Copyright Acer and the Acer logo are registered trademarks and Aspire is a trademark of Acer Inc. and Acer America Corporation. Microsoft Windows and the Windows Logo are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. Intel and Pentium are registered trademarks of Intel Corp. All other brands/product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies. © 2002 by Acer Incorporated. All rights reserved.
iii Table of Contents Welcome Major Benefits Before You Start Safety Instructions Setting Up The System Placement Tips System Overview Computer Front View Computer Rear View System Components System Components The Mouse The Keyboard The Speakers The Monitor Audio DJ CD Storage Unit 3-in-1 Flash Card Readers TV Tuner (Optional) Upgrading Your System Opening The Case Installing New Components Questions & Troubleshooting General System Problems Cordless Keyboard/Mouse Problems v v vi vi vii vii 1 1
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v Congratulations on purchasing your new Aspire computer! You now have the convenience and flexibility of a full-featured multimedia PC, offering increased productivity combined with first class digital entertainment. Incorporating the latest Microsoft® Windows® XP operating system, your Aspire offers a host of functions designed to improve your computing experience.
English vi Before You Start To ensure that you can use your computer safely and correctly, please read this user guide carefully before you start. For future reference, keep this user guide handy at all times. Safety Instructions • Follow all warnings and instructions marked on your computer. • Do not attempt to service your computer yourself. Refer servicing to qualified personnel. • Unplug your computer and monitor from the wall outlet before cleaning or before opening the case.
vii that to which the radio or television is connected. Consult your dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for more help. Setting Up The System It only takes a few minutes to set up your new Aspire system. Start by preparing your workspace. Make sure that the surface is stable, level and clean. Open the box carefully, ensuring that you do not damage the box or any of the other packing materials. The box will be required if you ever have to store or ship your computer.
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1 Take a few moments to study your new Aspire computer system. Learn the locations of the buttons, ports and other hardware features.
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4 English Aspire G500
5 • Monitor - refer to page 12 • Keyboard - refer to page 8 • Mouse - refer to page 6 • Speakers - refer to page 11 English System Components
English 6 System Components Your Aspire computer system is made up of several components. These include the computer itself, the monitor, keyboard, mouse and speakers. This section provides a brief description of the main component features. The Mouse The pointing device included in your Aspire computer system is an optical mouse. Unlike a traditional mouse that requires the use of a mouse pad for its ball system to work effectively, an optical mouse can be used on almost any surface.
7 Corded Mouse Cordless Mouse A cordless mouse provides the freedom to change your work position without having to cope with an obstructed or tangled cord. If your Aspire computer system includes a cordless mouse, you must allow the mouse and computer to establish radio communication. Before using your cordless mouse for the first time, make sure that the batteries are correctly installed.
English 8 step 1: Press the connect button on the front of the computer. step 2: Press the connect button on the mouse. connect button Note: When your cordless mouse is running out of batteries, a pop-up window will remind you to recharge it. The Keyboard Your Aspire computer system features a multimedia keyboard, providing one-touch control for the most important multimedia functions, as well as instant access to your favorite websites.
9 1 2 3 No. Description 1 Suspend 2 Multimedia control 3 Programmable Keys The programmable hot keys can be set to open any website or any application on your computer. When you purchase your Aspire, the hot keys will have the following default settings: Home - opens your Internet home page. Email - launches the email application. Go - opens an application or website of your choice. Search - opens the Internet search engine.
English 10 If your Aspire computer system includes a corded keyboard, you should connect the cord to the PS/2 keyboard port at the back of the computer before starting Windows. See the OOBE poster for guidance... Cordless Keyboard A cordless keyboard allows greater freedom of movement. This means you can easily reposition your keyboard to suit your changing workspace arrangement.
11 on the front of the computer. step 2: Press the connect button on the keyboard. Note: When your cordless keyboard is running out of batteries, a pop-up window will remind you to recharge it. The Speakers Your Aspire computer system comes with a set of speakers designed to maximize your enjoyment of audio CDs and exciting new multimedia. Plug your speakers into the speaker-out port at the back of your computer.
English 12 to the OOBE poster for more guidance with connecting the speakers. For more information on using your speakers, refer to the included manual. The Monitor Your Aspire computer system includes a monitor designed to provide high quality visual images. The size and type of monitor included in your system depends on the system model you purchased. Plug your monitor into the VGA port at the back of your computer.
13 English guidance with connecting the monitor. For more information on using your monitor, refer to the included manual..
English 14 Audio DJ Audio DJ offers all the convenience of an audio CD player, enabling you to play your favorite music CDs even when your computer is in power-off mode. Operate Audio DJ as follows: • Press any of the six buttons to turn the unit on. If a CD is already loaded, the number of tracks will be displayed on the display panel. • Press the Stop/Eject button, and then load a CD into the CD/DVD drive. Push the drawer to close it. • Press the Play/Pause button to start playing the CD.
15 Your Aspire computer provides a useful CD storage unit, allowing you to keep your most frequently used CDs handy for quick loading. • Open and close the unit by gently sliding the cover on its tracks. • Stack your CDs (without their jewel cases) on the spindle. Do not exceed the height of the spindle. 3-in-1 Flash Card Readers The front port bay provides two 3-in-1 Flash Card readers, greatly enhancing the functionality of your Aspire computer.
16 English SD Card SD (Secure Digital) Card provides secure storage for handheld devices such as cell phones and PDAs. It has the same form factor as the Multimedia Card, but is slightly thicker (2.1mm). Although its encryption capability supports security and content protection applications, its fast data transfer rate (10Mbytes/sec) has made it ideally suited for regular flash memory storage. Using Flash Cards • To load a Flash Card, simply push the card into one of the two slots.
17 Some models include a TV Tuner card, located in one of the PCI card slots at the back of the computer. The TV Tuner enables you to connect a standard television cable to your computer, allowing you to receive a television signal. The included PowerVCR software allows you to watch TV and record programs, with the added benefit of time-shifting playback. PowerVCR can accept an analogue or cable TV signal.
English 18 period after which recording will stop automatically. After recording, the playlist will appear, allowing you to save the file. To schedule recording for a time when you will be away from the computer, switch to the Recording Scheduler mode. The scheduling wizard will appear, guiding you through the selection of settings required to set up the scheduler.
19 You can quickly and easily expand your Aspire computer system by adding additional components. Alternatively, you can upgrade existing components to provide enhanced performance. Opening The Case Before you open the case, turn your computer off and unplug the power cord from the wall outlet. • Remove the plastic footing base. • Remove the retaining screws to release the cover panel.
20 English • Slide the cover panel off.
21 Make sure you only use components that are compatible with your Aspire computer. Consult your dealer about the suitability of new components before you purchase them. To ensure correct installation, refer to the documentation that comes with your new components before you start to add or replace components.Possible upgrade options include the following: • Replace the HDD with a higher capacity model, or add a second HDD. • Install additional memory.
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23 This section attempts to answer some frequently asked questions regarding your Aspire computer system, as well as offering tips for troubleshooting problems. General System Problems Refer to the online help file for additional information about your Aspire computer system. Also, see the iTouch configuration for help with setting up and using the keyboard, and the mouse configuration for help with using the mouse.
24 English Q: My floppy drive (FDD) is unable to read my diskette? A: First, eject the disk, and then reinsert it before trying to read it again. If you are still unable to read the diskette, check that it is a disk drive problem by inserting and attempting to read other diskettes. You might have a defective diskette, or your diskette might need formatting. If you believe that there is a problem with the drive, take your computer in for servicing. Q: My system freezes.
25 Cordless Keyboard/Mouse Problems Q: What type of batteries should I use? A: Use only alkaline batteries, regardless of brand. Q: What kind of battery life can I expect? A: The battery life depends on the type of device and the amount of use. For the cordless optical mouse, you should expect to replace the batteries about every two months. For the cordless keyboard, a set of batteries should last about six months.
English 26 A: First, establish radio communication by pressing the connect button on the front of the computer, and then pressing the connect button on your mouse. Next, check the quality of the batteries. With healthy batteries you should be able to use your cordless mouse and keyboard at least 1 meter/4 feet from the receiver. If the problem persists after replacing the batteries, you can assume that there is an environmental problem.
27 Finally, press and hold the connect button on the front of the computer for ten seconds to reset the connection information. You should then press the connect button on your mouse to re-establish radio communication. Perform these same steps on any other cordless devices in the area that are experiencing cross talk. Q: When I type on my cordless keyboard, the text is displayed on another system that is using a cordless keyboard.
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