Acer TravelMate 540 Series User manual

TravelMate 540 series
User’s guide
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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 © 2003 Acer Incorporated.
All Rights Reserved.
TravelMate 540 series User’s guide
Original Issue: July 2003
TravelMate 540 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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iii
English
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:
For more information about our products, services, and support
information, please visit our Web site (global.acer.com).
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:
1 Click on Start, All Programs, AcerSystem.
2 Click on AcerSystem User’s Guide.
Note: Viewing the file requires Adobe Acrobat Reader
installed. For instructions on how to use Adobe Acrobat
Reader, access the Help menu.
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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
on the top left of your TravelMate. See page 3 for the location of the
power button.
To turn the power off, do any of the following:
•Use the Windows shutdown command
For Windows 2000: Click on Start, Shut Down..., and select Shut
down; then click on OK.
- or -
For Windows XP: Click on Start, Turn off Computer; then click
Turn Off.
•Use the power button
Note: You can also use the power button to perform power
management functions. See Windows help for more information.
•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).
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⁄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.
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•Do not spill water or any other 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.
•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.
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3Use a soft cloth moistened with water. Do not use liquid or aerosol
cleaners.
4To clean the display screen, use an LCD cleaning kit.
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 49.
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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 5
Right view 6
Rear view 7
Bottom view 9
Features 10
Indicators 12
Using the keyboard 14
Special keys 14
Touchpad 22
Touchpad basics 22
Storage 24
Hard Disk 24
Optical drive 24
Using software 25
Audio 26
Adjusting the volume 26
Power management 27
Moving around with your TravelMate 28
Disconnecting from the desktop 28
Moving around 28
Taking the computer home 29
Traveling with the computer 31
Traveling internationally with the computer 31
Securing your computer 33
Using a computer security lock 33
Using passwords 34
2 Customizing my computer 37
Expanding through options 39
Connectivity options 39
Connecting to Acer EasyPort replicator 43
Using system utilities 46
Notebook Manager 46
Launch Manager 46
BIOS Utility 47
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3 Troubleshooting my computer 49
Frequently-asked questions 51
Requesting service 54
International Traveler’s Warranty (ITW) 54
Before you call 54
Appendix A Specifications 57
Appendix B Notices 63
Index 73
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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 Launch keys Special keys for launching internet browser,
E-Mail program and frequently used
programs. See “Launch Keys” on page 20 for
more details.
3 Power button Turns on the computer power.
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1 Getting to know your TravelMate4
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4 Touchpad Touch-sensitive pointing device which
functions like a computer mouse.
5 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 4-way scroll button.
6 Infrared port Interfaces with infrared devices (e.g.,
infrared printer, IR-aware computer).
7 Floppy disc drive (or
card reader, if
installed)
Reads/writes data from/to the media.
8 Floppy eject button Ejects floppy disc. (N/A when card reader
installed.)
9 Speakers Outputs sound.
10 Palmrest Comfortable support area for your hands
when you use the computer.
11 Keyboard Inputs data into your computer.
12 Status indicators LEDs (light-emitting diode) that turn on and
off to show the status of the computer, its
functions and components.
13 Latch Latch for opening and closing the laptop.
#Item Description
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Left view
#Item Description
1 Optical drive Houses an optical drive module (CD-ROM ,
DVD-ROM or DVD/CD-RW combo drive).
2 Optical drive
indicator
Lights up when the optical drive is active.
3 Eject button Ejects the drive tray.
4 Emergency eject slot Ejects the drive tray when the computer is
turned off. See page 52 for more details.
5 PC Card eject button Ejects the PC Card from the slot.
6 PC Card slots Accepts two type II or one type III PC Card.
7 Headphone/
Speaker/Line-out
jack
Connects to audio line-out devices (e.g.,
headphones, speakers).
8 Microphone/Line-in
jack
Accepts audio line-in devices (e.g.,
microphone, audio CD player, stereo
walkman).
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Note: The positions of the optical drive indicator, eject button and
emergency eject hole may differ depending on the optical drive
module installed.
Right view
#Item Description
1 USB port Connects to Universal Serial Bus devices (e.g.,
USB mouse, USB camera).
2 Ventilation slot Enables the computer to stay cool, even after
prolonged use.
3 Power jack Connects to an AC adapter.
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Rear view
#Item Description
1 Security keylock Connects to a Kensington-compatible
computer security lock.
2 S-video Connects to a television or display device
with S-video input.
3 External display
port
Connects to a display device (e.g., external
monitor, LCD projector).
4 Parallel port Connects to a parallel device (e.g., parallel
printer).
5 USB ports Connects to Universal Serial Bus devices (e.g.,
USB mouse, USB camera).
6 Expansion port Connects to I/O port replicator or expansion
devices (e.g., Acer EasyPort).
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7NetworkjackConnects to an Ethernet 10/100-based
network.
8 IEEE 1394 port Connects to an IEEE 1394 device.
9 Modem jack Connects to a phone line.
#Item Description
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Bottom view
#Item Description
1 Battery bay Houses the computer's battery pack.
2 Battery release latch Unlatches the battery to remove the
battery pack.
3 Cooling fans Help keep the computer cool.
Note: Don’t cover or obstruct the opening
of the fans.
4 HDD Houses the computer's Hard Disk.
5 FDD/card reader
cable connector cover
Accesses the cable connectors for the FDD
or card reader.
6 AcerMedia Bay Houses an AcerMedia drive module.
7AcerMediaBay
release latch
Unlatches the AcerMedia drive for
removing the optical drive.
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Features
Below is a brief summary of the computer’s many features:
Performance
•Mobile Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor with 512 KB level 2 cache
featuring the new Enhanced Intel SpeedStep® technology
•Standard 256 MB DDR333 SDRAM, upgradeable to 2 GB on dual
soDIMM sockets
•Integrated CD-ROM,DVD-ROM, DVD/CD-RW combo or DVD-RW
or DVD-Dual drive
•30/40/60 GB or higher-capacity ATA/100 HDD
•Li-ion battery pack
•Power management system with ACPI (Advanced Configuration
Power Interface) 1.0b supporting Standby and Hibernation power
saving modes
Display
•14.1" Thin-Film Transistor (TFT) Liquid Crystal Display (LCD)
displaying 32-bit high true color up to 1024 x 768 eXtended
Graphics Array (XGA) resolution
•15" Thin-Film Transistor (TFT) Liquid Crystal Display (LCD)
displaying 32-bit high true color up to 1400 x 1050 Super eXtended
Graphics Array (SXGA+) resolution
•3D capabilities
•Simultaneous LCD and CRT display support
•S-video for output to a television or display device that supports S-
video input
•"Automatic LCD dim" feature that automatically decides the best
settings for your display and conserves power
•Dual display capability
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Multimedia
•16-bit high-fidelity AC’97 stereo audio
•Dual built-in speakers
•Built-in microphone
•High-speed optical drive
Connectivity
•High-speed fax/data modem port
•Ethernet/Fast Ethernet port
•USB (Universal Serial Bus) ports
•IEEE 1394 port
•Fast Infrared (FIR) port
•Docking port for port replicator
•Inetgrated Invilink wireless LAN module
•Integrated Bluetooth module
Human-centric design and ergonomics
•Five launch keys, including internet browser, E-Mail and three
user-programmable keys
•4-way scroll button
•Sleek, smooth and stylish design
•Full-sized keyboard
•Ergonomically-centered touchpad pointing device
Expansion
•Two type II or one type III CardBus PC Card slot
•Upgradeable memory
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Indicators
The computer has seven easy-to-read status icons below the display
screen and on the front. .
Icon Function Description
Power Lights green when the computer is on and
lights orange when the computer is in
Standby mode.
Media activity Lights when the Hard Disk is active.
Battery charge Lights green when the battery is being
charged.
Lights orange when the battery power is low
and is being charged.
Wireless
Communication
(applicable only
when Wireless
LAN or Bluetooth
installed)
Lights orange when the Wireless LAN
capabilities are enabled.
Lignts blue when Bluetooth capabilities are
enabled.
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