Acer TravelMate 370 series, User Manual

Page 1: ...TravelMate 370 series User s guide ...

Page 2: ...nce concerning your unit should include the serial number model number and purchase information No part of this publication may be reproduced stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic mechanical photocopy recording or otherwise without the prior written permission of Acer Incorporated Model number _________________________________ Serial number ____________...

Page 3: ...w acer com First off the Just for Starters poster helps you get started with setting up your computer This User s guide introduces you to the many ways your computer can help you be more productive This guide provides clear and concise information about the computer so read it thoroughly If you ever need to print out a copy this User s guide is also available in PDF Portable Document Format Follow...

Page 4: ...management functions See Windows help for more information Use the customized functions for power management You can also shut down the computer by closing the display cover or by pressing the sleep hot key Fn F4 See the online guide for details Note If you cannot power off the computer normally press and hold the power button for more than four seconds to shut down the computer If you turn off th...

Page 5: ... on top of it Carefully route the power cord and any cables away from personal traffic When unplugging the power cord do not pull on the cord itself but pull on the plug The total ampere ratings of the equipment plugged in should not exceed the ampere rating of the cord if you are using an extension cord Also the total current rating of all equipment plugged into a single wall outlet should not ex...

Page 6: ...er Use a soft cloth moistened with water Do not use liquid or aerosol cleaners To clean the display screen use an LCD cleaning kit If any of the following occurs The computer has been dropped or the body has been damaged Liquid has been spilled into the product The computer does not operate normally Please refer to Troubleshooting my computer on page 47 ...

Page 7: ...isk 24 IEEE 1394 Optical drive 24 Using software 25 Audio 26 Adjusting the volume 26 Power management 27 Moving around with your TravelMate 28 Disconnecting from the desktop 28 Moving around 28 Taking the computer home 29 Traveling with the computer 31 Traveling internationally with the computer 31 Securing your computer 33 Using a computer security lock 33 Using passwords 33 2 Customizing my comp...

Page 8: ... Troubleshooting my computer 47 Frequently asked questions 49 Troubleshooting tips 52 Error messages 53 Requesting service 54 International Travelers Warranty ITW 54 Before you call 54 Appendix A Specifications 57 Appendix B Notices 63 Index 73 ...

Page 9: ...1 Getting to know your TravelMate ...

Page 10: ...ter combines high performance versatility power management features and multimedia capabilities with a unique style and ergonomic design Work with unmatched productivity and reliability with your new power computing partner ...

Page 11: ...etting up your computer as illustrated in the Just for Starters poster let us show you around your new TravelMate computer Front open view Item Description 1 Display screen Also called LCD liquid crystal display displays computer output ...

Page 12: ... programs See Launch Keys on page 21 for more details 5 Palmrest Comfortable support area for your hands when you use the computer 6 Click buttons left center and right The left and right buttons function like the left and right mouse buttons the center button serves as a 4 way scroll button 7 Touchpad Touch sensitive pointing device which functions like a computer mouse 8 Keyboard Inputs data int...

Page 13: ...nfrared printer IR aware computer 2 Latch Latch for opening and closing the computer 3 3 in 1 card reader1 Reads cards from Memory Stick MultiMedia and Secure Digital cards Notes 1 Three in onecardreaderisamanufacturingoption subjectto configuration Only one card can operate at any given time ...

Page 14: ...rnet port Connects to an Ethernet 10 100 based network 3 DC in jack Connects the AC adapter 4 USB 2 0 port Connects to Universal Serial Bus devices e g USB mouse USB camera 5 IEEE 1394 port Connects to IEEE 1394 devices 6 Headphone Speaker Line out jack Connects to headphones or other line out audio devices speaker ...

Page 15: ...e g audio CD player stereo walkman and etc 8 PC Card slot Accepts one Type II 16 bit PC Card or 32 bit CardBus PC Card 9 Eject button Ejects the PC Card from the slot Item Description 1 HDD Houses the computer s hard disk 2 USB 2 0 ports Connects to Universal Serial Bus devices e g USB mouse USB camera Item Description ...

Page 16: ...y cool even after prolonged use 4 Security keylock Connects to a Kensington compatible computer security lock Item Description 1 External display port Connects to a display device e g external monitor LCD projector and displays up to 16 7 million colors with 1024x768 pixel resolution Item Description ...

Page 17: ...t The slot that houses the computer s main memory 2 Battery bay Houses the computer s battery pack 3 Battery release latch Unlatches the battery to remove the battery pack 4 Vantilation Slot Enables the computer to stay cool even after prolonged use ...

Page 18: ...GB with 2 slots High capacity Enhanced IDE hard disk Li ion main battery pack Power management system with ACPI Advanced Configuration Power Interface Display Thin Film Transistor TFT liquid crystal display LCD displaying 32 bit high color up to 1024 x 768 eXtended Graphics Array XGA resolution 3D graphics engine Simultaneous LCD and CRT display support Multimedia 16 bit high fidelity AC 97 stereo...

Page 19: ...ts IEEE 1394 port InviLink 802 11b or 802 11 a g wireless LAN manufacturing optional SD MMC MS memory slot manufacturing optional Human centric design and ergonomics Internet 4 way scroll button Sleek smooth and stylish design Ergonomically centered touchpad pointing device Expansion One Type II CardBus PC Card slot Upgradeable memory ...

Page 20: ...CD panel The Wireless Power and Sleep status indicators are visible even when the display is closed Icon Function Description Wireless Orange indicates that wireless LAN is enabled Power Lights green when the power is on and standby mode Sleep Lights when the computer enters Standby mode and blinks when it enters into or resumes from hibernation mode ...

Page 21: ...ts when the floppy drive hard disk or optical drive is active Battery Charge Lights when the battery is being charged Caps Lock Lights when Caps Lock is activated Num Lock Lights when Num Lock is activated Icon Function Description ...

Page 22: ...s Lock is on all alphabetic characters typed are in uppercase Num Lock Fn F11 When Num Lock is on the embedded keypad is in numeric mode The keys function as a calculator complete with the arithmetic operators and Use this mode when you need to do a lot of numeric data entry A better solution would be to connect an external keypad Scroll Lock Fn F12 When Scroll Lock is on the screen moves one line...

Page 23: ...ess Num lock on Num lock off Number keys on embedded keypad Type numbers in a normal manner Cursor control keys on embedded keypad Hold Shift while using cursor control keys Hold Fn while using cursor control keys Main keyboard keys Hold Fn while typing letters on embedded keypad Type the letters in a normal manner Note If an external keyboard or keypad is connected to the computer the Num Lock fe...

Page 24: ... Description Windows logo key Start button Combinations with this key perform shortcut functions Below are a few examples Tab Activates next taskbar button E Explores My Computer F Finds Document M Minimizes All Shift M Undoes Minimize All R Displays the Run dialog box Application key Opens a context menu same as a right click ...

Page 25: ...he other key s in the hot key combination Hot key Icon Function Description Fn F1 Hot key help Displays help on hot keys Fn F2 Setup Accesses the computer s configuration utility Fn F3 Power Management Scheme Toggle Switches the power management scheme used by the computer function available if supported by operating system See Power management on page 27 Fn F4 Sleep Puts the computer in Sleep mod...

Page 26: ...blank Turns the display screen backlight off to save power press any key to resume Fn F7 Touchpad Toggle Turns the internal touchpad on and off Fn F8 Speaker on off Turns the speaker on and off Fn Brightness up Increases the screen brightness Fn Brightness up Decreases the screen brightness Fn Volume up Increases the speaker volume Fn Volume down Decreases the speaker volume Hot key Icon Function ...

Page 27: ...Windows 2000 follow the steps below 1 Click on Start Settings Control Panel 2 Double click on Keyboard 3 Click on the Language tab 4 Verify that the keyboard layout used for En English United States is set to United States International If not select and click on Properties then select United States International and click on OK 5 Click on OK To verify the keyboard type in Windows XP follow the st...

Page 28: ...l and click on OK 5 Click on OK To type the Euro symbol 1 Locate the Euro symbol on your keyboard 2 Open a text editor or word processor 3 Hold Alt Gr and press the Euro symbol Note Some fonts and software do not support the Euro symbol Please refer to www microsoft com typography faq faq12 htm for more information ...

Page 29: ...erform special functions Launch key Default application 1 Wireless This button permits user Enabled Disabled Wireless LAN network 2 P1 User programmable 3 P2 User programmable 4 P3 User programmable 5 Web browser Launch Internet Explorer or user defined program 6 Mail Launch Outlook Express or user defined program ...

Page 30: ...ms teach you how to use the touchpad Move your finger across the touchpad to move the cursor Press the left 1 and right 3 buttons located on the edge of the touchpad to do selection and execution functions These two buttons are similar to the left and right buttons on a mouse Tapping on the touchpad produces similar results Use the 4 way scroll 2 button top bottom left and right to scroll a page u...

Page 31: ...B mouse you can press Fn F7 to disable the touchpad Function Left button Right button Center buttons Tap Execute Click twice quickly Tap twice at the same speed as double clicking a mouse button Select Click once Tap once Drag Click and hold then use finger to drag the cursor on the touchpad Tap twice at the same speed as double clicking a mouse button then hold finger to the touchpad on the secon...

Page 32: ...er to your storage needs This is where your programs and data are stored IEEE 1394 Optical drive Your computer comes equipped with an optical drive which may be one of the following CD ROM drive DVD ROM drive DVD CD RW drive DVD Dual drive Ejecting the IEEE 1394 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 i...

Page 33: ... times including the first time after which the last region code set will remain permanent Recovering your hard disk does not reset the number of times the region code has been set Refer to the table below for DVD movie region code information 2 The DVD movie will automatically play after a few seconds Note To change the region code insert a DVD movie of a different region into the DVD ROM drive P...

Page 34: ...omputer comes with 16 bit high fidelity AC 97 stereo audio and stereo speaker Adjusting the volume Adjusting the volume on the computer is as easy as pressing some buttons See Keyboard Hot keys on page 17 for more informations on adjusting the speaker volume ...

Page 35: ... to the serial and parallel ports and video memory If no activity is detected for a period of time called an inactivity timeout the computer stops some or all of these devices in order to conserve energy This computer employs a power management scheme that supports ACPI Advanced Configuration and Power Interface which allows for maximum power conservation and maximum performance at the same time W...

Page 36: ...d other external devices 7 Disconnect the Kensington lock if you are using one to secure the computer Moving around when you are just moving within short distances for example from your office desk to a meeting room Preparing the computer Before moving the computer close and latch the display cover to place it in Sleep mode You can now safely take the computer anywhere you go within the building T...

Page 37: ...ng is shorter than that you probably do not need to bring anything with you other than the computer What to bring to long meetings If your meeting will last longer than 2 5 hours with 4 cell battery pack or 4 5 hours with 6 cell battery pack or if your battery is not fully charged you may want to bring the AC adapter with you to plug in your computer in the meeting room If the meeting room does no...

Page 38: ...r an extended period of time and cannot bring the computer with you leave the computer in the trunk of the car to avoid exposing the computer to excessive heat Changes in temperature and humidity can cause condensation Allow the computer to return to room temperature and inspect the screen for condensation before turning on the computer If the temperature change is greater than 18 F 10 C allow the...

Page 39: ...k s Additional printer driver files if you plan to use another printer Special considerations In addition to the guidelines for taking the computer home follow these guidelines to protect your computer 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 the computer through a metal dete...

Page 40: ... Special considerations Follow the same special considerations as when traveling with the computer In addition these tips are useful when traveling internationally When traveling in another country check that the local AC voltage and the AC adapter power cord specifications are compatible If not purchase a power cord that is compatible with the local AC voltage Do not use converter kits sold for a...

Page 41: ... as a table or locked drawer handle Insert the lock into the notch and turn the key to secure the lock Some keyless models are also available Using passwords Passwords protect your computer from unauthorized access Setting these passwords creates several different levels of protection for your computer and data Supervisor Password prevents unauthorized entry into the BIOS Utility Once set you must...

Page 42: ...BIOS Utility at boot up Type the Supervisor Password and press Enter to access the BIOS Utility If you enter the password incorrectly a warning message appears Try again and press Enter When the User Password is set and the Password on boot parameter is enabled a prompt appears at boot up Type the User Password and press Enter to use the computer If you enter the password incorrectly a warning mes...

Page 43: ...2 Customizing my computer ...

Page 44: ... basics of your TravelMate computer let s get acquainted with the advanced features of your computer In this chapter you will learn how to add options upgrade components for better performance and customize your computer ...

Page 45: ... connect different external devices to the computer see your online guide for more details Fax data modem Your computer has a built in V 90 92 56Kbps AC 97 Link fax data modem Warning This modem port is not compatible with digital phone lines Plugging this modem into a digital phone line will damage the modem To use the fax data modem port connect a phone cable from the modem port to a telephone j...

Page 46: ...from the network jack on the left of the computer to a network jack or hub on your network Fast infrared The computer s fast infrared FIR port allows you to do wireless data transfer with other IR aware computers and peripherals such as PDAs personal digital assistants mobile phones and infrared printers The infrared port can transfer data at speeds of up to four megabits per second Mbps at a dist...

Page 47: ...iversal Serial Bus USB 2 0 port is a high speed serial bus which allows you to connect and daisy chain USB peripherals without taking up precious system resources Your computer has two ports available one on left and the other one on right ...

Page 48: ...cards that enhance the usability and expandability of the computer These cards should have a PC Card logo on them PC Cards formerly PCMCIA are add on cards for portable computers giving you expansion possibilities long afforded by desktop PCs Popular PC cards include flash fax data modem LAN wireless LAN and SCSI cards CardBus improves on the 16 bit PC card technology by expanding the bandwidth to...

Page 49: ...ble if necessary See your card manual for details Ejecting a PC Card Before ejecting a PC Card 1 Exit the application using the card 2 Left click on the PC Card icon on the taskbar and stop the card operation 3 Press the slot eject button to pop out the eject button a then press it again to eject the card b ...

Page 50: ...ed dealer if you decide to perform a key component upgrade Memory upgrade Memory is expandable to 2 GB employing 128 256 512 1024 MB industry standard soDIMMs Small Outline Dual Inline Memory Modules The computer supports DDR Double Data Rate SDRAM There are two memory slots on your computer one of which is occupied by standard memory You can upgrade memory by installing a memory module into the o...

Page 51: ...Remove the screws from the memory cover a then lift up and remove the memory cover b 3 Insert the memory module diagonally into the slot 1 then gently press it down 2 until it clicks into place 4 Replace the memory cover and secure it with the screw 5 Reinstall the battery pack and reconnect the AC adapter 6 Turn on the computer The computer automatically detects and reconfigures the total memory ...

Page 52: ... Notebook Manager allows you to set passwords the startup sequence of the drives and power management settings It also shows current hardware configurations To start the Notebook Manager press Fn F2 or follow these steps 1 Click on Start All Programs then Notebook Manager 2 Select the Notebook Manager application to run the program Click on Help for more information ...

Page 53: ...unch Manager to start the application BIOS Utility The BIOS Utility is a hardware configuration program built into your computer s BIOS basic input output system Your computer is already properly configured and optimized and you do not need to run this utility However if you encounter configuration problems you may need to run it To activate the BIOS Utility press F2 during the POST power on self ...

Page 54: ... up all data files before you use this option because your drive will be reformatted and all data will be erased Restoring process 1 Press F2 to enter BIOS setup during Power On Self Test POST while the TravelMate logo is being displayed 2 Select Advanced 3 Refer to the on screen instruction to set the Boot From D2D mode to Enabled and exit 4 Promptly press F10 to enter on screen instructions to c...

Page 55: ...3 Troubleshooting my computer ...

Page 56: ...ms Read it before calling a technician if a problem occurs Solutions to more serious problems require opening up the computer Do not attempt to open the computer by yourself Contact your dealer or an authorized service center for assistance Key link www acersupport com ...

Page 57: ... system diskette in the external USB floppy drive Remove or replace it with a system diskette and press Ctrl Alt Del to restart the system Nothing appears on the screen The computer s power management system automatically blanks the screen to save power Press any key to turn the display back on If pressing a key does not turn the display back on two things might be the cause The brightness level m...

Page 58: ...ones or external speaker are connected to the line out port on the computer s left panel the internal speaker automatically turn off I want to eject the optical drive tray without turning on the power I cannot eject the optical drive tray There is a mechanical eject button on the optical drive Simply insert the tip of a pen or paperclip and push to eject the tray The keyboard does not respond Try ...

Page 59: ...r cable is connected securely to the computer s parallel port and the corresponding port on the printer During POST press F2 to access the BIOS Utility and verify that the parallel port is enabled I want to set up my location to use the internal modem To properly use your communications software e g HyperTerminal you need to set up your location 1 Click on Start Settings Control Panel 2 Double cli...

Page 60: ...incorporates an advanced design that delivers onscreen error message reports to help you solve problems If the system reports an error message or an error symptom occurs see Error messages on page 53 If the problem cannot be resolved contact your dealer See Requesting service on page 54 ...

Page 61: ...r or an authorized service center Disk Boot Failure Insert a system bootable diskette into the floppy drive A then press Enter to reboot Equipment Configuration Error Press F2 during POST to enter the BIOS Utility then press Esc in the BIOS Utility to reboot Hard Disk 0 Error Contact your dealer or an authorized service center Hard Disk 0 Extended Type Error Contact your dealer or an authorized se...

Page 62: ...pecially when you travel to receive the benefits from our support centers Place your proof of purchase in the flap located inside the front cover of the ITW passport If the country you are traveling in does not have an Acer authorized ITW service site you can still get in contact with our offices worldwide Please consult www acersupport com Before you call Please have the following information ava...

Page 63: ...______________ Address ______________________________________ ______________________________________________ Telephone number ____________________________ Machine and model type _______________________ Serial number _________________________________ Date of purchase ______________________________ ...

Page 64: ...3 Troubleshooting my computer 56 English ...

Page 65: ...Appendix A Specifications ...

Page 66: ...This appendix lists the general specifications of your computer ...

Page 67: ...hanced IDE hard disk One 5 25 inch internal hot swappable optical drive Display and video Thin Film Transistor TFT liquid crystal display LCD displaying 32 bit true color up to 1024 x 768 eXtended Graphics Array XGA resolution Simultaneous LCD and CRT display support 3D graphics engine Audio 16 bit AC 97 stereo audio Built in speaker Keyboard and pointing device 84 85 88 key Windows keyboard Ergon...

Page 68: ...al monitor One speaker headphone out jack 3 5mm mini jack One microphone in jack One IEEE 1394 port Two USB 2 0 ports One FIR port IrDA Weight and dimensions 1 70 kg 3 7 lbs with 6 cell battery 1 55 kg 3 4 lbs with 4 cell battery 273 mm W x 231 mm D x 24 mm H Environment Temperature Operating 5 C 35 C Non operating 20 C 65 C Humidity non condensing Operating 20 80 RH Non operating 20 80 RH ...

Page 69: ...pid charge 3 0 hour charge in use 4 cell battery 26 64 Wh Li ion battery pack 1 5 hour rapid charge 2 5 hour charge in use AC adapter 65 Watt Auto sensing 90 264Vac 47 63Hz Options 128 MB 256 MB 512 MB 1GB memory upgrade modules Additional Li Ion battery pack Additional AC adapter USB Floppy drive CD ROM DVD ROM DVD CD RW combo or DVD Dual drive ...

Page 70: ...Appendix A Specifications 62 English ...

Page 71: ...Appendix B Notices ...

Page 72: ...This appendix lists the general notices of your computer ...

Page 73: ...and receiver Connect the device into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected Consult the dealer or an experienced radio television technician for help Notice Shielded cables All connections to other computing devices must be made using shielded cables to maintain compliance with FCC regulations Notice Peripheral devices Only peripherals input output devices te...

Page 74: ...u will be notified as soon as possible You will also be informed of your right to file a complaint with the FCC Your telephone company may make changes in its facilities equipment operations or procedures that could affect the proper functioning of your equipment If they do you will be notified in advance to give you an opportunity to maintain uninterrupted telephone service If this equipment shou...

Page 75: ...r company 7 Do not allow anything to rest on the power cord Do not locate this product where persons will walk on the cord 8 If an extension cord is used with this product make sure that the total ampere rating of the equipment plugged into the extension cord does not exceed the extension cord ampere rating Also make sure that the total rating of all products plugged into the wall outlet does not ...

Page 76: ...DE approved or its equivalent Maximum length is 15 feet 4 6 meters Laser compliance statement The CD or DVD drive used with this computer is a laser product The CD or DVD drive s classification label shown below is located on the drive CLASS 1 LASER PRODUCT CAUTION INVISIBLE LASER RADIATION WHEN OPEN AVOID EXPOSURE TO BEAM APPAREIL A LASER DE CLASSE 1 PRODUIT LASERATTENTION RADIATION DU FAISCEAU L...

Page 77: ...g skifte av batteri Benytt samme batteritype eller en tilsvarende type anbefalt av apparatfabrikanten Brukte batterier kasseres i henhold til fabrikantens instruksjoner VARNING Explosionsfara vid felaktigt batteribyte Anvãnd samma batterityp eller en ekvivalent typ som rekommenderas av apparattillverkaren Kassera anvãnt batteri enligt fabrikantens instruktion VAROITUS Päristo voi räjähtää jos se o...

Page 78: ...ess otherwise authorized by Macrovision Corporation Reverse engineering or disassembly is prohibited Apparatus Claims of U S Patent Nos 4 631 603 4 577 216 4 819 098 and 4 907 093 licensed for limited viewing uses only A Tick notice For safety reasons only connect headsets with a telecommunications compliance label This includes customer equipment previously labelled permitted or certified The uni...

Page 79: ...uency Radiation The radiated output power of the Wireless module is far below the FCC radio frequency exposure limits Nevertheless the Wireless module shall be used in such a manner that the potential for human contact during normal operation is minimized The transmitter and the antenna are permanently installed inside the notebook and are specific for this model not for generic computer The anten...

Page 80: ...llowing measures Reorient 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 FCC Caution To assure continued compliance any changes or modifications not expressly approved by the party re...

Page 81: ... performance 10 security 33 setting up a home office 30 taking home 29 traveling internationally 31 traveling on local trips 31 troubleshooting 48 turning off iv connections network 38 D display hotkeys 17 18 troubleshooting 49 DVD 25 DVD movies playing 25 E error messages 53 Euro 19 F FAQ See frequently asked questions frequently asked questions 49 front view 3 H hard disk 24 help online services...

Page 82: ...estions setting location for modem use 51 S safety CD ROM 68 FCC notice 65 general instructions 67 modem notices 66 scroll lock 14 on indicator 13 security keylock 33 passwords 33 service when to call vi speaker hotkey 18 troubleshooting 50 specifications 58 Standby mode hotkey 17 status indicators 12 storage 24 AcerMedia drive 24 hard disk 24 support information 54 T touchpad 22 hotkey 18 using 2...