Gateway FX530XG User Manual

GATEWAY COMPUTER

REFERENCEGUIDE

®

Contents

Chapter 1: About This Reference. . . . . . . . . . . . 1

About this guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Accessing the online User Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Gateway contact information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Microsoft Certificate of Authenticity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Chapter 2: Checking Out Your Computer . . . . . 5

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

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

Chapter 3: Setting Up and Getting Started . . 11

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

Preparing power connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Protecting from power source problems . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Checking the voltage selection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Connecting to a broadband modem or network . . . . . . . . 15 Connecting a dial-up modem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Starting your computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Waking up your computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Turning off your computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Restarting (rebooting) your computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Using the keyboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Premium multimedia keyboard features . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Elite multimedia keyboard features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Using the mouse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Using optical drives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Loading an optical disc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Identifying optical drive types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Playing discs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

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Contents

Creating discs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Using the memory card reader . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Memory card types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Using a memory card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Adjusting the volume . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Configuring the audio jacks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Installing a printer, scanner, or other device . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Chapter 4: Advanced Hardware Setup. . . . . . . 35

Setting up your CrossFire video cards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Setting up RAID . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 About RAID . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 RAID 0 for performance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 RAID 1 for security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 RAID 5 and 10 for both: performance and security . . . 41 Preparing your computer for RAID . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Configuring RAID . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Adding or replacing a RAID drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Getting help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Overclocking the processor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 Setting up multiple monitors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

Chapter 5: Upgrading Your Computer . . . . . . . 49

Preventing static electricity discharge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 Opening the case . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 Removing the side panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 Removing the front bezel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 Closing the case . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 Replacing the front bezel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 Replacing the side panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 Adding or replacing memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 Replacing the system battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 Adding or replacing an optical disc drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 Replacing the memory card reader . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 Adding or replacing a hard drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 Replacing the front fan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 Replacing the rear fan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

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Replacing the power supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69 Replacing the heat sink and processor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70 Replacing the I/O board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72 Adding or replacing an expansion card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74 Replacing the system board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76

Chapter 6: Maintaining Your Computer . . . . . 83

Setting up a maintenance schedule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84 Caring for your computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85 Cleaning your computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86 Cleaning the exterior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86 Cleaning the keyboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87 Cleaning the monitor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87 Cleaning the mouse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87 Cleaning optical discs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88 Updating Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88 Using BigFix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 Managing hard drive space . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90 Checking hard drive space . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90 Deleting unnecessary files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91 Checking the hard drive for errors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92 Defragmenting the hard drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93 Backing up files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94 Scheduling maintenance tasks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96 Moving from your old computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97 Transferring files and settings with Windows Easy Transfer

97

Transferring files and settings manually . . . . . . . . . . . . 98

Chapter 7: Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101

Safety guidelines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102 First steps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102 Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103 Add-in cards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103 Audio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103 CD or DVD drives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103 Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105

DVD drives 105

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Contents

Ethernet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106 Expansion cards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107 File management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107 Hard drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108 Internet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109 Keyboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110 Media Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111 Memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114 Memory card reader . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114 Modem (cable or DSL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115 Modem (dial-up) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115 Monitor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118 Mouse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119 Networks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119 Passwords . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119 Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120 Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120 Sound . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122

Restoring your computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122 Recovering your system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122 Recovering pre-installed software and drivers . . . . . . 123 Using Microsoft System Restore . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129 Recovering your system to its factory condition . . . . 132 Recovering your system using the Windows DVD . . . 133 Telephone support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134 Before calling Gateway Customer Care . . . . . . . . . . . . 134 Telephone numbers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135 Self-help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136 Tutoring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136 Training . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137

Appendix A: Legal Notices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139

Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149

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CHAPTER1

About This Reference

•About this guide

•Accessing the online User Guide

•Gateway contact information

•Microsoft Certificate of Authenticity

•For more information

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CHAPTER 1: About This Reference

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. For all other computer information, see your online User Guide.

For more information

For more information about your computer, visit Gateway’s Support page at www.gateway.com or the Web address shown on your computer’s label. The Support page also has links to additional Gateway documentation and detailed specifications.

Accessing the online User Guide

In addition to this guide, your User Guide has been included on your hard drive. Your User Guide is an in-depth, easy-to-read manual that includes information on the following topics:

•Help and technical support

•Using and customizing Windows and other software

•Controlling audio and video settings

•Using the Internet

•Protecting your files

•Playing and recording media

•Networking

To access your User Guide:

•Click (Start), All Programs, then click Gateway Documentation.

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Gateway contact information

The label on the side of your computer contains information that identifies your computer model and serial number. Gateway Customer Care will need this information if you call for assistance.

Serial number

Technical Support telephone number

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. If you ever reinstall Windows from the installation DVD, you will need to enter these numbers to activate Windows.

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CHAPTER 1: About This Reference

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CHAPTER2

Checking Out Your

Computer

•Front

•Back

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CHAPTER 2: Checking Out Your Computer

Front

									Optical disc drive
									Additional drive bay
									Memory card reader
									(optional)
									Power button/
									power indicator
									Hard drive indicator
									IEEE 1394 ports
									USB ports
									Headphone jack
									Microphone jack
Component	Icon		Description
Optical disc drive			Use this drive to listen to audio CDs, install
			games and programs, watch DVDs, and store
			large files onto recordable discs (depending
			on drive type). This drive may be a CD,
			recordable CD, DVD, recordable DVD, Blu-ray,
			or HD DVD drive. For more information about
			your drive, see the online User Guide.
Memory card			Insert a memory card from a digital camera,
reader (optional)			MP3 player, PDA, cellular telephone, or other
			devices into the memory card reader.
Power			Press this button to turn the power on or off.
button/power			You can also configure the power button to
indicator			operate in Standby/Resume mode or
			Hibernate mode. The power indicator lights
			when the computer is turned on.
Hard drive			Lights when the hard drive is active.
indicator

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Component	Icon				Description
IEEE 1394 ports					Plug IEEE 1394 (also known as Firewire®)
					devices (such as a digital camcorder) into
					these 6-pin IEEE 1394 ports.
USB ports					Plug USB (Universal Serial Bus) devices (such
					as a USB external drive, printer, scanner,
					camera, keyboard, or mouse) into these ports.
Headphone jack					Plug powered, analog front speakers, an
					external amplifier, or headphones into this
					jack. This jack is color-coded green.
Microphone jack					Plug a microphone into this jack. This jack is
					color-coded pink.

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CHAPTER 2: Checking Out Your Computer

Back

Important

Your computer’s hardware options and port locations may vary from this illustration.

Cover release lever

Case thumbscrew and

Kensington lock slot

Security tape

5.1 audio jacks Ethernet (network) jack IEEE 1394/FireWire™ port

Parallel port

PS/2 mouse port

Expansion slot cover thumbscrew

Telephone jack (optional)

Power connector

S/PDIF (optical) jack

USB ports

Digitalcoaxialaudio

jack

Serial port

PS/2 keyboard port

Video card

TV tuner card

Secondary video card

(optional)

Modem jack (optional)

Component	Icon	Description
Cover release lever		Lift this lever to open the computer cover
Case thumbscrew		Remove this screw before opening the
		case.
Kensington lock slot		Attach a cable lock to this slot, then attach
		the cable to a solid object like a desk or
		table to prevent your computer from being
		stolen.
Security tape		Remove or cut this tape before opening the
		computer case.

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Component	Icon				Description
Rear speaker jack					Plug your rear right and left speakers into
(black plug)					this jack.
					For more information, see “Configuring the
					audio jacks” on page 32.
Audio input (Line in)					This jack is user configurable for one of the
jack (blue plug)					following:
-OR-					Stereo in: Plug an external audio input
Side speaker jack					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.
					For more information, see “Configuring the
					audio jacks” on page 32.
Headphone/analog					This jack is user configurable for one of the
speakers jack (green					following:
plug)					Headphone: Plugheadphones or amplified
-OR-					speakers into this jack (Default).
Front speakers jack					Stereo out: Plug your front left and right
					speakers into this jack.
					For more information, see “Configuring the
					audio jacks” on page 32.
Microphone jack					Plug a microphone into this jack.
(pink plug)
Center/subwoofer					Plug your center speaker and subwoofer
jack					into this jack.
(orange					For more information, see “Configuring the
plug)(optional)					audio jacks” on page 32.
Ethernet (network)					Plug an Ethernet network cable or a device
jack					(such as a DSL or cable modem for a
					broadband Internet connection) into this
					jack. For more information, see “Learning
					about the Internet” in your online User
					Guide.
IEEE 1394 port					Plug IEEE 1394 (also known as Firewire®)
					devices (such as a digital camcorder) into
					this 6-pin IEEE 1394 port. For more
					information, see “Installing a printer,
					scanner, or other device” on page 33.
Parallel port					Plug aparallel device (such asa printer)into
					this port.
PS/2 mouse port					Plug a PS/2 mouse into this port.

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CHAPTER 2: Checking Out Your Computer

Component	Icon				Description
Expansion slot cover					Remove this screw and open the expansion
thumbscrew					slot cover to unlock the expansion cards.
Telephone jack					Plug the cord from your telephone into this
(optional)					jack.
Power connector					Plug the power cord into this connector.
S/PDIF output jack					Plug an optical cable from an amplifier or
(optional)					entertainment system into this jack for
					digital sound.
USB ports					Plug USB (Universal Serial Bus) devices
					(such as a USB Iomega™ Zip™ drive,
					printer, scanner, camera, keyboard, or
					mouse) into these ports. For more
					information, see “Installing a printer,
					scanner, or other device” on page 33.
Digital coaxial audio					Plug asingledigital coaxial audioconnector
port					into this jack for digital audio. Provides
					digital audio output from a CD or DVD.
Serial port					Plug a serial device into this port. For more
					information, see “Installing a printer,
					scanner, or other device” on page 33.
PS/2 keyboard port					Plug a PS/2 keyboard into this port.
Video card					Plug a monitor into a port on this card.
TV tuner card					Connect a video tuner or an antenna to this
					card to watch TV on your computer.
Modem jack					Plug a modem cable into this jack. For more
(optional)					information, see “Connecting a dial-up
					modem” on page 16.

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CHAPTER3

Setting Up and Getting

Started

•Working safely and comfortably

•Preparing power connections

•Connecting to a broadband modem or network

•Connecting a dial-up modem

•Starting your computer

•Turning off your computer

•Restarting (rebooting) your computer

•Using the keyboard

•Using the mouse

•Using optical drives

•Using the memory card reader

•Adjusting the volume

•Configuring the audio jacks

•Installing a printer, scanner, or other device

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CHAPTER 3: Setting Up and Getting Started

Working safely and comfortably

Before using your computer, follow these general guidelines for setting up a safe and comfortable work area and avoiding discomfort and strain:

•Keep hands and arms parallel to the floor.

•Adjust the screen so it is perpendicular to your line of sight, and the top of the screen is no higher than eye level.

•Place your feet flat on the floor or on a footrest.

•Keep ventilation openings clear of obstructions.

Top of screen is not higher than eye level

Screen is perpendicular to your line of sight

Hands and arms are parallel to the floor

Feet are flat on the floor

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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 screen 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.

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

•Set paper holders at the same height and distance as the monitor.

•Avoid focusing your eyes on your computer screen for long periods of time. Every 10 or 15 minutes, look around the room, and try to focus on distant objects.

Setting up your computer desk and chair

When you are setting up your computer desk and chair, make sure that the desk isthe 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 touchpad. If the desk is not adjustable or is too tall, consider using an adjustable chair to control your arm’s height above the keyboard.

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

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

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

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

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CHAPTER 3: Setting Up and Getting Started

Sitting at your computer

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

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

•Take breaks to stand and stretch your legs.

•Avoid twisting your torso or neck.

Avoiding discomfort and injury from repetitive strain

•Vary your activities to avoid excessive repetition.

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

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

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 lossorsystem damage. Protect yourcomputer and peripheral devices by connecting them to a surge protector, which absorbs voltage surges and prevents them from reaching your computer.

An uninterruptible power supply (UPS) supplies battery power toyourcomputerduring apowerfailure.Althoughyoucannot 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.

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Checking the voltage selection

Caution

If you set the voltage selection switch incorrectly, your system will 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 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.

The power supply, a component built into your computer, provides power to the system board, add-in cards, and peripheral devices. The power supply’s voltage selection for your location istypically set at the factory, but you can change it to match the electrical service available in your usage area (such as while in another country). Use the power selection switch on the back of your computer to set the voltage to 115V or 230V.

To set the voltage selection switch:

1Disconnect your computer’s power cable.

2Use a tool such as an opened paper clip to slide the voltage selection switch to the correct voltage position. The switch is located on the back of your computer, near the power cable connector.

Connecting to a broadband modem or network

Important

Your computer may be equipped with a built-in Ethernet (network) jack. For information about setting up a wired or wireless Ethernet network, see your online User Guide.

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

To connect to a broadband modem or to an Ethernet network:

1Insert one end of the network cable into the network jack on the back of your computer.

2Insert the other end of the network cable into a cable modem, DSL modem, or network jack.

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CHAPTER 3: Setting Up and Getting Started

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 fax documents.

To connect the modem:

1Insert one end of the modem cable into the modem jack on the modem at the back of your computer.

2Insert the other end of the modem cable into a telephone wall jack. (The modem will not work with digital or PBX telephone lines.)

3If you want, you can connect a telephone to the PHONE jack on the modem at the back of your computer.

Starting your computer

To start your computer:

1Connect the power, network, mouse, and keyboard cables to your computer according to the setup poster.

2Press the power button on the front of your computer. If your computer does not turn on, check the power cable connections.

Important

Your computer has a built-in, variable-speed fan. In addition, your computer uses a powerful processor which produces heat and has its own cooling fan. Both the system fan and processor fan can run at different speeds at times to ensure correct system cooling. You may notice an increase in the fan noise when the fan is running at high speed and a decrease in the fan noise when it switches to normal speed.

3If you are starting your computer for the first time, follow the on-screen instructions to select the language and time zone and to create your first user account.

4Attach and turn on any USB or audio peripheral devices, such as printers, scanners, and speakers. If you need to attach a peripheral device to the parallel or serial ports, turn off your computer first. See the documentation that came with each device for its setup instructions.

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5To open your computer’s Start menu, click (Start). From that menu, you can run programs and search for files. For more information on using your computer’s menus, see “Using Windows” and “Customizing Windows” in your online User Guide.

Waking up your computer

Tip

For more information about changing the power button mode, see the “Customizing” chapter in your online User Guide.

When you have not used your computer for several minutes, it may enter a power-saving mode called Sleep. While in Sleep mode, the power indicator on the power button flashes.

If your computer is in Sleep mode, move the mouse, press a key on the keyboard, or press the power button to “wake” it up. If the computer remains in Sleep mode, press the power button.

Turning off your computer

Warning

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

Important

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

Putting your computer into Sleep mode is the easiest way to power down your computer. Although it does not turn your computer completely off, it does turn off or slow down most system operations to save power, and saves your desktop layout so the next time you restore power, the programs are laid out just as you left them. Waking your computer from a Sleep state is much fasterthanturning on yourcomputerafter it has been turned completely off.

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To put your computer to sleep:

1Click (Start), then click (power). The computer saves your session and partially shuts down to save power.

2To “wake” your computer, press a key on the keyboard or press the power button. If the computer remains in Sleep mode, press the power button.

To turn off your computer:

1Click (Start), click the arrow next to the lock icon, then click Shut Down. The computer turns off.

2To completely disconnect all power (such as for servicing internal components), also disconnect the power cord.

Restarting (rebooting) your computer

If your computer does not respond to keyboard or mouse input, you may need to restart (reboot) your computer.

To restart your computer:

1Click (Start), click the arrow next to the lock icon, then click Restart. Your computer turns off, then turns on again.

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2If your computer does not turn off, press and hold the power button until the computer turns off (about five seconds), then press it again to turn the computer back on.

Using the keyboard

Premium multimedia keyboard features

The keyboard has several different types of keys and buttons. Your keyboard also has status indicators that show which keyboard feature is active.

Function keys

Indicators

Editing buttons

Internet buttons

Audio playback buttons Navigation keys

Internet buttons

	Windows keys	Application key Directional keys Numeric keypad
Feature	Icon	Description
Editing buttons		Press these buttons to copy, cut, and paste.
Function keys		Press these keys to start program actions. Each
		program uses different function keys for
		different purposes. See the program
		documentation to find out more about the
		function key actions.
Internet buttons		Press these buttons to launch your Internet
		home page or search, or e-mail programs.
Audio playback		Press these buttons to play your audio files and
buttons		to adjust the volume.

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CHAPTER 3: Setting Up and Getting Started

Feature	Icon			Description
Navigation keys				Press these keys to move the cursor to the
				beginning of a line, to the end of a line, up the
				page, down the page, to the beginning of a
				document, or to the end of a document.
Indicators				Show if your NUM LOCK, CAPS LOCK, or
				SCROLL LOCK keys are activated. Press the
				corresponding key to activate the function.
Windows keys				Press one of these keys to open the Windows
				Start menu. These keys can also be used in
				combination with other keys to open utilities like
				F (Find/Search), R (Run), and E (Computer).
Application key				Press this key toaccess shortcut menus andhelp
				assistants in Windows.
Directional keys				Press these keys to move the cursor up, down,
				right, or left.
Numeric keypad				Press these keys to type numbers when the
				numeric keypad (NUM LOCK) is turned on.

Elite multimedia keyboard features

The keyboard has several different types of keys and buttons. Your keyboard also has status indicators that show which keyboard feature is active.

Sleep button Function keys				Application buttons			Audio playback		Indicators
							buttons

Windows keys

Application key

Navigation keys Numeric keypad

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Feature	Icon			Description
Sleep button				Press this button to activate your computer’s
				Sleep (power-saving) mode.
Function keys				Press these keys to start program actions.
				Each program uses different function keys for
				different purposes. See the program
				documentation to find out more about the
				function key actions.
Application buttons				Press these buttons to launch your Internet
				home page, search for files, or launch the
				calculator program.
Audio playback				Press these buttons to play your audio files
buttons				and to adjust the volume.
Indicators				Show if your NUM LOCK, CAPS LOCK, or
				SCROLL LOCK keys are activated. Press the
				corresponding key to activate the function.
Windows keys				Press one of these keys to open the Windows
				Start menu. These keys can also be used in
				combination with other keys to open utilities
				like F (Find/Search), R (Run), and
				E (Computer).
Application key				Press this key to access shortcut menus and
				help assistants in Windows.
Editing buttons				Press these buttons to copy, cut, and paste.
Navigation keys				Press these keys to move the cursor to the
				beginning of a line, to the end of a line, up the
				page, down the page, to the beginning of a
				document, or to the end of a document. Press
				the arrow keys to move the cursor.
Numeric keypad				Press these keys to type numbers when the
				numeric keypad (NUM LOCK) is turned on.

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CHAPTER 3: Setting Up and Getting Started

Using the mouse

Scroll wheel

Right button

Left button

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

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

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

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

To...	Do this...
Move the				Move the mouse around. If you
pointer on the				reach the edge of your mouse
computer				pad and need to move the
display				mouse farther, lift the mouse
				and place it in the middle of the
				mouse pad, then continue
				moving the mouse.
Select an object				Position the pointer over the
onthecomputer				object. Quickly press and
display				release the left mouse button.
				This is called clicking.
Start a program				Position the pointer over the
or open a file or				object. Quickly press and
folder				release the left mouse button
				twice. This is called
				double-clicking.
Access a				Position the pointer over the
shortcut menu				object. Quickly press and
or find more				release the right mouse button
information				once. This is called
about an object				right-clicking.
on the display.
Move an object				Position the pointer over the
onthecomputer				object. Press the left mouse
display.				button and hold it down. Move
				(drag) the object to the
				appropriate part of the
				computer display. Release the
				button to drop the object
				whereyou wantit.Thisiscalled
				clicking and dragging.

For more information about how to adjust the double-click speed, pointer speed, right-hand or left-hand configuration, and other mouse settings, see the “Customizing” chapter in your online User Guide. For instructions on how to clean the mouse, see “Cleaning the mouse” on page 87.

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CHAPTER 3: Setting Up and Getting Started

Using optical drives

Features

Your optical drive has the following basic components:

Activity indicator	Manual eject hole	Eject button
(location varies)	(location varies)

Loading an optical disc

To insert an optical disc:

1Press the eject button on the optical disc drive.

Important

When you place a single-sided disc in the tray, make sure that the label side is facing up. If the disc has two playable sides, place the disc so the name of the side you want to play is facing up.

2Place the disc in the tray with the label facing up.

3Press the eject button to close the tray.

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Identifying optical drive types

Your computer may contain one of the following drive types. Look on the front of the drive for one or more of the following logos:

If your optical drive has							Yourdrivetype	Use your drive for...
this logo...							is...
							CD	Installing programs, playing
								audio CDs, and accessing data.
							CD-RW	Installing programs, playing
								audio CDs, accessing data, and
								creating CDs.
							DVD/CD-RW	Installing programs, playing
								audio CDs, accessing data,
								creating CDs, and playing
								DVDs.
							DVD	Installing programs, playing
								audio CDs, playing DVDs, and
								accessing data.
							DVD+RW	Installing programs, playing
								audio CDs, playing DVDs,
								accessing data, and recording
								video and data to CDs and
								DVD+R or DVD+RW discs.
							DVD R/RW	Installing programs, playing
								audio CDs, playing DVDs,
								accessing data, and recording
								video and data to CDs and
								DVD+R, DVD+RW, DVD-R, and
								DVD-RW discs.
							Double layer	Installing programs, playing
							DVD+RW	audio CDs, playing DVDs,
								accessing data, and recording
								video and data to CDs and
								double layer DVD+R discs.
								Note: To use the double layer
								capability of the double layer
								recordable DVD drive, the
								blank DVDs you purchase must
								state Double Layer, Dual Layer,
								or DL. Using other types of
								blank media will result in less
								capacity.

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CHAPTER 3: Setting Up and Getting Started

If your optical drive has				Yourdrivetype
this logo...				is...
				DVD-RAM/-RW
	RECORDER

Blu-ray Disc

HD-DVD

Use your drive for...

Installing programs, playing audio CDs, playing DVDs, accessing data, and recording video and data to CDs and DVD-RAM, DVD-R, or DVD-RW discs.

Installing programs, playing audio CDs, playing DVDs, playing Blu-ray Discs, accessing data, and recording video and data to CDs, DVD-RAM, DVD-R, DVD-RW, and Blu-ray discs.

Installing programs, playing audio CDs, playing DVDs and HD-DVDs, accessing data, and recording video and data to CDs, DVD-RAM, DVD-R, DVD-RW, and HD-DVD discs.

Playing discs

Playing a CD

Important

Some music CDs have copy protection software. You may not be able to play these CDs on your computer.

A standard compact disc (CD) can hold an entire album of digital songs and can be played on a CD player or your computer’s CD drive.

Use a music program or Windows Media Player on your computer to:

•Play music CDs

•Create MP3 music files from your music CDs

•Edit music track information

•Use your music files to build a music library

For more information about playing CDs, see your online User Guide.

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Playing a DVD

A Digital Versatile Disc (DVD) is similar to a standard CD but has greater data capacity. Because of this increased capacity, full-length movies, several albums of music, or several gigabytes of data can fit on a single disc. DVDs can be played on a DVD player or a DVD drive-equipped computer. For more information about playing DVDs, see your online User Guide.

Playing a Blu-ray Disc

Blu-ray Disc is a high-capacity optical disc that can store much more data than a DVD. A dual-layer Blu-ray Disc can hold 50 GB of files, about 23 hours of standard-definition video, or about nine hours of high-definition video. Blu-ray Discs can be played on a Blu-ray-compatible player or a Blu-ray drive-equipped computer. For more information about playing Blu-ray Discs, see your online User Guide.

Playing an HD-DVD

HD-DVD is a high-capacity optical disc that can store much more data than a DVD. A dual-layer HD-DVD can hold 30 GB of files, about 14 hours of standard-definition video, or about 5.5 hours of high-definition video. HD-DVDs can be played on an HD-DVD-compatible player or an HD-DVD drive-equipped computer. For more information about playing HD-DVDs, see your online User Guide.

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CHAPTER 3: Setting Up and Getting Started

Creating discs

Recordingto optical discs

You can use the disc burning program on your computer to copy tracks from a music CD to your hard drive, copy or create data discs, create music CDs, create video DVDs, and more. For more information about creating CDs and DVDs, see your online User Guide.

Creating audio andvideo files

You can create audio and music files, either from scratch or from music CDs. You can also create video files from home video. For more information, see your online User Guide.

Copying optical discs

You can copy optical discs to make backups of your data. For more information, see your online User Guide.

Using the memory card reader

You can use the optional memory card reader to transfer pictures from a digital camera to your computer. You can also use the memory card reader to transfer data between your computer and a device that uses memory cards, such as a PDA, MP3 player, or cellular telephone. (Your computer’s memory card reader may look different.)

Memory card reader slots

Activity indicator

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Memory card types

The memorycardreadersupportsseveralmemorycardtypes. To determine which types are supported by your card reader and the slots to use for each type of card, examine the face plate of the reader. Each slot is assigned a different drive letter (for example, the E: and F: drives) so data can be transferred from one memory card type to another.

Using a memory card

Caution

Before inserting a memory card into a slot, make sure that the slot is empty, or you could damage the card reader.

To insert a memory card:

1Insert the memory card into the appropriate memory card slot.

2To access a file on the memory card, click (Start), then click Computer. Double-click the drive letter (for example, the E: drive), then double-click the file name.

To remove a memory card:

•Wait for the memory card reader access indicator to stop blinking, then pull the memory card out of the slot.

Caution

Do not remove the memory card or turn off the computer while the memory card reader access indicator is blinking. You could lose data. Also, remove the memory card from the reader before you turn off the computer.

Important

Do not use the remove hardware icon in the taskbar to remove the memory card, or you will have to restart the computer to re-enable the memory card reader.

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Adjusting the volume

You can adjust volume using your speakers’ controls or the Windows volume controls. You can also adjust the volume of specific sound devices in your computer.

To adjust the overall volume using hardware controls:

•If you are using external speakers, turn the knob on the front of the speakers.

-OR-

Use the mute and volume control buttons on the keyboard. For more information, see “Using the keyboard” on page 19.

To adjust the volume from Windows:

1Click (Volume) on the taskbar. The volume control slider opens.

2Click and drag the slider up to increase volume and down to decrease volume.

3To mute the volume, click (Mute). To restore volume, click it again.

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4To adjust device volume levels, click Mixer. The Volume Mixer dialog box opens, where you can click and drag sliders for individual devices.

Tip

Adjust the Windows Sounds slider to change system sounds volume independently of general volume (such as the volume used for music and game sounds).

5Click X in the top-right corner of the window to close it.

Help

For more information about adjusting the volume, click Start, then click Help and Support. Type adjusting volume in the Search Help box, then press ENTER.

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Configuring the audio jacks

If the back of your computer has five audio jacks, they are universal jacks. This means that they can be used for more than one purpose. For example, the blue jack on the computer can be a stereo in jack or a stereo out jack. To use the audio jacks for something other than the default audio device, you need to configure the audio jacks.

To configure the audio jacks:

Shortcut

Start Ö Control Panel Ö Hardware and Sound Ö Advanced

1Connect your audio device(s) to the computer audio jack(s).

2Click (Start), then click Control Panel. The Control Panel window opens.

3Click Hardware and Sound, Sound, the Playback tab, then click Configure.

-OR-

If your computer has the Realtek Sound Effect Manager installed, double-click the Sound Effect Manager icon on the taskbar. The Realtek dialog box opens.

4Follow the on-screen instructions to configure the audio jacks for your speaker setup.

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Installing a printer, scanner, or other device

Important

Before you install a printer, scanner, or other peripheral device, see the device documentation and installation instructions.

Your computer has one or more of the following ports: IEEE 1394 (also known as Firewire®), Universal Serial Bus (USB), serial, and parallel. You use these ports to connect peripheral devices such as printers, scanners, and digital cameras to your computer. For more information about port locations, see “Checking Out Your Computer” on page 5.

IEEE 1394 and USB ports support plug-and-play and hot-swapping, which means that your computer will usually recognize such a device whenever you plug it into the appropriate port. When you use an IEEE 1394 or USB device for the first time, your computer will prompt you to install any software the device needs. After doing this, you can disconnect and reconnect the device at any time.

Help

For more information aboutinstalling peripheral devices, click Start, then click Help and Support. Type installing devices in the Search Help box, then press ENTER.

Parallel and serial port devices are not plug-and-play. See the device documentation for detailed information and installation instructions.

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CHAPTER 3: Setting Up and Getting Started

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CHAPTER4

Advanced Hardware Setup

•Setting up your CrossFire video cards

•Setting up RAID

•Overclocking the processor

•Setting up multiple monitors

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CHAPTER 4: Advanced Hardware Setup

Setting up your CrossFire video cards

If your computer came with two CrossFire™ video cards installed, they must be connected correctly to work.

To connect your CrossFire video cards:

1Connect the CrossFire cable’s VHDCI plug to the VHDCI port on the upper (“primary”) of the two Crossfire cards. Make sure that the VHDCI plug is oriented so that the shorter of the two cables branching away from the plug is closest to the card’s DVI port.

VHDCI port (“primary”)

DVI port (“secondary”)

2Use a flat-bladed screwdriver to secure the thumbscrews on the VHDCI plug to the graphics card.

3Connect the shorter of the two DVI cables (the cables branch away from the VHDCI plug) to the second CrossFire card (“secondary,” the one with two DVI ports).

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4If your monitor has a DVI connection, connect your monitor’s DVI cable to the longer of the two DVI cables.

- OR -

If your monitor has only a VGA connection, connect the DVI-to-VGA adapter to the longer of the two DVI cables, then connect your monitor’s VGA cable to the adapter.

DVI connector

Help

For the latest information on setting up your CrossFire video cards, see www.ati.com/crossfire. For help on topics not covered here, see the ATI Catalyst Control Center’s online help.

Configuring CrossFire

CrossFire graphics cardslet you divide graphics tasks between two cards, then send the combined signals to a single monitor. Graphics tasks can be shared in several ways, and each has its own advantages, depending on the program you are running and the type of monitor you have.

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CHAPTER 4: Advanced Hardware Setup

To configure your CrossFire video cards:

1Click (Start), All Programs, ATI Catalyst Control Center, then click ATI Catalyst Control Center. The

Control Center opens.

2Change the settings you want, then click OK. For more information, see the program’s online help.

Connecting multiple displays toyourCrossFire video cards

When CrossFire is disabled and the interconnect cable is not attached (when both cards are acting as standard video cards), you can attach up to four displays to the video cards.

To use multiple displays on the CrossFire video cards:

1Turn off your computer, then connect the displays to the appropriate ports on your video cards.

2Turn on your computer.

3Click (Start), All Programs, ATI Catalyst Control Center, then click ATI Catalyst Control Center. The Control Center opens.

4Click View to switch to Advanced View.

5Click Disable CrossFire to disable Crossfire and enable multiple monitor support, then click Apply. All display devices are enabled.

6On the tree menu to the left, click Displays Manager.

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7Right-click the number 2 icon in the box to the right, then click Enable.

8Repeat Step 7 for each additional connected monitor.

Setting up RAID

About RAID

RAID (Redundant Array of Inexpensive/ Independent Disks) lets your computer use multiple hard drives more efficiently. Your computer supports RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5, and RAID 10.

RAID 0 for performance

RAID 0 lets your computer see multiple hard drives as a single drive. This type of RAID can increase file access speeds, which is important if you work with video editing, sound editing, and high-performance games. RAID 0 is also an affordable way to increase your total file storage capacity.

How it increases performance

The more drives you have in your RAID 0 array, the faster the potential drive reading performance. All hard drives have limitations on how fast they can read and write files. If half a file is stored on one RAID 0 drive and the other half on another RAID 0 drive, each drive only has to read half of the file. So, the entire file is accessed by the computer up to twice asfast (using atwo-driveRAID 0array). In athree-drive RAID 0 array, if the file is evenly distributed among the drives, each drive must read only a third of the file, and so on. If the entire file happens to be stored on only one of the drives, the file is accessed at the same speed as if it were on a standard hard drive setup. Dividing up files between multiple hard drives like this is called striping.

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CHAPTER 4: Advanced Hardware Setup

In the graphic below, each letter represents a unique block of data, and each column represents a separate hard drive.

RAID 0

A	B
C	D
E	F

Howit makes file storage cheaper

Because RAID 0 lets your computer see multiple hard drives as a single drive, you can install several lower capacity (less expensive) drives and have the same single-drive storage simplicity and capacity as a larger, more expensive hard drive.

Drawbacks

Unfortunately, RAID 0 lets multiple drives behave as one in another way. If part of the array fails (such as a hard drive crashing), the entire array fails. Because the drives are treated like a single drive, parts of files (including operating system files) can be spread across several drives, leaving the computer with only file fragments if one drive fails. Regular and frequent backups are critical.

Another drawback is that RAID 0 treats each hard drive as if it has the storage capacity of the smallest drive in the array. So if you have three drives (300 GB, 250 GB, and 200 GB) in a RAID 0 array, your computer only recognizes 600 GB total capacity.

RAID 1 for security

RAID 1 maintains a complete copy of all files on each physical hard drive in the array. Maintaining simultaneous, complete copies of files across multiple hard drives is called mirroring. If a drive fails, the mirrored drive takes over and acts as the primary drive.

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In the graphic below, each letter represents a unique block of data, and each column represents a separate hard drive.

RAID 1

A	A
B	B
C	C

File reading performance (seek time) is increased using the same methods that RAID 0 uses, although writing speed is the same as if writing to a single hard drive.

Drawback

RAID 1 treatsthe entire array as a single drive with the storage capacity of the smallest physical drive in the array. So if you have two drives (300 GB and 250 GB) in a RAID 1 array, your computer only recognizes a single drive with 250 GB total capacity.

RAID 5 and 10 for both: performance and security

Understanding RAID 5

RAID 5 uses striping (at the file level) with on-the-fly error correction across all drives. Because of this error correction, small file read/write errors can be quickly and automatically fixed without a significant drop in system performance.

RAID 5 offers good performance and data redundancy. This array preserves your files if a drive fails.

RAID 5 stripes both data and parity information (error-checking information) across multiple drives. Striping across drives improves overall performance, and the parity information provides data protection. Because of the error-correction capabilities, if a drive fails, the data can be quickly and automatically fixed.

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CHAPTER 4: Advanced Hardware Setup

In the graphic below, each letter represents a unique block of data, and the number next to each number represents which copy of the data files are stored. The “P” next to a letter represents parity (error-checking) information, and each column represents a separate hard drive.

RAID 5

A1	A2	AP
B1	BP	B2
CP	C1	C2

Understanding RAID 10

RAID 10 (also called RAID 1+0 or RAID 1&0) contains sets of RAID 1 mirrors acting as drives within a RAID 0 striping array. With this setup, the array could survive one drive failure in each mirror array.

In the graphic below, each letter represents a unique block of data, and each column represents a separate hard drive.

	RAID 0
RAID 1	RAID 1

A	A	B	B
C	C	D	D
E	E	F	F

Drawback

A RAID 5 array is treated as one drive with the capacity of all but one of the drives added together.

RAID 10 treats the entire array as a single drive with twice the storage capacity of the smallest drive. So if you have four drives (350 GB, 300 GB, 250 GB, and 200 GB) in a RAID 10 array, your computer recognizes a single drive with 400 GB total capacity.

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Preparing your computer for RAID

Setting up RAID on your computer can involve two major steps, depending on how your computer has been configured.

To prepare your computer for RAID:

1Configure the RAID arrays. See the Array Manager User Guide, or “Configuring RAID” on page 43.

2Install the operating system.

Configuring RAID

Enabling RAID

If you ordered your computer with a RAID configuration from the factory, RAID is already enabled, and you can skip this procedure. However, if your computer came without a RAID configuration and you set up RAID yourself, you must enable RAID before your computer can use it.

To enable RAID on your computer:

1Start (or restart) your computer.

2As soon as your computer turns on and the Gateway logo appears on the screen, press F2. The BIOS Setup utility opens.

3Select the Advanced menu, then select Drive Configuration.

4Change the ATA/IDE Mode to Enhanced.

5Change the SATA mode to RAID.

6Press F10, then type Y to exit BIOS saving changes.

Now that RAID is enabled, you can access the RAID setup.

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Creating a RAID volume

Because RAID canbe configuredso manyways,thisprocedure covers only the basics.

To configure RAID:

1Start (or restart) your computer. During startup, the RAID option screen appears. (Number and specifications of your drives may vary from the example.)

2While the RAID option screen is open, press CTRL+i. The Matrix Storage Manager opens.

3Highlight 1. Create RAID Volume, then press ENTER. The Create Volume menu opens.

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