Apple Power Macintosh 8500-150, Power Macintosh 8500 User Manual

Follow the instructions in this

chapter to set up your computer

and learn the basics.

1

Getting Started

The illustration on the next page shows all the equipment you will need to set
up your computer and begin using it. (Note that your monitor and keyboard
may look slightly different depending on what you purchased.)

Place your equipment on a sturdy, flat surface near a grounded wall outlet.
(Your computer was designed to be placed on the floor to conserve desk
space, but it can also be placed on any stable, flat surface.)

Before following the setup instructions in this chapter, you may want to read
“Arranging Your Office” in Appendix A (in the section on health-related
information) for tips on adjusting your work furniture so that you’re
comfortable when using the computer.

1

Monitor

Macintosh computer

Keyboard cable

(sometimes built

into the keyboard

as shown here)

Mouse

Apple PlainTalk Microphone (optional)

Computer power cord

Keyboard

Monitor cable

(sometimes built into the monitor)

Monitor power cord

(sometimes built into the monitor)

Pluggin g in the computer

Power cord plug

Power cord socket

Before you plug your Macintosh into a wall socket, carefully read all the
setup instructions in this chapter. Then, before you connect anything to your
Macintosh, follow the instructions in this section to plug it in. The plug
grounds the computer and protects it from electrical damage while you are
setting up. When you are ready to begin, follow these steps:

1Plug the socket end of the computer’s power cord into the recessed power socket

(marked with the symbol ≤) on the back of the computer.

2Plug the other end of the power cord into a three-hole grounded outlet or power strip.

WARNING

This equipment is intended to be electrically grounded.
Your Macintosh is equipped with a three-wire grounding plug—a plug
that has a third (grounding) pin. This plug will fit only a grounded
AC outlet. This is a safety feature. If you are unable to insert the plug
into the outlet, contact a licensed electrician to replace the outlet
with a properly grounded outlet. Do not defeat the purpose of the
grounding plug!

IMPORTANT

power cord. Make sure that at least one end of the power cord is within easy
reach so that you can unplug the computer when you need to.

The only way to disconnect power completely is to unplug the

Getting Started

3

Installing a n expansion card

If you purchased an expansion card for your Macintosh, install it now. (See
Appendix B, “Installing an Expansion Card,” for instructions.)

If you don’t have to install an expansion card, go on to the next section,
“Connecting a Monitor.”

Connectin g a monitor

You can connect many types of monitors (often called displays) to your
Macintosh computer, including most standard monitors. See the

Information booklet that came with your computer for a complete list.
This section contains instructions on connecting most types of monitors. If

you are connecting a monitor from a manufacturer other than Apple, also
refer to the instructions that came with the monitor.

Connecting the monitor power c or d

Monitors have two cords to connect: a power cord and a monitor cable. To
connect the monitor power cord, follow these steps:

Tech n ical

4

1Place the monitor next to the computer.

Keep these considerations in mind:

m Allow a few inches for air circulation around the computer and monitor.
m Make sure that the top of the screen is slightly below eye level when you’re

sitting at the keyboard.

m Position the monitor to minimize glare and reflections on the screen from

overhead lights and windows.

For further suggestions about locating your computer equipment, consult
“Arranging Your Office” in Appendix A (in the section on health-related
information).

Chapter 1

2Connect the monitor power cord to the monitor.

Monitor power cordMonitor power socket

On some monitors, the cord is already attached.

3Plug in the monitor power cord.

Some monitor power cords are designed to plug into the back of your
computer.

Some monitor power cords must be connected to a grounded electrical outlet,
not to the computer. Check the information that came with the monitor.

Getting Started

5

Connecting the monitor cable

Monitor cable

™

Monitor port

After you plug in the monitor power cord, you connect the monitor cable to
the co mputer’s monitor port.

To c onnect the monitor cable, follow these steps:

1Attach the monitor cable to the monitor.

On some monitors, the cable is already attached.

2Attach the monitor cable to the monitor port on the back panel of the computer.

See the information that came with the monitor to use its special features.

6

Chapter 1

Connectin g the mous e and keyboard

This cable plugs into the Apple Desktop Bus (ADB) port,
marked with the

◊

icon, on the back of the computer.

Plug the mouse cable into the recessed port
on the keyboard. The flat part of the plug
should be pointing down, as shown here.

You have a choice of several keyboards for your Macintosh. The way you
connect the mouse and keyboard depends on whether the keyboard has a
separate cable or a built-in cable.

Connecting a keyboard with a built-in cable

1Plug the mouse cable into the recessed port on the back of the keyboard.

The plug and the port are marked with the ◊ icon (symbol). The positions of
the port and icon on your keyboard may be different from those pictured.

By the way: A port marked with the ◊ icon is called an Apple Desktop Bus
(ADB) port.

2Plug the keyboard cable into the port marked with the ◊icon on the back of

the computer.

Some monitors have aport to which you can connect the keyboard or mouse.
See the information that came with your monitor.

Getting Started

7

Connecting a keyboard with a separate cable

ADB icon

1Plug the mouse cable into the port on either side of the keyboard.

Most right-handed people prefer to use the mouse with their right hand; most
left-handed people prefer to use their left hand. Plug the mouse into the port
on the side you prefer.

The plug and the port are marked with the ◊ icon (symbol). Align the
symbols before you insert the plug. (Th e positions of the port and icon on
your keyboard may be different from those pictured here.)

By the way: A port marked with the ◊ icon is called an Apple Desktop Bus
(ADB) port.

8

Chapter 1

2Plug the keyboard cable (both ends are the same) into the other port on the keyboard.

If you plugged the mouse cable in on the right, for example, plug the keyboard
cable in on the left.

3Plug the keyboard cable into the port marked with the

the computer.

◊

icon on the back of

Some monitors have a port to which you can connect the keyboard or mouse.
See the information that came with your monitor.

Connecting other equipment

If you are new to the Macintosh, it’s a good idea to get some experience using
your computer before you connect other equipment, such as a printer or
scanner. To learn basic Macintosh skills, continue with the instructions in
this chapter.

When you’re ready to connect other equipment to your Macintosh, see the
instructions in Chapter 3.

Turning the computer on

To t urn on the computer for the first time, follow these steps:

1 Turn on your monitor.

See the information that came with your monitor for the location of the power
switch. On Apple monitors, the power switch is located on the front of the
unit.

By the way: When the monitor is plugged into the computer, you only need
to tur n on the monitor once. From now on, the monitor will turn off
automatically when you shut down the computer, and it will turn on
automatically when you start up the computer. (If the monitor is not plugged
into the computer, it must be turned on separately each time you turn on the
computer.)

Getting Started

9

2 Turn on your computer by pressing the Power key on the keyboard or pressing the

power button on the front panel of the computer.

The Power key is marked with a triangle. Its location depends on which
keyboard you have.

10

You hear a tone from the computer as it starts up.

Chapter 1

3Check to see what’s on your screen.

Yo u’ ll see a sequence of messages describing what is happening, followed by
the Energy Saver dialog box.

m If you’re a beginning Macintosh user, press the Return key.
m If you’re an experienced Macintosh user, you may want to set your energy-

saving options now (refer to the information about saving energy in
Macintosh Guide, available in the Guide [h] menu, and “Saving Energy
With the Energy Saver Control Panel,” later in this chapter).

Getting Started

11

m If, when you press Return, you see the Macintosh desktop (shown here),

your system software is already set up correctly.

Hard disk icon

Macintosh desktop

Skip now to “What’s Next?”

m If you see a blinking question mark, see “Solutions to Common Problems”

in Chapter 6.

m If you see anything else on your screen, or if you see nothing at all, see the

section “Problems Turning Your Computer On?” next in this chapter.

12

Note: To save en ergy, your computer is automatically set to put itself to sleep
if you haven’t used it for 30 minutes or more (the screen dims). If your
computer attempts to go to sleep while you’re setting it up, simply press a key
on the keyboard to “wake it up.”

Chapter 1

Prob lems turning you r computer on?

If you don’t see anything on the screen, check these items to see if you can
identify the problem:

m Is the computer plugged into a power source? If it is plugged into a power

strip, is the power strip turned on?

m Is the computer turned on? T he power-on light on the front panel of the

computer should be on. If it isn’t on, press the power button, also on the
front panel.

m Are the keyboard and mouse cables connected correctly? (Don’t connect or

disconnect the keyboard or mouse cable while the computer is on. You
could damage your equipment.)

m Is the monitor power cord plugged in?
m Is the monitor cable attached firmly to both the monitor and computer?
m Is the monitor turned on? (Check the power-on light on the front of the

monitor.)

m Is the brightness control on the monitor adjusted correctly? (On most

monitors, the brightness control is marked with the symbol ¤.)

m Is the computer asleep? (Press a key on the keyboard to wake the computer.

It may take a moment or two for the computer to wake up.)

Getting Started

13

What’s next?

Yo u’ve finished setting up your computer. Continue with one of the
following steps:

m If you are new to the Macintosh, turn to the next section, “Learning

the Basics.” When you’ve learned the basic Macintosh skills, turn to the
section, “Savi ng En ergy With the Energy Saver Control Panel” to learn
how to set energy-saving options for your computer.

m If you are an experienced Macintosh user, turn to the section “Saving

Energy With the Energy Saver Control Panel,” later in this chapter, to
learn how to set energy-saving options for your computer. Then turn to
Chapter 2, “Getting Help,” to lear n about Macintosh Guide, your main
source of information when you’re working with the Macintosh.

m If you wa nt to connect additional equipment, such as a microphone, to your

computer, see Chapter 3, “Connecting Additional Equipment,” for
instructions.

m If you wa nt to install application software on your computer, see Chapter 4,

“Installing and Using Application Programs.” You’ll n eed this information
to prop erly set up any software programs specifically designed for Power
Macintosh computers.

14

Chapter 1

IMPORTANT

If you need to turn off your computer at any point, please see
“Turning the Computer Off” later in this chapter. It is very important to use
the correct procedure for shutting down your Macintosh before turning it off.

Learning the basics

Mouse button

If you are new to the Macintosh, you should begin by looking at the
easy-to-use program called the Macintosh Tutorial. The tutorial teaches you
the basic skills you’ll need to use your computer. To start the tutorial, follow
these steps:

1Slide your mouse along your mouse pad or desk.

Hold the mouse as shown, with the cable pointing away from you. Rest the
heel of your palm on the desk and grasp the sides of the mouse between your
thumb and fingers. Use your wrist and fingers to slide the mouse around with
the index finger resting on the mouse button. Don’t press the mouse button
(under your index finger). Notice that the arrow (8) on the screen moves in
the same direction that you move the mouse.

If the arrow doesn’t move, make sure that the cables connecting the mouse
and keyboard are secure and that your mouse is positioned as shown in
the illustration.

2Move the tip of the arrow (8) to the question mark (h) in the upper-right portion of

the screen.

If you run out of room on your mouse pad or desk while moving the mouse,
pick up the mouse and place it where there’s more room. (The ar row on the
screen moves only when the mouse is in contact with the mouse pad or desk.)

Getting Started

15

3With the tip of the arrow on the question mark, press and hold down the mouse button.

A list of choices (called a menu) appears. This is the Guide (h) menu, which
is the place to go when you have a question about how to use your computer.

4While holding down the mouse button, move the arrow until the words “Macintosh

Tutorial” are highlighted, then release the mouse button.

A window appears welcoming you to the tutorial. You can set this book aside
for now and follow the instructions on the screen. When you have completed
the tutorial, return to this book.

16

Chapter 1

Reviewing the basics

You can use the following illustrations to review the elements you use on your
screen to do work with your computer.

Menu

Menus

Icons

Window

The strip across the top of the screen is called the menu bar. T he symbols and
words in it represent menus of commands. To open a menu, place the pointer
on the symbol or word for the menu and press the mouse button.

Guide menu

To find an answer to a question,

h

look in the Guide (

) menu.

Application menu

You can have several
application programs open
at once. To see which
program is active or to switch
from one program to another,
use this menu (called the
Application menu).

Getting Started

17

Icons

Icons are small pictures that represent disks, programs, documents and
folders. You can double-click any icon to open it and see what it contains.

This icon represents your computer’s internal hard disk.

Icons like this one represent application programs, which you use to create
documents and do other work.

Icons like this one represent documents, which you can create and edit.

Icons like this represent folders. A folder contains other icons.

To throw away an item you no longer want, drag it to the Trash icon and choose
Empty Trash from the Special menu.

Windows

Windows are boxes that display text, graphics, or icons. To change the shape
or position of a window, or to close the window, use the elements shown here.

18

To bring a partially

covered window

to the front, click

anywhere in it.

Chapter 1

Close box

To close a window,
click the close box.

Title bar

To move a window, drag it by the middle of the title
bar (anywhere in the bar except the small boxes).

Scroll arrow

To bring hidden portions
of a window’s contents into
view, click one of the four
scroll arrows.

Size box

To change the shape or size of
a window, drag the size box.

Saving energy with the Energy Saver control panel

When you save energy, you save natural resources and reduce pollution. Your
Power Maci ntosh contains features that automatically save energy. You can
increase the energy savings by using the Energy Saver control panel to turn
your computer off if you won’t be using it for a while—for example, overnight
or over the weekend.

The Energy Saver dialog box (shown in step 3 of “Turni ng the Computer On”
earlier in this chapter) appears every time you start your computer until you
open the Energy Saver control panel. Once you you open the control panel,
you can keep the pre-set options shown there, or set your own energy-saving
options. If you do not want to set your energy-saving options when the
Energy Saver dialog box is displayed, you can click Close Message or press
Return (the Energy Saver dialog box continues to appear when you start your
computer).

Setting energy-saving options

You can get to the Energy Saver control panel by clicking Specify Settings in
the En ergy Saver dialog box that appears when you start your computer or by
choosing Control Pa n els in the Apple (K) menu.

The Energy Saver control panel displays the options you can accept or
change. To learn more about the Energy Saver control panel, see the
information on saving energy in Macintosh Guide, available in the Guide (h)
menu.

Getting Started

19

Putting your computer to sleep

Your Power Macintosh is pre-set to put itself to sleep after 30 minutes of
inactivity. When your computer goes to sleep, the screen dims to save energy
and to prevent images from “burning” into the screen. You do not lose any of
the information you were working on even if you did not save it before the
computer went to sleep.

To put your computer to sleep immediately, press the Power key on the
keyboard or choose the Sleep command from the Special menu. You can set
sleep options using the Energy Saver control panel, available under Control
Panels in the Apple (K) menu.

Waking yo ur computer from sleep

To wa ke th e co mputer from sleep, press a key on the keyboard. (It may take a
moment or two for the computer to awaken.) The documents and application
programs you had open when the computer went into sleep are still open and
unsaved changes are preserved.

Accessing a sleeping computer over a network

If your computer is being used as a server, other users can still access it over
a network while it is asleep. (The network connection does not have to be
esta b lishe d before the computer goes to sleep.) You can set server options in
the Energy Saver control panel.

20

Scheduling automatic startup and shutdown

You can set your computer to start up and shut down at specified times using
the En ergy Saver control panel. To learn more about the E nergy Saver control
panel, see the information on saving energy in Macintosh Guide, available in
the Guide (h) menu.

Chapter 1

Turning the computer off

Using th e Power key

To t urn t he computer off using the Power key on the keyboard, follow these
instructions:

1If the computer is in sleep, press the Power key (or any other key on the keyboard except

Caps Lock) to wake it.

For information on the sleep feature of your Macintosh see “Saving Energy
With the Energy Saver Control Panel” earlier in this chapter.

2Press and hold the Power key on the keyboard for about 2 seconds.

The following dialog box appears on the screen:

3Press the Return key on the keyboard (or click the Shut Down button in the dialog box).

Getting Started

21

Using th e Shut Down command

You can also turn your computer off by using the Shut Down command in the
Special menu. Follow these steps:

1If the computer is in sleep, press the Power key (or any key on the keyboard except Caps

Lock) to wake it.

2Move the tip of the arrow to the word “Special” at the top center of the screen.

If the word “Special” does not appear in the menu bar at the top of the
screen, you’re not working in the Finder, the program you need to be in when
you shut down your computer. Choose Finder from the Application menu
(at the far right of the menu bar). Then try step 2 again.

3With the tip of the arrow on the word Special, press and hold down the mouse button.
4While holding down the mouse button, move the arrow until the words “Shut Down” are

highlighted, then release the button.

22

Chapter 1

Trou ble? If a problem with the computer prevents you from using the Power
key on the keyboard or choosing Shut Down—for example, if the computer
“freezes” so that the pointer does not respond to the mouse—you can turn off
the co mputer by pressing the power button on the front of the computer. Use
this method only if you cannot choose Shut Down or Restart (when you press
the Power key on the keyboard, or when you open the Special menu).

IMPORTANT

You could lose unsaved work if you use the power button on the
front of the computer to turn off your computer. Only use the power button
whe n there is a problem that prevents the computer from being turned off
with the Power key on the keyboard or the Shut Down command. To make
sure your work is saved, use the Power key on the keyboard or the Shut Down
command.

To t urn t he computer on again, just press the Power key on the keyboard.

Getting Started

23

Whe re to fin d answer s

User’s ManualUser’s Manual

Power MacintoshPower Mac

in

t

osh

When you have questions about using your Macintosh, there are several
places you can look for answers.

In this book

Use this book to help you set up your computer and learn about it,
or to find solutions to problems with your equipment.

In the Guide menu

The Guide menu (marked with the hicon) is your main source
of information about the Macintosh. To learn how to get different
kinds of help from the Guide menu, see Chapter 2 in this book.

In other manuals

For answers to questions about other equipment or about
application programs you have purchased, see the manuals
that came with the equipment or programs.

24

In the About Apple Extras file

The Apple Extras folder on your hard disk contains a SimpleText
document called About Apple Extras (often called a “Read Me” file)
with important information about some of the application programs
included with your computer. Read Me files can also be found
inside application folders.

From Apple’s customer support hotline

If you can’t find an answer in any of the materials provided, call the
customer support hotline. (The phone number for the hotline is in
the service and support information that came with your computer.)

Chapter 1

If you have problems with a particular application program, contact the
manufacturer of the program. Refer to the section “Obtaining Updated Apple
Software,” in Chapter 6 for information about getting updated Apple software.
Refer to “Ask Apple Online Technical Support” in the same section of
Chapter 6 for information about getting answers to your computer questions
using e World.

Getting Started

25

Use the instructions in this

chapter to learn about the help

available to you in the Guide menu.

2

Getting Help

TheGuide menu is your main source of information when you’re working
with your computer. The menu is identified by a question mark (
upper-right corner of the screen.

h) in the

27

Getting answers to your questions

When you have a question while working with your computer, you can get the
answer by choosing Macintosh Guide from the Guide (h) menu.

1Pull down the Application menu (in the upper-right corner of the screen) and choose

Finder to make it the active application program.

A checkmark in the menu indicates that the Finder is the active program.

2Pull down the Guide menu (marked with the

h

icon) and choose Macintosh Guide.

The Macintosh Guide window appears.

Whenever you use Macintosh Guide, its window remains in front of other
windows. If the wi ndow gets in your way, you can move it by dragging its
title ba r (the gray bar across the top of the window).

28

Chapter 2

3Notice the three buttons at the top of the window: Topics, Index, and Look For.

Macintosh Guide gives you three ways of finding information:

m

Topics

lets you choose from a list of general subjects; it is like the table of

contents in a book.

m

Index

lets you choose from an alphabetical list of more specific subjects; it

is like the index in a book.

m

Look For

lets you search for information related to a specific word or phrase

that you type.
In the following sections you will practice using each method.
If you have problems while using Macintosh Guide, see “Tips for Using

Macintosh Guide,” at the end of this section.

Getting answers with the Topics button

1 In the Macintosh Guide window, click the Topics button.

A list of general topics appears on the left side of the Macintosh Guide
window. (Depending on the hardware and software you have, the list of topics
may look different.)

Getting Help

29

2Click “Customizing Your Computer” in the list of topics.

3Click the question “How do I set the time and date?” and then click OK. Or double-click

If you want to

return to the main

Macintosh Guide

window, click this

Topics button. (On

some computers, it

says “Topics.”)

When you click any topic area, a list of related questions appears on the right
side of the Macintosh Guide window.

To get instructions,
click a question…

…and then click OK.

the question.

A small window appears with instructions for you to follow.

Click here to see the next
step (if there is one).

30

Chapter 2

4 Read and follow the instructions in this window.

Macintosh Guide provides step-by-step instructions to answer the question
you selected. When you have completed each step, click the right arrow in the
lower-right corner to see the next step.

5When you have completed all the steps, click the Topics (or

corner to return to the main Macintosh Guide window.

h

) button in the lower-left

Now continue with the next section.