Aspire 5910G Series User's Guide
Copyright © 2007. Acer Incorporated. All Rights Reserved. Aspire 5910G Series User's Guide Original Issue: 05/2007 Changes may be made periodically to the information in this publication without obligation to notify any person of such revisions or changes. Such changes will be incorporated in new editions of this manual or supplementary documents and publications.
iii Information for your safety and comfort Safety instructions Read these instructions carefully. Keep this document for future reference. Follow all warnings and instructions marked on the product. Turning the product off before cleaning Unplug this product from the wall outlet before cleaning. Do not use liquid cleaners or aerosol cleaners. Use a damp cloth for cleaning.
iv Warnings • • • • • • Do not use this product near water. Do not place this product on an unstable cart, stand or table. If the product falls, it could be seriously damaged. Slots and openings are provided for ventilation to ensure reliable operation of the product and to protect it from overheating. These openings must not be blocked or covered. The openings should never be blocked by placing the product on a bed, sofa, rug or other similar surface.
v Note: The grounding pin also provides good protection from unexpected noise produced by other nearby electrical devices that may interfere with the performance of this product. • Use the product only with the supplied power supply cord set. If you need to replace the power cord set, make sure that the new power cord meets the following requirements: detachable type, UL listed/CSA certified, type SPT-2, rated 7 A 125 V minimum, VDE approved or its equivalent, 4.6 meters (15 feet) maximum length.
vi discharged hundreds of times, but it will eventually wear out. When the operation time becomes noticeably shorter than normal, buy a new battery. Use only Acer approved batteries, and recharge your battery only with Acer approved chargers designated for this device. Use the battery only for its intended purpose. Never use any charger or battery that is damaged. Do not short-circuit the battery.
vii Telephone line safety • • Disconnect all telephone lines from the equipment when not in use and/or before servicing. To avoid the remote risk of electric shock from lightning, do not connect the telephone line to this equipment during lightning or thunderstorms. Warning! For safety reasons, do not use non-compliant parts when adding or changing components. Consult your reseller for purchase options. Additional safety information Your device and its enhancements may contain small parts.
viii Pacemakers. Pacemaker manufacturers recommend that a minimum separation of 15.3 centimeters (6 inches) be maintained between wireless devices and a pacemaker to avoid potential interference with the pacemaker. These recommendations are consistent with the independent research by and recommendations of Wireless Technology Research. Persons with pacemakers should do the following: • Always keep the device more than 15.
ix 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 and ensure utmost protection of the global environment, please recycle. For more information on the Waste from Electrical and Electronics Equipment (WEEE) regulations, visit http://global.acer.
x 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 efficiency guidelines set by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the US Department of Energy (DOE).
xi Finding your comfort zone Find your comfort zone by adjusting the viewing angle of the monitor, using a footrest, or raising your sitting height to achieve maximum comfort.
xii Developing good work habits Develop the following work habits to make your computer use more relaxing and productive: • Take short breaks regularly and often. • • • Perform some stretching exercises. Breathe fresh air as often as possible. Exercise regularly and maintain a healthy body. Warning! We do not recommend using the computer on a couch or bed. If this is unavoidable, work for only short periods, take breaks regularly, and do some stretching exercises.
xiii 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: First off, the Just for Starters... poster helps you get started with setting up your computer. The printed User's Guide introduces you to the basic features and functions of your new computer.
xiv 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 button You can also put the computer in sleep mode by pressing the sleep hotkey + . 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 the computer and want to turn it on again, wait at least two seconds before powering up.
xv 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 according to local regulations. Recycle if possible. Cleaning and servicing When cleaning the computer, follow these steps: 1 Turn off the computer and remove the battery pack. 2 Disconnect the AC adapter.
iii Safety instructions Additional safety information Operating environment Medical devices Vehicles Potentially explosive environments Emergency calls Disposal instructions Tips and information for comfortable use iii vii vii vii viii viii ix ix x First things first xiii Your guides Basic care and tips for using your computer Turning your computer on and off Taking care of your computer Taking care of your AC adapter Taking care of your battery pack Cleaning and servicing xiii xiii xiii xiv xiv xv xv
Special keys Ejecting the optical (CD or DVD) drive tray Using a computer security lock Audio Adjusting the volume Using Dolby Home Theater for surround/multi-channel sound Set playback as digital output Using the system utilities Acer GridVista (dual-display compatible) Launch Manager Norton Internet Security Frequently asked questions Requesting service International Travelers Warranty (ITW) Before you call 32 33 33 34 34 35 35 37 37 38 39 40 43 43 43
1 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: Note: All of the following content is for general reference only. Actual product specifications may vary. • Acer eNet Management hooks up to location-based networks intelligently. • Acer ePower Management optimizes battery usage via customizable power plans.
Empowering Technology 2 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 Empowering Technology program group in Start menu. You can also set Acer eNet Management to start automatically when you boot up your PC.
3 Empowering Technology Acer eNet Management can save network settings for a location to a profile, and automatically switch to the appropriate profile when you move from one location to another. Settings stored include network connection settings (IP and DNS settings, wireless AP details, etc.), as well as default printer settings. Security and safety concerns mean that Acer eNet Management does not store username and password information.
Empowering Technology 4 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 Acer Empowering Technology program group in Start menu, or right-click the Windows power icon in the system tray and select "Acer ePower Management".
5 Click "Apply" to save your new settings. To delete a power plan: You cannot delete the power plan you are currently using. If you want to delete the active power plan, switch to another one first. 1 Select the power plan you wish to delete from the drop-down list. 2 Click the Delete Power Plan icon. Battery status For real-time battery life estimates based on current usage, refer to the panel in the upper half of the window. Click the sleep and hibernate modes.
Empowering Technology 6 Acer eAudio Management Acer eAudio Management allows you to easily control the enhanced sound effects of Dolby® Home Theater™ on your system. Select "Movie" or "Game" mode to experience the awesome realism of 5.1-channel surround sound from just 2 speakers, via Dolby Virtual Speaker technology. "Music" mode lets you enjoy your favorite tunes, in vivid detail..
7 Acer ePresentation Management lets you project your computer's display to an external display device or projector using the hotkey: + . If autodetection hardware is implemented in the system and the external display supports it, your system display will be automatically switched out when an external display is connected to the system. For projectors and external devices that are not auto-detected, launch Acer ePresentation Management to choose an appropriate display setting.
Empowering Technology 8 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 supports on-the-fly file encryption for Lotus Notes and Microsoft Outlook. The Acer eDataSecurity Management setup wizard will prompt you for a supervisor password and default encryption password.
9 Empowering Technology 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 disk drives, USB pen drives, USB flash drives, USB MP3 drives, USB memory card readers, IEEE 1394 disk drives, and any other removable storage devices that can be mounted as a file system when plugged into the system.
Empowering Technology 10
11 Acer eRecovery Management is a versatile backup utility. It allows you to create full or incremental backups, burn the factory default image to optical disc, and restore from previously created backups or reinstall applications and drivers. By default, user-created backups are stored to the D:\ drive.
Empowering Technology 12 For more information, please refer to "Acer eRecovery Management" on page 75 in the AcerSystem User's Guide. Note: If your computer did not come with a Recovery CD or System CD, please use Acer eRecovery Management's "System backup to optical disc" feature to burn a backup image to CD or DVD.
13 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 specifications. • Lets you set an asset tag for your system.
Empowering Technology 14 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 brightness, power plan, volume, wireless networking on/off, external display settings, display orientation and synchronization status.
15 After setting up your computer as illustrated in the Just for Starters... poster, let us show you around your new Acer notebook. Front view # ICON Item Description 1 Acer PureZone Internal microphones for sound recording. 2 Acer Crystal Eye Web camera for video communication.
English 16 # ICON Item Description 3 Display screen Also called Liquid-Crystal Display (LCD), displays computer output. 4 Power button Turns the computer on and off. 5 Speakers Left and right speakers deliver stereo audio output. 6 Easy-launch buttons Buttons for launching frequently used programs. See "Easy-launch buttons" on page 26 for more details. 7 Keyboard For entering data into your computer. 8 Palmrest Comfortable support area for your hands when you use the computer.
17 # Icon English Closed front view Item Description 1 Line-in jack Accepts audio line-in devices (e.g., audio CD player, stereo walkman). 2 Microphone-in jack Accepts input from external microphones. 3 Headphones/speaker/ line-out jack with S/PDIF support Connects to audio line-out devices (e.g., speakers, headphones). 4 Unlimited volume control wheel Adjust the volume of the audio-out.
English 18 Left view # Item Description 1 Kensington lock slot Connects to a Kensington-compatible computer security lock. 2 Ethernet (RJ-45) port Connects to an Ethernet 10/100/1000based network (for selected models). DVI-D port Connects to a display device with DVI-D input. 4 External display (VGA) port Connects to a display device (e.g., external monitor, LCD projector). 5 S-video/TV-out (NTSC/PAL) port Connects to a television or display device with S-video input. 6 2 USB 2.
19 English Right view # Item Description 1 Optical drive Internal optical drive; accepts CDs or DVDs (slot-load or tray-load depending on model). 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 when the computer is turned off. 5 2 USB 2.0 ports Connect to USB 2.0 devices (e.g., USB mouse, USB camera).
English 20 Base view # Icon Item Description 1 Battery bay Houses the computer's battery pack. 2 Battery release latch Releases the battery for removal. 3 Battery lock Locks the battery in position. 4 Memory compartment Houses the computer's main memory. 5 Sub woofer Emits low frequency sound output. 6 Hard disk bay Houses the computer's hard disk (secured with screws). 7 Ventilation slots and cooling fan Enable the computer to stay cool, even after prolonged use.
21 Operating system • Platform • • • Windows Vista™ Ultimate Windows Vista™ Home Premium Windows Vista™ Home Basic Intel® Centrino® Duo mobile processor technology, featuring: • Intel® Core™2 Duo Mobile Processor T7200/T7400/ T7600 (4 MB L2 cache, 2/2.16/2.33 GHz, 667 MHz FSB), T5500/T5600 (2 MB L2 cache, 1.66/1.83 GHz, 667 MHz FSB), or higher, supporting Intel® 64 architecture • Mobile Intel® PM945 Express Chipset • Intel® PRO/Wireless 3945ABG (dual-band tri-mode 802.
English 22 Storage subsystem • 80/120/160 GB (or larger) Serial ATA hard disk drives • Optical drive options: • DVD-Super Multi double-layer drive • DVD/CD-RW combo drive • 5-in-1 card reader, supporting Secure Digital (SD), MultiMediaCard (MMC), Memory Stick® (MS), Memory Stick PRO™ (MS PRO), xD-Picture Card™ (xD) Audio • Dolby®-certified surround sound system with two builtin stereo speakers and one subwoofer supporting lowfrequency effects • Dolby® Home Theater audio enhancement featuring Dolb
23 Special keys and controls ACPI 3.0 CPU power management standard: supports Standby and Hibernation power-saving modes • • 71 W 4800 mAh Li-ion battery pack (8-cell) • Acer QuicCharge™ technology: 44 W 4000 mAh Li-ion battery pack (6-cell) • 80% charge in 1 hour • 2-hour rapid charge system-off • 3-hour charge-in-use • • 3-pin 90 W AC adapter 88-/89-/93-key keyboard, with inverted "T" cursor layout; 2.
English 24 Options and accessories Software • Acer Xpress VoIP phone featuring Acer Video Conference Manager • • • • • 512 MB, 1 or 2GB DDR2 667 MHz soDIMM modules • • Acer Arcade™ • • • • • • • • • • Environment System compliance Warranty • 8-cell Li-ion battery pack 3-pin 90 W AC adapter External USB floppy disk drive Acer Empowering Technology (Acer eNet, ePower, eAudio , ePresentation, eDataSecurity, eLock, eRecovery, eSettings Management) Acer Arcade Deluxe™ featuring DV Wizard, VideoMagi
25 The computer has serveral easy-to-read status indicators. The front panel indicators are visible even when the computer cover is closed up. Icon Function Description Power Indicates the computer's power status. Battery Indicates the computer's batttery status. HDD Indicates when the hard disk drive is active. Num Lock Lights up when Num Lock is activated. Caps Lock Lights up when Caps Lock is activated. 1. Charging: The light shows amber when the battery is charging. 2.
English 26 Easy-launch buttons Located beside the keyboard are application buttons. These buttons are called easy-launch buttons. They are: Empowering Key, WLAN, Internet, email, Bluetooth, and Acer Arcade. Press to run the Acer Empowering Technology. Please see "Acer Empowering Technology" on page 1. The mail and Web browser buttons are pre-set to email and Internet programs, but can be reset by users. To set the Web browser, mail and programmable buttons, run the Acer Launch Manager.
27 The built-in seamless 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 items show you how to use the touchpad: • Move your finger across the touchpad (2) to move the cursor.
English 28 • Press the left (1) and right (4) buttons located beneath the touchpad to perform selection and execution functions. These two buttons are similar to the left and right buttons on a mouse. Tapping on the touchpad is the same as clicking the left button. • Use the 4-way scroll (3) button to scroll up or down and move left or right a page. This button mimics your cursor pressing on the right scroll bar of Windows applications.
29 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. Lock key Description Caps Lock When Caps Lock is on, all alphabetic characters typed are in uppercase. Num Lock + When Num Lock is on, the embedded keypad is in numeric mode.
English 30 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.
31 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 key before pressing the other key in the hotkey combination. Hotkey Function Description + Icon Hotkey help Displays help on hotkeys. + Acer eSettings Launches Acer eSettings in Acer Empowering Technology. See "Acer Empowering Technology" on page 1.
English 32 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 and then press the <5> key at the upper-center of the keyboard. Note: Some fonts and software do not support the Euro symbol. Please refer to www.microsoft.com/typography/faq/faq12.htm for more information.
33 Press the drive eject button to eject the optical drive tray when the computer is on. Insert a paper 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 Kensington-compatible security slot for a security lock. Wrap the computer security lock cable around an immovable object such as a table or handle of a locked drawer. Insert the lock into the notch and turn the key to secure the lock.
English 34 Audio The computer comes with 32-bit Intel High-Definition audio, and Dolby® certified surround sound system with two built-in stereo speakers and one subwoofer supporting low-frequency effects enhancement. Adjusting the volume Adjusting the volume on the computer is as easy as scrolling unlimited volume control wheel on the front panel.
35 Your Acer notebook comes with the Dolby® Home Theater audio enhancement featuring Dolby® PRO LOGIC II, Dolby® Digital Live, Dolby® Headphone, Dolby® Virtual Speaker technologies to give you high-quality digital surround sound for enjoying movies, games and music in a realistic, multi-channel audio environment. Dolby Pro Logic II Dolby Pro Logic II transforms any stereo signal into five-channel, full-range surround sound.
English 36 The Playback Devices dialog box will pop up. There are three tabs: Playback, Recording and Sounds. Click the Playback tab, and then select Realtek Digital Output and click Set Default to set the digital output. For enjoying movies, games and music in a realistic, multi-channel audio environment, please see "Acer eAudio Management" on page 6.
37 English Using the system utilities Acer GridVista (dual-display compatible) Note: This feature is only available on certain models. To enable the dual display feature of your notebook, first ensure that a second display is connected, then, open the Display Settings properties box using the Control Panel or by right-clicking the Windows desktop and selecting Personalize. Select the secondary monitor (2) icon in the display box and then click the check box Extend the desktop onto this monitor.
English 38 1 2 3 Run Acer GridVista and select your preferred screen configuration for each display from the taskbar. Drag and drop each window into the appropriate grid. Enjoy the convenience of a well-organized desktop. Note: Please ensure that the resolution setting of your second monitor is set to the manufacturer's recommended value. Launch Manager Launch Manager allows you to set the four easy-launch buttons located above the keyboard.
39 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 Scan to scan your system. 4 When the scan is complete, review the results of the scan. Note: For optimal security, run a Full System Scan when scanning your computer for the first time.
English 40 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 power is being supplied to the computer. Check the following: • If you are using on the battery, it may be low and unable to power the computer. Connect the AC adapter to recharge the battery pack.
41 • If headphones, earphones or external speakers are connected to the lineout port on the computer, the internal speakers automatically turn off. I want to eject the optical drive tray without turning on the power. There is a mechanical eject hole on the optical drive. Simply insert the tip of a pen or paperclip into the hole and push to eject the tray. (If your computer's optical drive is a slot-load model, it will not have an eject hole.) The keyboard does not respond.
English 42 I want to restore my computer to its original settings without recovery CDs. Note: If your system is the multilingual version, the operating system and language you choose when you first turn on the system will be the only option for future recovery operations. This recovery process helps you restore the C: drive with the original software content that is installed when you purchase your notebook. Follow the steps below to rebuild your C: drive.
43 International Travelers Warranty (ITW) Your computer is backed by an International Travelers Warranty (ITW) that gives you security and peace of mind when traveling. Our worldwide network of service centers are there to give you a helping hand. An ITW passport comes with your computer. This passport contains all you need to know about the ITW program. A list of available, authorized service centers is in this handy booklet. Read this passport thoroughly.
