Acer 420 series User manual

TravelMate 420 series
User’s guide
TM420-e.book Page i Thursday, August 22, 2002 10:00 AM

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 © 2002 Acer Incorporated.
All Rights Reserved.
TravelMate 420 Series Notebook Computer User's Guide
Original Issue: May 2002
TravelMate 420 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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iii
English
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:
For more information about our products, services, and support
information, please visit our Web site (global.acer.com).
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 PDF (Portable Document Format). Follow these
steps:
1 Click on Start, Programs, AcerSystem.
2 Click on AcerSystem User’s Guide.
Note: Viewing the file requires Adobe Acrobat Reader
installed. For instructions on how to use Adobe Acrobat
Reader, access the Help menu.
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Basic care and tips for using your computer
Turning your computer on and off
To turn on the computer, simply press the power button on the top left
of your TravelMate. See page 3 for the location of the power button.
To turn the power off, do any of the following:
•Use the Windows shutdown command
For Windows 2000: Click on Start, Shut Down..., and select Shut
down; then click on OK.
- or -
For Windows XP: Click on Start, Turn off Computer; then click
Turn Off.
•Use the power switch
Note: You can also use the power switch to perform power
management functions. See Windows help for more information.
•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 “Hot keys” on page
15.
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.
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•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.
•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.
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3Use a soft cloth moistened with water. Do not use liquid or
aerosol cleaners.
4To clean the display screen, use an LCD cleaning kit.
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 45.
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Contents
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
Left view 5
Right view 6
Rear view 7
Bottom view 8
Features 9
Indicators 11
Using the keyboard 12
Special keys 12
Touchpad 20
Touchpad basics 20
Storage 22
Hard disk 22
Optical drive 22
Using software 23
Audio 24
Adjusting the volume 24
Using the Audio DJ feature 25
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
Using passwords 32
2 Customizing my computer 35
Expanding through options 37
Connectivity options 37
Upgrade options 41
Using system utilities 43
Launch Manager 43
BIOS Utility 43
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3 Troubleshooting my computer 45
Frequently-asked questions 47
Requesting service 50
International Traveler’s Warranty (ITW) 50
Before you call 51
Appendix A Specifications 53
Appendix B Notices 59
Index 67
English
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1 Getting to know your
TravelMate
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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 LCD (liquid-crystal display),
displays computer output.
2 Power Button Turns on the computer power.
3 Speakers Outputs sound.
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1 Getting to know your TravelMate4
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4 Keyboard Inputs data into your computer.
5 Touchpad Touch-sensitive pointing device which
functions like a computer mouse.
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 Audio DJ controls
and indicators
Button and indicators for the Audio DJ
function. For more information, see “Using
the Audio DJ feature” on page 25.
8 Optical drive Houses an optical drive module (CD-ROM ,
DVD-ROM or DVD/CD-RW combo drive).
9 Optical drive
indicator
Lights up when the optical drive is active.
10 Emergency eject slot Ejects the drive tray when the computer is
turned off. See page 49 for more details.
11 Eject button Ejects the drive tray.
12 Infrared port Interfaces with infrared devices (e.g.,
infrared PDA, IR-aware computer).
13 Wireless networking
button
Enables or disables the wireless networking
feature.
14 Palmrest Comfortable support area for your hands
when you use the computer.
15 Status indicators LEDs (light-emitting diode) that turn on and
off to show the status of the computer, its
functions and components.
16 Microphone Inputs sounds and voices into your computer.
17 Launch keys Special keys for launching internet browser,
email program and frequently used
programs. See “Launch Keys” on page 18 for
more details.
#Item Description
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Note: The positions of the Optical drive indicator, eject button and
emergency eject hole may differ depending on the optical drive
module installed.
Left view
#Item Description
1 Power jack Connects to an AC adapter.
2 Security keylock Connects to a Kensington-compatible
computer security lock.
K
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Right view
#Item Description
1 USB port Connects to Universal Serial Bus devices
(e.g.,USB mouse, USB camera).
2 Line-in/Mic-in jack Accepts audio line-in devices (e.g., audio CD
player, stereo walkman). Selection is through
the OS Windows mixer.
3 Speaker/
Headphone-out jack
Connects to audio line-out devices
(e.g.,speakers, headphones).
4 Modem jack Connects to a phone line.
5 IEEE 1394 port Connects to an IEEE 1394 device.
6 PC card eject button Ejects the PC card from the slot.
7 PC card slots Accepts one type II PC cards.
8 Network jack Connects to an Ethernet 10/100-based
network.
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Rear view
9 Memory stick slot Accepts memory sticks.
10 SD/MMC slot Accepts SD or MMC cards.
#Item Description
1 Expansion port I/O replicator or EasyPort expansion devices.
2 External display
port
Connects to a display device (e.g., external
monitor, LCD projector).
3 Parallel port Connects to a parallel device (e.g., parallel
printer).
4 S-video Connects to a television or display device
with S-video input.
#Item Description
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Bottom view
#Item Description
1 Battery bay Houses the computer's battery pack.
2 Battery release latch Unlatches the battery to remove the
battery pack.
3Memory
compartment
Houses the computer's main memory.
4 Cooling fans Helps keep the computer cool.
Note: Don't cover or obstruct the opening
of the fan.
5 AcerMedia drive bay
release latch
Unlatches the AcerMedia bay to remove
the optical diskette drive
6 Hard disk bay Houses the computer's hard disk.
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Features
Below is a brief summary of the computer’s many features:
Performance
•Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor with 512 KB level 2 cache
•DDR 266 (PC2100) SDRAM, memory expandable up to 1 GB
•Internal optical drive
•High-capacity, Enhanced-IDE hard disk
•Li-lon battery pack
•Power management system with ACPI (Advanced Configuration
Power Interface)
Display
•Thin-Film Transistor (TFT) liquid crystal display (LCD) displaying 32-
bit high true color up to 1024 x 786 eXtended Graphics Array
(XGA) resolution for 14.1”/15” or 1400 x 1050 Super eXtended
Graphics Array+ (SXGA+) resolution for some 15” models
(specification varies depending on models).
•3D capabilities
•Simultaneous LCD and CRT display support
•S-video for output to a television or display device that supports S-
video input
•"Automatic LCD dim" feature that automatically decides the best
settings for your display and conserves power
•Dual display capability
Multimedia
•18-bit high-fidelity AC’97 stereo audio
•Built-in dual speakers
•Built-in microphone
•High-speed optical drive
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Connectivity
•High-speed fax/data modem port
•Ethernet/Fast Ethernet port
•3 USB (Universal Serial Bus) ports
•IEEE 1394 port
•SD/MMC memory slot
•Memory stick slot
•Acer EasyPort port replicator
•Bluetooth ready (optional)
Human-centric design and ergonomics
•4-way scroll button
•Sleek, smooth and stylish design
•Acer FinTouch full-sized curved keyboard
•Ergonomically-centered touchpad pointing device
Expansion
•One type II CardBus PC Card slots
•Upgradeable memory
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Indicators
The computer has seven easy-to-read status icons below the display
screen.
Icon Function Description
Power Lights green when the computer is on. Flashes
when the computer is in low power.
Sleep Flashes when the computer is entering Sleep
mode. Lights orange when the computer is in
Sleep mode.
Battery charge Lights when the battery is being charged.
Wireless
communication
Lights when the Wireless LAN or Bluetooth
capabilities are enabled.
Caps lock Lights when Caps Lock is activated.
Num lock Lights when Num Lock is activated.
Media activity Lights when the hard disk or AcerMedia drive
is active.
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Using the keyboard
The full-sized keyboard includes an embedded numeric keypad,
separate cursor keys, two Windows keys and twelve function keys.
Special keys
Lock keys
The keyboard has three lock keys which you can toggle on and off.
Lock key Description
Caps Lock When Caps Lock is on, all alphabetic characters typed are in
uppercase.
Num Lock
(Fn-F11)
When Num Lock is on, the embedded keypad is in numeric
mode. The keys function as a calculator (complete with the
arithmetic operators +, -, *, and /). Use this mode when you
need to do a lot of numeric data entry. A better solution
would be to connect an external keypad.
Scroll Lock
(Fn-F12)
When Scroll Lock is on, the screen moves one line up or down
when you press the up or down arrow keys respectively.
Scroll Lock does not work with some applications.
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