Acer TravelMate X3, User Manual

Page 1: ...USER S MANUAL ...

Page 2: ...an log onto account acer com using your Acer ID and password to see and manage all your registered products Note It may take a few days for your information to be updated to the database Model number _________________________________ Serial number _________________________________ Date of purchase ______________________________ Place of purchase ______________________________ Important This manual...

Page 3: ... Manager 38 Fingerprint Registration 38 Face Login Settings 39 Data Protection 40 Data Removal 41 Securing your computer 42 Using a computer security lock 42 Using passwords 42 Entering passwords 43 BIOS utility 44 Boot sequence 44 Setting passwords 44 Power management 45 Saving power 45 Battery pack 47 Battery characteristics 47 Charging the battery 47 Optimizing battery life 48 Checking the batt...

Page 4: ...rmation 68 Troubleshooting 69 Troubleshooting tips 69 Error messages 69 Internet and online security 71 First steps on the net 71 Protecting your computer 71 Choose an Internet Service Provider 71 Network connections 73 Surf the Net 75 Security 75 ...

Page 5: ...g for your computer and your health Where to find the power button ports and connectors Tips and tricks for using the touchpad and keyboard How to create recovery backups Guidelines for connecting to a network and using Bluetooth Information on using Acer s bundled software ...

Page 6: ...a recovery expansion options and troubleshooting There are two ways to download the User s Manual You must first be connected to the internet 1 Open Acer ControlCenter from the desktop and select My System Summary and click User s Manual to download the User s Manual 2 Click on the link under Support 1 The link will open the Acer Service Support webpage 2 From this page you can download and instal...

Page 7: ...select Power Sleep Right click the Windows Start button Shut down or sign out Sleep Taking care of your computer Your computer will serve you well if you take care of it Only use the adapter provided with your device or an Acer approved adapter to power your device Do not expose the computer to direct sunlight Do not place it near sources of heat such as a radiator Do not expose the computer to te...

Page 8: ...s away from where people walk 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 exceed the fuse rating Cleaning and servicing When cleaning...

Page 9: ...ur computer as illustrated in the Setup Guide let us show you around your new Acer computer Screen view 1 2 Icon Item Description 1 Webcam Web camera for video communication A light next to the webcam indicates that the webcam is active 2 Screen Displays computer output ...

Page 10: ...sound recording 3 Touchpad Touch sensitive pointing device The touchpad and selection buttons form a single surface Press down firmly on the touchpad surface to perform a left click Press down firmly on the lower right corner to perform a right click 4 Fingerprint reader Fingerprint reader for Acer ProShield Security Suite configuration may vary by model 5 Power button Turns the computer on and of...

Page 11: ...es the computer s battery status Charging The light shows amber when the battery is charging Fully charged The light shows blue when in AC mode Power indicator Indicates the computer s power status USB 3 0 information USB 3 0 compatible ports are blue Compatible with USB 3 0 and earlier devices For optimal performance use USB 3 0 certified devices Defined by the USB 3 0 specification SuperSpeed US...

Page 12: ...ccepts one Secure Digital SD or SDHC card Only one card can operate at a time 2 Headset speaker jack Connects to audio devices e g speakers headphones or a headset with microphone 3 USB port Connects to USB devices 4 Kensington lock slot Connects to a Kensington compatible security lock ...

Page 13: ...ok tour 13 Base view 1 2 Icon Item Description 1 Battery reset pinhole Simulates removing and reinstalling the battery Insert a paperclip into the hole and press for four seconds 2 Speakers Deliver stereo audio output ...

Page 14: ...ock When Caps Lock is on all alphabetic characters typed are in uppercase Num Lock When Num Lock is on the 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 Scroll Lock Fn F12 When Scroll Lock is on the screen moves one line up or down when you press the up or down arrow keys respecti...

Page 15: ... Increases the screen brightness Fn Brightness down Decreases the screen brightness Fn Volume up Increases the sound volume Fn Volume down Decreases the sound volume Fn Home Play Pause Play or pause a selected media file Fn Pg Up Stop Stop playing the selected media file Fn Pg Dn Previous Return to the previous media file Fn End Next Jump to the next media file Hotkey Icon Function Description Key...

Page 16: ...u are using Touchpad gestures Single finger slide Slide a finger across the touchpad to move the cursor Single finger press or tap Press the touchpad down or lightly tap the touchpad with your finger to perform a click which will select or start an item Quickly repeat the tap to perform a double tap or double click Two finger press Lightly tap the touchpad with two fingers to perform a right click...

Page 17: ...le finger and thumb gesture Three finger press Lightly tap the touchpad with three fingers to open Cortana if your computer supports Cortana or open the Action Center if your computer does not support Cortana Three finger swipe Swipe across the touchpad with three fingers Swipe up to open Task View Move the cursor over a window and tap the touchpad to select that window or swipe downwards to exit ...

Page 18: ...l settings 3 Select Devices Mouse touchpad 4 Now you can adjust the settings to suit your personal needs You can change the primary button for left or right handed use turn the touchpad off if you prefer to use a mouse or set a delay to prevent ...

Page 19: ...Using the Precision Touchpad 19 the cursor from moving if you accidentally tap the touchpad with your palm while working Scroll down to see more settings ...

Page 20: ...kup Backup allows you to quickly and easily back up your operating system installed apps and data 1 From Start select All apps then Acer Select Acer Recovery Management in the list of Acer apps Note Acer ControlCenter is only available with a pre installed Windows operating system Important We recommend that you create a Factory Default Backup as soon as possible In certain situations a full recov...

Page 21: ...k Get Started for Create Factory Default Backup to open the Recovery Drive window 3 Make sure Backup system files to the recovery drive is selected and click Next 4 Plug in the USB drive and wait for the PC to detect the USB drive then click Next ...

Page 22: ...process until it completes 8 After creating the recovery backup you can choose to delete the recovery information on your computer If you delete this information you can only use the USB recovery backup to restore your computer if you lose or erase the USB drive you cannot restore your computer 9 Unplug the USB drive and label it clearly Important Write a unique descriptive label on the backup suc...

Page 23: ...p tab and click Get started for Backup wireless and LAN drivers Choose a folder to save your drivers and select OK Restoring your computer Recovery Management allows you to quickly and easily restore your computer back to its default status You can choose to keep your files or remove them before reinstalling Windows Reset this PC and keep my files 1 From Start select All apps then Acer Select Acer...

Page 24: ...gress on the screen The screen will turn off during the reset process 6 The screen will turn back on when it is installing Windows Your PC will restart several times during the reset process 7 Follow the process until it completes 8 When your PC has completed the reset process Windows will have been reset back to its factory default settings without removing your personal files Reset this PC and r...

Page 25: ...tory default This process will reinstall your operating system and remove all of your personal files apps and settings 4 Select Just remove my files if you are keeping your computer This will be quicker but less secure Files may still be recovered with a file recovery program Select Remove files and clean the drive if you are not keeping ...

Page 26: ...reen will turn back on when it is installing Windows Your PC will restart several times during the reset process 8 Follow the process until it completes 9 When your PC has completed the reset process Windows will use factory default settings Warning Selecting Remove files and clean the drive will remove all of your personal files and accounts along with pre existing drivers that may affect your Wi...

Page 27: ...computer s USB port if no internal Bluetooth adapter is available Enable Bluetooth and add a device Every new device must first be paired with your computer s Bluetooth adapter This means it must first be authenticated for security purposes You only need to pair once After that simply turning on the Bluetooth adapter of both devices will connect them Bluetooth on your computer is disabled by defau...

Page 28: ...ng the Notifications icon in the lower right hand corner of the screen to open the Notifications pane From here you can enable or disable Bluetooth or right click on Bluetooth Go to settings to enter the Bluetooth settings Note Some devices using older versions of the Bluetooth technology require both devices to enter a PIN In the case of one of the devices not having any inputs as in a headset th...

Page 29: ... wireless network Connecting to a wireless LAN A wireless LAN or WLAN is a wireless local area network which can link two or more computers without using wires Once connected to WLAN you can access the internet You can also share files other devices and even your internet connection itself Your computer s wireless connection is turned on by default and Windows will detect and display a list of ava...

Page 30: ...ction through the ISP of your choice Make a note of the wireless network s name and password if necessary If you are trying to connect to a public network such as at a coffeeshop make sure you have the wireless network s name 2 In the icon tray in the lower right hand corner of the screen select the Notifications icon to open the Notifications pane 3 Select All settings Note Please refer to your I...

Page 31: ...Connecting to the Internet 31 4 Select Network internet 5 You will see a list of available wireless networks Select the one you wish to use ...

Page 32: ...32 Connecting to the Internet 6 Once you select a wireless network select Connect 7 If required enter the network s password ...

Page 33: ...ifferent modes to fit your needs No Item Description 1 Low Reduction Reduces blue light emission from the LED backlit screen by 10 to 25 for basic protection 2 Medium Reduction Reduces blue light emission from the LED backlit screen by 26 to 45 to protect your eyes 3 High Reduction Reduces blue light emission from the LED backlit screen by 46 to 65 for maximum protection 4 Long Hour Mode Professio...

Page 34: ...Keeping your computer and data safe In this section you will find How to secure your computer Setting passwords What you need to prepare when you re traveling How to get the most out of your battery ...

Page 35: ... Password Fingerprint registration if your PC has a fingerprint scanner Face Login Backup and Restore Pre Boot Authentication Boot sequence and device security Data Protection Personal secure drive file and folder encryption Data Removal File shredder Information About this software Setting up Acer ProShield The first time you run Acer ProShield you will be led through a setup wizard that allows y...

Page 36: ... Drive Once you have set a password you can click Next to proceed to setting up a Personal Secure Drive or click Finish to exit the wizard Note Select a password that you will remember but is difficult to guess Do not use words that can be found in a dictionary It is advisable to use a combination of letters and numbers ...

Page 37: ...n of your hard disk where you can save files You can only get access to the PSD via password or fingerprint authentication Once setup is finished you can go to the ProShield Console to manage your computer or make changes to the settings Use the menu in the left hand pane to make changes ...

Page 38: ...s manage online account information and back up or restore credential information Fingerprint Registration only if your PC has a fingerprint scanner You can use a fingerprint scanner to secure your PC from unauthorized access Register two or more fingerprints that can then be used to access your PC during start up instead of your password Click Registration Tutorial for more information ...

Page 39: ...ecognition to access your PC instead of entering a password Select Face Login Settings then enter your password or swipe a finger if you are using Fingerprint Registration Position yourself so your face is in the center of the webcam image then select Capture ...

Page 40: ...ur face and select Log in to Windows with my face to activate Face Login Select Capture More to improve face recognition or select OK to finish Data Protection Here you can select files for encryption or decryption and manage your Personal Secure Drive ...

Page 41: ...be completely removed from the hard disk The File Shredder overwrites the data to make recovering the data impossible Warning Make sure you select only the information you want to shred Once you have shredded a file or folder it is impossible to recover the data ...

Page 42: ...authorized 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 enter this password to gain access to the BIOS utility See Setting passwords on page 44 User Password secures your computer against unauthorized use Combine the use of this password with password ...

Page 43: ...ge 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 message appears Try again and press Enter Important You have three chances to enter a password If you fail to enter the password correctly after three t...

Page 44: ...ayed Boot sequence To set the boot sequence in the BIOS utility activate the BIOS utility then select Boot from the categories listed on the left of the screen Setting passwords To set a password on boot activate the BIOS utility then select Security from the categories listed on the left of the screen Find Set Supervisor Password and enter a password to enable this feature Once you have entered a...

Page 45: ...ower Disable Fast startup Your computer uses Fast startup to start quickly but also uses a small amount of power to check for signals to start These checks will slowly drain your computer s battery If you prefer to reduce your computer s power requirements and environmental impact turn off Fast startup 1 Open the desktop 2 Click Power Options in the Notification area 3 Select More Power Options 4 ...

Page 46: ...46 Power management 5 Select Change settings that are currently unavailable 6 Scroll down and disable Turn on fast startup 7 Select Save changes ...

Page 47: ... adapter into the computer and connect to a mains power outlet Conditioning a new battery pack Before you use a battery pack for the first time there is a conditioning process that you should follow 1 Connect the AC adapter and fully charge the battery 2 Turn on the computer and complete setting up the operating system 3 Disconnect the AC adapter 4 Operate the computer using battery power 5 Reconn...

Page 48: ...fective life An embedded battery has a life span of more than 1 000 charge discharge cycles Optimizing battery life Optimizing battery life helps you get the most out of battery operation prolonging the charge recharge cycle and improving recharging efficiency You are advised to follow the suggestions set out below Use AC power whenever possible reserving battery for mobile use Remove accessories ...

Page 49: ...portant Connect the AC adapter as soon as possible after the battery low warning appears Data may be lost if the battery is allowed to become fully depleted and the computer shuts down Situation Recommended Action The AC adapter and a power outlet are available 1 Plug the AC adapter into the computer and then connect to the main power supply 2 Save all necessary files 3 Resume work Turn off the co...

Page 50: ...ternal monitor and 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 with...

Page 51: ... putting the computer in Sleep mode Press the Sleep hotkey or close the display cover whenever you are not actively using the computer Taking the computer home When you are moving from your office to your home or vice versa Preparing the computer After disconnecting the computer from your desktop follow these steps to prepare the computer for the trip home Check that you have removed all media and...

Page 52: ...s 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 10 C 18 F allow the computer to come to room temperature slowly If possible leave the computer for 30 minutes in an environment with a temperature between outside and room temperature S...

Page 53: ...dapter 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 d...

Page 54: ...velers Warranty passport 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 c...

Page 55: ...In this section you will find Information on the ports and connectors fitted to your computer Ports and connectors ...

Page 56: ...e devices to a single USB port Note Two USB standards are currently available on Acer computers USB 2 0 High speed USB and USB 3 0 SuperSpeed USB USB 2 0 ports on Acer computers have a black tongue in the port while USB 3 0 ports have a blue tongue For best performance USB 3 0 devices should always be plugged into USB 3 0 ports Consult your device s documentation to see which standard it supports ...

Page 57: ...epends on the contents of the card and ask you if you wish to use a program to access the contents of the card SD SDHC and SDXC cards Different types of SD cards cover different capacities while using the same overall design SD cards contain up to 4 GB SDHC cards contain up to 32 GB and SDXC cards can contain up to 2048 GB 2 TB Your computer provides an SDHC or SDXC compatible card reader Importan...

Page 58: ...n power to the monitor then the computer 6 Make sure that the current resolution and refresh rate do not exceed the specifications of the monitor If necessary change the display settings used by the computer Headphones and microphone These ports allow you to connect audio devices Use the headphone port to plug in stereo headphones or powered speakers Plugging an audio device to the headphone port ...

Page 59: ...y compatible digital audio video source such as your computer a set top box DVD player and audio video receiver to any compatible digital audio and or video monitor such as a digital television DTV with a single cable The single cable keeps everything neat and tidy while ensuring easy connection and the best audio and visual quality ...

Page 60: ...uestion In this section you will find Frequently asked questions Tips for using Windows 10 Troubleshooting information How to protect yourself while online Where to find Acer service center contact information ...

Page 61: ...plied to the computer check the following Do you have a USB storage device USB drive CD drive or smartphone plugged into your computer Unplug it 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 t...

Page 62: ...t and that it is turned on Make sure that the printer cable is connected securely to a USB port and the corresponding port on the printer I want to restore my computer to its original settings This recovery process helps you restore the C drive with the original software content that is installed when you purchased your computer Before performing a restore operation please check the BIOS settings ...

Page 63: ...o 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 visit www acer com Before you call Please have the following information available when you call Acer for online service and please be at your computer when you call With your support we can reduce the amount of time a call takes an...

Page 64: ... computer How do I turn off my computer Press the Windows key or select the Windows Start button and select the power icon Shut down You can also turn off the computer by right clicking the Windows Start button Shut down or sign out Shut down Can I turn off notifications You can turn off notifications so that you can leave your computer running but not be disturbed by notifications Press the Windo...

Page 65: ...se your Pictures folder will open by default Select Choose this folder to add the folder to the lock screen slideshow 4 Select a folder and select Remove to remove the folder from the lock screen slideshow 5 Change the other settings to suit your needs How do I move tiles Select a tile and drag it to the place on Start that you want it to appear Other tiles will be moved to accommodate the tile in...

Page 66: ...n act as an alarm clock Type Alarms to search for the Alarms Clock app 1 Select an alarm from the list or select the in the lower right corner to create a new alarm 2 Enter the Alarm name 3 Set the time by choosing the hour and minute 4 Select AM or PM 5 Choose which days the alarm should go off 6 Select the sound notification 7 Select the snooze time 8 Select the Save icon in the bottom right han...

Page 67: ...r How do I install apps You can download Windows Store apps from Store You will need to have a Microsoft ID to purchase and download apps from Store I can t find apps like Notepad and Paint Where are they Move your cursor to the lower left hand corner of the screen and select Search Type the name of the app you would like to open Alternatively open All apps and scroll to Windows Accessories to see...

Page 68: ...rosoft account and want to get one press the Windows key or select the Windows Start button Settings Accounts Sign in with a Microsoft account and follow the onscreen instructions How do I check for Windows updates Press the Windows key or select the Windows Start button Settings Update recovery Windows Update Select Advanced options to configure the settings Where can I get more information For m...

Page 69: ...ror messages If you receive an error message note the message and take the corrective action The following table lists the error messages in alphabetical order together with the recommended course of action Error messages Corrective action CMOS battery bad Contact your dealer or an authorized service center CMOS checksum error Contact your dealer or an authorized service center Disk boot failure I...

Page 70: ...ed service center for assistance Keyboard error or no keyboard connected Contact your dealer or an authorized service center Keyboard interface error Contact your dealer or an authorized service center Memory size mismatch Press F2 during POST to enter the BIOS utility then press Exit in the BIOS utility to reboot Error messages Corrective action ...

Page 71: ...e Provider ISP which supplies the connection between your computer and the internet You should research the ISPs available in your region not forgetting to talk to friends and family about their experiences or to check reviews and consumer reports The ISP you select will provide instructions on how to connect to the internet you may need additional software or a special box that connects to your p...

Page 72: ...es fast and always on internet service via a cable television line This service is generally available in large cities You can use your telephone and watch cable TV at the same time you are connected to the internet Cellular A cellular connection allows you to use cellular networks such as those used by a mobile phone to connect to the internet while away from home The socket for a SIM card may be...

Page 73: ...k Mobility Wireless LAN systems allow you and other users of your home network to share access to files and devices connected to the network for example a printer or scanner Also you can share an internet connection with other computers in your home Installation speed and simplicity Installing a wireless LAN system can be fast and easy and eliminates the need to pull cables through walls and ceili...

Page 74: ... Access point router 2 Desktop computer 3 Modem 4 Printer 5 Portable computer 6 PDA Smartphone 7 Network cables RJ45 Turning on off a wireless network connection Most computers feature a Wi Fi button that turns the network connection on or off If your computer has wireless access but does not feature a Communication button you may turn your wireless network on or off or control what is shared over...

Page 75: ...e latest information and downloads Security You are probably eager to explore everything the internet has to offer In order for you to be safe online Acer has pre installed McAfee Internet Security Suite on your computer McAfee Internet Security Suite runs quietly in the background to block today s complex threats and protect your identity when you shop bank or browse online McAfee Internet Securi...

Page 76: ...s posing a serious security risk What is malware Malicious software also known as malware is software designed to deliberately harm your computer For example viruses worms and Trojan horses are malicious software To help protect your computer against malware make sure it is using up to date antivirus and anti malware software What is a personal firewall A personal firewall is a software program de...

Page 77: ...p to date will not protect you from all attacks it makes it much more difficult for hackers to gain access to your system blocks many basic and automated attacks completely and might be enough to discourage less determined attackers so they will give up and look for a more vulnerable computer elsewhere More recent versions of Microsoft Windows and other popular software can be configured to downlo...

Page 78: ...rotection updates Make sure you Activate it Choose strong passwords and keep them safe Passwords are a fact of life on the internet today we use them for everything from ordering flowers and online banking to logging into our favorite airline web site to see how many miles we have accumulated The following tips can help make your online experiences secure Selecting a password that cannot be easily...

Page 79: ...nt open update your security or urge you to provide information immediately or else something bad will happen Don t take the bait Do not click on a link in an email unless you specifically asked for the email to be sent to you If you get an email asking you to click on a link to perform an action such as resetting your password and you didn t ask to reset your password type the website address int...

Page 80: ...here s no such thing as a free lunch still rings true today Supposedly free software such as screen savers or smileys secret investment tricks sure to make you untold fortunes and contests that you ve surprisingly won without entering are the enticing hooks used by companies to grab your attention While you may not directly pay for the software or service with money the free software or service yo...

Page 81: ...ndows Updates If you have an active internet connection Windows can check for important updates for your computer and install them automatically These updates include security patches and program updates that can improve your computing experience and help protect your computer against new viruses and attacks How do I know when my computer is at risk If the Action Center reports an alert or if your...