Acer a-550 Series

This chapter instructs you on 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 and service the computer

by yourself. Contact your dealer or an

authorized service center for assistance.

TMa550.book Page 76 Wednesday, October 3, 2001 10:57 AM

Contents

Main All trademarks and registered trademarks are the properties of their respective companies. First things first 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 Page Contents 1 Getting familiar with your computer 1 2 Operating on battery power 29 3 Peripherals and options 37 4 Moving with your computer 51 Page Page Page Page Page Page Left view Right view Rear view Bottom view Features Performance Multimedia Connectivity Human-centric design and ergonomics Page Display Video performance Simultaneous display Indicators Page Page Keyboard Special keys Lock keys The keyboard has four lock keys which you can toggle on and off. Embedded keypad Windows keys The keyboard has two keys that perform Windows-specific functions. Hotkeys Page Touchpad Touchpad basics = Launch keys To configure the launch keys and the applications they launch, see Easy Button on page 62. Storage Connectivity options Ethernet and LAN Fax/data modem Audio Adjusting the volume Using the Audio DJ feature Securing your computer Security notch Passwords Page Page Page Battery pack Battery pack characteristics Using a battery pack for the first time Installing and removing the battery pack Page Charging the battery Charging modes Checking the battery level Using the Windows battery meter Optimizing battery life Battery-low warning Page Power management Page Page External display devices External monitor External display with s-video input Using simultaneous display External input devices External keyboard External keypad External pointing device Printer Page Expansion devices PC Card slots Inserting a card Ejecting a card USB Disconnecting USB devices IEEE 1394 Disconnecting IEEE 1394 devices Miscellaneous options Key component upgrades Memory upgrade Installing memory Page Page Page Page Page Disconnecting from the desktop Moving around What to bring to short meetings What to bring to long meetings Taking the computer home Setting up a home office Traveling with the computer Traveling internationally with the computer Page Page System software Easy Button E-Mail Detector BIOS Setup Utility Navigating the BIOS Setup Utility Main Page System Devices The System Devices screen contains parameters involving your hardware devices. Security Setting a password Removing a password Changing a password Others Boot The table below describes these devices. Exit The table below describes the parameters in this screen. Page Page Page Frequently-asked questions I press the power switch, but the computer does not start or boot-up. Nothing appears on the screen. Image is not full-screen. No audio from the computer. External microphone does not work. How do I eject the optical drive tray with the computer turned off? The keyboard does not respond. The floppy drive cannot access a diskette. The CD or DVD drive cannot access a disc. The printer does not work. I want to set up my location to use the internal modem. Why cant I charge my battery to 100% charged when it is 99-95% Page Error messages Page Page Page Page Page Microprocessor Memory Data storage Display and video Audio Keyboard and pointing device I/O ports Weight and dimensions Environment Operating system Power Options Page Page Page FCC notice Notice: Shielded cables Notice: Peripheral devices Caution Modem notices FCC CTR 21 Important safety instructions e f 12 13 14 Laser compliance statement Lithium battery statement Year 2000 compliance statement LCD pixel statement Macrovision copyright protection notice Index A B C D E F G H I R S T U V