Acer Travelmate 8331 Service Guide

							TravelMate 8371/8331 SeriesService 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 TravelMate 8371/8331 service guide.
DateChapterUpdates 
						

							
III
Copyright
Copyright © 2009 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, magne tic, 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 warrantie s 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 bu yer (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 tradem ark of Acer Corporation.
Intel is a registered tradem ark of Intel Corporation.
Pentium and Pentium II/III are trademarks of Intel Corporation.
Other brand and product names are  trademarks and/or registered tradem arks of their respective holders. 
						

							
IV
Conventions
The following conventions are used in this manual:SCREEN 
MESSAGES Denotes actual messages that appear 
on screen.
NOTE Gives bits and pieces of additional 
information related to the current 
topic.
WARNING Alerts you to any damage that might 
result from doing or not doing specific 
actions.
CAUTION Gives precautionary measures to 
avoid possible hardware or software 
problems.
IMPORTANT Reminds 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 offi ce 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, plea se 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 wh atever 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 t hose given in the FRU list of this printed Service 
Guide. You MUST use the list provid ed 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
Board Layout   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Top View  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
Bottom View   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
Your Acer Notebook tour   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
Top View  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
Closed Front View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
Rear view   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
Left View  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
Right View  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
Base view  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
Touchpad Basics(with fingerprint reader)  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
Touchpad basics (with two-click buttons)  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
Using the Keyboard   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 Lock Keys and embedded numeric keypad* . . . . .  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
Windows Keys   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
Hot Keys  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
Special Key  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
Using the system utilities   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18 Acer Backup Manager   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20
Power management   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
Acer PowerSmart key  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
Acer eRecovery Management   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
Burn backup discs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22
Restore  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23
Acer Arcade Deluxe   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24
General controls  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25
Navigation controls  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25
Player controls   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25
Cinema  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25
HomeMedia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26
Advanced   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26
Albums   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27
Editing Pictures  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27
Slideshow settings   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27
Music . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27
Online Media  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28
YouTube  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28
Flickr  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28
Hardware Specifications an d Configurations   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29
BIOS Setup Utility  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33
System Utilities  33
Invoking BIOS Setup   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34 Information   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34
Main   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35
Security  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37
Boot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40
Exit   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41
BIOS Flash Utility  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42 
						

							VIII
Table of Contents
Machine Disassembly and Replacement  43
General Information   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44Before You Begin   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44
Disassembly Procedure Flowchard   . . . . . . . . . . .  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45
Removing the Battery Pack   . . . . .  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46
Removing the HDD and RAM  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47
Remove the Battery   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48
Remove keyboard  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49
Remove FFC of main board and sub board  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50
Remove Panel   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55
Disassembling the External Module  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56 Disassembling the HDD Module  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56
Troubleshooting 57
System Check Procedures  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58External Diskette Drive Check   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58
External CD-ROM Drive Check   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58
Keyboard or Auxiliary Input Device Check   . . . .  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58
Memory check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59
Power System Check  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59
Touchpad Check  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60
Power-On Self-Test (POST) Error Message   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61
Index of Error Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62
InsydeH2O BIOS Beep Codes  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65
Index of Symptom-to-FRU Error Message   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .69
Intermittent Problems  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73
Undetermined Problems  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74
Top View  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 5
Jumper and Connector Locations  75
Bottom View  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .76
FRU (Field Replaceable Unit) List  77
TravelMate 8371/8331 Exploded Diagram . . . .  . .  . . .  . . . . .  . . .  . .  . . .  . . .  . .  . . .  . . .78
TravelMate 8371/8331 FRU List .  . . .  . .  . . .  . . .  . .  . . .  . . . . .  . . .  . .  . . .  . . .  . .  . . .  . . .81 
						

							Chapter 11
Features
Below is a brief summary of the computer’s many features:
Operating system
‰ Genuine Windows Vista®
NOTE:  Windows® Vista® Capable PCs come  with  Windows® 
XP installed, and  can be  upgraded  to   
Windows® Vista®. For more information on Windows® Vista® and how to upgrade, go to: 
Microsoft.com/windowsvista
.
Platform
‰ Intel® Core™2 Duo processor*
‰ Intel
® Core™2 Solo processor*
‰ Intel
® Celeron® mobile processor*
‰ Mobile Intel
® GS45 Express Chipset
‰ Intel
® Wireless WiFi Link 5100*
‰ Acer InviLink™ Nplify™ 802.11b/g/Draft-N*
‰ Acer InviLink™ 802.11b/g*
System memory
‰ Dual-Channel SDRAM support
‰  Up to 2 GB of DDR3 1066 MHz memory, upgr adeable to 4 GB using two soDIMM modules*
‰  Up to 4 GB of DDR3 1066 MHz memory, upgradeable to 8 GB using two soDIMM modules*
Display
‰16:9 aspect ratio
‰ 13.3 HD 1366 x 768
Graphics
‰Mobile Intel® GS45 Express Chipset*
‰ ATI Mobility Radeon™ HD 4330*
Audio
‰High-definition audio support
‰ MS-Sound compatible
‰ Built-in stereo microphones
Storage subsystem
‰2.5 hard disk drive, with enhanced  Acer DASP(Disk Anti-Shock Protection)*
System Specifications
Chapter  1 
						

							
2Chapter 1
‰Solid state drive*
‰ 5-in-1 card reader
Communication
‰Integrated Acer Crystal Eye webcam
‰ WLAN:
zIntel
® Wireless WiFi Link 5100*
z Acer InviLink™ Nplify™ 802.11b/g/Draft-N*
z Acer InviLink™ 802.11b/g*
‰ WPAN: Bluetooth
® 2.1+Enhanced Data Rate (EDR)*
‰ WWAN: UMTS/HSPA at 850/900/1900/2100 MH z and quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE (850/900/1800/
1900 MHz)
‰ LAN: Gigabit Ethernet; Wake-on-LAN ready
Privacy control
‰Enhanced Acer DASP (Di sk Anti-Shock Protection)
‰ Acer Bio-Protection fingerprint solution*
‰ BIOS user, supervisor, HDD passwords
‰ Kensington lock slot
Dimensions and weight
‰323.6 (W) x 228 (D) x 26/29.4 (H) mm
(12.74 x 8.97 x 1.02/1.10 inches)
‰ 1.65 kg (3.583 lbs.) with 6-cell battery pack
Power subsystem
‰ACPI 3.0
‰ 62.16 W 5600 mAh
‰ 3-pin 65 W AC adapter
‰ ENERGY STAR
®*
Special keys and controls
‰88-/89-/93- key keyboard
‰ Touchpad pointing device
I/O Ports
‰Acer EasyPort IV connector
‰ Acer Bio-Protection fingerprint reader
‰ 5-in-1 card reader (SD/MMC/MS/MS PRO/xD)
‰ USB 2.0 port
‰ External display (VGA) port
‰ Headphones/speaker/line-out jack
‰ Microphone-in jack
‰ Ethernet (RJ-45) port
‰ DC-in jack for AC adapter