Acer Aspire 2920z Service Guide

							Aspire 2920/2920Z/2420 Series
Service Guide
    
                                                                                                                                     PRINTED IN TAIWAN Service guide files and updates are available
on the ACER/CSD web; for more information, 
please refer to http://csd.acer.com.tw 
						

							II
Revision History
Please refer to the table below for the updates made on Aspire 2920/2920Z/2420 Series service guide.
DateChapterUpdates 
						

							III
Copyright
Copyright © 2007 by Acer Incorporated.  All rights reserved.  No part of this publication may be reproduced, 
transmitted, transcribed, stored in a retrieval system, or translated into any language or computer language, in 
any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, magnetic, optical, chemical, manual or otherwise, without 
the prior written permission of Acer Incorporated.
Disclaimer
The information in this guide is subject to change without notice.
Acer Incorporated makes no representations or warranties, either expressed or implied, with respect to the 
contents hereof and specifically disclaims any warranties of merchantability or fitness for any particular 
purpose.  Any Acer Incorporated software described in this manual is sold or licensed as is.  Should the 
programs prove defective following their purchase, the buyer (and not  Acer Incorporated, its distributor, or its 
dealer) assumes the entire cost of all necessary servicing, repair, and any incidental or consequential 
damages resulting from any defect in the software.  
Acer is a registered trademark of Acer Corporation.
Intel is a registered trademark of Intel Corporation.
Pentium and Pentium II/III are trademarks of Intel Corporation.
Other brand and product names are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective holders. 
						

							IV
Conventions
The following conventions are used in this manual:
SCREEN MESSAGESDenotes actual messages that appear 
on screen.
NOTEGives bits and pieces of additional 
information related to the current 
topic.
WARNINGAlerts you to any damage that might 
result from doing or not doing specific 
actions.
CAUTIONGives precautionary measures to 
avoid possible hardware or software 
problems.
IMPORTANTReminds you to do specific actions 
relevant to the accomplishment of 
procedures. 
						

							V
Preface
Before using this information and the product it supports, please read the following general information.
1.This Service Guide provides you with all technical information relating to the BASIC CONFIGURATION 
decided for Acers global product offering. To better fit local market requirements and enhance product 
competitiveness, your regional office MAY have decided to extend the functionality of a machine (e.g. 
add-on card, modem, or extra memory capability). These LOCALIZED FEATURES will NOT be covered 
in this generic service guide. In such cases, please contact your regional offices or the responsible 
personnel/channel to provide you with further technical details.
2.Please note WHEN ORDERING FRU PARTS, that you should check the most up-to-date information 
available on your regional web or channel. If,  for whatever reason, a part number change is made, it will 
not be noted in the printed Service Guide.  For ACER-AUTHORIZED SERVICE PROVIDERS, your Acer 
office may have a DIFFERENT part number code to those given in the FRU list of this printed Service 
Guide. You MUST use the list provided by your regional Acer office to order FRU parts for repair and 
service of customer machines. 
						

							VI 
						

							VII
Table of Contents
System Specifications  1
Features  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
System Block Diagram  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
Your Acer Notebook tour   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
Front View  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
Closed Front View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
Left View  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
Right View  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
Rear View  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
Bottom View   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
Indicators   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
Easy-Launch Buttons   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
Touchpad Basics   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
Using the Keyboard   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
Lock Keys and embedded numeric keypad   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
Windows Keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
Hot Keys  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
Special Key  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
Acer Empowering Technology   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
Empowering Technology password . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  16
Acer eNet Management   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  16
Acer ePower Management    . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
Acer eAudio Management   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20
Acer ePresentation Management    . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20
Acer eDataSecurity Management (for selected models)   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
Acer eLock Management   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  22
Acer eRecovery Management   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23
Acer eSettings Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  24
Windows Mobility Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  25
Using the System Utilities  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  26
Acer GridVista (dual-display compatible)   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26
Launch Manager  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27
Norton Internet Security   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27
Hardware Specifications and Configurations   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29
System Utilities  39
BIOS Setup Utility  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39
Navigating the BIOS Utility  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40
Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  41
Main . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  42
Security  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44
Boot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48
Exit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  49
BIOS Flash Utility  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50
Removing HDD Utility  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51
Machine Disassembly and Replacement  53
Disassembly Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  53
General Information   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54
Pre-disassembly Instructions   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54
Disassembly Process. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  54
External Module Disassembly Process   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55
External Modules Disassembly Flowchart   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55
Removing the Battery Pack   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56 
						

							VIII
Table of Contents
Removing the SD dummy card  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56
Removing the ExpressCard dummy card  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57
Removing the Lower Cover   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57
Removing the DIMM  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59
Removing the WLAN Board Modules  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60
Removing the Hard Disk Drive Module  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61
Removing the Optical Drive Module  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  63
Main Unit Disassembly Process  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65
Main Unit Disassembly Flowchart  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65
Removing the CPU and VGA Heatsink Module   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65
Removing the CPU  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .67
Removing the Keyboard  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .69
Removing the LCD Module  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .70
Separating the Upper Case from the Lower Case   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74
Removing the Launch Board   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77
Removing theTouch Pad Board Module  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .78
Removing the main board  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .80
Removing the Speaker Modules  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .82
Removing the Modem Board   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .83
Removing the Bluetooth board  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .85
 LCD Module Disassembly Process  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .86
LCD Module Disassembly Flowchart   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .86
Removing the LCD Bezel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  87
Removing the LCD module with the Brackets   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .88
Removing the Inverter Board and FPC Cable   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .90
Removing the LCD Brackets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .92
Removing the Antennas. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .93
Removing the Internal Microphone and Web Camera   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .94
Troubleshooting 97
System Check Procedures  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .98
External Diskette Drive Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  98
External CD-ROM Drive Check   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .98
Keyboard or Auxiliary Input Device Check. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  98
Memory check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  99
Power System Check. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  99
Touchpad Check  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .101
Power-On Self-Test (POST) Error Message . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  102
Index of Error Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  103
Phoenix BIOS Beep Codes   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .106
Index of Symptom-to-FRU Error Message  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  111
Intermittent Problems. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  115
Undetermined Problems  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .116
Jumper and Connector Locations  117
Top View  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .117
Bottom View  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .118
Clearing Password Check and BIOS Recovery  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .119
Clearing Password Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  119
BIOS Recovery by Crisis Disk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  120
FRU (Field Replaceable Unit) List  121
Aspire 2920/2920Z/2420 Exploded Diagram   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .122
Aspire 2920/2920Z/2420 Series  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .130 
						

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Table of Contents
Model Definition and Configuration  130
Test Compatible Components  153
Microsoft® Windows® Vista Environment Test   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .154
Online Support Information  157
Index 159 
						

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Table of Contents