Gateway FX540, FX541, FX542 Quick Reference Guide

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REFERENCE GUIDE

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

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

Accessing your online User Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2

Gateway contact information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

Microsoft Certificate of Authenticity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

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

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

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

Video card ports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11

Chapter 3: Setting U p and Getting Started . . 13

Working safely and comf ortably . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14

Reducing eye strain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

Setting up your computer desk and chair . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

Sitting at your computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16

Avoiding discomfort and injury from repetitive strain . . 16

Preparing power connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16

Protecting from power source problems . . . . . . . . . . . . .16

Connecting to a broadband modem or network . . . . . . . . . .17

Connecting a dial-up modem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17

Starting your computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18

Waking up your computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18

Turning off your computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19

Restarting (rebooting) your computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20

Using the keyboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21

Premium multimedia keyboard features . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21

Elite multimedia keyboard features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22

Using the mouse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24

Using optical drives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26

Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26

Loading an optical disc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26

Identifying optical drive types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27

Playing discs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28

Contents

Creating discs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Using the memory card reader . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Memory card types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

Using a memory card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

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

Configuring the audio jacks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

Installing a printer, scanner, or other device . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Chapter 4: Advanced Hardware Setup . . . . . . 37

Setting up dual video cards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Setting up multiple monitors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

Setting up RAID . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

About RAID . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

RAID 0 for performance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

RAID 1 for security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

RAID 5 and 10 for both performance and security . . . . 43

Preparing your computer for RAID . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

Configuring RAID . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

Getting help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

Chapter 5: Upgrading Your Computer. . . . . . . 47

Preventing static electricity discharge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

Opening the case . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

Removing the side panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

Removing the front bezel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

Closing the case . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

Replacing the front bezel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

Replacing the side panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

Adding or replacing memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

Adding or replacing an optical disc drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

Replacing the memory card reader . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

Adding or replacing a hard drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

Replacing the front fan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

Replacing the rear fan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64

Replacing the power supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

Replacing the heat sink and processor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

Replacing the I/O board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69

www.gateway.com

Adding or replacing an expansion card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .71

Replacing the system battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74

Replacing the system board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .75

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 automatically . . . . . . . . . .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

Ethernet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .105

Expansion cards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .106

File management 106

iii

Contents

Hard drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107

Internet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108

Keyboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109

Media Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110

Memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113

Memory card reader . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113

Modem (cable or DSL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114

Modem (dial-up) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114

Monitor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117

Mouse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118

Networks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119

Passwords . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119

Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119

Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120

Sound . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121

Restoring your computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122

Recovering your system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122

Recovering pre-installed softw are and drivers . . . . . . . 123

Using Microsoft System Restore . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128

Recovering your system to its factory condition . . . . . 131

Recovering your system using the Windows DVD . . . . 132

Telephone support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133

Before calling Gateway Customer Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133

Telephone numbers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134

Self-help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135

Tutoring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135

Training . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135

Appendix A: Legal Notices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137

Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147

CHAPTER1

About This R eference

• About this guide

• Accessing your online Us er Guide

• Gateway contact information

• Micro soft C ertificat e of Aut henticity

• For more information

CHAPTER 1: About This Reference

About this guide

This guide incl udes information and mainte nance instructions that are specific to your model of Gateway computer. Some illustration s in th is guid e may look different tha n your computer because hardware options and port locations may vary. For all other computer information, see your online User Guide.

For more inf ormation

For more information about your computer, visit Gateway’s Support page at www.gateway.com on your computer’s label. The Support page also has links to additional Gatew a y documentation and de tailed specifications.

or the Web addre ss show n

Acces sing your online User

Guide

In addition to this guide, your User Guide has been included on your hard drive. Your User Gu id e 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 rec ording media

• Networking

To a c c es s yo u r User Gu ide:

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

Documentation.

www.gateway.com

Gate wa y contac t infor mation

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

Micr osof t Cer tificate 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.

CHAPTER 1: About This Reference

• Front

• Back

CHAPTER2

Checking Out Y our

Computer

Front

CHAPTER2: Checking Out Your Computer

Optical disc drive

Additional drive bay

Memo ry ca rd rea de r a nd USB port (optional)

Power b u tton/ power indicator

Hard drive indicator

IEEE 1394 ports USB po rt s

Headphone jack Micr op h on e j a ck

Component Icon Description

Optical disc drive Use this drive to listen to audio CDs, install

Additional drive bay

Memory card reader (optional)

games and programs, watch DVDs, and store large file s onto r ecordable di scs (depen ding on drive ty pe). This dri v e may be a CD , recor dable CD, DVD, recordable DVD, Blu-ray, or HD DVD drive. For more information about your drive, see “Using optical drives” on page26.

Install any 5.25-inch device into this bay, such as an additional optical drive, a removable hard drive, or a system monitor display.

Insert a me mory card from a digita l came ra, MP3 player, PDA, cellular telephone, or other devices into t he memory card reader. F or more information, see “Using the memory ca rd

reader” on page30.

www.gateway.com

Component Icon Description

Power button/power indicator

Hard drive indicator

IEEE 1394 ports Plug IEEE 1394 (also k nown as Firewire®)

USB ports Plug USB (Uni versalSerialBus) devices (s uch as

Headphone jack Plug powered, analog front speakers, an

Microph one j ack Plug a microphone into this jack. This jack is

Press this button to turn the power on or off. You can also configure the power button to operate in Standby/Resume mode or Hibernate mode. The power indicator lights when the computer is turned on.

Lights when the hard drive is active.

device s (such as a di gital camcorder) int o the se 6-pin IEEE1394 ports. For more information, see “Installing a printer, scanner, or other

device” on page 35.

a USB external dri ve, printer, scanner, camera, keyboard, or mouse) into these ports. For more information, see “Installing a printer, scanner,

or other device ” on page 35.

external amplifier, or headphones into this jack. This jack is color-coded green.

color-coded pink.

Back

CHAPTER2: Checking Out Your Computer

Important

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

illustration.

Cover rele ase lever

Case cover t humbscrew

Cable lock slot

Surround left/right jack

Audio in/side speaker jack

Ethernet (network) jacks

PS/2 mouse port

Expansion slot cover

thumbscrew

Telephone jack (optional)

Power connector

Center/Subwoofer jack S/PDIF (optical audio) jack

Microphone jack Headphone/Front speaker jack

USB port s IEEE 1394 port

PS/2 keyboard port

Video card (number and type vary)

Modem jack (optional)

Component Icon Description

Cover rele ase leve r Lift this lever to open the computer cover Case cover

thumbscrew Cable lock slot Attach a ca ble lo ck to th is s lo t, th en atta ch

Remove this screw before opening the case.

the cable to a solid object like a de sk or table to prevent your computer from being stolen.

www.gateway.com

Component Icon Description

Surround left/right jack (black)

Plug your rear right and left speakers into this jack. T his jack is disabled w hen an audi o expansion card is installed. For more information, see “Configuring the

audio jacks” on page34.

Audio in (Line in) jack (blue)

-ORSide speaker jack

This jack is user configurable for one of the following:

■

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

■

Stereo out: Plug your side left and right

speakers into this jack. This jack is disabled when an audio expansion card is installed. For more information, see “Configuring the audio

jacks” on page34.

Ethernet (network) jack

Plug an Ethernet network cable or a device (such as a DSL or cable modem for a broadband Internet connection) into this jack. For more in formation, see “Learni ng about the Internet” in your online User Guide and “Connecting to a broadband

modem or network” on page17.

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

Expansion slot cover thumbscrew

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

Tel ep h on e j a c k (optional)

Plug the cord from your telephone into this jack.

Power conne ctor Plug the p ower co rd into this c onne ctor. Center/subwoofer

jack (orange)

Plug your center speaker and subwoofer into this jack. This jack is disabled when an audio expansion card is installed. For more information, see “Configuring the

audio jacks” on page34.

S/PDIF output jack (optional)

Plug an optical cable from an amplifier or entertainment system into this jack for digital sound.

Microph one j ack (pink)

Plug a micr ophone int o t his jac k. Thi s jack is disabled when an audio expansion card is installed.

CHAPTER2: Checking Out Your Computer

Component Icon Description

Headphone/analog speakers jack (green)

-ORFront sp eakers jack

This jack is user configurable for one of the following:

■

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

■

Stereo out : Plug your front left and right

speakers into this jack. This jack is disabled when an audio expansion card is installed. For more information, see “Configuring the audio

jacks” on page34.

USB ports Plug USB (Unive rsalSerialBus) device s (such

as a USB Iomega™ Zip™ drive, printer, scan ne r, came ra, keyboa rd, or mo use) int o these ports . For mo re in formation , see

“Installing a printer, scanner, or other device” on page 35.

IEEE 1394 port Plug IEEE 1394 (also known as Firewire

) devices (such as a digital camcorder) into this 6-pin IEEE1394 port. For more information, see “Installing a printer,

scanner, or other device” on page35.

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

Video card Plug a monit or int o a port on this c ard. If t he

card is a high -pe rformance video c ard, the expansion slot opening abo v e the ca rd ma y be occupied by the card’s ventilation fan.

Modem jack (optional)

Plug a modem cable into this jack. For more information, see “Connecting a dia l-up

modem” on page 17.

Video card ports

S-Video out jack DVI ports

If your computer came with high-end video cards installed (number and type may vary), you can connect multiple monitors for a multi-s c reen panel array, or you can enable the SLI connection between the two cards so that both cards work as a single card, delivering ultra-high frame rates for your single gaming monitor. For more information on configuring your cards, see “Setting up dual video cards” on page38.

www.gateway.com

CHAPTER2: Checking Out Your Computer

CHAPTER3

Setting Up and Getting

Started

• Working saf ely and comf ort ably

• Preparing po wer connec tions

• Connecting to a br oadband modem or

network

• Connecting a dial-up modem

• Starting your comput er

• T urning of f y our computer

• Rest arting (rebooting) y our computer

• Using the keyboard

• Using the mouse

• Using optical driv es

• Using the memory card reader

• Adjusting the volume

• Configuring t he audio jacks

• Installing a printer, scanner , or ot her de vice

CHAPTER3 : Setting Up and Getting Started

Wo rking safel y 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 monitor so the sc reen is perpendicular to y our

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

Hands and arms are

parallel to the floor

Screen is perpendicular to your line of si ght

Feet are flat on the floor

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Reduc ing e y e strain

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

• Position the computer desk and monitor so you can

avoid glare on yo ur s cr een and li ght shining direc tl y int o 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. Ev ery 10 or 1 5 minute s, look around the room, and try to focus on distant objects.

Setting up your comp uter de sk and chair

When you are setting up your computer desk and chair, make sure that the desk is the appropriat e 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 y our chair s o the k ey board is at or slig htly below

the lev el of y our elbow . Thi s position lets y our s houlders relax while you type.

• Adjust the chair height, adjust the f orward tilt of the s eat,

or use a footrest t o 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.

CHAPTER3 : Setting Up and Getting Started

Sitting at y our comput er

• 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.

Av oiding discomf or t and injury fr om r epetitiv e 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 po wer connec tions

Prot ecting f rom po wer s ource pr oblems

Warning

High voltages c a n e nter your co mputer through both t he power c ord and the modem conne ction. Pro tect y ou r com puter by using a surge protec tor. 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 ante nna/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 incr ease to f ar above normal levels and cause data loss or s y stem damage. Protec t y our comput er 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 to your comput er during a pow er f ailure . Although y ou cannot run your computer for an extended period of time wi t h 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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Connec ting to a br oadband modem or netw ork

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 Us er G ui d e.

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

To connect to a broadband modem or to an Eth ernet

network:

1 Insert one end of the network cable into the network

jack on the back of your computer.

2 Insert the other end of the network cable into a cable

modem, DSL modem, or network jack.

Connec ting a dial-up modem

Warning

To reduce the ri sk of fire, use only N o. 26 AWG or l arger telecommunications l ine cord.

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

To connect the modem:

1 Insert one end of the modem cable into the modem

jack on the modem at the back of your computer.

2 Insert the other end of the modem cable into a telephone

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

3 If you want, connect a telephone to the PHONE jack on

the modem at the back of your computer.

CHAPTER3 : Setting Up and Getting Started

Starting y our computer

To start your computer:

1 Connect the power, network, mouse, and keyboard

cables to your computer according to the setup poster.

2 Press the power button on the front of your computer.

If your computer does not turn on, check the power cable connections.

Important

Yo ur 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 increas e i n the fan no i se wh en the fan is running at high speed and a decrease in the fan noise when it switches to normal speed.

3 If you are starting you r computer for the first time,

follow the on-screen instructions to select the language and time zone and to create your first user account.

4 Attach and turn on any USB or audio periphera l devices,

such as printers, scanners, and speake rs. See the documentation that came with each device for its setup instructions.

5 To 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 G ui d e.

Waking up y our comput er

Tip

For more information about changing the power button mode, see the

“Customizing” chapter in your online User Gu i de.

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.

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T ur ning off y our 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 re ason you cannot use the Shut Down option in Windows to turn off y our c ompu ter, press an d hold the power button for about five seconds, then re le ase 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 fas ter t han turning on your computer af t er it has been turned completely off.

To put your computer to sleep:

1 Click (Start), then click (power). The computer

saves your session and partial ly shuts down to save power.

2 To “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:

1 Click (Start), clic k the ar row n ext to th e lock ic on, then

click Shut Down.

The computer turns off.

2 To comp let ely dis connect a ll pow er (such a s f or serv icing

internal components), also disconnect the power cord.

CHAPTER3 : Setting Up and Getting Started

Re starting (rebooting) y our computer

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

To r e s ta r t yo u r co m p u te r :

1 Click (Start), clic k the ar row n ext to th e lock ic on, then

click Restart. Your computer t urns off, then tu rns on again.

2 If 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.

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Using t he ke yboar d

Premium multimedia k e yboard featur es

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

Editi ng b u ttons Internet bu tton s Audi o p layb ac k bu tton s Inter ne t b utto ns

Windows keys

Application key Directional keys Numeric keypad

Navigation keys

Indicators

Feature Icon Description

Editing bu ttons Press these buttons to copy, cut, and paste. Function keys Press these keys to start program actions. Each

Internet b uttons Press these buttons to launch your Internet home

program u ses diff erent func tion k eys f or diff erent purposes. See the program documentation to find out more about the function key actions.

page, search for files, or launch your e-mail program.

Audio playback buttons

Navigation keys Press these keys to move th e curso r to the

Press these buttons to play your audio files and to ad jus t the vol um e.

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.

CHAPTER3 : Setting Up and Getting Started

Feature Icon Description

Indicators Show if your NUMLOCK, CAPS LOCK, or SCROLL LOCK

Windows keys Press one of these keys to open the Windows

Application key Press t his key to access s hor tcut menus and help

Directional keys Press these keys to move th e curs or up, down,

Numeric keypad Press these keys to type numbers when the

keys are activated. Press the corresponding key to activate the function.

Start menu. These keys can also be used in combination wit h ot her keys to open utilities like F (Find/Search), R (Run), and E (Computer).

assistants in Windows.

right, o r left.

numeric keypad (N

UM LOCK) is turned on.

Elite multimedia k e yboard f eature s

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 Application buttons

Function keys

Audio playback

buttons

Indicators

Windows keys Application key Numeric keypad

Navigation keys

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Feature Icon Description

Sleep button Press this button to activate your computer’s

Function key s Press these ke ys to start pr ogram actions. Each

Application buttons Press these b utton s to lau nch you r In ternet

Audio playback buttons

Indicators Show if yo ur NUM LOCK, CAPS LOCK, or

Windows keys Press on e of th ese keys to op en th e Wi ndo ws

Application key Press this key to access shortcut menus and

Editing buttons Press these buttons to copy, cut, and paste.

Sleep (power-saving) mode.

program uses different function keys for different purposes. See the program documentation to find out more about the function key actions.

home page, search for files, or launch the calculator program.

Press these buttons to play your audio files and to ad jus t the vol um e.

SCROLL LOCK keys are activated. Press the corresponding key to activate the function.

Start menu. These keys can also be used in combination with other keys to open utilities like F(Find/Searc h), R(Run), and E (Computer).

help assistants in Windows.

Navigation keys Press these keys to move the cur sor to th e

Numeric keypad Press these keys to type numbers when 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 th e curs or.

numeric keypad (N

UM LOCK) is turned on.

CHAPTER3 : Setting Up and Getting Started

Using t he mouse

Scroll wheel

Left bu tton

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

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

Righ t b utto n

You can use the left and right button s on the mouse to select objects on the screen.

You can use the scroll w h eel on the mouse to move through a document. This feature is not available in a ll program s.

To... Do this...

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Move the point er on the screen

Select an object on the screen

Start a program or open a file or folder

Access a shortcut menu or find more information about an obj ect on the screen.

Move an object on the screen.

Move the mouse around. If yo u reach the edge of your mouse pad and need to move the mouse farther, l ift the mouse and place it in the middle of the mouse pad, the n contin ue moving the mouse.

Position the pointer over the object. Quickly press and release the left mouse button. This is called clicking.

Position the pointer over the object. Quickly press and release the left mouse button twice. This is called double-clicking.

Position the pointer over the object. Quickly press and release the right mouse button once. This is called right-clicking.

Position the pointer over the object. Press the left mouse button and hold it down. Move (drag) the ob ject to th e appropriate part of the screen. Release th e button to drop the object where you w ant it. This is called 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 Gui de. For instructions on how to clean the mouse, see “Cleaning the mouse” on page 87.

CHAPTER3 : Setting Up and Getting Started

Using optical dr iv es

Features

Your optical drive has the following basic components:

Activity indicator (location varies)

Loading an optical disc

To insert an optical disc:

1 Press 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.

2 Place the disc in the tray with the label facing up. 3 Press the eject button to close the tray.

(location varies)

Eject b utto nManual eject hole

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Identifying optical driv e types

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

If your optical drive has this logo...

Y our drive type is...

CD-RW

DVD/CD-RW

DVD

DVD+RW

DVD R/ RW

Use your drive for...

Installing programs, playing audio CDs, and accessing data.

Installing programs, playing audio CDs, accessing data, and creatin g CDs .

Installing programs, playing audio CDs, accessing data, creating CDs, and pla y in g D VDs.

Installing programs, playing audio CDs, playing DVDs, and accessing data.

Installing programs, playing audio CDs, playing DVDs, accessing data, and recording video and data to CDs and DVD+ R o r DV D+ RW di sc s.

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 d is cs .

Double layer DVD+RW

Installing programs, playing audio CDs, playing DVDs, accessing data, and recording video and data to CDs and double layer DVD+R discs. Note: To use the doub le layer capability of the double layer recordable DVD drive, the blank DVDs you purchase must sta te Double Layer, Dual Layer , or DL. Using other types of blank media will result in less capacity.

CHAPTER3 : Setting Up and Getting Started

If your optical drive has this logo...

RECORDER

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.

Y our drive type is...

DVD-RAM/-RW

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- RA M, DVD -R , o r DV D- RW discs.

Installing programs, playing audio CDs, playing DVDs, playing Blu-r ay Disc s, 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 vi deo an d data to CDs, DVD-RAM, DVD-R, D VD-RW, and HD-DVD discs.

A standard compactdisc (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 WindowsMedia Player on your computer to:

• Play mus ic 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 Vers atile Dis c(DVD) is similar to a sta ndard CD b ut has greater data capacity. Because of this increased capacity, full-length movies, several albums of music, or seve ral 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 Gu id e.

Playing a Blu-ray Disc

Blu-ray Disc is a high-capacity optical disc that can store much more data than a D VD. Adual-layer Blu-ra y Disc can hold 50GB 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 in formation ab out p laying Blu -ray Discs, see your online User Gui de.

Play ing an HD-D VD

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 1 4hours 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 Gui de.

Creating discs

Recording t o 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, cr eate music CDs, create video D VDs, and more. For more information about creating CDs and DVDs, see your online User G uid e.

Creating audio and video 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 mo re informat ion, se e your on line User Gu ide.

Copying optical discs

You can copy optical discs to make backups of your data. For more informati on, see your on line Use r G uid e.

CHAPTER3 : Setting Up and Getting Started

Using t he 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 devic e that use s memory cards, such as a PD A, MP3 player, or c ellular telephone. (Your computer’s memory card read er m ay loo k di ffere nt. )

Memory card reader slots Activity indicator

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Memory card types

The memory card reader supports several memory card types. To determine which types are supported by your card reader and the slots to use for each type of card, examine the face plate o f t he reader. E ac h sl ot 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:

1 Insert the memor y card into the a ppropri ate memo ry

card slot.

2 To access a file on the memory card, click (Start),

then click Computer. Double-click the drive letter (for example, the

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.

E: drive) , then double-click the file name.

Caution

Do not remove the memory card or turn off the computer while the memory card reader access indicat or is blinking. You could lose data. Also, rem ove th e me mo ry ca rd from the rea der be fore you tu rn off th e 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.

CHAPTER3 : Setting Up and Getting Started

Adjusting t he 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 usin g exter nal speakers, turn the knob on the

front of the speakers.

-ORUse th e m ute and vo lum e c on tro l b utto ns o n the

keyboard. For more informa tion, see “Using the

keyb oa rd ” on pa g e 21.

To adjust the volume from Windows:

1 Click (Volume) on the taskbar. The volume con trol

slider opens.

2 Click and drag the slider up to increase v olume and down

to de creas e vo lu me.

3 To mu te the volume, click (Mute). To restor e volume,

click it again.

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4 To 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).

5 Click × in the top -ri g ht co rne r o f the wi nd ow to clo se i t.

Help

For more inf ormation about adju sting the v olume, c lick Start, t hen click Help and Support. Type adjusting volume in the Search Help box, then press E

NTER.

CHAPTER3 : Setting Up and Getting Started

Conf iguring the audio jac ks

If the back of your computer has five audio jacks, they are universal jac ks. This means that the y can be u sed f or 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. For a description of the default audio jack setu p, see “Back” on page 8.

Important

If an audio expansion card is installed in your computer, then the

computer’s built-in audio jacks are disabled.

To configure the audio jacks:

Shortcut

StartÖ Co n tro l Pa n el Ö Hardware and Soun d Ö Advanced

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

jack(s).

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

Panel window opens.

3 Click Hardware and Sound, Sound, the Playback tab,

then click Configure.

-ORIf your computer has the Realtek Sound Effect Manager

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

4 Follow the on-screen instructions to configure the audio

jacks for your speaker setup .

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Installing a print er , s canner , or other de vice

Important

Before yo u install a printer, scanner, or other peripheral device, see the

device documentation and installation instructions.

Your computer has IEEE1394 (also known as Firewire®) ports and Universal Serial Bus (USB) ports. You use these ports to connect peripheral devices such as printers, scanners, and digital cameras to y our computer. For more information about port locations, see “Checking Out Your Computer” on page 5.

IEEE 1394 and USBports support plug-and-play and hot-swapping, which means tha t your computer will usually recognize such a device whenever you plug it into the appropriate port. W hen you u se an IEEE13 94 or USB device for the first time, your computer will prompt you to install any soft war e th e de vice needs. Aft er doi ng th is, y ou can d isco nnec t and reconnect the device at any time.

Help

For more information about installing peripheral devices, click Start, then click Help and Support. Type installing devices in the Search Help box, then pressE

NTER.

CHAPTER3 : Setting Up and Getting Started

CHAPTER4

Adv anced Hardware Setup

• Setting up dual v ideo cards

• Setting up multiple monit ors

• Setting up RAID

CHAPTER 4: Advanced Hardware Setup

Set ting up dual video car ds

If your computer has two high-end graphics cards installed, you can enable the SLI connection between two cards so that both cards work as a single card, delivering ultra-high frame rates for a single gaming monitor.

To set up the single-monitor SLI connection:

1 Remove the side panel by following the instructions in

“Opening the case” on page 49.

2 Verify that y ou ha v e multiple SLI video cards installed in

your computer and that the SLI bridg e cable is connecting the two. If you ordered the computer with two graphics ca rds, the bridge cabl e is al ready installed.

SLI bridge cable

3 Replace the side panel by following the instructions in

“Closing the case” on page52.

4 Connect your monitor to the upper right DVI port.

DVI port for single monitor

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5 Right-click on the Windows desktop, then click NVIDIA

Control Panel. The NVIDIA Control Pa nel View Selection

dialog box opens (this dialog box opens only the first time that you open the NVIDIA Control Panel).

6 Click Advanced Settings, then click OK. The NVIDIA

Cont rol Pane l opens.

CHAPTER 4: Advanced Hardware Setup

7 In the Select a Task list on the left side of the control

panel, under 3D Settings, click Set SLI configuration. The Set SLI Configuration screen opens.

8 Click Enable SLI technology (recommended), then

click Apply. If the Applications Shutdown Required message box opens, click Yes.

A message appears on the screen notifying you that SLI is enabled.

Set ting up multiple monitors

If your computer came with a high-end graphics card installed (number and type may vary), you can connect multiple monitors for a multi-screen panel array. To set up multiple monitors, see the “Customizing Windows” chapter in your online User G uid e.

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Set ting up RAID

About RAID

RAID (Redundant Array of Inexpensive/ Independent Disks) lets your computer use multiple hard drives more efficiently. Your computer supports RAID0, RAID1, RAID5, and RAID10.

RAID 0 for perf ormance

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 v ideo editing, sound editing, and high-performance games. RAID 0 is also an affordable way to increase your total file s torage cap acity.

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 t o twice as fa st (using a two-d rive R AID 0 array). In a thre e-drive RAI D 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 entir e 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 f iles betw een multiple hard dri ve s is called striping.

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

RAID 0

A C E

B D F

CHAPTER 4: Advanced Hardware Setup

How it make s file storage cheaper

Because RAID 0 lets your computer see multiple hard driv e s 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, RAID0 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 treat ed like a single drive, parts of files (including operating system files) can be spread across several drives, leaving the computer with only file f ragments if one drive f ails. Re gular 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 RAID0 array, your computer only recognizes 600 GB total capacity.

RAID 1 for se cur ity

RAID 1 maintains a com p lete copy of al l files o n ea ch 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.

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

File readin g 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.

RAID 1

A B C

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Drawback

RAID 1 treats the entire arr ay a s a single driv e with t he stor age capacity of the smallest physical drive in the array. So if you have two drives (300 GB and 250 GB) in a RAID1 array, your computer only recognizes a single drive with 250GB total capacity.

RAID 5 and 1 0 f or both perf orm ance and security

Understanding RAID 5

RAID5 uses striping (at the file level) with on-the-fly error correction a cross all d rives. Because o f this error c orrection, small file read/write errors can be quickly and automatically fixed without a signif icant drop in sy stem per for mance. RAID5 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-c orrection capabilities, if a drive fails, the data can be quickly and automatical ly fixed.

In the following graphic, each letter represents a unique block of data, and the number next to each letter represents which copy of the data files are stored on that drive. The “P” next to a lette r re pre sen ts parity (error-checking) information, and each column represents a separate hard drive.

RAID 5

A1 B1 CP

A2 BP C1

AP B2 C2

Understanding RAID 10

RAID10 (also called RAID1+0 or RAID1&0) contains sets of RAID 1 mirrors a cting as d rives within a R AID 0 stri pin g array. With this setup , the array could survive one dri ve failur e in each mirrored array.

CHAPTER 4: Advanced Hardware Setup

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

RAID 0

RAID 1

A C E

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 t he smallest drive . So if you hav e four dri ves (350GB, 300GB, 250GB, and 200GB) in a RAID10 array, your computer recognizes a single drive with 400 GB total capacity.

A C E

B D F

Preparing your computer for RAID

Sett ing up RA ID on y our comput er ca n in vol v e two m ajor s tep s, depending on how your computer has been configured.

Important

If you r c om pu ter ca me from the factor y w ith R AID al re ady se t up , yo u r

computer is ready to use, and you do not need to perform any of these steps.

To prepare your computer for RAID:

1 Configure the RAID arrays. See the Array Manager User

Guide or “Configuring RAID” on page 45.

2 Install the operating system from the W indows disc that

came with your computer.

RAID 1

B D F

Configur ing RAID

Creating a RAID volume

Because RAID can be configured so many wa ys, this procedure covers only the basics. This procedure assumes that no RAID has been defined yet.

To c r ea t e a R A I D vo l u m e:

1 Install additional hard drives as needed for your RAID

plan. For instructions on installing hard drives, see

“Adding or replacing a harddrive” on page 59.

2 Start (or restart) your computer, then press F9 during

startup. The MediaShield Utility ( RAID setup) scree n opens.

3 To create a new array, set RAID Mode to Striping (for

RAID 0), then select drives on the left and click Add to add the drives to the array.

4 Press F7, then press Y. The new array is created. 5 Press CTRL+X to exit the utility. Your com puter restarts. 6 Install the operating system from t he Windows disc that

came with your computer.

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Deleting a RAID volume

Deleting a RAID volume deletes all files on that volume, including operating system files. Before deleting a RAID volume, make sure that all important files have been backed up.

To delete a RAID volume:

1 Start (or restart) your computer, then press F9 during

startup. The MediaShield Utility ( RAID setup) scree n opens.

2 Press the arrow keys to highlight the RAID volume you

want to delete, then press ENTER . The Array Detail screen opens.

Caution

If your compute r has the operating system installed on a RAID, deleting the RAID will remove the operating system, and you will not be able to start your computer into Windows.

3 Press D to delete the array. In this screen, you can also

press C to clear (delete all data from) the array.

Getting help

For more information on RAID concepts, configuration, and maintenance, search for RAID FAQ information on the Gateway Technical Support We b s ite (www.gateway.com Inter net sea rch e ng in e to s ear ch for:

• RAID

• configuring RAID

• RAID tutorials

• RAID levels

CHAPTER 4: Advanced Hardware Setup

) or use an

CHAPTER5

Upgrading Your Computer

• Prev enting static electric ity discharge

• Opening the cas e

• Closing the case

• Adding or replacing memory

• Adding or replacing an opt ical disc dri ve

• Replacing the memory card reader

• Adding or replacing a har ddriv e

• Replacing the front fan

• Replacing t he rear f an

• Replac ing the pow er suppl y

• Replac ing the heat sink and proce ssor

• Replac ing the I/O board

• Adding or replacing an e xpansion card

• Replacing t he syst em batt ery

• Replacing t he syst em board

CHAPTER5: Upgrading Your Computer

Pre v enting static electric ity discharge

Warning

To a v oid expo sur e t o danger ou s elec tri cal vol tages and mo v ing parts, turn off your computer and unplug the power cord and modem and network cables before opening the case.

To prevent risk of electric shock, do not insert any object into the vent holes of the power supply.

The components inside your computer are extremel y sensitive to static electricity, also known as electrostatic discharge (ESD).

Before opening the computer case, follow these guidelines:

• Wear a grounding wrist strap (available at most

electronics stores) and attach it to a bare metal part of your computer.

• Turn off your computer.

• T ouch a bare metal surface on the back of the computer.

• Unplug the power cord and the modem and network

cables.

Caution

ESD can perman ently damage electrostatic discharge -sensi tive components in your computer. Prevent ES D d ama ge by foll owing ESD guidelines every time you open the computer case.

Before working with computer components, follow these guidelines:

• Avoid static-causing surfaces such as carpeted floors,

plastic, and packing foam.

• Remove components from their antistatic bags only

when you are ready t o us e them. Do not lay components on the outside of antistatic bags becau s e onl y t he i nsid e of the bags provide electrostatic protection.

• Always hold expansion cards by their edges or their

metal mounting brackets. Avoid touching the edge connectors and components on the cards. Never slide expansion cards or components over any surface.

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Opening the cas e

Your computer case provides easy access to internal components.

Remo ving t he side panel

Warning

To a v oid expo sur e to danger ou s elec trica l volt ages and mo v ing parts, t urn off yo ur comput er , t hen unp lug the power cor d and modem cable bef or e openin g the cas e.

To remove the side panel:

1 Follow the instructions in “Preventing static electricity

discharge” on page48.

2 Shut down your computer, then disconnect the power

cord and modem, network, and all peripheral device cables.

3 Press the power button for ten seconds to drain any

residual power from your computer.

4 Remove the security tape (if any) on the rear edge of the

side panel.

5 Remove the case cover thumbscrew on the side panel.

Thumbscrew

CHAPTER5: Upgrading Your Computer

6 Lift the cover release lever, then swing the side panel

away from the co mpu ter.

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Remo ving t he f ront bez el

To r e m ov e t h e fr o n t be z e l:

• Push on the three spring tabs, grasp the r ight side of the

front bezel, then pu ll the be zel out an d away from the case.

Spring tabs

CHAPTER5: Upgrading Your Computer

Clo sing the cas e

Replac ing the f ront bez el

To replace the front bezel:

1 Insert the tabs on the left side of the bezel into the slots

in the left sid e of the computer.

Tabs and slots

2 Swing the right side of the bezel in so the tabs on the

right side of the beze l go into the slots on the ri ght side of the computer.

3 Press t he right side of the bezel firmly until it sna ps into

place.

Replac ing the side panel

To replace the side panel:

1 Make sure that all of the in ternal ca bles are a rranged

inside the computer so they will not be pinched when you close the computer.

Important

Your computer hardware options and port locations may vary

from this illustration.

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2 Insert the bottom edge of the side panel into the inside

bottom edge of the computer, then swing the side panel in toward the top of the computer to secure it into place.

3 Replace the side panel thumbscrew. 4 Reconnect the cables and power cord.

Adding or r eplacing mem ory

When you upgrade the comput er memory , mak e sure t hat you install the correct type of memory module for your computer. Your computer uses DIMM memory.

To install or replace DIMM memory:

1 Remove the side panel by following the instructions in

“Removing the side panel” on page 49.

2 For more stability, place your computer on its side. To

avoid scratching the case, place it on a towel or other non-abrasive surface.

CHAPTER 5: Upgrading Your Computer

3 Find the memory module banks on your system board.

DIMM 3

DIMM 1 DIMM 2

DIMM 0

4 If you are removing a DIMM from the memory module

bank, gently pull the plastic tabs away from the sides of the memory module and remove it.

- OR -

If you are adding a DIMM to an empty memory module bank, gently pull the plastic tabs away from the sides of the memory module bank.

5 Align the notches on the new DIMM with the notches on

the memory module bank, then press the module firmly into the bank. The tabs on the sides of the memory module should snap into place to secure the memory module.

Caution

Make sure that you install modules of the same type into both slots

of a memory channel (bank).

6 Return your computer to its upright position. 7 Replace the side panel by following the instructions in

“Replacing the side panel” on page 52.

8 Reconnect the cables and the power cord.

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9 Turn on your computer. Windows starts and the

Windows desktop appears.

10 Click (Start), right-click Computer, then click

Properties. The amount of memory in your computer

is displayed.

Adding or r eplacing an opti cal disc dri ve

To add or replace an opt ical disc drive:

1 Remove the side panel by following the instructions in

“Removing the side panel” on page 49.

2 Remove the front bezel by following the instructions in

“Removing the front bezel” on page 51.

Important

The color and shape of your replacement d r ive's front cover may

vary from your original drive.

3 If you are installing a new drive, slide the drive release

latch toward the back of the computer, then go to Step 7.

- OR If you are replacing an existing drive, disconnect the

cables from the drive, noting their locations and orientation. You will reconnect the cables after you install the new drive.

CHAPTER5: Upgrading Your Computer

4 Remove the drive thumbscrew from the optical drive.

Drive thumbscrew

5 Slide the drive release latch toward the back of the

computer to release the drive.

6 Slide the drive forward and out of the drive bay.

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7 If you are replaci ng a driv e, note any jumper settings on

the old drive and set the jumpers on the new drive to be the same. If you are instal ling a new dri ve, follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

8 Slide the new drive into the drive bay, line up the

thumbscrew hole on the drive bay with the screw hol e on the drive , then slide the drive r elease latc h tow ard the front of the computer to lock the drive into place. You do not need to replace the thumbscrew because it was originally installed for shipping purposes.

9 Connect the drive cables using your notes from Step3.

If you are installing a new drive, follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

10 Replace the front bezel by following the instructions in

“Replacing the front bezel” on page 52 .

11 Replace the side panel by following the instructions in

“Replacing the side panel” on page52.

Re placing the memory card reader

To replace the memory card reader:

1 Remove the side panel by following the instructions in

“Removing the side panel” on page 49.

2 Remove the front bezel by following the instructions in

“Removing the front bezel” on page 51.

3 Disconnect the memory card reader cables, noting their

locations and orientation. (You wil l reconnect t he cables after you install the new memory card reader.)

CHAPTER5: Upgrading Your Computer

4 Remove the thumbscrew holding the card reader in the

drive bay.

Thumbscrew

5 Slide the card reader out of the case.

6 Slide the new card reader into the bay from the front of

the case , then slide t he driv e release lat ch f orward t o lock the drive into place. You do not need to replace the thumbscrew because it was originally installed for shipping purposes.

Important

The color and shape of your replacement reader's front cover may

vary from your original reader.

7 Connect the new card reader cables, using your notes

from Ste p 3.

8 Replace the front bezel by following the instructions in

“Replacing the front bezel” on page 52 .

9 Replace the side panel by following the instructions in

“Replacing the side panel” on page52.

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Adding or r eplacing a harddrive

To add or replace a ha rd drive:

1 Remove the side panel by following the instructions in

“Removing the side panel” on page 49.

2 Slide the drive slot’s release latch toward you to unlock

it (or it may already be unlocked).

3 If you are adding a new drive, go to Step6.

- OR If you are replac ing an e xisting dri v e , go t o the ne xt st ep.

4 Disconnect the drive cables, noting their locations and

orientation. (You will reconnect the cables after you install the new drive.)

SATA power cable SATA data cable

CHAPTER5: Upgrading Your Computer

5 Remove the hard drive by sliding it out of the drive bay.

6 Slide the new drive into the drive bay, then secure it in

the drive bay by sliding the drive release latch back.

7 If you are replacing a drive, reconnect the drive cables

using your not es from Step 4. I f you are installing a new drive, follow the manufacturer’s instructions for connecting it to the system board.

You can a lso refer to th e foll owin g fi gu re for SATA port assignments:

SATA 6 po rt SATA 5 po rt SATA 4 po rt SATA 3 po rt

SATA 1 po rt SATA 2 po rt

8 Replace the side panel by following the instructions in

“Replacing the side panel” on page52.

9 Reconnect all external cables and the power cord.

10 Tu rn o n y ou r co mput e r.

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11 If you installed a new primary drive:

• Fo rmat and partition the drive according to the

manufacturer’s instructions.

• Install Windows using the operating system D VD that

came with your computer. For more information on rest oring y our sy ste m, see “Reco vering your sy stem”

on page 122.

Re placing the f ront f an

To replace the front fan:

1 Remove the side panel by following the instructions in

“Removing the side panel” on page 49.

2 Remove th e fan cov e r by holdin g cables o u t of the way

and pulling the cover away from the computer.

CHAPTER5: Upgrading Your Computer

3 Disconnect the fan cable from the system board. The

location of the fan connection may va ry , so trace t he fan cabl e fr om t he fan to the sys tem b oa rd.

Front fan connector

4 Remove t he f an mount b y pre ss ing in on the f lat ar ea(1)

near the front, then rotating the fan mount(2) back.

5 Slide the old fan out of the fan mount.

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6 Sli de the new fan into th e fan mo un t.

Caution

Be careful not to catch the wires connecting the power button to the system board when rotating the fa n mount. A notch has been provided for routing these wires.

7 Insert the tabs on the rear of t he fan mount int o the slots

provided, then rotate the mount into place. The mount should lock into place.

8 Reconnect the fan cable to the system board. 9 Replace the fan cover.

10 Replace the side panel by following the instructions in

“Replacing the side panel” on page52.

CHAPTER5: Upgrading Your Computer

Re placing the r ear fan

Tools

You need a Phillips screwdriver to replace the rear fan.

To replace the rear fan:

1 Remove the side panel by following the instructions in

“Removing the side panel” on page 49.

2 Disconnect the fan cable from the system board. The

location of the fan connection may va ry , so trace t he fan cabl e fr om t he fan to the sys tem b oa rd.

Rear fa n c onn ec tor

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3 Remove the four screws that secure the fan to the inside

back of the computer, then remove the fan from inside the computer. Note the orientation of the fan and install the new fan the same way.

Screws

4 Insert the new fan into the computer and line it up with

the screw holes on the back of the computer, then replace the screws that secure it to th e back o f the computer.

5 Reconnect the fan cable to the system board. 6 Replace the side panel by following the instructions in

“Replacing the side panel” on page52.

7 Reconnect all external cables and the power cord. 8 Tu r n on y our comp ut er.

CHAPTER5: Upgrading Your Computer

Re placing the po wer suppl y

Tools

You need a Phillips screwdriver and a Torx® or “st ar ” d rive r (s izeT15) to replace the power supply. A slotted (flat) screwdriver can be used in place of the Torx driver, but it must be the 7/64" (3 mm) size, and you must be very careful while applying torque so that the screw head does not get stripped.

To replace the power supply:

1 Remove the side panel by following the instructions in

“Removing the side panel” on page 49. Make sure that

you disconnect the power cable.

2 Disconnect the power supply cables from all

components (such as hard drives, optical and diskette drive s, and the sy stem boar d), noting their locations and orientation. (You will reconnect the cables after you install the new power supply.)

3 Remove the three Phillips screws that secure the power

supply to the power supply bracket.

Phillips screws

Torx

screws

4 Use a Torx ( “star”) T15 driver to remove the two Torx

screws that secure the power supply bracket to the computer, then slide the bracket down an d off the computer.

5 Slide the power supply and cables out the back of the

computer.

6 Insert the new power supply and cables into the case

through the opening in the back of the computer.

7 Slide the power supply bracket into place, then secure it

into place usin g the two Torx screws you removed previously.

8 Secure the power supply to the power supply bracket

using the three Phillips screws you removed previously.

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9 Reconnect the power supply cables using your notes

from Ste p 2.

10 Replace the side panel by following the instructions in

“Replacing the side panel” on page52.

Re placing the heat sink and processor

Tools

You need a Phillips screwdriver to replace the heat sink.

To replace the heat sink and processor:

1 Remove the side panel by following the instructions in

“Removing the side panel” on page 49.

2 For more stability, place your computer on its side. To

avoid scratching the case, place it on a towel or other non-abrasive surface.

3 Remove th e fan cov e r by holdin g cables o u t of the way

and pulling the cover away from the computer.

CHAPTER5: Upgrading Your Computer

4 Loosen the four screws that secure the heat sink to the

system board, then remove the heat sink. (The screws cannot be completely removed.)

Caution

The heat sink has Thermal Interface Material (TIM) located on the bottom of it. Use caution when you remove the old heat sink or unpack the new heat sink so you do not damage the TIM.

Screws

5 Release the processor by pushing down on the lever,

then lift ing the l ever co mp lete ly up.

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6 Remove the processor from the system boa rd. 7 Install the new pr oces sor ont o th e sy st em board mak ing

sure that Pin 1 on the processor (indicated by the silk-screened arrow on the corner of the processor) aligns with Pin 1 on the processor socket (indicated by the absence of a pin hole in the processor socket) , then return the lever to its locked position.

8 Wipe the old thermal paste off the bottom of the heat

sink, then apply a new bead of thermal paste about the size of half a pea.

9 Place the heat sink on the system board, then tighten the

screws that secure it to the system bo ard.

10 Replace the fan cover. 11 Return your computer to its upright position. 12 Replace the side panel by following the instructions in

“Replacing the side panel” on page52.

Re placing the I/O boar d

Tools

You need a Phillips screwdriver to replace the I/O board.

To replace the front I/O board:

1 Remove the side panel by following the instructions in

“Removing the side panel” on page 49.

2 Remove the front bezel by following the instructions in

“Removing the front bezel” on page 51.

CHAPTER5: Upgrading Your Computer

3 Remove the screw that secures th e front I/O assembly

to the computer, then remove the I/O assembly.

Screw

4 Remove the screw that secures the front I/O panel board

to the computer, then remove the I/O panel board by pushing it toward the back of the computer.

Screw

5 Disconnect the cable from the old I/O panel board and

connect it to the new I/O panel board.

6 Insert the new I/O panel board into the computer, then

replace the screw.

7 Plac e th e fr ont I/ O ass em bly o nto th e co mp ute r, then

replace the screw.

8 Replace the front bezel by following the instructions in

“Replacing the front bez el” on page52, then replace the

side panel by followi ng the instructions in “Replac ing the

side panel” on page 52.

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Adding or r eplacing an expansion car d

To add or replace an expansion card:

1 Remove the side panel by following the instructions in

“Removing the side panel” on page 49.

Important

Your computer hardware options and port locations may vary

from the illustrations below.

2 Loosen the thumbscrew on the expansion card cover.

CHAPTER5: Upgrading Your Computer

3 Open the expansion card cover.

4 For more stability, place your computer on its side. To

avoid scratching the case, place it on a towel or other non-abrasive surface.

5 If you are replacing a card, disconnect any cables that

are attached to the card, noting their locations and orientation. (Y ou ma y have to reconnect the cables aft e r you install the new card.)

Graphics card power cables (high-end cards only)

SLI bridge cable

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6 Remove the old expansion card (if necessary). You can

slightly seesaw the card end-to-end to loosen it, but do not bend the card sideways.

To remove a card (such as a video card) from the PCI Express slot, press the card release lever before trying to remove the card .

Caution

Do not touch the contacts on the bottom part of the expansion

card. Touching the contacts can cause electrostatic damage to the card.

7 Install the new card into the expansion slot. You can

slightly seesaw the card end-to-end to help insert the card, but do not bend the card sideways.

Refer to the following illustration for help:

PCI PCIe×16 PCI PCIe×16 PCI

8 Reconnect the expansion card cables (if any) using your

notes from Ste p 5, or, if you are adding a new card, follow the manufacturers instructions.

9 Tighten the thumbscrew on the expansion card cover. 10 Return your computer to its upright position. 11 Replace the side panel by following the instructions in

“Replacing the side panel” on page52.

CHAPTER5: Upgrading Your Computer

Re placing the s yst em batt ery

Warning

Danger of explosion if battery is incorrect ly replaced. Replace onl y with the same or equivalent type recommended by the manufacturer. Dispose of used batteries according to local hazardous materials regulations.

If the computer clock does not keep time or the settings in the BIOS Setup utility are not saved when you turn off your computer, replace the system battery. Use a battery of the same size and voltage as the original battery that was in your computer.

To replace the battery:

1 Restart your computer. 2 During the restart, press and hold the F2 key. The mai n

menu of the BIOSSetup utility opens.

3 Write down all the values in the menus and submenus,

then exit from the utility.

4 Shut down your computer. 5 Remove the side panel by following the instructions in

“Removing the side panel” on page 49.

6 For more stability, place your computer on its side. To

avoid scratching the case, place it on a towel or other non-abrasive surface.

7 Locate the old battery on the system board and note its

orientation. You will need to install the new battery the same way.

Important

Your computer’s battery location may vary from the illustration

below.

Battery

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8 Pry the battery out of the socket.

Caution

Make sur e t hat you do not damage any nearb y c omponent s whil e

prying the battery out of its socket.

9 Make sure that the positive (+) side of the new battery

is faci n g up , th e n p ress th e ba tte r y i n to the so c ket u n t il it snaps into place.

10 Return your computer to its upright position. 11 Replace the side panel by following the instructions in

“Replacing the side panel” on page52.

12 Reconnect all external cables and the power cord. 13 Tur n on y o ur c omp ute r. 14 Open the BIOS Setup utility. 15 In the BIOS Setup utility, restore any settings that you

wrote down in 3.

16 Save all your settings and exit the BIOS Setup utility.

Re placing the s yst em board

Tools

You need a Phillips screwdriver to replace the system board.

To replace the system board:

1 Remove the side panel by following the instructions in

“Removing the side panel” on page 49.

2 For more stability, place your computer on its side. To

avoid scratching the case, place it on a towel or other non-abrasive surface.

3 Disconnect any cables that are attached to any

expansion cards, noting their locations and orientation. (You will reconnect the cables after you install the cards on the new board.)

4 Remove the expansion cards by following the

instructions in “Adding or replacing an expansion card”

on page 71. You can slightly seesaw a card end-to-end

to loosen it, but do not bend a card sideways.

CHAPTER5: Upgrading Your Computer

5 Remove the fa n c over by h o l di n g c a bles ou t o f th e way

and pulling the cover away from the computer.

6 Find the memory module banks on your system board.

7 Gently pull the plastic tabs away from the sides of the

memory modules, then remove them.

Caution

The heat sink has thermal paste located on the bottom of it. Use caution when you remove the old heat sink so you do not damage the thermal paste. If you damage the thermal paste, you must apply a new bead of paste to the heat sink when re-installing it.

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8 Loosen the four screws that secure the heat sink to the

syst em board, then remove the heat sink. (These screws cannot be completely removed.)

Screws

9 Disconnect the power and data cables from the system

board, noting their locations and orientation. (You will reconnect the cables after you install the new board.)

CHAPTER5: Upgrading Your Computer

10 Remove the seven system board screws.

Screws

11 Lift the system board up and out of the case. 12 Align the new s yst em board on t he standoff s and sec ure

it into the comp uter case with the screws.

13 If your replacement system board does not include a

processor, go to Step 14.

-ORIf your replacement system board includes a processor,

go to Step 17.

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14 Release the processor from the old system board by

pushing down on the lever, then lifting the lever completely up.

15 Remove the processor from the old system board. 16 Install the processor onto t he ne w sy st em boar d making

CHAPTER5: Upgrading Your Computer

17 Connect the power and data cables using your notes

from Ste p 9, or use the following graphic as a guide..

AUX p ow e r

(Front)

IEEE1394 Front USBFan

Fan IEEE1394

IDE Power Fan (rear) Front panel audio

SATA 6 SATA 5 SATA 4

SATA 3 SATA 1

SATA 2

Card re ad er

18 Place the heat sink over the processor, then tighten the

screws that secure it to the system bo ard.

19 Al ign the notches on the memory modules with the

notches on the memory module banks and press the modules firmly into the banks. The tabs on the sides of the memory modules should secure the memory modules automatically. When a module is secure, you hear a click.

Caution

Do not touch the contacts on the bottom part of the expansion card. Touching the contacts can cause electrostatic damage to the card.

20 Install the expansion cards into the e xpansion slots. You

can slightly seesaw a card end-to-end to help insert the card, but do not bend the card sideways. For more details, see “Adding or replacing an expansion card” on

page 71.

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21 Reconnect the expansion card cables using your notes

from Ste p 3.

22 Install the fan cover by following the directions in

“Replacing the heat sink and processor” on page 67.

23 Return your computer to its upright position. 24 Replace the side panel by following the instructions in

“Replacing the side panel” on page52.

CHAPTER5: Upgrading Your Computer

CHAPTER6

Maintaining Y our

Computer

• Setting up a maint enance schedule

• Caring f or your comput er

• Cleaning y our comput er

• Updating Windo ws

• Using BigFix

• Managing hard dri ve space

• Scheduling maintenance tasks

• Moving f rom y our old comput er

CHAPTER 6: Maintaining Your Computer

Set ting up a mainten ance schedule

Use the following table to set up a regular maintenance schedule.

Maintenance task Weekly Monthly When

Check for viruses X X X Run Windows Update X X Manage hard drive space X Clean up hard drives X X Scan hard drive for errors X X Defragment ha rd drive X X Back up files X X X Clean computer case and

peripheral devices

needed

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Caring f or y our computer

To extend the life of your computer:

• Be careful not to bump or drop your computer, and do

not put any objects on top of it. The case, although strong, is not made to support extra weight.

• When transporting your computer, we recommend that

you put it in the original packaging m aterials.

• Keep your computer away from magnetic fields.

Magnetic fields can erase data on hard drives.

• Never turn off your computer when the drive indicator

is on because data on the hard drive could be lost or corrupted.

• Avoid subjecting y our computer to extreme temperature

changes. The case can become brittle and easy to break in cold tempe ratures and can me lt or warp in high temperatures. Damage due to either extreme is not covered by your warranty. As a g eneral rule, your computer is saf e st at t emperatur es that ar e comf ortab le for yo u.

• Keep all liquids away from your computer. When spilled

onto computer components, almost any l iquid can result in expensive repairs that are not covered under a standard warranty.

• Avoid dusty or dirty work environments. Dust and dirt

can clog the in tern al m ech an ism s a nd can le ad to permanent damage to the computer.

• Do not block the ventilation fan slots. If these slots are

blocked, your computer may overheat, resulting in unexpected shutdown or permanent damage to the computer.

• When storing your computer for an extended period of

time, unplug ACpower.

CHAPTER 6: Maintaining Your Computer

Cleaning y our comput er

Keeping your computer clean and the vents free from dust helps keep your computer performing at its best. You may want to g athe r thes e ite ms an d p ut toge the r a co mpu ter cleaning kit:

• A soft, lint-free cloth

• An aerosol can of air that has a narrow, straw-like

extension

• Cotton swabs

• An optical disc drive cleaning kit

Cleaning t he ex terior

Warning

When you shut down yo ur computer, the power turns off, but some electrical current still flows through it. To avoid possible injury from electrical shock, unplug the power cord, modem cable, and network cable from the wall outlets.

• Always turn off your computer and other peripheral

devices before cleaning any components.

• Use a damp, lint-free cloth to clean your computer and

other parts of your system. Do not use household abrasive or solvent cleaners because they can damage the finis h on c ompon ents.

• Your computer is cooled by air circulated through the

vents on the case, so keep the vents free of dust. With your computer turned off and unplugged, brush the dust away from the vent s with a d amp cl o t h . B e careful not to d rip any water in to th e v ent s.

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Cleaning t he ke y board

Y ou should occasionally clean the k ey board to r emove dust and lint trapped under the keys.

To clean the keyboard:

1 Use an aerosol can of air with a narrow, straw-like

extension to remove dust and lint trapped under the keys.

2 If you spill liquid on the keyboard, turn off your

computer and turn the keyboard upside down. Let the liquid drain, then let the keyboard dry before trying to use it again. If the ke y board doe s not work af t er it dries, you may need to replaceit.

Cleaning t he monitor

Caution

A flat-pa ne l sc reen is made of specially coated glass and can be scratched

or damaged by abrasive or ammonia-based glass cleaners.

To clean the monitor:

• To clean an LCD flat panel monitor, use a soft cloth and

water t o clean the scr een. Dampen the cloth (nev er apply liquid directly to the screen), then wipe the screen with the cloth.

• T o clean a CR T monitor, use a soft clot h and glass c leaner

to clean the monitor screen. Squirt a little cleaner on the cloth (never direc tly on the sc reen), then wipe the screen with the cloth .

Cleaning t he mouse

If the mouse pointer begins moving erratically across the computer screen or becomes difficult to control precisely, cleaning the mouse will likely improve its accuracy.

To clean the mouse:

• Wipe the bottom of the mouse with a damp, lint-free

cloth.

CHAPTER 6: Maintaining Your Computer

Cleaning optical dis cs

Optical discs (CDs, DVDs, and Blu-ray Discs) get dirty from frequent handling.

To clean an optical disc :

1 Wipe from the center to the edge, not around in a circle,

using a product made especially for the purpose.

Updating Windo ws

Windows Update helps you keep your computer up-to-date. Use Windows Update to choose updates for your computer’s operating system, software, and hardware. New content is added to the site regularly, so you can always get the most recent updates and fixes to protect your computer and keep it running smoothly. Windows Update scans your computer and provides you with a tailored selection of updates that apply only to the software and hardware on your computer.

For information on running Windows Update, see “Windows Update” in your online User Guide. Windows Update can also be controlled through the Windows Security Center. For more information, see “Protecting Your Computer” in your online User Gu ide.

Help

For more information about Windows Update, click Start, then c lick Help and Support. Type windows update in the Search Hel p box, then press

NTER.

Using BigF ix

BigFix may be installed on your computer . BigFix monitor s your computer for problems and conflicts. It automatically gathers information about the lat est bugs, sec urit y alerts, and updates from B ig Fix si tes o n th e I nte rnet . W he never Bi gFi x d ete cts a problem, it alerts you by flashing the blue taskbar icon. To fix the problem, click on that icon to open BigFix.

To s t a rt B i g Fi x :

1 Click (Start), All Programs, Accessories, System

Tools, then click BigFix.

2 To learn more about BigFix, click Help, then click

Tutorial.

www.gateway.com

CHAPTER 6: Maintaining Your Computer

Managing hard dr iv e space

Windows provides seve ral utilities you can use to check hard drive space, delete unnecessary files, defragment files, and back up files.

Checking hard driv e space

To check hard drive space:

Shortcut

StartÖ Co m pu te r Ö r ight-click driveÖ Properties

1 Click (Start), then click Computer. The Computer

wind ow o pe ns.

www.gateway.com

2 Right-click t he dri v e t hat you w ant t o c heck for available

file space , then c lick Properties. Drive space information appears.

Deleting unnece ssary files

Delete unnece ssary file s, such a s temporary f iles and file s in the Recycle Bin, to free hard drive space.

To delete unnecessary files:

Shortcut

StartÖ Co m pu te r Ö r ight-click driveÖ PropertiesÖ

DiskCleanup

1 Click (Start), All Programs, Accessories, System

Tools, then c lick Disk Cleanup. T he Disk Clea nup Options

dialog box opens.

CHAPTER 6: Maintaining Your Computer

2 Click one of the options:

• My files only cleans only the folders for the

currently logged in user.

• Files from all users on this computer clean s a ll

folders.

The Disk Cleanup Options dialog box opens.

3 Click to select the types of files you want to delete, then

click OK. The types of files you indicated are deleted.

Help

For more information about keeping the hard drive free of unnecessary files, click Start, then click Help and Support. Type disk cleanup in the Search Help box, then press E

Checking the hard dri ve f or errors

The Error- checking program examines the hard drive for physical flaws and file and folder problems. This program corrects file and folder problems and marks flawed areas on the hard drive so Windows does not use them.

If you use yo ur computer several hours every day, you probably want to run Error-checking once a week. If you use your computer less f requently , once a month may be adequate . Also use Error-checking if you encounter hard drive problems.

To check the hard drive for errors:

1 Click (Start), then click Computer. The Computer

wind ow o pe ns.

2 Right-click the drive that you want to check for errors,

click Properties, then click the Tools tab.

NTER.

www.gateway.com

3 Click Check No w, then click Start. Your driv e is checked

for errors. This process m ay take several minu tes.

Important

Error checking cannot scan a drive while the drive is being used, so if you try t o check your ha r d drive for errors, y o u se e a prompt asking you if you want to sca n the hard drive later ( the next t ime you res tart your compute r). If you see this prompt, click Schedule disc check.

After Windo ws has finished checking the driv e for err ors, it provides a summary of the problems that it found.

4 Correct any problems that are found by following the

on-screen instructions.

5 Click OK.

Help

For more information about checking the hard drive for errors, click Start, then click Help and Support. Type checking for disk errors in the Search Hel p box, then press E

Defragme nting the hard dr iv e

When working wi th files, sometimes Windows divides the file information in to pieces and stores them in different places on the hard drive. This is cal led fragmentation, and it is normal. In order for your computer to use a file, Windows must search for the pieces of the file and put them back together. This process slows the hard drive performance.

Disk Defragmenter organi z e s the data on the dri v e so eac h file is stored as one unit rather than as mul tiple pieces scattered across different areas of the drive. Defragmenting the information stored on the drive can improve hard drive performance.

While Disk Defragmenter is running, do not us e y our keyboard or mouse because using them may continuously stop and restart the defragmenting process. Also, if you are connected to a network, log off before starting Disk Defragmenter. Network communication may stop the defragmentation process and cause it to start over.

NTER.

Tip

Because defragmenting a drive may take hours to complete (depending on the size of the driv e being defragmented), consider starting the process when you will not need the computer for several hours.

CHAPTER 6: Maintaining Your Computer

To defragment the hard drive:

1 Disconnect your computer from the network. 2 Click (Start), All Programs, Accessories, System

Tools, then click Disk Defragmenter. The Disk Defragmente r dialog box opens.

3 Click Defragment now. This process may take hours to

complete, depending on the size of the drive being defragmented.

Help

For more information about defragmenting the hard drive, click

Start, then click Help and Support. Type defragmenting in the Search Help box, then press E

NTER.

Backing up file s

Backing up files and removing them from the hard drive frees space for new files on the hard drive. It also protec ts you from losing import ant information if the hard drive fails or you accidentally delete files.

You should back up your files regularly to a writable optical disc (if you hav e a re cordable drive). Use a backup dev ice , such as a recordable disc drive, to do a complete hard drive backup.

Gateway FX540, FX541, FX542 Quick Reference Guide

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual

Contents

About This R eference

About this guide

For more inf ormation

To a c c es s yo u r User Gu ide:

Gate wa y contac t infor mation

Micr osof t Cer tificate of Authenticity

Front

Back

Video card ports

Wo rking safel y and comfortably

Reduc ing e y e strain

Setting up your comp uter de sk and chair

Sitting at y our comput er

Av oiding discomf or t and injury fr om r epetitiv e strain

Preparing po wer connec tions

Prot ecting f rom po wer s ource pr oblems

Connec ting to a br oadband modem or netw ork

Connec ting a dial-up modem

To connect the modem:

Starting y our computer

To start your computer:

Waking up y our comput er

T ur ning off y our computer

To put your computer to sleep:

To turn off your computer:

Re starting (rebooting) y our computer

To r e s ta r t yo u r co m p u te r :

Using t he ke yboar d

Premium multimedia k e yboard featur es

Elite multimedia k e yboard f eature s

Using t he mouse

Using optical dr iv es

Features

Loading an optical disc

To insert an optical disc:

Identifying optical driv e types

Playing discs

Playing a CD

Playing a DVD

Playing a Blu-ray Disc

Play ing an HD-D VD

Creating discs

Recording t o optical discs

Creating audio and video files

Copying optical discs

Using t he memory card reader

Memory card types

Using a memory card

To insert a memory card:

To remove a memory card:

Adjusting t he volume

To adjust the overall volume using hardware controls:

To adjust the volume from Windows:

Conf iguring the audio jac ks

To configure the audio jacks:

Installing a print er , s canner , or other de vice

Adv anced Hardware Setup

Set ting up dual video car ds

To set up the single-monitor SLI connection:

Set ting up multiple monitors

Set ting up RAID

About RAID

RAID 0 for perf ormance

How it increases performance

How it make s file storage cheaper

Drawbacks

RAID 1 for se cur ity

Drawback

RAID 5 and 1 0 f or both perf orm ance and security

Understanding RAID 5

Understanding RAID 10

Drawback

Preparing your computer for RAID

To prepare your computer for RAID:

Configur ing RAID