Acer 3020 Series manual

Aspire 3020/5020 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. Su ch chan ges will b e incorp orated 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[...]

iii First things first We would like to thank you for maki ng the Aspire series of notebook computer s your choice fo r meeting y our mobile c omputing needs. Your guides To help you use your Aspire, we have designed 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 a[...]

iv • Use the power button Note: You can also use the power button to perform power management functions. Se e "Moving aroun d" on page 39 of the AcerSystem User's Guid e . • Use the customized functi ons for power managem ent You can also shut down the comp uter by closing the display cover, or by pressing the sleep hotkey <Fn[...]

v • The total ampere ratings of the equipmen t plugged in should not exc eed the ampere rating of the cord if you are using an extension cord. Also, the total current rating of a ll equipment plugged into a single wall outlet should not exceed the fuse rating. Taking care of yo ur battery pack Here are some ways to take care of your battery pack:[...]

First things first iii Your guides iii Basic care and tips for using your computer iii Turning your compute r on and of f iii Taking care of your computer iv Taking care of your AC adapto r iv Taking care of your b attery pack v Cleaning and ser vicing v An Aspire tour 1 Front view 1 Closed front view 2 Left view 3 Right view 4 Rear view 4 Base vie[...]

Acer Arcade (for selected models) 27 Arcade hotkeys 28 Finding and playing content 29 Settings 29 Arcade controls 29 Navigation controls 30 Player control s 30 Cinema 30 DVD settings 31 Album 32 Slideshow settings 33 Video 33 Playing a video file 33 Video auth oring 34 Music 34 Burner 35 Copy — Back up your CD/DVD collection 35 Audio — Create y[...]

Preparing t he computer 41 What to take with you 42 Special considerations 42 Traveling internationally with the computer42 Preparing t he computer 42 What to bring with you 42 Special considerations 43 Securing your computer 43 Using a computer security lock 43 Using passwords 43 Entering passwords 44 Setting passwords 44 Expanding through options[...]

FCC notice 57 Modem notices 59 Important safety instructions 62[...]

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1 English An Aspire tour After setting up your computer as illustrated in the Just for Starters... poster, let us show you a round your new Aspire co mputer. Front view # Item Description 1 Display screen Also called Liquid-Crystal Display (LCD), displays computer output. 2 Power button Turns the computer on and off. 3 Microphone Internal microphon[...]

2 English Closed front view 6 Click buttons (left, center and right) The left and right buttons function like the left and right mouse buttons; the center bu tton serves as a 4-way scroll button. 7 Launch keys Buttons for launching frequent ly used programs. See "Launch keys" on page 10 for more details. 8 Status indicators Light-Emitting[...]

3 English Left view 7 Power indicator Lights when the computer is on. 8 Latch Locks and releases the lid. # Icon Item Description 1 Ventilation slots Enable the computer to stay cool, even after prolonged use. 2 S-video/TV-out port Connects to a television or display device with S- video inpu t (manufacturing option). 3 IEEE 1394 port Connects to I[...]

4 English Right view Note: The slot-load optical drive is only available on selected models. Rear view # Item Description 1 Optical drive eject button Ejects the op tical drive tray from the drive. 2 Optical dis k access indicator LED that indicates when an optical d isk is being read or written. 3 Optical drive Internal optical drive; accepts CDs [...]

5 English Base view 6 External display port Connects to a display devic e (e.g., external monitor, LCD projector). 7 Ventilation slots Enable the computer to stay cool, even after prolonged use. # Item Description 1 Wirele ss LAN bay Houses the computer's wireless LAN. 2 Battery lock Locks the battery in place. 3 Battery release latch Releases[...]

6 English Specifications Operating system Microsoft ® Windows ® XP Home Edition Microsoft ® Windows ® XP Professional Microsoft ® Windows ® XP Media Center Edition 2005 Microsoft ® Windows ® XP Professional x64 Edition Microsoft ® Windows ® XP Home Edition N Microsoft ® Windows ® XP Professional Edition N Platform Aspire 3020 Series •[...]

7 English Storage subsystem One 40 GB or larger hard disk drive Optical drive options: • DVD-Super Multi double layer drive • DVD-Dual double layer drive • DVD/CD-RW combo drive 6-in-1 card reader (MS/MS PRO/MMC/SD/SM/xD-Picture Card) Dimension and weight 363 (W) x 278 (D) x 24.0/32.9 (H) mm (14.3 x 10.9 x 0.9/1.3 inches) 3.07 Kg (6.77 lbs.) [...]

8 English Note: The specifications listed above are for reference on ly. The exact config uration of your PC depend s on the model purchased. I/O interface Four USB 2.0 ports IEEE 1394 port Ethernet (RJ-45) port Modem (RJ-11) port External display (VGA) port S-video/TV-out port Microphone/line-in jack Headphones/speaker/line-out port Infrared (FIR)[...]

9 English Indicators The computer has four easy-to-read statu s indicators on the upper-right above the keyboard, and four on the fron t panel. The power, battery, and wireless communi cation status indicators are visible even when the LCD display is cl osed. 1. Charging: The light shows amber when the battery is charging. 2. Fully charged: The lig[...]

10 English Launch keys Located at the upper-right, above th e keyboard are four buttons. These buttons are called launch keys. They a re: mail, Web browser, Acer Empowering Key " " and one user-programmable bu tton. Press " " to run the Acer eManager. Please see "Acer eMana ger" on page 19 . The mail and Web buttons ar[...]

11 English Touchpad The built-in touchpad is a poin ting 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 co mfort and support. Touchpad basics The following items show you how to use the tou chpad: • Move y[...]

12 English Note: Keep your fingers dry and clean wh en using the touchpad. Also keep the touchpad dry and clean. The tou chpad is sensitive to finger movement; hence, the lighter the touch, the better the response. Tapping harder will not increase th e touchpad's responsiveness. Function Left button (1) Right button (4) Main touch pad (2) Cent[...]

13 English Using the keyboard The keyboard has full-sized keys and an embedded keypad, separate cursor keys, two Windows keys and 12 function 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 small ch[...]

14 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 [...]

15 English Hotkey Icon Function De scription <Fn> + <F1> Hotkey help Displays help on hotkeys. <Fn> + <F2> Acer eSettings Launches Acer eSettings in Acer eManager. See "Acer eManager" on page 19 . <Fn> + <F3> Power manageme nt Launches the Power Scheme wind ow. <Fn> + <F4> Sleep Puts the com[...]

16 English Special keys You can locate the Euro symbol and the US dollar sign at the upper-center and/ or bottom-right of your key board. To type: The Euro symbol 1 Open a text editor or word processor. 2 Either directly press the < Euro> key at the bottom-right of the keyboard, or hold < Alt Gr> and then press the <5> key at the [...]

17 English Ejecting the optical (CD or DVD) drive tray To eject the optical drive tray when the computer is turned on, press the drive eject button. When the power is off, you can eject the drive tray by using the emergency eject hole. Note: The slot-load optical drive is only available on selected models.[...]

18 English Using a computer security lock A security keylock notch, located on the rear o f the computer, lets you connect a Kensington-compatible comp uter security lock. Wrap the computer security lock cable around an immovable object such as a table or handle of a locked drawer. Insert the loc k into the notch and turn the key to secure the lock[...]

19 English Using the system utilities Acer eManager The innovative Acer eMa nager software is designed for easy access to frequently used functions. Press " " to launch the Acer eManager user interface, which features three main settings: Acer ePresentation, Acer eRecovery and Acer eSettings. To set the " " key, see "Launch[...]

20 English 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 moni tor is conn ected, then, select Start , Control Panel , Display and click on Settings . Select the secondary monitor (2) icon in the d isplay box and the[...]

21 English 3 Enjoy the c onvenienc e of a well- organized desktop. Note: Please ensure that the resolu tion setting of your seco nd monitor is set to the manufa cturer's recommended value. Launch Manager Launch Manager allows you to set the four launch keys located above the keyboard. "Launch keys" on page 10 for the location of the [...]

22 English Frequently asked questions The following is a list of possible situations that may arise during the use of your computer. Easy solutions are provided for each o ne. I pressed the power button and opened the display, but the computer does not start or boot-up. Look at the power indicator: • If it is not lit, no power is being supplied t[...]

23 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 icon and deselect the Mute option. • The volume level may be too lo w. In Windows, look at the volume control icon on the taskbar. You can also [...]

24 English • Make sure that the printer cable is connected secu rely to the computer's parallel port or a USB port a nd the corresponding port on the printer. I want to set up my location to use the internal modem. To properly use your commu nication software (e.g. HyperTermin al), you need to set up your location: 1 Click on Start , Setti n[...]

25 English 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 on-screen instructio ns to perform system recovery. Important : This fe ature occupies 2 to 3 GB in a hidden partition on your hard drive. Requesting service International Travelers Warra[...]

26 English You are required to provide the followin g information: Name: ____________ ___________ ______________ ________ Address: _________ ___________ ___________ ____________ Telephone number: _______ _____________ ___________ __ Machine and model type: ___ ______________ ___________ Serial numbe r: ______________ ___________ ___________ __ Date[...]

27 English Acer Arcade (for selected models) Acer Arcade is an integrated player fo r music, photos, DVD mo vies and videos. To watch or listen, click a content button (e.g., Music, Video, etc.) on the Arcade home page. • Cinema — Watch D VDs or VCDs • Album — View photos stored on you r hard drive or removable m edia • Video — Watch an[...]

28 English Arcade hotkeys When running in the Windows environmen t, the key combinations listed below are available to control and fine-tune the features and settings of Acer Arca de. Hotkey Function <Fn> + <F1> On line help menu <Fn> + <F3> Acer ePow erManagement with battery information <Fn> + <F5> Display togg[...]

29 English Finding and playing content Clicking a button on the A rcade home page opens the corresponding feature's home page. The c ontent pages have button s on the left and a c ontent browsing area on the right. If a button shows one of several choices, such as sort order, the current setting is shown by a brig htly colored ba ll on the lef[...]

30 English Navigation controls To return to the Arcade home page, clic k the Home button in the up per left corner of the window. To go up one folder level while searching for content, click Up one level . To return to a pre vious screen, click Return . The buttons in the upper right (minimize, maximize, an d close) have standard PC behaviours. To [...]

31 English DVD settings There are two types of DVD settings: "Video" and "Languag e." Click the appropriate button to op en its settings page. Video The Video settings control the video output of DVDs/VCDs. Hardware acceleration takes advantage of the special processing power of some graphics cards to reduce CPU load ing when pl[...]

32 English Album Acer Arcade lets you view digital photo s individually or as a slideshow, from any available drive on your compu ter. Click the Album button on th e Arcade Home page to show the Album ma in page. The content area on the right shows both indi vidual pictures and folders. Cli ck on a folder to open it.[...]

33 English To view a slideshow, open the folder co ntaining the pictures you wish to view, then click Play slideshow . Th e slideshow is played full-screen. Use the pop-u p control panel to control the slide show. To rotate a picture in full-screen, click Rotate right or Rotate left . You can also view a single pictu re by clicking on it. This ope [...]

34 English Video authoring Click the Video Authoring button to open the PowerProducer p rogram, which allows you to finalize your digital vid eo productions and bu rn them to disk. Before you prod uce your movie u sing Powe rProducer, first gather (or create) its component parts: video clips, photos, and background music. You may collect raw footag[...]

35 English Burner NTI CD/DVD-Maker simplifies today's digital lifestyle by providin g an easy and complete solution for recording da ta, audio, photos or video. Now you can bu rn and share any thing on CD /DVD — your da ta, music, photos or vi deos — faster and easier than ever before. Copy — Back up your CD /DVD collection Make backup c[...]

36 English The Recorded TV option allows you to view files that you have recorded from the TV. See Recorded TV. The Schedule option lets you set TV recording schedules for later viewing. See Scheduling Recordin gs. The Settings button opens a page containing TV settings. S ee TV settings. The TV previe w option permits you to preview available TV c[...]

37 English Scheduling recordings To set a TV recording schedule, click Schedule , then New schedule . In the page that opens, select the Channel you want to record and the scheduling frequency . Set the Starting date , Starting time , and Ending time of the pr ogram you want to record. Click Co nfirm schedu le to activate the recording schedule, or[...]

38 English The recording qu ality option allows you to set th e quality of video recorded from the TV. Selecting a higher quality results in a larger recorded file when recording TV shows. The Audio source option allows you to select yo ur audio input source from a list of available sources. The Audio mo de option allows you to set your au dio outp[...]

39 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[...]

40 English Note: If the Sleep indicator is of f, the computer has entered Hibernation mode and is turned of 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 co mputer may enter Hibernation mode after bei[...]

41 English What to take with you Unless you have some items at home, take the followin g items with you: • AC adaptor and power cord • The printed User's Guide 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 w[...]

42 English What to take with you Take the following items with you: • AC adaptor • Spare, fully-charged battery pack(s) • Additional printer driver files if you plan to u se another printer Special considerations In addition to the guidelines for taking the co mputer home, follow these guidelines to protect your comp uter while traveling: •[...]

43 English Special considerations Follow the same special considerations as when traveling with the computer. In addition, these tips are useful when traveling i nternationally: • When traveling in another coun try, check that the local AC voltage and the AC adaptor power cord specifications are com patible. If not, purchase a power cord that is [...]

44 English • Password on Boot secures your comp uter against unauthorized use. Combine the use of this p assword with password checkpo ints on boot-up and resume from Hibernat ion for maximum security. Important! Do not forget your Supervisor Password! If you forget your password, please get in touc h with your dealer or an authorized service cen[...]

45 English Expanding through options Your notebo ok PC offers yo u a complete mobile comp uting experi ence. 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[...]

46 English Built-in network feature The built-in network feature allows you to con nect your computer to an Ethernet-based network. To use the network feature, connect an Ethernet cab le from the network jack on the left hand side of the computer to a network jack or hub on your network. Fast Infrared The computer's Fast Infrared (FIR) port a [...]

47 English Universal Serial Bus (USB) The USB 2.0 port is a high-speed serial bus which allo ws you to connect USB peripherals without taking up precious system resources. IEEE 1394 port The computer's IEEE 1394 port allows you to connect to an IEEE 1394- compatible device like a video camera or dig ital camera. See your video or dig ital came[...]

48 English PC Card slot The Type II PC Card slot of the comp uter accepts PC Cards that enhance the usability and expandability of the com puter. These cards should have a PC Card logo on the m. PC Cards (formerly PCMCIA) are add-on cards for portable computers, giving you expansion possibilities long afford ed by desktop PCs. Popular PC Cards incl[...]

49 English Installing memory Follow these steps to install memory: 1 Turn off the computer, unplug the AC adaptor (if connected) and rem ove 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,[...]

50 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[...]

51 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[...]

52 English Acer eRecovery Acer eRecovery is a tool to quickly backup and restore the system. You can create and save a backup of the current sy stem con figuration to hard drive, CD or DVD. Acer eRecovery consists of the following functions: 1 Create backup 2 Restore from backup 3 Create factory default image CD 4 Re-install bundled so ftware witho[...]

53 English Restore from backup You can restore backups previously created (as stated in the Create backup section) from hard drive, CD or DVD. 1 Boot to Windows XP. 2 Press <Alt> + <F10> to open the Acer eRecovery utility. 3 Enter the password to proceed. Th e default password is six zeros. 4 In the Acer eRecovery window, select Recover[...]

54 English 6 Select the desired driver/application and follow the in structions on screen to re-install. At first launch, Acer eRecovery prepares all the needed software and may take few seconds to bring up th e software content window. Change password Acer eRecovery and Acer disk-to-disk recovery are protected by a p assword that can be changed by[...]

55 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[...]

56 English If you still encounter problems after going thro ugh 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.[...]

57 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 efficien cy. 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 ru[...]

58 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[...]

59 English English Modem notices Notice for USA This equipment complies with Part 68 of the FCC rules. Located on the modem is a label that contains, among other info rmation, the FCC Registration Number and Ringer Equivalence Number (REN) for this equip ment. Upon request, you must provide this information to your telep hone company. If your telep[...]

60 English List of applicable countries EU member states as of May 2004 are: Belgium, Denmark, Germ any, Greece, Spain, France, Ireland, Italy, Luxemb ourg, the Netherlands, Austria, Portugal, Finland, Sweden, United Kingdom Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovak Rep ublic, Slovenia, Cyprus and Malta. Usage allowed in t[...]

61 English English 4 Some parameters required for comp liance with Telecom's Telepermit requirements are dependent on the equipm ent (PC) associated with this device. In order to operate within th e limits for compliance with Telecom's specifications, the associated equipment shall be set to ensure that automatic calls to different number[...]

62 English Important safety instructions Read these instructions carefully. Save them for future reference. 1 Follow all warnings and instruct ions marked on the product. 2 Unplug this product from the wall outlet before c leaning. Do not use liquid cleaners or aerosol cleaners. Use a water-moistened cloth for cleaning. 3 Do not use this produc t n[...]

63 English English e If the produc t has been drop ped or the case ha s been damage d. f If the product e xhibits a di stinct chan ge in perf ormance, in dicating a need for service. 12 The notebook PC series uses lithium batteries. Replace the battery with the same type as the product's battery we recommend in the product specificatio n list.[...]

64 English ADVARSEL: LASERSTRÅLING NAR DEKSEL ÅP NESSTIRR IKKE INN I STRÅLEN LCD pixel statement The LCD unit is prod uced with high-precision ma nufacturing techniqu es. Nevertheless, some pixels may occasion ally misfire or appear as black or red dots. This has no effect on the re corded image and do es not constitute a malfunction. Macrovisio[...]

65 English English European Union (EU) This device complies with the essentia l requirements of the Europ ean Council Directives listed below: 73/23/EEC Low Voltage Directive • EN 60950 89/336/EEC Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) Directive • EN 55022 • EN 55024 • EN 61000-3-2/-3 99/5/EC Radio & Telecommunica tions Terminal Equipment [...]

66 English The FCC RF safety requirement The radiated output power of the wire less LAN Mini PCI Card and Bl uetooth card is far below the FCC radio frequen cy exposure limits. Nevertheless, the notebook PC series shall be used in such a mann er that the potential for human contact during norm al operation is minimized as follo ws: 1 Users are requ[...]

67 English English 4 An improper installation or un authorized use may c ause harmful interference to radio communications. Also any tampering of the internal antenna will void the FCC certification and your warranty. Canada - Low power license-exempt radio communication devices (RSS-210) a Common information Operation is subject to the following t[...]

68 English Federal Communications Comission Declaration of Conformity 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 ac cept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation. T[...]

69 English English Declaration of Conf ormity for CE Marking Is in compliance with the essential requ irements 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 st andards possible, and all the necessary steps have been taken a[...]

70 English Index A AC adapter caring for iv audio 18 adjusting the volume 18 troublesh ooting 23 B battery pack caring for v BIOS utility 49 brightness hotkeys 15 C caps lock 13 on indicator 9 care AC adapter iv battery pack v computer iv CD-ROM ejecting 17 ejecting manually 23 troublesh ooting 23 cleaning computer v computer bringing to meetings 4[...]

71 English N network 46 Notebook Man ager hotkey 15 num lock 13 on indicator 9 numeric keypad embedded 13 P password 43 types 43 PC Card 48 ejecting 48 inserting 48 ports 45 printer troublesh ooting 23 problems 22 CD-ROM 23 display 22 keyboard 23 printer 23 startup 22 troublesh ooting 55 Q questions setting location for modem use 24 S safety CD or [...]