Acer TravelMate 2490 - User Manual

viii Emergency calls Warning: You cannot make emergency calls through this device. To make an emergency call you shall dial out through your mobile phone or other telephone call system. Disposal instructions Do not throw this electronic device into the trash when discarding. To minimize pollution an...

ix ENERGY STAR is a government program (public/private partnership) that gives people the power to protect the environment in a cost effective way and without sacrificing quality or product features. Products that earn the ENERGY STAR prevent greenhouse gas emissions by meeting strict energy efficie...

xii First things first We would like to thank you for making an Acer notebook your choice for meeting your mobile computing needs. Your guides To help you use your Acer notebook, we have designed a set of guides: Basic care and tips for using your computer Turning your computer on and off To turn on...

xiii To turn the power off, do any of the following: • Use the Windows shutdown command Click on Start then click on Shut Down. • Use the power buttonYou can also shut down the computer by closing the display cover, or by pressing the sleep hotkey <Fn> + <F4>. Note: If you cannot power o...

xiv Taking care of your 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 accor...

Information for your safety and comfort iii Safety instructions iii Additional safety information vi Operating environment vi Medical devices vi Vehicles vii Potentially explosive environments vii Emergency calls viii Disposal instructions viii Tips and information for comfortable use ix First thing...

1 Em powe ring Tech nology Acer Empowering Technology The Empowering Technology toolbar makes it easy for you to access frequently used functions and manage your new Acer system. Displayed by default in the upper half of your screen, it provides access to the following utilities: • Acer eNet Managem...

2 Em po w eri ng Te ch no lo g y Acer eNet Management Acer eNet Management helps you quickly connect to both wired and wireless networks in a variety of locations. To access this utility, select "Acer eNet Management" from the Empowering Technology toolbar or run the program from the Acer Em...

4 Em po w eri ng Te ch no lo g y Acer ePower Management Acer ePower Management features a straightforward user interface for configuring your power management options. To access this utility, select "Acer ePower Management" from the Empowering Technology toolbar, run the program from the Ace...

6 Em po w eri ng Te ch no lo g y Acer ePresentation Management Acer ePresentation Management lets you project your computer's display to an external display device or projector using the hotkey: <Fn> + <F5>. If auto-detection hardware is implemented in the system and the external display...

7 Em powe ring Tech nology Acer eDataSecurity Management Acer eDataSecurity Management is an encryption utility that protects your files from being accessed by unauthorized persons. It is conveniently integrated with Windows Explorer as a shell extension for quick data encryption/decryption and also...

8 Em po w eri ng Te ch no lo g y Acer eLock Management Acer eLock Management is simple yet effective utility that allows you to lock removable storage, optical and floppy drive devices to ensure that data can't be stolen while your system is unattended. • Removable Storage Devices — includes USB dis...

10 Em po w eri ng Te ch no lo g y Acer eRecovery Management Note: Models shipped with Windows Vista ™ Starter Edition only support Acer eRecovery Management. Acer eRecovery Management is a versatile backup utility. It allows you to create full or incremental backups, burn the factory default image t...

12 Em po w eri ng Te ch no lo g y Acer eSettings Management Acer eSettings Management allows you to inspect hardware specifications, set BIOS passwords and modify boot options.Acer eSettings Management also: • Provides a simple graphical user interface for navigation. • Prints and saves hardware spe...

13 Em powe ring Tech nology Windows Mobility Center The Windows Mobility Center collects key mobile-related system settings in one easy-to-find place, so you can quickly configure your Acer system to fit the situation as you change locations, networks or activities. Settings include display brightne...

15 Eng lis h Your Acer notebook tour After setting up your computer as illustrated in the Just for Starters... poster, let us show you around your new Acer notebook. Front view # Item Description 1 Built-in camera 1.3 megapixel or 310,000 pixel web camera for video communication (for selected models...

16 English Closed front view 7 Microphone Internal microphone for sound recording. 8 Easy-launch buttons Buttons for launching frequently used programs. See "Easy-launch buttons" on page 28 for more details. 9 Status indicators Light-Emitting Diodes (LEDs) that light up to show the status of...

17 Eng lis h Left view 9 Headphones/speaker/line-out jack with S/PDIF support Connects to audio line-out devices (e.g., speakers, headphones) (for selected models). 10 Latch Locks and releases the lid. # Icon Item Description 1 Kensington lock slot Connects to a Kensington-compatible computer securi...

18 English Right view # Item Description 1 Optical drive Internal optical drive; accepts CDs or DVDs. 2 Optical disk access indicator Lights up when the optical drive is active. 3 Optical drive eject button Ejects the optical disk from the drive. 4 Emergency eject hole Ejects the optical drive tray ...

19 Eng lis h Rear view # Icon Item Description 1 Modem (RJ-11) port Connects to a phone line. 2 Two USB 2.0 ports Connect to USB 2.0 devices (e.g., USB mouse, USB camera). 3 DC-in jack Connects to an AC adapter. 4 S-video/TV-out (NTSC/PAL) port Connects to a television or display device with S-video...

20 English Base view # Item Description 1 Battery lock Locks the battery in position. 2 Battery bay Houses the computer's battery pack. 3 Hard disk bay Houses the computer's hard disk (secured with screws). 4 Acer DASP (Disk Anti-Shock Protection) Protects the hard disk drive from shocks and bumps. ...

21 Eng lis h Specifications Operating system • Windows Vista ™ Home Basic • Windows Vista ™ Home Premium • Windows Vista ™ Business • Windows Vista ™ Ultimate • Windows Vista ™ Starter Edition Platform TravelMate 4280/4230 Series • Intel ® Centrino ® Duo mobile technology, featuring: • Intel ® Core ...

27 Eng lis h Indicators The computer has eight easy-to-read status indicators, including five on the front panel. The power, battery and wireless communication status indicators are visible even when the LCD display is closed. 1. Charging: The light shows amber when the battery is charging. 2. Fully...

29 Eng lis h Touchpad The built-in touchpad is a pointing device that senses movement on its surface. This means the cursor responds as you move your finger across the surface of the touchpad. The central location on the palmrest provides optimum comfort and support. Touchpad basics The following it...

31 Eng lis h Using the keyboard The keyboard has full-sized keys and an embedded numeric keypad, separate cursor, lock, Windows, function 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 keypad functions li...

32 English Windows keys The keyboard has two keys that perform Windows-specific functions. Key Description Windows key Pressed alone, this key has the same effect as clicking on the Windows Start button; it launches the Start menu. It can also be used with other keys to provide a variety of function...

33 Eng lis h Hotkeys The computer employs hotkeys or key combinations to access most of the computer's controls like screen brightness, volume output and the BIOS utility.To activate hotkeys, press and hold the <Fn> key before pressing the other key in the hotkey combination. Note: On models s...

35 Eng lis h Special keys You can locate the Euro symbol and the US dollar sign at the upper-center and/or bottom-right of your keyboard. The Euro symbol 1 Open a text editor or word processor. 2 Either press < > at the bottom-right of the keyboard, or hold <Alt Gr> and then press the &l...

36 English Ejecting the optical (CD or DVD) drive tray Press the drive eject button to eject the optical drive tray when the computer is on. Insert a clip to the emergency eject hole to eject the optical drive tray when the computer is off. Using a computer security lock The notebook comes with a Ke...

37 Eng lis h Audio The computer comes with 32-bit Intel High-Definition audio, and built-in stereo speakers. Adjusting the volume Adjusting the volume on the computer is as easy as pressing some buttons. See "Hotkeys" on page 33 for more information on adjusting the speaker volume.

38 English Using the system utilities Acer GridVista (dual-display compatible) Note: This feature is only available on certain models.Models shipped with Windows Vista ™ Starter Edition do not support Acer GridVista. To enable the dual display feature of your notebook, first ensure that a second dis...

39 Eng lis h 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 window into the appropriate grid. 3 Enjoy the convenience of a well-organized desktop. Note: Please ensure that the resolution s...

40 English Norton Internet Security Norton Internet Security is an anti-virus utility that can protect against viruses, keeping your data safe and secure. How do I check for viruses? 1 Double-click the Norton Internet Security icon on the Windows desktop. 2 Select Tasks & Scans. 3 Select Run Sca...

41 Eng lis h 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 one. 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 powe...

44 English To start the recovery process:1 Restart the system. 2 While the Acer logo is showing, press <Alt> + <F10> at the same time to enter the recovery process. 3 Refer to the onscreen instructions to perform system recovery. Important! This feature occupies 10 GB in a hidden partiti...

45 Eng lish En glish Battery pack The computer uses a battery pack that gives you long use between charges. Battery pack characteristics The battery pack has the following characteristics:• Employs current battery technology standards. • Delivers a battery-low warning. The battery is recharged whene...

46 En gli sh Follow these steps again until the battery has been charged and discharged three times. Use this conditioning process for all new batteries, or if a battery hasn't been used for a long time. If the computer is to be stored for more than two weeks, you are advised to remove the battery p...

47 Eng lish En glish To remove a battery pack: 1 Slide the battery release latch to release the battery. 2 Pull the battery from the battery bay. Charging the battery To charge the battery, first make sure that it is correctly installed in the battery bay. Plug the AC adapter into the computer, and ...

49 Eng lis h Acer Arcade Deluxe (for selected models) Note: Acer Arcade Deluxe is available for systems with Windows Media Center. Acer Arcade Deluxe extends the capabilities of your Windows Media Center-equipped system with a set of Acer utilities designed to make it easy to manage your multimedia ...

51 Eng lis h Remote functions *TeleText regions only. # Item Description 1 Play Play selection 2 Record Record TV 3 Rewind Reverse playback or go to previous picture 4 Skip Backward Skip a section backward 5 Pause Pause playback 6 Recorded TV Display Recorded TV page 7 Guide Display the Guide 8 Navi...

52 English Starting Acer Arcade Deluxe You can run the Acer Arcade Deluxe utilities directly from Windows Media Center. To do this, scroll up/down from the Main page to view the Acer Arcade Deluxe utilities list and left/right to select a utility.To run the Acer Arcade Deluxe utilities outside of Wi...

53 Eng lis h Taking your notebook PC with you This section gives you tips and hints to consider when moving around or traveling with your computer. Disconnecting from the desktop Follow these steps to disconnect your computer from external accessories: 1 Save any open files. 2 Remove any media, flop...

54 English Note: If the Sleep indicator is off, the computer has entered Hibernation mode and is turned off. If the power indicator is off but the Sleep indicator is on, the computer has entered Sleep mode. In both cases, press and release the power button to turn the computer back on. Note that the...

55 Eng lis h Special considerations Follow these guidelines to protect your computer while traveling to and from work: • Minimize the effects of temperature changes by keeping the computer with you. • If you need to stop for an extended period of time and cannot carry the computer with you, leave th...

56 English 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...

57 Eng lis h 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 computer. Security features include hardware and software locks — a security notch and passwords. Using a computer security lock The notebook comes wit...

58 English Entering passwords When a password is set, a password prompt appears in the center of the display screen. • When the Supervisor Password is set, a prompt appears when you press <F2> to enter the BIOS utility at boot-up. • Type the Supervisor Password and press <Enter> to acces...

59 Eng lis h Expanding through options Your notebook PC offers you a complete mobile computing experience. Connectivity options Ports allow you to connect peripheral devices to your computer as you would with a desktop PC. For instructions on how to connect different external devices to the computer...

60 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 cable from the Ethernet (RJ-45) port on the chassis of the computer to a network jack or hub on your network. Fast Infrar...

62 English PC Card slot The Type II PC Card slot of the computer accepts PC 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 ...

63 Eng lis h ExpressCard The ExpressCard is the newest version of the PC Card. It is a smaller and faster interface that further enhances the usability and expandability of your computer. ExpressCards support a vast number of expansion options, including flash memory card adapters, TV-tuners, Blueto...

64 English Installing memory Follow these steps to install memory: 1 Turn off the computer, unplug 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 cover; then lift up and remove the memory cover. 3 (a) Ins...

65 Eng lis h Enable disk-to-disk recovery To enable disk-to-disk recovery (hard disk recovery), activate the BIOS utility, then select Main from the categories listed at the top of the screen. Find D2D Recovery at the bottom of the screen and use the <F5> and <F6> keys to set this value ...

66 English Note: To change the region code, insert 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 activity inv...

67 Eng lis h Acer eRecovery Management Acer eRecovery Management is a tool to quickly backup and restore the system. You can create and save a backup of the current system configuration to hard disk, CD or DVD. You can also backup/restore the factory default image, and reinstall applications and dri...

68 English Burn backup disc Using the Burn Disc page of Acer eRecovery Management, you can burn the factory default image, a user backup image, the current system configuration, or an application backup image to CD or DVD.1 Press <Alt> + <F10> or select Acer eRecovery Management from the...

69 Eng lish Eng lis h Troubleshooting This chapter shows you how to deal with common system problems. 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 yourself; contact your dealer or auth...

70 English Regulations and safety notices FCC notice This device has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installatio...

71 Eng lish Eng lis h and (2) this device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation. Notice: Canadian users This Class B digital apparatus complies with Canadian ICES-003. Remarque à l'intention des utilisateurs canadiens Cet appareil numérique ...

72 English 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 ...

73 Eng lish Eng lis h Notice for New Zealand 1 The grant of a Telepermit for any item of terminal equipment indicates only that Telecom has accepted that the item complies with minimum conditions for connection to its network. It indicates no endorsement of the product by Telecom, nor does it provid...

74 English 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 PRODUCTCAUTION: INVISIBLE LASER RADIATION WHEN OPEN. AVOID EXPOSURE TO BEAM.APPAREIL A LASER DE CLASSE ...

75 Eng lish Eng lis h Radio device regulatory notice Note: Below regulatory information is for models with wireless LAN and/or Bluetooth only. General This product complies with the radio frequency and safety standards of any country or region in which it has been approved for wireless use. Dependin...

77 Eng lish Eng lis h List of applicable countries EU member states as of May 2004 are: Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Spain, France, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Austria, Portugal, Finland, Sweden, United Kingdom Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic, Slova...

79 Eng lish Eng lis h 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 not cause harmful interference, and (2) This device must accept any interference received, in...

81 Eng lish Eng lis h LCD panel ergonomic specifications Design viewing distance 500 mm Design inclination angle 0.0° Design azimuth angle 90.0° Viewing direction range class Class IV Screen tilt angle 85.0° Design screen illuminance • Illuminance level: [250 + (250cos α )] lx where α = 85° • Color:...

82 English Index A AC adapter caring for xiii audio adjusting the volume 37troubleshooting 42 B battery pack battery-low warning 48caring for xivcharacteristics 45charging 47checking charge level 47installing 46low conditions 48maximizing life 45optimizing 47removing 47using the first time 45 BIOS u...