Acer TravelMate 220 series User manual

TravelMate 220/260 series
User’s guide
260.book Page i Thursday, November 29, 2001 9:32 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 © 2001. Acer Incorporated.
All Rights Reserved.
TravelMate 220/260 series User’s guide
Original Issue: December 2001
TravelMate 220/260 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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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:
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:
1Click on Start, Programs, TravelMate.
2Click on TravelMate User’s guide.
Note: Viewing the file requires Adobe Acrobat Reader
installed. If Adobe Acrobat Reader is not installed on your
computer, clicking on TravelMate User’s guide will run the
Acrobat Reader setup program first. Follow the
instructions on the screen to complete the installation. For
instructions on how to use Adobe Acrobat Reader, access
the Help menu.
A handy Hot key pocket reference card is useful for quick
glances at functional key combinations.
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For more information about our products, services, and support
information, please visit our Web site (global.acer.com).
Basic care and tips for using your computer
Turning your computer on and off
To turn on the computer, simply slide and then release the power
switch on the left side of your TravelMate. See “Left view”on page 4
for the location of the power switch.
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 switch
Note: You can also use the power switch to perform power
management functions. See “Power management”on page 23.
•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 “Power
management”on page 23.
Note: If you cannot power off the computer normally, press and
hold the power switch for more than four seconds to shut down
An Online guide is your helping hand on-the-go, with easy
to access, detailed and linked information about your
computer.
To access the online guide:
1Click on Start, Programs, TravelMate.
2Click on TravelMate Online guide.
Lastly, there may be a Read me first sheet included with
your package which contains important reminders and
updates. So, please read through it.
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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⁄C (32⁄F) or
above 50⁄C (122⁄F).
•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 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.
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•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.
3Use a soft cloth moistened with water. Do not use liquid or
aerosol cleaners.
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 43.
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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 4
Right view 5
Rear view 6
Bottom view 7
Features 8
Indicators 10
Using the keyboard 11
Special keys 11
Touchpad 17
Touchpad basics 17
Storage 19
Hard disk 19
AcerMedia drive 19
Floppy drive 21
Audio 22
Adjusting the volume 22
Power management 23
Moving around with your TravelMate 24
Disconnecting from the desktop 24
Moving around 24
Taking the computer home 25
Traveling with the computer 27
Traveling internationally with the computer 27
Securing your computer 29
Using a computer security lock 29
Using passwords 29
2 Customizing my computer 33
Expanding through options 35
AcerMedia bay modules 35
Connectivity options 35
Upgrade options 39
Using system utilities 41
Notebook Manager 41
Launch Manager 41
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BIOS Utility 42
3 Troubleshooting my computer 43
Frequently-asked questions 45
Error messages 49
Requesting service 51
International Traveler’s Warranty (ITW) 51
Before you call 51
Appendix A Specifications 53
Appendix B Notices 59
Index 67
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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 Touchpad Touch-sensitive pointing device which
functions like a computer mouse.
3 Floppy activity indicator LED (light-emitting diode) that turns on
and off when the floppy is active.
4 Floppy drive Internal diskette drive; accepts 3.5-inch
diskettes.
5 Floppy disk eject button Push this button to eject the floppy disk.
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 scroll up/down button.
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1 Getting to know your TravelMate4
Left view
7 Palmrest Comfortable support area for your hands
when you use the computer.
8 Keyboard Inputs data into your computer.
9 Status indicators LEDs that turn on and off to show the
status of the computer, its functions and
components.
# Item Description
1 Security keylock Connects to a Kensington-compatible
computer security lock.
2 PC Card slot Connects to one Type III or one Type II
16-bit PC Card or 32-bit CardBus PC
Card.
3 Eject button Ejects PC Card from the card slot.
4 Power switch Turns on the computer power.
5 Speaker/Headphone-out jack Connects to audio line-out devices
(e.g., speakers, headphones).
6 Line-in jack Accepts audio line-in devices (e.g.,
audio CD player, stereo walkman).
#Item Description
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Right view
7 Microphone-in jack Accepts a mono/stereo condenser
microphone.
8 Volume control Controls the volume of the speakers.
9 Video capture kit slot Accepts the video capture kit option
on the left side of the computer.
# Item Description
1 Video capture kit slot Accepts the video capture kit option on the
right side of the computer.
2 Battery bay Houses the computer's battery pack.
3 AcerMedia drive Houses removable media drive modules.
4 LED indicator Lights up when the AcerMedia drive is active.
5 Eject button Ejects the compact disc from the drive.
6 Emergency eject slot Ejects the compact disc when the computer is
turned off. See page 46 for more details.
7 Power jack Connects to an AC adapter.
# Item Description
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1 Getting to know your TravelMate6
Rear view
# Item Description
1 PS/2 port Connects to any PS/2-compatible device (e.g., PS/2
keyboard/mouse/keypad).
2 Serial port Connects to a serial device (e.g., serial mouse).
3 Parallel port Connects to a parallel device (e.g., parallel
printer).
4 USB ports (two) Connect to any Universal Serial Bus devices (e.g.,
USB mouse, USB camera).
5 External display
port
Connects to a display device (e.g., external
monitor, LCD projector) and displays up to 64K
colors at 1280x1024 resolution.
6 Modem jack Connects to a phone line.
7 Network jack Connects to an Ethernet 10/100-based network.
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Bottom view
#Item Description
1Memory
compartment
Houses the computer's main memory.
2 Hard disk anti-
shock protection
Protects your hard disk against shocks.
3 Personal
identification slot
Insert a business card or similar-sized
identification card to personalize your
computer.
4 AcerMedia bay
release latch
Unlatches the AcerMedia drive for removal or
swapping.
5 AcerMedia bay Houses an AcerMedia drive module.
6 Battery bay Houses the computer's battery pack.
7 Battery release
latch
Unlatches the battery to remove the battery
pack.
8 Hard disk bay Houses the computer's hard disk (secured by a
screw).
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1 Getting to know your TravelMate8
Features
Below is a brief summary of the computer’s many features:
Performance
•Intel®Mobile Pentium®III processor with 512 KB cache or Intel®
Mobile Celeron®processor with 128 KB or 256 KB cache
•64-bit memory bus
•AcerMedia bay (removable CD or DVD drive)
•Built-in floppy drive
•High-capacity Enhanced-IDE hard disk
•High-capacity battery pack
•Advanced Configuration Power Interface (ACPI) power
management system
Display
•Large Thin-Film Transistor (TFT) liquid crystal display (LCD)
displaying 32-bit true-color at 1024x768 XGA (eXtended Graphics
Array) resolution
•3D capabilities
•Simultaneous LCD and CRT display support
•Supports other output display devices such as LCD projection
panels for large-audience presentations
•"Automatic LCD dim" feature that automatically decides the best
settings for your display and conserves power
•Dual display capability
Multimedia
•16-bit high-fidelity AC’97 stereo audio with 3D sound and
wavetable synthesizer
•Built-in dual speakers
•High-speed CD or DVD drive (AcerMedia bay)
Connectivity
•High-speed fax/data modem port
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•Ethernet/Fast Ethernet port
•USB (Universal Serial Bus) ports
Human-centric design and ergonomics
•All-in-one design (CD or DVD drive, floppy drive, and hard disk)
•Sleek, smooth and stylish design
•Full-sized keyboard
•Ergonomically-centered touchpad pointing device
Expansion
•One Type III or one Type II CardBus PC Card (formerly PCMCIA) slot
•Upgradeable memory
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1 Getting to know your TravelMate10
Indicators
The computer has six easy-to-read status icons below the display
screen.
The Power and Sleep status icons are visible even when you close the
display cover so you can see the status of the computer while the cover
is closed.
Icon Function Description
Power Lights when the computer is on.
Sleep Lights when the computer enters Standby mode
and blinks when it enters into or resumes from
hibernation mode.
Media Activity Lights when the floppy drive, hard disk or
AcerMedia drive is active.
Battery Charge Lights when the battery is being charged.
Caps Lock Lights when Caps Lock is activated.
Num Lock Lights when Num Lock is activated.
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