Acer Extensa 2900D User manual

Extensa 2900 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
Extensa 2900 Series Notebook Computer User's Guide
Original Issue: April 2004
Extensa 2900 Series Notebook Computer
All trademarks and registered trademarks are the properties of their respective companies.

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First things first
Your guides
A set of guides is provided to help you set up and use your Extensa
computer:
For more information on Acer’s products, services, and support,
please visit the web site: http://www.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 and Support 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 button 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
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:
• Turn off the computer and remove the battery.
• Disconnect the AC adapter.
• Clean 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 65
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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First things first iii
Your guides iii
Basic care and tips for using your computer iii
Getting familiar with your computer 1
A tour of your computer 3
Front open view 3
Front view 4
Left view 5
Right view 6
Rear view 7
Bottom view 8
Features 10
Indicators 12
Lock keys 14
Embedded keypad 15
Windows keys 16
Hot keys 17
The Euro symbol 19
Touchpad 21
Touchpad basics 21
Launch keys 23
Storage 24
Hard disk 24
AcerMedia bay 24
Ejecting the optical drive tray 25
Emergency ejection of the optical drive tray 25
Connectivity options 26
Ethernet and LAN 26
Fax/Data modem 27
Audio 28
Adjusting the volume 28
Securing your computer 29
Security slot 29
Operating on battery power 31
Battery pack 33
Battery pack characteristics 33
Installing and removing the battery pack 34
Charging the battery 35
Checking the battery level 35
Optimizing battery life 35
Battery-low warning 36
Contents

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Power management 37
Peripherals and options 39
External display devices 41
External input devices 41
External keyboard 41
External keypad 41
External pointing device 41
USB devices 42
IEEE 1394 Port 43
Printer 44
Audio devices 44
Expansion devices 45
PC Card 45
Miscellaneous options 46
Battery pack 46
AC adapter 46
Key component upgrades 47
Memory upgrade 47
Swapping AcerMedia drive modules 48
Moving with your computer 51
Disconnecting from the desktop 53
Moving around 54
Preparing the computer 54
What to bring to short meetings 54
What to bring to long meetings 54
Taking the computer home 55
Preparing the computer 55
What to bring with you 55
Special considerations 55
Setting up a home office 56
Traveling with the computer 56
Preparing the computer 56
What to take with you 56
Special considerations 56
Traveling internationally with your computer 57
Preparing the computer 57
What to take with you 57
Special considerations 57

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Software 59
System software 61
Launch Manager 61
BIOS Setup Utility 62
Troubleshooting 63
Frequently asked questions 65
Requesting service 68
International Traveler’s Warranty (ITW) 68
Before you call 68
Appendix A Specifications 69
Appendix B Notices 75
Index 87

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Getting familiar with
your computer

Your Extensa 2900 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.

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A tour of your computer
After setting up your new Extensa notebook computer, as illustrated in
the Just for starters… poster, take a few minutes to explore the unit.
Front open view
#Item Description
1 Display screen Also called Liquid-Crystal Display (LCD),
displays computer output.
2 Power button Turns on the computer.

Getting familiar with your computer
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Front view
3 Touchpad Touch-sensitive pointing device which
functions like a computer mouse.
4 Click buttons
(left and right)
The left and right buttons function like
the left and right mouse buttons.
5 Palmrest Comfortable support area for your
hands when you use the computer.
6 Keyboard Inputs data into your computer.
7 Status indicators Light-Emitting Diodes (LEDs) that turn
on and off to show the status of the
computer, its functions and
components.
8 Launch keys Two special keys for frequently used
programs. See “Launch keys” on page
23 for more details.
#Item Description
1 Latch Latch for opening and closing the
computer.
2 AcerMedia Bay For hot-swappable modules including
CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, DVD/CD-RW
Combo, DVD-RW, DVD-Dual, or DVD
Super-Multi.
#Item Description

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Left view
#Item Description
1 Infrared port Interfaces with infrared devices (e.g.,
infrared printer, IR-aware computer).
2 PC Card slot Accepts one Type II 16-bit PC Card or 32-
bit CardBus PC Card.
3 Wireless Communication
switch
Enables and disables Wireless
communication devices.
4 Stereo speaker Outputs sound.
5 Headphone/ Speaker/
Line-out jack
Connects to headphones or other line-
out audio devices (speakers).
6 Microphone/line-in jack Accepts input from external
microphones, or other audio line-in
devices (e.g. audio CD player, stereo
walkman and etc.)

Getting familiar with your computer
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Right view
7 One USB 2.0 port Connects to Universal Serial Bus devices
(e.g., USB mouse, USB camera).
#Item Description
1 Stereo speaker Outputs sound.
2 HDD Houses the computer's hard disk.
3 Ventilation slot Enables the computer to stay cool, even
after prolonged use.
4 DC-in jack Connects the AC adapter.
#Item Description

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Rear view
#Item Description
1 IEEE 1394 port Connects to IEEE 1394 devices.
2 S-video Connects to a television or display device
with S-video input.
3 Ethernet port Connects to an Ethernet 10/100-based
network.
4 Modem port Connects to a phone line.
5 Two USB 2.0 ports Connects to Universal Serial Bus devices (e.g.,
USB mouse, USB camera).
6 External display port Connects to a display device (e.g., external
monitor, LCD projector) and displays up to
16.7 million colors and up to 1600x1200 at
85 Hz and 2048x1536 at 75 Hz resolution.

Getting familiar with your computer
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Bottom view
7 Parallel port Connects to a parallel device (e.g., parallel
printer).
8 Security keylock Connects to a Kensington-compatible
computer security lock.
#Item Description
1 RAM slot The slot that houses the computer's main
memory.
2 AcerMedia bay release
latch
Unlatches the AcerMedia drive for
removing the optical drive.
#Item Description

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3 AcerMedia bay Houses an AcerMedia drive module.
4 Battery bay Houses the computer's battery pack.
5 Battery release latch Unlatches the battery to remove the
battery pack.
6 Hard disk bay Houses the computer's hard disk (secured
by a screw).
7 Cooling fan Helps keep the computer cool.
#Item Description

Getting familiar with your computer
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Features
Performance
•Intel® Pentium® M Processor at 1.3 ~1.7 GHz or higher
•Intel 855PM chipset
•Memory upgradeable up to 2 GB with 2 slots
•Internal removable optical drive (AcerMedia bay)
•High-capacity, Enhanced-IDE hard disk
•Li-ion main battery pack
• Power management system with Advanced Configuration Power
Interface (ACPI)
Display
•14.1” or 15.0” Thin-Film Transistor (TFT) displaying at 1024 x 768
XGA resolution, or 15.0” TFT displaying at 1400 x 1050 SXGA+
resolution
•ATI MOBILITY™ RADEON™ 9200/9700 with 64MB of external DDR
video RAM, supporting Microsoft-DirectX-9.0
•3D graphics engine
•Simultaneous LCD and CRT display support
•S-video for output to a television or display device that supports
S-video input
• DualView™ display support
Multimedia
•16-bit high-fidelity AC’97 stereo audio
•Built-in dual speakers
• High-speed optical drive (AcerMedia bay)