MONSTER Abra-A7 V11.5.3 Intel Core i7 Gaming Laptop User Manual

: June 5, 2024
: Monster

Table of Contents

About this Concise User Guide
Servicing
System Startup
Intel® Optane™ Setup
RAID Setup
RAID Setup Procedure
System Map: Front View with LCD Panel Open
LED Indicators
Keyboard & Function Keys
System Map: Front, Left & Right Views
System Map: Bottom & Rear Views
Specifications
Documents / Resources
- Read User Manual Online (PDF format)
- Download This Manual (PDF format)

A7 V13.1
USER MANUAL
BENUTZERHANDBUCH KULLANIM KILAVUZU

About this Concise User Guide

This quick guide is a brief introduction to getting your system started. This is a supplement, and not a substitute for the expanded English language User’s Manual in Adobe Acrobat format on the Device Drivers & Utilities + User’s Manual disc supplied with your computer. This disc also contains the drivers and utilities necessary for the proper operation of the computer (Note: The company reserves the right to revise this publication or to change its contents without notice).Some or all of the computer’s features may already have been setup. If they aren’t, or you are planning to re-configure(or re- install) portions of the system, refer to the expanded User’s Manual. The Device Drivers & Utilities + User’s Manual disc does not contain an operating system.

Regulatory and Safety Information
Please pay careful attention to the full regulatory notices and safety information contained in the expanded User’s Manual on the Device Drivers & Utilities + User’s Manual disc. © April 2020

Trademarks
Intel is a trademark/registered trademark of Intel Corporation.
Windows is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation.

FCC Statement
This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions:

This device may not cause harmful interference.
This device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.

Instructions for Care and Operation
The computer is quite rugged, but it can be damaged. To prevent this, follow these suggestions:

Don’t drop it, or expose it to shock. If the computer falls, the case and the components could be damaged.
Keep it dry, and don’t overheat it. Keep the computer and power supply away from any kind of heating element. This is an electrical appliance. If water or any other liquid gets into it, the computer could be badly damaged.
Avoid interference. Keep the computer away from high capacity transformers, electric motors, and other strong magnetic fields. These can hinder proper performance and damage your data.
Follow the proper working procedures for the computer. Shut the computer down properly and don’t forget to save your work. Remember to periodically save your data as data may be lost.

Servicing

Do not attempt to service the computer yourself. Doing so may violate your warranty and expose you and the computer to electric shock. Refer all servicing to authorized service personnel. Unplug the computer from the power supply. Then refer servicing to qualified service personnel under any of the following conditions:

When the power cord or AC/DC adapter is damaged or frayed.
If the computer has been exposed to any liquids.
If the computer does not work normally when you follow the operating instructions.
If the computer has been dropped or damaged (do not touch the poisonous liquid if the LCD panel breaks).
If there is an unusual odor, heat or smoke coming from your computer.

Safety Information

Only use an AC/DC adapter approved for use with this computer.
Use only the power cord and batteries indicated in this manual. Do not dispose of batteries in a fire. They may explode. Check with local codes for possible special disposal instructions.
Do not continue to use a battery that has been dropped, or that appears damaged (e.g. bent or twisted) in any way. Even if the computer continues to work with a damaged battery in place, it may cause circuit damage, which may possibly result in fire.
Make sure that your computer is completely powered off before putting it into a travel bag (or any such container).
Before cleaning the computer, make sure it is disconnected from any external power supplies, peripherals and cables.
Use a soft clean cloth to clean the computer, but do not apply cleaner directly to the computer. Do not use volatile (petroleum distillates) or abrasive cleaners on any part of the computer.
Do not try to repair a battery pack. Refer any battery pack repair or replacement to your service representative or qualified service personnel.
Note that in computer’s featuring a raised LCD electro-plated logo, the logo is covered by a protective adhesive. Due to general wear and tear, this adhesive may deteriorate over time and the exposed logo may develop sharp edges. Be careful when handling the computer in this case, and avoid touching the raised LCD electro-plated logo. Avoid placing any other items in the carrying bag which may rub against the top of the computer during transport. If any such wear and tear develops contact your service center.

Polymer/Lithium-Ion Battery Precautions
Note the following information which is specific to Polymer/Lithium-Ion batteries only, and where applicable, this overrides the general battery precaution information.

Polymer/Lithium-Ion batteries may experience a slight expansion or swelling, however this is part of the battery’s safety mechanism and is not a cause for concern.
Use proper handling procedures when using Polymer/Lithium-Ion batteries. Do not use Polymer/Lithium-Ion batteries in high ambient temperature environments, and do not store unused batteries for extended periods.
If you are working in areas of low temperature use the AC/DC adapter to power the computer.

Battery Disposal & Caution
The product that you have purchased contains a rechargeable battery. The battery is recyclable. At the end of its useful life, under various state and local laws, it may be illegal to dispose of this battery into the municipal waste stream. Check with your local solid waste officials for details in your area for recycling options or proper disposal.
Danger of explosion if battery is incorrectly replaced. Replace only with the same or equivalent type recommended by the manufacturer. Discard used battery according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

System Startup

Remove all packing materials.
Place the computer on a stable surface.
Insert the battery and make sure it is locked in position.
Securely attach any peripherals you want to use with the computer (e.g. keyboard and mouse) to their ports.
When first setting up the computer use the following procedure (as to safeguard the computer during shipping, the battery will be locked to not power the system until first connected to the AC/DC adapter and initially set up as below): · Attach the AC/DC adapter cord to the DC-In jack on the rear of the computer, then plug the AC power cord into an outlet, and connect the AC power cord to the AC/DC adapter. The battery will now be unlocked.
Use one hand to raise the lid/LCD to a comfortable viewing angle (do not e xceed 130 degrees); use the other hand (as illustrated in Figure 1) to support the base of the computer (Note: Never lift the computer by the lid/LCD).
Press the power button to turn the computer “on”.

Opening the Lid/LCD/Computer with AC/DC Adapter Plugged-In

System Software
Your computer may already come with system software pre-installed. Where this is not the case, or where you are reconfiguring your computer for a different system, you will find this manual refers to Microsoft Windows 10.

Intel® OptaneTM/RAID Support
Note that your system can be set up as a RAID OR to support Intel® OptaneTM, but it cannot be set to support both systems. You need to setup Intel® OptaneTM or RAID before installing your Windows 10 operating system.

Shut Down
Note that you should always shut your computer down by choosing the Shut down command in Windows (see below). This will help prevent hard disk or system problems.

Click the Start Menu icon .
Click the Power item .
Choose Shut down from the menu.

Intel® Optane™ Setup

Intel® Optane™ is a combination of a compatible memory device and Intel Rapid Storage
Technology software. This combination is designed to speed up your system performance by caching boot data, executables, frequently accessed data and system page files to a non volatile, low latency Intel® Optane™ SSD.
Contact your distributor or supplier to see if your system supports this technology.

Intel® Optane™ Setup Procedure
You need to setup Intel® Optane™ before installing your Windows 10 operating system, and you will need to prepare the following in order to do so.

The Microsoft Windows 10 OS on a DVD or USB flash drive.
An Intel® Optane™ SSD installed in your system.
The Device Drivers & Utilities + User’s Manual disc.

Start-up your notebook computer and press F2 to enter the BIOS and go to the Setup Utility.
Select the Advanced menu
Select VMD Mode, press Enter and select Intel RST Premium… and select .
Press F10 to “Save and Exit” and select , however note below.
• Make sure the Windows 10 OS (DVD) is in the attached DVD drive or on a USB flash drive and as the computer starts up it will automatically boot from the Windows 10 OS DVD or USB flash drive
Click Next > Install Now to continue installing the operating system as normal (see your Windows documentation if you need help on installing the Windows OS)
Select Custom: Install Windows only (advanced).
It is recommended that you select and then delete existing partitions.
Click New to create a partition for Windows.
It is very important to make sure that when you create the partition, leave at least a minimum of unallocated space of 5MB. This space is required for any drive that is being accelerated (System or Data Drive)
Follow the on-screen instructions to install the Windows 10 operating system.
Install the Windows drivers. Make sure you install the Intel® Rapid Storage Technology (IRST) driver.
Run the Intel® Optane™ Memory and Storage Management application.
Click Enable Intel® Optane™ Memory.
Figure 2 – Intel® Optane™ Memory and Storage Management – Enable Intel® Optane™ Memory
A warning will pop up to notify you that all data on the Optane Memory Module will be erased, and if this is OK then click Enable.
The system will prepare and enable the Optane drive, and when finished you can then click Restart.
The system will then optimize the Optane Memory upon restart.
Run the Intel® Optane™ Memory and Storage Management application.
The system status will then be displayed.

Disabling Intel® Optane™
If you wish to disable an existing Intel® Optane™ setup then follow the procedure below to do so.

Run the Intel® Optane™ Memory and Storage Management application.
Click Intel® Optane™ Memory and then click Disable.
Click Disable when you see the following message.
Figure 3 – Intel® Optane™ Memory and Storage Management – Disable
Restart the computer to complete the process.
Run the Intel® Optane™ Memory and Storage Management application
The Intel® Optane™ Memory Status is indicated in the Window.

RAID Setup

Your solid state drives (SSDs) can be set up in RAID mode (for increased performance or protection). Note that setting up your solid state drives in RAID mode needs to be done prior to installing the Windows OS. Do not change the mode unless you intend to reinstall your operating system, and make sure you back up all necessary files and data before doing so. To configure your RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks) system in Striping (RAID 0) or Mirroring (RAID 1) mode (see Table 1) you will require two identical solid state drives.

RAID Level	Description

RAID 0
(at lease two SSDs
needed)| Identical drives reading and writing data in parallel to increase performance. RAID 0 implements a striped disk array and the data is broken into blocks and each block is written to a separate drive.
RAID 1
(at lease two SSDs
needed)| Identical drives in a mirrored configuration used to protect data. Should a drive that is part of a mirrored array fail, the mirrored drive (which contains identical data) will handle all the data. When a new replacement drive is installed, data to the new drive is rebuilt from the mirrored drive
to restore fault tolerance.

Table 1 – RAID Description

Prepare the following before setting up your PCIe SSDs in RAID mode:

The Microsoft Windows 10 OS on a DVD or USB flash drive.
An attached external DVD drive.
Two identical PCIe solid state drives.
The Device Drivers & Utilities + User’s Manual disc.

NOTE All SSDs in a RAID should be identical (the same size and brand) in order to prevent unexpected system behavior.

RAID Setup Procedure

Start-up your notebook computer and press F2 to enter the BIOS and go to the Setup Utility.
Select the Advanced menu.
Select SATA Mode, press Enter and select Intel RST Premium… and select .
Press F10 to “Save and Exit” and select .
After the computer restarts press F2 to enter the BIOS again and go to the Setup Utility.
Go to Intel(R) Rapid Storage Technology (in the Advanced menu) and select “Create RAID Volume”.
You can now setup your RAID volume using the installed SSDs.
Select “Name” and type a name of your choice for your RAID volume and select .
Select “RAID Level” and choose the RAID Level required (see Table 1 on page 7) and press Enter.
• RAID 0 (Stripe)
• RAID 1 (Mirror)
Go to any of the disks listed under Select Disks: and select a disk name.
Click on X to select the disk required.
You should select two identical SSDs to form your RAID volume.
If you have selected RAID 0 (Stripe) then you can adjust the “Strip Size” to your requirements (It is recommended that you set the “Strip Size” to 128KB).
Select “Create Volume” (make sure you have selected your disks).
The system will list your RAID volume.
Press F10 to “Save and Exit” and select , however note below.
• Make sure the Windows 10 OS DVD is in the attached DVD drive and as the computer starts up it will automatically boot from the Windows 10 OS DVD (you will be prompted to press a key to boot from the DVD).
Click Next > Install Now to continue installing the operating system as normal (see your Windows documentation if you need help on installing the Windows OS).
Follow the on-screen instructions to install the Windows 10 operating system.
Install the Windows drivers. Make sure you install the Intel® Rapid Storage Technology (IRST) driver.

System Map: Front View with LCD Panel Open

Figure 3 – Front View with LCD Panel Open

PC Camera
Camera LED
When the camera is in use, the LED will be illuminated.
Built-In Array Microphone
Display
Power Button
Keyboard
Touchpad & Buttons

LED Indicators

The LED indicators on the computer display helpful information about the current status of the computer.

Icon	Color	Description
Green	The Hard Disk is in use
Green	Airplane Mode is ON (the WLAN and Bluetooth Modules are OFF)
Orange	The Battery is Charging
Green	The Battery is Fully Charged
Blinking Orange	The Battery Has Reached Critically Low Power Status
Orange	The AC/DC Adapter is Plugged In
Green	The Computer is On
Blinking Green	The Computer is in Sleep Mode

Wireless Device Operation Aboard Aircraft
The use of any portable electronic transmission devices aboard aircraft is usually prohibited.
Make sure the wireless modules are OFF if you are using the computer aboard aircraft by putting the system in to Airplane Mode.

Keyboard & Function Keys

The keyboard includes a numeric keypad for easy numeric data input. Pressing Num Lk turns on/off the numeric keypad. It also features function keys to allow you to change operational features instantly. The function keys ( F1 – F12 etc.) will act as hot keys when pressed while the Fn key is held down. In addition to the basic function key combinations, some visual indicators are available when the Control Center driver is installed.

Keys| Function/Visual Indicators| Keys| Function/Visual Indicators
---|---|---|---
Fn + | Play/Pause (in Audio/Video Programs)| Fn + | Sleep Toggle
Fn + | Touchpad Toogle| | | |
Fn + | Turn Display Backlight Off
(Press a key to or use touchpad to turn on)| Fn + | Scroll Lock Toggle|
Fn + | Mute Toggle| | | Caps Lock Toggle|
Fn + | Volume Decrease/
Increase| | Fn + | Control Center Toggle
Fn + | Change Display Configuration| Fn + | Fan Automatic Control/
Full Power|
Fn + | Display Brightness
Decrease/Increase| | *Note: It is recommended that you use Maximum fan speed when playing games.
Fn + | Camera Power
Toggle| | Fn + | Disable/Enable
Flexikey®|
Fn +| Airplane Mode Toggle| | Fn + | Power Modes Toggle|

System Map: Front, Left & Right Views

1. LED Indicators
2. Security Lock Slot
3. Vent
4. USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A Port
5. USB 2.0 Port| 6. Microphone-In Jack
7. 2-In-1 Audio Jack (Headphone and Microphone)
8. USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A Port
9. USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C Port
10. Multi-in-1 Card Reader
---|---

Overheating
To prevent your computer from overheating make sure nothing blocks any vent while the computer is in use.

System Map: Bottom & Rear Views

1. Battery
2. Vent
3. Speakers
4. Mini DisplayPort 1.4| 5. HDMI-Out Port
6. RJ-45 LAN Jack
7. DC-In Jack
---|---

Overheating
To prevent your computer from overheating make sure nothing blocks any vent while the computer is in use.

Bottom Cover Removal Warning
Do not remove any cover(s) and/or screw(s) for the purposes of device upgrade as this may violate the terms of your warranty.
If you need to replace/remove the hard disk/RAM etc., for any reason, please contact your distributor/supplier for further information.

Specifications

Core Logic

Mobile Intel® new generation Express Chipset

Memory

Dual channel DDR4
Two 260 pins SODIMM sockets, support DDR4 up to 3200MHz (Real operation frequency depends on processor)
Expandable memory up to 64GB, depends on 8GB/16GB/32GB SODIMM module

Display

17,3” (43,94cm) FHD (1920×1080) 16:9 panel, 3,5mm

Security

Security (Kensington® Type) Lock Slot
Intel® PTT for System Without Hardware TPM

Storage

One changeable 2,5” 7mm(H) HDD / SSD, SATA interface
One M.2 2280 SSD PCIe Gen4x4 interface & One M.2 2280 SSD SATA/PCIe Gen3x4 interface support PCIe Gen3x4 interface (RAID 0/1)

Audio