Acer 1300 series User manual

Acer Aspire 1300 series
User’s guide
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Changesmaybe madeperiodically totheinformationinthis publicationwithoutobligationtonotifyany personof
such revision or changes. Such changes will be incorporated in new editions of this manual or supplementary
documentsand publications. This company makes no representations orwarranties, either expressed or implied,
withrespect tothe contents hereof and specificallydisclaims the impliedwarranties of merchantability or fitness
for aparticularpurpose.
Record themodel number,serialnumber, purchase date, and place of purchase informationin the space provided
below. The serialnumber andmodel number are recorded on the labelaffixedto your computer. All
correspondense concerningyour unitshould include the serial number, modelnumber, and purchase information.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored ina retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or byany
means, electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, orotherwise, withoutthe prior written permission ofAcer
Incorporated.
Model Number: _________________________________
Serial Number: ___________________________________
Purchase Date:___________________________________
Place of Purchase: ________________________________
Copyright © 2002
All Rights Reserved
AcerAspire 1300 Series Notebook Computer User's Guide
Original Issue: May 2002
AcerAspire 1300 series Notebook computer
All trademarks and registered trademarks arethe properties oftheir respective companies.
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Contents
First things first vii
Yourguides vii
Basic care and tips for using your computer vii
Getting familiar with your computer 1
A tour of your computer 3
Front view 3
Left view 5
Right view 6
Rear view 7
Bottom view 8
Features 9
Display 10
Indicators 11
Keyboard 13
Special keys 13
Keyboard ergonomics 17
Touchpad 18
Touchpad basics 18
Launch keys 20
Storage 21
Inserting and ejecting a diskette 21
Ejecting the optical drive tray 21
Emergency ejection of the optical drive tray 22
Connectivity options 23
Ethernet and LAN 23
Fax/data modem 23
Audio 25
Securing your computer 26
Security slot 26
Passwords 26
Operating on batterypower 27
Battery pack 29
Battery pack characteristics 29
Installing and removing the battery pack 30
Charging the battery 31
Checking the battery level 31
Optimizing battery life 31
Battery-lowwarning 31
Powermanagement 33
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Peripheralsand options 35
External display devices 37
External input devices 38
External keyboard 38
External keypad 38
External pointing device 39
Printer 40
Audiodevices 41
Expansion devices 42
PCCard 42
USB devices 44
Miscellaneous options 45
Battery pack 45
ACadapter 45
Key component upgrades 46
Memory upgrade 46
Hard disk upgrade 47
Moving with your computer 49
Disconnecting from the desktop 51
Moving around 52
Preparing the computer 52
What to bring to short meetings 52
What to bring to long meetings 52
Takingthe computerhome 53
Preparing the computer 53
What to bring with you 53
Specialconsiderations 53
Setting up a home office 54
Traveling with the computer 55
Preparing the computer 55
What to take with you 55
Specialconsiderations 55
Traveling internationally with your computer 56
Preparing the computer 56
What to take with you 56
Specialconsiderations 56
Software 57
Systemsoftware 59
Launch Manager 59
BIOS Setup Utility 60
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Troubleshooting 65
Frequently asked questions 67
AppendixA Specifications 71
Appendix B Notices 75
Index 83
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First things first
Your guides
A set of guides is provided to help you set up and use your Aspire computer.:
For more information on our products, services, and support, please visit our web site
www.global.acer.com.
Basic care and tips for using your computer
Turning your computer on and off
To turn on your computer, open the lid and press the power button above the
keyboard.
To turn the power off, you can do any of the following:
•Click on the Start button in Windows, and then select Shut Down on the popup
menu.
•Push the power button.
To use this method, you must first click on the Power Management icon in
Windows Control Panel, and then check that the power button is set to shut
down the computer when pressed. See Windows Help for more information.
The Just for starters… poster shows you how to set up your computer.
This User's Guide provides clear and concise information on using your
computer productively.Youareadvisedtoread itthoroughlyandkeepit
handy for future reference.
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Note: ifyou areunable to shut down the computer in the usual way, press and
hold the power switchfor more than fourseconds. You should then wait at least
two seconds before turning the computer on again.
Taking care of your computer
Your computer will serve you well if you take care of it.
•Do not expose the computer to direct sunlight. Do not place it near sources of
heat, such as a radiator.
•Do not expose the computer to temperatures below 0°C (32°F), or above 50°C
(122°F).
•Do not expose the computer to magnetic fields.
•Do not expose the computer to rain or moisture.
•Do not spill water or any liquid on the computer.
•Do not subject the computer to heavy shock or vibration.
•Do not expose the computer to dust or dirt.
•Do not place objects on top of the computer.
•Do not slam the lid shut. Close the computer gently.
•Do not place the computer on unstable or uneven surfaces.
Taking care of your AC adapter
It is important that you look after your ACadapter.
•Do not connect the adapter to any other device.
•Donotsteponthepowercordorplaceheavyobjectsonit.Routethepowercord
away from areas where people might walk on it or trip over it.
•Donotpullonthepowercordwhendisconnectingfromthemainspowersocket.
Grasp and pull the plug instead.
•The total ampere ratings of equipment plugged into a power strip should not
exceed the ampere rating for that power strip.
Taking care of your battery pack
It is also important that you look after your computer's battery pack.
•Use the correct battery model for your computer. Do not use other kinds of
batteries.
•Turn the power off before removing or replacing the battery.
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•Do not tamper with the battery.Keep the battery away fromchildren.
•Disposeof batteries according to local regulations. Recycle ifpossible.
Cleaning and servicing
When cleaning your computer, it is important that you follow these steps:
1Turn off the computer and remove the battery.
2Disconnect the AC adapter.
3Clean with a soft cloth moistened with a little water. Do not use liquid or aerosol
cleaners.
Refer to the chapter entitled Troubleshooting my computer if any of the following
occurs:
•You drop the computer or damage the case.
•You spill liquid on the computer.
•The computerdoes not operate normally.
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etting familiar with
your computer
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YourAspire1300seriesnotebookcomputercombines
solid performance, versatility, multimedia capabilities
and portability with a stylish design. Increase your
productivity by working wherever you are.
This chapter provides an in-depth"tour" of your
computer'sfeatures.
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A tour of your computer
After setting up your new Aspire notebook computer, as illustrated in the Just for
starters… poster, take a few minutes to explore the unit.
Front view
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Getting familiar with your computer4
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#Item Description
1 Display Large liquid crystal display (LCD) provides visual output.
2 Launch keys 4 buttons that can be programmed to start frequently used
applications.
3 Power button Turns the computer on andoff.
4 Touchpad Touch sensitive pad that functions like a computer mouse.
5 Clickbuttons&
scrollkey Rightandleftbuttonsthatprovidethesamefunctionsasthe buttons on a computer mouse. The scroll keyscrolls the
contents of a window up and down.
6 Speakers Left and right speakers deliver stereo audio output.
7 Palm rest Provides a comfortableplatformforyourhandswhentyping
on the keyboard.
8 Keyboard Full-sizekeyboardfor inputtingtypeddata.
9 Status indicators Light emitting diodes (LED) that show the status of the
computerand its components.
10 Latch Locksandreleasesthe lid.
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Left view
#Item Description
1 Modem jack Connects the built-in fax/data modem to a
phone line.
2 Network jack Connects the computer to an Ethernet 10/100-
basednetwork.
3 Microphone-in jack Connects an external microphone for audio
input.
4 Headphone jack Connects headphones for audio output.
5 PC card eject button Press the eject button to remove a PC card from
the PC card slot.
6 PC cardslot The slot supports a standard Type II or Type III
PC card (PCMCIA or CardBus).
7FloppydiskdriveSupports a standard3.5"diskette.
8 Floppy disk eject button Pressthe eject button toremove adiskette from
the floppy disk drive.
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Right view
#Item Description
1 Optical drive Depending on your model, the optical drive is one
ofthefollowing:
• CD-ROM drive for reading CDs.
• DVD-ROM drive for reading CDs and DVDs.
• DVD/CD-RW combodriveforreadingCDs
andDVDs, and writing toCD-Rsand CD-RWs.
2 Optical drive emergency
eject hole Used to eject an optical disc when the computer is turned off.
3 Optical driveeject button Pressthe eject button toremove adisc from the
optical drive.
4 Optical disc read indicator Light emitting diode (LED) that indicates when an
opticaldiscisbeingread.
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Rear view
#Item Description
1 Kensington lock slot For attaching a security connector.
2 DC-in jack Connects the AC adapter.
3 USB ports 2 ports for connecting USB devices.
4 External display port Connects an external (VGA) displaymonitor.
5 Parallel port Connects a parallel device, suchas a printer.
6 Ventilation slots Enables the computer to stay cool, even after
prolongeduse.
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Bottom view
#Item Description
1 Ventilation slots Enables the computer to stay cool, even after
prolongeduse.
2 Battery The computer's removable battery.
3 Batteryreleaselatch Slideandholdthelatch,andthenpullthebatteryto
removeitfromtheunit.
4 Hard disk bay Removable cover provides access to the computer's
hard drive.
5 Memory compartment Removable cover provides access to the memory
slots for upgrading the computer's memory.
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Features
Performance
•Mobile AMDAthlon XP1400+,XP1600+, or higher processor.
•VIA ProSavageKN133 chipset.
•2 memory slots supporting 133MHz SDRAM (PC-133), upgradeable to 1GB.
•20GBEnhanced-IDE harddisk.
•Microsoft Windows XP operating system.
Multimedia
•Built-in optical drive (CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, or DVD/CD-RW combo drive).
•14.1” or15.0” XGA TFT LCD panel.
•Built-in stereo speakers.
•Audio input andoutput jacks.
Connectivity
•Integrated 10/100Mbps Ethernet connection.
•Built-in 56Kbps fax/data modem.
•2 universal serial bus (USB) ports.
Human-centric design and ergonomics
•All-in-one design (incorporating hard drive, optical drive and floppy disk drive).
•Rugged, yet extremely portable, construction.
•Stylish appearance.
•Full-size keyboard with 4 programmable launch keys.
•Comfortable palm rest area with well-positioned touchpad.
Expansion
•PC card slot enables a range of add-on options.
•Upgradeable hard disk and memory modules.
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Display
The 14.1” or 15.0” display panel provides a large viewing areafor maximum efficiency
and ease-of-use. The thin-film transistor (TFT) liquid crystal display (LCD) supports
extended graphics array (XGA) resolution, enabling 16.7 millioncolors at 1024x 768.
Video performance
Your Aspire 1300 series notebook computer features an accelerated graphics port
(AGP) video system integrated in the VIA ProSavage KN133 chipset. This provides a
robust solution, while enabling high quality video output.
Simultaneous display
Your computer's large display, combined with its multimedia capabilities, makes it
ideally suited to delivering presentations.
You can also connect an external monitor or projector, and then choose to use the
computer's LCD panel only, the external device only, or the LCD panel and external
device simultaneously.
Simultaneous display allows you to manage a presentation on your computer, while
your audience watches the monitor or projector screen.
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