Advent 8117 Laptop

Can You Help?

If you own one of these laptops can you take a couple of minutes to check the information on this page is correct. If you come across any errors or have any other information that can help fill in the gaps then please email me at info@uktsupport.co.uk.

Many thanks, Matt

Specification

* Wireless Lan on/off switch on front of laptop (next to microphone socket)

** There is very little official information available on Advent memory upgrades and while I've done my best to make sure this page is accurate I would recommend double-checking before buying. One way is by running a system scanner like the one provided by Crucial Memory (shameless plug for advert below).

Adding RAM is the most cost effective way to boost your computer's performance.

Bottom of Laptop

Activity Lights

There are 7 activity lights situated in the bottom left-hand corner of the laptop. From left to right they show the following -

• Power Light
  • Green light indicates the system is ON
  • Blinking green light indicates the notebook is in suspend mode
• Wireless Internet
  • Green light indicates the WLAN is active.
• Battery Light
  • Blinking orange light indicates the battery is being charged
  • Blinking red light indicates the battery power is low when the system is turned ON
  • Persistent green light indicates the battery is Full
• Hard Drive light - Green light indicates the disk is being accessed
• Caps lock - Green light indicates the caps lock is activated
• Num Lock - Green light indicates the numeric keypad is activated
• Silent mode - Green light indicates that Silent Mode is activated

Function Keys

Fn + F1 - Sleep Mode
Fn + F3 - Mute
Fn + F4 - Toggle the display between LCD, CRT, LCD+CRT, and TV
Fn + F5 - Increase volume
Fn + F6 - Decrease volume
Fn + F7 - Increase brightness
Fn + F8 - Decrease brightness

In the Box

Disks Supplied

• Microsoft Works 8.5

Items Supplied

• Advent 8117 notebook
• Li Shin power supply. Output: 20V - 3.25A
• 2-pin "Figure of Eight" power cable

Documentation Supplied

• Advent Windows Vista user guide
• Advent recovery guide
• Advent Safety guide

Recovery Disc

Replacement recovery discs can be ordered from a company called "The Tech Guys". More information is available on their website - http://support.thetechguys.com//recoverymedia/.

Hard Drive Recovery

Should your Windows develop serious errors or fail to start, you can restore your computer back to factory settings by using the hard drive recovery located on a hidden partition on the hard drive.

To restore your computer back to factory settings, follow the steps below:

1. Turn on the computer and keep tapping F8 until the advanced options menu is displayed
2. Use the up/down arrow keys on the keyboard to highlight Repair Your Computer and press enter to select it
3. Select the language you wish to install (normally English is the only option)
4. Once you have chosen your language you will be presented with the available recovery options
   • Microsoft Repair Environment - after choosing the UK keyboard layout you will be asked to choose the Operating System you wish to repair. If Windows Vista is not listed then you cannot repair the OS without doing the full recovery. After choosing Vista the Microsoft Vista startup repair tool will run and attempt to repair any startup problems you are experiencing
   • Reinstall Windows - gives you the options available to reinstall Vista
   • Advanced Options - this launches the diagnostic centre allowing you to run chkdsk, launch notepad or bring up a command prompt
   • Exit & restart computer - Exits withut running the recovery process
5. To continue with the recovery program you need to choose Reinstall Windows
6. On the next screen you have the ability to launch Vista System Restore and roll back to a date when Vista was last working ok or to run the Full Destructive Recovery. To continue with the recovery program you need to choose Start Full Destructive Recovery
7. After choosing the Full Destructive Recovery option you are presented with the warning screen that all data will be lost. It is important to make sure all data has been backed up to disk if possible and to realise this process deletes all data and reverts the machine back to it's default state. To continue with the recovery program you need to tick the box indicating you are aware of data loss
8. The recovery process will then run through, the computer will restart a couple of times during this. You will also need to go through the Vista "Out of Box Experience", to configure Vista. This is fairly straightforward so just follow the onscreen instructions

Recovery DVD Creator

Your computer comes supplied with a hard drive based recovery allowing you to reinstall Windows Vista very easily should the need arise. You also have the ability to create a recovery DVD which is recommended on all machines. To create a recovery DVD (note - you cannot use CDs) do the following.

1. Double click on the Techguys DVD icon on the desktop or from the start menu
2. The first screen will prompt you to insert a DVD into your drive. Click OK.
3. On the next screen make sure your DVD drive is selected in the 'To' field. To reduce the risk of errors ensure the write speed is set to the lowest value and tick verify recorded data. Click Burn
4. Once the process has completed, label your DVD, keep it in a safe place and in a protective case to avoid damage

DVD Recovery

Should your Windows develop serious errors or fail to start, you can restore your computer back to factory settings by using the Recovery DVD you may have created or been sent.

To restore your computer back to factory settings, follow the steps below.

1. Start the computer with the Recovery DVD in the optical disc drive
2. After the usual startup screen has vanished press a key when prompted to load from the DVD
3. Select the language you wish to install (normally English is the only option)
4. Once you have chosen your language you will be presented with the available recovery options
   • Microsoft Repair Environment - after choosing the UK keyboard layout you will be asked to choose the Operating System you wish to repair. If Windows Vista is not listed then you cannot repair the OS without doing the full recovery. After choosing Vista the Microsoft Vista startup repair tool will run and attempt to repair any startup problems you are experiencing
   • Reinstall Windows - gives you the options available to reinstall Vista
   • Advanced Options - this launches the diagnostic centre allowing you to run chkdsk, launch notepad or bring up a command prompt
   • Exit & restart computer - Exits withut running the recovery process
5. To continue with the recovery program you need to choose Reinstall Windows
6. On the next screen you have the ability to launch Vista System Restore and roll back to a date when Vista was last working ok or to run the Full Destructive Recovery. To continue with the recovery program you need to choose Start Full Destructive Recovery
7. After choosing the Full Destructive Recovery option you are presented with the warning screen that all data will be lost. It is important to make sure all data has been backed up to disk if possible and to realise this process deletes all data and reverts the machine back to it's default state. To continue with the recovery program you need to tick the box indicating you are aware of data loss
8. The recovery process will then run through, reinstalling Vista and also recreating the hard drive recovery system for future use.
9. When it has finished copying files it will ask you to remove the DVD and then restart the computer. It will then go through setting up Vista, you will need to go through the Vista "Out of Box Experience". This is fairly straightforward so just follow the onscreen instructions

Useful Links

Repairs and Spares

All official service and support is handled by The Tech Guys (http://www.thetechguys.com/), if you laptop is covered under warranty then you need to contact them for repairs.

If your laptop is out of warranty then there are a number of other companies who do either repairs or supply spare parts, here are a selection -

TechnoMart - http://www.techno-mart.co.uk
Advent Spares - http://www.adventspares.co.uk/
DriveMyLaptop (replacement drives) - http://www.drivemylaptop.co.uk
Laptop Solutions - http://www.laptopsolutions.net/index.htm
DAB Solutions - http://www.dab-solutions.co.uk/

Accessories

There are plenty of internet sites that sell power cables, adapters, batteries, etc. for Advent laptops, here are just a selection -

MDS Battery - http://www.mdsbattery.co.uk
LaptopShop - http://www.laptopshop.co.uk
PartMaster - http://www.partmaster.co.uk