Documentation

If you want to know what you can do against the slippery trackball, look into the aeros original manual, page 4.2 No. 8. Compaq tells you to take it out, clean it with water and treat the trackball-contacts with isopropanol. If that won't help - and it didn't help for longer than two hours with mine - you can buy some aero-trackball-cleaning kits online.

Or follow the AeroFAQ Doc. 2.1.7.2 and sand down the trackball with some fine sandpaper.

That helped. Really.

On this page I collected some documents that are still available for the old machine.

The Aero F.A.Q. is a creation of Ekkehard Rohwedder and Philip Wilk who collected all relevant questions and solutions posted to the aero mailing-list.

Today the Aero F.A.Q. contains mostly all aspects of that laptop computer.

And because the descriptions don't come from one modestly paid technical writer but from real users, it's also fun to read.

I'd like to add: The only thing still missing is the "Don't panic!"-sign on its electronic cover. ;-)

http://www.zenspider.com/~pwilk/aero_stuff.html
Home of the AeroFAQ.

http://www.landfield.com/faqs/pc-hardware-faq/
laptops/compaq-aero/preamble.html
A multipart HTML-version of the FAQ.

aerohlp.zip
656KB
The FAQ as 16-bit Windows help-file for Windows 3.1x/Windows 9x on this server.

aeroh95.zip
760KB
The FAQ as 32-bit Windows help-file for Win 9x/NT on this server

The Aero was shipped with a Compaq Online Manual. A year ago compaq offered the english version of that manual for free download on its website. Because originally the manual came with a bundle of additional files, f.i. a sort of encyclopedia, there are some missing links.

But anyway the online help is good for giving quick answers to some relevant questions (what are the green lights meaning, how can I connect the floppy).

There is also the german version available here, containing all files. I didn't see other language versions so far - perhaps someone knows where to find them?

hlpengl.zip
161KB
One of the Aeros Online helpfile, found at the compaq forum.

helpgrm.zip
591KB
All files of the Aero Online help for Windows 3.1. In german language.

The Aero came with these manuals:

The "Users Manual" as pdf-file.
1,4 MB
In german language.
Or just read it online !

The "Installation Guide" as pdf-file
366 kb
In german.

Thanks, Johannes Straeter for all the work!!

Additionally Compaq offered a different manual to technicians for maintenance of the aero.

Compaq Contura Aero Family of Personal Computers Maintenance and Service Guide
969 KB
Abstract: This Maintenance and Service Guide is used for reference when servicing the Compaq Contura Aero Family of Personal Computers.
Language: English
Filetype: PDF

12 Jul 2002 - Service Quick Reference Guide - Contura Aero
25 KB
Part Numbers Rev.1
Language: English
Filetype: PDF

22 Apr 1998 - Service Quick Reference Guide - Contura Aero
26 KB
Part Numbers
Language: English
Filetype: PDF

Compaq PCMCIA Memory Optimization White Paper
188 KB
How To Assess, Recover, and Optimize Memory in Compaq PCMCIA-based PCs. Includes Compaq Contura, Compaq Concerto, Compaq LTE Elite, Compaq Aero families.
Language: English
Filetype: PDF

Configuration for Banyan and the IBM PCMCIA 16/4 Token Ring Card
6 KB
A tested configuration for the IBM PCMCIA 16/4 Token Ring Card in the Aero.
Language: English
Filetype: TXT

Big-Harddisk-HOWTO
6 KB
Step-by-step-instruction for installing harddisks > 8 GB with the aero. (By UH)
Language: English
Filetype: HTML

The CMOS-problem - if the aero won't boot
15 KB
This page shows the remainig possibilities if the aero freezes after memory-count.
Language: English
Filetype: HTML

LINUX

For information, documentations and howtos about installing linux on the aero look at my linux-pages.

Support-Forum

Please take a look at the Compaq/HP-support-forum: They are answering additional questions - and maybe you can also help others.

Unfortunately after the merging with hp, the special compaq-contura-aero-forum was merged too, aero-users are now in this forum together with users of Armada-, EVO-, LTE-notebooks and others. This is a pity: The traffic is high now and it is hard to find the few questions regarding the aero, as there is no search-function included.

So I have mirrored some valuable questions and answers from the former compaq-contura-aero-forum. Hope this helps everybody...

Other Sources

Other sources with lots of information about the Compaq Contura Aero are collected in my page with links. There are also other projects on the internet with useful information, for instance repair4laptop.