Acer Aspire 1710 series User’s Guide
Copyright © 2003 All Rights Reserved Acer Aspire 1710 Series Computer User's Guide Original Issue: December 2003 Changes may be made periodically to the information in this publication without obligation to notify any person of such revision or changes. Such changes will be incorporated in new editions of this manual or supplementary documents and publications.
vii vii vii Getting familiar with your computer 1 A tour of your computer Opened front view Closed Front view Left view Right view Rear view Bottom view Features Display Indicators Keyboard Special keys Keyboard ergonomics Touchpad Touchpad basics Launch keys Storage Ejecting the optical drive tray Emergency ejection of the optical drive tray Connectivity options Ethernet and LAN Fax/data modem Audio Audio DJ Securing your computer Security slot Passwords 3 3 5 5 6 7 8 9 10 12 13 15 15 19 20 20 22 23 23
English iv Peripherals and options 41 External display devices External keypad External pointing device Printer Expansion devices PC Card USB devices Miscellaneous options Installing New Components Opening The Case CPU upgrade Hard disk upgrade Memory upgrade 43 44 44 45 46 46 47 48 49 49 50 52 53 Moving with your computer 55 Disconnecting from the desktop Moving around Preparing the computer What to bring to short meetings What to bring to long meetings Taking the computer home Preparing the comput
73 Appendix B Notices 79 Index 89 English Appendix A Specifications English v
English vi
Your guides A set of guides is provided to help you set up and use your Aspire computer.: The Just for starters… poster shows you how to set up your computer. This User's Guide provides clear and concise information on using your computer productively. You are advised to read it thoroughly and keep it handy for future reference. For more information on our products, services, and support, please visit our web site www.global.acer.com.
English viii Note: if you are unable to shut down the computer in the usual way, press and hold the power switch for more than four seconds. You should then wait at least two seconds before turning the computer on again. Taking care of your computer Your computer will serve you well if you take care of it. • 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 temperatures below 0°C (32°F), or above 50°C (122°F).
It is also important that you look after your computer's battery pack. • Use the correct battery model for your computer. Do not use other kinds of batteries. • Turn the power off before removing or replacing the battery. • Do not tamper with the battery. Keep the battery away from children. • Dispose of batteries according to local regulations. Recycle if possible.
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Getting familiar with your computer
Getting familiar with your computer English 2 Your Aspire 1710 series computer combines solid performance, versatility, multimedia capabilities and portability with a stylish design. Increase your productivity by working wherever you are. This chapter provides an in-depth "tour" of your computer's features.
After setting up your new Aspire computer, as illustrated in the Just for starters… poster, take a few minutes to explore the unit. Opened front view # Item Description 1 Display Large liquid crystal display (LCD) provides visual output. 2 Power button Turns the computer on and off. 3 Keyboard Full-size keyboard for inputting typed data. 4 touchpad Touch sensitive pad that functions like a computer mouse.
English 4 Getting familiar with your computer # Item Description 5 Click buttons & scroll key Right and left buttons that provide the same functions as the buttons on a computer mouse. The scroll key scrolls the contents of a window up and down. 6 Audio DJ controls and indicator Button and indicators for the Audio DJ function. For more information, see “Audio” on page 27.. 7 Palm rest Provides a comfortable platform for your hands when typing on the keyboard.
5 English English Closed Front view # Item Description 1 Speakers Left and right speakers deliver stereo audio output 2 Wireless communication indicator Lights when the Wireless LAN capability is enabled. 3 Power indicator Lights when the computer is on.
English 6 Getting familiar with your computer Left view # Item Description 1 Optical drive Depending on your model, the optical drive is one of the following: • CD-ROM drive for reading CDs. • DVD-ROM drive for reading CDs and DVDs. • DVD/CD-RW combo drive for reading CDs and DVDs, and writing to CD-Rs and CD-RWs.. 2 Optical disc read indicator Light emitting diode (LED) that indicates when an optical disc is being read.
7 English English Right view # Item Description 1 Right Latch Locks and releases the lid.(One on the right and one on the left) 2 Speaker/Headphone-out jack Connects to audio line-out devices (e.g.,speakers, headphones). 3 Line-in/Mic-in jack Accepts audio line-in devices (e.g., audio CD player, stereo walkman). Selection is through the OS Windows mixer. 4 IEEE 1394 port Connects to an IEEE 1394 device. 5 IEEE 1394 port Connects to an IEEE 1394 device.
English 8 Getting familiar with your computer Rear view # Item Description 1 USB ports 2 ports for connecting USB 2.0 devices. 2 Modem jack Connects the built-in fax/data modem to a phone line. 3 S-video Connects to a television or display device with Svideo input. 4 External display port Connects an external (VGA) display devices monitor. 5 COM port Connects to other serial interface devices. 6 Network jack Connects to an Ethernet 10/100/1000-based network.
9 English English Bottom view # Item Description 1 Battery cover Protects the battery bay. 2 Sub-woofer Enhance the audio quality. 3 Ventilation slots Enables the computer to stay cool, even after prolonged use.
English 10 Getting familiar with your computer Features Performance • Intel® Pentium® 4 FSB 800 processor. • L2 cache 1MB. • Intel 865G with ICH-5, support 800MHz Front Side Bus , dual channel and HTT support • 80 GB or higher-capacity Desktop 5400rpm, 7200rpm HDD. • Microsoft® Windows® XP Home/Pro operating system. • Optional 6-in-1 Multimedia memory card reader module Multimedia • CD-ROM. • DVD-ROM. • DVD/CD-RW combo. • DVD Dual drive. • Audio input and output jacks.
Human-centric design and ergonomics All-in-one design (incorporating hard drive, optical drive and floppy disk drive). • Rugged and space saving. • Full-size Desktop keyboard. • No need to turn on the system for playing CD or MP3 • Large & comfortable palm rest area with well-positioned touchpad. Expansion • PC card slot enables a range of add-on options. • Upgradeable CPU, hard disk and memory modules.
English 12 Getting familiar with your computer Display The 17” display panel provides a large viewing area for maximum efficiency and ease-of-use. The liquid crystal display (LCD) supports SXGA resolution with16 million colors at 1280 x 1024 . Video performance Your Aspire 1710 series computer features an accelerated graphics port (AGP) video system with Intel 865G 8X, and nVIDIA NV-18M/NV-34M/NV-31M w/ 64MB or 128MB and NV-36M 8x AGP card as option.
Your computer provides an array of five indicators located above the keyboard, in addition to two indicators positioned at the top right hand corner of the LCD panel. These indicators show the status of the computer and its components. The five indicators located above the keyboard provide the following status information: # Description 1 Hard disk drive activity.
English 14 Getting familiar with your computer # Description 4 Num Lock active. (Note: the keypad lock must be turned on to use the embedded numeric keypad.) 5 Scroll Lock active. The two indicators located at the front of the unit provide the following status information: # Description 1 Power mode: Steady green the computer is on (even if the display is turned off). Steady orange the computer is in standby mode. Off the computer is turned off, or in hibernation mode.
The keyboard features full-size keys with an embedded keypad, separate cursor control keys, two Windows keys, and twelve function keys (hot keys). Special keys Lock keys The computer features three lock keys, each with its own status indicator light. Lock Key Description Caps Lock When Caps Lock is on, all alphabetic characters are typed in uppercase. Toggle on and off by pressing the Caps Lock key on the left side of the keyboard.
English 16 Getting familiar with your computer Windows keys The keyboard features two keys that provide 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 functions: + Tab activates the next Task bar button. +E opens the My Computer window. + F1 opens Help and Support. +F opens the Find: All Files dialog box.
Using the Fn key with another key creates a hot key, providing a quick and convenient method for controlling various functions. To use a hot key, first hold down the Fn key. Next, press the second key in the combination. Finally, release both keys.
English 18 Getting familiar with your computer HotKey Function Fn + F8 Speaker on/off Turns the speakers on and off Fn + F9 Audio DJ on/off Turns the Audio DJ function on and off within Windows. Fn + Brightness up Increases the screen brightness Fn + Brightness down Decrease the screen brightness Fn + Volume up Increase the volume Fn + Volume down Decrease the volume Fn + Pg Up Home Moves the cursor to the beginning of a sentence.
The wide palm rest area provides a comfortable platform for your hands when typing on the keyboard. The ergonomic design enables you to adopt a relaxed, yet very efficient, typing style.
English 20 Getting familiar with your computer Touchpad The built-in touchpad is a PS/2- compatible pointing device that senses movement on its surface. The cursor responds to your finger movements on the touchpad. In addition, the two click buttons provide the same functionality as a computer mouse, while the scroll key enables easy up and down scrolling in documents and web pages. The touchpad is located in the middle of the palm rest area, providing maximum comfort and efficiency.
• Right Button Function Left Button Execute Click twice quickly. Tap twice quickly. Select Click once. Tap once. Drag Click and hold. Then, slide your finger across the touchpad to drag the cursor over the selection. Tap twice quickly. On the second tap, slide your finger across the touchpad to drag the cursor over the selection. Access content menu Tap Click once. Note: keep your fingers, as well as the surface of the touchpad, clean and dry.
English 22 Getting familiar with your computer Launch keys Located at the top of the keyboard are five buttons. These buttons are called launch keys. They are designated as key 1,key 2,key 3,key 4 and key 5. By default, key 1 is used to launch wireless LAN, key 2 is used to launch the E-mail application and key 3 is used to launch the Internet browser. Keys 3 and 4 start the Launch Manager application. All five launch keys can be set by the user. To set the launch keys, run the Acer Launch Manager.
Your computer's all-in-one design offers a variety of data storage options: • The high capacity Enhanced-IDE hard disk drive. The hard drive is upgradeable, enabling you to increase your storage capacity in the future. Consult your dealer if you need to upgrade. • The high speed optical drive. Depending on your model, you have a CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, DVD/CDRW combo drive, or DVD dual drive. The optical drive provides increased storage capacity, as well as offering a host of multimedia possibilities.
24 Getting familiar with your computer English To load an optical disc: • Place a CD or DVD on the open tray. Align the disc's center hole with the tray's spindle. • Gently push down on the disc until it clicks in place on the spindle. • Gently push in the tray until it clicks closed. Emergency ejection of the optical drive tray If you need to eject the optical drive tray when the computer is turned off, push a straightened paper clip into the optical drive emergency eject hole.
Your computer has built-in connectivity options, enabling you to hook up to a network or communicate over a phone line. Ethernet and LAN The integrated network feature allows you to connect your computer to an Ethernet-based (10/100/1000Mbps) network. To use the network feature, plug an Ethernet cable into your computer's network jack, and then connect the other end to a network jack or hub on your network. See Windows Help for information on setting up a network connection.
English 26 Getting familiar with your computer Fax/data modem Your computer features a software modem(V.92 56Kbps), enabling you to communicate over a phone line. This means that you can connect to the Internet via a dialup account with an ISP, log in to your network from a remote location, or send faxes. Warning: your modem is not compatible with digital phone lines. Plugging the computer into a digital phone system will damage the modem.
Your computer includes an integrated stereo audio system. Built-in stereo speakers and a sub woofer are located at the front of the unit. Volume is adjusted using software, such as Volume Control in Windows, or any other application that provides a volume adjustment control. Two audio ports on the right side of the computer enable external devices to be connected. See “A tour of your computer” on page 3 for the location of the audio ports.
English 28 Getting familiar with your computer Audio DJ Audio DJ offers all the convenience of an audio CD / MP3 player, enabling you to play your favorite music CDs or “My MP3” folder from the HDD even when your computer is in power-off mode. Operate Audio DJ as follows: • Press “Play” button to turn on the audio function. • Press both “Volume Up” & “Volume Down” buttons at the same time to select the “My MP3” folder from HDD. • Press the Stop/Eject button, and then load a CD into the CD/DVD drive.
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English 30 Getting familiar with your computer Securing your computer Your computer features hardware and software security solutions, in the form of a slot for a Kensington lock and a password facility. Security slot A slot for a Kensington slot enables you to physically protect your computer from theft. Use this feature as follows: • Wrap a security lock cable around a heavy or immoveable object, such as a drawer handle on a file cabinet, or a table leg.
You can protect your computer from unauthorized access by setting Windows password protection. The user must enter the password before beginning a Windows session. • First, open User Accounts in Windows Control Panel and select your account. • Click Create a Password, and then set your desired password. • Click Performance and Maintenance, Power Options in Control Panel. • On the Advanced tab, select the option to prompt for a password when your computer resumes from stand by.
English 32 Getting familiar with your computer
Operating on battery power
Your Aspire 1710 series computer operates on battery or AC power. This chapter provides information for operating on battery power, as well as information on how your computer manages and saves power.
Your computer uses a re-chargeable 12-cell Li-ion 2.2Ah battery pack. Battery pack characteristics The battery pack has the following characteristics: • Employs current battery technology standards. • Delivers a battery-low warning. A Li-ion battery can be recharged at any time. The battery is recharged whenever you connect the computer to the mains power supply. Your computer supports charge-in-use, enabling you to recharge the battery while you continue to operate the computer.
36 English 6 Operating on battery power Reconnect the AC adapter and fully charge the battery again. 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 pack from the unit. Warning: do not expose battery packs to temperatures below 0°C (32°F) or above 60°C (140°F).
To install a battery pack: 1 Loosen the screws on the battery cover and remove it from the battery bay. 2 Align the battery to the battery bay and tighten the screws. To remove a battery pack: 1 Refer to “Opening The Case” on page 49. 2 Loosen the battery screws. 3 Pull the battery from the battery bay. English * Please refer to “Opening The Case” on page 49 before you proceed to next step.
English 38 Operating on battery power 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 connect to a mains power outlet. You can continue to operate your computer on AC power while your battery is charging. However, charging the battery with the computer turned off results in a significantly faster charge time. Note: you are advised to charge the battery before retiring for the day.
When using battery power pay attention to the Windows Power Meter. Warning: connect the AC adapter as soon as possible after the battery-low warning appears. Data will be lost if the battery to become fully depleted and the computer shuts down. When the battery-low warning appears, the recommended course of action depends on your situation: 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 mains power supply.
English 40 Operating on battery power Power management Your computer features a built-in power management unit that constantly monitors system activity. System activity refers to any activity involving one or more of the following devices: keyboard, touchpad/mouse, floppy disk drive, hard disk drive, optical drive, peripherals connected to the computer.
