Gateway C-143, MC73, MC78, MD24, MD26 Quick Start Manual

...
STARTERGUIDE
®
Thank you!
Thank you for your purchase! We want to make your
experience a satisfying one, so we’ve put together tips
to help you get started with your Gateway computer.
Contents
Getting started with Windows ...............................................4
Getting help .................................................................................. 8
Internet .........................................................................................10
E-mail .............................................................................................11
Using CDs and DVDs ................................................................12
Safety and security....................................................................14
Improving performance .........................................................19
Restoring your system .............................................................20
we do Windows
After you start your computer and complete the Windows® setup, the  rst thing you’ll see on your screen is the Windows desktop. The desktop includes a taskbar, Start button ( ), and Recycle Bin icon. Other icons may be added depending on your computer’s con guration.
Drag items to
the Recycle
Bin to delete
them
Add icons of
your own
Click (Start) to access programs and to turn o your computer
This is the
Windows desktop
4
For more information about Windows, see “Windows Basics” under Help and Support in the Start menu.
getting things started
The Start menu is the command center of your computer. Whether you want to start a program,  nd a  le, change settings, or even shut down your system, the Start menu is where it all begins.
Click here to
access the
Internet, e-mail,
and your most
frequently used
programs
Click here to see all
your programs
Click here to open  les and folders, access networking, and change settings
Type here to  nd
a  le or folder
Click here
to put your
computer in
Sleep mode
Click here to lock your computer
Click here to shut down your computer
For more information about Windows, see “Windows Basics” under Help and Support.
5
maintaining order
Managing  les and folders starts with the Computer folder. From there, you can see everything on your computer. To get there, click (Start), then click Computer. To save something right away, use the Documents folder that has already been set up for you. To access that folder, click
(Start), then click Documents.
Documents
Already created for you, this folder is ready for immediate use
Computer
Look here to see what’s on your computer
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For more information about Windows, see “Windows basics” under Help and Support.
welcome to the Welcome Center!
The Welcome Center o ers a wealth of options for getting more information about your computer, as well as links to special deals from Gateway partners! To access the Welcome Center, click
(Start), Control Panel, then click System and Maintenance. Click Welcome Center
and select an option.
Transfer  les and settings from a previous computer to a
Get information
about your
computer
new one
Learn about the newest features in Windows Vista®
7
need additional help?
If you need a little extra help with something on your computer, Gateway o ers several options designed to meet your needs:
Gateway Web support—Available 24/7, Gateway’s online support provides current drivers, product speci cations, tutorials, and personalized information about your computer. Visit us at
www.support.gateway.com.
Help and Support—This collection of Windows help and troubleshooting information, along with automated support, is easily accessible. Just click
(Start), then click Help and Support. Click a link, do a search, or simply browse to  nd what you’re looking for.
Help and Support is a
quick and easy way to get information
Gateway’s Web support is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
8
help, continued...
User guide—For detailed information on using your Gateway computer, see the provided Reference Guide or online User Guide. To access the online guide, click All Programs, then click Gateway Documentation.
Tech support—For help and advice you can trust, talk to people who know computers. You can  nd the number on the setup poster that came with your computer.
BigFix*—Pre-installed for you on your Gateway computer, BigFix checks your computer for problems and con icts and lets you know if it  nds something. To start BigFix, click (Start), All Programs, then click BigFix. Click Help, then click Tutorial to learn more about it.
*May not be available in all regions
(Start),
®
Check your User Guide for easy­to-understand information on a variety of topics
9
surfi ng the ’net
Explore the World Wide Web with an Internet connection. Just connect your computer to a telephone line, Digital Subscriber Line (DSL), or cable TV line and sign up with an Internet Service Provider (ISP).
To get to the Internet, click (Start), then click Internet or the ISP you’ve connected with. Type in an Internet address, such as www.gateway.com, click Go, and you’re on your way.
The address bar is
where you type in
the Internet address
or URL (Universal
Resource Locator)
This is a
Web page
This is a linked Web page
If your pointer arrow turns into a hand
when you move over something, it’s a link.
Click on it and see where it takes you!
10
To learn more about the Internet, see “Using the Internet” in your online user guide.
welcome to e-mail!
Staying in touch with family and friends is easy with e-mail and is usually free with your Internet account.
To send e-mail, connect to your ISP, click (Start), then click E-mail. When your default e-mail program opens, complete any setup required, then click Create Mail and type the e-mail address of the person that you want to send a message to in the To box. Add a description in the Subject box, type the e-mail message, then click Send. Your message will arrive at most e-mail addresses in seconds.
Type the e-mail
address of the person
you want to send a
message to here
Include others in your
message by typing
their e-mail addresses
here or in the To box
For more information about e-mail, see “Using the Internet” in your online user guide.
This is the user name
part of an e-mail address
JohnSmith@microsoft.com
Type a short description of your message here
This is the Internet domain name part of an e-mail address
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for your listening and viewing pleasure...
Enjoy listening to favorite music CDs or watching DVDs with software already installed on your new Gateway computer.
To listen to a music CD or watch a movie on DVD, click
Windows Media Player. Put the disc into the CD or DVD drive on your computer, then click the Play button ( ). You can control how the music CD or video DVD plays from Windows Media
Player.
Note: You must
have a DVD drive
to play a DVD
Click these buttons to play, pause, or stop disc playback. You can also control the volume here.
(Start), All Programs, then click
Songs or scene selections from the disc you are playing are listed here
12
For more information about using media, see your online user guide or Windows Help and Support.
rip, burn, play
Create a custom music CD with MP3s you rip yourself, or create a video DVD of home movies or special videos. If your computer came with a DVD burner, you can do it all with easy-to-use software already installed on your Gateway computer.
Create an MP3 music  le
To create an MP3, click (Start), All Programs, then click Windows Media Player. Put a music CD in the disc drive on your computer, then click Rip. Make sure that the songs you want to create MP3s of are checked, then click Start Rip. Windows Media Player will create MP3s and save them to the Music folder.
Create a DVD
To save content such as data or movies to DVD, open Windows Media Player and put a blank, writable DVD into the DVD burner on your computer. Click Burn, then select the items you want to save by right-clicking on the item and selecting Add to Burn List. When your selections are complete, click Start Burn.
Note: you must have a DVD burner to create a DVD
For more information about using media, see your online user guide or Windows Help and Support.
13
keeping your computer safe
Your Gateway computer comes with hardware and software features that can help you keep your computer secure and up-to-date. Use these tools regularly to improve the security of personal information stored on your computer:
Windows Security—Provides access to security features such as Windows Security Center, Windows Firewall, Windows Update, and Windows Defender—all built into Windows Vista
Norton 360—Reduces the chances of a virus a ecting your computer
BigFix—Monitors your computer for problems, and alerts you if something is detected
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For more information on security, see “Protecting Your Computer” in your online user guide.
securing the perimeter
Windows Vista provides built-in security features designed to protect you, your family, and your computers. To view or change Windows Vista security settings, click (Start), Control Panel, Security, then click Security Center.
Guard against
spyware, pop-ups,
and other unwanted
software
Select and control the type and level of protection you want for your computer
For more information on security, see “Protecting Your Computer” in your online user guide.
15
up-to-date security
Windows Update
If a hacker  nds a way to bypass the security features built into Windows Vista, Microsoft creates a high-priority Windows update to  x the problem. You should update Windows regularly to keep your computer secure.
To run Windows Update, click download high-priority updates.
You can
schedule
automatic
updates with
Windows
Update
(Start), All Programs, then click Windows Update and
16
For more information on security, see “Protecting Your Computer” in your online user guide.
virus-free with Norton 360
Norton 360
Norton 360 helps protect your computer from viruses, hackers, and privacy threats. To run Norton 360, click
You need to extend your subscription
complimentary trial period ends.
(Start), All Programs, Norton 360, then click Norton 360.
Your computer came with virus,
spyware,  rewall, and phishing
protection turned on. Keep
virus de nitions current to
ensure up-to-date protection.
to update Norton 360 after the
For more information on security, see “Protecting Your Computer” in your user guide.
17
secure with Big Fix
BigFix
Your computer may include BigFix. BigFix monitors your computer for problems and con icts. It automatically gathers information about the latest bugs, security alerts, and updates from BigFix sites on the Internet. Whenever BigFix detects a problem, it alerts you by  ashing the blue taskbar icon (
information about
updates speci c
to your computer
Click here to go
directly to the
Gateway Web
). To  x the problem, click that icon and BigFix will open.
Click here, then click Tutorial to learn more about BigFix
Click here for
Details and information about updates are provided here
support site
18
For more information on security, see “Protecting your Computer” in your online user guide.
improving performance
Keep your computer in top running condition with regular maintenance. Click (Start), Control Panel, System and Maintenance, then click Performance Information and Tools.
Select a task and follow the instructions. Do this regularly and you’ll have a smoother running system.
Click here to return your
computer to a previous state
when it was working better
Click here to see details
about the components
of your system
Click here to adjust
how quickly your
computer goes into
power-saving modes
Click here to do maintenance, such as Disk Cleanup, or to defragment your hard drive (click Advanced Tools, then click Open Disk Defragmenter)
19
backing up a bit – restoring your computer
In the unlikely event that you experience software problems, the Windows Vista Backup and Restore Center lets you roll back your computer to a previous state when everything worked right. Windows Vista takes regular snapshots of your system, called Restore Points. You can return to one of these Restore Points to get your computer running again. To take advantage of the restore features in Windows, click click Backup and Restore Center.
(Start), Control Panel, System and Maintenance, then
20
prepare to recover
When you  rst get your computer, it is a good idea to make a backup of the software that came with your system. Before you create these “recovery discs,” make sure that you have blank discs ready.
To create discs, click Management. To create recovery discs for your factory-loaded hard drive contents (Windows Vista, pre-installed software and drivers), click Create factory default disc or, to create recovery discs for only the factory-loaded drivers and software, click Create driver and application backup disc. Follow the on-screen instructions to  nish.
(Start), All Programs, Gateway, then click Gateway Recovery
21
restoring to factory condition
restoring to factory condition
If you can run Windows...
1 Click (Start), All Programs, Gateway, then click Gateway Recovery Management.
Gateway Recovery Management opens.
2 Click the Restore tab, then click Restore system to factory default. The Con rm
Restoration dialog box opens.
3 Follow the on-screen instructions to  nish.
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If you cannot run Windows...
1 Restart your computer, then press the ALT+F10 keys during startup.
2 Follow the on-screen instructions to  nish.
IMPORTANT
If your hard drive has failed and you can’t restore the software from the hard drive or recovery discs, contact Gateway Customer Care for help.
After you restore your computer, it will appear with the same  les and programs it had when it shipped from the factory. You still need to download Windows updates and antivirus updates to bring your computer’s software up to date.
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MAN GW STARTER GDE EREC R0 4/08
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