Acer Aspire 1710 Series User manual

Acer Aspire 1710 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 Aspire 1710 Series Notebook Computer User's Guide
Original Issue: February 2004
Acer Aspire 1710 Series Notebook Computer
All trademarks and registered trademarks are the properties of their respective companies.

Contents
First things first vii
Your guides vii
Basic care and tips for using your computer vii
Getting familiar with your computer 1
A tour of your computer 3
Opened front view 3
Closed front view 5
Left view 6
Right view 7
Rear view 8
Bottom view 9
Features 10
Display 12
Indicators 13
Keyboard 15
Special keys 15
Keyboard ergonomics 19
Touchpad 20
Touchpad basics 20
Launch keys 22
Storage 23
Ejecting the optical drive tray 23
Emergency ejection of the optical drive tray 24
Connectivity options 25
Ethernet and LAN 25
Fax/data modem 25
Audio 27
Audio DJ 28
Securing your computer 30
Security slot 30
Passwords 31
Operating on battery power 33
Battery pack (optional) 35
Battery pack characteristics 35
Installing and removing the battery pack 36
Charging the battery 38
Checking the battery level 38
Optimizing battery life 38
Battery-low warning 39
Power management 40

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Peripherals and options 41
External display devices 43
External keyboard 44
External keypad 44
External pointing device 44
Printer 45
Audio devices 45
Expansion devices 46
PC Card 46
USB devices 47
Miscellaneous options 48
Installing new components 49
Opening the case 49
CPU upgrade 50
Hard disk upgrade 51
Memory upgrade 52
Moving with your computer 55
Disconnecting from the desktop 57
Moving around 58
Preparing the computer 58
What to bring to short meetings 58
What to bring to long meetings 58
Taking the computer home 59
Preparing the computer 59
What to bring with you 59
Special considerations 59
Setting up a home office 60
Traveling with the computer 61
Preparing the computer 61
What to take with you 61
Special considerations 61
Traveling internationally with your computer 62
Preparing the computer 62
What to take with you 62
Special considerations 62
Software 63
System software 65
Launch Manager 65
BIOS setup utility 66

v
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Troubleshooting 67
Frequently asked questions 69
Appendix A Specifications 73
Appendix B Regulation & safety notices 79
Index 93

vi
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vii
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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.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. 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 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.
•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 (optional)
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 “Frequently asked questions” on page 69
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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Getting familiar with
your computer

Getting familiar with your computer2
English
Your Aspire 1710 series 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 computer, as illustrated in the Just for
starters… poster, take a few minutes to explore the unit.
Opened front view
#Item Description
1 Display Large liquid crystal display (LCD) provides visual
output.
2 Power button Turns the computer on and off.
3 Keyboard Full-size keyboard for inputting typed data.
4 Touchpad Touch sensitive pad that functions like a
computer mouse.

Getting familiar with your computer4
English
Note: This wireless communication button works for models with
802.11g & 802.11a/g wireless LAN only.
5 Click buttons &
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.
6 Audio DJ
controls and
indicator
Button and indicators for the Audio DJ function.
For more information, see “Audio” on page 27.
7 Palm rest Provides a comfortable platform for your hands
when typing on the keyboard.
8 Launch keys 1 switch button for wired/wireless LAN, or
Bluetooth (optional)
1 e-mail launch button
1 launch button for Internet browser
2 programmable buttons
9 Status
indicators
Light emitting diodes (LEDs) that show the status
of the computer and its components.
#Item Description

5
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Closed front view
#Item Description
1 Speakers Left and right speakers deliver stereo audio
output.
2 Wireless
communication
indicator
Lights when the Wireless LAN, or Bluetooth,
capability is enabled.
3 Power indicator Lights when the computer is on.

Getting familiar with your computer6
English
Left 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-Rs and CD-RWs.
•DVD Dual
2 Optical disc read
indicator
Light emitting diode (LED) that
indicates when an optical disc is being
read.
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 Left latch Locks and releases the lid (one on the
right and one on the left).
6 Floppy drive/Card reader Accepts a 3.5 inch floppy disk, or a 6-in-
1 card reader (optional).
7 PC card eject button Press the eject button to remove a PC
card from the PC card slot.
8 PC card slot The slot supports a standard Type II PC
card (PCMCIA and CardBus).

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Right view
#Item Description
1 Right latch Locks and releases the lid (one on the right
and one on the left).
2 Speaker/Headphone-
out jack
Connects to audio line-out devices (e.g.,
speakers, headphones).
3 Line-in/Mic-in jack Accepts audio line-in devices (e.g., audio
CD player, stereo walkman). Selection is
through the OS Windows mixer.
4 IEEE 1394 port Connects to an IEEE 1394 device.
5 IEEE 1394 port Connects to an IEEE 1394 device.
6TwoUSBports Connects USB 2.0 devices.
7 DC-in jack Connects the AC adapter.

Getting familiar with your computer8
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Rear view
#Item Description
1 Two USB ports Connects USB 2.0 devices.
2 Modem jack Connects the built-in fax/data modem to a
phone line.
3S-video Connects to a television or display device
with S-video input.
4 External display port Connects an external (VGA) display devices
monitor.
5 COM port Connects to other serial interface devices.
6 Network jack Connects to an Ethernet 10/100/1000-based
network.
7 Parallel port Connects a parallel device, such as a printer.
8 PS2 port Connects to a PS2 mouse.
9 Kensington lock slot Attaches a security connector.

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Bottom view
#Item Description
1 Battery cover Protects the battery bay.
2 Sub-woofer Enhances the audio quality.
3 Ventilation slots Enable the computer to stay cool, even
after prolonged use.

Getting familiar with your computer10
English
Features
Performance
•Intel® Pentium® 4 FSB 800 processor
•L2 cache 1MB
•Intel 865G with ICH-5, support 800MHz Front Side Bus , dual
channel and HTT support
•80 GB or higher-capacity Desktop 5400rpm, 7200rpm HDD
•Microsoft® Windows® XP Home/Pro operating system
•Optional 6-in-1 Multimedia memory card reader module
Multimedia
•DVD/CD-RW combo
•DVD Dual drive
•Audio input and output jacks
•Optional 6-in-1 Multimedia memory card reader module
•Hardware 3D graphic engine
•Two stereo speakers + one sub-woofer
•17" Desktop SXGA LCD, 1280x1024, 16M colors
Connectivity
•Modem: Software Modem V.92 56Kbps (MDC)
•10/100/1000 Mbps Gigabit Ethernet LAN
•Optional Mini-PCI 802.11g or 802.11 a/g
•One switch to enable or disable wireless function
•Keyboard and pointing device
•Four universal serial bus (USB) ports 2.0
•Two IEEE 1394 ports
•Bluetooth ready (manufacturing option)