Gateway 710 Owner's Manual

your Gateway computer

user'sguide

Customizing Troubleshooting

Contents

1 Checking Out Your Gateway Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Front . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Back . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Identifying your model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Gateway model number . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Gateway serial number . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Microsoft Certificate of Authenticity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Finding your specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Accessories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

2 Getting Started. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Working safely . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Reducing eye strain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Setting up your computer desk and chair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Setting up your computer and computer accessories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Sitting at your computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Avoiding discomfort and injury from repetitive strain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Protecting from power source problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Starting your computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Turning off your computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Restarting (rebooting) your computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Multifunction keyboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Special-function buttons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Mouse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Using the mouse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Installing a printer, scanner, or other peripheral device . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

3 Getting Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Help and Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Searching for a topic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Online help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Gateway Web site . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Using eSupport . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

4 Windows Basics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

About the Windows environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	32
Using the desktop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	33
Using the Start menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	34

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Adding icons to the desktop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35 Identifying window items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36 Working with files and folders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38 Viewing drives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38 Creating folders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39 Copying and moving files and folders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41 Deleting files and folders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43 Browsing for files and folders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44 Searching for files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46 Using the Windows Search utility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47 Working with documents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49 Creating a new document . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49 Saving a document . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50 Opening a document . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51 Printing a document . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52 Shortcuts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53

5 Using the Internet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55

Learning about the Internet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56 Setting up an Internet account . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57 Accessing your Internet account . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58 Using the World Wide Web . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59 Connecting to a Web site . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60 Downloading files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61 Using e-mail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62 Sending e-mail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62 Checking your e-mail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63

6 Sending and Receiving Faxes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65

Installing and configuring Fax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66 Installing Fax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66 Configuring Fax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .67 Sending a simple fax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .69 Setting up your cover page template . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .71 Faxing from programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72 Faxing a scanned document . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72 Receiving and viewing a fax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73 Canceling a fax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73 Automatically retry sending a fax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74 Automatically cancelling a fax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .75

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7 Using Multimedia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77

Adjusting the volume . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78 Recording and playing audio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80 Playing audio and video files with the Windows Media Player . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82 Using the CD or DVD drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84 Identifying drive types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84 Inserting a CD or DVD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85 Listening to CDs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86 Using MUSICMATCH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88 Playing CDs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88 Creating MP3 music files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90 Editing track information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91 Building a music library . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93 Changing the music library display settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94 Listening to Internet radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95 Using advanced features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95 Playing a DVD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95 Creating CDs and DVDs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97 Copying a CD or DVD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98 Creating a data CD or DVD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102 Copying music tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105 Creating a music CD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108 Advanced features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112 Connecting a digital camera . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113 Connecting a digital video camera . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114 Creating video DVDs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114 Using the optional diskette drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116 Using the optional media card reader . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117 Media card types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117 Using a media card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118

8 Customizing Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	119
Adjusting the screen and desktop settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	120
Adjusting the color depth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	120
Adjusting the screen resolution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	122
Changing the colors on your Windows desktop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	123
Changing the desktop background . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	125
Selecting a screen saver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	126
Changing the mouse settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	128
Adding and modifying user accounts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	129
Power management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	131
Using power saving modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	131

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Changing power settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .132 Changing the power scheme . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .132 Changing advanced power settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .133 Activating and using Hibernate mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .134 Setting up an uninterruptible power supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .136

9 Networking Your Computer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .139

Benefits of networking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .140 Sharing a single Internet connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .140 Sharing drives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .140 Sharing peripheral devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .141 Streaming audio and video files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .141 Playing multi-player games . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .141

Selecting a network connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .142 Wired Ethernet network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .142 Wireless Ethernet network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .142 Using a wired Ethernet network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .143 Ethernet, Fast Ethernet, or Gigabit Ethernet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .143 Example wired Ethernet network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .144 Equipment you need for a wired Ethernet network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .145 Using a wireless Ethernet network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .146 Wireless Ethernet speed and frequency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .146 Example access point wireless Ethernet network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .148 Equipment you need for an access point wireless Ethernet network . . . . . . .149 Example peer-to-peer wireless Ethernet network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .150 Equipment you need for a peer-to-peer wireless Ethernet network . . . . . . . .151 For more information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .151 Using your computer on a network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .152 Installing and configuring your computer for Ethernet networking . . . . . . . . .152

10 Moving from Your Old Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .153

Using the Windows XP Files and Settings Transfer Wizard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	154
Transferring files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	155
Finding your files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	155
Transferring Internet settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	157
Setting up your ISP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	157
Transferring your e-mail and address book . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	158
Transferring your Internet shortcuts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	158
Installing your old printer or scanner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	158
Installing a USB printer or scanner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	158
Installing a parallel port printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	159
Installing your old programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	160

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11 Maintaining Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161

Caring for your computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162 Protecting your computer from viruses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164 Managing hard drive space . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167 Checking hard drive space . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167 Using Disk Cleanup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168 Checking the hard drive for errors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169 Defragmenting the hard drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171 Backing up files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173 Using the Scheduled Task Wizard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173 Cleaning your computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175 Cleaning the exterior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175 Cleaning the keyboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176 Cleaning the computer screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176 Cleaning the mouse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177

12 Restoring Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179

Using the Restoration CDs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180 Reinstalling device drivers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181 Updating device drivers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183 Reinstalling programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184 Reinstalling Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186

13 Upgrading Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189

Selecting a place to work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190 Gathering the tools you need . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190 Preventing static electricity discharge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191 Opening the case . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192 Removing the side panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192 Removing the front bezel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195 Closing the case . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196 Replacing the side panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196 Replacing the front bezel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197 Adding or replacing a CD, DVD, or diskette drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198 Replacing the hard drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203 Adding or replacing add-in cards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206 Installing memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208 Replacing the system battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212 Replacing the power supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214 Replacing the system board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216

v

14 Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .219

Safety guidelines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .220 First steps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .220 Software support tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .221 Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .222 Add-in cards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .222 CD, DVD, or recordable drives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .222 Cleaning CDs and DVDs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .224 Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .224 File management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .225 Hard drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .225 Internet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .226 Keyboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .228 Memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .228 Modem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .229 Monitor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .233 Mouse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .235 Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .235 Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .236 Sound . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .237 Using the BIOS Setup utility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .238 Telephone support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .240 Before calling Gateway Technical Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .240 Telephone support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .241 Tutoring and training . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .242 Self-help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .242 Tutoring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .242 Training . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .243

A Safety, Regulatory, and Legal Information. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .245

Index. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255

vi

Checking Out

Your Gateway 1

Computer

This chapter introduces you to the basic features of your Gateway computer. Read this chapter to learn:

■How to identify the features of your computer

■How to locate your computer’s model and serial number

■How to locate the Microsoft Certificate of Authenticity

■How to locate the specifications for your computer

■What accessories are available for your computer

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Chapter 1: Checking Out Your Gateway Computer

Front

Your computer may contain any of the following components.

CD/DVD drive

Media card reader								IEEE 1394 port
Diskette drive								USB ports
Hard drive								Reset button
indicator								Power indicator
								Power button

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Front

Component	Icon		Description
CD/DVD drive			Use this drive to listen to audio CDs, install games and
			programs, watch DVDs, and store large files onto recordable
			CDs (depending on drive type). For more information, see
			“Using the CD or DVD drive” on page 84.
			This drive may be a CD, CD-RW, DVD, or DVD/CD-RW drive.
			To identify your drive type and for more information about your
			drive, see “Identifying drive types” on page 84.
Media card reader			Use media cards in this drive to transfer pictures from a digital
			camera to your computer. You can also use the reader to
			transfer data between your computer and a device that uses
			media cards, such as a PDA, MP3 player, or cellular
			telephone.
Diskette drive			Use this drive for 3.5-inch diskettes (sometimes called floppy
			disks). Diskettes are useful for storing files or transferring files
			to another computer.
Hard drive indicator			Turns on when the hard drive is accessed.
IEEE 1394			Plug an IEEE 1394 (also known as Firewire® or i.Link® )
(FireWire)			device (such as a digital camcorder) into this port.
USB ports			Plug USB (Universal Serial Bus) devices (such as a USB
			Iomega™ Zip™ drive, printer, scanner, camera, keyboard, or
			mouse) into these ports. For more information, see “Installing
			a printer, scanner, or other peripheral device” on page 24.
Reset button			Press this button to restart your computer if your computer
			does not respond to mouse or keyboard input.
Power indicator			Turns on when computer power is on.
Power button			Press this button to turn the power on or off. You can also
			configure the power button to operate in Standby/Resume
			mode or Hibernate mode. For more information on changing
			the power button setting, see “Changing the power scheme”
			on page 132.

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Chapter 1: Checking Out Your Gateway Computer

Back

Your computer may contain any of the following components.

Power connector

Thumbscrew

Voltage switch

PS/2 mouse port

PS/2 keyboard port

USB ports

Serial port

Parallel port

USB ports

Ethernet

(network) jack

Monitor ports

Audio jacks

Thumbscrew

Modem jack

Telephone jack

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Back

Component	Icon									Description
Power connector										Plug the power cable into this connector.
Voltage switch										Before turning on your computer, make sure that this switch
										is in the correct position for the correct power available. The
										switch is preset at the factory with the correct voltage for your
										area.
										In the United States, the utility power is supplied at a nominal
										115 volts at 60 Hz. The power supply should always be set to
										this when your computer is operating in the United States. In
										other areas of the world, such as Europe, the utility power is
										supplied at 230 volts at 50 Hz. If your computer is operating
										in such an environment, move the switch to 230.
PS/2 mouse port										Plug a Personal System/2® (PS/2) mouse into this port.
PS/2 keyboard port										Plug a PS/2 keyboard into this port.
USB ports										Plug USB (Universal Serial Bus) devices (such as a USB
										Iomega™ Zip™ drive, printer, scanner, camera, keyboard, or
										mouse) into these ports. For more information, see “Installing
										a printer, scanner, or other peripheral device” on page 24.
Serial port										Plug a serial device (such as a digital camera) into this port.
										For more information, see “Installing a printer, scanner, or other
										peripheral device” on page 24.
Monitor ports										Plug a monitor into one of these ports.
Audio jacks										Plug a microphone, speakers, or headphones into these jacks.
Modem jack										Plug a modem cable into this jack.
Thumbscrews										Remove these screws before opening the case.
Parallel port										Plug a parallel device (such as a printer) into this port. For more
										information, see “Installing a printer, scanner, or other
										peripheral device” on page 24.
Ethernet (network)										Plug a 10/100 Ethernet network cable into this jack. For more
jack										information, see “Learning about the Internet” on page 56.
Telephone jack										If your optional modem has a telephone jack, plug the cable
										for a telephone into this jack.

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Chapter 1: Checking Out Your Gateway Computer

Identifying your model

Important The labels shown in this section are for informational purposes only. Label information varies by model, features ordered, and location.

Gateway model number

The label on the back of your computer case contains information that identifies your computer model. Gateway Technical Support will need this information if you call for assistance.

Gateway serial number

You can locate the Gateway serial number:

■Printed on a white sticker on the back of your computer case.

■Printed on the customer invoice that came with your computer. The invoice also contains your customer ID number.

■Displayed in Help and Support. Click Start, Help and Support, then click View product serial number.

Microsoft Certificate of Authenticity

The Microsoft Certificate of Authenticity label found on the side of your computer case includes the product key code for your operating system.

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Finding your specifications

Finding your specifications

For more information about your computer, such as memory size, memory type, and hard drive size, go to the My Computer Info link in Help and Support or visit Gateway’s eSupport page at support.gateway.com. The eSupport page also has links to additional Gateway documentation and detailed specifications. For more information, see “Using eSupport” on page 28.

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Chapter 1: Checking Out Your Gateway Computer

Accessories

Gateway offers accessories that can help you make the most of using your computer. To order accessories, visit the Accessory Superstore at accessories.gateway.com.

Home networking kit

With a home networking kit, you can network, or “link”, two or more computers in your home. After you have set up a home network, you can access the files, drives, and printers on linked computers, play multiplayer games, and even share one Internet connection.

Two types of home networking kits are available. Wireless home networking kits use radio frequency to link your computers wirelessly. Ethernet home networking kits use network cabling to link your computers. For more information, see “Networking Your Computer” on page 139.

Imaging equipment

A digital camera lets you take pictures that you can view and edit on your computer. For more information, see “Connecting a digital camera” on page 113.

A digital video camera lets you take movies that you can view and edit on your computer. For more information, see “Connecting a digital video camera” on page 114.

A scanner copies an image, such as a graphic or document, then stores the copy in a file.

You can attach your digital photographs or scanned images to e-mail messages or post them on a Web site.

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. For more information about attaching a printer to your computer, see “Installing a printer, scanner, or other peripheral device” on page 24.

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.

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Accessories

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.

Storage Devices

If you need additional storage space or you want to back up your files, you can add storage devices to you computer.

With a recordable CD or DVD drive, you can free up hard drive space by backing up files, then removing them from your hard drive. Writable CDs can hold as much as 700 MB of data. Writable DVDs can hold as much as 4,700 MB of data. For more information about using recordable drives, see “Creating CDs and DVDs” on page 97.

If you need to back up your entire system, you probably need a tape backup (TBU) drive. TBU drives, like tape recorders, use magnetic tape cartridges to store data. Tape drive cartridges can store 2 GB, 20 GB, 40 GB, 130 GB, or more of data.

If you want to increase your internal storage space, try replacing your existing hard drive with a larger drive. For more information about installing a larger drive, see “Replacing the hard drive” on page 203.

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.

Uninterruptible power supplies

A standby, uninterruptible power supply (UPS) protects your computer from data loss during a total power failure. A UPS uses a battery to keep your computer running temporarily during a power failure so you can save your work and shut down your computer correctly. A UPS may also provide protection from power surges. For information about setting up a UPS, see “Setting up an uninterruptible power supply” on page 136.

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Chapter 1: Checking Out Your Gateway Computer

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Getting Started 2

Read this chapter to find out how to:

■Use your computer safely

■Protect your computer from power source problems

■Start and turn off your computer

■Use the keyboard

■Use the mouse

■Use the computer display

■Install peripheral devices

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Chapter 2: Getting Started

Working safely

Before using your computer, read the following recommendations for setting up a safe and comfortable work area and avoiding discomfort and strain.

Top of display is not higher than eye level

Screen is perpendicular to your line of sight

Hands and arms are parallel to the floor

Feet are flat on the floor

Reducing eye strain

Sunlight or bright indoor lighting should not reflect on the computer display or shine directly into your eyes.

■Position the computer desk and computer so you can avoid glare on your computer display and light shining directly into your eyes. Reduce glare by installing shades or curtains on windows, and by installing a glare screen filter on your computer display.

■Use soft, indirect lighting in your work area. Do not use your computer in a dark room.

■Avoid focusing your eyes on your computer display for long periods of time. Look away from your display occasionally, and try to focus on distant objects.

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Working safely

Setting up your computer desk and chair

When you are setting up your computer desk and chair, make sure that the desk is the appropriate height and the chair helps you maintain good posture.

■Select a flat surface for your computer desk.

■Adjust the height of the computer desk so your hands and arms are positioned parallel to the floor when you use the keyboard and mouse. If the desk is not adjustable or is too tall, consider using a keyboard drawer.

■Use an adjustable chair that is comfortable, distributes your weight evenly, and keeps your body relaxed.

■Position your chair so the keyboard is at or slightly below the level of your elbow. This position lets your shoulders relax while you type.

■Adjust the chair height, adjust the forward tilt of the seat, or use a footrest to distribute your weight evenly on the chair and relieve pressure on the back of your thighs.

■Adjust the back of the chair so it supports the lower curve of your spine. You can use a pillow or cushion to provide extra back support.

Setting up your computer and computer accessories

■Set up your computer so the display is no higher than eye level, the display controls are within reach, and the display is tilted to be perpendicular to your line of sight.

■Place your keyboard and mouse at a comfortable distance. You should be able to reach them without stretching.

■Set paper holders at the same height and distance as the computer display.

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Chapter 2: Getting Started

Sitting at your computer

■Avoid bending, arching, or angling your wrists. Make sure that they are in a relaxed position when you type.

■Do not slouch forward or lean far back. Sit with your back straight so your knees, hips, and elbows form right angles when you work.

■Take breaks to stand and stretch your legs.

■Avoid twisting your torso or neck.

Avoiding discomfort and injury from repetitive strain

■Vary your activities to avoid excessive repetition.

■Take breaks to change your position, stretch your muscles, and relieve your eyes.

■Find ways to break up the work day, and schedule a variety of tasks.

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Protecting from power source problems

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.

An uninterruptible power supply (UPS) supplies battery power to your computer during a power failure. Although you cannot run your computer for an extended period of time with a UPS, a UPS lets you run your computer long enough to save your work and shut down your computer normally. For more information, see “Setting up an uninterruptible power supply” on page 136.

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Chapter 2: Getting Started

Starting your computer

To start your computer:

1 Connect the cables to your computer using the setup poster.

2 Press the power button on your computer.

Power button

3 If you are starting your computer for the first time, follow the on-screen instructions to set up your computer.

4 Turn on any peripheral devices, such as printers or scanners, and see the documentation that came with the device for setup instructions.

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Turning off your computer

Turning off your computer

Tips & Tricks	When you turn off your computer, certain components in
	the power supply and system board remain energized. In
	order to remove all electrical power from your computer,
	unplug the power cord and modem cable from the wall
	outlets. We recommend disconnecting the power cord and
	modem cable when your computer will not be used for long
	periods.

To turn off your computer:

1 Click Start, then click Turn Off Computer. The Turn Off Computer dialog box opens.

2 Click Turn Off. Windows shuts down and turns off your computer.

Important If for some reason you cannot use the Turn Off Computer option in Windows to turn off your computer, press and hold the power button for about five seconds, then release it.

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Chapter 2: Getting Started

Restarting (rebooting) your computer

If your computer does not respond to keyboard or mouse input, you may have to close programs that are not responding. If closing unresponsive programs does not restore your computer to normal operation, you may have to restart (reboot) your computer.

To close unresponsive programs and restart your computer:

1 Press CTRL+ALT+DEL, then click Task Manager. The Task Manager window opens.

2 Click the Applications tab, then click the program that is not responding.

3 Click End Task.

4 If your computer does not respond, turn it off, wait ten seconds and turn it on again.

Important If your computer does not turn off, press and hold the power button for about five seconds, then release it.

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Multifunction keyboard

Multifunction keyboard

Function keys

Navigation keys Indicators

Windows keys	Application	Directional	Numeric
	key	keys	keypad

Press these	To...
keys...
Function keys	Start program actions. Each program uses different function keys for different
	purposes. See the program documentation to find out more about the
	function key actions.
Navigation keys	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.
Indicators	Show if your NUM LOCK, CAPS LOCK, or SCROLL LOCK keys are activated.
	Press the corresponding key to activate the function.
Windows keys	Press this key 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).
Application key	Access shortcut menus and help assistants in Windows.
Directional keys	Move the cursor up, down, right, or left.
Numeric keypad	Use these keys to type numbers when the numeric keypad (NUM LOCK) is
	turned on.

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Chapter 2: Getting Started

Special-function buttons

Previous Stop

Play/Pause Next

Volume down

Mute

Help

Search

Volume up

My Documents

E-mail

Internet

Special-function buttons

Icons

Press to...

Previous

Return to the previous CD track or DVD chapter.

Play/Pause

Start or pause the play of the CD or DVD.

Stop

Stop the play of the CD or DVD.

Next

Move to the next CD track or DVD chapter.

Volume down

Decrease the volume.

Volume up

Increase the volume.

Mute

Turn off all sound.

My Documents

Open the My Documents folder.

Help

Open online help.

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Multifunction keyboard

Special-function buttons Icons	Press to...
E-mail	Open your e-mail program.
Search	Open online search.
Internet	Open your Web browser.

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Chapter 2: Getting Started

Mouse

The mouse is a device that controls the pointer movement on the computer display. This illustration shows the standard mouse.

Right button

Left button

Scroll wheel

As you move the mouse, the pointer (arrow) on the display moves in the same direction.

You can use the left and right buttons on the mouse to select objects on the display.

You can use the scroll wheel on the mouse to move through a document. This feature is not available in all programs.

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