Acer Extensa 900 Maintenance Manual

							                                                                                                              General Description  1-1  
  1
General Description
1.1 Introduction
This manual contains field and factory level servicing information for the ExtensaTM 900 
Series Notebook Computers (Figure 1-1) marketed by Texas Instruments. This section 
provides a general overview of the Extensa 900 Series, describes the standard and 
optional features, and identifies the major assemblies and subassemblies. This section 
also contains detailed functional and environmental specifications for the Extensa 900 
Series Notebook Computers.
Figure 1-1  Extensa 900 Series Notebook Computers
1.2 Product Overview
The Extensa 900 Series Notebook Computers are ultra-slim, large screen, high-
performance, multimedia notebooks powered by the Intel® P54CSLM Pentium® 
Processor Chip (133-MHz). The Extensa 900 can be equipped with an optional Mobile 
Productivity Base that allows for quick connect/disconnect to/from the desktop 
environment and expanded functionality (modular bay and Advanced PCI card 
features).
Other major features of the 900 Series include:
¨133 MHz Pentium processor with internal 256 KB cache memory and math 
coprocessor
Basic Extensa 900 Series
NotebookExtensa 900 Series 
with Mobile Productivity Base 
						

							         
1-2   General Description
¨Powerful PCI Bus architecture
¨16 MB  main memory (expandable to 80 MB using 8 MB, 8 MB, 16 MB, 32 MB  
or 64 MB EDO 64-bit type small outline dual inline memory module (soDIMM) 
upgrades)
¨256 KB Level-2 cache memory
¨Built-in 2.5-inch IDE high capacity (1.35 GB or greater) Hard Disk Drive
¨External Floppy Drive Module (attaches to the Parallel Port)
¨Advanced video features
- DSTN or TFT internal color display 
- Simultaneous display with external CR T
- 2.0 MB video memory
- Fast video graphics accelerator
¨Built-In 86/87-key keyboard
¨Internal touchpad pointing device with two Select buttons
¨Fast Infrared communications
¨Built-in audio features
- 16-bit stereo audio
- Line In, Line Out and Microphone In stereo jacks
¨Small, lightweight AC adapter, auto-switching (90 VAC to 264 VAC, 50-60 Hz)
¨Portable power system with advanced power savings features for extra long 
battery life
- Zero-Volt Suspend, 5-Volt Suspend and Standby power saving modes
- Rechargeable Li-Ion battery pack
¨Powerful expansion capabilities including:
- Flexible set of desktop ports including external CR T (and simultaneous 
LCD and external CR T display), 9-pin serial port, parallel port for 
external printer/floppy drive, PS/2
® port for external keyboard or mouse
- PC Card slots for two Type I or II options or one Type III option
- Mobile Productivity Base ready
Figure 1-2 identifies the major external notebook features. 
						

							                                                                                                            General Description  1-3  
Figure 1-2  900 Series Notebook External Features
1.2.1 Video Display Features
The Extensa 900 Series Notebooks contain large screen internal LCD displays and can 
simultaneously drive the internal LCD and an external CR T (SimulSCAN
TM mode). On 
all Extensa models, the LCD screen brightness, contrast, video mode of operation, etc. 
are adjustable from the keyboard as described in Section 3.
VGA
Port
Serial
Port
Parallel
Port
AC Adapter
ConnectionPS/2
Port
PC
Card
Slots
HDD
Access
Cover
Expansion
Memory
Acess
Cover
Bottom of Unit
Status
Indicators
Power
Switch
LCD
Audio and
Mic Jacks
FIR
Port
Left
SpeakerTouchpadBattery
Pack
Right 
Speaker
Left
Battery
Lock
Right
Battery
Lock 
						

							         
1-4   General Description
1.2.1.1 Internal LCD
The Extensa 900 Series Notebooks contain one of the following LCDs (model dependent):
¨12.1-inch DSTN display (900CD Only)
¨11.3-inch TFT
1.2.1.2 External CRTs
The Extensa 900 Series Notebooks are equipped with a 15-pin SVGA connector that 
can drive an external CR T (either alone or simultaneously with the internal LCD).
When the notebook is set to the SimulSCAN mode, a minimum resolution of 800 x 600 
x 256 colors is supported. When operating in the External CR T Mode, resolutions up 
to 1280 x 1024 x 256 colors are supported.
1.2.1.3 Display Hot Key Sequences
The display mode of operation (LCD only, Simultaneous LCD and external CR T and 
external CR T only modes) is keyboard-selectable using the following hot key sequences.
¨Fn-Up Arrow and Fn-Down Arrow - Control LCD screen brightness (higher 
brightness setting uses more battery energy)
¨Fn-Right Arrow  - Lightens the LCD screen contrast
¨Fn-Left Arrow  - Darkens the LCD screen contrast
¨Fn-F12 - Alternates between display modes (LCD, External CR T or both)
¨Fn-F11 - Turns off the LCD backlight; pressing any key turns the LCD backlight 
on.
Note: In addition to the hot keys that control the notebook display functions, 
there are several other hot key functions that control other notebook functions 
such as turning the Touchpad on/off, etc. For these sequences, refer to 
Section 3. 
						

							                                                                                                            General Description  1-5  
1.2.2 Keyboard Features
The Extensa 900 Series Notebooks contain a built-in 86/87-key keyboard  (Figure 1-3) 
compatible with the IBM
® enhanced 101/102-key keyboard. The keyboard contains 12 
programmable function keys, an embedded numeric keypad (Figure 1-4) and dedicated 
control keys (hot keys).
Figure 1-3  Embedded Numeric Keypad
1.2.3 Software Features
As a standard feature, the Extensa 900 notebooks are factory loaded with dual load 
(Windows® 95 or Windows for Workgroups) software to allow the user to configure the 
notebook’s operating system environment as summarized in Table 1-1.
Table 1-1  User-Selectable Operating System Environments
Operating System Description
Windows 95 Supports both desktop and mobile operation with Plug N Play capabilities and Advanced Power 
Management; customized to include TI startup screen, CSL Support information, Internet 
browser, multimedia options, and choice of wallpaper to customize different computer resources, 
TI utilities such as wBattery, wSetpower, TISetup, variety of device drivers including Cirrus
® 
CL-GD7548, ESS 1888 Sound Device Drivers, WinModem Device Drivers, PC-Card Bus Socket 
Services and Card Services Device Drivers, and Windows 95 MPEG-1 Software Audio/Video 
Compression Device Drivers.
Windows/DOS 6.22 This environment has some limitations in the Plug N Play area; includes TI utilities and various 
device drivers including Cirrus CL-GD7548, ESS 1888 Sound Device Drivers, WinModem Device 
Drivers, PC-Card Bus Socket Services and Card Services Device Drivers, etc. 
						

							         
1-6   General Description
1.2.4 Standard Peripheral Devices
As standard features, the Extensa notebooks include an internal IDE hard drive,  an 
external 3.5-inch floppy disk drive and built-in touchpad (mouse device).
1.2.5 900 Series Connectivity Features
As standard features, the Extensa 900 Series notebooks includes most standard 
desktop ports including a serial port, parallel port, PS/2 port, and external VGA port. 
The 900 Series also includes a fast infrared (FIR) port and an expansion bus connector 
for attaching to the optional Mobile Productivity Base.  The external ports for the 900 
Series are shown in Figure 1-4 and described in Table 1-2.
Figure 1-4  900 Series External Ports
VGA
Port
Serial
Port
Parallel
Port
AC Adapter
ConnectionPS/2
Port
FIR
Port
Line
Out
Line
InMic
In 
						

							                                                                                                            General Description  1-7  
Table 1-2  900 Series External Ports
1.2.6 Notebook Expansion Capabilities
In addition to the external ports, the Extensa 900 Series Notebooks are designed with 
a variety of expansion features that permit substantial functionality and performance 
upgrades over the life of the product. The expansion capabilities built into the notebook 
are summarized in Table 1-3 and described in greater detail in the following paragraphs. 
Port Assignment Description
External VGA Port15-pin Female connector used to attach an external SVGA monitor to the 
notebook.
Serial Port9-pin Male connector used to attach an RS-232 serial device to the notebook.
Parallel Port25-pin Female connector used to attach a bidirectional printer or an external 
floppy disk drive (requires special cable for use with floppy disk drive).
PS/2
 Port6-pin Circular connectors used to attach external keyboard/mouse devices to 
the notebook.
AC Adapter ConnectorPower in connector used to attach the output of the AC adapter to the 
notebook.
Fast Infrared Port Fast Infrared Port (4 M/b) used for wireless communications between the 
notebook and an FIR-equipped device such as keyboard, another notebook, 
printer, etc.
Audio In/Out, Mic In JacksStereo audio line inputs, stereo line outputs and external microphone input 
MPB BusPCI Bus plus sidebands that support an optional Mobile Productivity Base.
Table 1-3  Extensa 900 Expansion Features Summary
Expansion Feature Description
External  3.5-inch Diskette Drive Module Provides convenient storage on a removable diskette format
Memory  Expansion Features Main memory can be expanded from 16 MB to a maximum of 80 MB using  
one soDIMM module (8 MB, 16 MB, 32 MB, or 64 MB configurations).
Flash ROM (hardware feature) Permits new versions of BIOS to be downloaded into Flash ROM without 
physically having to replace the ROMs
PCMCIA Slots Allows installation of any optional PCMCIA device such as speakerphone 
modems, Ethernet
® cards, and full motion video cards.
Mobile Productivity Base Ready Connectors and latch mechanisms to accept a Mobile Productivity Base 
(provides desktop connectivity with quick removal/installation feature required 
for combination desktop and portable environments and increased functionality 
including media bay and Advanced PCI Card support). 
						

							         
1-8   General Description
1.2.7 Memory Expansion
The notebook comes standard with 16 MB of RAM expandable to a maximum of 80 MB 
using soDIMM modules (available in 8, 16, 32 or 64 MB sizes). Access to the expansion 
socket is accommodated via a removable panel on the bottom of the notebook as shown 
in Figure 1-5.
Figure 1-5  Memory Expansion Features
1.2.8 PCMCIA Card Options
The Notebook contains an onboard PCMCIA Controller and two 64-pin sockets that can 
accept up to two credit-card size (14.5 mm) Type I or Type II PCMCIA option cards or 
one Type III card. The PCMCIA Card options install on the left side of the notebook 
(Figure 1-6) and are removed using the PC Card Release levers.
Expansion Memory
Access Cover 
						

							                                                                                                            General Description  1-9  
 
Figure 1-6  Installing PCMCIA Card Options
1.2.9 Mobile Productivity Base Option
The Mobile Productivity Base (Figure 1-7) provides a port replicator function with 
separate External Keyboard and Mouse ports,  plus powerful desktop expansion 
features including a Modular Bay for CD-ROM or Floppy Disk Drive and provisions for 
an Advanced PCI Card option. These features are summarized in Table 1-4.
Table 1-4  Mobile Productivity Base Expansion Features
Expansion Feature Description
Media Bay CD-ROM Drive Reads from Audio CD, Photo CD or CD-ROM
Media Bay 3.5-inch Diskette Drive Module Provides convenient storage on a removable disk format
Advanced PCI Slot Provisions for installing one Advanced PCI Card 
Secondary Battery Option  Provides for extended portable operation time 
						

							         
1-10   General Description
Figure 1-7  Mobile Productivity Base (MPB) Features
1.2.9.1 Docking and Undocking
Docking and undocking of the Mobile Productivity Base is controlled by a latch and 
lever on the left side of the base as shown in Figure 1-8. The latch releases the lever; 
the lever is extended 90 degrees outward to release the notebook.
Advanced
PCI Option Slot
Secondary Battery
Media Bay
(Floppy or 
CD-ROM Drive)
Notebook 
Connector
Audio Jacks
Standard
Notebook
PortsTwo PS/2 Ports
for both External
Keyboard and Mouse