Acer Aspire 1600 series User manual

Acer Aspire 1600 series
User’s guide
As1600_E.book Page i Thursday, January 16, 2003 11:01 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
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 © 2003
All Rights Reserved
Acer Aspire 1600 Series Notebook Computer User's Guide
Original Issue: February 2003
Acer Aspire 1600 series Notebook computer
All trademarks and registered trademarks are the properties of their respective companies.
As1600_E.book Page ii Thursday, January 16, 2003 11:01 AM

iii
English
English
First things first vii
Your guides vii
Basic care and tips for using your computer viii
Getting familiar with your computer 1
A tour of your computer 3
Top view 3
Front view 5
Left view 6
Right view 7
Rear view 8
Bottom view 9
Features 10
Display 11
Indicators 12
Keyboard 14
Special keys 14
Keyboard ergonomics 19
Touchpad 20
Touchpad basics 21
Launch keys 23
Storage 25
Inserting and ejecting a diskette 25
Ejecting the optical drive tray 26
Emergency ejection of the optical drive tray 28
Connectivity options 29
Ethernet and LAN 29
Fax/data modem 29
Audio 31
Adjusting the volume 31
Securing your computer 32
Security slot 32
Passwords 32
Operating on battery power 35
Battery pack 37
Battery pack characteristics 37
Installing and removing the battery pack 38
Charging the battery 40
Checking the battery level 41
Optimizing battery life 41
Battery-low warning 41
Power management 43
As1600_E.book Page iii Thursday, January 16, 2003 11:01 AM

iv
English
Peripherals and options 45
External display devices 47
S-video 48
External input devices 49
External keyboard 49
External keypad 50
External pointing device 52
Printer 53
Audio devices 54
Expansion devices 55
PC Card 55
USB devices 57
IEEE 1394 devices 58
Miscellaneous options 59
Battery pack 59
AC adapter 59
Key component upgrades 60
Memory upgrade 60
Hard disk upgrade 62
Moving with your computer 63
Disconnecting from the desktop 65
Moving around 66
Preparing the computer 66
What to bring to short meetings 66
What to bring to long meetings 66
Taking the computer home 67
Preparing the computer 67
What to bring with you 67
Special considerations 67
Setting up a home office 68
Traveling with the computer 69
Preparing the computer 69
What to take with you 69
Special considerations 69
Traveling internationally with your computer 70
Preparing the computer 70
What to take with you 70
Special considerations 70
Software 71
System software 73
Launch Manager 73
As1600_E.book Page iv Thursday, January 16, 2003 11:01 AM

v
English
English
BIOS Utility 74
Information 75
Main 77
Advanced 78
Security 83
Boot 85
Exit 86
Troubleshooting 89
Frequently asked questions 91
Error messages 94
Appendix A Specifications 99
Appendix B Notices 103
Index 113
As1600_E.book Page v Thursday, January 16, 2003 11:01 AM

vi
English
As1600_E.book Page vi Thursday, January 16, 2003 11:01 AM

vii
English
English
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.global.acer.com.
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.
As1600_E.book Page vii Thursday, January 16, 2003 11:01 AM

viii
English
Basic care and tips for using your computer
Turning your computer on and off
To turn on your computer, open the lid (1, 2) and press the power button (3) 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.
As1600_E.book Page viii Thursday, January 16, 2003 11:01 AM

ix
English
English
•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.
Note: If you are unable to shut down the computer in the usual way, press and
hold the power switch 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.
As1600_E.book Page ix Thursday, January 16, 2003 11:01 AM

x
English
•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.
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:
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” on page 89 if any of the following
occurs:
•You drop the computer or damage the case.
As1600_E.book Page x Thursday, January 16, 2003 11:01 AM

xi
English
English
•You spill liquid on the computer.
•The computer does not operate normally.
As1600_E.book Page xi Thursday, January 16, 2003 11:01 AM

xii
English
As1600_E.book Page xii Thursday, January 16, 2003 11:01 AM

Getting familiar with
your computer
As1600_E.book Page 1 Thursday, January 16, 2003 11:01 AM

Your Aspire 1600 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.
As1600_E.book Page 2 Thursday, January 16, 2003 11:01 AM

3
English
English
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.
Top view
#Item Description
1 Display Large liquid crystal display (LCD) provides visual output.
2 Status indicators Light emitting diodes (LED) that show the status of the
computer and its components.
As1600_E.book Page 3 Thursday, January 16, 2003 11:01 AM

Getting familiar with your computer4
English
Note: The wireless communication button works for models with 802.11b
wireless LAN only.
3 Power button Turns the computer on and off.
4 Wireless
communication
button
Lights when the Wireless LAN capability is enabled.
5 Keyboard Full-size keyboard for inputting typed data.
6 Touchpad Touch sensitive pad that functions like a computer mouse.
7Clickbuttons&
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, left and right.
8 Palm rest Provides a comfortable platform for your hands when typing
on the keyboard.
9 Launch keys Buttons that can be programmed to start frequently used
applications. See “Launch keys” on page 23 for more details.
#Item Description
As1600_E.book Page 4 Thursday, January 16, 2003 11:01 AM

5
English
English
Front view
#Item Description
1Opticaldrive
emergency eject
hole
Used to eject an optical disc when the computer is turned
off.
2Opticaldiscread
indicator
Light emitting diode (LED) that indicates when an optical
disc is being read.
3 Optical drive Depending on your model, the optical drive is one of the
following:
• CD-ROM drive for reading CDs.
• DVD-ROM drive for reading CDs and DVDs.
• DVD/CD-RW combo drive for reading CDs and DVDs,
and writing to CD-Rs and CD-RWs.
4 Eject button Ejects the optical drive tray from the drive
5 Latch Locks and releases the lid.
As1600_E.book Page 5 Thursday, January 16, 2003 11:01 AM

Getting familiar with your computer6
English
Left view
#Item Description
1 Floppy disk read indicator Light emitting diode (LED) that indicates when
floppy diskette is being read.
2 Floppy disk drive Supports a standard 3.5” diskette.
3 Floppy disk eject button Press the eject button to remove a diskette from
the floppy disk drive.
4 Kensington lock slot For attaching a security connector.
5 IEEE 1394 port Port for connecting IEEE 1394 devices.
6 Line-out jack Connects headphones or external speakers for
audio output.
7 Line-in jack Connects an external microphone for audio
input.
8 Volume control Controls the volume of the speakers.
9 Speaker Delivers stereo audio output.
As1600_E.book Page 6 Thursday, January 16, 2003 11:01 AM

7
English
English
Right view
#Item Description
1Speaker Deliversstereoaudiooutput.
2 PC card eject button Press the eject button to remove a PC card from the
PC card slot.
3 PC card slots The slots supports two standard Type II or one Type
III PC card (PCMCIA or CardBus).
As1600_E.book Page 7 Thursday, January 16, 2003 11:01 AM

Getting familiar with your computer8
English
Rear view
#Item Description
1 DC-in jack Connects the AC adapter.
2 S-video port Connects to a television or dislay device with S-video
input.
3 External display port Connects an external (VGA) display monitor.
4 Modem jack Connects the built-in fax/data modem to a phone line.
5 Network jack Connects the computer to an Ethernet 10/100-based
network.
6 USB ports 4 ports for connecting USB devices.
As1600_E.book Page 8 Thursday, January 16, 2003 11:01 AM