Acer Aspire 1510 Series
User’s Guide
iii
First things first
Yo u r g u i d e s
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
Basic care and tips for using your computer
Turning your computer on and off
To turn on your computer, open the lid and press the power button
above the keyboard.
To turn the power off, you can do any of the following:
•
Click on the Start button in Windows, and then select Shut Down
on the popup menu.
•
Push the power button.
To use this method, you must first click on the Power
Management icon in Windows Control Panel, and then check
that the power button is set to shut down the computer when
pressed. See Windows Help for more information.
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Note: If you are unable to shut down the computer in the usual
way, press and hold the power button 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).
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Do not expose the computer to magnetic fields.
Do not expose the computer to rain or moisture.
Do not spill water or any liquid on the computer.
Do not subject the computer to heavy shock or vibration.
Do not expose the computer to dust or dirt.
Do not place objects on top of the computer.
Do not slam the lid shut. Close the computer gently.
Do not place the computer on unstable or uneven surfaces.
Taking care of your AC adapter
It is important that you look after your AC adapter.
•
•
Do not connect the adapter to any other device.
Do not step on the power cord or place heavy objects on it. Route
the power cord away from areas where people might walk on it or
trip over it.
•
•
Do not pull on the power cord when disconnecting from the mains
power socket. Grasp and pull the plug instead.
The total ampere ratings of equipment plugged into a power strip
should not exceed the ampere rating for that power strip.
v
Taking care of your battery pack
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.
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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.
Cleaning and servicing
When cleaning your computer, it is important that you follow these
steps:
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•
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Turn off the computer and remove the battery.
Disconnect the AC adapter.
Clean with a soft cloth moistened with a little water. Do not use
liquid or aerosol cleaners.
Refer to the chapter entitled “Frequently asked questions” on page 61
if any of the following occurs:
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You drop the computer or damage the case.
You spill liquid on the computer.
The computer does not operate normally.
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Your Aspire 1510 series notebook 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.
3
A tour of your computer
After setting up your new Aspire notebook computer, as illustrated in
the Just for starters… poster, take a few minutes to explore the unit.
Front view
#
1
Item
Description
Display
Large liquid crystal display (LCD)
provides visual output.
2
3
Power button
Launch keys
Turns the computer on and off.
4 buttons that can be programmed to
start frequently used applications.
Getting familiar with your computer
4
#
4
Item
Description
InviLink™ button
(Manufacturing option)
Enables or disables wireless LAN
feature.
5
6
7
Bluetooth™ button
(Manufacturing option)
Enables or disables Bluetooth
functionality.
Touchpad
Touch sensitive pad that functions like
a computer mouse.
Click buttons & 4-way
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, as well as right and left.
8
9
Speakers
Palm rest
Speakers that deliver stereo audio
output.
Provides a comfortable platform for
your hands when typing on the
keyboard.
10
11
Keyboard
Full-size keyboard for inputting typed
data.
Status indicators
Seven light emitting diodes (LED) that
show the status of the computer and
its components.
12
Latch
Locks and releases the lid.
Note: The wireless communication and Bluetooth buttons work
for models with 802.11g wireless LAN and Bluetooth only.
5
Left view
#
1
Item
Description
Ventilation slots
Enables the computer to stay cool, even
after prolonged use.
2
3
Floppy activity indicator
LED that turns on and off when the
floppy is activated.
Floppy disk drive /
4-in-1 card reader
Supports a standard 3.5” diskette or
4-in-1 card reader (Manufacturing
option).
4
5
6
7
8
Floppy disk eject button
Infrared port
Press the eject button to remove a
diskette from the floppy disk drive.
Interfaces with infrared devices (e.g.,
infrared printer, IR-aware computer).
Modem jack
Connects the built-in fax/data modem
to a phone line.
Microphone-in jack
Headphone jack
Connects an external microphone for
audio input.
Connects headphones for audio output.
Getting familiar with your computer
6
Right view
#
1
Item
Description
Optical drive
Depending on your model, the optical
drive is one of the following:
•
DVD/CD-RW combo drive for reading
CDs and DVDs and writing to CD-RWs.
•
DVD Dual drive for reading both
DVD+/-RWs and writing to DVD+/-
RWs.
•
DVD Super Multi drive for reading
DVD+/-RWs, DVD-RAM and writing to
DVD+/-RWs, DVD-RAM.
2
3
4
5
6
Optical disc access
indicator
LED that indicates when an optical disc is
being read or written.
Optical drive eject
button
Press the eject button to remove a disc
from the optical drive.
Optical drive
emergency eject hole
Used to eject an optical disc when the
computer is turned off.
PC card eject button
PC card slot
Press the eject button to remove a PC card
from the PC card slot.
The slot supports a standard Type II or
Type III PC card (PCMCIA or CardBus).
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Rear view
#
Item
Description
1
2
DC-in jack
Connects the AC adapter.
Network jack
Connects the computer to an Ethernet 10/
100/1000-based network.
3
4
IEEE 1394 port
S-video
Connects IEEE 1394 devices.
Connects to a television or display device
with S-video input.
5
6
7
8
USB ports
Four 2.0 ports for connecting USB devices.
Connects an external (VGA) display monitor.
Connects a parallel device, such as a printer.
External display port
Parallel port
Ventilation slots
Enables the computer to stay cool, even after
prolonged use.
9
Kensington lock slot
For attaching a security connector.
Getting familiar with your computer
8
Bottom view
#
1
Item
Description
Ventilation slots
Enables the computer to stay cool, even
after prolonged use.
2
3
Reset switch
Forces the computer to shut down in the
event of system lockup.
Note: Any unsaved data will be lost.
Battery pack release
latch
Slide and hold the latch, and then pull the
battery to remove it from the unit.
4
5
Battery pack
Hard disk bay
The computer's removable battery.
Removable cover provides access to the
computer's hard drive.
6
Memory compartment
Removable cover provides access to the
memory slots for upgrading the
computer's memory.
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Features
Performance
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AMD Athlon™ 64 processor with 1MB L2 cache, supporting
HyperTransport™ technology.
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nVIDIA® nForce™3 chipsets
2 memory slots supporting DDR SDRAM, upgradeable to 2GB.
High-capacity, Enhanced-IDE hard disk.
Multimedia
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Built-in optical drive (DVD/CD-RW combo, DVD Dual or DVD Super
Multi).
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15.0” TFT XGA (1024x768 resolution) or SXGA+ (1400x1050
resolution) panel.
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Built-in stereo speakers.
Audio input and output jacks.
Connectivity
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Integrated 10/100/1000 Mbps Ethernet connection.
Built-in 56Kbps fax/data modem.
Four universal serial bus (USB 2.0) ports.
One IEEE 1394 port.
802.11g Wireless LAN and Bluetooth (manufacturing optional).
Human-centric design
•
All-in-one design (incorporating hard drive, optical drive and
floppy disk drive).
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•
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Rugged, yet extremely portable, construction.
Stylish appearance.
Full-size keyboard with four programmable launch keys.
Comfortable palm rest area with well-positioned touchpad.
Expansion
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PC card slot enables a range of add-on options.
Upgradeable hard disk and memory modules.
Getting familiar with your computer
10
Display
•
The 15.0” display panel provides a large viewing area for
maximum efficiency and ease-of-use. The Thin-Film Transistor (TFT)
supports XGA or SXGA+ resolution.
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nVIDIA® 8X GeForce™4 448 Go or GeForce™ FX Go5700 AGP card
with 64MB of video memory.
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3D graphics engine support.
Supports simultaneous display between LCD and CRT display.
S-video for output to a television or display device that supports
S-video input.
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“Automatic LCD dim” feature that automatically selects the best
setting for the display in order to conserve power.
Dual display capability.
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Indicators
Your computer provides an array of three indicators located above the
keyboard, in addition to four indicators positioned at the front of the
palm rest area. These indicators show the status of the computer and
its components.
The three indicators located above the keyboard provide the following
status information:
Icon
Description
Caps Lock activity.
Num Lock activity.
Hard Disk Drive activity.
Note: The keypad lock must be turned on to use the embedded
numeric keypad.
Getting familiar with your computer
12
The four indicators located at the front of the unit provide the
following status information:
Icon
Item
Description
Power mode
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•
•
Steady green -- power on
Flashing orange -- standby mode
Orange -- hibernation mode
Battery mode
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•
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Green -- fully charged
Flashing orange -- being charged
Orange -- low on power
Wireless LAN mode
Bluetooth mode
Lights to Indicate status of wireless
LAN (optional) communication.
Lights to indicate that Bluetooth
(optional) is enabled.
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Keyboard
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.
Num Lock
Scroll Lock
When Num Lock is on, the embedded numeric keypad can be
used. Toggle on and off by pressing the Fn + F11 keys
simultaneously.
When Scroll Lock is on, the screen toggles up or down one
line at a time when the up and down cursor control keys are
pressed.
Note: Scroll Lock doesn't work in all applications. Toggle on and
off by pressing the Fn + F12 keys simultaneously.
Getting familiar with your computer
14
Embedded keypad
The embedded keypad functions like a desktop numeric keypad. It is
indicated by small blue numbers and characters on the applicable keys.
To use the embedded numeric keys, toggle the Num Lk on by pressing
the Fn + F11 keys simultaneously.
With the embedded keypad turned on, the following actions are
possible:
Desired Access
Num lock On
Num lock Off
Number keys on
embedded keypad
Type numbers using
embedded keypad in
the normal way.
Cursor control keys on
embedded keypad
Hold down the Shift
key while using the
cursor keys on the
embedded keypad.
Hold Fn key while
using cursor-control
keys.
Main keyboard keys
Hold down the Fn key
while typing letters
using the embedded
keypad keys.
Type letters in the
normal way.
Simultaneously press
the Shift key for capital
letters.
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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 Taskbar button.
+ E
+ F1 opens Help and Support.
+ F opens the Find: All Files dialog box.
+ M minimizes all windows.
Shift + + M undoes the minimize all windows (
M) action.
+ R opens the Run dialog box.
opens the My Computer window.
+
Application key
This key has the same effect as clicking the right mouse
button; it opens the application's context menu.
Getting familiar with your computer
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Hot keys
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.
Your computer provides the following hot keys:
HotKey
Function
Description
Fn + F1
Fn + F2
Hot key help
Setup
Displays help on hot keys.
Accesses the computer’s
configuration utility.
Fn + F3
Power
management
scheme toggle
Switches the power management
scheme used by the computer
(function available if supported by
operating system).
Fn + F4
Fn + F5
Sleep
Puts the computer in Sleep mode.
Display toggle
Switches display output between
the display screen, external
monitor (if connected) and both
the display screen and external
monitor.
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HotKey
Fn + F6
Function
Description
Screen blank
Turns the display screen backlight
off to save power. Press any key to
return.
Fn + F7
Touchpad toggle
Turns the internal touchpad on and
off.
Fn + F8
Fn + ↑
Fn + ↓
Fn + →
Speaker toggle
Volume up
Turns the speakers on and off.
Increases the speaker volume.
Decreases the speaker volume.
Increases the screen brightness.
Decreases the screen brightness.
Volume down
Brightness up
Brightness down
Fn +
←
Euro key
Your computer supports the new Euro currency character. First, hold
down the Alt Gr key, and then press the Euro key.
Keyboard ergonomics
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.
Getting familiar with your computer
18
To uchpad
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.
Touchpad basics
Use the touchpad as follows:
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Slide your finger over the surface of the touchpad to control the
movement of the cursor. Tap the touchpad to perform selection
and execution functions.
Press the left (1) and right (3) click buttons to perform selection
and execution functions, just as you would use the buttons on a
computer mouse.
Use the scroll key (2) to scroll through long documents and web
pages. Press the top of the key to scroll up, and the bottom to
scroll down; left to scroll left, and right to scroll right.
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Right
Button
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