This chapter provides basic information about your Gateway notebook. Read
this chapter to find out where components and connections are located.
1
1
Front
A
B
ComponentIconDescription
A SpeakersProvide sound output.
B Lock switch for
CD/DVD player
control buttons
C CD/DVD player
control buttons
C
Slide the switch to lock or unlock the CD/DVD
player control buttons.
Control the CD/DVD player software when
playing an audio CD or a DVD. Icons from top
to bottom: Rewind, Play/Pause, Stop, Forward.
2 About Your Notebook
Left side
A
ComponentIconDescription
A Kensington™ lock slotSecure your notebook to an object by
B CD/DVD drive bayUse this bay for a DVD, CD, CD-R, or CD-RW
C Modular bayUse this bay for a 3.5-inch diskette drive,
B
connecting a Kensington cable lock to this
slot.
drive.
LS-120 SuperDisk drive, second hard drive,
or second battery.
C
Left side 3
Right side
B
A
ComponentIconDescription
C
D
E
F
G
H
A Speaker Out/
Headphone
connection
B External audio
connection (Line
In)
C External
microphone
connection
D Modem connection
(optional)
EUSB connectionsPlug a USB device (such as a USB scanner)
FIEEE1394 serial
connection
(optional)
G PC Card eject
buttons
H PC Card slotsInsert Type I, II, and III PC Cards into these
Plug external speakers or headphones into
this connection.
Connect an external audio source (such as a
stereo) to this connection so you can record
sound on your notebook or play sound
through the notebook speakers.
Plug a microphone into this connection. While
the external microphone is connected, the
built-in microphone is disabled.
Plug a modem cable into this connection.
into this connection.
Plug an IEEE1394-equipped device into this
connection.
Press one of the eject buttons to remove a
PC Card from a PC Card slot.
slots.
4 About Your Notebook
Back
Flip each back panel door down to view the connections. The icons
identifying the connections are located on the inside of the panel doors.
A
ComponentIconDescription
A PS/2 device
B Parallel device
C Serial device
D Docking
EComposite Video
FComposite Video In
B
connection
connection
connection
connection
Out (TV Out)
connection
(TV In) connection
(optional)
C
D
Plug a PS/2 device (such as a keyboard or
mouse) into this connection.
Plug a parallel device (such as a printer) into
this connection.
Plug a serial device (such as a digital camera)
into this connection.
Connect the optional port replicator or
docking station to this connection.
Warning! Power passes through this
connection. This docking connection is UL
certified for use only with Solo 9300 docking
station devices.
Plug a standard RCA cable into this
connection and the Video In connection on a
TV or VCR so you can view your notebook
screen on a TV.
Plug a standard RCA cable into this
connection and the Video Out connection on
a TV, VCR, or camcorder so you can record
video or capture an image on your notebook.
E
F
G
H
I
G VGA (Monitor)
connection
Plug an external monitor into this connection.
Back 5
ComponentIconDescription
H S/PDIF digital
audio output
connection
(optional)
IPower connectionPlug the AC power adapter into this
Plug a standard RCA cable into this
connection and the connection on a digital
audio device.
connection.
6 About Your Notebook
Bottom
A
B
A
I
H
G
F
C
D
E
Bottom 7
ComponentIconDescription
A Elevating feetExtend these feet to tilt the
notebook forward and to provide
a more natural typing position.
B Memory bayInstall up to two SO-DIMM
memory modules in the slots
held within this bay.
C Main battery bayInsert the main battery into this
bay.
D Battery release latchSlide to release the battery.
E Modular bayInsert either a diskette drive,
LS-120 SuperDisk drive, second
hard drive, or second battery into
this bay.
FModular bay release latchSlide to release the module.
G System identification labelFind the product model number
and serial number on this label.
For more information on the
label, see “Identifying your
model” in the Maintaining and Troubleshooting guide.
H CD/DVD drive bayInsert either a DVD, CD, CD-R, or
IRelease latch for CD/DVD
disc drive bay
8 About Your Notebook
CD-RW drive into this bay.
Slide to release the drive.
Getting Started
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
■ What the status indicator lights and icons mean
■ How to use the keyboard and touchpad
2
9
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.
ImportantIf 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 information on
recalibrating the battery, see “Recalibrating the battery” on
page 99.
To connect the AC adapter:
1 Connect the power cord to the AC adapter, then plug it in to a wall power
outlet.
WarningReplace the power cord if it becomes damaged. The
10 Getting Started
replacement cord must be of the same type and voltage
rating as the original cord or the notebook may be
damaged.
2 Connect the adapter to your notebook’s power connector.
The battery charging indicator light turns on. If the battery charging
indicator light does not turn on, disconnect the adapter from your
notebook and repeat Step 2.
Battery charging indicator
You can use the notebook while the adapter is connected to AC power.
3 When you finish using your notebook, turn the notebook off and leave
the notebook connected to AC power for at least 24 hours. The battery
charge meters may not show a charge for several hours. For the location
of the battery meters, see “Checking battery status” on page 94.
Connecting the AC adapter 11
4 If the battery meters do not show a full charge after 24 hours, recalibrate
the battery. For information on recalibrating the battery, see
“Recalibrating the battery” on page 99.
WarningDo 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.
Protecting from power source problems
During a power surge, the voltage level of electricity coming into your
notebook can increase to far above normal levels and cause data loss or system
damage. Protect your notebook and peripherals by connecting them to a surge
protector, which will absorb voltage surges and prevent them from reaching
your notebook.
WarningHigh voltages can enter your notebook through the power
cable and the telephone line that is connected to the
modem. Protect your notebook by using a surge protector
with a telephone connection. During an electrical storm,
unplug both the surge protector and the telephone line.
12 Getting Started
Starting your notebook
To start the notebook:
1 Open your notebook by sliding the latch on the front of your notebook
to the right and lifting the LCD panel.
2 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 “To change advanced power management
settings:” on page 103.
3 To adjust the viewing angle of the display, tilt the display panel forward
or backward.
4 To control display brightness, press the F
or down arrow key.
This notebook is shipped with the backlight dimmer feature enabled. The
dimmer cuts display power 50% when your notebook is operating on
battery power. To learn how to disable this feature, see “Disabling the
backlight dimmer” on page 105.
5 If you are starting your notebook for the first time, follow the on-screen
instructions to set up your notebook.
N key together with the up arrow
Starting your notebook 13
Waking up your notebook
When you have not used your notebook for several minutes, it will go into
a power-saving mode called Standby. While in Standby, the notebook screen
darkens and the power indicator light changes to orange. When you are ready
to use your notebook, “wake” it up by pressing a button or key on the
keyboard. For more information on changing power-saving settings, see
“Changing power settings” on page 100.
14 Getting Started
Turning off your notebook
To turn off your notebook:
1 Click Start,then select Shut Down. The Shut Down Windows dialog box
opens.
2 Select
3 Click
ImportantIf for some reason you cannot use the Shut Down option
Shut Down.
OK. Windows shuts down and turns off your notebook.
in Windows to turn off your notebook, press and hold the
power button for about five seconds.
Turning off your notebook 15
System status indicators
A
A
C
E
B
D
F
This light turns on...When...
AThe notebook is accessing the hard drive.
BThe notebook is accessing the CD/ DVD drive
or LS-120 SuperDisk drive.
CThe notebook is accessing the diskette drive.
DCaps Lock is enabled.
EPad Lock is enabled.
1
FScroll Lock is enabled.
16 Getting Started
Power and battery indicators
ComponentIconDescription
A Battery LEDIndicates the battery status mode:
■
Green light indicates that the battery is fully charged.
■
Yellow light indicates that the battery is charging.
■
Red light indicates that the battery is malfunctioning.
■
No light indicates that the system is running on the
battery.
B Power LEDIndicates the power status mode:
■
Steady green light indicates that power is on and the
notebook is in operation.
■
Flashing green light indicates that the notebook is in
standby mode.
■
Yellow light indicates that the notebook is in a power
saving mode.
■
No light indicates that the notebook is off.
C
A
B
D
C Reset switchInsert a paper clip to press the switch and reset the
notebook when you need to shut down your system and
you cannot use the operating system shut down
procedure. Use this method only if you have first tried
pressing C
TRL+ALT+DEL or holding down the power
button for 4-5 seconds.
D Power
button
Press to turn the power on or off. You can also configure
the button to operate in Standby/Resume mode or
Hibernate mode. For more information on configuring
the power button mode, see “To change advanced
power management settings:” on page 103.
Power and battery indicators 17
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, including shortcut keys for Windows, function keys for system
operations, and a Pad Lock key that enables the embedded numeric keypad.
Adjusting the keyboard angle
The two elevating feet under your notebook give the notebook a comfortable
angle for typing.
To extend the elevating feet:
1 Close the LCD panel and turn your notebook over.
2 Slide each foot toward the side of the notebook until the foot opens.
3 Turn the notebook over. The keyboard is now angled toward you.
4 To close the feet, press them down until they click into place.
18 Getting Started
Function keys
A
AFN keys
BNumeric keypad
CFunction keys
B
C
Using the keyboard 19
Function key combinations
By pressing an FN key and a Function key, the notebook performs the action
identified by the green text on the key.
Press F
N and this Function
key...
To...
Display the power status box in the upper left corner of your
screen. The menu shows the battery charge level, the BIOS
version, and whether the AC power adapter is being used.
Press the key combination again to close this box.
Toggle the notebook screen between the LCD, an external
monitor, both displays at the same time, or TV display (NTSC
or PAL format).
Enable Standby mode on your notebook. Press the power
button to exit Standby mode.
Enable Pad Lock so you can use the numeric keypad. Press
this key combination again to disable Pad Lock. The Pad Lock
status indicator appears while this function is enabled.
Pause the text scrolling in a DOS screen. (This function is only
available in some programs.) The Scroll Lock status indicator
appears when this function is enabled. Press the key
combination again to continue scrolling.
20 Getting Started
Pause text scrolling. Press any key to continue scrolling. (This
function is only available in some programs.)
Stop the currently running DOS program. (This function is only
available in some programs.)
Increase the brightness of the display.
Decrease the brightness of the display.
Multi-function buttons
A
ComponentIconDescription
A Volume control
buttons
B E-mail buttonOpens your e-mail program.
C Web browser
button
D Help buttonOpens an online help file.
EShortcut buttonOpens a program you assign to this key. For
Left button decreases volume.
Middle button increases volume.
Right button mutes sound. Press again to hear
sound.
Opens your Web browser.
information on customizing the multi-function
buttons, see “Customizing the multi-function
buttons” on page 54.
B
C
D
E
Multi-function buttons 21
Using the EZ Pad touchpad
The EZ Pad™ consists of a touchpad and two buttons.
A
AEZ Pad™ buttons (mouse buttons)
BEZ Pad touchpad
When you move your finger on the touchpad, the pointer (arrow) on the screen
moves in the same direction. You can use the EZ-Pad left and right buttons
below the touchpad to select objects.
ImportantThe touchpad is disabled when an external mouse is
connected.
B
22 Getting Started
To...Do this...
Move the pointer
on the screen.
Select an object
on the screen.
Start a program
or open a file or
folder.
Move your finger around on the
touchpad. If you run out of space
on your touchpad 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. Quickly tap your finger on
the touchpad once. This action is
called clicking.
Position the pointer over the
object. Quickly tap your finger on
the touchpad twice. 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.
Using the EZ Pad touchpad 23
To...Do this...
Move an object
on the screen.
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.
24 Getting Started
Windows
Basics
Read this chapter to get basic information on how to:
■ Work on the Windows desktop
■ Work with document and program windows
■ Manage files and folders
■ Use shortcuts
For more detailed information about Windows, see your Microsoft Windows
documentation and online help.
3
25
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