Acer 1510 Series User manual

Acer Aspire 1510 Series
User’s Guide

Changes may be made periodically to the information in this publication without obligation
to notify any person of such revision or changes. Such changes will be incorporated in new
editions of this manual or supplementary documents and publications. This company makes
no representations or warranties, either expressed or implied, with respect to the contents
hereof and specifically disclaims the implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a
particular purpose.
Record the model number, serial number, purchase date, and place of purchase information in
the space provided below. The serial number and model number are recorded on the label
affixed to your computer. All correspondense concerning your unit should include the serial
number, model number, and purchase information.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in
any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwise,
without the prior written permission of Acer Incorporated.
Model Number : _________________________________
Serial Number: ___________________________________
Purchase Date: ___________________________________
Place of Purchase: ________________________________
Copyright © 2004
All Rights Reserved
Acer Aspire1510 Series Notebook Computer User's Guide
Original Issue: March 2004
Acer Aspire 1510SeriesNotebook computer
All trademarks and registered trademarks are the properties of their respective companies.

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First things first
Yo u r g u i d e s
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.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. You are advised to read
it thoroughly and keep it handy for future reference.

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Note: If you are unable to shut down the computer in the usual
way, press and hold the power button for more than four seconds.
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 AC adapter.
• Do not connect the adapter to any other device.
• Do not step on the power cord or place heavy objects on it. Route
the power cord away from areas where people might walk on it or
trip over it.
• Do not pull on the power cord when disconnecting from the mains
power socket. 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.

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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.
• Do not tamper with the battery. Keep the battery away from
children.
• Dispose of batteries according to local regulations. Recycle if
possible.
Cleaning and servicing
When cleaning your computer, it is important that you follow these
steps:
• Turn off the computer and remove the battery.
• Disconnect the AC adapter.
• Clean with a soft cloth moistened with a little water. Do not use
liquid or aerosol cleaners.
Refer to the chapter entitled “Frequently asked questions” on page 61
if any of the following occurs:
• You drop the computer or damage the case.
• You spill liquid on the computer.
• The computer does not operate normally.

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First things first iii
Your guides iii
Basic care and tips for using your computer iii
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 22
Emergency ejection of the optical drive tray 22
Connectivity options 23
Ethernet and LAN 23
Fax/data modem 24
Audio 25
Securing your computer 26
Security slot 26
Passwords 26
Operating on battery power 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-low warning 32
Power management 33
Contents

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Peripherals and options 35
External display devices 37
External input devices 37
External keyboard 37
External keypad 37
External pointing device 37
USB devices 38
IEEE 1394 Port 39
Printer 40
Audio devices 40
Expansion devices 41
PC Card 41
Miscellaneous options 43
Battery pack 43
AC adapter 43
Key component upgrades 44
Memory upgrade 44
Hard disk upgrade 45
Moving with your computer 47
Disconnecting from the desktop 49
Moving around 50
Preparing the computer 50
What to bring to short meetings 50
What to bring to long meetings 50
Taking the computer home 51
Preparing the computer 51
What to bring with you 51
Special considerations 51
Setting up a home office 52
Traveling with the computer 53
Preparing the computer 53
What to take with you 53
Special considerations 53
Traveling internationally with your computer 54
Preparing the computer 54
What to take with you 54
Special considerations 54
Software 55
System software 57
Launch Manager 57
BIOS Setup Utility 58

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Troubleshooting 59
Frequently asked questions 61
Appendix A Specifications 65
Appendix B Notices 71
Index 87

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Getting familiar with your
computer

Your Aspire 1510 series notebook computer
combines 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's features.

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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
#Item Description
1 Display Large liquid crystal display (LCD)
provides visual output.
2 Power button Turns the computer on and off.
3 Launch keys 4 buttons that can be programmed to
start frequently used applications.

Getting familiar with your computer
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Note: The wireless communication and Bluetooth buttons work
for models with 802.11g wireless LAN and Bluetooth only.
4 InviLink™ button
(Manufacturing option)
Enables or disables wireless LAN
feature.
5 Bluetooth™ button
(Manufacturing option)
Enables or disables Bluetooth
functionality.
6 Touchpad Touch sensitive pad that functions like
a computer mouse.
7 Click buttons & 4-way
scroll key
Right and left buttons that provide the
same functions as the buttons on a
computer mouse. The scroll key scrolls
the contents of a window up and
down, as well as right and left.
8 Speakers Speakers that deliver stereo audio
output.
9 Palm rest Provides a comfortable platform for
your hands when typing on the
keyboard.
10 Keyboard Full-size keyboard for inputting typed
data.
11 Status indicators Seven light emitting diodes (LED) that
show the status of the computer and
its components.
12 Latch Locks and releases the lid.
#Item Description

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Left view
#Item Description
1 Ventilation slots Enables the computer to stay cool, even
after prolonged use.
2 Floppy activity indicator LED that turns on and off when the
floppy is activated.
3 Floppy disk drive /
4-in-1 card reader
Supports a standard 3.5” diskette or
4-in-1 card reader (Manufacturing
option).
4 Floppy disk eject button Press the eject button to remove a
diskette from the floppy disk drive.
5 Infrared port Interfaces with infrared devices (e.g.,
infrared printer, IR-aware computer).
6 Modem jack Connects the built-in fax/data modem
to a phone line.
7 Microphone-in jack Connects an external microphone for
audio input.
8 Headphone jack Connects headphones for audio output.

Getting familiar with your computer
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Right view
#Item Description
1 Optical drive Depending on your model, the optical
drive is one of the following:
• DVD/CD-RW combo drive for reading
CDs and DVDs and writing to CD-RWs.
• DVD Dual drive for reading both
DVD+/-RWs and writing to DVD+/-
RWs.
• DVD Super Multi drive for reading
DVD+/-RWs, DVD-RAM and writing to
DVD+/-RWs, DVD-RAM.
2 Optical disc access
indicator
LED that indicates when an optical disc is
being read or written.
3 Optical drive eject
button
Press the eject button to remove a disc
from the optical drive.
4 Optical drive
emergency eject hole
Used to eject an optical disc when the
computer is turned off.
5 PC card eject button Press the eject button to remove a PC card
from the PC card slot.
6 PC card slot The slot supports a standard Type II or
Type III PC card (PCMCIA or CardBus).

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Rear view
#Item Description
1 DC-in jack Connects the AC adapter.
2 Network jack Connects the computer to an Ethernet 10/
100/1000-based network.
3 IEEE 1394 port Connects IEEE 1394 devices.
4 S-video Connects to a television or display device
with S-video input.
5 USB ports Four 2.0 ports for connecting USB devices.
6 External display port Connects an external (VGA) display monitor.
7 Parallel port Connects a parallel device, such as a printer.
8 Ventilation slots Enables the computer to stay cool, even after
prolonged use.
9 Kensington lock slot For attaching a security connector.

Getting familiar with your computer
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Bottom view
#Item Description
1 Ventilation slots Enables the computer to stay cool, even
after prolonged use.
2 Reset switch Forces the computer to shut down in the
event of system lockup.
Note: Any unsaved data will be lost.
3 Battery pack release
latch
Slide and hold the latch, and then pull the
battery to remove it from the unit.
4 Battery pack The computer's removable battery.
5 Hard disk bay Removable cover provides access to the
computer's hard drive.
6 Memory compartment Removable cover provides access to the
memory slots for upgrading the
computer's memory.

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Features
Performance
• AMD Athlon™ 64 processor with 1MB L2 cache, supporting
HyperTransport™ technology.
• nVIDIA® nForce™3 chipsets
• 2 memory slots supporting DDR SDRAM, upgradeable to 2GB.
• High-capacity, Enhanced-IDE hard disk.
Multimedia
• Built-in optical drive (DVD/CD-RW combo, DVD Dual or DVD Super
Multi).
• 15.0” TFT XGA (1024x768 resolution) or SXGA+ (1400x1050
resolution) panel.
• Built-in stereo speakers.
• Audio input and output jacks.
Connectivity
• Integrated 10/100/1000 Mbps Ethernet connection.
• Built-in 56Kbps fax/data modem.
• Four universal serial bus (USB 2.0) ports.
• One IEEE 1394 port.
• 802.11g Wireless LAN and Bluetooth (manufacturing optional).
Human-centric design
• All-in-one design (incorporating hard drive, optical drive and
floppy disk drive).
• Rugged, yet extremely portable, construction.
• Stylish appearance.
• Full-size keyboard with four 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.

Getting familiar with your computer
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Display
• The 15.0” display panel provides a large viewing area for
maximum efficiency and ease-of-use. The Thin-Film Transistor (TFT)
supports XGA or SXGA+ resolution.
• nVIDIA® 8X GeForce™4 448 Go or GeForce™ FX Go5700 AGP card
with 64MB of video memory.
• 3D graphics engine support.
• Supports simultaneous display between LCD and CRT display.
• S-video for output to a television or display device that supports
S-video input.
• “Automatic LCD dim” feature that automatically selects the best
setting for the display in order to conserve power.
• Dual display capability.