Gateway E-4100 User Manual

User Guide

Gateway E-4100

Contents

1Getting Help. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Help and Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Searching for a topic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Using Your Computer guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Online help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Gateway contact information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

2 Checking Out Your Gateway Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Micro Tower . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Front . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Back . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Mid Tower . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Front . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Back . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Desktop to tower conversion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Locating your serial number . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Microsoft Certificate of Authenticity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Finding your specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Accessories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

3Getting Started. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Working safely . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Reducing eye strain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Setting up your computer desk and chair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Setting up your computer and computer accessories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Sitting at your computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Avoiding discomfort and injury from repetitive strain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Protecting from power source problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Checking the voltage selection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Starting your computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Waking up your computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Turning off your computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Restarting (rebooting) your computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Using the keyboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Standard keyboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Multifunction keyboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Adjusting the volume . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Connecting the modem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Connecting to a wired Ethernet network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Installing a printer, scanner, or other peripheral device . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

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4 Using Drives and Ports. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Using the diskette drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 6

Using the Zip drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Using the memory card reader . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Memory card types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Inserting a memory card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Using the CD or DVD drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Identifying drive types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Inserting a CD or DVD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

Playing a CD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Playing a DVD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Creating CDs and DVDs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

5 Maintaining Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

Caring for your computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

Updating Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

Protecting your computer from viruses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Cleaning your computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

Cleaning the exterior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

Cleaning the keyboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

Cleaning the monitor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

Cleaning the mouse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

Cleaning CDs or DVDs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

Restoring your system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

Preventing static electricity discharge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

Maintaining the Micro Tower case . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

Opening the case . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

Closing the case . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

Installing memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

Replacing the system battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

Maintaining the Mid Tower case . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

Opening the case . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

Closing the case . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

Removing the front bezel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

Installing memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64

Replacing the system battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

6 Troubleshooting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

Safety guidelines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68

First steps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68

Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69

Add-in cards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69

Audio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69

Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69

CD or DVD drives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69

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Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

Diskette drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

DVD drives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

File management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

Hard drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73

Internet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74

Keyboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75

Memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75

Memory card reader . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76

Modem (dial-up) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76

Monitor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79

Mouse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80

Networks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81

Passwords . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81

Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81

Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81

Sound . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83

7 Networking Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85

Introduction to networking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86

Using a network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86

Selecting a network connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87

Creating an Ethernet network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94

Installing Ethernet cards and drivers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94

Making sure your broadband connection works . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95

Naming the computers and the workgroup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95

Configuring the TCP/IP protocol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96

Setting up a wireless Ethernet network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99

Setting up a wired Ethernet network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106

Configuring your router . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108

Testing your network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109

Sharing your resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110

Sharing an Internet connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110

Sharing drives and printers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113

Using the network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115

Connecting to hotspots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118

Troubleshooting Your Ethernet network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119

Wired Ethernet network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119

Wireless Ethernet network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120

A Safety, Regulatory, and Legal Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123

Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129

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Chapter 1

Getting Help

■ Using the Gateway W eb site

■ Using Help and Support

■ Using Y our Computer guide

■ Using Do More With Ga teway

■ Using online help

■ Contacting Gateway

1

Help and Support

Your computer includes Help and Support, an easily accessible collection of help
information, troubleshooters, and automated support. Use Help and Support to answer
questions about Windows and to help you quickly discover and use the many features of
your Gateway computer.

To start Help and Support:

■ Click Start, then click Help and Support. Help and Support opens.

You can find help information by clicking a link, performing a search, or browsing the
index.

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Searching for a topic

To search for a topic in He lp an d Supp ort, ty pe a word or phra se ( keywor d) in th e Search
box located at the top of any Help and Support screen, then click the arrow button.

For each search, you receive the following search result types:

■ Suggested Topics - These topics are locate d in Help and Support and are relevant to

your search topic.

■ Full-text Search Matches - These topics are located in Help and Support and contain

the words you entered in the

■ Microsoft Knowledge Base - These topics are located on the Microsoft Web site and

contain the words you entered in the
Internet to search for and acces s these topics.

To view a list of your search results, click the results header for the type of results you
want to view.

Search box.

Search box. You must be connected to the

To view a topic, click the topic name in the

Search Result s list.

Using Your Computer guide

In addition to this guide, the Using Your Computer guide has been included on your hard
drive. This guide includes information on using Windows, using the Internet, sending a
fax, and changing power-saving settings as well as other topics.

To access the Using Your Computer guide:

■ Click Start, All Programs, then click Gateway Documentation.

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3

Online help

Many programs provide information online so you can research a topic or learn ho w to
perform a task while you are using the program. You can access most online help
information by selecting a topic from a

Y ou can search for information by viewing the help contents, checking the index, searching
for a topic or keyword, or browsing through the online help.

Help menu or by clicking a Help button.

Gateway c ontact information

For Technical Support, see the Gateway Business Service Plans guide that came with your
system.

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Chapter 2

Checking Out Your

Gateway Computer

■ Identifying features

■ Locating your compu ter serial number

■ Locating the Microsoft Certificate of

Authenticity

■ Locating the specifications for your

computer

■ Purchasing accessories

5

Micro To wer

Front

Your computer includes the following components.

CD/DVD eject button

CD/DVD/Recordable drive

Power button/
power indicator

Zip drive eject button

Zip drive/memory

card reader

(optional)

Diskette drive

(optional)

Diskette eject button

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USB ports

Microphone
jack

Headphone
jack

Component Icon Description

CD/DVD/Recordable
drive

Pow er b u tt o n/
power indicator

Diskette drive
(optional)

Zip drive (optional) Use this drive to store larger files on Zip disks. For more information,

Memory card reader
(optional)

USB ports Plug a USB (Universal Serial Bus) device (such as a printer, scanner,

Microphone jack
(red or pink)

Use this drive to liste n to audio CDs , insta ll game s and prog ra ms , w atch
DVDs, and store large files onto recordable discs (depending on drive
type).

This drive may be a CD, recordable CD, DVD, or recordable DVD drive.
To identify your drive type and for more information about your drive,
see “Identifying drive types” on page41.

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 button lights when the computer is turned on.
Insert a standard 3.5-inch diskette into the optional diskette drive. For

more information, see “Using the dis kette dr ive” on page 36.

see “Using the Zip drive” on page 38.
Insert a memory card from a digital camera, MP3 player, PDA, cellular

telephone, or other devices into the memory card reader. For more
information, see “Using the memory card reader” on page39.

camera, keyboar d, or mouse) into th is por t. For more in formation, see

“Installing a printer, scanner, or other peripheral device” on page33.

Plug a microphone into this jack.

Headphone jack
(green)

Plug powered, analog front speakers, an external amplifier, or
headphones into this jack.

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Back

Your computer includes the following components:

PS/2 keyboard por t

USB ports

Serial p ort

Monitor port

USB ports

Microphone jack

PS/2 mouse port

Kensington
lock slot

Case cover shipping
thumbscrew

Parallel port

Ethernet
(network) jack

Audio input
(line in) jack

Headphone/speakers
(line out) jack

Power connector

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Voltage switch

Component Icon Description

PS/2 keyboard port Plug a Personal System/2® (PS/2) keyboar d into th is por t.

USB ports Plug USB (UniversalSerial Bus) devices (such as a printer,

scanner, camera, keyboard, or mouse) into these ports. For
more information, see “Installing a printer, scanner, or other

periphe ral device” on p age 33.

Serial port Plug a serial device (such as a digital camera) into this port.

For more inf ormation, see “Installi ng a printer , scanner , or oth er

periphe ral device” on p age 33.

Monitor port Plug a monitor into this port.

Microphone jack
(red or pink)

Power connector Plug the power cord into this connector.
PS/2 mouse port Plug a PS/2 mouse into this port.

Kensington™
lock slot

Case cover
shipping
thumbscrew

Paralle l port Plug a parallel d evice (suc h as a printer) into t his port. For more

Etherne t (n etwor k)
jack

Plug a microphone into this jack.

Secure your comp uter to an object b y connec ting a K ensington
cable lock to this slot.

Remove this screw before opening the case.

information, see “Installing a printer, scanner, or other

periphe ral device” on p age 33.

Plug a 10/100 Ethernet network cable or a device (such as a
DSL or cable modem f or a broadba nd Internet con nection) into
this jack.

For more information, see “Networking Your Computer” on

page 85 or see “Learning about the Internet” in

Computer

access this guide, click Start, All Programs, then click
Gateway Documentation.

which has been included on your hard drive. To

Using Your

Audio input (li ne in)
jack (blue)

Plug an external audio input s ource (such as a stereo) into this
jack so you can record sound on your computer.

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Component Icon Description

Headphone/
speakers jack (line
out) jack (green)

Voltage switch Before turning on your computer, make sure that this switch is

Plug powered speakers, an external amplifier, or headphones
into this jack.

in the correct position fo r the correct power available. The
switch is pres et at t he fact ory with t h e co r re ct volt age 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 an environment such as this, the voltage switch should be
moved to 230.

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Mid Tow er

Front

Your computer includes the following components.

Recordable dr ive

CD/DVD/

Optional CD/DVD/

Recordable dr ive

Power button/

power indicator

Diskette drive/Zip
drive/memory card
reader (optional)

Diskette eject button

USB ports

Microphone jac k
Headphone jack

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Component Icon Description

CD/DVD/Recordable
drive

Power button /
power indicator

Diskette drive
(optional)

Zip drive (optional) Use this drive to store larger files on Zip disks. For more information,

Memory card reader
(optional)

USB ports Plug a USB (Universal Ser ial Bus) device (such as a printer, scanner,

Microphone jack
(pink or red)

Use this drive to liste n to audio CDs , insta ll game s and prog ra ms , w atch
DVDs, and store large files onto recordable discs (depending on drive
type).

This drive may be a CD, recordable CD, DVD, or recordable DVD drive.
To identify your drive type and for more information about your drive,
see “Identifying drive types” on page41.

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 button lights when the computer is turned on.
Insert a standard 3.5-inch diskette into the optional diskette drive. For

more information, see “Using the dis kette dr ive” on page 36.

see “Using the Zip drive” on page 38.
Insert a memory card from a digital camera, MP3 player, PDA, cellular

telephone, or other devices into the memory card reader. For more
information, see “Using the memory card reader” on page39.

camera, keyboar d, or mouse) into th is por t. For more in formation, see

“Installing a printer, scanner, or other peripheral device” on page33.

Plug a microphone into this jack.

Headphone jack
(green)

12

Plug powered, analog front speakers, an external amplifier, or
headphones into this jack.

www.gateway.com

Back

Your computer includes the following components:

Power connector

Voltage switch

PS/2 mouse port

PS/2 keyboard port

Microphone jack

Speakers jack

S-Video out jack

Telephone jack

USB ports

Serial port

Monitor port

USB ports

Headphone/

(optional)

(optional)

Thumbscrew

Kensington lock sl ot

Parallel port

Ethernet
(network) jack

Audio input jack
Add-in monit or

port (optional)
Thumbscrew

Modem jack
(optional)

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Component Icon Description

Power connector Plug the power cord into this connector.
Voltage switch Before turning on your computer, make sure that this switch is

in the correct position fo r the correct power available. The
switch is pres et at t he fact ory with t h e co r re ct volt age 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 an environment such as this, the voltage switch should be
moved to 230.

®

PS/2 keyboard port Plug a Personal System/2

Serial port Plug a serial device (such as a digital camera) into this port.

For more inf ormation, see “Ins talling a printer , scann er, o r other

periphe ral device” on p age 33.

Monitor port Plug a monitor into this port if you do not have an add-in monitor

port.

(PS/2) keyboar d into th is por t.

Microphone jack
(red or pink)

Headphone/
speakers jack (line
out) jack (green)

USB ports Plug USB (UniversalSerial Bus) devices (such as a printer,

S-Video out jack
(optional)

Telephone jack
(optional)

Case cover
shipping
thumbscrews

Plug a microphone into this jack.

Plug powered speakers, an external amplifier, or headphones
into this jack.

scanner, camera, keyboard, or mouse) into these ports. For
more information, see “Installing a printer, scanner, or other

periphe ral device” on p age 33.

Plug a standard S-Video cable into this optional jack. Plug the
other end of the cable into an S-Video jack on a television.

If your modem has a telephone jack, plug the cable for a
telephone into this jack.

Remove these screws before opening the case.

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Component Icon Description

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

Kensington™
lock slot

Paralle l port Plug a parallel d evice (suc h as a printer) into t his port. For more

Etherne t (n etwor k)
jack

Audio input (li ne in)
jack (blue)

Add-in monitor port
(optional)

Modem jack
(optional)

Secure your comp uter to an object b y connec ting a K ensington
cable lock to this slot.

information, see “Installing a printer, scanner, or other

periphe ral device” on p age 33.

Plug a 10/100 Ethernet network cable or a device (such as a
DSL or cable modem f or a broadba nd Internet con nection) into
this jack.

For more information, see “Networking Your Computer” on

page 85 or see “Learning about the Internet” in

Computer

access this guide, click Start, All Programs, then click
Gateway Documentation.

Plug an external audio input s ource (such as a stereo) into this
jack so you can record sound on your computer.

If available, plug your monitor into this port.

Plug a modem cable into this jack.

which has been included on your hard drive. To

Using Your

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15

Desktop to tower conversion

You can convert your case from desktop to tower configuration using the rotating foot
included with your system.

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Locating y our serial number

The label on the side of your computer case contains information that identifies your
computer serial number. Ga teway Technical Support will need this information if you
call for assistance.

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Microsoft Certificate of Authenticity

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

Finding y our specifications

For more information abo ut your computer, such as memory size, memory type, and hard
drive size, visit Gateway’s eSupport page at support.gateway.com
has links to additional Gateway documentation and detailed specifications.

. The eSupport page also

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Accessories

To order accessories, visit the Accessory Store at accessories.gateway.com.

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.

Printers

You can attach almost any type of printer to your computer. The most common types are
inkjet and laser printers, which print in color or black and white. See “Installing a printer,

scanner, or other peripheral device” on page 33 for more information about attaching a

printer.
Inkjet printers and cartridges are relatively inexpensive, but they are slower than laser

printers. Using an inkjet color prin ter, you can print pictures, banners, and greeting cards,
as well as documents.

Laser printers and cartridges are more expens ive, but 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. Single layer writable DVD s can hold as much as 4700 MB of data. Dual layer writable
DVDs hold as much as 8500MB of data. For more information about using recordable
drives, see “Creating CDs and DVDs” on page 43.

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.

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USB flash drive

Use a USB flash drive for storing files or transferring files to another computer.

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.

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Chapter 3

Getting Started

■ Using your computer safely

■ Protecting your computer from power

source problems

■ T urning your computer on and off

■ Adjusting the volume

■ Connecting the modem and network

■ Installing peripheral devices

21

W orking safely

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

Top of screen is not
higher than eye level

Screen is
perpen dicular to

Hands and

arms ar e

parallel to

the floor

Feet are flat on the floor

your line of sight

Reducing eye strain

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

■ Position the computer desk and monitor so you can avoid glare on your screen 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 monitor.

■ Use soft, indirect lighting in yo ur work area. Do not use your computer in a dark ro om.

■ Avoid focusing your eyes on your computer screen for long periods of time. Look away

from your computer occasionally, and try to focus on distant objects.

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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 s eat, 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 the monitor so the top is no higher than eye level, the m onitor controls are

within reach, and the screen 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 monitor.

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.

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A voiding discomfort and injury from repetitive strain

■ Vary your acti vities to a void exces sive repe tition.

■ 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.

Protecting from pow er source pr oblems

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 yo ur
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 ha v e a telep hone mod em, us e a su rge prot ector th at
has a modem jac k. If y ou ha ve a c able modem, u se a surge pro tector
that has an antenn a/cable TV jack. During an electrical storm, unplug
both the surge protector and the modem.

An uninterruptible power su pply (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.

Checking the voltage selection

A power supply is integrated into your computer to provide power to the system board,
add-in cards, and peripheral devices. The voltage selection for your location is typically
set at the factory. Use the power selection switch on the back of your computer to set the
power supply to 115V or 230V. To verify that your system has the correct setting for your
environment, check the voltage selection switch.

Caution If you set the voltage selection switch inco rrec tly, your system w il l be

damaged. Make sure this switch is set correctly for your location
before turning on your computer.

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 oper atin g in the U nited Sta tes . In other a reas of the
world, such as Europe, the utility power is supplied at 230 volts at
50 Hz. If your computer is operating in an environment such as this,
the voltage switch should be moved to 230.

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