Acer 330 - Manual (Page 38)

38 System Introductions
Power Management
This computer has a built-in power management unit that monitors system
activity. System activity refers to any activity involving one or more of the
following devices: keyboard, mouse, floppy drive, hard disk, peripherals
connected to the serial and parallel ports, and video memory. If no activity is
detected for a period of time (called an inactivity time-out), the computer
stops some or all of these devices in order to conserve energy.
This computer employs a power management scheme that supports APM
(Advanced Power Management) or ACPI (Advanced Configuration and
Power Interface) which allows for maximum power conservation and
maximum performance at the same time.
If your computer is set for APM, you can set time-out values for your
computer’s devices before power-saving methods are applied to these
devices. If your computer is set for ACPI, Windows handles all power-saving
chores for your computer.
Note: Power management (APM or ACPI) greatly prolongs your battery
life. See “Advanced Power Management” on page 41 and
“Advanced Configuration and Power Interface” on page 41 for
more information.
Power Management Modes
Display Standby Mode
Screen activity is determined by the keyboard, the built-in touchpad, and an
external PS/2 pointing device. If these devices are idle for the period
specified by the Turn Off Display value, the display shuts off until you press a
key or move the touchpad or external mouse.
"Automatic Dim" Feature
The computer has a unique "automatic dim" power-saving feature. When
the computer is using AC power and you disconnect the AC adapter from the
computer, it automatically dims the LCD backlight to save power. If you
reconnect AC power to the computer, it automatically adjusts the LCD
backlight to a brighter level.
Hard Disk Standby Mode
The hard disk enters standby mode when there are no disk read/write
operations within the period of time specified by the Turn Off Hard Disk value.
In this state, the power supplied to the hard disk is reduced to a minimum.
The hard disk returns to normal once the computer accesses it.