Acer TravelMate 620 Series User manual

TravelMate 620 series
User’s guide
TM620-e.book Page i Tuesday, October 16, 2001 11:22 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 620 series User’s guide
Original Issue: September 2001
TravelMate 620 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
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:
1 Click on Start, Programs, TravelMate.
2 Click 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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iv
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 right side of your TravelMate. See “Right view” on page
5 for the location of the power switch.
To turn the power off, do any of the following:
•Use the Windows shutdown command
For Windows 2000 and Windows Me: 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 switch
Note: You can also use the power switch 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). See the online guide for
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:
1 Click on Start, Programs, TravelMate.
2 Click on TravelMate Online guide.
Lastly, there may be a Read me first sheet along with
other documents included with your package which
contain important reminders and updates. So, please read
through it.
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details.
Note: If you cannot power off the computer normally, press and
hold the power switch 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.
•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.
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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.
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 57.
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Contents
First things first iii
Your guides iii
Basic care and tips for using your computer iv
Getting to know your TravelMate 1
A TravelMate tour 3
Front view 3
Left view 4
Right view 5
Rear view 6
Bottom view 8
Features 10
Indicators 12
Using the keyboard 14
Special keys 14
Touchpad 22
Touchpad basics 22
Storage 24
Hard disk 24
AcerMedia drive 24
Using software 25
Audio 27
Adjusting the volume 27
Power management 28
Moving around with your TravelMate 29
Disconnecting from the desktop 29
Moving around 29
Taking the computer home 30
Traveling with the computer 32
Traveling internationally with the computer 32
Securing your computer 34
Using a computer security lock 34
Using the Smart Card 34
Using passwords 40
2 Customizing my computer 43
Expanding through options 45
Connectivity options 45
Upgrade options 50
Using system utilities 53
Notebook Manager 53
Launch Manager 53
BIOS Utility 55
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3 Troubleshooting my computer 57
Frequently-asked questions 59
Troubleshooting tips 62
Error messages 63
Requesting service 64
International Traveler’s Warranty (ITW) 64
Before you call 64
Appendix A Specifications 67
Appendix B Notices 73
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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 Status indicators LEDs (light-emitting diode) that turn on and
off to show the status of the computer, its
functions and components.
3 Launch keys Special keys for launching internet browser,
email program and frequently used
programs. See “Launch Keys” on page 20 for
more details.
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Getting to know your TravelMate4
Left view
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 Speakers Outputs sound.
8 Palmrest Comfortable support area for your hands
when you use the computer.
9 Keyboard Inputs data into your computer.
# Item Description
1 Hard disk bay Houses the computer's hard disk (secured by
a screw).
2 USB port Connects to Universal Serial Bus devices (e.g.,
USB mouse, USB camera).
3 PC Card eject button Ejects the PC Card from the slot.
# Item Description
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Right view
4 PC Card slot Accepts one Type II 16-bit PC Card or 32-bit
CardBus PC Card.
5 Smart Card eject
button
Ejects the Smart Card from the slot.
6 Battery bay Houses the computer's battery pack.
7 Video capture kit
slot
Accepts the video capture kit option on the
left side of the computer.
8 Smart Card slot Slot for Smart Card interface with pre-boot
authentication system.
#Item Description
1 AcerMedia drive Houses a removable media drive module.
2 AcerMedia indicator Lights up when the AcerMedia 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 60 for more details.
5 Power switch Turns on the computer power.
#Item Description
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Getting to know your TravelMate6
Note: The positions of the AcerMedia indicator, eject button and
emergency eject hole may differ depending on the optical drive
module installed.
Rear view
6 Security keylock Connects to a Kensington-compatible
computer security lock.
#Item Description
1 Power jack Connects to an AC adapter.
2 USB port Connects to Universal Serial Bus devices (e.g.,
USB mouse, USB camera).
3 S-video Connects to a television or display device
with S-video input.
4 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 1400x1050
resolution.
# Item Description
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5 Expansion port Connects to I/O port replicator or EasyPort
expansion devices.
6 Parallel port Connects to a parallel device (e.g., parallel
printer).
7 Speaker/
Headphone-out
jack
Connects to audio line-out devices (e.g.,
speakers, headphones).
8 Line-in jack Accepts audio line-in devices (e.g., audio CD
player, stereo walkman).
9 Modem jack Connects to a phone line.
10 Network jack Connects to an Ethernet 10/100-based
network.
11 IEEE 1394 port Connects to IEEE 1394 devices.
# Item Description
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Getting to know your TravelMate8
Bottom view
#Item Description
1 Cooling fan Helps keep the computer cool.
Note: Don’t cover or obstruct the opening
of the fan.
2 AcerMedia bay
release latch
Unlatches the AcerMedia drive for
removal or swapping.
3 AcerMedia bay Houses an AcerMedia drive module.
4 Personal
identification slot
Insert a business card or similar-sized
identification card to personalize your
computer.
5 Battery release latch Unlatches the battery to remove the
battery pack.
6 Battery bay Houses the computer's battery pack.
7Memory
compartment
Houses the computer's main memory.
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8 Hard disk bay Houses the computer's hard disk (secured
by a screw).
9 Hard disk protector Protects the hard disk from accidental
bumps and vibration.
# Item Description
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Getting to know your TravelMate10
Features
Below is a brief summary of the computer’s many features:
Performance
•Mobile Intel® Pentium® III Processor-M with 512 KB level 2 cache
featuring the new Enhanced Intel® SpeedStep™ technology
•Memory expandable up to 1 GB
•Internal removable optical drive (AcerMedia bay)
•High-capacity, Enhanced-IDE hard disk
•Li-Ion main battery pack
•Power management system with ACPI (Advanced Configuration
Power Interface)
•Smart Card interface with pre-boot authentication system for
added security
Display
•Thin-Film Transistor (TFT) liquid crystal display (LCD) displaying 16-
bit high color up to 1024 x 786 eXtended Graphics Array (XGA)
resolution for 13.3” and 14.1” and 1400 x 1050 Super eXtended
Graphics Array + (SXGA+) resolution for 15”
•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
Multimedia
•16-bit high-fidelity AC’97 stereo audio with 3D sound and
wavetable synthesizer
•Built-in dual speakers
•Built-in microphone
•High-speed optical drive (AcerMedia bay)
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Connectivity
•High-speed fax/data modem port
•Ethernet/Fast Ethernet port
•Fast infrared wireless communication
•USB (Universal Serial Bus) ports
•IEEE 1394 port
•Optional InviLink 802.11b wireless LAN
Human-centric design and ergonomics
•Internet 4-way scroll button
•Sleek, smooth and stylish design
•Full-sized keyboard
•Ergonomically-centered touchpad pointing device
Expansion
•One type II CardBus PC Card slot
•Upgradeable memory
•EasyPort port replicator
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Getting to know your TravelMate12
Indicators
The computer has seven 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
Wireless
communication
Lights when the Wireless LAN capabilities are
enabled.
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.
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