Amrel RF886EX User manual

American Reliance, Inc.
17” NOTEBOOK COMPUTER
RF886EX
USER’S GUIDE

Copyright © 2008 American Reliance, Inc. (AMREL) All rights reserved.
No part of this publication may be processed; such as reproduced, transmitted,
transcribed, stored in a retrieval system, translated into any computer language in
any form, or by any means of electronic, mechanical, magnetic, optical, chemical,
or others without the prior written permission of the manufacturer.
The manufacturer reserves the right to revise this publication and to make changes
to the contents here of without obligation to notify any person of such revision or
changes.
The manufacturer makes no representations or warranties, either expressed or
implied, about the contents and specifically disclaims any warranties as to
merchantability or fitness for any particular purpose. Any of the software
described in this manual is sold or licensed "as is". Should the programs prove
defective following purchase, the buyer (and not the manufacturer, its distributor,
or its dealer) assumes the entire cost of all necessary servicing, repair and any
incidental or consequential damages resulting from any software defects.
Trademark Acknowledgments
Windows is registered trademarks of Microsoft Corp.
Intel® Core™2 Duo processor is the registered trademark of Intel Corp.
All product and company names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their
respective holders.

EMC and Safety Notice
Federal Communications Commission Statement
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a class B
digital device, under part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to
provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential
installation.
This equipment generates, uses, and radiates radio frequency energy, and if not
installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful
interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that
interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause
harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by
turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the
interference by one or more of the following measures:
- Re-orient or relocate the receiving antenna.
- Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.
- Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which
the receiver is connected.
- Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.
Regulatory Information/Disclaimers
Installation and use of this computer must be in strict accordance with the
instructions included in the user documentation provided with the product. Any
changes or modifications (including the antennas) made to this device that are not
expressly approved by the manufacturer may void the user’s authority to operate
the equipment.
The manufacturer is not responsible for any radio or television interference caused
by unauthorized modification of this device, or the substitution of the connecting
cables and equipment other than manufacturer specified. It is the responsibility of
the user to correct any interference caused by such unauthorized modification,
substitution or attachment. Manufacturer and its authorized resellers or
distributors will assume no liability for any damage or violation of government
regulations arising from failing to comply with these guidelines.

Important Note
FCC RF Radiation Exposure Statement:
This equipment complies with FCC RF radiation exposure limits set forth for an
uncontrolled environment. This device and its antenna must not be co-located or
operated with any other antenna or transmitter.
CE
Products with the CE Marking comply with both the EMC Directive (89/336/EEC)
and the Low Voltage Directive (73/23/EEC) issued by the Commission of the
European Community.
Compliance with these directives implies conformity to the following European
Norms:
EN55022 (CISPR 22) Radio Frequency Interference
EN55024 (EN61000-4-2, EN61000-4-3, EN61000-4-4, EN61000-4-5,
EN61000-4-6, EN61000-4-8, EN61000-4-11, EN61000-3-2,
EN61000-3-3) Generic Immunity Standard
EN60950 (IEC950) Product Safety
R&TTE (CE) Manual Regulatory Requirement (WLAN - IEEE
802.11b/g)
802.11b/g Restrictions:
European standards dictate maximum radiated transmit power of 100mW EIRP
and frequency range 2.400-2.4835 GHz. In France, the equipment must be
restricted to the 2.4465-2.4835 GHz frequency range and must be restricted to
indoor use.
CE Declaration of Conformity
Is herewith confirmed to comply with the requirements set out in the Council
Directive on the approximation of the laws of the member states relating to
Electromagnetic Compatibility (89/336/EEC), Low-voltage Directive (73/23/EEC)

and the Amendment Directive (93/68/EEC), the procedures given in European
Council Directive 99/5/EC and 89/3360EEC.
The equipment was passed. The test was performed according to the following
European standards.
EN 300 328 V.1.4.1 (2003-04)
EN 301 489-1 V.1.4.1 (2002-04)/EN 301 489-17 V.1.2.1 (2002-04)
EN 50371:2002
EN 60950:2000
UL, TÜV
AC Adapter (TÜV includes EN60950 LVD)

Power Conservation
This computer consumes much less power than conventional computers.
However, power consumption may be reduced by properly configuring the Power
Management Setup. It is recommended the power saving functions be enabled
even when not running on battery power. Power Management does not degrade
performance while saving power.
Environmental Information, Material Safety and
Recycling
Caution: Risk of explosion if battery is replaced by an incorrect type. Dispose
of used batteries according to the instructions.
All materials used in the construction of this equipment are recyclable or
environmentally friendly.
Please recycle the packing materials, and at the end of the product's life, all other
materials by local regulations.
Please refer “Material and Recycling” for the contents of the materials.
-The equipment may still contain tiny amount of hazardous substances for
health and environment, though those are below control level.
-To avoid spreading such substances into the eco system, and to minimize the
pressure on the natural, you are encouraged to use the appropriate take-back.
Those will reuse or recycle most of the materials in a sound way after end life.
- The crossed bin symbol indicates proper disposal is required.
-For more information on collection, reuse and recycling, please consult local
or regional waste administration.
- You can also contact the dealer for more information on the environmental
details of the equipment.

CONTENTS
GETTING STARTED.................................................................................................................... 1
UNPACKING................................................................................................................................... 1
QUICK OPERATION........................................................................................................................ 2
CONTROLS AND INDICATORS......................................................................................................... 3
USEFUL INFORMATION ........................................................................................................... 7
LOCATION..................................................................................................................................... 7
RUGGEDNESS ................................................................................................................................ 7
OPERATING SYSTEMS.................................................................................................................... 8
AC ADAPTER ................................................................................................................................ 8
BATTERY ...................................................................................................................................... 9
BOOT UP AND POST................................................................................................................... 11
STANDBY/HIBERNATE/RESUME .................................................................................................. 11
SHUTDOWN................................................................................................................................. 11
DVI............................................................................................................................................. 12
RTC............................................................................................................................................ 12
REPLACING MODULES................................................................................................................. 13
COMPONENTS AND FUNCTIONS ......................................................................................... 14
KEYBOARD ................................................................................................................................. 14
PRINTER CABLE .......................................................................................................................... 15
HARD DISK DRIVE ...................................................................................................................... 15
CD-ROM DRIVE......................................................................................................................... 16
EXPRESS AND PCMCIA CARDS.................................................................................................. 16
OPTIONAL DEVICES................................................................................................................ 17
MEMORY CARD .......................................................................................................................... 17
2ND BATTERY............................................................................................................................... 17
LAN AND FAX/MODEM CARD .................................................................................................... 17
WIRELESS LAN CARD ................................................................................................................ 17
DVD ROM DRIVE ...................................................................................................................... 17
CD-RW DRIVE ........................................................................................................................... 17
DVD-RW DRIVE ........................................................................................................................ 17
2ND HDD ..................................................................................................................................... 18
PCMCIA COVER ........................................................................................................................ 18
VEHICLE ADAPTER...................................................................................................................... 18
DUAL BATTERY CHARGER.......................................................................................................... 18
SPECIFICATIONS...................................................................................................................... 19
CPU............................................................................................................................................ 19

MEMORY..................................................................................................................................... 19
DISPLAY...................................................................................................................................... 19
KEYBOARD ................................................................................................................................. 20
HARD DISK DRIVE ...................................................................................................................... 20
CD-ROM DRIVE......................................................................................................................... 20
I/O PORTS.................................................................................................................................... 20
AC ADAPTER .............................................................................................................................. 21
VEHICLE ADAPTER...................................................................................................................... 21
BATTERY .................................................................................................................................... 21
SYSTEM UNIT DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT.................................................................................... 21
MATERIALS AND RECYCLING...................................................................................................... 22
ENVIRONMENTAL........................................................................................................................ 22
BIOS SETUP ................................................................................................................................ 23
MAIN MENU................................................................................................................................ 23
IDE CHANNEL 0MASTER SUB-MENU......................................................................................... 24
IDE CHANNEL 0SLAVE SUB-MENU............................................................................................ 25
IDE CHANNEL 1MASTER SUB-MENU......................................................................................... 26
IDE CHANNEL 1SLAVE SUB-MENU............................................................................................ 27
THE GENERAL HELP WINDOW .................................................................................................... 28
ADVANCED MENU ...................................................................................................................... 29
ADVANCED MENU SELECTIONS .................................................................................................. 29
SIO SMC227 CONFIGURATION SUB-MENU ................................................................................ 32
SECURITY MENU......................................................................................................................... 35
RF SECURITY CONTROL SUB-MENU ........................................................................................... 37
TPM STATE MENU ..................................................................................................................... 38
BOOT MENU................................................................................................................................ 39
EXIT MENU ................................................................................................................................. 40
UTILITIES AND DRIVERS....................................................................................................... 41
CHIPSET ...................................................................................................................................... 41
VGA UTILITY.............................................................................................................................. 41
DISPLAY CAPABILITY.................................................................................................................. 41
AUDIO DRIVER............................................................................................................................ 42
USB 2.0...................................................................................................................................... 42
TOUCH SCREEN DRIVER ............................................................................................................. 42
CD-ROM DRIVER....................................................................................................................... 42
PCMCIA DRIVER ....................................................................................................................... 42
MINI PCI-E 1G RTL8111B LAN................................................................................................ 43
MINI PCI-E INTEL 3945ABG WLAN ......................................................................................... 43
FAX/MODEM CARD DRIVER........................................................................................................ 43
BLUETOOTH DRIVER................................................................................................................... 43
HSDPA/GSM (CINTERION HC25 )DRIVER................................................................................ 43
WIRELESS MANAGER.................................................................................................................. 44
MAINTENANCE/SERVICE....................................................................................................... 45

CLEANING ................................................................................................................................... 45
TROUBLESHOOTING .................................................................................................................... 45
RMA SERVICE ............................................................................................................................ 45

Getting Started
1
GETTING STARTED
Unpacking
The following components come with your computer. If anything is missing or
damaged, please notify the dealer immediately.
-Computer unit
-Removable drive installed on computer (CD-ROM/DVD)
-AC Adapter
-AC Power Cord
-Utility CD
-User's Guide
-External Keyboard Adapter Cable
-Printer adapter cable
-Carrying Bag

Getting Started
2
Quick Operation
-Loosen the battery screw, remove the battery insulation sheet, and mount the
battery.
-Attach the AC adapter and charge battery for at least 10 minutes.
Turn ON the computer by pressing the power switch momentarily.
Notice:
-When ambient temperature is under 0℃, the system may not boot up
immediately. System will beep with heater light flashing while heater
working. After 10~15 minutes, the system will boot up automatically
-Under emergency situation, to skip heating and boot up system immediately
by pressing power button for >10 seconds. (But can not guarantee all devices
on the computer work properly)
-Turn OFF the computer using either one of the following procedures:
1. Press power switch to “Shut Down”, “Standby”* or “Hibernate”*
dependent on operating system (OS) and power management settings.
2. Press power switch for 4 seconds for a “Hard” power off. System shuts
down immediately without saving any data or parameters.
*: Some operating systems may not support these functions.
3. Click Start Shut Down in Windows to Turn OFF.
Driver or application software installation may be necessary for further operation.

Getting Started
3
Controls and Indicators
Controls and Indicators (Upper)
1. Heater
2. BT/WLAN/GPS
3. Keyboard Number Lock
4. Keyboard Caps Lock
5. Keyboard Scroll Lock
6. HDD in use
7. Secondary Battery Charge
8. Primary Battery Charge
9. Power indicator
10. Power switch
11. Touch pad left button
12. Touch pad
13. Touch pad right button

Getting Started
4
Controls and Indicators (Right)
CD-ROM Drive Configuration:
1. CD-ROM eject button
2. CD-ROM in use
2nd Battery Configuration: (optional)
No special control or indicator.

Getting Started
5
Controls and Indicators (Left)-Standard
1. External Keyboard + PS/2 port
2. Giga LAN Jack
3. IEEE1394 port (Fire Wire)
4. USB port (Universal Serial Bus)
5. USB port (Universal Serial Bus)
6. USB port (Universal Serial Bus)
7. 1 x Express & 1x PCMCIA (Option: 2 x PCMCIA Slots)
8. External Speaker & Ear phone Jack
9. Line In Jack
10. Microphone Jack
11. Optional COM 3 port
12. Optional COM 4 port
13. Fiber LAN Jack/Modem (Option)

Getting Started
6
Controls and Indicators (Rear)
1. Optional Military connector port
2. DC Power Jack
3. External DVI port
4. External RGB Monitor Port
5. Printer/External FDD Port*
6. Docking Port
7. Serial Port COM2
8. Serial Port COM1
*: The port is a dual function port and default as printer output. System will
detect the device attached then switch to proper output automatically. Hot
swap is possible under most conditions. However, if unable to hot swap,
please re-boot computer with the new device attached.

Useful Information
7
USEFUL INFORMATION
Location
A clean and moisture-free environment is preferred. Make room for air
circulation. Avoid areas with:
-Sudden or extreme changes in temperature.
-Extreme heat.
-Strong electromagnetic fields (near television set, motor rotation area, etc.).
-Dust or high humidity.
If it is necessary to work in a hostile environment, please regularly maintain your
computer by cleaning dust, water, etc. and keep it in optimal condition.
Ruggedness
The computer is designed with rugged features such as vibration, shock, dust,
and rain/water protection. However, it is still necessary to provide appropriate
protection while operating in harsh environments.
The computer is designed to withstand rainfall from top with mild wind blowing
only. Please keep the keyboard facing up, i.e. normal operating direction, to
maintain water resistance. NEVER immerse the unit in water, or spray water at
an upside-down system. Doing so may cause permanent damage.
The D-sub connector caps on the rear of the computer are for dust and shock
protection. The connectors are sealed internally. Other I/O ports and devices on
the left or right must have caps tightly closed or cable inlets sealed while exposed
to water or dust.
There are optional gaskets for DB-9 and DB-25 connectors. You may install
them to improve rain/dust/moisture resistance on your commercial type cable.
Insert the packing into the male connector (with pins) and fasten the screws.
All connectors will be corroded if exposed to water or moisture. Corrosion is
accelerated if power is ON. Please take proper water-resistant measures for cable
connections.
The DC jack and cables are sealed and may be operated with water splashing
while attached. All port covers should be in place when no cable is attached.

Useful Information
8
Operating Systems
The computer is compatible with most operating systems (OS). However, not all
functions are 100% compatible. For example, ACPI, APM, Smart Battery, etc.
are not available on DOS, Windows NT, and other non-Microsoft OS.
Consequently “Standby”, “Hibernation”, “Battery Gauge”, etc. would not work
under such operating systems.
ACPI: Advanced Configurations and Power Interface
APM: Advanced Power Management
For power consumption and heat dissipative consideration, ACPI OS
(Windows) is highly recommended. Set Power Options as ”Portable/Laptop”
in Control Panel to fully implement the power management features.
AC Adapter
The AC adapter performs two functions:
-It powers the computer from an external AC source.
-It charges the computer battery.
The adapter automatically detects the AC line voltage (110V or 220V) and
adjusts accordingly.
The following are recommended when using the AC adapter:
-Use a properly grounded AC outlet.
-Use one AC outlet exclusively for the computer. Having other appliances on
the same line may cause interference.
-Use a power strip with built-in surge protection.
Connect the AC adapter:
1. Plug the AC cord to the adapter.
2. Plug the other end of the AC cord into the wall outlet. Make sure the green
LED on the adapter turns on.
3. Attach the DC plug into the power jack of the computer; turn the lock ring
clockwise to secure it.
AC Adapter Indicator
The green LED indicates that AC power is ready.

Useful Information
9
Battery
The computer will automatically switch to battery when the external power
source (AC adapter or optional vehicle adapter) is disconnected.
Battery Power Saving Tips
The computer comes with an intelligent power-saving feature. You may extend
the battery life by:
-Setup power saving functions in Operating System Power Management
options (e.g. Windows Power Options).
-Lower the intensity of the display by brightness control.
-Use standby option when computer is temporarily not in use.
-Shut down the computer when it will not be in use for long periods of time.
Battery Low
When the battery is nearly exhausted, the computer gives the following “Battery
Low” warnings:
-Windows battery low warning (when operating system is Windows)
-The power LED flashes.
Once the Battery Low warning occurs, please:
1. Save and close the files you are currently working on.
2. Plug in the AC adapter to recharge the battery.
Battery Gauge
You may check battery status from battery gauge in Windows. Click the
power/battery icon to reveal the battery gauge window.

Useful Information
10
Note: Battery characteristic varies depending on factors such as ambient
temperature, charging method, load current, aging, etc. For example,
the chemicals of the battery are more inactive at low temperature, thus
decreases the output power.
The battery gauge should only be used as a reference. Please do not
expect it to show the exact amount of the power remaining. There is no
memory effect on Lithium Ion battery cells. However, discharge the
battery to nearly empty every month will help calibrating the internal
gauge.
Charging the Battery
Plug in the AC adapter (or optional vehicle adapter) to start the battery charging.
If the battery is already full, the sense circuitry will stop high current charge
within several minutes.
There are two LED indicators next to the power indicator for the Primary and
Secondary battery respectively. Indicator turns ON when the battery is charging
and turns OFF when the battery charge is completed.
To charge the Secondary Battery, simply install it into the computer and attach
the AC adapter. The internal charger will charge the Primary and Secondary
batteries simultaneously.
Optional Dual Battery Charger can charge Primary and Secondary batteries
externally.

Useful Information
11
Boot Up and POST
The computer turns ON and loads the operating system (such as Windows) into
the system memory. This start-up procedure is called “boot up”.
The ROM BIOS Power On Self-Test (POST)
Each time the computer powers on, it automatically performs a self-test of its
memory and hardware devices.
Standby/Hibernate/Resume
The system can enter standby or hibernate mode by either pressing the power
switch or staying idle till timeout.
Note: Standby/Hibernate/Resume works with both AC adapter and battery. The
power management functions may not work under Windows NT or non-
Windows operating systems.
Shutdown
The following procedure is recommended in shutting down the computer:
1. Save any work you want to keep.
2. Make sure none of the disk drives are active (HDD and CD-ROM drive).
3. Remove any diskettes, CD-ROMs, or other media if necessary.
4. Follow the shut down procedure of your operating system.
5. Let the computer shut down or push the power switch to turn OFF.
Failure to shut down the computer properly may result in loss of data or hardware
damages.
Automatic shut down is activated at battery exhaust. Be sure to finish your work
and save all your data when the battery low warning appears.