-programmable

4 P2 User-programmable

5 Mail Email application

6 Web browser Internet browser application

Bluetooth (optional)

Caution: It’s important that Wireless LAN and Bluetooth is turned off before boarding an airplane.

Activate Bluetooth for wireless communication.

Touchpad

1 Getting to know your TravelMate24

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The built-in touchpad is a PS/2-compatible pointing device that senses movement on its surface. This means the cursor responds as you move your finger on the surface of the touchpad. The central location on the palmrest provides optimum comfort and support.

Note: When using an external USB or serial mouse, you can press Fn-F7 to disable the touchpad.

Touchpad basics

The following items teach you how to use the touchpad:

• Move your finger across the touchpad to move the cursor.

• Press the left (#1) and right (#3) buttons located on the edge of the touchpad to do selection and execution functions. These two buttons are similar to the left and right buttons on a mouse. Tapping on the touchpad produces similar results.

• Use the 4-way scroll (#2) button to scroll up or down and move left or right a page. This button mimics your cursor pressing on the right scroll bar of Windows applications.

Function Left button

Execute Click twice

quickly

Select Click once Tap once

Drag Click and

hold, then use finger to drag the cursor on the touchpad

Access context menu

Right button

Click once

Center buttons

Tap

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

Tap twice (at the same speed as double-clicking a mouse button) then hold finger to the touchpad on the second tap and drag the cursor

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Scroll Click

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

and hold the up/ down/ left/ right

Storage

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This computer supplies you with the following media storage:

• High-capacity Enhanced-IDE hard disk

• Optical (2nd HDD, DVD, DVD/CD-RW combo, DVD or DVD dual)

drive

Hard disk

The high-capacity hard disk is the answer to your storage needs. This is where your data files and applications are stored.

Optical drive

Your computer comes equipped with an optical drive which may be one of the following:

• DVD-ROM drive

• DVD/CD-RW combo drive

• DVD dual drive

Ejecting the CD or DVD tray

To eject the CD or DVD tray when the computer is turned on, press the drive eject button; then pull out the tray.

When the power is off, you can eject the drive tray using the emergency eject hole. See page 54.

Playing DVD movies

When the DVD drive module is installed in the optical drive bay, you can play DVD movies on your computer.

1 Eject the DVD tray and insert a DVD movie disc; then close the DVD

tray.

Important! When you launch the DVD player for the first time, the program asks you to input the region code. DVD discs are divided into 6 regions. Once your DVD drive is set to a region code, it will play DVD discs of that region only. You can set the region code a maximum of five times (including the first time), after which the last region code set will remain permanent. Recovering your hard disk does not reset the number of times the region code has been set. Refer to the table later in this section for DVD movie region code information.

2 The DVD movie will automatically play after a few seconds.

Region Code Country or Region

1 U.S.A., Canada

2 Europe, Middle East, South Africa, Japan

3 Southeast Asia, Taiwan, Korea (South)

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4 Latin America, Australia, New Zealand

5 Former U.S.S.R., parts of Africa, India

6 People's Republic of China

Note: To change the region code, insert a DVD movie of a different region into the DVD drive.

Audio

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The computer comes with 16-bit high-fidelity AC’97 stereo audio. The built-in dual stereo speakers are easy to access.

There are audio ports on the rear panel of the computer. See “Rear view” on page 6 for more information on external audio devices.

Power management

This computer has a built-in power management unit that monitors system activity. System activity refers to any activity involving one or more of the following devices: keyboard, mouse, floppy drive, hard disk, peripherals connected to the serial and video memory. If no activity is detected for a period of time (called an inactivity timeout), the computer stops some or all of these devices in order to conserve energy.

This computer employs a power management scheme that supports ACPI (Advanced Configuration and Power Interface), which allows for maximum power conservation and maximum performance at the same time. Windows handles all power-saving chores for your computer.

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Acer light sensor

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Acer light sensor allows the TravelMate C300 to automatically brighten or darken the display’s backlighting to reduce eyestrain. At the top of the screen, with the status indicators, is the Acer light sensor. Depending on ambient brightness the screen

When the computer is taken from an area of normal lighting, such as an office, to a darker area, such as a conference room for a presentation, the screen will automatically dim - while still providing the same relative brightness and contrast. Conversely, if the computer is taken into a very bright atrium from the office, the screen will increase in brightness so that you won’t have to squint to see what you’re working on.

Light sensing has 4 preset modes:

• Mode 1 - the lowest brightness setting for darkened conference rooms

• Mode 2 - for use in softly lit areas

• Mode 3 - standard office setting to deal with overhead fluorescent

lighting

• Mode 4 - the brightest setting for working in very bright conditions

Note: The maximum screen brightness is limited by the LCD manufacturing specifications. The panel will can not be made so bright as to be clearly seen in bright sunlight.

Moving around with your TravelMate

This section gives you tips and hints on things to consider when moving around or traveling with your computer.

Disconnecting from the desktop

Follow these steps to disconnect your computer from external accessories:

1 Save your work in progress. 2 Remove any media, diskette or compact disc, from the drive(s). 3 Shut down the operating system. 4 Turn off the computer. 5 Close the display cover. 6 Disconnect the cord from the AC adapter. 7 Disconnect the keyboard, pointing device, printer, external

monitor, and other external devices.

8 Disconnect the Kensington lock if you are using one to secure the

computer.

Moving around

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“when you are just moving within short distances, for example, from your office desk to a meeting room”

Preparing the computer

Before moving the computer, close and latch the display cover to place it in Sleep mode. You can now safely take the computer anywhere you go within the building. To bring the computer out of Sleep mode, open the display.

If you are taking the computer to a client's office or a different building, you may choose to shut down the computer:

1 Click on Start, Turn Off Computer. 2 Click on Tur n Of f .

- or -

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1 Getting to know your TravelMate32

you can put the computer in Sleep mode by pressing Fn-F4. Then close and latch the display.

When you are ready to use the computer again, unlatch and open the display, and press and release the power switch. If the power indicator is off, the computer has entered Hibernation mode and turned off. Press and release the power switch to turn the computer back on. Note that the computer may enter Hibernation mode after a period of time it is in Sleep mode. Turn the power on to wake up the computer from Hibernation mode.

What to bring to short meetings

A fully charged battery runs the computer for about 6.5 hours under most circumstances. If your meeting is shorter than that, you probably do not need to bring anything with you other than the computer.

What to bring to long meetings

If your meeting will last longer than 6.5 hours or if your battery is not fully charged, you may want to bring the AC adapter with you to plug in your computer in the meeting room.

If the meeting room does not have an electrical outlet, reduce the drain on the battery by putting the computer in Sleep mode. Press Fn- F4 or close the display cover whenever you are not actively using the computer. Then tap any key or open the display to resume.

Taking the computer home

“when you are moving from your office to your home or vice versa”

Preparing the computer

After disconnecting the computer from your desktop, follow these steps to prepare the computer for the trip home:

• Check if you have removed all media, diskettes and compact discs, from the drive(s). Failure to remove the media can damage the drive head.

• Pack the computer in a protective case that can prevent the computer from sliding around and cushion it if it should fall.

Caution: Avoid packing items next to the top cover of the computer. Pressure against the top cover can damage the screen

What to bring with you

Unless you already have some items at home, bring the following items with you:

• AC adapter and power cord

• The printed user’s manual

Special considerations

Follow these guidelines to protect your computer while traveling to and from work:

• Minimize the effect of temperature changes by keeping the computer with you.

• If you need to stop for an extended period of time and cannot bring the computer with you, leave the computer in the trunk of the car to avoid exposing the computer to excessive heat.

• Changes in temperature and humidity can cause condensation. Allow the computer to return to room temperature, and inspect the screen for condensation before turning on the computer. If the temperature change is greater than 18°F (10°C), allow the computer to come to room temperature slowly. If possible, leave the computer for 30 minutes in an environment with a temperature between outside and room temperature.

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Setting up a home office

If you frequently work on your computer at home, you may want to purchase a second AC adapter for use at home. With a second AC adapter, you can avoid transporting the extra weight to and from home.

If you use your computer at home for significant periods of time, you might also want to add an external keyboard, monitor, or mouse.

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1 Getting to know your TravelMate34

Traveling with the computer

“when you are moving within a larger distance, for instance, from your office building to a client’s office building or traveling locally”

Preparing the computer

Prepare the computer as if you were taking it home. Make sure that the battery in the computer is charged. Airport security may require you to turn on your computer when bringing it into the gate area.

What to bring with you

Bring the following items with you:

• AC adapter

• Spare, fully-charged battery pack(s)

• Additional printer driver files if you plan to use another printer

Special considerations

In addition to the guidelines for taking the computer home, follow these guidelines to protect your computer while traveling:

• Always take the computer as carry-on luggage.

• If possible, have the computer inspected by hand. Airport security

X-ray machines are safe, but do not put the computer through a metal detector.

• Avoid exposing floppy disks to hand-held metal detectors.

Traveling internationally with the computer

“when you are moving from country to country”

Preparing the computer

Prepare the computer as you would normally prepare it for traveling.

What to bring with you

Bring the following items with you:

• AC adapter

• Power cords that are appropriate for the country to which you are

travelling

• Spare, fully-charged battery packs

• Additional printer driver files if you plan to use another printer

• Proof of purchase, in case you need to show it to customs officials

• International Traveler’s Warranty passport

Special considerations

Follow the same special considerations as when traveling with the computer. In addition, these tips are useful when traveling internationally:

• When travelling in another country, check that the local AC voltage and the AC adapter power cord specifications are compatible. If not, purchase a power cord that is compatible with the local AC voltage. Do not use converter kits sold for appliances to power the computer.

• If you are using the modem, check if the modem and connector is compatible with the telecommunications system of the country you are travelling in.

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1 Getting to know your TravelMate36

Securing your computer

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Your computer is a valuable investment that you need to take care of. Learn how to protect and take care of your computer.

Security features include hardware and software locks — a security notch and passwords.

Using a computer security lock

A security keylock notch located on the right panel of the computer lets you connect a Kensington-compatible computer security lock.

Wrap a computer security lock cable around an immovable object such as a table or locked drawer handle. Insert the lock into the notch and turn the key to secure the lock. Some keyless models are also available.

Setting a password

Follow these steps: 1 Use the cursor up/down keys to highlight a password parameter

and press the Enter key. The password box appears.

2 Type a password. The password may consist of up to eight

characters (A-Z, a-z, 0-9).

3 Press Enter. Retype the password to verify your first entry and press

Enter.

4 After setting the password, the computer automatically sets the

chosen password parameter to Present.

Removing a password

Should you want to remove a password, do the following: 1 Use the cursor up/down keys to highlight a password parameter

and press the Enter key. The password box appears.

2 Enter the current password and press Enter. 3 Press Enter twice without entering anything in the new and

confirm password fields to remove the existing password.

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Note: When you want to remove the Hard Disk (or 2nd Hard Disk) password, you are prompted for the current Hard Disk password before it is removed.

Changing a password

Should you want to change a password, do the following:

1 Remove the current password. 2 Set a new password.

Setting passwords

You can set passwords using:

• Notebook Manager

• BIOS Utility

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1 Getting to know your TravelMate38

2 Customizing

my computer

After learning the basics of your TravelMate computer, let’s get acquainted with the advanced features of your computer. In this chapter, you will learn how to add options, upgrade components for better performance, and customize your computer.

Expanding through options

Your TravelMate offers you a complete mobile computing experience.

Connectivity options

Ports allow you to connect peripheral devices to your computer as you would with a desktop PC.

Modem

Your computer has a built-in V.90/V.92 56Kbps AC’97 Link modem.

Warning! This modem port is not compatible with digital phone lines. Plugging this modem into a digital phone line will damage the modem.

To use the modem, connect a phone cable from the modem jack to a phone line jack.

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Start your communications software program. See your communications manual for instructions.

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