Acer 3200 Series User manual

TravelMate 3200 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 correspondence concerning your unit should include the serial
number, model number, and purchase information.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in
any form or by any means, 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. Acer Incorporated.
All Rights Reserved.
TravelMate 3200 Series User’s Guide
Original Issue: July 2004
TravelMate 3200 Series Notebook Computer
Acer and the Acer logo are registered trademarks of Acer Incorporated. Other company's
product names or trademarks are used herein for identification purposes only and belong to
their respective companies.

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First things first
We would like to thank you for making the TravelMate series of
notebook computers your choice for your mobile computing needs.
We hope you will be happy with your TravelMate as much as we
enjoyed making it for you.
Your guides
To help you use your TravelMate, we have designed a set of guides:
First off, the Just for starters... poster helps you get started
with setting up your computer.
This User’s guide introduces you to the many ways your
computer can help you be more productive. This guide
provides clear and concise information about the computer,
so read it thoroughly.
If you ever need to print out a copy, this User’s guide is also
available in Portable Document Format (PDF). Follow these
steps:
1 Click on Start, All Programs, AcerSystem.
2 Click on AcerSystem User’s guide.
Note: Viewing the file requires Adobe Acrobat Reader
installed. If Adobe Acrobat Reader is not installed on your
computer, clicking on TravelMate User’s guide will run the
Acrobat Reader setup program first. Follow the instructions
on the screen to complete the installation. For instructions
on how to use Adobe Acrobat Reader, access the Help and
Support menu.

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English
Basic care and tips for using your computer
Turning your computer on and off
To turn on the computer, simply press and release the power switch
below the LCD screen. See “Front view” on page 3 for the location of
the power switch.
To turn the power off, do any of the following:
•Use the Windows shutdown command
Click on Start, Turn Off Computer; then click on Turn Off.
•Use the power switch
Note: You can also use the power switch to perform power
management functions. See “Power management” on page 26.
•Use the customized functions for power management
You can also shut down the computer by closing the display cover,
or by pressing the sleep hot key (Fn-F4). See “Power management”
on page 26.
Note: If you cannot power off the computer normally, press and
hold the power switch for more than four seconds to shut down
the computer. If you turn off the computer and want to turn it on
again, wait at least two seconds before powering up.
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 0ºC (32ºF) or
above 50ºC (122ºF).
•Do not subject 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 and vibration.
•Do not expose the computer to dust and dirt.

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•Never place objects on top of the computer to avoid damaging the
computer.
•Do not slam the computer display when you close it.
•Never place the computer on uneven surfaces.
Taking care of your AC adapter
Here are some ways to take care of your AC adapter:
•Do not connect the adapter to any other device.
•Do not step on the power cord or place heavy objects on top of it.
Carefully route the power cord and any cables away from personal
traffic.
•When unplugging the power cord, do not pull on the cord itself
but pull on the plug.
•The total ampere ratings of the equipment plugged in should not
exceed the ampere rating of the cord if you are using an extension
cord. Also, the total current rating of all equipment plugged into a
single wall outlet should not exceed the fuse rating.
Taking care of your battery pack
Here are some ways to take care of your battery pack:
•Use only batteries of the same kind as replacements. Turn the
power off before removing or replacing batteries.
•Do not tamper with batteries. Keep them away from children.
•Dispose of used batteries according to local regulations. Recycle if
at all possible.
Cleaning and servicing
When cleaning the computer, follow these steps:
1Power off the computer and remove the battery pack.
2Disconnect the AC adapter.
3Use a soft cloth moistened with water. Do not use liquid or
aerosol cleaners.

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If any of the following occurs:
•The computer has been dropped or the body has been damaged.
•Liquid has been spilled into the product.
•The computer does not operate normally.
Please refer to "Troubleshooting my computer" on page 49.

First things first iii
Your guides iii
Basic care and tips for using your computer iv
1 Getting to know your TravelMate 1
A TravelMate tour 3
Front view 3
Closed front view 5
Left view 6
Right view 7
Rear view 8
Bottom view 9
Features 10
Indicators 12
Using the keyboard 14
Lock keys 14
Embedded numeric keypad 15
Windows keys 16
Hot keys 17
The Euro symbol 19
Launch keys 20
Touchpad 22
Touchpad basics 22
Storage 24
Hard disk 24
Optical drive 24
Audio 26
Power management 26
Moving around with your TravelMate 27
Disconnecting from the desktop 27
Moving around 27
Taking the computer home 28
Traveling with the computer 30
Traveling internationally with the computer 30
Securing your computer 32
Using a computer security lock 32
Contents

2 Customizing my computer 35
Expanding through options 37
Connectivity options 37
Upgrade options 43
Using system utilities 45
Acer eManager 45
Launch Manager 46
BIOS Utility 46
D to D Recovery (Disc to Disc) 47
Multilingual operating system installation 47
Restore without a Recovery CD 47
Setup password and exit 48
3 Troubleshooting my computer 49
Frequently-asked questions 51
Troubleshooting tips 54
Error messages 55
Requesting service 56
ITW 56
Before you call 57
Appendix A Specifications 59
Appendix B Regulation & safety notices 65
Index 81

1 Getting to know your
TravelMate

Your TravelMate computer combines high-
performance, versatility, power management
features and multimedia capabilities with a
unique style and ergonomic design. Work with
unmatched productivity and reliability with
your new power computing partner.

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A TravelMate tour
After setting up your computer as illustrated in the Just for starters...
poster, let us show you around your new TravelMate computer.
Front view
#Item Description
1 Display screen Also called Liquid-Crystal Display (LCD),
displays computer output.

1 Getting to know your TravelMate4
English
2 Power button Turns the computer on and off.
3 Status indicators Light-Emitting Diodes (LEDs) that turn on
and off to show the status of the
computer’s functions and components.
4 Keyboard Inputs data into your computer.
5 Palmrest Comfortable support area for your hands
when you use the computer.
6 Click buttons
(left, center and right)
The left and right buttons function like the
left and right mouse buttons; the center
button serves as a 4-way scroll button.
7 Touchpad Touch-sensitive pointing device which
functions like a computer mouse.
8 Launch keys Buttons for launching frequently used
programs. See“Launch keys” on page 20
for more details.
9 Microphone Internal microphone for sound recording.
#Item Description

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Closed front view
Note : The Bluetooth and Wireless buttons and indicators only work
on models with Bluetooth and Wireless features, respectively.
#Item Description
1 Speakers Left and right speakers deliver stereo audio
output.
2 Infrared port Interfaces with infrared devices
(e.g., infrared printer and IR-aware computer).
3 Power indicator Lights when the computer is on.
4 Battery indicator Lights when the battery is being charged.
5 Bluetooth
communications
Lights to indicate the status of Bluetooth
(optional) communications.
6 Wireless
communications
Lights to indicate the status of Wireless LAN
(optional) communications.

1 Getting to know your TravelMate6
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Left view
#Item Description
1 Security keylock Connects to a Kensington-compatible
computer security lock.
2 IEEE 1394 port Connects to IEEE 1394 devices.
3 Modem jack Connects to a phone line.
4 USB 2.0 port Connects to Universal Serial Bus (USB)
2.0 devices (e.g., USB mouse, USB
camera).
5 Ventilation slots Enable the computer to stay cool,
even after prolonged use.
6 Speaker/Line-Out/Headphone
jack
Connects to audio line-out devices
(e.g., speakers, headphones).
7 Microphone/Line-in jack Accepts inputs from external
microphones or audio line-in devices
(e.g., audio CD player, stereo
walkman).

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Right view
#Item Description
1 Optical drive Internal optical drive; accepts CDs or DVDs
depending on the optical drive type.
2 LED indicator Lights up when the optical drive is active.
3 Emergency eject
hole
Ejects the optical drive tray when the computer
is turned off. See page 52 for more details.
4 Optical drive
eject button
Ejects the optical drive tray from the drive.
5 Eject button Ejects the PC Card from the slot.
6 PC Card slot Connects to one Type II CardBus PC Card.
7 3-in-1 card reader Accepts MS, MMC and SD card.
Note: The 3-in-1 card reader only supports one
card at a time.
8 USB 2.0 port Connects to Universal Serial Bus (USB) 2.0 devices
(e.g., USB mouse, USB camera).
9 Network jack Connects to an Ethernet 10/100/1000-based
network.
10 Power jack Connects to an AC adapter.

1 Getting to know your TravelMate8
English
Rear view
#Item Description
1 100-pin port
replicator connector
Connects to an I/O port replicator, or
Acer EasyPort expansion devices.
2 External display port Connects to a display device (e.g., external
monitor, LCD projector).

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Bottom view
#Item Description
1Memory
compartment
Houses the computer's main memory.
2 Cooling fan Helps keep the computer cool.
Note: Do not cover or obstruct the opening of
the fan.
3 Battery release
latch
Unlatches the battery to remove the battery
pack.
4 Battery bay Houses the computer's battery pack.
5 Battery lock Locks the battery in place.
4

1 Getting to know your TravelMate10
English
Features
Below is a brief summary of the computer’s many features:
Performance
•Intel® Pentium M® processor 715, 725, 735, 745, 755
•Intel® 855GME chipset
•256/512 MB of DDR333 SDRAM standard, upgradeable to 2048 MB
with dual soDIMM modules
•40 GB and above high-capacity, Enhanced-IDE hard disk
•Advanced Configuration Power Interface (ACPI) power
management system
Display
•The 14.1” XGA (1024x768 resolution) TFT LCD panel providing a
large viewing area for maximum efficiency and ease-of-use
•ATI MOBILITY ™ RADEON™ 9700 with 64MB of video memory
(manufacturing option)
•3D graphics support
•Simultaneous LCD and CRT monitor, and other display devices like
projector support
•"Automatic LCD dim" feature that automatically deciding the best
settings for your display and conserves power
•Dual independent support
Multimedia
•High-speed DVD/CD-RW Combo, DVD-Dual or DVD-Super Multi
drive
•Built-in microphone
•Built-in dual speakers
•16-bit high-fidelity AC’97 stereo audio

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Connectivity
•Integrated 10/100/1000 Mbps Fast Ethernet connection
•Built-in 56Kbps fax/data modem
•Fast infrared wireless communication
•IEEE 1394 port
•Two Universal Serial Bus (USB) 2.0 ports
•InviLink™ 802.11b/g or InviLink™ 802.11a/b/g Wireless LAN
(manufacturing option)
•Bluetooth® (manufacturing option)
•100-pin port replicator connector
•SD/MMC/MS memory card reader
Human-centric design and ergonomics
• Rugged, yet extremely portable design
• Stylish appearance
• Full-size keyboard with four programmable launch keys
•Ergonomically-centered touchpad pointing device
•Internet 4-way scroll button
Expansion
•One Tpye II CardBus PC Card slot
•Upgradeable memory modules
•Acer EasyPort

1 Getting to know your TravelMate12
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Indicators
The computer has three easy-to-read status icons on the upper-left
above the keyboard.
Icon Function Description
Caps Lock Lights when Caps Lock is activated.
Num Lock Lights when Num Lock is activated.
Media activity Lights when the hard disk or optical drive is
active.