Acer Aspire 5500Z Series User manual

Aspire 5500Z Series
User's Guide

Changes may be made periodically to the information in this publication without obligation
to notify any person of such revisions 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, electronically, mechanically, by photocopy, recording or otherwise,
without the prior written permission of Acer Incorporated.
Model number: __________________________________
Serial number: ___________________________________
Date of purchase: ________________________________
Place of purchase: ________________________________
Copyright © 2005. Acer Incorporated.
All Rights Reserved.
Aspire 5500Z Series User's Guide
Original Issue: December 2005
Aspire 5500Z Series Notebook PC
Acer and the Acer logo are registered trademarks of Acer Incorporated. Other companies'
product names or trademarks are used herein for identification purposes only and belong to
their respective companies.

iii
Disposal instructions
Do not throw this electronic device into the trash when discarding. To minimize
pollution and ensure utmost protection of the global environment, please
recycle.
USA
For electronic products containing an LCD/CRT monitor or display:
Lamp(s) inside this product contain mercury and must be recycled or disposed of
according to local, state or federal laws. For more information, contact the
Electronic Industries Alliance at www.eiae.org. For lamp-specific disposal
information, check www.lamprecycle.org.

iv
First things first
We would like to thank you for making an Acer notebook your choice for
meeting your mobile computing needs.
Your guides
To help you use your Acer notebook, we have designed a set of guides:
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 button below the
LCD screen beside the easy-launch buttons. See "Front view" on page 11 for the
location of the power button.
First off, the Just for Starters... poster helps you get started with
setting up your computer.
The printed User's Guide introduces you to the basic features and
functions of your new computer. For more on how your computer
can help you to be more productive, please refer to the
AcerSystem User's Guide. This guide contains detailed
information on such subjects as system utilities, data recovery,
expansion options and troubleshooting. In addition it contains
warranty information and the general regulations and safety
notices for your notebook. It is available in Portable Document
Format (PDF) and comes preloaded on your notebook. Follow
these steps to access it:
1 Click on Start, All Programs, AcerSystem.
2 Click on AcerSystem User's Guide.
Note: Viewing the file requires Adobe Reader. If Adobe Reader is
not installed on your computer, clicking on AcerSystem User's
Guide will run the Adobe Reader setup program first. Follow the
instructions on the screen to complete the installation. For
instructions on how to use Adobe Reader, access the Help and
Support menu.

v
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 button
You can also shut down the computer by closing the display cover, or by
pressing the sleep hotkey <Fn> + <F4>.
Note: If you cannot power off the computer normally, press and
hold the power button 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 0 ºC (32 ºF) or above
50 ºC (122 ºF).
•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 or vibration.
•Do not expose the computer to dust or dirt.
•Never place objects on top of 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 foot 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.

vi
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 possible.
Cleaning and servicing
When cleaning the computer, follow these steps:
1 Turn off the computer and remove the battery pack.
2 Disconnect the AC adapter.
3 Use a soft, moist cloth. Do not use liquid or aerosol cleaners.
If either of the following occurs:
•the computer has been dropped or the body has been damaged;
•the computer does not operate normally
please refer to "Frequently asked questions" on page 32.
Caution
Changes or modifications not expressly approved by the manufacturer could
void the user's authority, which is granted by the Federal Communications
Commission, to operate this computer.
Operation conditions
This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the
following two conditions: (1) This device may not cause harmful interference,
and (2) This device must accept any interference received, including
interference that may cause undesired operation.
Users are requested to follow the RF safety instructions for wireless option
devices that are included in the user's manual of each RF option device.
An improper installation or unauthorized use may cause harmful interference
to radio communications. Also, any tampering of the internal antenna will void
the FCC certification and your warranty.
To prevent radio interference to the licensed service, this device is intended to
be operated indoors, and installation outdoors is subject to licensing.
For more information about our products, services, and support information,
please visit our website: http://global.acer.com.

Disposal instructions iii
First things first iv
Your guides iv
Basic care and tips for using your computer iv
Turning your computer on and off iv
Taking care of your computer v
Taking care of your AC adapter v
Taking care of your battery pack vi
Cleaning and servicing vi
Acer Empowering Technology 1
Acer eDataSecurity Management 2
Acer eLock Management 3
Acer ePerformance Management 4
Acer eRecovery Management 5
Acer eSettings Management 6
Acer eNet Management 6
Acer ePower Management 8
Acer ePresentation Management 9
Your Acer notebook tour 11
Front view 11
Closed front view 12
Left view 13
Right view 13
Rear view 14
Base view 15
Specifications 16
Indicators 19
Easy-launch buttons 20
Touchpad 21
Touchpad basics 21
Using the keyboard 23
Lock keys and embedded numeric keypad 23
Windows keys 24
Hotkeys 24
Special keys 26
Ejecting the optical (CD or DVD) drive tray (for selected models) 27
Using a computer security lock 27
Audio 28
Adjusting the volume 28
Using the system utilities 29
Acer GridVista (dual-display compatible) 29
Launch Manager 30
Norton AntiVirus 31
Frequently asked questions 32
Requesting service 35
International Travelers Warranty (ITW) 35
Before you call 35
Contents

Acer Arcade (for selected models) 36
Arcade hotkeys 37
InstantOn Arcade mode 37
Finding and playing content 38
Settings 38
Arcade controls 39
Navigation controls 39
Player controls 39
Virtual keyboard 40
Background mode 40
Cinema 41
Settings 41
Album 42
Editing Pictures 42
Slide Show settings 42
Video 43
Playing a video file 43
Capturing video (TV models only) 43
Snapshot 43
Editing video 44
Music 44
TV (for selected models) 45
Time-Shifting TV 45
Recorded TV 46
Scheduling recordings 46
Program guide 46
Find program 46
TV settings 46
Using TeleText functions 47
Make DVDs 48
Authoring CD/DVDs 48
Taking your notebook PC with you 49
Disconnecting from the desktop 49
Moving around 49
Preparing the computer 49
What to bring to meetings 50
Taking the computer home 50
Preparing the computer 50
What to take with you 50
Special considerations 51
Setting up a home office 51
Traveling with the computer 51
Preparing the computer 51
What to take with you 51
Special considerations 52
Traveling internationally with the computer 52
Preparing the computer 52

What to bring with you 52
Special considerations 52
Securing your computer 53
Using a computer security lock 53
Using passwords 53
Entering passwords 54
Setting passwords 54
Expanding through options 55
Connectivity options 55
Fax/data modem 55
Built-in network feature 56
Universal Serial Bus (USB) 56
PC Card slot 57
Installing memory 57
BIOS utility 59
Boot sequence 59
Enable disk-to-disk recovery 59
Password 59
Using software 60
Playing DVD movies 60
Power management 61
Acer eRecovery Management 61
Create backup 62
Restore from backup 62
Create factory default image CD 63
Re-install bundled software without CD 63
Change password 64
Troubleshooting 65
Troubleshooting tips 65
Error messages 65
Regulations and safety notices 67
ENERGY STAR guidelines compliance 67
FCC notice 67
Modem notices 68
Important safety instructions 71
Laser compliance statement 73
LCD pixel statement 73
Macrovision copyright protection notice 73
Radio device regulatory notice 74
General 74
European Union (EU) 74
The FCC RF safety requirement 75
Canada — Low-power license-exempt radio
communication devices (RSS-210) 76
Federal Communications Comission
Declaration of Conformity 77
Declaration of Conformity for CE Marking 78

Index 79

1
Empowering Technology
Acer Empowering Technology
Acer's innovative Empowering Technology makes it easy for you to access
frequently used functions and manage your new Acer notebook. It features the
following handy utilities:
•Acer eDataSecurity Management protects data with passwords and
advanced encryption algorithms.
•Acer eLock Management limits access to external storage media.
•Acer ePerformance Management improves system performance by
optimizing disk space, memory and registry settings.
•Acer eRecovery Management backs up/recovers data flexibly, reliably
and completely.
•Acer eSettings Management accesses system information and adjusts
settings easily.
•Acer eNet Management hooks up to location-based networks intelligently.
•Acer ePower Management extends battery power via versatile usage
profiles.
•Acer ePresentation Management connects to a projector and adjusts
display settings conveniently.

2
Empowering Technology
For more information, press the < > key to launch the Empowering
Technology menu, then click on the appropriate utility and select the Help
function.
Acer eDataSecurity Management
Acer eDataSecurity Management is a handy file encryption utility that protects
your files from being accessed by unauthorized persons. It is conveniently
integrated with Windows Explorer as a shell extension for quick and easy data
encryption/decryption and also supports on-the-fly file encryption for MSN
Messenger and Microsoft Outlook.
There are two passwords that can be used to encrypt/decrypt a file: the
supervisor password and the file-specific password. The supervisor password is a
"master" password that can decrypt any file on your system; the file-specific
password is assigned when you encrypt each individual file.
The Acer eDataSecurity Management setup wizard will prompt you for a
supervisor password and default file-specific password. This file-specific
password will be used to encrypt files by default, or you can choose to enter
your own file-specific password when encrypting a file.
Note: The password used encrypt a file is the unique key that the
system needs to decrypt it. If you lose the password, the supervisor
password is the only other key capable of decrypting the file. If
you lose both passwords, there will be no way to decrypt your
encrypted file! Be sure to safeguard all related passwords!

3
Empowering Technology
Acer eLock Management
Acer eLock Management is a security utility that allows you to lock up your
removable data, optical and floppy drives to ensure that data can't be stolen
while your notebook is unattended.
•Removable data devices — includes USB disk drives, USB pen drives, USB
flash drives, USB MP3 drives, USB memory card readers, IEEE 1394 disk
drives and any other removable disk drives that can be mounted as a file
system when plugged into the system.
•Optical drive devices — includes any kind of CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drives.
•Floppy disk drives — 3.5-inch disks only.
To activate Acer eLock Management, a password must be set first. Once set, you
may apply locks to any of the three kinds of devices. Lock(s) will immediately
be set without any reboot necessary, and will remain locked after rebooting,
until unlocked.
If you do not set a password, Acer eLock Management will reset back to the
initial status with all locks removed.
Note: If you lose your password, there is no method to reset it
except by reformatting your notebook or taking your notebook
to an Acer Customer Service Center. Be sure to remember or write
down your password.

4
Empowering Technology
Acer ePerformance Management
Acer ePerformance Management is a system optimization tool that boosts the
performance of your Acer notebook. It provides you with the following options
to enhance overall system performance:
•Memory optimization — releases unused memory and check usage.
•Disk optimization — removes unneeded items and files.
•Speed optimization — improves the usability and performance of your
Windows XP system.

5
Empowering Technology
Acer eRecovery Management
Acer eRecovery Management is a powerful utility that does away with the need
for recovery disks provided by the manufacturer. The Acer eRecovery
Management utility occupies space in a hidden partition on your system's HDD.
User-created backups are stored on D:\ drive. Acer eRecovery Management
provides you with:
•Password protection.
•Recovery of applications and drivers.
•Image/data backup:
•Back up to HDD (set recovery point).
•Back up to CD/DVD.
•Image/data recovery tools:
•Recover from a hidden partition (factory defaults).
•Recover from the HDD (most recent user-defined recovery point).
•Recover from CD/DVD.
For more information, please refer to "Acer eRecovery Management" on page
61 in the AcerSystem User's Guide.
Note: If your computer did not come with a Recovery CD or
System CD, please use Acer eRecovery Management's "System
backup to optical disk" feature to burn a backup image to CD or
DVD. To ensure the best results when recovering your system
using a CD or Acer eRecovery Management, detach all peripherals
(except the external Acer ODD, if your computer has one),
including your Acer ezDock.

6
Empowering Technology
Acer eSettings Management
Acer eSettings Management allows you to inspect hardware specifications and
to monitor the system health status. Furthermore, Acer eSettings Management
enables you to optimize your Windows operating system, so your computer
runs faster, smoother and better.
Acer eSettings Management also:
•Provides a simple graphical user interface for navigating through the
program effortlessly.
•Displays general system status and advanced monitoring for power users.
•Logs when a hardware component has been removed or replaced.
•Permits you to migrate personal settings.
•Keeps a history log of all alerts that were previously issued.
Acer eNet Management
Acer eNet Management helps you to quickly and easily connect to both wired
and wireless networks in a variety of locations. To access this utility, either click
on the "Acer eNet Management" icon on your notebook, or start the program
from the Start menu. You also have the option to set Acer eNet Management to
start automatically when you boot up your PC.
Acer eNet Management automatically detects the best settings for a new
location, while offering you the freedom to manually adjust the settings to
match your needs, simply by right-clicking on the icon in the taskbar.

7
Empowering Technology
Acer eNet Management can save network settings for a location to a profile,
and automatically apply the appropriate profile when you move from one
location to another. Settings stored include network connection settings (IP and
DNS settings, wireless AP details, etc.), as well as default printer settings.
Security and safety concerns mean that Acer eNet Management does not store
username and password information.

8
Empowering Technology
Acer ePower Management
Acer ePower Management features a straightforward user interface. To launch
it, select Acer ePower Management from the Empowering Technology
interface, or double-click the Acer ePower Management icon in the task tray.
AC mode
The default setting is "Maximum Performance." You can adjust CPU speed, LCD
brightness and other settings, or click on buttons to turn the following
functions on/off: Wireless LAN, Bluetooth, CardBus, Memory Card, Audio, and
Wired LAN.
DC mode
To suit your usage, there are four pre-defined profiles — Entertainment,
Presentation, Word Processing, and Maximum Battery. Or, you can define up to
three of your own profiles.
Create new power scheme
1 Assign a name for the new scheme.
2 Choose existing scheme to use as a template.
3 Select whether used for mains (AC) or battery mode.
4 Choose which power options best fit your needs, then click OK.
5 The new profile will appear on the main screen.
Battery status
For real-time battery life estimates based on current usage, refer to the panel
on the lower left-hand side of the window.