Gateway DX4300, DX4820, FX6801, LX6820, SX2300 Owner's Manual

...

USERGUIDE

Information for your safety and comfort

Safety instructions

Read these instructions carefully. Keep this document for future reference. Follow all warnings and instructions marked on the product.

Turning the product off before cleaning

Unplug this product from the wall outlet before cleaning. Do not use liquid cleaners or aerosol cleaners. Use a damp cloth for cleaning.

Warnings

• Do not use this product near water.

• Do not place this product on an unstable cart, stand or table. If the product falls, it could be seriously damaged.

• Slots and openings are provided for ventilation to ensure reliable operation of the product and to protect it from overheating. These openings must not be blocked or covered. The openings should never be blocked by placing the product on a bed, sofa, rug or other similar surface. This product should never be placed near or over a radiator or heat register, or in a built-in installation unless proper ventilation is provided.

• Never push objects of any kind into this product through cabinet slots as they may touch dangerous voltage points or short-out parts that could result in a fire or electric shock. Never spill liquid of any kind onto or into the product.

• To avoid damage of internal components and to prevent battery leakage, do not place the product on a vibrating surface.

Using electrical power

• This product should be operated from the type of power indicated on the marking label. If you are not sure of the type of power available, consult your dealer or local power company.

• Do not allow anything to rest on the power cord. Do not locate this product where people will walk on the cord.

• If an extension cord is used with this product, make sure that the total ampere rating of the equipment plugged into the extension cord does not exceed the extension cord ampere rating. Also, make sure that the total rating of all products plugged into the wall outlet does not exceed the fuse rating.

• Do not overload a power outlet, strip or receptacle by plugging in too many devices. The overall system load must not exceed 80% of the branch circuit rating. If power strips are used, the load should not exceed 80% of the power strip's input rating.

• This product's AC adapter is equipped with a three-wire grounded plug. The plug only fits in a grounded power outlet. Make sure the power outlet is properly grounded before inserting the AC adapter plug. Do not insert the plug into a non-grounded power outlet. Contact your electrician for details.

Warning! The grounding pin is a safety feature. Using a power outlet that is not properly grounded may result in electric shock and/or injury.

Note: The grounding pin also provides good protection from unexpected noise produced by other nearby electrical devices that may interfere with the performance of this product.

• Use the product only with the supplied power supply cord set. If you need to replace the power cord set, make sure that the new power cord meets the following requirements: detachable type, UL listed/CSA certified, type SPT-2, rated 7 A 125 V minimum, VDE approved or its equivalent, 4.6 meters (15 feet) maximum length.

Product servicing

Do not attempt to service this product yourself, as opening or removing covers may expose you to dangerous voltage points or other risks. Refer all servicing to qualified service personnel.

Unplug this product from the wall outlet and refer servicing to qualified service personnel when:

• the power cord or plug is damaged, cut or frayed

• liquid was spilled into the product

• the product was exposed to rain or water

• the product has been dropped or the case has been damaged

• the product exhibits a distinct change in performance, indicating a need for service

• the product does not operate normally after following the operating instructions

Note: Adjust only those controls that are covered by the operating instructions, since improper adjustment of other controls may result in damage and will often require extensive work by a qualified technician to restore the product to normal condition.

CAUTION: Danger of explosion if battery is incorrectly replaced. Replace only with the same or equivalent type recommended by the manufacturer. Dispose of used batteries according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Telephone line safety

• Disconnect all telephone lines from the equipment when not in use and/or before servicing.

• To avoid the remote risk of electric shock from lightning, do not connect the telephone line to this equipment during lightning or thunderstorms.

Disposal instructions

Do not throw this electronic device into the trash when discarding. To minimize pollution and ensure utmost protection of the global environment, please recycle.For more information on the Waste from Electrical and Electronics Equipment (WEEE) regulations, visit http://global.acer.com/about/

Mercury advisory

For projectors or electronic products containing an LCD/CRT monitor or display: Lamp(s) inside this product contain mercury and must be recycled or disposed of according to local, state or federal laws. For more information, contact the Electronic Industries Alliance at www.eiae.org information, check www.lamprecycle.org

sustainability.htm.

. For lamp-specific disposal

ENERGY STAR (for selected models)

Gateway's ENERGY STAR qualified products save your money by reducing energy cost and protecting the environment without sacrificing features or performance. Gateway is proud to offer our customers products with the ENERGY STAR mark.

What is ENERGY STAR? Products that are ENERGY STAR qualified use less energy and prevent greenhouse

gas emissions by meeting strict energy efficiency guidelines set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Gateway is committed to offer products and services worldwide that help customers save money, conserve energy and improve the quality of our environment. The more energy we can save through higher energy efficiency, the more we reduce greenhouse gases and the risks of climate change. More information refers to http://www.energystar.gov http://www.energystar.gov/powermangement

iii

Note: The statement above is applicable only to Gateway system with an ENERGY STAR sticker.

Gateway ENERGY STAR qualified products:

• Produce less heat and reduce cooling loads, and warmer climates.

• Automatically go into "display sleep" and "computer sleep" mode after

15 and 30 minute of inactivity respectively.

• Wake the computer from sleep mode by pushing keyboard or moving

mouse.

• Computers will save more than 80% energy at "sleep" mode.

ENERGY STAR and the ENERGY STAR mark are registered U.S. marks

Tips and information for comfortable use

Computer users may complain of eyestrain and headaches after prolonged use. Users are also at risk of physical injury after long hours of working in front of a computer. Long work periods, bad posture, poor work habits, stress, inadequate working conditions, personal health and other factors greatly increase the risk of physical injury.

Incorrect computer usage may lead to carpal tunnel syndrome, tendonitis, tenosynovitis or other musculoskeletal disorders. The following symptoms may appear in the hands, wrists, arms, shoulders, neck or back:

• numbness, or a burning or tingling sensation

• aching, soreness or tenderness

• pain, swelling or throbbing

• stiffness or tightness

• coldness or weakness

If you have these symptoms, or any other recurring or persistent discomfort and/or pain related to computer use, consult a physician immediately and inform your company's health and safety department.

The following section provides tips for more comfortable computer use.

Finding your comfort zone

Find your comfort zone by adjusting the viewing angle of the monitor, using a footrest, or raising your sitting height to achieve maximum comfort. Observe the following tips:

• refrain from staying too long in one fixed posture

• avoid slouching forward and/or leaning backward

• stand up and walk around regularly to remove the strain on your leg muscles

• take short rests to relax your neck and shoulders

• avoid tensing your muscles or shrugging your shoulders

• install the external display, keyboard and mouse properly and within comfortable reach

• if you view your monitor more than your documents, place the display at the center of your desk to minimize neck strain

Taking care of your vision

Long viewing hours, wearing incorrect glasses or contact lenses, glare, excessive room lighting, poorly focused screens, very small typefaces and low-contrast displays could stress your eyes. The following sections provide suggestions on how to reduce eyestrain.

Eyes

• Rest your eyes frequently.

• Give your eyes regular breaks by looking away from the monitor and

focusing on a distant point.

• Blink frequently to keep your eyes from drying out. Display

• Keep your display clean.

• Keep your head at a higher level than the top edge of the display so your

eyes point downward when looking at the middle of the display.

• Adjust the display brightness and/or contrast to a comfortable level for

enhanced text readability and graphics clarity.

• Eliminate glare and reflections by:

• placing your display in such a way that the side faces the window or any light source

• minimizing room light by using drapes, shades or blinds

• using a task light

• changing the display's viewing angle

• using a glare-reduction filter

• using a display visor, such as a piece of cardboard extended from the display's top front edge

• Avoid adjusting your display to an awkward viewing angle.

• Avoid looking at bright light sources, such as open windows, for extended periods of time.

Developing good work habits

Develop the following work habits to make your computer use more relaxing and productive:

• Take short breaks regularly and often.

• Perform some stretching exercises.

• Breathe fresh air as often as possible.

• Exercise regularly and maintain a healthy body.

Warning! We do not recommend using the computer on a couch or bed. If this is unavoidable, work for only short periods, take breaks regularly, and do some stretching exercises.

Chapter 1: Checking Out Your Computer . . . . 1

About this guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Product Registration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Front . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

Back . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Chapter 2: Setting Up and Getting Started. . . 9

Preparing power connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Protecting from power source problems . . . . . . 10

Connecting to a broadband modem or network . . 10

Connecting a dial-up modem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Using the World Wide Web . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Connecting to a Web site . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Downloading files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Ethernet networking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Wired Ethernet networking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Testing your network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Adding a printer to your network . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Sharing resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Using the network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Using the media card reader . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Memory card types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Using a memory card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Chapter 3: Maintaining Your Computer . . . . 25

Setting up a maintenance schedule . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Caring for your computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Updating Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Chapter 4: Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Safety guidelines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Try these steps first . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Error messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

vii

Contents

Internet and networking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Internet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Modem (cable or DSL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

Modem (dial-up) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

Networking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Printing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Optical discs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

Memory card reader . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Mouse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Keyboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

Audio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

Passwords . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Expansion cards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Media Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

Checking for device problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

Recovering your system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

Creating recovery discs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

Recovering pre-installed software and drivers . 52

Returning to a previous system condition . . . . . 53

Returning your system to its factory condition . 54

Creating Labelflash Disc Labels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

What is Labelflash? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

Creating disc labels with LabelPrint . . . . . . . . . . 56

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

Appendix A: Regulations and safety notices 63

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CHAPTER1

Checking Out Your

Computer

CHAPTER 1: Checking Out Your Computer

About this guide

This guide includes information and maintenance instructions that are specific to your model of Gateway computer. Some illustrations in this guide may look different than your computer because hardware options and port locations may vary.

Product Registration

When using your computer for the first time, it is recommended that you immediately register it. This will give you access to some useful benefits, such as:

• Faster service from our trained representatives

• Membership in the Gateway community: receive

promotions and participate in customer surveys

• The latest news from Gateway

Hurry and register, as other advantages await you! How to Register During the initial startup of your notebook or desktop,

a window will invite you to register. Please fill in the mandatory fields and click Next. The second window you'll see contains optional fields that will help us to provide you with a more personable customer service experience.

Another Option Another way to register your Gateway product is to

visit our website at http://www.gateway.com/register. Choose your country and follow the simple instructions.

After we receive your product registration, you will be sent a confirmation email with important data that you should keep in a safe place.

Front

Component Description

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Media navigation interface (optional)

Optical disc drive

Multimedia panel (optional)

Removable hard drive carriers (optional)

Media card reader (optional)

Press these buttons to control media playback.

Use this drive to listen to audio CDs, install games and programs, watch DVDs, and store large files onto recordable discs.

Connect multimedia devices to these ports and jacks. (available ports may vary)

■

R (red) RCA jack—Connect the RCA cable for the right channel of two-channel (stereo) audio to this jack.

■

L (white) RCA jack—Connect the RCA cable for the left channel of two-channel (stereo) audio to this jack.

■

V (yellow) RCA jack—Connect an RCA cable for analog video to this jack.

■

USB ports—Connect USB devices to these ports.

■

IEEE 1394 (FireWire) port—Connect an IEEE 1394 device to this port.

■

Microphone jack—Connect an external microphone to this jack.

■

Headphone jack—Connect headphones or external speakers to this jack.

Install a new hard drive to one of these carriers, then back up important files to the hard drives for removable storage. For more information.

Insert a memory card from a digital camera, MP3 player, PDA, cellular telephone, or other devices into the media card reader. For more information, see “Using the media card reader” on page 22.

USB ports Plug USB (Universal Serial Bus) devices (such as a

USB external drive, printer, scanner, camera, keyboard, or mouse) into these ports.

Optical drive eject buttons

Power button/power indicator

Press these buttons to open the optical drive disc tray.

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. The power indicator lights when the computer is turned on.

CHAPTER 1: Checking Out Your Computer

Component Description

Backup button (optional)

Photo Frame button (optional)

Press to launch the backup software suite.

Press to start slide show.

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Back

Important

Your computer’s hardware options and port locations may

vary from this illustration.

Component Icon Description

Power connector Plug the power cord into this

Voltage switch Make sure this switch is set to the

PS/2 keyboard port

Integrated monitor (VGA) port

HDMI port (optional)

USB ports Plug USB (Universal Serial Bus) devices

Surround left/right jack (black)

S/PDIF output jack (optional)

Microphone jack (pink)

HDMI Connect an HDMI video device to this

S/PDIF Plug an optical cable from an

connector.

proper local voltage.

Plug a PS/2 keyboard into this port.

Connect a VGA monitor to this port if the optional add-in video card is not installed.

port.

(such as a USB printer, scanner, camera, keyboard, or mouse) into these ports.

Plug your rear right and left speakers into this jack. This jack is disabled when an audio expansion card is installed.

amplifier or entertainment system into this jack for digital sound.

Plug a microphone into this jack. This jack is disabled when an audio expansion card is installed.

Headphone/analo g speakers jack (green)

-ORFront speakers jack

This jack is user configurable for one of the following:

■

Headphone: Plug headphones or amplified speakers into this jack (Default).

■

Stereo out: Plug your front left and right speakers into this jack.

This jack is disabled when an audio expansion card is installed.

CHAPTER 1: Checking Out Your Computer

Component Icon Description

Modem jack (optional)

Plug a modem cable into this jack. For more information, see “Connecting a

dial-up modem” on page 11.

Case cover Phillips screws

Remove these screws to remove the left side panel.

(optional)

PS/2 mouse port Plug a PS/2 mouse into this port.

IEEE 1394/FireWire port (optional)

Plug IEEE 1394 (also known as Firewire

) devices (such as a digital camcorder) into this 6-pin IEEE 1394 port.

Ethernet (network) jack

Plug an Ethernet network cable or a device (such as a DSL or cable modem for a broadband Internet connection) into this jack. For more information, see “Connecting to a broadband

modem or network” on page 10.

Center/subwoofer jack (orange)

Plug your center speaker and subwoofer into this jack. This jack is disabled when an audio expansion card is installed.

Audio in (Line in) jack (blue)

-ORSide speaker jack

This jack is user configurable for one of the following:

■

Stereo in: Plug an external audio input source (such as a stereo) into this jack so you can record sound on your computer (Default).

■

Stereo out: Plug your side left and right speakers into this jack.

This jack is disabled when an audio expansion card is installed.

Video card Plug a monitor into a port on this card.

If the card is a high-performance video card, the expansion slot opening above the card may be occupied by the card’s ventilation fan.

Expansion slot cover thumbscrew

Remove this screw and open the expansion slot cover to unlock the expansion cards.

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Component Icon Description

Telephone jack (optional)

eSATA jack (optional)

Plug the cord from your telephone into this jack.eSATAportConnects to USB 2.0 or eSATA devices (only for certain models).

eSATA Connect an external SATA hard drive

to this optional jack. (only for certain models).

CHAPTER 1: Checking Out Your Computer

CHAPTER2

Setting Up and Getting

Started

CHAPTER 2: Setting Up and Getting Started

Preparing power connections

Protecting from power source problems

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.

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 voltage surges and prevents them from reaching your computer.

uninterruptible power supply

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.

surge protector

(UPS) supplies

, which absorbs

Connecting to a broadband modem or network

Important

Your computer has a built-in Ethernet (network) jack.

You can connect your computer to a broadband (cable or DSL) modem or to a wired Ethernet network.

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To connect to a broadband modem or to an Ethernet

network:

1 Insert one end of the network cable into the

network jack on the back of your computer.

2 Insert the other end of the network cable into a

cable modem, DSL modem, or network jack.

Connecting a dial-up modem

Warning

To reduce the risk of fire, use only No. 26 AWG or larger

telecommunications line cord.

Your computer may have a 56K modem that you can use with a standard telephone line to connect to the Internet or to fax documents.

To connect the modem:

1 Insert one end of the modem cable into the

modem jack on the modem at the back of your computer.

2 Insert the other end of the modem cable into a

telephone wall jack. (The modem will not work with digital or PBX telephone lines.)

3 If you want, connect a telephone to the PHONE

jack on the modem at the back of your computer.

Using the World Wide Web

The World Wide Web is a multimedia window to the Internet that gives you access to millions of information sources.

Information on the Web comes to you on

pages

, which are electronic documents that you view using a Web page display program called a commercially available Web browsers, like Microsoft Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator.

browser

. You can use any of the

Web

CHAPTER 2: Setting Up and Getting Started

Web pages can contain text, animations, music, and other multimedia features. A group of related Web pages is called a can access Web sites to shop, track investments, read the news, download programs, and much more.

You can explore a Web site or visit other Web sites by clicking areas on a Web page called

links

hyperlinks

underlined text, a picture, or an animated image. You can identify a link by moving the mouse pointer over it. If the pointer changes to a hand, the item is a link.

To learn more about using the Web browser features, click Help in the menu bar.

. A link may be colored or

Connecting to a Web site

After you set up an account with an Internet service provider (ISP), you can access the many information sources on the World Wide Web.

To connect to a Web site:

1 Connect to your Internet account. 2 Depending on the method you use to connect to

your Internet account, you may need to start your Web browser. Click (Start), then click Internet. Your default Web browser opens showing an opening page or welcome screen.

3 To go to a different Web site, type the

(called a in the browser address bar (for example www.gateway.com), then click GO on the browser address bar.

URL

for “Universal Resource Locator”)

Web site

address

. You

- OR On the current Web page, click a link to

a Web site.

www.gateway.com

Help

For more information about connecting to a Web site, click Start, then click Help and Support. Type connecting to a Web site in the Search Help box, then press E

The Web browser locates the server computer on the Internet, (transfers) data to your computer, and displays the page on the site that you requested.

Sometimes Web pages display slowly. The speed that a Web page displays on your screen depends on the complexity of the Web page and other Internet conditions. Additionally, the speed of your connection will determine how fast Web pages display.

Downloading files

Caution

To protect your computer against viruses, make sure that

you scan the files you download.

NTER.

downloads

Downloading

is the process of transferring files from a computer on the Internet to your computer.

To download files or programs from a Web

site:

1 Connect to your Internet account. 2 In the address bar, type the address of the Web

site that contains the file or program you want to download, then press E

NTER.

- OR Click a link on a Web page to navigate

to the Web site containing the file that you want to download.

CHAPTER 2: Setting Up and Getting Started

3 Create or locate the folder where you want to

store the file on your computer. For more information, see “Working with files and folders” on page 10.

4 Click the link on the Web page for the file that

you want to download.

5 Follow the on-screen instructions for saving the

file in the folder that you want. A copy of the file is downloaded to your computer. The time that it takes to transfer the file to your computer

depends on file size and Internet conditions. 6 Open the folder that you created. 7 Install or view the downloaded file by

double-clicking it. If applicable, follow the

instructions provided on the Web site to run or

install the program.

Help

For more information about downloading files, click Start, then click Help and Support. Type the downloading files in the Search Help box, then click E

NTER.

Ethernet networking

Wired Ethernet networking

An wired Ethernet network consists of two or more computers connected together through an Ethernet cable. This connection type is commonly used in offices around the world and can be used to build computer networks in the home.

Ethernet, Fast Ethernet, or Gigabit Ethernet

Important

Check local code requirements before installing Ethernet cable or other wiring in your home or office. Your municipality may require you to obtain a permit and hire a licensed installer.

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Ethernet is available at three different speeds. Standard Ethernet runs at 10 Mbps, Fast Ethernet runs at 100 Mbps, and Gigabit Ethernet runs at 1000 Mbps. Most home networks are built using Standard or Fast Ethernet components. Business networks are typically built using Fast or Gigabit Ethernet components.

To create a wired Ethernet network, you or your electrician must install special Ethernet cables in your home or office.

Using a router

The most common way to set up a wired Ethernet network is Dynamic Host Control Protocol (DHCP) using a router. A DHCP network configuration uses a router to automatically assign IP addresses to each computer or network device. For information on setting up a router, see the router’s documentation.

Example router-based Ethernet network The following is an example of a wired

Ethernet network. The network is made up of a router, a cable or DSL modem, your computers, and cables connecting each of these components. The router is the central control point for the network.

Tip

To add the ability to access a wireless Ethernet network to your wired Ethernet network, connect an access point to the router or use a router that has a built-in access point.

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