ASUS M500SA (01) PDF Document

The front panel of the ASUS M500SA features the following components:

1. **5.25-inch optical disk drive bay (optional):** Houses an optical disk drive.

2. **Optical disk drive eject button:** Press this to eject the optical disk drive tray.

3. **Power button:** Press this to turn on your computer.

4. **HDD indicator:** This LED lights up or blinks to indicate the status of the Hard Disk Drive.

5. **Headphone port:** Connects to a headphone or speaker.

6. **Audio combo jack:** Connects to a headphone, speaker, headset, or an external microphone.

7. **USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports:** These ports connect to USB 3.2 Gen 1 devices such as a mouse, printer, scanner, etc.

8. **IC smart card reader & SD card reader (optional):** Insert a smart card or SD card into the appropriate slot.

The rear panel of the ASUS M500SA features the following ports and components:

1. **PS/2 mouse port (green):** For a PS/2 mouse.

2. **PS/2 keyboard port (purple):** For a PS/2 keyboard.

3. **DisplayPort:** For a DisplayPort-compatible device.

4. **HDMI™ port:** For a High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI™) connector.

5. **USB 2.0 ports:** Connect to USB 2.0 devices such as a mouse, printer, scanner, etc.

6. **Microphone port (pink):** Connects to a microphone.

7. **Line Out port (lime):** Connects to a headphone or speaker. In 4, 5.1, or 7.1-channel configuration, this port becomes Front Speaker Out.

8. **Line In port (light blue):** Connects to audio sources like a tape, CD, or DVD player.

9. **VGA port:** For VGA-compatible devices like a VGA monitor.

10. **Serial port (optional):** A 9-pin COM port for pointing devices or other serial devices.

11. **LAN (RJ-45) port:** Allows Gigabit connection to a Local Area Network (LAN).

12. **Parallel port (optional):** A 25-pin port that connects to a parallel printer, scanner, or other devices.

13. **Expansion slot brackets:** Remove these to install an expansion card.

14. **Power connector:** Plug the power cord into this connector.

15. **Air vents:** Allow for air ventilation. Do not block these vents.

The audio ports on the rear panel of your ASUS M500SA change function depending on the selected audio channel configuration. Refer to the table below for details.

The LAN port on your ASUS M500SA has two LEDs that indicate the connection status and speed.

Activity/Link LED

Speed LED

To set up your ASUS M500SA, you need to connect the main hardware devices.

Connecting an External Monitor:

1. Connect a monitor to a display output port (VGA, HDMI™, or DisplayPort) on the rear panel of your computer. If your computer has a separate graphics card, connect the monitor to a port on that card.

2. Plug the monitor into a power source.

Connecting a USB Keyboard and Mouse:

1. Connect a USB keyboard and a USB mouse to the USB ports on the rear panel of your computer.

Connecting the Power Cord:

1. Connect one end of the power cord to the power connector on the rear panel of your computer and the other end to a grounded electrical outlet.

To turn on your ASUS M500SA after setting it up:

1. Turn your monitor ON.

2. Press the power button on the front of your computer case.

3. Wait until the operating system loads automatically.

Your ASUS M500SA has audio ports on both the front and rear panels for connecting headphones, microphones, and speakers.

Connecting Headphones and Microphone (Front Panel):

Plug your headphones into the headphone port. If you have a headset with a single plug, connect it to the audio combo jack. If you have a separate microphone, you can also connect it to the audio combo jack.

Connecting 2-channel Speakers (Rear Panel):

Connect the 2-channel speakers’ plug to the Line Out port (lime) on the rear panel.

Connecting 4-channel Speakers (Rear Panel):

Connect the front speaker plug to the Line Out port (lime) and the rear speaker plug to the Line In port (light blue).

Connecting 5.1-channel Speakers (Rear Panel):

Connect the front speaker plug to the Line Out port (lime), the rear speaker plug to the Line In port (light blue), and the center/subwoofer plug to the Microphone port (pink).

Connecting 7.1-channel Speakers (Rear Panel and Front Panel):

Connect the front speaker plug to the rear Line Out port (lime), the rear speaker plug to the rear Line In port (light blue), the center/subwoofer plug to the rear Microphone port (pink), and the side speaker plug to the front Headphone/Audio combo jack.

When you connect an external audio device like headphones or speakers, you may need to enable the output manually.

1. Connect an external audio device (e.g., speaker) to the rear Line Out port. The Audio Manager screen should automatically pop up.

2. In the “Which device did you plug in?” window, tick “Front Speaker Out”, then click OK.

3. If prompted again, tick “Line In”, then click OK. The audio output will now be from the external audio device.

To set up multiple external displays with your ASUS M500SA:

1. Turn off your computer.

2. Connect two monitors to the available display output ports (e.g., VGA, HDMI™, DisplayPort) on your computer. Also, connect the power cords for both monitors.

3. Turn on your computer.

4. From the Start menu, go to Settings > System > Display.

5. Configure the settings for your multiple displays, such as choosing to duplicate or extend the desktop.

To use the built-in memory card reader:

1. Insert the memory card into the correct card slot on the front panel. A memory card is keyed to fit in only one direction; do not force it.

2. Select a program from the AutoPlay window that appears to access your files. If AutoPlay is not enabled, open File Explorer, and double-click the memory card icon.

3. When finished, right-click the memory card drive icon in File Explorer, click Eject, and then remove the card. To prevent data loss, always eject the card before removing it.

To insert an optical disc:

1. While the system is on, press the eject button on the drive bay cover to open the tray.

2. Place the disc on the tray with the label side facing outward.

3. Gently push the tray to close it.

4. Select a program from the AutoPlay window to access your files, or open the disc drive from File Explorer.

To remove an optical disc:

1. While the system is on, either press the eject button on the drive bay cover, or right-click the CD/DVD drive icon in File Explorer and click Eject.

2. Remove the disc from the disc tray.

You can manage the USB ports from the BIOS Setup:

1. Restart your computer and press the key during startup to enter the BIOS Setup.

2. From the EZ Mode screen, press to enter Advanced Mode.

3. Navigate to Advanced Mode > Security > I/O Interface Security > USB Interface Security > USB Port Control.

4. Select the specific USB port you want to manage and press .

5. Choose to enable or disable the port.

6. Click Exit and select Save Changes & Reset to save your configuration.

To set an HDD password to protect your data:

1. Enter the BIOS Setup by pressing during startup.

2. Press to enter Advanced Mode.

3. Navigate to Security > HDD Security Configuration: [name of HDD] to open the HDD Password screen.

4. Select the Set Master Password item and press .

5. In the Create New Password box, enter a password and press . Confirm the password when prompted.

6. Select the Set User Password item and press . Follow the same steps to set the user password.

7. Click Exit and select Save Changes & Reset to apply the changes. Remember these passwords, as you will need them to access the HDD.

You can use an RJ-45 cable for a wired connection.

Connecting via a DSL/Cable Modem:

1. Set up your DSL/cable modem according to its documentation.

2. Connect one end of an RJ-45 cable to the LAN port on the rear panel of your ASUS M500SA and the other end to your modem.

3. Turn on the modem and your computer.

4. Configure the necessary Internet connection settings in Windows.

Connecting via a Local Area Network (LAN):

1. Connect one end of an RJ-45 cable to the LAN port on the rear of your computer and the other end to your LAN (e.g., a wall jack or router).

2. Turn on your computer.

3. Configure the necessary Internet connection settings.

If your computer won’t power on, try the following:

• Check if your computer is properly connected to the power outlet.

• Check if the wall outlet is functioning by plugging in another device.

• Check if the Power Supply Unit is switched on. Refer to the “Turning your computer ON” section for details.

If your computer becomes unresponsive, do the following to close programs that are not responding:

1. Simultaneously press + + keys on the keyboard, then click Task Manager.

2. Select the program that is not responding, then click End Task.

If the keyboard is also not responding, press and hold the Power button on your computer’s case until it shuts down. Then, press the Power button again to turn it back on.

If you are having trouble connecting to a wireless network, check the following:

• Ensure that you have entered the correct network security key (password) for the wireless network.

• If your model has external antennas, connect them to the antenna connectors on the ASUS WLAN Card and place the antennas on top of your computer chassis for the best wireless performance.

If your monitor is not displaying an image, try these steps:

• Check if the monitor is powered on.

• Ensure that your monitor is properly connected to the correct video output port on your computer.

• If your computer has a separate (discrete) graphics card, ensure that you connect your monitor to a video output port on that graphics card, not the motherboard’s onboard ports.

• Check if any pins on the monitor video connector are bent. If they are, replace the cable.

• Ensure your monitor is properly plugged into a power source.

• Refer to the documentation that came with your monitor for more specific troubleshooting information.

If only one of your multiple monitors is working, check the following:

• Ensure that both monitors are powered on.

• During the initial startup process (POST), only the monitor connected to the primary port (often VGA) may have a display. The dual display function typically works only after Windows has loaded.

• If a discrete graphics card is installed, ensure that you connect both monitors to the output ports on that graphics card.

• Check the multiple display settings in Windows (Settings > System > Display) to ensure they are configured correctly.

If you are not getting sound from your speakers, perform these checks:

• Ensure that you connect your speakers to the Line Out port (lime color) on the front or rear panel.

• Check if your speakers are connected to an electrical source and turned on.

• Adjust your speakers’ volume control.

• Ensure that your computer’s system sounds are not Muted. If the volume icon in the Windows notification area shows a small ‘x’, click it to unmute the audio.

• Connect your speakers to another computer or device to test if they are working properly.

If the optical drive is having trouble reading a disc, check the following:

• Check if the disc is placed with the label side facing up.

• Check if the disc is centered correctly in the tray, especially for discs with a non-standard size or shape.

• Check if the disc is scratched or damaged.

If the physical eject button doesn’t work, you can eject the disc through Windows:

1. From the Start menu, click File Explorer.

2. Right-click the DVD RW Drive icon, then click Eject from the menu.

When you start your computer for the first time, a series of screens will guide you through configuring the basic settings of your Windows® 10 operating system.

1. Press the power button on your ASUS M500SA. Wait a few minutes for the setup screen to appear.

2. From the setup screen, pick your region and language.

3. Carefully read the License Terms, then tap ‘I Accept’.

4. Follow the onscreen instructions to configure basic items such as Personalize, Get online, Settings, and Your account.

5. Wait until Windows® 10 finishes installing apps and system settings. After the installation is complete, the Windows® 10 desktop will appear.

The Snap feature helps you arrange multiple application windows on one screen. You can use your mouse or keyboard to activate it.

Using your mouse:

a) Launch an app, then click and drag its title bar to a corner of the screen to snap it in place.

b) Snap another app to your preferred location on the screen.

Using your keyboard:

a) Launch an app, press the Windows key + an arrow key to select the direction where you want to snap the app in place.

b) Snap another app using the Windows key and the arrow keys.

Here are some keyboard shortcuts to help you navigate Windows 10:

You can restore your PC to its original factory settings using the recovery options in PC Settings. Note that this process will delete all of your personal files, so be sure to back up your data beforehand.

1. From the Start menu, click Settings > Update & security > Recovery.

2. Scroll down to the “Remove everything and reinstall Windows” option. Under this option, click Get started.

3. Follow the onscreen instructions to complete the reinstallation and reset process.