Acer Aspire 5538 Service Guide

Chapter 11
System Specifications
Features
Below is a brief summary of the computer’s many features:
Operating System
• Genuine Windows Vista®
Platform
• AMD Better By Design Program, featuring:
• AMD Athlon™ 64 X2 dual-core processor*
• AMD Athlon™ 64 processor*
• AMD M780G Chipset
• Acer InviLink™ Nplify™ 802.11b/g/Draft-N*
• Acer InviLink™ 802.11b/g* 
System Memory
• Dual-Channel SDRAM support
• Up to 2 GB of DDR2 667 MHz memory, upgradeable to 4 GB using two SODIMM modules*
Display and graphics
• 16:9...

2Chapter 1
Communication
• Integrated Acer Crystal Eye webcam
•WLAN:
• Acer InviLink™ Nplify™ 802.11b/g/Draft-N*
• Acer InviLink™ 802.11b/g*
• WPAN: Bluetooth® 2.1+Enhanced Data Rate (EDR)*
• LAN: Gigabit Ethernet; Wake-on-LAN ready
Privacy control
• BIOS user, supervisor, HDD passwords
• Kensington lock slot
Dimensions and Weight
• 380 (W) x 259 (D) x 26.4/30.8 (H) mm (14.82 x 10.1 x 1.02/1.2 inches)
• 2.4 kg (5.3 lbs.) with 6-cell battery pack
Power subsystem
•ACPI 3.0
• 48.84 W 4400 mAh
• 3-pin 65 W...

Chapter 13
• Operating: 20% to 80%
• Non-operating: 20% to 80%
NOTE: The specifications listed above are for reference only. The exact configuration of the PC depends on 
the model purchased. 

4Chapter 1
System Block Diagram
Power On/Off CKT.
CRT Conn.
LPC BUS uFCBGA-528
Int.KB
USB conn 
X 2A link Express2
DC/DC Interface CKT.
AMD S1G1 Processor
3.3V 48MHz
yper Transport Link
          16 x 16
Fan Control
Power CircuituPGA-638 Package
ATI RS780MN
BIOS
HD Audio
ATI SB710
ENE KB926
LVDS Conn.
BT Conn
3.3V 24.576MHz/48Mhz
RTC CKT.
SATA HDD
Conn.port 0
CameraPort 1
Port 6USB
CDROM 
Conn.
PCI-Express 1x
port 1
Port 3 Port 12 Port 5
MINI Card 1
WLANPort 0
Dual ChannelBANK 0, 1, 2, 3200pin...

Chapter 15
Your Notebook Tour
This section provides an overview of the features and functions of the notebook.
Front View
No.IconItemDescription
1 Acer Crystal Eye 
WebcamWeb camera for video communication.
2 Microphone Internal microphone for sound recording.
3 Display screen Also called Liquid-Crystal Display (LCD), displays 
computer output.
4 Power button/
indicatorTurns the computer on and off while indicating the 
computer’s power status.
5 Keyboard For entering data into your computer.
6 TouchPad...

6Chapter 1
Closed Front View
Left View
10 Communication
keyEnables / disables the WLAN function.
Backup key Launches Acer Backup Management for
three-step data backup.
HDD Indicates when the hard disk drive is
active.
7 Eject button  Presses to eject the optical disk from the
drive. 
8 Speakers Left and right speakers deliver stereo
audio output.
No.IconItemDescription
1 Battery Indicator Indicates the computers battery status.
1. Charging: The light shows amber
when the battery is charging.
2. Fully...

Chapter 17
Right View
2 Ventilation slots Enable the computer to stay cool, even after 
prolonged use.
3 External display 
(VGA) portConnects to a display device (e.g., external 
monitor, LCD projector).
4
HDMIHDMI port Supports high definition digital video 
connections.
5 USB 2.0 port Connect to USB 2.0 devices (e.g., USB mouse, 
USB camera).
6 Microphone-in 
jackAccepts inputs from external microphones.
Headphones/
speaker/ line-out 
jack with S/PDIF 
supportConnects to audio line-out devices (e.g.,...

8Chapter 1
Base View
Rear View
No.IconItemDescription
1 Battery bay Houses the computers battery pack.
Note: The battery shown is for reference only. Your 
PC may have a different battery, depending on the 
model purchased.
2 Battery lock Locks the battery in position.
3 Memory 
compartmentHouses the computers main memory.
4 Hard Disk Bay Houses the computers hard disk (secured with 
screws).
5 Ventilation slots 
and/or cooling fanEnable the computer to stay cool, even after 
prolonged use.
Note: Do not...

Chapter 19
Indicators
The computer has several easy-to-read status indicators. The battery indicator is visible even when the 
computer cover is closed.
NOTE: 1. Charging: The battery light shows amber when the battery is charging. 2. Fully charged: The light 
shows green when in AC mode.
Icon Function Description 
Bluetooth  Indicates the status of Bluetooth communication. 
Wireless LAN  Indicates the status of Wireless LAN communication. 
3G communication  Indicates the status of 3G communication. 
HDD...

10Chapter 1
TouchPad Basics
The following items show you how to use the TouchPad:
• Move your finger across the TouchPad (1) to move the cursor.
• Press the left (2) and right (3) 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.
NOTE: When using the TouchPad, keep it - and your fingers - dry and clean. The TouchPad is sensitive to...