Toshiba Portégé 3500 Series Firmware update

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Portégé®3500/3505 Series
Resource Guide
NOTE: Keep this guide in a convenient place to access important
information about your computer.
If you need assistance, use one of the following:
❖InTouch® Center
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Please fill in for your reference and future use:
Model name ______________________________________
Part number ______________________________________
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2Contents
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Contents
Setting up your computer and getting started..................................... 5
Inserting PC Cards............................................................................ 11
Removing PC Cards.......................................................................... 11
Learning the basics........................................................................... 12
Moving the computer........................................................................ 14
Mobile computing............................................................................. 14
If something goes wrong.................................................................. 19
If you need further assistance........................................................... 23
Power cable connectors.................................................................... 24
Features and specifications............................................................... 25
Regulatory information ..................................................................... 30
Index ................................................................................................ 40

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Welcome to the world of powerful and portable multimedia
computers! With your new computer, your access to
information can accompany you wherever you go.
You will find that the Microsoft®Windows®XP Professional
operating system is already installed on your computer. It
offers exciting features and easy Internet access.
This guide
This guide offers important information about your computer,
including solutions to the most common problems, and
features and specifications.
For more detailed information, descriptions of other features
and more extensive troubleshooting guidelines, see the
electronic user’s guide preinstalled on your system. It is also
available on the Web at pcsupport.toshiba.com.
Safety icons
This guide contains safety instructions that must be observed
in order to avoid potential hazards that could result in
personal injuries, damage to your equipment, or loss of data.
These safety cautions have been classified according to the
seriousness of the risk, and the icons highlight these
instructions as follows:
DANGER: This icon indicates the existence of a hazard that could result in
death or serious bodily injury if the safety instruction is not observed.
WARNING: This icon indicates the existence of a hazard that could result in
bodily injury if the safety instruction is not observed.
CAUTION: This icon indicates the existence of a hazard that could result in
damage to equipment or property if the safety instruction is not observed.
NOTE: This icon indicates information that relates to the safe operation of the
equipment or related items.

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Other icons used
Additional icons highlight other helpful or educational
information:
TECHNICAL NOTE: This icon highlights technical information about the
computer.
HINT: This icon denotes helpful hints and tips.
DEFINITION: This icon indicates the definition of a term used in the text.
Other documentation
Your computer comes with all or some of the following
documentation in addition to this resource guide:
❖An electronic version of the user’s guide. Look for the
user’s guide icon on your desktop or in the DOCS folder
on the C: drive.
❖Guides for other programs that may come preinstalled on
your computer or that are available for installation on
your Recovery CDs.
❖Toshiba accessories information, which lists accessories
available from Toshiba and explains how to order them.
❖The Microsoft®Windows®operating system
documentation which explains the features of the
operating system.

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Setting up your computer and getting started
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Setting up your computer and getting started
Strain and stress injuries are becoming more common as
people spend more time using their computers. With a little
care and proper use of the equipment, you can work
comfortably throughout the day.
WARNING: Using the computer keyboard incorrectly can result in discomfort
and possible injury. If your hands, wrists, and/or arms bother you while
typing, stop using the computer and rest. If the discomfort persists, consult a
physician.
For more information, consult books on ergonomics,
repetitive-strain injury, and repetitive-stress syndrome.
Placement of the computer
Proper placement of the computer and external devices is
important to avoid stress-related injuries. Consider the
following when placing your computer.
❖Place the computer on a flat surface at a comfortable
height and distance. You should be able to type without
twisting your torso or neck, and look at the screen
without slouching.
❖If you are using an external monitor, the top of the
display should be no higher than eye level.
❖If you use a paper holder, set it at about the same height
and distance as the screen.
Seating and posture
When using your computer, maintain good posture with your
body relaxed and your weight distributed evenly. Proper
seating is a primary factor in reducing work strain.
Precautions
Your notebook computer is designed to provide optimum
safety and ease of use, and to withstand the rigors of travel.
You should observe certain precautions to further reduce the
risk of personal injury or damage to the computer.

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CAUTION: Never apply heavy pressure to the computer or subject it to sharp
impacts. Excessive pressure or impact can damage computer components or
otherwise cause your computer to malfunction.
CAUTION: Some PC Cards become hot with prolonged use. Overheating of a
PC Card can result in errors or instability in its operation.
Be careful when you remove a PC Card that has been used for lengthy periods
of time.
Connecting the AC adapter
The AC adapter enables you to power the computer from an
AC outlet and to charge the computer’s batteries. The AC
power light on the computer glows when the device is
plugged in.
CAUTION: Using the wrong AC adapter could damage your computer. Toshiba
assumes no liability for any damage in such cases.
Never pull directly on the power cable to unplug it. Hold the power plug when
removing the cable from the outlet.
Power Cable and AC Adapter
DANGER: Damaged power cables can cause fire or electric shock. Never
modify, forcibly bend, place heavy objects on top of, or apply heat to the power
cable.
If the power cable becomes damaged or the plug overheats, discontinue use.
There is a risk of electric shock.
Never remove the power plug from the outlet with wet hands. Doing so may
cause an electric shock.

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Setting up your computer and getting started
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Connecting a printer
You can connect a printer to your computer either directly or
through a port replicator. If your printer is USB-compatible,
you can connect it directly to the computer through a USB
port. If, however, the printer has a parallel or serial interface,
it must be attached to a parallel or serial port on the optional
Advanced Port Replicator.
To confirm the printer’s compatibility, check its
documentation.
For information on connecting the printer to the optional port
replicator, see “Using a printer with the Advanced Port
Replicator” in the Expansion Options chapter of your user’s
guide.
To connect the printer directly to your computer, you need a
suitable USB cable, which may come with your printer.
Otherwise, you can purchase one from a computer or
electronics store.
To connect a printer to your computer:
1Connect the flat end of the USB cable to the USB port.
2Connect the other end of the USB cable to the printer.
3Connect the printer’s power cable to a power outlet and
turn on the printer.
See your printer documentation for additional configuration
steps, or see “Setting up a printer” in the Getting Started
chapter of your electronic user’s guide.
Installing additional memory (optional)
Your computer comes with enough memory to run most of
today’s popular applications. You may want to increase the
computer’s memory if you use complex software or process
large amounts of data.
Depending on your system’s configuration, the memory slot
may be occupied.
You need a standard Phillips no. 1 screwdriver to install a
memory module.

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CAUTION: To avoid damaging the computer’s screws, use a standard Phillips
no. 1 screwdriver that is in good condition.
CAUTION: Do not install or remove a memory module while the DVD-ROM
drive power is on.
CAUTION: Installing a memory module with the computer’s power on may
damage the computer, the module, or both.
If the computer is on, begin at step 1; otherwise, skip to step
4.
1If the computer is on, click Start, Turn Off Computer.
The Turn off computer window appears.
2Click Turn Off.
3The operating system turns off the computer.
4Unplug and remove any cables connected to the
computer.
5Remove the battery.
6Close the display panel and turn the computer upside
down to locate the expansion memory cover to the
memory slot.
Base of the computer
Expansion memory cover

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Setting up your computer and getting started
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7Using a standard Phillips no. 1 screwdriver, unscrew the
screw that secures the memory slot cover, then remove
the memory slot cover.
Removing the memory slot cover screws
8Place the screw and the cover in a safe place so that you
can retrieve them later.
CAUTION: Static electricity can damage the memory module. Before you
handle the module, touch a grounded metal surface to discharge any static
electricity you may have built up.
To avoid damaging the memory module, be careful not to touch its gold
connector bar (on the side you insert into the computer).
9Remove the new memory module from its antistatic
packaging.
10 Holding the memory module by its edges so that the gold
connector bar faces the slot, fit the module into the
socket.
11 Gently press down on the memory module connector
until the clips snap into place.
Do not force the module into position. The memory
module should be level when secured in place.

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Inserting the memory module
CAUTION: Avoid touching the connectors on the memory module or on the
computer. Grease or dust on the connectors may cause memory access
problems.
12 Replace the memory slot cover.
13 Replace the screw and tighten it.
14 Turn the computer over and reconnect any cables you
removed.
Removing a memory module
If you need to remove a memory module:
1Complete steps 1–5 in “"Installing additional memory
(optional)" on page 7” to shut down the computer and
expose the memory module(s).
2Pull the clips away from the memory module.
The memory module pops partially out of the slot.
3Carefully remove the module from the slot.
4Replace the keyboard and the screws.
5Replace the panel that contains the Power and TOSHIBA
Console buttons.
6Restart the computer.

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Inserting PC Cards
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Inserting PC Cards
You may insert one Type II or Type III card into the
computer’s PC Card slots
Before inserting a PC Card, read the documentation that
came with the card to see if it has any special requirements.
To install a PC Card:
1Locate the PC Card slot on the left side of your computer.
2Insert the PC Card.
Inserting a PC Card
3When the card is almost all the way into the slot, push
firmly, but gently, to ensure a good connection with the
computer. Do not force the card into position.
Removing PC Cards
1Locate the PC Card ejection tab.
2Push the eject button.
The eject button pops out from the slot.
3Push the eject button again so the card will pop out.
4Grasp the edges of the PC Card and slide it out of the
slot.
Hot swapping
One of the great things about PC Cards is that you can
replace one PC Card with another while the computer is on.
This is called “hot swapping.”

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Hot swapping precautions
Although you can insert a PC Card at any time, to avoid data
loss never remove a card while it is in use. For example:
❖Never remove a hard disk card or CD-ROM drive card
while the system is accessing the card.
❖Never remove a network card while you are connected to
a network.
❖Never remove a SCSI card while any of the SCSI devices
connected to it are operating.
Before removing a PC Card, shut it down by clicking the PC
Card (PCMCIA) icon on the taskbar. Once the PC Card has
stopped, you can safely remove it.
Learning the basics
Computing tips
❖Save your work frequently.
Your work stays in the computer’s temporary memory
until you save it to the disk. You will lose all unsaved
work, if, for example, a system error occurs and you must
restart your computer, or your battery runs out of charge
while you are working. Your computer can be configured
to warn you when the battery is running low.
HINT: Some programs have an automatic save feature that you can turn on.
This feature saves your file to the hard disk at preset intervals. See your
software documentation for details.
❖Back up your files to diskettes (or other removable
storage media) on a regular basis. Label the backup
copies clearly and store them in a safe place.
❖Scan all new files for viruses.
❖Never turn off the computer if a drive-in-use light
indicates a drive is active.

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Learning the basics
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NOTE: The Windows® XP Professional operating system records information,
such as your desktop setup, during its shutdown procedure. If you don’t let the
operating system shut down normally, details such as new icon positions may
be lost.
Using the TouchPad
The TouchPad, the small, smooth square cutout located in
front of the keyboard, is sensitive to touch and enables you to
move the cursor with the stroke of a finger. Simply move
your finger on the TouchPad in the direction you’d like to
move the cursor:
❖To move the cursor to the top of the page, push your
finger forward on the TouchPad.
❖To move the cursor to the bottom of the page, drag your
finger toward yourself.
❖To move the cursor to the right side of the page, slide
your finger across the TouchPad from left to right.
❖To move it to the left side, slide your finger from right to
left.
NOTE: Because the TouchPad is much smaller than the display
screen, moving your cursor across the screen often means having
to move your finger several times across the TouchPad in the
preferred direction.
Once you’ve positioned your cursor, you can double-tap the
TouchPad or click the buttons to open a program or file, or to
get information about an icon.
Primary and secondary control buttons
When you want to click or choose an item, use the TouchPad
to move the pointer/cursor to the item. Once the pointer/
cursor is positioned, you can double-tap the TouchPad or
click the buttons to open a program or file, or to get
information about an icon.

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The control buttons are adjacent to the TouchPad and are used
like the buttons on a mouse. The primary control button is the
left one and corresponds to the left mouse button. To double-
tap, press the primary button twice in rapid succession.
The function of the secondary button depends on the program
you are using. It usually corresponds to the right mouse
button. Check your program’s documentation to find whether
it uses the secondary mouse button.
Moving the computer
Before moving your computer, even across the room, make
sure all disk activity has ended (the drive-in-use lights stop
glowing) and all external peripheral cables are disconnected.
CAUTION: Never pick up the computer by its display panel or by the back
(where the ports are located).
Mobile computing
Running the computer on battery power
The computer contains a removable Lithium Ion (Li-Ion)
high-capacity battery that provides power when you are away
from an AC outlet. You can recharge it many times.
To ensure that the battery maintains its maximum capacity,
operate the computer on battery power at least once a month
until the battery is fully discharged. Please see "Maximizing
battery life" on page 18 for procedures. If the computer is
continuously operated on AC power, either through an AC
adapter or a docking station (if applicable to your system), for
an extended period (more than a month) the battery may fail
to retain a charge. It may not function efficiently over the
expected life of the battery and the battery light may not
indicate a low-battery condition.

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Mobile computing
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Monitoring battery power
The battery light indicates the main battery’s current charge.
It:
❖Glows green when the battery is fully charged
❖Glows amber while the battery is being charged
❖Does not glow if the external power source is
disconnected or if the battery is completely discharged
TECHNICAL NOTE: The computer drains the battery faster at low
temperatures. Check your remaining charge frequently if you are working in
temperatures below 50 degrees Fahrenheit.
The computer calculates the remaining battery charge based on your current
rate of power use and other factors such as the age of the battery.
Setting battery alarms
Your computer can be configured to warn you when the
battery is running low. For more information, see “Setting
battery alarms” in the electronic user’s guide.
Changing the main battery
When your battery power is running low, you have two
options: connect the computer to an AC power source or
install a charged battery.
TECHNICAL NOTE: To avoid losing any data, save your files and then either
completely shut down your computer, or put it into Hibernation mode before
changing the main battery.
Removing the battery from the computer
CAUTION: When handling a battery, don’t drop or knock them. Also, be careful
not to damage the casing or short-circuit the terminals.
To remove the battery:
1Save your work.
2Shut down and turn off the computer.

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3Remove all cables connected to the computer.
4Turn the computer over.
5Slide the battery lock up and slide the release latch to the
left.
6Insert a fingertip in the battery module recessed area and
pull the discharged battery module out of the computer.
Removing the discharged battery
WARNING: If the battery is leaking or its case is cracked, put on protective
gloves to handle it, and discard it immediately following the advice in
“Disposing of used batteries safely” in the electronic user’s guide.
Inserting a charged battery
1Wipe the battery terminals of the charged battery with a
clean cloth to ensure a good connection.
2Insert the charged battery into the slot.
The battery has been designed so that you cannot install it
with reverse polarity.
3Turn the computer right side up and lock the battery into
place using the battery lock.
4Reconnect any cables.
5Restart the computer.

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Mobile computing
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Battery safety precautions
❖Turn off the computer’s power immediately and
disconnect the power cable from the power socket, if the
battery produces an odor, overheats or changes color or
shape while it is being used or charged. Carefully remove
the battery from the computer.
❖Never try to disassemble a battery.
❖Never overcharge or reverse charge a battery.
Overcharging will shorten its life and reverse charging
could destroy it, causing the release of toxic fumes.
❖Avoid touching the metal terminals of the battery with
another metal object. Short-circuiting the battery will
cause it to overheat and may cause permanent damage to
the battery or the computer.
❖Never incinerate a spent battery, as this will cause it to
explode and release toxic materials.
❖If a battery is leaking or damaged, replace it immediately.
Use protective gloves when handling a damaged battery.
❖To replace the main battery, use an identical battery that
you can purchase through toshibaaccessories.com.
❖A reverse polarity condition should be avoided with all
batteries. The main battery is designed so that it cannot
be installed to cause reverse polarity.
❖Charge the battery only in the computer or in a battery
charger designated as an approved option.
❖When you install the battery, you should hear a click
when it is seated properly.
❖Do not expose the battery to fire. The battery could
explode.

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Maximizing battery life
To maximize the life of your battery:
❖At least once a month, disconnect the computer from a
power source and operate it on battery power until the
battery fully discharges. Before doing so, follow the steps
below:
1Turn off the computer’s power.
2Disconnect the AC adapter and turn on the
computer’s power. If it does not turn on, go to step 4.
3Operate the computer on battery power for five
minutes. If the battery has at least five minutes of
operating time, continue operating until the battery is
fully discharged. If the battery light flashes or there is
some other warning to indicate a low battery, go to
step 4.
4Connect the AC adapter to the computer and the
power cable to a power outlet. The DC-IN (if
applicable to your system) or AC power light should
glow green, and the battery light should glow amber
to indicate that the battery is being charged. If the
DC-IN or AC power light indicator does not glow,
power is not being supplied. Check the connections
to the AC adapter and power cable.
5Charge the battery until the battery light glows green.
❖If you have extra batteries, rotate their use.
❖If you will not be using the system for an extended period
(more than one month) remove the battery.
❖Disconnect the AC adapter when the battery is fully
charged. Overcharging makes the battery hot and
shortens life.
❖If you are not going to use the computer for more than
eight hours, disconnect the AC adapter.
❖Store spare batteries in a cool dry place out of direct
sunlight.

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If something goes wrong
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If something goes wrong
Problems that are easy to fix
Your program stops responding.
If you are working with a program that suddenly freezes all
operations, chances are the program has stopped responding.
You can exit the failed program without shutting down the
operating system or closing other programs.
To close a program that has stopped responding:
1Press Ctrl, Alt,and Del simultaneously (once).
2Click Windows Task Manager.
The Windows Task Manager window appears.
3Click the Applications tab.
If a program has stopped responding, the words “not
responding” appear beside its name in the list.
4Select the program you want to close, then click End
Task .
Closing the failed program should allow you to continue
working. If it does not, continue with step 5.
5Close the remaining programs one by one by selecting
the program name, then End Task.
To power off your computer, do one of the following:
If you are not connected to a domain server:
1Click Start, Turn off computer.
The Turn off computer window appears.
2Click Turn Off.
The computer turns off.
If you are connected to a domain server:
1Click Start, then Shut down.
The Shut Down window appears.
2Select Shut down from the drop-down list.

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3Click OK.
The computer shuts down completely.
Your program performs an illegal operation.
If you receive the message, “Your program has performed an illegal
operation,”you should record the details of the message and
consult the software manufacturer.
To record the details:
1Click the Details button and select the text the operating
system displays.
The Details button displays information that the software
manufacturer needs to help you solve your problem.
2Press Ctrl and csimultaneously to copy the text to the
clipboard.
3Open Notepad (click Start, point to All Programs, then
point to Accessories and click Notepad).
4Press Ctrl and vsimultaneously to paste the details into
Notepad.
5Add a paragraph break and type some notes describing
what you were doing when you received the message.
6Save the file and refer to it when you contact the software
manufacturer.
Problems when you turn on the computer
These problems may occur when you turn on the power.
The computer will not start.
Make sure you attached the AC adapter and power cable
properly or installed a charged battery.
Press and hold down the power button for a few seconds.
If you are using the AC adapter, check that the wall outlet is
working by plugging in another device, such as a lamp.
The computer starts but, when you press a key, nothing
happens.
You are probably in Standby mode and have a software or
resource conflict. When this happens, turning the power on