User manual GATEWAY SOLO 1400

Contents 1 Checking Out Your Gateway Notebook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Front . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Left Side . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Right Side . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Back . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Bottom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Keyboard area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Identifying your model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Accessories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 2 Getting Started. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Connecting the AC adapter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Protecting from power source problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Starting your notebook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Waking up your notebook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Turning off your notebook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Switching user accounts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Status indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Using the keyboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . System key combinations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Multi-function buttons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Using the EZ Pad touchpad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Using the touchpad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Connecting the modem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Connecting to an Ethernet network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Broadband Internet connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Installing a printer, scanner, or other peripheral device . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 14 15 15 16 17 19 20 21 22 24 25 26 28 29 29 30 3 Getting Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 HelpSpot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . HelpSpot Videos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Online help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Gateway Web site . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 34 35 36 4 Windows Basics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 About the Windows environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Using the desktop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Using the Start menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 i Identifying Window items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41 Working with files and folders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43 Viewing drives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43 Creating folders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44 Copying and moving files and folders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45 Deleting files and folders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46 Browsing for files and folders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48 Searching for files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49 Using the Search utility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50 Working with documents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52 Creating a new document . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52 Saving a document . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53 Opening a document . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54 Printing a document . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55 Shortcuts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56 5 Using the Internet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57 Learning about the Internet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58 Setting up an Internet account . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59 Accessing your Internet account . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60 Using the World Wide Web . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61 Connecting to a Web site . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62 Downloading files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63 Using e-mail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64 Sending e-mail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64 Checking your e-mail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65 6 Using Multimedia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .67 Using diskettes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .68 Using the CD/DVD drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .69 Inserting a CD or DVD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .69 Adjusting the volume . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .70 Listening to CDs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73 Recording and playing audio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74 Playing audio and video files with the Windows Media Player . . . . . . . . . . . . .76 Playing a DVD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77 Using MusicMatch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .78 Playing CDs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .78 Creating music files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .80 Editing track information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .81 Building a music library . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .82 Listening to Internet radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .84 Using advanced features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .85 ii 7 Sending and Receiving Faxes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87 Setting up your cover page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sending a fax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Faxing from programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Receiving and viewing a fax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88 90 92 92 8 Managing Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93 Monitoring the battery charge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94 Recharging the battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94 Recalibrating the battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95 Changing batteries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96 Extending battery life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97 Conserving battery power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97 Using alternate power sources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97 Changing power modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98 Changing power settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99 Changing the power scheme . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100 Changing alarm options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101 Changing advanced power management settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102 Using Hibernate mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103 9 Travel Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105 Modem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Radio frequency wireless connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106 106 107 107 108 10 Customizing Your Notebook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109 Adjusting the screen and desktop settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Adjusting the color depth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Adjusting the screen resolution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Applying a color scheme . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Changing the desktop background . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Selecting a screen saver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Changing the touchpad settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Programming the multi-function buttons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Allocating system memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110 110 111 113 114 115 117 118 119 11 Upgrading Your Notebook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121 Adding PC Cards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122 iii Preventing static electricity discharge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .124 Installing memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .125 Replacing the hard drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .129 12 Networking Your Notebook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .131 The benefits of using a network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .132 Sharing a single Internet connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .132 Sharing drives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .132 Sharing peripheral devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .133 Streaming audio and video files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .133 Playing multi-player games . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .133 Example network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .134 Selecting a network connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .135 Wired connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .135 Wireless Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .136 Assessing your connection needs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .137 Comparing data transfer speed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .139 Using a wireless network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .141 Using wireless Ethernet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .141 Purchasing additional network equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .164 HPNA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .164 Ethernet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .165 Wireless Ethernet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .166 For more information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .166 13 Moving from Your Old Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .167 Transferring software and hardware from your old computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .167 Using the Files and Settings Transfer Wizard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .167 Transferring files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .168 Transferring Internet settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .169 Reinstalling your old printer or scanner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .170 Reinstalling your old programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .171 14 Maintaining Your Notebook. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .173 Caring for your computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .173 Creating an emergency startup diskette . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .175 Protecting your computer from viruses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .177 Managing hard drive space . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .179 Checking hard drive space . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .179 Using Disk Cleanup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .180 Checking the hard drive for errors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .181 Defragmenting the hard drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .182 iv Backing up files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Using the Scheduled Task Wizard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cleaning your computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cleaning the exterior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cleaning the keyboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cleaning the screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cleaning the mouse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184 185 186 186 187 187 187 15 Restoring Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189 Reinstalling device drivers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Updating device drivers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Reinstalling Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Reinstalling Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Reinstalling programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189 191 193 193 194 16 Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197 Safety guidelines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . First steps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Software support tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CD/DVD drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Device installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Diskette drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Error-checking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . File management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hard drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Internet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Keyboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . LCD panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Modem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mouse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Networks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Passwords . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PC Cards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sound . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Video . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Telephone support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Before calling Gateway Technical Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Telephone numbers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tutoring and training . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198 199 199 200 201 203 203 204 205 205 206 207 208 208 208 212 213 213 213 214 214 216 216 217 217 218 219 v Self-help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .219 Tutoring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .219 Training . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .220 A Safety, Regulatory, and Legal Information. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .221 Index. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239 vi Checking Out Your Gateway Notebook Tips & Tricks To access the contents of this guide while you are traveling, download an electronic copy from www.gateway.com/support/manlib/. 1 www.gateway.com 1 Chapter 1: Checking Out Your Gateway Notebook Front Wireless Ethernet indicator/button Release latch Speaker Battery charge indicator Power indicator Speaker Component Wireless Ethernet indicator/button Icon Description Lights up when the optional wireless Ethernet is turned on. The button in the center of the indicator may be used for turning the wireless Ethernet on and off. For more information, see "Turning your wireless Ethernet on or off" on page 149. Open the notebook cover by sliding the release latch to the right. Provide audio output. Speakers are disabled while headphones are connected. The LED shows the battery activity and status. s s s s s Release latch Speakers Battery charge indicator Green ­ battery is fully charged. Orange ­ battery is being charged. Red ­ battery is low. Blinking and red ­ battery is very low. Blinking and orange ­ battery is malfunctioning. 2 www.gateway.com Front Component Power indicator Icon Description Lights up when the notebook is turned on and shows notebook power status: s s s LED on ­ notebook is ON. LED off ­ notebook is OFF or in Hibernate mode. LED flashing ­ notebook is in Standby mode. Warning Radio frequency wireless communication can interfere with equipment on commercial aircraft. Current aviation regulations require wireless devices to be turned off while traveling in an airplane. IEEE 802.11b (also known as wireless Ethernet or WiFi) communication devices is an example of devices that provide wireless communication. Important If your system came equipped with an internal radio frequency wireless device, see "Safety, Regulatory, and Legal Information" on page 221 for general wireless regulatory and safety guidelines. To find out if your system has an internal wireless device, check the label (see "Identifying your model" on page 9). www.gateway.com 3 Chapter 1: Checking Out Your Gateway Notebook Left Side Modem jack Ethernet jack Speaker jack PC Card eject button Microphone jack PC Card slot Diskette drive Diskette drive eject button Component Modem jack Icon Description Plug a modem cable into this jack. For more information, see "Connecting the modem" on page 28. Plug an Ethernet 10/100 network cable into this jack. For more information, see "Connecting to an Ethernet network" on page 29. Plug external speakers or headphones into this jack. Ethernet jack Speaker jack Microphone jack Plug a microphone into this jack. PC Card eject button PC Card slot Diskette drive Diskette drive eject button Press the eject button to remove a PC Card from a PC Card slot. For more information, see "Adding PC Cards" on page 122. Insert one Type II or Type III PC Card into this slot. For more information, see "Adding PC Cards" on page 122. Insert a standard 3.5-inch diskette into this drive. For more information, see "Using diskettes" on page 68. Press the eject button to remove a diskette from the drive. 4 www.gateway.com Right Side Right Side Battery CD/DVD drive CD/DVD drive indicator Manual eject hole CD/DVD drive eject button Component Battery bay CD/DVD drive CD/DVD drive indicator CD/DVD drive eject button Manual eject hole Icon Description Insert the battery into this bay. For more information, see "Changing batteries" on page 96. Insert CDs or DVDs into this drive. For more information, see "Using the CD/DVD drive" on page 69. Lights up when the computer is accessing the CD/DVD drive. Press the eject button to open the disc tray. Insert a straightened paperclip into this hole to open the CD/DVD drive if the CD/DVD drive eject button fails to open it. www.gateway.com 5 Chapter 1: Checking Out Your Gateway Notebook Back Kensington lock slot Power connector USB ports Monitor port Parallel port Ventilation fan Component KensingtonTM lock slot Icon Description Secure your computer to an object by connecting a Kensington cable lock to this slot. Plug the AC power adapter cable into this connector. Plug USB (Universal Serial Bus) devices (such as a USB IomegaTM ZipTM drive, scanner, or camera) into these ports. Plug an external (VGA) monitor into this port. Power connector USB ports Monitor port Parallel port Plug a parallel device (such as a printer) into this port. Ventilation fan Helps cool system components. Do not block. 6 www.gateway.com Bottom Bottom Hard drive Memory bay Battery bay Battery latch System label Ventilation fan Component Hard drive Battery bay Battery latch System label Ventilation fan Memory bay Icon Description The hard drive is stored here. For more information, see "Replacing the hard drive" on page 129. Insert the battery into this bay. For more information, see "Changing batteries" on page 96. Slide to release the battery. Includes the product model number and serial number. For more information, see "Identifying your model" on page 9. Helps cool system components. Do not block. Install as many as two SO-DIMM memory modules into the slots in this bay. For more information, see "Installing memory" on page 125. www.gateway.com 7 Chapter 1: Checking Out Your Gateway Notebook Keyboard area Multi-function buttons Power button Status indicators Keyboard Touchpad Component Power button Multi-function buttons Status indicators Touchpad Keyboard Description Press to turn the power on or off. For more information on configuring the power button mode, see "Changing power settings" on page 99. See"Multi-function buttons" on page 24 for more information. See "Status indicators" on page 19 for more information. See "Using the EZ Pad touchpad" on page 25 for more information. See "Using the keyboard" on page 20 for more information. 8 www.gateway.com Identifying your model Identifying your model The label on the bottom of your computer contains information that identifies your notebook model. Gateway Technical Support will need this information if you call for assistance. Important The label shown below is for informational purposes only. Label information varies by model. Gateway model number Internal wireless devices Gateway serial number Revision code and display type/processor size Gateway part number www.gateway.com 9 Chapter 1: Checking Out Your Gateway Notebook Accessories Gateway offers accessories that can help you make the most of using your notebook. Batteries and automobile/airplane power adapters If you run your notebook on battery power for extended periods, you may want to buy an additional battery so that you can swap batteries when necessary. With an automobile/airplane power adapter, you can save battery power by plugging your notebook into an automobile cigarette lighter or an airplane in-flight power receptacle. Carrying cases Gateway has large-capacity carrying cases if you need additional space for accessories or supplies. External devices You can attach external devices such as a keyboard, mouse, printer, or monitor to your notebook. Memory Large programs, such as multimedia games or graphics programs, use a lot of memory. If your programs are running more slowly than you think they should, try adding more memory. Printers You can attach many types of printers to your computer. The most common types are inkjet and laser printers, which print in color or black and white. Inkjet printers and cartridges are relatively inexpensive, but usually they are slower than laser printers. Using an inkjet color printer, you can print pictures, banners, and greeting cards, as well as documents. Laser printers and cartridges are more expensive, but usually they print much faster than inkjet printers. Laser printers are better than inkjet printers when you are printing large documents. 10 www.gateway.com Getting Started s s s s s s s 2 This chapter provides basic information about your Gateway notebook. Read this chapter to find out: How to connect the AC power adapter How to start and turn off your notebook How to use the keyboard How to use the EZ PadTM touchpad How to connect the modem How to connect to an Ethernet network How to install peripheral devices www.gateway.com 11 Chapter 2: Getting Started Connecting the AC adapter You can run your notebook using an AC adapter or the notebook battery. The battery was shipped to you partially charged. You should use the AC adapter right away to fully charge the battery. Allow 24 hours for the battery to fully charge. Important If the battery is not fully charged before you use your notebook on battery power for the first time, the battery life may be much shorter than you expect. If the battery life seems short even after being charged for 24 hours, the battery may need to be recalibrated. For more information, see "Recalibrating the battery" on page 95. To connect the AC adapter: 1 Connect the power cord to the AC adapter. Warning Replace the power cord if it becomes damaged. The replacement cord must be of the same type and voltage rating as the original cord. 12 www.gateway.com Connecting the AC adapter 2 Connect the AC adapter to your notebook's power connector. 3 Plug the power cord into a wall outlet. The battery charge indicator turns on (see "Front" on page 2 for the location of the indicator). If the battery charge indicator does not turn on, disconnect the adapter from your notebook and repeat Step 2. 4 5 When you finish using your notebook for the first time, turn the notebook off and leave the notebook connected to AC power for at least 24 hours. If the battery meters do not show a full charge after 24 hours, contact Gateway Technical Support at www.gateway.com/support/contact. Warning Do not attempt to disassemble the AC adapter. The AC adapter has no user-replaceable or user-serviceable parts inside. The AC adapter has dangerous voltages that can cause serious injury or death. Contact Gateway about returning defective AC adapters. www.gateway.com 13 Chapter 2: Getting Started Protecting from power source problems During a power surge, the voltage level of electricity coming into your computer can increase to far above normal levels and cause data loss or system damage. Protect your computer and peripheral devices by connecting them to a surge protector, which absorbs voltage surges and prevents them from reaching your computer. Warning High voltages can enter your computer through both the power cord and the modem connection. Protect your computer by using a surge protector. If you have a telephone modem, use a surge protector that has a modem jack. If you have a cable modem, use a surge protector that has an antenna/cable TV jack. During an electrical storm, unplug both the surge protector and the modem. 14 www.gateway.com Starting your notebook Starting your notebook To start the notebook: 1 2 Open your notebook by sliding the latch on the front of your notebook to the right and lifting the LCD panel. Press the power button located above the keyboard. Power button The power button is preset to On/Off mode. However, you can also set it to function in Standby/Resume mode. For instructions on changing the power button mode, see "Changing power settings" on page 99. 3 If you are starting your computer for the first time, follow the on-screen instructions to set up your computer. Waking up your notebook When you have not used your notebook for several minutes, it enters a power-saving mode called Standby. While in Standby, the power indicator flashes. If your notebook is in Standby mode, "wake" it up by pressing the power button. For more information on changing power-saving settings, see "Managing Power" on page 93. www.gateway.com 15 Chapter 2: Getting Started Turning off your notebook To turn off your notebook: s Click Start, then click Turn Off Computer, then click Turn Off. Windows shuts down and turns off your computer. If for some reason you cannot use the Turn Off Computer option in Windows to shut down your notebook, press and hold the power button for about five seconds, then release. 16 www.gateway.com Switching user accounts Switching user accounts When you first turn on your notebook, you have the option to add different user accounts. These user accounts can be customized for each person that uses the notebook. You can add, delete, or modify existing user accounts. You can also switch (change) user accounts without turning off your notebook. Help and Support For more information about adding, deleting, and modifying your user accounts, click Start, then select Help and Support. To add, delete, or modify user accounts: 1 2 Click Start, select Control Panel, then double-click User Accounts. The User Accounts window opens. Follow the on-screen prompts to add, delete, or modify a user account. To switch user accounts: 1 Click Start, then select Log Off. The Log Off Windows dialog box opens. www.gateway.com 17 Chapter 2: Getting Started 2 3 Click Switch User to switch between your user accounts. The Windows logon screen opens. Select the user account that you want to activate. When you switch between users, any programs that were running for the previous user continue to run. 18 www.gateway.com Status indicators Status indicators Diskette drive Scroll lock Pad lock Caps lock Hard drive Optical disc drive Indicator Caps Lock Icon Description Turns on when Caps Lock is activated. Pad Lock 1 Scroll Lock Turns on when the embedded numeric keypad is activated. Turns on when Scroll Lock is activated. Diskette drive Turns on when the standard 1.44 MB diskette drive is in use. Turns on when the hard drive is in use. Turns on when the CD/DVD drive is in use. Hard drive Optical disc drive www.gateway.com 19 Chapter 2: Getting Started Using the keyboard Your notebook features a keyboard that has the same functionality as a desktop computer keyboard. Many of the keys have been assigned alternate functions. The alternate function is printed on the key in green text. You can attach an external keyboard to the notebook using a USB port. You do not need to shut down the notebook to connect a keyboard. Volume keys/Navigation keys Function keys/System keys FN key Application key Windows key Numeric keypad Windows Arrow keys key FN key 20 www.gateway.com Using the keyboard Keys Keys Function keys Icon Description Press these keys labeled F1 to F12 to perform actions in programs. For example, pressing F1 may open help. Each program uses different function keys for different purposes. Refer to the program documentation to find out more about the function key actions. System keys Volume keys Press these green-colored keys in combination with the FN key to perform specific actions. Press these green-colored keys in combination with the FN key to increase or decrease the volume or mute the sound. Press these keys to move the cursor to the beginning of a line, to the end of a line, up the page, down the page, to the beginning of a document, or to the end of a document. Press the FN key in combination with a green-colored system key (such as STANDBY, PAUSE, or STATUS) to perform a specific action. Press for quick access to shortcut menus and help assistants in Windows. Press to open the Windows Start menu. This key can also be used in combination with other keys to open utilities like F (Search utility), R (Run utility), and E (Explorer utility). Use these keys to type numbers when the numeric keypad is turned on. Press FN+PAD LOCK to turn on the numeric keypad. Press these keys to move the cursor up, down, right, or left. Navigation keys FN key Application key Windows key Numeric keypad Arrow keys www.gateway.com 21 Chapter 2: Getting Started System key combinations When you press an FN key and a system key at the same time, the notebook performs the action identified by the green text or icon on the key. L Press FN and this function key... To... Display the power status box in the upper left corner of your screen. The box shows the battery charge level, the BIOS version, and whether the AC adapter is being used. Press the key combination again to close this box. Toggle the notebook screen between the LCD, an external monitor, or both displays at the same time. A monitor must be plugged into the monitor port on the notebook. Enter Standby mode. Press the power button to leave Standby mode. Turn on Pad Lock so you can use the numeric keypad. Press this key combination again to turn off Pad Lock. The Pad Lock status indicator appears while this function is turned on. Pause the text scrolling in a DOS screen. The Scroll Lock status indicator appears when this function is turned on. Press the key combination again to continue scrolling. (This function is only available in some programs.) Pause execution of a DOS program. (This function is only available in some programs.) Stop the currently running DOS program. (This function is only available in some programs.) Mute the sound. Press the key combination again to restore the sound. 22 www.gateway.com Using the keyboard Press FN and this function key... To... Increase volume. Decrease volume. www.gateway.com 23 Chapter 2: Getting Started Multi-function buttons User-defined shortcut Help Internet E-mail Button E-mail Internet Help User-defined shortcut Icon Press to... Open your e-mail program. Open your Web browser. Open online help. Open the program you assign to this key. For more information, see "Programming the multi-function buttons" on page 118. 24 www.gateway.com Using the EZ Pad touchpad Using the EZ Pad touchpad The EZ PadTM touchpad consists of a touchpad, a rocker switch, and two buttons. Left touchpad button Rocker switch Right touchpad Touchpad button When you move your finger on the touchpad, the pointer (arrow) on the screen moves in the same direction. www.gateway.com 25 Chapter 2: Getting Started You can use the EZ-Pad left and right buttons below the touchpad to select objects. You can assign a function to the rocker switch between the touchpad buttons on your notebook. This function can be to scroll up or down, maximize or minimize the active window, or open and close the Start menu. For more information about programming the rocker switch, see "Changing the touchpad settings" on page 117. Using the touchpad To... Move the pointer on the screen. Do this... Move your finger around on the touchpad. If you run out of space and need to move the pointer farther, lift your finger, move it to the middle of the touchpad, then continue moving your finger. Position the pointer over the object. Press the left button below the touchpad once. This action is called clicking. Select an object on the screen. Start a program or open a file or folder. Position the pointer over the object. Press the left button below the touchpad twice in rapid succession. This action is called double-clicking. Access a shortcut menu or find more information about an object on the screen. Position the pointer over the object. Quickly press and release the right button once. This action is called right-clicking. 26 www.gateway.com Using the EZ Pad touchpad To... Move an object on the screen. Do this... Position the pointer over the object. Press the left button and hold it down, then use the touchpad to move (drag) the object to the appropriate part of the screen. Release the button to drop the object where you want it. www.gateway.com 27 Chapter 2: Getting Started Connecting the modem If your notebook has a modem jack, the notebook has a built-in 56K modem. To connect the modem: 1 Insert one end of the modem cable into the modem jack side of the notebook. on the left 2 3 Insert the other end of the modem cable into a telephone wall jack. The modem will not work with digital or PBX telephone lines. Start your notebook, then start your communications software. 28 www.gateway.com Connecting to an Ethernet network Connecting to an Ethernet network If your notebook has a network jack, the notebook can connect to an Ethernet 10/100 network. To connect to a network: 1 Insert one end of the network cable into the network jack left side of the notebook. on the 2 Insert the other end of the network cable into a network wall jack. Ask your network administrator to help you select the correct network jack. Your notebook is now physically connected to the network. Your network administrator can help you log on to your network. Broadband Internet connections You can use your computer's Ethernet jack for more than just networking. Many broadband Internet connections, such as cable modems and DSL modems, connect to your computer's Ethernet jack. For more information, see "Using the Internet" on page 57 and "Networking Your Notebook" on page 131. www.gateway.com 29 Chapter 2: Getting Started Installing a printer, scanner, or other peripheral device Your computer has two Universal Serial Bus (USB) ports and a parallel printer port. These ports are used for connecting peripheral devices such as printers, scanners, and digital cameras to your computer. For more information about port locations, see "Checking Out Your Gateway Notebook" on page 1. USB ports support plug-and-play and hot swapping, which means that your computer will usually recognize such a device whenever you plug it into the appropriate port. When you use a USB device for the first time, your computer will prompt you to install any software the device needs. After doing this, you can disconnect and reconnect the device at any time. Parallel devices are not plug-and-play. Refer to the device documentation for detailed information and installation instructions. 30 www.gateway.com Getting Help s s s 3 This chapter tells you about additional information resources available to help you use your computer, including: HelpSpotTM Online help Gateway Web site To access the contents of this guide while you are traveling, download an electronic copy from www.gateway.com/support/manlib/. Tips & Tricks www.gateway.com 31 Chapter 3: Getting Help HelpSpot Your computer includes HelpSpot, an easily accessible collection of Help information, troubleshooters, instructional videos, and automated support. Use HelpSpot to answer questions about Windows and to help you quickly discover and use the many features of your Gateway computer. To start HelpSpot: s Click Start, then select Help and Support. HelpSpot opens. If this is the first time you have started HelpSpot on your computer, you may experience a brief wait while HelpSpot builds the help database, then HelpSpot will display an introductory video. 32 www.gateway.com HelpSpot You can find help information by clicking a link, performing a search, or browsing the index. To learn about using your Gateway computer, your mouse, and other topics, click the Getting Started link on the HelpSpot main page. www.gateway.com 33 Chapter 3: Getting Help HelpSpot Videos HelpSpot contains several short videos to help introduce you to new concepts or show you how to perform various tasks. To play a HelpSpot video: s To watch a video in HelpSpot, click Video Tutorials on the HelpSpot home page, then click a video title. The video plays. 34 www.gateway.com Online help Online help Many programs provide information online so you can research a topic or learn how to perform a task while you are using the program. Most online help information can be accessed by selecting a topic from a Help menu or by clicking a Help button. You can search for information by viewing the help contents, checking the index, searching for a topic or keyword, or browsing through the online help. www.gateway.com 35 Chapter 3: Getting Help Gateway Web site Gateway provides a variety of information on its Web site to help you use your computer. Visit the Gateway Web site at www.gateway.com for: s s s s s Technical documentation and product manuals Technical tips and support, including online chat services Hardware drivers Order status Frequently asked questions (FAQs) For more information about connecting to the Internet, see "Using the Internet" on page 57. 36 www.gateway.com Windows Basics Read this chapter to get basic information on how to: s s s s 4 Work on the Windows desktop Manage files and folders Work with documents Use shortcuts Help and Support For more information on Windows, click Start, then select Help and Support. www.gateway.com 37 Chapter 4: Windows Basics About the Windows environment After your computer starts, the first screen you see is the Windows desktop. The desktop is like the top of a real desk. Think of the desktop as your personalized work space where you open programs and perform other tasks. Your desktop may be different from the example shown below, depending on how your computer is set up. 38 www.gateway.com Using the desktop Using the desktop The desktop contains the taskbar, the Start button, and the Recycle Bin icon. Desktop elements Description The taskbar is the bar at the bottom of the screen containing the Start button on the left and a clock on the right. Other buttons on the taskbar represent programs that are running. Click a program's button on the taskbar to open the program's window. The Start button provides access to programs, files, help for Windows and other programs, and computer tools and utilities. Click the Start button, then open a file or program by clicking (selecting) an item on the menu that opens. The Recycle Bin is where files, folders, and programs that you discarded are stored. You must empty the Recycle Bin to permanently delete them from your computer. For instructions on how to use the Recycle Bin, see "Deleting files and folders" on page 46.