TA B L E O F C O N T E N T S Notices Copyright notice ...................................................................................... Disclaimer ............................................................................................... Trademarks ............................................................................................. Virus warning .......................................................................................... Epilepsy warning...................................................................................... Thunderstorm warning ............................................................................ 2 2 2 2 2 3 3 Safety and comfort Safety precautions .................................................................................... 4 Health precautions ................................................................................... 5 4 Getting to know your computer The keyboard and mouse ......................................................................... 6 Your computer's drives ........................................................................... 9 Ports and connections ............................................................................ 11 Turning your computer on/off ............................................................... 13 Your computer's documentation............................................................. 15 Your Software Library ............................................................................ 17 Installing new software .......................................................................... 18 Volume controls..................................................................................... 20 What is the Internet? ............................................................................. Get connected! ...................................................................................... Surf the Net!.......................................................................................... Internet Explorer features ...................................................................... What is e-mail? ...................................................................................... Your Internet tools ................................................................................. Keep your computer safe!....................................................................... 6 Using Windows and software 17 First steps on the Net 21 Troubleshooting Step by step troubleshooting................................................................... 25 25 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) Packard Bell utilities Packard Bell limited warranty Regulatory information Software license Index 59 64 67 68 User's Guide Packard Bell Master CD/DVD Creator ................................................... Packard Bell Recovery Program .............................................................. Packard Bell Smart Restore..................................................................... Packard Bell Snapsys .............................................................................. 28 48 48 50 55 56 www.packardbell.com 21 21 22 22 23 24 24 NOTICES COPYRIGHT NOTICE Packard Bell User's Guide. Copyright © 2004 NEC Computers International BV. All Rights Reserved. No part of this manual may be reproduced or transmitted, in any form or by any means, whether electronic, chemical, manual or otherwise, including but not limited to photocopying, recording, or information storage and retrieval systems, for any purpose without prior written permission of NEC Computers International BV. DISCLAIMER NEC Computers International BV specifically disclaims all warranties, either express or implied, including, but not limited to, implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose with respect to this product and documentation. Updates to software and hardware components are made regularly. Therefore some of the instructions, specifications and pictures in this documentation may differ slightly from your particular situation. All items described in this guide are for illustration purposes only and may not apply to your particular situation. No legal rights or entitlements may be obtained from descriptions made in this manual. NEC Computers International BV reserves the right to revise or make changes or improvements to this product or documentation at any time without obligation to notify any person of such revisions or improvements. In no event shall NEC Computers International BV be liable for any consequential or incidental damages, including but not limited to loss of business profits or any other commercial damages, arising out of the use of this product. TRADEMARKS Microsoft, Outlook and Windows XP are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. FireWire is a trademark of Apple Computer, Inc. PS/2 is a trademark of International Business Machines Corporation. Packard Bell is a registered trademark of NEC Computers International BV. All other company or product names are trademarks, registered trademarks or service marks of their respective owners. VIRUS WARNING NEC Computers International BV guarantees that this product is 100% virus free. Please take the following precautions to protect your system against new viruses: · Do not use illegal copies of software protected by copyright. · Run an antivirus program and update it regularly. · Check all floppy disks carefully using a virus scanner before you start using them. · When your computer is connected to a network, please make sure that only authorised persons have access to your system (you can use passwords and share files as Read Only). · Always use a personal Internet Firewall to help protect your computer from attacks by viruses, Trojans, worms and intruders. · Keep your computer up to date with the Windows Update tool (Start > All Programs > Windows Update). For more information on viruses, please refer to the Tutorials in Packard Bell InfoCentre and the Packard Bell Support website (support.packardbell.com). 2 - Packard Bell User's Guide EPILEPSY WARNING Some people are susceptible to epileptic seizures or loss of consciousness when exposed to certain flashing lights or light patterns in everyday life. Such people may have a seizure while watching television images or playing certain games. This may happen even if the person has no medical history of epilepsy or has never had any epileptic seizures. If you or anyone in your family has ever had symptoms related to epilepsy (seizures or loss of consciousness) when exposed to flashing lights, consult your doctor prior to playing. We advise that parents monitor the use of games by their children. If you or your child experience any of the following symptoms: dizziness, blurred vision, eye or muscle twitches, loss of consciousness, disorientation, any involuntary movement or convulsion while playing a game, IMMEDIATELY discontinue use and consult your doctor. THUNDERSTORM WARNING In thunderstorm conditions, make sure that you disconnect your modem from the telephone line or your TV port from the aerial socket. A lightning strike to nearby telephone lines or an aerial could damage your modem, TV card or even your whole computer system. Please note that the product warranty does not apply if damage to your computer is the result of a lightning strike. Notices - 3 SA F E T Y A N D C O M F O R T SAFETY PRECAUTIONS Cables Please make sure that cables are not strained and that there is no risk of people walking or tripping over them. Also make sure that other devices do not crush the cables. Make sure that power cords are connected to a grounded electrical outlet. The power outlet should be easily accessible and as close to the computer as possible. Do not overload any power outlet with too many adapters. Cleaning your computer Always unplug your computer from the power outlet before cleaning it. Do not use liquid or aerosol cleaners, use a damp cloth instead. Never spray cleaning product directly on the screen. If dust has accumulated inside your computer, do not use a vacuum cleaner to remove it. If you spill liquid on your computer or any device attached to it, switch it off immediately, unplug the power cord and make sure it is completely dry before switching it on again. Wait overnight if necessary. Computer environment Make sure your computer's environment is free from dust, dampness or direct sunlight. Place your computer away from sources of heat, such as radiators, or any device producing heat (e.g., amplifiers). Also ensure your computer is away from magnetic fields or any device generating static electricity. Do not place your computer on a carpet or any other surface that may have an electrical charge. Cellular phones can cause interference with the audio devices of your computer. Make sure you keep mobile phones at least 30 centimetres away from your computer. To keep your computer running smoothly, please remember the following: · If you are new to computing, we recommend taking a computer-training course before using your computer. Your computer retailer may provide more information. · Always save your work and make regular backup copies of your documents on rewritable media (e.g., CDRW disc). In the event of a major computer failure, you can lose all your personal data unless you make personal backups. · To protect your computer from viruses, perform a virus check before opening a file on a floppy, received by e-mail, or downloaded from the Internet. Your anti-virus program can perform these checks automatically. Regularly scan your hard disk drive for viruses and delete them if any are found. Check your antivirus software website to be updated on the latest viruses. · To save disk space and optimise your computer's performance, use the system tools included with Windows, such as Disk cleanup or Defragmenter, on a regular basis. · Never switch off your computer if one of the drives is still running (check that all drive indicator lights are off). For more tips on using your computer, please refer to the Tutorials in Packard Bell InfoCentre and the Packard Bell Support website (support.packardbell.com). 4 - Packard Bell User's Guide HEALTH PRECAUTIONS Please follow the guidelines below to use your computer comfortably and to avoid health problems. If you work or play for hours at a time, then make sure you take regular breaks. Look away from the computer's screen once in a while. Do not use your computer if you are tired. If the `warmth' symbol is present on the underside of the computer, this indicates that while using the computer the underside surface can become hot. Avoid continuous body contact and do not place the computer on your lap while it is operating. Some disorders of the hands, wrists, arms, neck, shoulders, legs and back may be associated with or aggravated by certain repetitive actions. To reduce your risk of developing these disorders, type with your wrists straight and your hands and wrists floating above the keyboard. If you experience periods of pain, tingling, numbness or other discomfort, please contact your doctor. Working area well lit No direct glare on the screen Easy access to drives and controls Top of monitor at eye level Eye distance 45-70 cm from screen Sit up straight with back relaxed Free space around the computer and devices to allow proper ventilation Adjustable chair Desk height 60-70 cm from the floor Feet flat on floor or on footrest Safety and comfort - 5 GET T I N G T O K N O W Y O U R C O M P U T E R THE KEYBOARD AND MOUSE Cordless devices If the cordless mouse and keyboard do not work after installation, you should try to manually establish communication with the receiver. 1. First check that the batteries for the keyboard and mouse are inserted correctly. 2. Now connect the devices by pressing the connect button on the receiver, mouse and keyboard in the following order: Mouse or touchpad The mouse or the touchpad (for portable computers) controls the arrow on the screen. This arrow is called the pointer or the cursor. When you move the mouse over a hard and flat surface, or when you drag your finger across the rectangular touch sensitive pad, the pointer will follow this movement. Click one of the buttons on the top of your mouse, or one of the buttons of the touchpad, to select or activate the command the cursor is pointing at. You can improve the motion and visibility of your pointer by changing the settings. To access these, click on Start > Control Panel > Printers and other Hardware > Mouse and select Pointer Options. The visibility options are especially useful if you are using an LCD screen. The mouse settings can also be changed for left-handed users. 6 - Packard Bell User's Guide Use the scroll wheel or button to move through compatible applications Right-click to bring up a pop-up menu Two quick ...