Acer 5600 manual

TravelMate 5600/5100 Series User's Guide[...]

Changes may be made peri odically to the infor mation in this publication without obligation to notify any person o f such revisions o r change s. Such chang es will be incorpo rated in new editions of this manual or supplementary documents and publ ications. This company makes no representations or warra nties, either expre ssed or implied, with r[...]

iii Disposal instructions Do not throw this electronic device into the trash when discarding. To minimize pollution and ensure utmost protection o f the global environment, please recycle. USA For electronic products c ontaining an LCD/CRT mo nitor or display: Lamp(s) inside this product contain mercury and must be recycled o r disposed of accordin[...]

iv First things first We would like to thank you for mak ing an Acer notebook yo ur choice for meeting your mobile comp uting needs. Your guides To help you use your Acer notebook, we have desig ned a set of guides: Basic care and tips for using your computer Turning your computer on and off To turn on the computer, simply press and release th e po[...]

v To turn the power off, do any of th e followin g: • Use the Windows shutdown command Click on Sta rt , Turn Off Computer , then click on Turn Off . • Use the power button You can also shut down the comp uter by closing the display cov er, or by pressing the sleep hotkey <Fn> + <F4> . Note: If you cannot power off the com puter nor[...]

vi Taking care of yo ur 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 po ssi[...]

Disposal instructions iii First things first iv Your guides iv Basic care and tips for using your computer iv Turning your computer on and off iv Taking care of your computer v Taking care of your AC adapter v Taking care of your battery pack vi Cleaning and servicing vi Acer Empowering Technology 1 Acer eDataSecurity Management 2 Acer eLock Manage[...]

Audio 30 Adjusting the volume 30 Using the system utilities 31 Acer GridVista (dual-display compatible) 31 Launch Manager 32 Norton AntiVirus 33 Frequently asked questions 34 Requesting service 37 International Travelers Warranty (ITW) 37 Before you call 37 Taking your notebook PC with you 38 Disconnecting from the desktop 38 Moving around 38 Prepa[...]

Universal Serial Bus (USB) 45 PC Card slot 46 Installing memory 47 BIOS utility 47 Boot sequence 47 Enable disk-to-disk recovery 48 Password 48 Using software 48 Playing DVD movies 48 Power management 49 Acer eRecovery Management 49 Create backup 50 Restore from backup 50 Create factory default image CD 51 Re-install bundled so ftware without CD 51[...]

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1 Empowering Technology Acer Empowering Technology Acer's innovative Empowering Technology makes it easy for yo u to access frequently used functi ons and manage yo ur n ew Acer notebook. It features the following handy utilities: • Acer eDataSecurity Manage ment protects data with passwords and advanced encryption algorith ms. • Acer eLoc[...]

2 Empowe ring Techno logy For more information, press the < > key to launch the Empowering Technology menu, then click on the appropriate utility and select the Help function. Acer eDataSecurity Management Acer eDataSecurity Management is a h and y file encryption utility that protects your files from being accessed by unauth orized persons. [...]

3 Empowering Technology Acer eLock Management Acer eLock Management i s a security utility that allows you to lock up your removable data, optical and floppy dr ives to ensure that data can't be stolen while your notebook is unattend ed. • Removable data device s — includes USB disk drives, USB p en drives, USB flash drives, USB MP3 drives[...]

4 Empowe ring Techno logy Acer ePerformance Management Acer ePerformance Management is a syste m optimization tool that boosts the performance of your Acer notebook. It provides you with the following option s to enhance overall system performance: • Memory optimization — releases unused memory and che ck usage. • Disk optimization — remove[...]

5 Empowering Technology Acer eRecovery Management Acer eRecovery Management is a powerful u tility that does away with the need for recovery disks provided by th e manufacturer. The Acer eRecovery Management utility occupies space in a hid den partition on your system's HDD. User-created backups are stored on D: drive. Acer eReco very Managem[...]

6 Empowe ring Techno logy Acer eSettings Management Acer eSettings Management allows you to inspect hardware specifications and to monitor the system health status. Fu rthermore, Acer eSettings Management enables you to optimiz e your Windows operating system, so your computer runs faster, smoother and better. Acer eSettings Management also: • Pr[...]

7 Empowering Technology Acer eNet Management can save netwo r k settings for a location to a profile, and automatically apply the appropriate profile when you move from one location to another. Settings stored incl ude network connection setting s (IP and DNS settings, wireless AP details, etc.), as well as default printer settings. Security and sa[...]

8 Empowe ring Techno logy Acer ePower Manage ment Acer ePower Management features a straightforward user interface. To lau nch it, select Ac er ePower Managem ent from the Em powering Techn ology interface, or double-click the Acer ePower Manag ement icon in the task tray. AC mode The default setting is "Maxim um Performance." You can a d[...]

9 Empowering Technology You can also click "Advanced Settings" to: • Set alarms . • Re-load factory defaults. • Select what actions will be taken when the cover is closed, an d set passwords for accessing the system after Hibernat ion or Standb y. • View information about Acer ePower Manageme nt. Acer ePresent ation Management Ace[...]

10 Empowe ring Techno logy[...]

11 English Your Acer notebook tour After setting up your computer as illustrated in the Just for Starters... po ster, let us show yo u around yo ur new Acer notebook. Front view # Icon Item Description 1 Display screen Also called Liquid-Crystal Display (LCD), displays computer output. 2 Status indicators Light-Emitting Di odes (LEDs) that light up[...]

12 English 3 Wireless communication button Enable/disables the wireless function. Indicates the status of wireless LAN communication. 4B l u e t o o t h communication button Enable/disables the Bluetooth function. Indicates the status of Bluetooth communication. 5 Microphone Interna l microphone for sound reco rding. 6 Touchpad Touch-sensitive poin[...]

13 English Closed front view # Icon Item Description 1 Speakers Left and right speakers deliver stereo audio output. 2 Line-in jack Accepts audio line-in de vices (e.g., audio CD player, stereo walkman). 3 Microphone-in jack Accepts input from external microphones. 4 Headphones/speaker/ line-out jack with S/PDIF support Connects to audio line-out d[...]

14 English Left view Right view # Icon Item Description 1 Kensington lock slot Connects to a Kensington-co mpatible computer security lock. 2 Optical drive Internal optical drive; accepts CDs o r DVDs (slot-load or tray-lo ad depending on m odel). 3 Optical disk access indicator Lights up when the optical drive is active (locatio n depends o n mode[...]

15 English Rear view 3 Three USB 2.0 ports Connect to USB 2.0 devices ( e.g., USB mouse, USB camera). 4 Ventilation slots Enable the computer to stay cool, even after prolonged use. 5 DC-in jack Connec ts to an AC adapter. # Icon Item Description 1 Two USB 2.0 port Connects to USB 2.0 devic es (e.g., USB mouse, USB camera). 2 External displ ay (VGA[...]

16 English Base view # Item Description 1 Battery release latch Releases the battery for removal. 2 Cooling fan Helps keep the computer cool . Note : Do not cover or obstruct the opening of the fan. 3 Mini PCI card bay Houses the comp uter's Mini PCI card. 4 Ventilation slots Enable the computer to stay cool, even after prolonged use. 5 Memory[...]

17 English Specifications Operating system • Genuin e Windows ® XP Home Edition (Service Pack 2) • Genuine W indows ® XP Professional (Service Pack 2) Platform TravelMate 5600 Series Intel ® Centrino ® mobile technolog y, featuring: • Intel ® Pentium ® M processor 740/750/760/770/780 (2 MB L2 cache, 1.73/1.86/2/2.13/2.26 GHz, 533 MHz FS[...]

18 English Display and graphi cs • 17.1" WXGA+ color TFT LCD, 1440 x 900 pixel resolution, supporting si multaneous multi-window viewing on dual displays via Acer GridVista ™ • NVIDIA ® GeFor ce ™ Go 7300 graphics with 256 MB of VRAM (128 MB of dedicated GDDR2 VRAM; 12 8 MB of shared system memory), supporting Microsoft ® DirectX ® [...]

19 English Audio • Audio system with two built-in speakers • Intel ® High-Definition audio support • Sound Blaster Pro ™ and MS So und compa tible • S/PDIF (Sony/Philips Digital Interface) support for digital speakers • Built-in microphone Communication • Modem: 56K ITU V.92 with PTT approval; Wake-on-Ring ready • LAN: Fast Etherne[...]

20 English Note: The specifications listed above are for reference on ly. The exact config uration of your PC depe nds on the model purchased. Software • Acer Empowe ring Techn ology • Acer eDataSecurity Management • Acer eLock Management • Acer ePerformance Management • Acer eRecovery Management • Acer eSettings Management • Acer eNe[...]

21 English Indicators The computer has serveral easy-to-read status indicators: The front panel indicators are visible even when the co mputer cover is closed up. Icon Function Description HDD Indicates when the hard disk drive is ac tive. Caps Lock Lights up when Caps Lock is activated. Num Lock Lights up when Num Lock is activated. Power Indicate[...]

22 English 1. Charging: The light shows amber when the battery is charging. 2. Fully charged: The light sho ws green when in AC mode. Easy-launch buttons There are several convenien tly located easy-launch butto ns. They are: mail, Web browser, Empowering Key < > and o ne user-programmable butto n. Press < > to run the Acer Empowering T[...]

23 English Touchpad The built-in touchpad is a pointing device that senses movement on its surface. This means the cursor respon ds as you move your finger across the surface of the touchpad. The central location on the palmrest provides optimum comfo rt and support. Touchpad basics The following items show you how to use the tou chpad: • Move yo[...]

24 English Note: When using the touchpad, keep it — and your fingers — dry and clean. The touchpad is sensitive to finger movement; hence, the lighter the touch, the better the response. Tapping harder will not increase the touchpad's responsiveness. Note: By default, vertical and horizontal scrolling is enabled on your touchpad. It c an b[...]

25 English Using the keyboard The keyboard has full-sized keys and a n embedded numeric keypad, separate cursor, lock, Windows, functi on and special keys. Lock keys and embedded numeric keypad The keyboard has three lock keys which you can toggle on and off. The embedded numeric k eypad functions like a desktop n umeric keypad. It is indicated by [...]

26 English Windows keys The keyboard has two keys that perform Windows-specific functions. Hotkeys The computer employs hotkeys or key combinations to access m ost of the computer's controls like screen b rightness, volume output an d the BIOS utility. To activate hotkeys, press and hold the <Fn> key before pressing the other key in the [...]

27 English Hotkey Icon Function Description <Fn> + <F1> Hotkey help Displays help o n hotkeys. <Fn> + <F2> Acer eSettings Launches Acer eSettings in Acer Empowering Technology. See "Acer Empowering Technology " on page 1 . <Fn> + <F3> Acer ePower Management Launches Acer ePower Management i n Acer Empow[...]

28 English Special keys You can locate the Euro symbol and th e US dollar sign at the upper-center and/or bottom-right of yo ur keyboard. The Euro symbol 1 Open a text editor or word processor. 2 Either press < > at the bottom-ri ght of the keyboard, or ho ld < Alt Gr> and then press the <5> key at the upper-center of the keyboard[...]

29 English Ejecting the optical (CD or DVD) drive tray Press the drive eject button to eject the optical drive tray when the com puter is on. Insert a paper clip to the emergency ejec t hole to eject the optical drive tray when the computer is off. Using a computer security lock The notebook comes with a Ke nsington -com patible security slot for a[...]

30 English Audio The computer comes with 32-bi t Intel High-Definition audio, an d built-in stereo speakers. Adjusting the volume Use hotkeys to easily adjust the volum e on your computer. Se e "Hotkeys" on page 26 for more information on adju sting the speaker volume.[...]

31 English Using the system utilities Note: The system utilities work under Microsoft Win dows XP only. Acer GridVista (dual- display compatible) Note: This feature is only available on certain models. To enable the dual monitor feature of you r notebook, first ensure that the second monit or is conn ected, then, select Start , Control Panel , Disp[...]

32 English Acer GridVista is simple to set up: 1 Run Acer GridVista and select your preferred screen configuration for each display from the taskbar. 2 Drag and drop each win dow into the approp riate grid. 3 Enjoy the c onvenience of a well-o rganized de sktop. Note: Please ensure that the resolu tion setting of yo ur second monitor is set to the [...]

33 English You can acces s the Launch Ma nager by clic king on Start , All Programs , and then Launch Man ager to start the application. Norton AntiVirus Norton AntiVirus is an anti-v irus software that finds and repairs infected files, and protects against viruses to keep your computer d ata safe and secure. How do I check for viruses? A Full Syst[...]

34 English Frequently asked questions The following is a list of possible situations that may arise during the use o f your computer. Easy solutions are provided for each o ne. I turned on the power, but the computer does not start or boot up. Look at the power indicator: • If it is not lit, no power is being supplied to the co mputer. Check the [...]

35 English No audio is heard from the computer. Check the following: • The volume may be muted. In Windo ws, look at the volume control (speaker) icon on the taskbar. If it is crossed-out, click on the ic on and deselect the Mute all option. • The volume level may be too low. In W indows, look at the volume control icon on the taskbar. You can [...]

36 English Note: Please note, on first booting your notebook, that you can skip the Internet Connection setup, as it is not necessary to complete the installation of yo ur Operating System. After the Operating System is set up, you can proceed with the Internet Connection se tup. I want to resto re my computer to its original settings without recov[...]

37 English To start the recovery process: 1 Restart the system. 2 While the Acer logo is sho wing, press <Alt> + <F10> at the same time to enter the recovery process. 3 Refer to the onscreen instruct ions to perform system recovery. Important! This feature o ccupies 2 to 3 GB in a hidden partition on your hard disk. Requesting service I[...]

38 English Taking your notebook PC with you This section gives you tips and hin ts to consider when moving around or traveling with your comp uter. Disconnecting from the desktop Follow these steps to disconnect your computer from external accessories : 1 Save any open files. 2 Remove any media, floppy disks or compact disks from the drive(s). 3 Sh[...]

39 English Note: If the Sleep indicator is of f, the computer has entered Hibernation mode and is turned o f f. If the power indicator is off but the Sleep indicator is on, the compu ter has entered Sleep mode. In both cases, press and release the power button to turn the computer back on. Note that the comp uter may enter Hibernatio n mode after b[...]

40 English Special considerations Follow these guidelines to protect yo ur computer while traveling to and from work: • Minimize the effects of temperature changes by keeping th e computer with you. • If you need to stop for an extende d period of time and canno t carry the computer with you, leave the co mputer in the trunk of the car to a voi[...]

41 English Special considerations In addition to the guidelines for taking the co mputer home, follow these guidelines to protect your co mputer while traveling: • Always take the computer as carry-on luggage. • If possible, have the computer inspected by hand. Airport security X-ray machines are safe, but do not put th e computer throug h a me[...]

42 English Securing your computer Your computer is a valuable investment that you need to take care of. Learn how to protect and take care of your comput er. Security features include hardware and software locks — a security notch and passwords. Using a computer security lock The notebook comes with a Ke nsington -com patible security slot for a [...]

43 English Entering passwords When a password is set, a password prompt appears in the ce nter of the display screen. • When the Supervisor Password is set, a prompt appears when yo u press < F2 > to enter the BIOS utility at boot-up. • Type the Supervisor Password an d press < Enter > to access the BIOS utility. If you enter the pa[...]

44 English Expanding through options Your notebo ok PC offers yo u a complete mobile comp uting experie nce. Connectivity options Ports allow you to connect peripheral de vices to your computer as you would with a desktop PC. For instru ctions on how to connect different external devices to the computer, read the following section. Fax/data modem Y[...]

45 English Built-in network feature The built-in network feature allows you to connect your computer to an Ethernet-based network. To use the network feature, connect an Ethernet cab le from the Ethernet (RJ-45) port on the chassis of the comp uter to a network jack or hub o n your network. Universal Serial Bus (USB) The USB 2.0 port is a high-spee[...]

46 English PC Card slot The Type II PC Card slot of the computer accep ts PC Cards that enhance the usability and expandability of the com puter. These cards should have a PC Ca rd logo on the m. PC Cards (formerly PCMCIA) are add-on c ards for portable computers, giving you expansion possibilities long afford ed by desktop PCs. Popular PC Cards in[...]

47 English Installing memory Follow these steps to install memory: 1 Turn off the computer, unplu g the AC adapter (if connected) and remove the battery pack. Then turn the computer over to access its base. 2 Remove the screws from the memory co ver; then lift up and remove the memory cover. 3 (a) Insert the memory module diag onally into the slot,[...]

48 English Enable disk-to-disk recovery To enable disk-to-disk recovery (hard disk recovery), activate the B IOS utility, then select Main from the categories listed at the top of the screen. Find D2D Recovery at the bottom of th e screen and use the <F5> and <F6> keys to set this value to Enabled . Password To set a password on boot, a[...]

49 English Note: To change the region code, in sert a DVD movie of a different region into the DVD drive. Please refer to the online help for more information. Power management This computer has a built- in power management unit that monitors system activity. System activity refers to any ac tivity involving one or more of the following devices: ke[...]

50 English Create backup You can create and save b ackup images to hard disk, CD or DVD. 1 Boot to Windows XP 2 Press <Alt> + <F10> to open the Acer eRecovery Managem ent utility. 3 Enter the password to proceed. Th e default password is six zeros. 4 In the Acer eRecovery Management windo w, select Recovery settings and click Next . 5 I[...]

51 English Create factory default image CD When the System CD and R ecovery CD are not available, you can create them by using this feature. 1 Boot to Windows XP. 2 Press <Alt> + <F10> to open the Acer eRecovery Managem ent utility. 3 Enter the password to proceed. Th e default password is six zeros. 4 In the Acer eRecovery Management w[...]

52 English Change password Acer eRecovery Managemen t and Acer disk-to-disk recovery a re protected by a password that can be changed by th e user. Follow the steps below to change the password in Acer eRecovery Management. 1 Boot to Windows XP. 2 Press <Alt> + <F10> to open the Acer eRecovery Managem ent utility. 3 Enter the password t[...]

53 English English Troubleshooting This chapter shows you how to deal with common system problems. Read it before calling a technician if a pro blem occurs. Solutions to more serious problems require openin g up the computer. Do not atte mpt to open the computer yourself; co ntact your dealer or authorized service center for assistance. Troubleshoo[...]

54 English If you still encounter problems after going through the corrective measures, please contact your dealer or an authorized service c enter for assistance. Some problems may be solved using the BIOS u tility.[...]

55 English English Regulations and safety notices ENERGY STAR guidelines compliance As an ENERGY STAR partner, Acer Inc. has de termined that this product meets the ENERGY STAR guidelines for energy efficiency. FCC notice This device has been tested and fo und to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC rul[...]

56 English Operation conditions This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC R ules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1) this d evice may not cause harmful interference, and (2) this device must accept any interference received, inclu ding interference that may cause undesired ope ration. Notice: Canadian users This Class B di[...]

57 English English Your telephone company may make chang es in its facilities, equipment, operations, or procedures that could a ffect the proper fu nctioning of your equipment. If they do, you will be notified in advance to give you an opportunity to maintain unin terrupted telephone service. If this equipment should fail to operate properly, disc[...]

58 English Notice for New Zealand For modem with approval numb er PTC 211/03/008 1 The grant of a Telepermit for any item of terminal equ ipment indicates only that Telecom has accepted that the item complies with minimum conditions for connection to its netw ork. It indicates n o endorsement o f the product b y Telecom, no r does it provi de any s[...]

59 English English 3 This device is equipped with pulse d ialing while the Telecom standard is DTMF tone dialing. There is no guarantee that Telecom lines will always continue to su pport puls e dialing. 4 Use of pulse dialing, when this equipment is con nected to the same line as other equipment, may giv e rise to bell tinkle or noise and may also[...]

60 English 8 If an extension cord is used with this product, m ake sure that the total ampere rating of the equipment plugge d into the extension cord does not exceed the extension cord ampere ra ting. Also, ma ke sure that the total rating of all products plugged into the wall outlet does not exce ed the fuse rating. 9 Never push objects of any ki[...]

61 English English Laser compliance statement The CD or DVD drive used with this computer is a laser p roduct. The CD or DVD drive's classification label (shown b elow) is located on the drive. CLASS 1 LASER PRODUCT CAUTION: INVISIBLE LASER RADIATION WH EN OPEN. AVOID EXPOSURE TO BEAM. APPAREIL A LASER DE CLASSE 1 PROD UIT LASERATTENTION: RAD [...]

62 English Radio device regulatory notice Note : Below regulatory information is for mo dels with wireless LAN and/o r Bluetooth only. General This product complies with the radio fre quency and safety standards of any country or region in which it has been ap proved for wireless use. Depen ding on configura tions, this pr oduct may or may n ot con[...]

63 English English List of applicable countries EU member states as of May 2004 are: Belgium, Denm ark, Germany, Greece, Spain, France, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Austria, Portugal, Finland, Sweden, United Kingdom Eston ia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovak Repub lic, Slovenia, Cyprus and Malta. Usage allo[...]

64 English 2 This device is restricted to indoor us e due to its operation in the 5.15 to 5.25 GHz frequency range. FCC requires this prod uct to be used indoors for the frequency range 5.15 to 5.25 GHz to reduc e the potential for harmful interference to co-channel Mobile Satellite systems. 3 High power radar are allocated as primary users of the [...]

65 English English Federal Communications Comission Declaration of Conformity This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1) This device may n ot cause harmful interference, and (2) This device must ac cept any interference received, includin g interference that may cause undesired oper[...]

66 English Declaration of Conf ormity for CE Marking Is in compliance with the essential require ments and other relevant provisions of the following EC directives. The product specified ab ove was tested conforming to the applicable Rules under the most accurate measurement standards possible, and all the necessary steps have been taken and are in[...]

67 English Index A AC adapter caring for v audio 30 troublesh ooting 35 B battery pack caring for vi BIOS utility 47 brightness hotkeys 27 C caps lock 25 on indicator 21 care AC adapter v battery pack vi computer v CD-ROM ejecting manually 35 troublesh ooting 35 cleaning computer vi computer caring for v cleaning vi disconnec ting 38 features 11, 3[...]

68 English P password 42 types 42 PC Card 46 ejecting 46 inserting 46 ports 44 printer troublesh ooting 35 problems 34 CD-ROM 35 display 34 keyboard 35 printer 35 startup 34 troublesh ooting 53 Q questions setting location for modem use 35 S safety CD or DVD 61 FCC notice 55 general instructions 59 modem notices 56 scroll lock 25 security keylock 2[...]