Acer Aspire 8920 Service Guide

							Chapter 115
Windows Keys
The keyboard has two keys that perform Windows-specific functions.
Hot Keys
The computer employs hotkeys or key combinations to access most of the computer’s controls like sreen 
brightness, volume output and the BIOS utility.
To activate hot keys, press and hold the  key before pressing the other key in the hotkey combination. 
						

							16Chapter 1
Special Key
You can locate the Euro symbol and US dollar sign at the upper-center and/or bottom-right of your keyboard. 
To  t y p e : 
						

							Chapter 117
The Euro symbol
1.Open a text editor or word processor.
2.Either directly press the  symbol at the bottom-right of the keyboard, or hold  and then 
press the symbol at the upper-center of the keyboard.
NOTE: Some fonts and software do not support the Euro symbol. Please refer to www.microsoft.com/
typography/faq/faq12.htm for more information.
The US dollar sign
1.Open a text editor or word processor.
2.Either directly press the  key at the bottom-right of the keyboard, or hold  and then press the 
 key at the upper-center of the keyboard.
NOTE:  This function varies by the operating system version. 
						

							18Chapter 1
Acer Empowering Technology
The Empowering Technology toolbar makes it easy for you to access frequentlyused functions and manage your 
new Acer system. Activated by pressing theEmpowering Key, it provides access to the following utilities: 
• Acer eAudio Management allows you to easily control the enhanced sound effects of Dolby Home Theater on 
your system.
• Acer ePower Management optimizes battery usage via customizable power plans.
• Acer eDataSecurity Management protects data with passwords and encryption (for selected models).
• Acer eRecovery Management backs up and recovers data flexibly, reliably and completely.
• Acer eSettings Management accesses system information and adjusts settings easily.
For more information, right-click on the Empowering Technology toolbar, then select Help. 
For help with a particular utility, launch the utility and click the 
icon at the buttom of the active window.Launching Acer Empowering Technology
To launch Acer Empowering Technology:
1 Press the Empowering Key to display the Acer Empowering Technology toolbar on the desktop.
2 To hide the toolbar, press the Empowering Key again or click the hide button on the toolbar.
You may also launch Acer Empowering Technology by running the program from the Acer Empowering 
Technology program group in the Start menu, or by double-clicking the icon if you have created 
adesktop shortcut.
To launch Acer Empowering Technology applications:
On the Acer Empowering Technology toolbar, click the icon that corresponds to the application you want to 
launch.
When you mouse over an application icon, a quick menu appears below the toolbar. The quick menu allows 
you to perform certain tasks simply and quickly.
You may also run the application by selecting it from the Acer Empowering Technology program group in the 
Start menu. 
						

							Chapter 119
Acer eAudio Management
Acer eAudio Management allows you to easily control the enhanced sound
effects of Dolby Home Theater on your system. Select Movie or Game mode to
experience the awesome realism of 5.1-channel surround sound from just two
speakers, via Dolby Virtual Speaker technology. Music mode lets you enjoy your
favorite tunes, in vivid detail.
To choose your playback device, click the icon on the upper right side ofthe Acer eAudio Management window. 
						

							20Chapter 1
Acer ePower Management   
Acer ePower Management features a straightforward user interface for configuring your power management 
options. To access this utility, select Acer ePower Management from the Empowering Technology toolbar, run the 
program from the Acer Empowering Technology program group in Start menu, or right-click the Windows power 
icon in the system tray and select Acer ePower Management.
Using power plan
 Acer ePower Management comes with three predefined power plans: Balanced,
         High performance and Power saver. You can also create customized power plans. You can create, 
         switch between, edit, delete and restore power plans, as described below
 View and adjust settings for On Battery and Plugged In modes by clicking the
 appropriate tabs. For more power options, click in the Acer ePower and select Power Options.
To create a new power plan:
Creating customized power plans allows you to save and quickly switch to a personalized set of power options.
        1 Click the New power plan option or icon .
        2 Enter a name for your new power plan.
        3 Choose a predefined power plan to base your customized plan on.
        4 If necessary, change the display, sleep and hibernation settings you want your computer to use.
 5 Click OK to save your new power plan.
To switch between power plans:
1 Mouse over the Acer ePower Management application on the Acer Empowering Technology toolbar. The 
quick menu appears
2 Select the power plan you want to switch to You may also switch between power plans by launching the Acer 
ePower Management application. Select the power plan you wish to switch to, thenclick Apply.click Apply
To edit a power plan:
         Editing a power plan allows you to adjust system settings like LCD brightness and CPU speed.
         1 Switch to the power plan you wish to edit.
         2 Adjust settings as required.
         3 Click Apply to save your new settings.
To delete a power plan:
         You cannot delete the power plan you are currently using. If you want to delete
          the active power plan, switch to another one first.
          1 Select the power plan you wish to delete.
          2 Click the Delete Power Plan icon.
Battery status
         The quick menu shows the remaining battery life based on current usage. You
         can also launch the Acer ePower Management application and refer to the
         Battery status panel located just below the power plans. Click the Battery tab to
         view remaining battery life, battery status, and remaining battery life in standby and hibernate modes. 
						

							Chapter 121
..
Acer eDataSecurity Management
(for selected models)
 
Acer eDataSecurity Management is an encryption utility that protects your files from being accessed by 
unauthorized persons. It is conveniently integrated with Windows Explorer as a shell extension for quick data 
encryption/decryption and also supports on-the-fly file encryption for Lotus Notes and Microsoft Outlook.
         On first use, the Acer eDataSecurity Management setup wizard will prompt you to create the Master Pas
         word. You will use this password to access the Personal Secure Disk (PSD). The Master Password may also
         be used to encrypt/decrypt files by default.
         If you set a different password to encrypt a file, but you forgot the encryption password, you can use the 
         Mater Password to decrypt the file. 
						

							22Chapter 1
. 
						

							Chapter 123
Acer eRecovery Management   
Acer eRecovery Management is a versatile backup utility. It allows you to create full or incremental backups, 
burn the factory default image to optical disc, and restore from previously created backups or reinstall 
applications and drivers. By
default, user-created backups are stored to the D: drive
.system’s HDD. User-created backups are stored on 
D: drive. Acer eRecovery Management provides you with:
        Password protection.
        Recovery of applications and drivers.
        Image/data backup:
        Back up to HDD (set recovery point).
        Back up to CD/DVD.
Image/data recovery tools:
        Recover from a hidden partition (factory defaults).
        Recover from the HDD (most recent user-defined recovery point).
        Recover from CD/DVD.
For more information, please refer to “Acer eRecovery Management”
NOTE: If your computer did not come with a Recovery CD or System CD, please use Acer eRecovery 
Management’s “System backup to optical disk” feature to burn a backup image to CD or DVD. To 
ensure the best results when recovering your system using a CD or Acer eRecovery Management, 
detach all peripherals (except the external Acer ODD, if your computer has one), including your Acer 
ezDock. 
						

							24Chapter 1
Acer eSettings Management  
Acer eSettings Management allows you to inspect hardware specifications and to monitor the system health 
status. Furthermore, Acer eSettings Management enables you to optimize your Windows operating system, so 
your computer runs faster, smoother and better. 
Acer eSettings Management also:
Provides a simple graphical user interface for navigating.
Displays general system status and advanced monitoring for power users.
Windows Mobility Center
The Windows Mobility Center collects key mobile-related system settings in one
easy-to-find place, so you can quickly configure your Acer system to fit the
situation as you change locations, networks or activities. Settings include display
brightness, power plan, volume, wireless networking on/off, external display
settings, display orientation and synchronization status.
Windows Mobility Center also includes Acer-specific settings like Bluetooth Add
Device (if applicable), sharing folders overview/sharing service on or off, and a
shortcut to the Acer user guide, drivers and utilities. To launch Windows Mobility Center:
                        • 
Use the shortcut key < > + .