Gateway FX542XT User Manual

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GATEWAY COMPUTER

USERGUIDE

Contents

Chapter 1: Getting Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Thank you for purchasing our computer! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Using the Gateway Web site . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

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

Contacting Gateway . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Getting help for Windows Media Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Using online help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Chapter 2: Using Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Using the Windows desktop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Using the Start menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Adding icons to the desktop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Identifying window items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Working with files and folders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Viewing drives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Creating folders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Copying and moving files and folders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10

Deleting files and folders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11

Searching for files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12

Using the Windows Search . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Browsing for files and folders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13

Working with documents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Creating a new document . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14

Saving a document . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Opening a document . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Printing a document . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Shortcuts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Chapter 3: Using the Internet and Faxing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Learning about the Internet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Setting up an Internet account . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18

Accessing your Internet account . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Using the World Wide Web . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19

Connecting to a Web site . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19

Downloading files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20

Using e-mail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20

Sending e-mail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20

Checking your e-mail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21

Using Windows Fax and Scan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Sending a fax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Faxing a scanned document or from programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Canceling a fax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25

Receiving and viewing a fax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Chapter 4: Playing and Creating Media Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Playing music and movies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28

Playing audio and video files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28

Contents

Playing optical discs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29

Creating audio files and music li braries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31

Creating music files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31

Building a music library . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33

Editing track information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33

Creating music CDs and video DVDs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34

Creating a music CD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34

Creating a video DVD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35

Creating and copying data discs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37

Creating a data disc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37

Using Windows Media Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38

Starting Windows Media Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38

Using the Media Center remote control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40

Chapter 5: Networking Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41

Introduction to Networking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42

Networking terms you should know . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42

Ethernet networking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42

Wired Ethernet networking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42

Wireless Ethernet networking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45

Establishing your Ethernet network connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47

Testing your network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50

Adding a printer to your network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50

Sharing resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50

Using the network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52

Bluetooth networking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53

Chapter 6: Protecting your computer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55

Hardware security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56

Kensington lock slot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56

Data security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56

Startup and hard drive password . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56

Windows user accounts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56

Protecting your computer from viruses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57

Using Norton Internet Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57

Using Windows Security Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59

Security updates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60

Windows Update . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60

BigFix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61

Chapter 7: Customizing W indows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63

Changing screen settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64

Changing color depth and screen resolution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64

Changing the appearance of windows and backgrounds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65

Selecting a screen saver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66

Changing gadgets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .67

Setting up multiple monitors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .69

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Changing system sounds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .70

Changing mouse settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

Adding and modifying user accounts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

Changing power-saving settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73

Changing the power plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73

Changing accessibility settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74

Using the Ease of Access Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75

Using voice recognition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .76

Setting up parental controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76

Filtering Internet access . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77

Scheduling computer and Internet use . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .78

Restricting game access . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78

Restricting specific programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80

Creating activity reports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80

Notices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .81

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Contents

CHAPTER 1

• Using the Gateway Web site

• Using Help and Support

• Using online help

Getting Help

CHAPTER 1: Getting Help

Thank y ou f or purc hasing our computer!

Y ou have made an excellent decision choosing Gat eway. We are sure that you will be pleased with the outstanding quality, reliability, and performance of your new computer. Each and every Gateway computer uses the latest technology and passes through the most stringent quality control tests t o ensure that you are pro vided with the best pr oduct possible . Please read th is manual carefully to familiarize yourself with your computer’s software features.

Gateway stands behind our value commitment to our customers—to provide best-of-class service and support in addition to high-quality, brand-name components at affordable prices. If you ever have a problem, our knowledgeable , dedicated cust omer service department will prov ide you wit h fast, considerate service.

We sincerely hope that you will receive the utmost satisfaction and enjoyment from your new Ga teway c om pu te r for ye a rs to co m e.

Thanks again, from all of us at Gateway.

Using t he Gate wa y Web sit e

Gatew a y’ s online support i s a vailable 24 hours a day , 7days a week and pro v ide s t he most c u rr ent drivers, product specifications, tutorials, and personalized information about your computer. Visit the Gateway Support Web site at www.gateway.com

Using Help and Suppor t

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

To search for a topic in Help and Support:

1 Click (Start), then click Help and Support. Help and Support opens.

Tip

You can find help information by clicking a general topic under Find an answer, selecting an option under Ask someone, or picking a category from Inform atio n from Mic ros oft. You can also search for a topic.

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2 Type a word or phrase in the Search Help box located at the top of any Help and Su pport

screen, then p ress E For each search, you receive a list of suggested topics. To find the answer, click the result

that most closely matches your question. Additional results may be available if the first list does not address your question.

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Contac ting Gate w ay

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

Get ting help fo r Window s Media Cent er

If your computer is running Windows Media Center, you can access help for information on how to use i t.

To access Media Center help:

1 Click (Start), then click Help and Support. Help and Support opens. 2 In the Help and Supp o r t window, type Windows Media Center in th e Sea rch Help box,

then press ENTER. The Media Center Help win dow open s.

-ORIf you are connected to the Internet, click Windows Online Help, then type Windows

Media Center in the Search Help For box.

Using online help

If you are connected to the Internet, many programs provide information online so you can research a topic or learn how to perform a task while you are using the program. You can access most online help inf or mation by selecting a topic f r om a Help menu or by clicking the Help button on the menu bar and selecting Online Support from the li st.

Available information depends on the particular Help site to which you are taken. Many provide FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) , a Search feature, articles about their software, tutorials, and forums where problems and solutions are discussed.

CHAPTER 1: Getting Help

CHAPTER 2

Using Windo ws

• Using the W indows desktop

• Working with f iles and f olders

• Searching f or file s

• Working wit h documents

• Shortcuts

CHAPTER 2: Using Windows

Using t he Window s deskt op

After your computer starts, the first screen you see is the Windows desktop. The desktop is like the top of a real desk. Think of the desktop as your personalized work space where you open

programs and perform other tasks.

Help

For more information about the Windows desktop, click Start, then click Help and Support.

Type Wi n dow s de sk to p in the Sea rch Help box, then press E

Your desktop may be different from this example, depending on how your computer is set up. The desktop contains the taskbar, the Start button, an d the Recycle Bin icon.

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Desktop elements Description

The taskbar is the bar at the bottom of the computer display containing the Start button on the left and a clock on the right. Other buttons on the taskbar represent programs that are running. Click a program’s button on the tas kbar to open th e program’s window.

The Start button provides access t o pr o g r am s, files, help for Windows and other programs, and computer tools and utilities. Click the Start button, then open a file or program by clicking an item on t he menu that opens.

The Re cycl e Bi n is where files, folders, and programs that you discarded are stored. You must empty the Recycle Bin to permanently delete them from your computer. For instructions on how to use the Recycle Bin, see

“Deleting files and folders” on page11.

The Windo ws Sec urity C ente r icon may appe ar on the taskbar near the clock. The icon changes appea rance to not ify you when the security settings on your computer are set below the recommended value or when updates are a vailable. Double-click t his ic on to open the Wi ndows Se curity Ce nter. For more informatio n, see “Modifying security settings”

on page 59.

Using the Start menu

Help

For more information about the Windows Start menu, click Start, the n click Help and

Support. Type Windows Start menu in the Search Help box, then press E

You can start programs, open files, customize your system, get help, search for files and folders, and more using the Start menu.

To u s e t he S t a rt m e nu :

Shortcut

Start➧ All Programs➧

1 Click (Start) on the lower left of the Windows desktop. The Start menu opens, showing

you the first level of menu items.

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2 Click All Programs to see all programs, files, and folders in the Start menu. If you click an

item with a folder icon, the prog rams, files , and subfolders appear.

3 Click a file or program to open it.

Adding icons to the de sktop

Help

For more information about the desktop icons, c lic k Start, then click Help and Support. Type

desktop icons in the Search Help box, then press E

You may want to add an icon (shortcut) to the desktop for a program that you use frequently.

To add ic ons to the des ktop:

Shortcut

Start➧ All Programs ➧ right-clickprogram ➧ Send To ➧ De sk top (crea te shor tcut)

1 Click (Start), then click All Programs. 2 Right-click (press the right mouse button) the program that you want to add to the desktop. 3 Click Send To, then click Desktop (create shortcut). A shortcut icon for that program

appears on the desktop.

Identifying windo w it ems

Help

For more information about windows, click Start, then click Help and Sup port. Type

window in the Search Help box, then press E

CHAPTER 2: Using Windows

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When you double-click the icon for a drive, folder , file , or program, a window opens on the desktop. This example shows the LocalDisk (C:) window, which opens after you double-click the Local Disk (C:) icon in the Computer win dow.

Search box

Title bar

Menu bar

Close Maximize Minimize

Every progr am window looks a little dif fer ent because eac h has its ow n menus, icons, and controls. Most windows include these items:

Window item Description

The title ba r is the horizontal bar at the top of a window that shows the window title.

The Search box lets you search for a word or phrase in the current window.

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Window item Description

Clicking t he minimize but ton re duces the active window to a button on the taskbar. C licking the program button in the taskbar opens the window again.

Clicking the max imize button expands the ac tiv e windo w to fit t he entire computer display. Clicking the maximize button again restores the window to its former size.

Clicking the cl ose butto n closes the active window or program.

Clicking an item on the menu bar starts an action such as Print or Save.

Wo rking with fi les and f olders

Viewing drives

You can organize your files and programs to suit your preferences much like you would store information in a file cabinet. You can store these files in folders and copy, move, and delete the information just as you would reorganize and throw away information in a file cabinet.

Help

For more information about files and folders, click Start, then click Help and Support. Type

files and folders in the Search Help box, then press E

Drives are like file cabinets because they hold files and folders. A computer almost always has more than one drive. Each drive has a letter, usually Local Disk(C:) for the hard drive. You may also have more drives such as a CD or DVD drive.

To view the drives, folders, and files on your computer:

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1 Click (Start), then click Computer.

Hard drive

Disc drive

2 Double-click the drive icon.

Creating f olders

Folders are much like the folders in a file cabinet. They can contain files and other folders. Files are much like paper documents—letters, spreadsheets, and pictures—that you keep on your

computer. In fact, all information on a computer is stored in files.

CHAPTER 2: Using Windows

Folders

Files

To create a folder:

Shortcut

ClickFile ➧ New ➧Folder➧ type name

1 Click (Start), then click Computer on the Start menu. 2 Double-click the drive where y ou w ant to put the ne w f o lder. Ty picall y, Local Disk (C:) is your

hard drive and 3½ Floppy (A:) is your diskette drive (if installed).

3 If you want to create a new folder inside an existing folder, double-click the existing folder. 4 Click Organize, then click New Folder. The new folde r is created. 5 T ype a name f or t he f older, then press ENTER. The ne w folde r name appears by the folder icon.

For information about renaming folders, see “Shortcuts” on page 16.

Cop ying and mo ving file s and f olders

Important

The clipboard stores whatever you cut or copy until you cut or copy again. Then the clipboard contains the new information only. Therefore, you can paste copies of a file or folder into more than one place, but as soon as you copy or cut a different file or folder, the original file or folder is deleted from the cl ipb oard .

The skills you need to copy and move files are called copying, cutting, and pasting. When you copy and paste a file or folder, you place a copy of the file or folder on the Windows

clipboard, which temporarily stores it. Then, when you decide what folder you want the copy to go in (the destination fo ld e r), yo u paste it there.

When you cut and paste a file or folder, you remove the file or folder from its original location and place the file or folder on the Windows clipboard. When you decide where you want the file or folder to go, you paste it there.

To copy a file or folder to another folder:

1 Locate the file or folder you want to copy. For more information, see “Viewing drives” on

page 9 and “Searching for files” on page12.

2 Right-click (press the right mouse button) the file or folder that you want to copy. A pop-up

menu opens on the desktop.

3 Click Copy on the pop-up menu. 4 Open the destination folder.

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5 With the pointer inside the destination folder, right-click. 6 Click Paste. A copy of the file or folder appears in the new location.

Help

For more information about copying files and folders or moving files or folders, click Start, then click Help and Support. Type copying files and folders or moving files and folders in the Search He lp bo x, the n pre ss E

To move a file or folder to another folder:

NTER.

1 Locate the file or folder you want to move. For more information, see “ Viewing drives” on

page 9 and “Searching for files” on page12.

2 Right-click (press the right mouse button) the file or folder that you want to move. A pop-up

menu opens on the desktop.

3 Click Cut on the pop-up menu. 4 Open the destination folder. 5 With the pointer inside the destination folder, right-click. 6 Click Paste. The file or folder you moved appears in its new location and is removed from

its old loca tion.

Deleting file s and f olders

When you throw away paper files and folders, you take them from the file cabinet and put them in a trash can. Eventually the trash can is emptied.

In Windows, you t hrow a wa y files and f olders by first mo ving them to t he Window s trash can, called the Recycl e Bi n, where they remain until you decide to empty the bin.

You can recover any file in the Recycle Bin as long as the bin has not been emptied.

To delete files or folders:

1 In the Computer or Windows Explorer window, click the files or folders tha t you want to

delete . For instru ctions on how t o selec t multiple file s and folde rs, see “Short cuts” on page16. If you cannot find the file you want to delete, see “Searching for files” on page12.

2 Click Organize, then click Delete. Windows moves the files and folders to the Recycle Bin.

To recover files or folders from the Recycle Bin:

1 Double-click th e Recycle Bin icon on your Windows desktop. The Recycle Bin window opens

and lists the files and folders you have thrown away since you last emptied it.

2 Click the files or folders that you want to restore. For instructions on how to select multiple

files and folders, see “Shortcuts” on page16.

3 Click Restore. Windows returns the deleted files or folders to their original locations.

To empty the Recycle Bin:

Caution

Emptying the Recycle Bin permanently erases any files or folders in the bin.

These files cannot be restored.

1 Double-click th e Recycle Bin icon on your Windows desktop. The Recycle Bin window opens. 2 Click Empty the Recycle Bin. Windows asks you if you are sure that you want to empty

the bin.

3 Click Yes. Windows permanently deletes all files in the Recycle Bin.

Help

For more information about emptying the Recycle Bin, click Start, then click Help and Support. Type emptyi n g the Recycle Bin in the Search Help box, then press E

NTER.

Searc hing for f iles

If you are looking for a particular file or folder or a set of files or folders that have characteristics in common, but you do not remember where they are stored on your hard drive, you can use the Search utility.

Files and folders found using this utility can be opened, copied, cut, renamed, or deleted directly from the list in the resul ts window.

CHAPTER 2: Using Windows

Using the W indow s Sear ch

To find files and folders using the Search:

1 Click (Start), then click Search. The Search Results window o pens. 2 If you want to search on your computer by file or folder name, type in all or part of the file

or folder name in the Search box in the top right of the window.

• If you type all of the name, Search will list all files and folders of that name.

• If you type part of the name, Search will list all of the file and folder names containing

the letters you type d.

3 Open a file, folder, or program by double-clicking the name in the list.

Help

For more information about searching for files and folders, click Start, then click Help and Suppor t. T ype searching in the Search Help box, then pr es s E

NTER.

Using adv anced sea rch options

Search can find files mee ting more cri ter ia than file n ame. You can narrow y our sear ch b y selec ting the search options that you want. You can search by the:

• Name or part of a name

• Creation date

• Modification da te

• File type

• Tag

• Author

• Text contained in the file

• Time period in which it was created or modified

You can also combin e search criteria to refine sea rches. Files and folders found using this utility can be opened, copied, cut, renamed, or deleted directly

from the list in the resul ts window.

Brow sing f or files and f olders

A file or folder that you need is rarely right on top of your Windows desktop. It is usually on a drive inside a folder that may be inside yet another folder, and so on.

Windows drives, folders, and files are organized in the same way as a real file cabinet in that they may have many levels (usually many more levels than a file cabinet, in fact). So you usually will have to search through levels of folders to find the file or folder that you need. This is called browsing.

To b r ow s e f o r a f i l e:

1 Click (Start), then click Computer. The Computer window open s. 2 Double-click the drive or f older that y ou think contains the file or folder t hat you want t o find. 3 Continue double-clicking folders and their subfolders until you find the file or folder you

want.

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Help

For more information about browsing for files and folders, click Start, then click Help and Support. Type files and folders in the Search Help box, then press E

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Wo rking with doc uments

Computer documents include word processing files, spreadsheet files, or other similar files. The basic methods of creating, s aving, opening, and printing a document apply to most of these types of files.

The following examples show how to create, save, open, and print a document using Microsoft WordPad. Similar procedures apply to other programs such as Corel Word, an d M icros oft E xce l.

For more information about using a program, click Help on its menu ba r.

WordPe rfect®, Microsoft

Creating a ne w doc ument

To create a new document:

1 Click (Start), All Programs, Accessories, then click WordPad. Microsoft WordPad starts

and a blank document opens.

2 Begin composing your document. Use the menus and toolbar buttons at the top of the

wind ow to form at the d ocum ent .

Sav ing a doc ument

CHAPTER 2: Using Windows

After you create a document, you need to save it if you want to use it later.

To s a ve a do c u m e nt :

1 Click File, then click Save. The Save As dialog box opens.

2 Click Browse Folders to open the Folders list, then click the folder where you want to save

the file.

3 Type a new file name in the File name box. 4 Click Save.

and Support. Type saving in the Search Help box, then press E

Opening a document

To view, revise, or print an existing document, first you need to open it. Open the document in the program that it was created in.

To o p e n a d o c u me n t :

1 Start the pro gram. 2 Click File, then click Open.

File name

Help

For more information about saving documents, click Start, then click Help

NTER.

3 Click Folders to open the Folders list, then click the folder you want to open.

4 Double-click the document file name. The document opens.

and Support. Type opening files in the Search Help box, then press E

Printing a document

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Help

For more information about opening documents, click Start, then click Help

NTER.

To print a document, you must have a printer connected to your computer or have access to a network printer. For more information about installing or using your printer, see the printer documentation.

To print a document:

1 Make s ure th at the pri nte r is tu rn ed on a nd lo ad ed with pa pe r. 2 Start the program and open the document. 3 Click File, then click Print. The Print dialog box opens. 4 Set the print options, then click Print. The document prints.

Help

For more information about printing documents, click Start, then click Help and Support. Type printing in the Search Help box, then press E

NTER.

Shortcuts

CHAPTER 2: Using Windows

Help

For more information about Windows keyboard shortcuts, click Start, then click Help and

Support. Type Windows keyb oard sh ortcuts in the Searc h Help box, then press E

NTER.

The following table shows a few shortcuts that you can use in Windows and almost all programs that run in Windows. For more information about shortcuts, see your Windows or program documentation.

To... Do this...

Copy a file, folder, text, or graphic

Paste a file, folder, text, or graphic

Select multiple items in a list or window

Select multiple adjacent items in a list or window

Permanently delete a file or folder

Rename a file or folder Click the file or folder, press F2, type the new

Close the acti ve window or program

Switch to a different file, folder, or running program

Click the item, then press CTRL +C.

Click inside the folder or window where you want to pas te th e o bj ect , th e n pr ess C

Click the first item, press and hold down the CTRL key, then click each of the remaining items.

Click the first item in the list, press and hold down the S the list.

Click the file or folder, then press

SHIFT +DELETE. The file or folder is

permanently deleted. The file or folder is not stored in the Recycle Bin.

name, then press E Press ALT +F4.

Press ALT +TAB.

HIFT key, then click the last item in

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TRL +V.

CHAPTER 3

Using the Inter net and Faxing

• Learning about the I nterne t

• Setting up an Int ernet account

• Using the World Wide Web

• Using e-mail

• Using Windo ws F ax and Scan

• Sending a fax

• Receiv ing and vie wing a fax

CHAPTER 3: Using the Internet and Faxing

Lear ning about the Inter net

The Internet is a world wide ne twork of c omputers li nk ed to gether to pr ov ide inf ormat ion to p eople everywhere. The two most popular services on the Internet are e-mail and the World Wide Web. You can access this network by connecting your computer to a telephone, DSL (Digital Subscriber Line), or cable television line and signing up with an Internet service provider( ISP) .

Internet Servers

store information so other computers can access it from the Internet.

You r c o m p u t er

connects to the Internet through an ISP.

If you want to access the Internet you need:

ISP Servers

let you connect to t he Internet and access your e-mail messages.

• A modem—a device that connects your computer to other computers or servers using a

telephone, D SL, or cable tele v ision line. Your computer may hav e a built -in dial-up telephone modem. Cable and DSL modems connect to your computer through an Ethernet jack and provide a faster connection speed than a standard telephone modem.

• An Internet service provider—a company that provides access to the Internet through an

ISPserver . W hen y ou co nnec t to an ISP, the ISPserver lets you a cces s th e Int erne t and y our e-mail messages. Check your telephone book for a list of Internet service providers available locally.

• A Web browser—a program that displays information from the World Wide Web. Microsoft

Internet Explorer was included with your computer. For more information, see “Using the

World Wide We b” on pag e 19.

• An e-mail program—a program that lets you create, send, and receive e-mail messages over

the Internet. Microsoft Outlook or Outlook Express was included with your computer. For more informat ion, see “Using e-mail” on page 20.

Set ting up an Interne t account

Before y ou can view t he information on the W orld Wide W eb, you need to s et up an Internet a ccount with an Internet service provider(ISP) . To set up an ISP service or to transfer an existing account to this computer, contact the ISP directly.

Dial-up Internet connections are those using a telephone system to connect to the Internet. This may include ordinary analog telephone lines, ISDN connections, and in some cases ADSL over PPP, or other technologies. Because dial-up connections are designed to be temporary connections to the Internet, dial-up charges (with both your telephone company and Internet service provider) often increase the longer you connect to the Internet. To mi nimize the cost for dial-up Internet service, we suggest that you only connect to the Internet during your e-mail and Web browsing session, then disconnect when you are finished. Your Internet service provider can provide instructions on how to connect to and disconnect from the Internet.

Cable and DSL modems, a connection known as broadband, use your cable television or sp ecial telephone lines to connect to your ISP and access the Internet. In many instances, broadband is considered an always-connected service. With this type of service, your cost is the same regardless of the amount of time you use your Internet connection.

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Acces sing your In ter net account

Help

For general information about using Internet accounts, click Start, then click Help

and Support. Type ISP in the Search Hel p box, then press E

The method you use to access your Internet account varies from ISP to ISP. Contact your ISP for the correct procedure.

Using t he WorldWideWeb

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

Information on the Web comes to you on Web p ages , which are electronic documents that you view using a Web page display program called a browser. You can use any of the commercially available Web browsers, like Microsoft Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator.

Web pages can contain tex t, animations, mus ic, and other multimedia featur es. A group of related Web pages is called a Web site. You can acce s s We b site s t o shop, tr ack in v es tments, read th e new s, download programs, and much more.

You can explore a Web site or visit other Web sites by clicking areas on a Web page c alled links or hyperlinks. A link may be colored or underlined text, a picture, or an animated image. You can identify a link by moving the mouse pointer over it. If the pointer changes to a hand, the item is a link.

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

NTER.

Connec ting to a W ebsite

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

To connect to a Web site:

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

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

3 To go to a different Web site, type the address (called a URL for “Uni versal R esour ce Loc ator”)

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

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

Help

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

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

Sometimes Web pages displa y slowl y. The speed that a Web page displays on your s cr een depends on the complexity of the Web page and other Internet conditions. Additionally, the speed of your connection will determine how fast Web pages display.

on the

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Downloading files

download. For more information, see “Protecting your computer from viruses” on page 57.

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

To download files or programs from a Web site:

1 Connect to your Internet account. 2 In the address bar, type the address of the Web site that contains the file or program you

3 Create or locate the folder where you want to store the file on your computer. For more 4 Click the link on the Web page for the file that you want to download.

5 Follow the on-screen instructions for saving the file in the folder that you want. A copy of

6 Open the folder that you created. 7 Install or v ie w the downloaded file by double-clicking it. If applic able, follow t he in stru c tions

CHAPTER 3: Using the Internet and Faxing

Caution

To protect your computer against viruses, make sure that you scan the files you

want to down load , th en p ress ENTER.

- OR Click a l i nk on a Web p ag e to navi ga te to t he Web s ite c on ta in in g th e fi l e th a t yo u wa nt to

download.

information, see “Working with files and folders” on page9 .

the file is downloaded to your computer. The time that it takes to transfer the file to your computer depends on file size and Internet conditions.

provided on the Web site to run or install the program.

Help

For more information about downloading files, click Start, then click Help and

Support. Type downloading files in the Search Help box, then click E

Using e-mail

E-mail (electronic mail) lets you send messages to anyone who has an Internet connection and e-mail address. E-mail is usually a free service of your Internet account.

The Internet never closes, so you can send e-mail messages at any time. Your e-mail messages arrive at most e-mail addresses in minutes.

An e -mail ad dress consists of a user name, the @symbol, and the Internet domain name of the Internet ser vice p rovider ( IS P) o r co mp any that “hos ts” that user. Your e-mail a ddress i s assig ne d when you sign up f or an account w ith an ISP. F or example, a person with an account w it h Hotmail mig ht h ave an e -m ai l ad dress that is s imi lar to th is on e:

Sending e-mail

To send e-mail using Windows Mail:

1 Connect to your Internet service provider. 2 Click (Start), then click E-mail. Your default e-mail program opens. 3 Click Create Mail. 4 Type the e-mail address of the recipient you want to send e -mail to in the To box.

NTER.

jdoe@hotmail.com

User name Internet domain name

5 Type the subject of your e-mail in the Subject box. 6 Type the e-mail message.

e-mail. For more information, see the help for your e-mail program.

7 When finished, click Send. Your e-mail is sent over the Internet to the e-mail address you

specified.

Checkin g your e-mail

Help

For general information about using e-mail, click Start, then click Help and

Support. Ty pe e-mail in the Sea rch Help box, then press E

To check your e-mail using Windows Mail:

1 Connect to your Internet service provider. 2 Click (Start), then click E-Mail. Your default e-mail program opens. 3 Click Send/Receive. 4 Double-click the message you want to read.

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Tip

Most e-mail programs let you attach files, such as photographs, to your

NTER.

Tip

To protect your computer from viruses, check any e -mail attachments using anti-virus software. For more information, see “Protecting your computer from

viruses” on p age 57.

For more information about managing and organizing your e-mail messages, see the online help in your e- mail pro gram.

Using W indow s Fax and Scan

Windows Fax and Scan comes pre-installed with Windows Vista Business, Enterprise, or Ultimate Editions. Windows automati cally det ec ts the optional built - in fax modem during the se tup proce ss. You can connect your computer to one local fax modem, although you can connect to multiple fax servers or devices on a network. If you are not sure whether your computer has a built-in fax modem, check the hardware information that came with your computer. If you have an external fax modem, follow the manufacturer's instructions for attaching it to your computer. Make sure that the modem is turned on before proceeding.

Y our fax cov er page, on which you can include all requir ed informati on, is set up when you prepar e to send the firs t fax from th is c omp uter.

Y ou cannot send or receiv e a fa x using a cable or DSL modem by f ollow ing these inst ructions. Man y Internet services exis t that let you send or receive faxes using a broadband connection.

Your dial-up modem c able must be installed before you can send and receive faxes. You cannot use your standard te lephone modem to connect to the Internet while sending and receiving faxes.

Sending a f ax

Windows Fax and Scan lets you send and receive faxes using your dial-up modem.

To s e n d a f a x:

1 Click (Start), All Programs, then click Windows Fax and Scan. Windows Fax and Scan

opens.

2 If Windows Fax and Scan is in Scan view, click Fax in the lower left corner of the window.

CHAPTER 3: Using the Internet and Faxing

3 If you have never sent a fax on this computer before, click New Fax on the toolbar. The Fax

Setup window opens.

4 Click the type of connection you will be using (fax modem or fax server) . The Choose a

modem name screen opens.

5 T ype the name of the f ax modem in the dialog box, t hen clic k Next. T he Choose how to receive

faxes screen opens.

6 Click how you want to receive faxes, then click Unblock when the The Security Alert window

opens. The New Fax wind ow op ens .

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7 Create your f ax, then open the Cov er Page menu by clicking the arrow and selecting a co ver

page from the list . The Sender Info rmatio n dialog box opens.

8 Type your information in the spaces provided, then click OK. The New Fax dialog box opens. 9 To enter optional dialing rule information, click Dialing Rule and select a rule f rom the menu.

If you have not set up a dialing rule, select New Rule from the menu. The Location Information d ialog box opens.

10 Type your location informat ion, then click OK. The Dialing Rules dialog box opens.

CHAPTER 3: Using the Internet and Faxing

11 Highlight your location, then click Edit. The Edit Lo cati on dialog box opens.

12 Complete the location inf ormatio n, then clic k OK. Y ou are returned to the Dialing Rules dialog

box.

13 Click OK. The New Fax dialog box opens. 14 Enter, scan, or attach the fax information you want to send, then click Send.

Setting up your cover page template

Y ou can create your o wn cov er page template that y ou can use in place of the cover page templates that Windows Fax and Scan provides for you. To create a cover page template, you use the Fax Cover Page Editor. On this templat e, you insert information fields that automatically import value s you enter in both the Send Fax Wizard and the Fax Configuration Wizard when you send your fax.

To set up your fax cover page template:

1 Click (Start), All Programs, then click Windows Fax and Scan. Windows Fax and Scan

opens.

2 If Windows Fax and Scan is in Scan view, click Fax in the lower left corner of the window.

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3 Click Tools, Cover Pages, then click New. The Fax Cover Page Ed itor open s.

• If you want to include fields that are imported from the Send Fax Wizard or the Fax

Configuration Wizard (such as To or From ), add them to the page by using the Insert menu, then move them t o the appropriate place on your template. You can also use the Insert menu to include information that is automatically calculated (such as numb er of pages or date and time sent).

• If you want t o include t ex t that al wa y s appears on your c ov er page (such a s a let te rhead

or address), draw a box using the text box tool, type your text inside of it, then move the box to the appropriate place on your template.

• If you want to include a logo that appears on your cover page, copy it to the Windows

clipboard, then paste it into the Cover Page Editor and move it to the appropriate place on yo ur te mp late.

4 To save you r co ver p a g e te mp l a te, cl ic k File, then click Save. The Sa ve As dialog box opens

with your personal cover pages folder already in the Save in list.

5 Type the new cover page template name, then click Save.

Faxing a s canned docu ment or fr om progr ams

To fax a scanned document or to fax directly from programs:

1 Scan the document using the program for your scanner, or open your document in the

program it was created in.

2 Click File, then click Print. The Print dialog box opens. 3 Click the arr ow b utto n to op en the Name list, then click the Fax printer. 4 Click Print. The Send Fax Wizard opens. 5 Complete the wizard by following the instructions in “Sending a fax” on page 21, or “Faxing

a scanned document or from programs” on page25.

Canceling a f ax

You can cancel a fax that you have set up to send at a time in the future.

To cancel a fax that has not been sent:

1 Click (Start), All Programs, then click Windows Fax and Scan. Windows Fax and Scan

opens.

2 If Windows Fax and Scan is in Scan view, click Fax in the lower left corner of the window. 3 Click Outbox, then rig ht-cl ick the fax you wa nt to can cel . 4 Click Delete to cancel the fax.

CHAPTER 3: Using the Internet and Faxing

5 Click Yes.

Rece iv ing and v ie wing a f ax

To r e c e iv e a n d vi e w a f a x:

1 Click (Start), All Programs, then click Windows Fax and Scan. Windows Fax and Scan

opens.

2 If Windows Fax and Scan is in Scan view, click Fax in the lower left corner of the window. 3 To view a fax, click Inbox, then double-click the fax you want t o vie w . T he f ax vie w er opens,

where you can view and print the fax.

CHAPTER 4

Playing and Creating

Media Files

• Play ing music and mo vie s

• Creating audio file s and music librar ies

• Creating music CDs and v ideo DVDs

• Creating and copy ing data discs

• Using Wi ndows Media Cent er

CHAPTER 4: Playin g and Cr eating Media Files

Pla ying mu sic and movie s

Pla ying aud io and video f iles

WindowsMedia Player can play several types of audio and video files, including WAV, MIDI, MP3, AU, AVI, and MPEG formats. For more information about using Windows Media Player, click Help.

To play a file using WindowsMedia Player:

Shortcut

Start➧Computer ➧ f ind the fi le ➧ double-click the file

1 Click (Start), All Programs, then click Windows Media Player. Windows Media Player

opens.

2 Click Library, then double-click the media file you want to play.

Media libraryPlayback controls

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3 Click one of the following to control playback:

• Shuffle randomizes the playback order of the files in the playlist.

• Repeat starts playing the list over again after it reaches the end.

• Stop stops playback and rewinds the current file to the beginning.

• Rewind quickly rewinds the current file (when you click and hold it) or skips to the

• Pause/Play alternately pauses an d resumes playback.

• Fast forward quickly fast forwards the current file (when you click and hold it) or skips

• Volume adjusts the volume.

Pla ying optical dis cs

Optical discs are flat dis c s that u s e a la se r t o read and wr ite data. CDs, DVDs, HD-DVDs, and Blu-ra y Discs are all optical discs.

Important

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

CDs on your computer.

Help

For more information about playing optical discs, click Start, then click Help and

Support. Type playing discs in the Search Help box, then press E

Repeat

Shuffle Stop

previous file in the playlist (when you click it).

to the next file in the playlist (when you click it) .

Rewind

Fast forward Volume

Pause/Play

NTER.

Mute

Use Windows MediaPlayer to listen to CDs or watch movies on DVDs, HD-DVDs, or Blu-ray Discs. For more information about using Windows Media Player, click Help.

To p l ay a n o p t i c al d i s c:

Shortcut

Insert disc➧Windows Media Player automati cally plays

1 Make sure that the speakers are turned on or headphon es are plugged in and that the

volume is turned up.

2 Insert an optical disc into the optical disc drive.

CHAPTER 4: Playin g and Cr eating Media Files

3 If a dialog box opens and asks you what you want the computer to do with the disc, click

Play. WindowsMedia Player opens and begins playing the disc.

If Windows Media Player does not open automatically, click (Start), All Programs, the n click Windows Media Player. WindowsMedia Player opens.

Playback controls

4 If the disc is not already playing, click (play).

Playlist

Video screen

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5 Click one of the following to control playback:

Repeat

Shuffle Stop

Rewind

Fast forward Volume

Pause/Play

Mute

• Shuffle randomizes the playback order of the files on the disc.

• Repeat starts playing the list over again after it reaches the end.

• Stop stops playback and rewinds the current file to the beginning.

• Rewind quickly rewinds the current file (when you click and hold it) or skips to the

previous file on the disc (when you click it).

• Pause/Play alternately pauses an d resumes playback.

• Fast forward quickly fast forwards the current file (when you click and hold it) or skips

to the next file on the disc (when you click it).

• Volume adjusts the volume.

Creating a udio files and mu sic libraries

Creating music f iles

Help

For more information about making or playing an audio recording, click Start, then click Help and Support. Type recording audio or ripping in the Search Help box, then press E

NTER.

You can create several types of audio files for your listening enjoyment, including WAV, MP3, and WMA files.

Recording audio files

Sound recorder is a simple Windows program that lets you record and play audio files. For information about playing audio files, see “Playing audio and video files” on page 28.

To record an audio file:

Shortcut

Start➧ All Programs➧ Accessories➧ Sound Recorder

1 Plug a microphone into one of the microphone jacks on your computer. For the location of

the microphone jacks, see your computer’s Referen ce Gu i de.

2 Click (Start), All Programs, Accessories, then click Sound Recorder. The

SoundRecorder opens.

3 Click Start Recording, then speak or make other sounds into the microphone.

CHAPTER 4: Playin g and Cr eating Media Files

4 When you finish recording, click Stop Recording. The Save As dialog box opens.

5 Type a name for the recording, specify the file type and location where you want to save

the recordin g, then click Save. The recording is saved.

Creating WMA and MP3 music files

Important

Some music CDs have copy protection software. You cannot copy tracks from

copy-protected CDs.

Using Windows Media Player, you can c opy the tracks from a music CD to your computer’s hard drive as WMA or MP3 files. WMA and MP3 are met hods for di gitally comp res sing high-fi delity music into compact files without noticeably sacrificing quality. WMA files end in the file extension WMA, and MP3 files end in the file extension MP3.

To create WMA or MP3 files:

1 Click (Start), All Programs, then click Windows Media Player. WindowsMedia Player

opens.

2 Right-click the Rip tab, then click Format, th en clic k W indows Media Audio or mp3 to select

the format you want for your music files.

3 Insert a music CD into your optical disc drive. 4 Click the Rip tab . The Rip screen opens. 5 Click to clear the check box for any track you do not want to record, then click Start Rip.

Windows Media Player records the tracks to your hard drive. A progress bar appears n ext to each track as it is recorded.

Tip

For more information about ripping music from CDs, click the Rip tab, then

click Help with Ripping.

Building a music libr ary

Use Windows Media Player to build a music library. You can organize your music tracks (individual MP3 or WMA audio files) by categories, find a track quickly by sorting, and add information to a music file.

You can add music tracks to your music library by:

• Creating MP3 or WMA files—When you create MP3 or WMA files from the tracks on your

music CD, WindowsMedia Player automatically adds these files to your music library.

• Dragging and Dropping—Drag and drop files from Wi ndow s Explorer or your des kt op to t he

music library.

Caution

During the download pr oces s, WMA and MP3 fil es may becom e corrupt. If y ou

are having trouble playing a downloaded file, try downloading the file again.

• Downloading files fr om the Internet—W hen you are connect ed to the Inter net, WMA and MP3

files that you download are automatically added to your music library.

Editing track in for mation

After you add a WMA or MP3 file to your music library, you can edit the track’s tags (informationalfields).

To edit track information:

1 Click (Start), All Programs, then click Windows Media Player. Windows Medi a Player

opens.

2 Click the Library tab. 3 Right-click the track or album you want to edit, then click Advanced Tag E ditor. The

Advanced Tag Editor dialog box opens.

www.gateway.com

4 Enter track informati on such as Title, Artist, Album, and Genre, then click OK. The new

track information appears in the Windows Media Player library.

CHAPTER 4: Playin g and Cr eating Media Files

Creating mu sic CDs and video D VDs

Creating a music CD

Important

We recommen d th at y ou do not u se y our com put er for other tasks while c r eat ing CDs

or DVDs. If you record copyrighted material on a CD or DVD, you nee d permission from the copyright

owner . Oth erwise, you m ay be v iolatin g copyrig ht law and be subjec t t o payment of damage s and other remedies. If you are uncertain about your rights, contact your legal advisor

To create a music CD using Windows Media Player:

1 Click (Start), All Programs, then click Windows Media Player. Windows Media Player

opens.

2 Insert a blank, writable CD into your recordable disc drive. 3 Click the Burn tab, then click and drag songs that you want to burn to CD from the Library

to the Burn List .

Library Burn List

4 Click Start Burn. The music is recorded onto the blank CD.

Creating a v ideo DVD

If your computer has Windows Vista Home Premium or Windows Vista Ultimate Edition, you can create video DVDs using Windows DVD Maker.

To create a video DVD using Windows DVD Maker:

creating CDs or DVDs. If you record copyrighted material on a CD or DVD, you need permission from the

copyright owner. Otherwise, you may be violating copyright law and be subject to payment of damages and other remedies. If you are uncertain about your rights, contact your legal advisor.

1 Insert a blank, writeable DVD into your recordable optical disc drive. 2 Click (Start), All Programs, then click Windows DVD Maker. The WindowsDVDMaker

introduction window opens.

www.gateway.com

Important

We recommend that you do not use your computer for other tasks while

3 Click Choose Photos and Videos. The main screen opens.

CHAPTER 4: Playin g and Cr eating Media Files

4 Click Add items. The Add Items to DVD dialog box opens.

5 Find and select the videos you want to add to the video DVD, then click Add. The videos are

added to the video list, and a graphic in the lower left corner of t he window show s y ou how much disc capacity will be used.

6 Click Next. The Ready to burn disc dialog box opens.

www.gateway.com

7 Click any of the following options to customize your video disc:

• Preview shows how your DVD’s opening menu will look using the current settings.

• Menu text changes the disc title, font, and button names.

• Customize menu changes the menu fon ts, background and foreground videos, audio

track, and button styles.

• Slide show creates a slide show from photo files.

8 Click Burn. Your DVD is record ed.

Creating and cop ying data dis cs

You can burn two types of data discs:

• Live File System writes files immediately to the recordable di sc, making it a o ne-step

process like copying files to a flash drive. The resulting disc is compatible with WindowsXP and later versions of Windows.

• Mastered copi es f il es to a tem p ora r y fo lde r be fore you tel l the c om pu ter to bu rn th e fi l es

to the disc. Although this is a slower process than Live File System, the resulting disc is compatible with all operating systems.

The following instructions show you how to burn a disc using the Mastered format, which can be read by all personal computers, regardless of the operating system installed.

Help

For information about burning a disc using the Live File System format, click Start, then click Help and Support. Type live file system in the Search Help box, then pressE

NTER.

Creating a data disc

To c r e a te a d a t a d is c :

1 Insert a blank, writable optical disc into your optical disc drive. The Autoplay dialog box

opens.

2 Click Burn files to disc. The Prepare this blank disc dialog box opens. 3 Type the titl e of the disc, th en click Show formatti ng options . 4 Click Mastered, then click Next. An empty folder opens. 5 Open the f old er that contains the files y o u want to burn to disc , then click and drag the files

to the empty disc folder.

6 Click Burn to disc. The files are burne d to the disc.

CHAPTER 4: Playin g and Cr eating Media Files

Using W indow s Media Cent er

If your computer has Windows Vista Home Premium or Windows Vista Ultimate Edition, you can use Window s Media Center to w atch TV , v ideos, and movi es, listen to musi c, and view photo s. Media Center is a simplified, streamlined interface that is ideally suited for playing and managing media files.

Because the remote control is an optional accessory, most instructions in this section assume you are using a mouse to navigate the Media Center menus.

Starting Windo ws Media C enter

To start Windows Media Center:

1 Click (Start), All Programs, then click Windows Media Center.

- OR Press the Start butto n on th e re mo te c ont rol . The first time you start Windows Media Center, the Welcome screen opens.

2 For the easiest setup, click Express setup, then click OK. The Windows Media C enter’s main

screen opens.

www.gateway.com

3 Use the remote control navigation buttons to select a Media Center menu option, then

pressOK.

• TV + Movies le ts you play TV progr ams you hav e recorded, pla y a DVD or Blu-ra y movie ,

or set up your TV tuner card (if installed).

• Online Media lets you play online games.

• Tasks lets you set up y our display and media types, shut down or re start your computer,

burn an optical disc (CD or DVD), and synchronize with another digital media devi ce (such as an MP3 player).

• Pictures + Videos lets you view individual pictu res, pictures in a slideshow, or select

movies from your video library.

• Music lets you selec t s ongs f r om y our mu sic libr ary, set up and use your FM r adio tuner

card (if installed), and play music playlists.

4 To exit Windows Media Center, click the × in the uppe r-right corne r of the screen.

CHAPTER 4: Playin g and Cr eating Media Files

Using the Me dia Cent er remot e control

With Media Center mode active, you can use the optional remote control to play all of your media files fr om ac ro s s t he r oom. (T he re mot e control, if inc luded wit h y our comput er, may look diff er ent from th at s hown belo w.)

Sho rtcu t bu tto ns

Audio/Video (A/V) control buttons

Numeric keypad/data entry buttons

Sta rt b utto n

Power b u tton

Transport buttons

Navigation buttons

Button(s) Functions

Shortcut buttons Give you direct access to Media Center features. Start button Opens the Media Center’s main menu. Audio/Video (A/V) control

buttons Numeric keypad/data entry

buttons Power bu tto n Puts the Media Center computer in Sleep mode (reduced power). Transport buttons Let you control the playback of media files and optical discs. Navigation buttons Let you move the cursor around the Guide and menus, make selections,

Lets you c ontr ol vo lume le ve ls, vo lume mut e , chann el selec tion s, and the movie menu.

Lets you en te r nu m be rs an d ch ar acte rs fro m t he rem ote co nt ro l.

navigate back to the previous screen, change the screen display aspect ratio, and get more information. Press the OK button to make a selection.

CHAPTER 5

Networking Your Computer

• Introduction t o Netw orking

• Ethernet ne tworking

• Bluetoot h networ king

CHAPTER 5: Netw orking Your Computer

Introduc tion to Ne tworking

Networking t erms y ou should know

DHCP—Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) lets a router temporarily assign an IP address to a computer on the network.

IP address—Internet Protocol (IP) address is a number that uniquely identifies a computer on the network.

LAN—A local area network (LAN) is a computer network covering a local area, like a home or office. Wired and wireless Ethernet are common methods of creating a LAN.

PAN—A personal area network (PAN) is a computer network used for communication among computer devices (including cellular telephones, personal digital assistants, and printers) close to one person. A wireless personal area netw ork (WPAN) is made pos sible with Bluet ooth. Th e primary purpose of a WPAN is to replace USB or Firewire c ables.

Subnet mask—Subnet mask is a number that identifies what subnetwork the computer is located on. This number will be the same on all computers on a home network.

WAN—A wide area network (WAN) is a computer network that covers a broad geographical area. The largest and most well-known example of a WAN is the Internet.

Ether net netw orking

Wir ed Ether net netw orking

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

Ethernet, F ast Ethernet, or Gigabit Ethernet

Important

Check local code requirements before installing Ethernet cable or other wiring in your home or office. Your

municipality may require you to obtain a permit and hire a licensed installer.

Ethernet is available at three different sp eeds. Standard Ethernet runs at 10 Mbps, Fast Ethernet runs at 100Mbps, and Gigabit Ethernet runs at 1000 M bps. Most home networks are built using Standard or Fast Ethernet components. Business networks are typically built using Fast or Gigabit Ethernet comp onents.

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

Using a router

The most common way t o set up a w ired Ethernet netw ork is Dyna mic Host Control Pr otocol (DHCP) using a router. A DHCP network configuration uses a router to automatically assign IP addresses to each computer or network device. For information on setting up a router, see the router’s documentation.

Example router-bas ed Ethernet network

The following is an example of a wired Ethernet network. The network is made up of a router, a cable or DSL modem, y our comput ers, and cables connecting eac h of thes e components. The r outer is the central control point for the network.

Tip

To add the ability to access a wireless Ethernet network to your wired Ethernet network, connect an access point

to the router or use a router that has a built-in access point.

www.gateway.com

Attached to the router are all of your computers or Ethernet-ready devices. Also connected to the router is a cable or DSL modem that provides access to the Internet.

Cable/DSL modem

Router

Equipment you need for a rout er-based Ethernet network

Important

For best results, all Ethernet components shou ld be either stan dard Ethernet (10 Mbps), Fast Ethernet (100 Mbps or 10/100), or Gigabit Ethernet (1000 Mbps or 10/100/1000). A mixture of components rated at different speeds will result in your network running at the speed of the slowest rated component.

For a wired Ethernet network you need:

• Two or more computers with Ethernet jacks

• One router

• One broadband Internet connection (optional)

• Ethernet cables connecting all of the network equipment

When buying your router, be sure the model includes everything your network needs, including:

• Internet security features, such as a firewall, to protect your network from unwanted

intruders

• 4-port switch to eliminate the need for additional network hardware

• DHCP server/dynamic IP address assignment to automatically configure network and IP

addresses

Determining if an E thernet card is already in stalled on your computer

To determine if an Ethernet card is already installed on your computer:

1 Click (Start), then click Control Panel. The Co ntro l Pane l wind ow opens . 2 Click System and Maintenance, then click System. 3 Click Device Manager from the task list on the left. The Device Manager wi nd ow op ens . 4 Click the plus (+) in front of Network adapters. The Ethernet device installed in your

computer is listed. If one is not listed, you must install one.

CHAPTER 5: Netw orking Your Computer

Setting up wired Ethern et network hardw are

Making sure your broadband connection works

Important

If you do not have a broadband connection already installed, make the necessary arrangements with your ISP. Be

sure to find out how soon after the installation the line will be activated. Broadband Internet settings differ from ISP to ISP. Before you begin setting up your network, you should contact your ISP

for any specific instructions they have for setting up a network.

Before you change anything about your home setup, make sure that your broadband connection is wo rkin g co rre c t ly. To tes t the connection, log on to the Interne t u s ing yo ur cu r re nt set up. If the connection is not working, contact your Internet ser vice provider.

Installing Ethernet cards and drivers

After you ha v e det ermined the ty pe of Ethernet y ou are u sing for your netw ork, y ou need to install Ethernet cards and drivers on the computers that do not have Ethernet already installed.

Use the documentation that comes with your Ethernet cards for instructions on installing the card and any required drivers.

Plug your Ethernet cable into your computer’s jack and the router or the cable or DSL mode m at this point, if you have not already done so.

Connecting network cables

We recommend using category 5 (Cat 5), unshielded, twisted-pair cable (about 1/4-inch diameter with a thin outer-jacket, containin g ei ght color-coded wires), and equipment compatible with this type of cable. This type of cable is equipped with RJ-45 connectors (like a large telephone jack connector, but with eight pins) on each end.

Cat 5 cables are available in two different types; straight-through cables, used to connect computers to a router, and crossover cables, used to connect two computers.

T o det er mine whic h type of cable y ou ha v e, hold both ends of the cable with the connectors f ac ing away from you and with the spring clip on the bottom. For straight-through cable, the wires on both co nn ector s a re a tta che d to cop pe r p in s i n th e sa me ord er (sa me co lor s, le ft to rig ht ) . Fo r a crossover cable, the wires on each connector are attached to the copper pins in a different order (different colors, left to right) .

Setting up a network using a router

If you are setting up a network for more than two computers and you will be connecting your network to a high-speed Broadband Internet connection (cable or DSL modem), we recommend the use of a router. A router lets you access the Internet connection from any network computer. The router can assign IP addresses to the computers on the network and can provide firewall protection for your network as well.

www.gateway.com

In addition to a router, you need a straight-through cable for each computer you want to connect to the net wor k.

Cable/DSL modem

Router

WAN por t

To set up a network using a router:

1 Plug one end of the power adapter into the AC connector on the router and the other end

into a grounded, 110V electrical outlet.

2 Tu r n o n y our comput e rs. 3 Plug one end of a straight-through network cable into any numbered port on the router

(except the W AN port). The WAN port is used t o connect the r outer t o the DS L or cable modem and is identified by a label or a switch. Plug the other end of the cable into the network jack on the computer. As each computer is connected to the r out er, the corresponding green indicator should light on the front of the router, indicating a good connection.

4 Repeat Step3 for each computer on the network. 5 For an Internet connection, plug a straight-through cable into the WAN port on the router

and the other end into the Ethernet jack on the DSL or cable modem.

Wir eless Et hernet ne tworking

Wireless Ethernet networking is the latest advance in computer communication. With a wireless home network, you can set up your computer wherever you like.

A wireless Ethernet network uses radio waves to communicate. Typically, a wireless Ethernet network is made up of an access point, a cable or DSL modem (for Internet access), and your wirel ess c om pu ters .

Wirele ss Ethern et standard s

Current wireless Ethernet standards include the following:

• 802.11a — 54M bps

• 802.11b — 11Mbps

• 802.11g — 54M bps

• 802.11n — 54 0Mbps

CHAPTER 5: Netw orking Your Computer

Speed is not the only issue if you decide to use equipment with different standards. Compatibility can also be an issue . Take the f ol low ing int o cons ideration when y ou pur cha s e wir eles s equipme nt:

Access point Wireless cards supported

802.11a 802.11a only

802.11b 802.11b only

802.11g 802.11b and 802.11g

802.11n 802.11b, 802.11g, and 802.11n

Using an access point

An access point is a small el ectronic dev ice that serv es as the ce ntral contro l point for y our netw ork. You conn ect your modem to the access point, set up a network con nection, then browse the Internet, send e-mail, share files and folders with other networked computers, and access other devices, like a printer or scanner.

Cable or DSL modem

Access point

Equipment you need f or an access point -based netw ork

Tip

When you buy your access point, make sure it has:

• IEEE 802.11n support. 802.11n is the fastest method for wireless communications. 802.11n is compatible with the older IEEE 802.11g and IEEE802.11b formats but not with the competing IEEE 802.11a format. Make sure that you get the correct format that matches your computer.

• DHCP server/dynamic IP address assignment capability that makes it easier to set up and access your network.

• Internet security features like a firewall to keep intruders out of your network.

• Wireless security features like SecureEasySetup ™ or 128-bit WEP encryption.

For a wireless Ethernet network you need:

• Your Gateway computer with wireless networking installed

• A broadband Internet connection (optional)

• An access point

Determining if a wireless Ethernet device is already installed in your computer

To determine if a wireless Ethernet device is already installed:

1 Click (Start), then click Control Panel. The Co ntro l Pane l wi nd ow o pen s. 2 Click System and Maintenance, then click System. 3 Click Device Manager from the task list on the left. The Device Manager wi nd ow op ens . 4 Click the plus (+) in front of Network adapters. The wireless Ethernet device installed on

your computer is listed. If one is not listed, you must install one.

www.gateway.com

Setting up wireless Ethernet netw ork hardware

Making sure your broadband connection works

Important

If you do not have a broadband connection already installed, make the necessary arrangements with your ISP. Be

sure to find out how soon after the installation the line will be activated. Broadband Internet settings differ from ISP to ISP. Before you begin setting up your network, you should contact your ISP

for any specific instructions they have for setting up a network.

Before you change anything about your home setup, make sure that your broadband connection is working correctly. To test the connection, log onto the Internet using your current setup. If the connection is not working, contact your Internet service provider.

Installing wireless cards and drivers

After you have determined the type of wireless equipment you are using for your network, you need to install wireles s cards and driv ers on the computers that do not hav e them alread y installed.

Use the documentation t hat come s w ith your wireless cards f or i nstruc tions on install ing the car ds and any required drivers.

Setting up your access point

A wireless Etherne t network sends and recei v es inf ormation thr ough radio wa v es. T his means that another computer outside your network can intercept the radio waves and take control of your network.

If you do not set up sec urity f or y our netw ork, a hacker can gain access to your Interne t connection to send spam e-mail and to your hard drive to download viruses or view your personal data, like credit card numbers, Social Security numbers, and personal online banking information.

Check your access point documentation for information about installing the access point and setting network securit y.

Establishing y our Etherne t netw ork connec tion

Naming the computers and the workgroup

Important

You must give each computer on the network a unique Computer Name and the same Workgroup Name.

Make sure that you have set up your router (wired network) or access point (wireless network) . If you are setting up a wired network, make sure that you have connected the network ca bling.

To identify this computer on the network:

1 Click (Start), then click Control Panel. The Co ntro l Pane l wind ow opens . 2 Click System and Maintenance. The System and Maintenance window opens. 3 Click System, then click Change Settings in the Computer Name, Domain and

Workg ro up se tti ng s area. The System Prop erties dialog box opens.

4 Click Change. 5 If your computer does not already have a name, type a unique computer name in the

Computer name box. This name identifies the computer to other users on the network. Use a computer name of up to 15 characters with no blank spaces. Each computer name must be unique on your network. All-numeric computer names ar e not allowed. Names mu st contain some letter s.

6 Type a name for your workgroup in the Workgroup box. Use a workgroup name of up to

15 c harac ters w ith no blank spaces. The work group name mu st be the s ame for al l computers in your network workgroup, and the name must be different than any computer name on you r ne two rk .

7 Click OK. When you are prompted to restart your computer, click Resta rt Now.

CHAPTER 5: Netw orking Your Computer

Configuring the T CP/IP prot ocol

A networking protocol is a language computers use to talk to each other. One of several available protocols must be se t up on each computer you plan to use on your network. We recommend you use the Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP), which is widely accepted and compatible for local area networks (LANs), as well as for Internet communications.

When networking is set up in Windows Vista™, TCP/IP is automatically installed as the default protocol.

Using a DHCP server

In order to us e t he TCP/IP protocol on a computer w it h a router or access point rout er, the prot ocol must be set to “Obtain an IP address from a DHCP server.” This is typically preset when you receive your computer.

Configuring your router

After you have named your computers and set up TCP/IP on them, you can configure your router using your Web browser. For instructions, see your router’s documentation.

Connectin g to a wireless Ether net network

Important

Each computer on your network needs a unique Computer Name. All the computers on your network need the same

Workgroup Name. You may have already named your computer and workgroup the first time you turned on your computer.

Connecting to your network

Help

For more inf orma tion about connec ting t o y our net work, c lic k Start, then click Help and Support. Type t he f ollowing

in the Search Help box, then press E

• Connect to an available network

• Manually add a wireless Ethernet network

• Connecting to wireless Ethernet network.

After you have named your computer and workgroup, you need to set up t he network connection on your computer.

To connect to your wireless Ethernet network:

NTER.

1 Click (Start), then click Network. The Network window o pens.

www.gateway.com

2 Click Network and Sharing Center. The Network and Sharing Center wi ndow ope ns.

3 Click Connect to a network on the left of the window. The Conn ect to a net wo rk dialog

box opens.

4 Click a network, then click Connect.

If you can see the network name , but you cannot connect t o it, your network is u sing security . Right-click on the network, then click Properties. Modify the security settings to match the settings you set on your access po int.

Wireless security

For information on wireless security, refer to the documentation that came with your access point.

Help

For more information about wireless network security methods, click Start, then click Help and Support. Type

wireless network secu rity methods in the Searc h Help box, then press E

T esting y our netw ork

Now that your home network is set up, log onto one of your computers and access a favorite Inte rnet Web si te.

If you are unable to connect to the Internet:

• Click Start, Control Panel, Network and Internet, then click Network and Sharing

Center. Select Diagn ose and Repair on the left of the window. Take any actions suggested.

• If you are using a wired Ethernet network, check all physical cable connections.

• Make sure that your router or access point is plugged in and compare the status lights on

the fro nt of the rou ter or ac cess po int wi th th e p atte rns de scrib ed in the rou ter or acc ess point documentation.

• Temporarily turn off any firewall software on your desktop computer.

• Turn off all of the devices, then power them back on.

• Refer to your router’s or access point’s troubleshooting information.

• Contact your Internet service provider.

CHAPTER 5: Netw orking Your Computer

NTER.

Adding a print er to y our ne twork

Instead of plugging a printer into each of your computers, you can add a printer to your network. To add a printer to the network, do one of the following:

• Connect your printer to your networked computer, then share the printer. For information

about sharing printers, see “Sharing drives and printers” on page50.

• Connect your printer to your router or access point if the router or access point includes a

USB or parallel port. For more information, see the instructions that came with your router or access point.

• Use a printer that has built-in networking.

• Use a pri nt serve r.

Sharing re sour ces

With a network, you can share your Internet connection, drives, and printers.

Sharing driv es and printers

With a network, y ou can share drives (for e xample hard dr iv es and D VD dri ve s) and printe rs among the computers connected to the network.

Important

To share a printer among the network computers, each computer must have the shared printer’s drivers installed.

Follow the instructions included with your printer to install the printer drivers on each computer.

Aft er the driv e s and pr inte rs on eac h netw ork co mput er are share d, yo u can acce ss t hem a s thoug h they were attached directly to your computer. Then you can:

• View a network drive

• Open and copy files stored on other network computers

• Print documents on network printers

www.gateway.com

Sharing drives or folders

To share drives or folders:

1 Click (Start), then click Computer. 2 Right-click the drive or folder that you want to share, then click Share. The Properties dialog

box opens. If you share a drive, the entire contents of that drive will be available to everyone on your

network. If you share a folder, only the contents of that folder will be available to everyone on the network.

3 Click the Sharing tab.

Click Share.

- OR If Share is grayed out, click Advanced Sharing to set sh ar in g fo r th is dr ive or fol de r.

4 Click OK, then click Close.

Un-sharing drives and folders

To un-share drives or folders:

1 Click (Start), then click Computer. 2 Right-click the drive or folder that you want to un-share, then click Share. 3 Click Advanced Sharing, then click Share this folder (or drive) to uncheck the box. 4 Click Apply, then click OK.

Sharing printers

To s h a re p r i nt e rs :

1 Click (Start), then click Control Panel. The Co ntro l Pane l wind ow opens . 2 Under Hardware and Sound, click Printer The Printers window opens. 3 Right-click the name and icon of the printer you want to share, then click Sharing on the

menu.

4 On the Sharing tab, click Share this printer, then click OK.

Using the network

After the drives and printers on each network computer are shared, you can:

• View sha red d rives an d folde rs

• Map a network drive

• Open and copy files stored on other network computers

• Print documents on network printers

Viewing shared drives and folders

Help box, then press E

To view shared drives and folders:

1 Click (Start), then click Network. The Network window opens. 2 If no drives or folders are displayed, click the option bar under the menu bar, then click Turn

3 Double-click the name of the computer containing the drive or folder you want to view. All

CHAPTER 5: Netw orking Your Computer

Help

For more inf ormation about work gr oups, clic k Start, then click Help and S uppor t. T ype workgroups in the Search

on network discover and file sharing.

shared drives and folders are listed.

NTER.

Creating a shortcut to a netw ork driv e

After a shortcut is created on a computer for a drive or folder on another computer, the contents of the drive or folder can be accessed as if the drive were attached directly to the computer.

For example, a shortcut is created on computer 2 to the Documents folder on computer 1. To access the Documents folder on computer 1 from computer 2, double-click the shortcut icon.

To map a network drive:

1 Locate the drive or folder by completing the steps in “Viewing shared drives and folders”

on page 52.

2 Right-click the drive or folder, then click Create Shortcut. A shortcut is created for the drive

or folder and the icon for the shortcut is placed on your desktop.

3 Click × to close the window.

Opening files across the network

To open files across the network:

1 Start the p rogram for the file you wan t to open . 2 Click File, then click Open. 3 Browse to the network drive that contains the file you want to open. 4 Double-click the folder containing the file, then double-click the file.

Copying files across the network

To copy files across the network:

1 Click (Start), then click Computer. The Computer window opens. 2 Browse to the network drive that contains the file you want to copy. 3 Browse to the file you want to copy. 4 Right-click the file, then click Copy. 5 Right-click the folder where you want to copy the file to, then click Paste.

Printing files across the network

Important

Before you ca n print a file across the network, you must install the driver for the printer on the computer you are sending the file from. You can obtain the printer driver and installation instructions from the CD that shipped with your prin ter o r fro m the m a nu factu rer ’s We b si te.

To print files across the network:

1 Open the file you want to print, then click Print. 2 Click the arr ow b utto n to op en the pri nte r na me li st , th en c li ck th e n etw or k pr in ter. 3 Click Print.

Bluet ooth netw orking

You can use Bluetooth to communicate with other Bluetooth-enabled devices. These devices may include printers, MP3 play ers, cellular telephones, and other computers. Bluet ooth lets y ou transfer information between th ese devices withou t the use o f a USB or Firewire ca ble. To access a Bluet o oth-enabled device , you must in st al l t he device, t h en co nn e c t t o t he Bl uetooth p ersonal area network.

Important

Your notebook may have a Bluetooth radio built-in. If you are using a desktop computer or if your notebook does not have built-in Bluetooth, you can purchase a Bluetooth adapter to connect to a USB port on your computer.

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To install a Bluetooth enabled device:

1 Turn on your Bluetooth radio and the Bluetooth device. 2 Click (Start), Control Panel, then click Hardware and Sound. 3 Click Bluetooth Devices. 4 Click Add, then follow the on-screen instructions.

To install a Bluetooth printer:

1 Turn on your Bluetooth radio and the Bluetooth printer. 2 Click (Start), Control Panel, then click Hardware and Sound. 3 Click Add a printer. 4 Click Add a network, wireless, o r Blueto oth print er, click Next, then f ollow t he on-screen

instructions.

To connect to a Bluetooth personal area network:

1 Turn on your Bluetooth radio and the Bluetooth device. 2 Click (Start), Control Panel, then click Network and Internet. 3 Click Network and Sharing Center. 4 Click Manage Network Connections. The Network Connections window opens. 5 Under Personal Area Network, click Bluetooth Network Connection. 6 On the toolbar, click View Bluetooth network devices. The Bluetooth Personal Area

Network Devices dialog box opens.

7 Under Bl uetooth devices, click that device you want to connect to, then click Connect.

Help

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

NTER.

CHAPTER 5: Netw orking Your Computer

Protecting y our computer

• Hardware security

• Data security

• Security updat es

CHAPTER 6

CHAPTER 6: Protecting your computer

Hardware security

Although you may be able t o replace your comput er with a call to your insurance agent, you cannot replace the information stored on your computer. Take steps to prevent theft of your computer.

K ensington loc k slot

The first step in computer security is preventing your computer from being stolen. Attach a cable lock to t he K ensingt on lock slot on y our comput er, then wrap the lock ’ s cable around

the leg of a desk or table. You can buy a cable lock at most electronics st ores and man y department stores.

For the location of the Kensington lock slot, see your Reference Gui de.

Data security

The second s tep in co mputer securi ty is keep ing your d ata safe and secure.

Startup and har d driv e pas sw ord

Use a startup and hard drive password to keep other people from using your computer. You have to enter your password when you turn on your computer or access your files.

These passwords are set in your computer’s BIOS setup uti lity. Use a password that you can remember but that would be hard for someone else to guess.

Tip

For instructions on creating a startup and hard drive password, see your computer’s Referenc e G ui d e. Make sure that you use a password you can remember. The password feature is very secure, and you cannot bypass it. If you forget your password, you will have to return your computer to Gateway so we can reset it.

Windo ws us er accounts

Windows lets you set up a user account for each person who uses your computer. When you set up user accounts, Windows sets up a My Documents folder for each account. You can assign a password to each account so only the account owner can access files in the My Documents folder.

When you set up a user account, you can also limit the programs that a user can install or run.

Help

For more information about Windows us er acc ount s, click Start, then click Help and Support. Type user accounts in the Search Help box, then press E

NTER.

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Prot ecting y our comput er f rom v iru ses

A virus is a program that attaches itself to a file on a computer, then spreads from one computer to another. Viruses can damage data or cause your computer to malfunction. Some viruses go undetected for a period of time because they are activated on a certain date.

Protect your computer from a virus by:

• Subscribing to N orton Interne t Security for regula r virus an d spyware p rotection upd ates.

• Using Norton Internet Securit y to check fi les an d progra ms that are atta ched to e -m ail

messa ges or down lo ad ed from the In tern et.

• Checking all programs for viruses before installing them.

• Disabling macros on suspicious Microsoft Word and Excel files. These programs will warn

you if a document that you are opening contains a macro that might have a virus.

• Making sure that the Windows Sec urity C ent er is configured t o pro v ide y ou wit h the highest

level of protection.

Tip

For more information about modifying security settings, see “Modifying security

settings” on page 59.

Help

For more information about protecting your computer against viruses, click Start,

then click Help and Support. Type viruses in the Search Help box, then pressE

NTER.

Using Norton Internet Security

Norton Internet Security helps protect your computer from viruses, spyware, and identity theft. T o learn mor e about the s e f eat ure s, inc luding how t o s chedule s y stem scans and security updates, click Learn More on the right side of the screen. For additional help and technical support, click Help & Support in the upper right corner of the screen. The Help & Support screen opens.

CHAPTER 6: Protecting your computer

Removing viruses and spyware

To scan for and remove viruses and spyware:

1 Click (Start), All Programs, Norton In ternet Securit y, then click Norton Intern et

Security. No rton Internet Se curity open s.

2 On the left si de of the windo w , clic k Scan Now . Norton Internet Security scans your computer

for vir use s and spyw are and remo ve s any that it f inds. When the sca n is finished, a summary of fixed problems appears.

Updating your virus and spyware definitions

You should u pdate your virus definitions frequently so Norton Internet Security can recognize the latest threats.

To update your virus and spyware definitions:

1 Make s ure th at yo u a re c on ne cted to th e In tern et . 2 Click (Start), All Programs, Norton In ternet Securit y, then click Norton Intern et

Security. No rton Internet Se curity open s.

3 On the left side of the window, click Run Liv eUpdate . Y our comput er downloads and installs

the latest virus definitions.

Important

To update Norton Internet Security after the 60-day subscription period ends,

you must extend your subscription.

Using W indows Se curity C ente r

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Windows Security Center helps protect your computer through:

• A firewall

• Automatic Windows updates

• Third party virus protection software

• Security options in Internet Explorer

Modifying security settings

To modify security settings:

1 Click (Start), Control Panel, then Click Security. 2 Click Security Center. The Windows Security Center dialog box opens.

3 Click:

• Windows Update to run Windows Update or modify the Windows Update settings.

• Windows Fir ewall to prevent outsiders from accessing the information on your

computer.

• Windows Defen der to scan your computer for malicious or unwanted software that

may have been placed on your computer either from an Internet Web site or from other programs that you have installed.

• Internet Options to prevent certain programs from running on your com puter that

might be found on Web sites.

Help

For more information about Windows Security Center, click Start, then

click Help and Support. Type secu rity cente r in the Search Help box, then pr ess

NTER.

For more informat ion a bo ut the Wind ows Securit y Center, click Get help about Security Center.

Secur ity updates

To keep your computer secure, you need to keep Windows and your computer’s system software up to date.

CHAPTER 6: Protecting your computer

Windo ws Updat e

If a hacker finds a way to bypass the security features built into Windows, Microsoft creates a high-priority Windows update to fix the problem. You should update Windows regularly to keep your computer secure.

To u p d at e Wi n d ow s :

1 Click (Start), Control Panel, then click Security. 2 Click Security Center. The Windows Security Center dialog box opens. 3 Click Windows Update. Windows checks the Microsoft web site to see if any updates are

available.

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4 Click:

• Install Updates to download and install updates on your computer. These updates

include security updates.

• Install Extras to download additional Windows software for your computer.

Help

For more information about Windows Update, click Start, then

click Help and Support. Type Windows update in the Search box, then press

NTER.

Scheduling automatic updates

Use the Windows Security Center to schedule automatic updates. Windows can routinely check for the latest updates for your computer and install them automatically.

To schedule automatic updates:

1 Click (Start), Control Panel, then click Security. 2 Click Security Center. The Windows Security Center dialog box opens. 3 Click Windows Update. 4 Click Change Settings. The Change Setti ngs dialog box opens.

BigFix

5 Make your changes to the schedule settings, then click OK.

Your computer may include BigFix. BigFix monitors your computer for problems and conflicts. It automatically gathers information about the latest bugs, security alerts, and updates from BigFix sites on the Internet. Whenever BigFix detects a problem, it alerts you by flashing the blue taskbar icon. To fix the problem, click on that icon to open BigFix.

CHAPTER 6: Protecting your computer

CHAPTER 7

Cust omizing Windo ws

• Changing screen settings

• Changing sy stem s ounds

• Changing mouse settings

• Adding and modifying us er accounts

• Changing pow er -sa ving se ttings

• Changing accessibility se ttings

• Setting up parental cont rols

CHAPTER 7: Customizing Windows

Changing s cr een set tings

Adjusting the color depth and screen area ar e two of t he most basic display set ting s you ma y need to change. You can also adjust settings such as the screen background and screen saver.

Changing color dept h and sc reen re solution

Color depth and screen resolution are two of the most basic monitor settings you may nee d to change to suit your needs.

Color depth is the number of colors your computer uses to display images on your monitor. Most images look best displayed with the maximum number of colors available. If the color in your images seems “false” or “jump y,” espec iall y af t er y ou have played a game or run a video-intensiv e program, check the color depth setting and return it to the highest color setting, if necessary.

Screen resol uti on is the number of pixels (individual colored dots) your computer uses to display images on your monitor. The higher the resolution, the more information and screen components (such as icons and menu bars) can be displayed on the monitor.

Help

For more information about adjusting the screen, click Start, then click Help and Support. Type adjusting monitor sett ings in the Searc h Help box, the n press E

To change the color depth or screen resolution:

1 Click (Start), Control Panel, then under Appearance and P ersonalizati on, c lic k Adjust

Screen Resolution. The Display Settings dialog box opens.

NTER.

2 To change the color depth, click the Colors list, then click the color depth you want.

• Low (8-bit) = 256 colors

• Medium (16-bit) = 65,500 colors

• Highest (32-bit) = 16,700,000 colors 3 To change the screen resolution, drag the Resolution slider to the size you prefer. 4 Click Apply. If the new settings do not look right, click No. If the new settings make the screen

illegible and you cannot click No, the sett in gs retu rn to t hei r p revio us valu es afte r seve ra l seconds.

5 Click OK, then click Yes to save yo ur cha ng es.

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Changing the ap pearance of wind ows and bac k grounds

You can change the appearance of Windows desktop items, such as the colors of windows and dialog boxes and the color and design of the desktop background.

To change window colors an d effects:

1 Click (Start), Control Panel, then under Appearance and Personalization, click

Customize colors. The Window Color and Appearance dialog box opens.

2 Click one of the color choices and adju st the Color intensity slider, then click OK. Your new

color settings are ap plied.

3 For even more color adjustment options, such as color schemes, shading effects, and scree n

fon t s , c l i c k (Start), Control Panel, then under Appearance and Personalization, click Change the color scheme. Change the setting you want, then click OK.

To change the Windows desktop background:

1 Click (Start), Control Panel, then under Appearance and P ersonalization, c lick Change

desktop background. The Choose a desktop background dialog box opens.

2 Click t he Picture Location list, then click the location where you w ant to look f or back ground

images. If the loc ation you w ant is not in t he list, c lick Browse and locate the drive and f older .

3 Click the picture or color you want to use for the background, then click OK.

Selecting a sc reen sa ver

Caution

If you are using a monitor (not a flat-panel display) , an image may get burned in on your monitor screen if you leave your computer on for long periods of time without using it. You should use a screen saver which constantly changes its image to avoid this damage. Flat panel displays cannot be damaged with image burn-in.

Y ou can use a sc r een sa ver to keep others from vi ew ing y our s cr een while y ou are a w a y f r om y our computer. Windows supplies a variety of screen savers that you can choose from, and many more are available from the Internet and as commercial products.

To select a screen saver:

1 Click (Start), Control Panel, Appearance and Personalization, then click Change

screen saver. The Screen Saver Settings dialog box opens.

CHAPTER 7: Customizing Windows

2 Click the Screen saver list, then click the screen saver you want to use. An example of the

screen saver plays on the preview screen.

• To change the settings for the screen saver, click Settings, change the settings, then

click OK.

Important

If the Settings button is not available, you cannot customize the screen saver

you se le cted .

• To see a full-screen preview of the screen saver, click Preview.

• To change the length of computer inactivity time that passes before the screen saver

starts, change the number of minutes in the Wait box.

3 Click OK. Your screen saver changes are applied.

Help

For more information about selecting a screen saver, click Start, then click

Help and Support. Type screen savers in the Search Help box, then pr es s E

NTER.

Changing gadgets

Gadgets are constantly running mini-programs that are visible on your Windows desktop. They can be moved, removed, resized, and configured according to your preference. Although you can position them anywhere on your desktop, gadgets are usually visible on the right edge of your screen in the Sidebar.

Gadgets can include:

• Clocks and timers

• News feeds, weather forecasts, and stock tickers

• Slide shows and puzzles

• Calendars and contact lists

• Sticky notes

To a d d a ga d g e t:

1 Click the + at the top of the Sidebar, or right-click in an empty area of the Sidebar and click

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Add Gadgets. The gadget selection window opens.

2 Click the gadget you want, then drag it to the Sidebar.

Tip

To shop online for more gadgets, click Get more gadgets online. To delete a gad get, right-click the gadget, then click Close Gadget.

To configure a gadget:

1 In the Sidebar, right-click the gadge t, t hen clic k Options. The gadget’s configuration w indow

opens.

2 Make the changes you want, then click OK. Your changes are saved.

CHAPTER 7: Customizing Windows

Using a gadge t’s control pane l

Some gadgets have built-in control panels that you can use to control their behavior.

To use a gadget ’s control panel:

1 In the Sidebar, hold the mouse pointer over the gadget. The gadget’s built-in control panel

appears on the gadget. (Slideshow gadget shown)

2 Click the control you want to operate.

Config uring the gadget Side bar

You can change the appearance and behavior of the Sidebar.

To change Sidebar properties:

1 Right-click in an empty area of the Sidebar, then click Properties. The Windows Sidebar

Properties dialog box opens.

You can change:

• Whether the Sidebar starts each time Windows starts

• Whether the Sidebar is always on top of other windows (always visible)

• The side of the screen th e side bar app ears on

• The monitor that the sidebar appears on (if you have multiple monitors)

Setting up multiple monitors

Important

The dialog boxes shown in this sect i on a re for demonstrative purposes only and may

not represent the screens on your computer.

If your computer’s video card supports additional moni tors (it must have two video ports) , you can connect an additional monitor or projector to your computer.

You can use the second monitor or projector as a duplicate of the primary display, or as an extension to roughly double the size of your Windows desktop. Use the additional desktop space to accommodate additional windows.

To use a projector or additi onal monitor:

1 Turn off your computer. 2 Plug the projector or monitor cable into the secondary monitor port on your computer. For

the location of the monitor port on your computer, see the setup poster or your Reference Guide.

3 Plug the pr oje ctor ’s or m oni tor ’s pow er co rd i nto an AC p ower o utl et, then tur n it o n. 4 Turn on your computer. Windows recognizes the new hardware and searches for its driver.

You may need to install the driver from the disc supplied by the manufacturer or download the driver from the manu facturer’s Web s ite.

5 After the driver is installed, click (Start), Control Panel, Appearance an d

Personalization, Personalization, then click Display Settings. The Display Se ttings dialog

box opens.

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Shortcut

Right-click an empty space on the desktop➧ Personalize➧

Display Settings.

6 Right-click the second monitor icon (labeled 2) , click Attached, then click Apply. 7 Adjust properties such as Resolution or Color Quality i f necessar y.

Tip

To help identify your multiple monitors in t he Display Settin gs dialog box, c lic k

Identify Monitors. A la rge number appears on the screen of each monitor.

8 T o use the second monitor or projec tor as a “mir ror” (duplicate) of the primary monitor (both

monitors have the same content), click to deselect the check box for Extend my Windows desk top o nto t his mon itor.

CHAPTER 7: Customizing Windows

9 To use the second monitor or projector as an extension of your desktop (increasing the size

of your Windows desktop) , click to select the check box for Extend my Windows desktop onto t h i s m o n i tor. You can click and drag the “2” monitor icon to position it the same way

the physical monitor is arranged on your desk.

10 Click OK.

Changing s yst em sounds

You can change the sounds that play for system events, such as Windows startup and shut d own, logging on and logging off, window maximizing and minimizing, and error messages.

To change system sounds:

1 Click (Start), Control Panel, Hardware and Sound, then under Sound, click Change

system sounds. The Sound dialog box opens.

2 Click the Sound Scheme list, then click the sound scheme you want.

- OR Click an event in the Program list, then click the Sounds list and click the sound file you

want associated with the event. If you do not see the sound file in the Sounds list, click Browse and find the file in the appropriate folder.

3 To test a sound you have selected, click Test. 4 Click OK to save your changes.

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Changing mouse settings

Help

For more inf ormation about mou se setting s, clic k Start, then click Help and Support.

Type m ouse settings in the Search Help box, then press E

You can adjust the double -click speed, pointer speed, left-hand or right-hand configuration, and other mouse settings.

To change your mouse settings:

Shortcut

Start➧ Control Panel ➧ Hardware and Sound ➧ Mouse

1 Click (Start), Control Panel, then under Hardware and Sound, c lick Mouse. The Mouse

Properties dialog box opens.

NTER.

2 Change the settings you want. You can:

• Switch the left and right buttons

• Change the double-click speed

• Change the pointer appearance and speed

• Change the mouse wheel actions

3 Click OK to save your changes.

Adding and modifying u ser accounts

You can create and customize a user account for each person who uses your computer. You can also change between user accounts without turning off your computer.

User account tips

• If you want to create an account for someone, but you do not want that user to have full

access to your computer, be sure to make that account limited. Remember that limited accounts may not be able to install some older programs.

• Files cr eated in one account ar e not accessible f rom ot her accounts unless t he files a re stor ed

in the Shared Documents folder. The Shared Documen ts folde r is acce s sible f r om all accounts on that computer and from other computers on the network.

CHAPTER 7: Customizing Windows

To add, delete, or modify user accounts:

1 Click (Start), Control Panel, then under U ser Ac counts and Fami ly Safety, click Add

or remove user acco unts.

• To create a new account, click Crea te a new account, then follow the on-screen

instructions to finish the setup.

• T o c hange an account, clic k the account name, then click the option you want t o c hange .

• To delete an account, click the account name, then click Delete the account and confirm

the deletion of related files. T he account is deleted. (Y ou cannot delete t he administrator account.)

Help

For more information about user accounts, click Start, then click Help and

Support. Type user accounts in the Search Help box, then press E

To switch between user accounts:

NTER.

1 Save any open documents that are being worked on in your current account. 2 Click (Start), click the arrow next to the lock icon, then click Switch User or Log Off.

• Switc h U s er opens the account selection screen but does not log off the current user,

and any programs that were running for the previous user continue to run.

• Log Off logs off the current user, then opens the account selection screen.

Caution

If you click Log Off, any programs that were running may be closed, and

unsaved document changes may be lost.

3 Click the user acco unt that you want to use.

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Changing po wer - sav ing set tings

Changing the po wer plan

Power plans (groups of power settings) let you change power saving options such as when the monitor or hard drive is automatically turned off. You can select one of the defined power plans or crea te a cus tom po wer p lan .

Help

For more in forma tio n a bou t p owe r pl an s, click Start, then click Help and Support.

Type power plan or power management in the Search Help box, then press E

To change the power plan:

Shortcut

Start➧ Control Panel ➧ System and Maintenance➧ Po wer Op tio ns

1 Click (Start), Control Panel, Hardware and Sound, then under Po wer Op t io ns, click

Change power-saving settings. The Select a power plan dialog box opens.

NTER.

2 Click a power plan (default plans shown):

• Balanced uses several energy-saving features while maintaining reasonable

performance and convenience.

• Powe r save r maximizes energy savings but reduces performance and convenience.

• High performance maximizes performance but reduces energy savings.

3 To change a power plan, click Change plan settings, change the settings you want, then

click Save changes.

CHAPTER 7: Customizing Windows

4 T o change ad vance d power s etti ngs, clic k Change plan settings, Change advanced pow er

settings.

5 Change the settings you want, then click OK.

You can change:

• Power-down times for your hard drive, wireless network adapter, USB devices, and

processor

• Power management settings for your display, processor, and expansion cards

• Behavior of your compu ter’s power button 6 Click Save changes. 7 To create a new power plan, on the left side of the Select a power plan window click Create

a power plan, then follow the on-screen instructions.

Changing acce ssibility s ettings

Your computer can be a powerful tool, but it may be less useful to you if items on the screen are difficult to see, or if the mouse is difficult to control. Windows has several tools that help you use it more easily.

Using the Ease of Access Center

Use the Ease of Acc ess Center to change several system display settings.

To use the Ease of Access Center:

1 Click (Start), Control P anel, Ease of Access, then click Ease of Access Center. The Ease

of Access Center opens.

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2 In the Quic k ac ce ss to c om mon too ls section, click one of the following options to make

some of the most common accessibility changes to Windows:

• Start Magnifier provides a close-up view of the area near your mouse pointer.

• Start On-Screen Keyboard displays a keyboard on the screen. You can p ress keys on

the on-screen keyboard by clicking them with your mouse.

• Start Narrator reads on-screen text and describes graphics.

• Set up High Contrast changes the Windows color scheme to use high-contrast colors.

You can also use the Ease of Access Center to:

• Use the computer without a display, mouse, or keyboard

• Make the computer display easier to see

• Make the m ou se an d keyb o ard e asi e r to us e

• Use text or visual alternatives for sounds

Using v oice recognition

You can attach a microphone to your computer and configure Windows to create typed text from you r voi ce.

To set up voice recognition:

1 Click (Start), Control Panel, E ase of Access, then click Speech Recognition Options.

The Speech Recognition Options window opens.

CHAPTER 7: Customizing Windows

2 Click one of the following settings to start setting up speech recognition:

• Start Speech Recognition turns on speech recognition. With an attached microphone,

you can then control your computer using voice commands.

• Set up microphone configures your attached microphone to work correctly with

speech recognition.

• Take Speech Tutorial helps you learn how to use speech recognition.

• Train your computer to better understand you helps you create several voice

samples that your computer can use to better recognize the words you speak.

• Open the Speech Reference Card lets you view and print a list of common voice

commands.

3 If you want to configure your computer’s settings for reading aloud on-screen text, click

Text to Speech o n th e left of th e wi ndow.

Set ting up parental controls

You can use parental controls to:

• Control and monitor the Internet activity of your children

• Block inappropriate games and programs

• Schedule the times your children can use the computer

• Print activity reports that contain a detailed history of computer use

To use parental controls most effectively, you should set up a separate user account for each of your children. For information on setting up user accounts, see “Adding and modifying user

accounts” on page 71.

Important

You must be logged in to an administrator account to set up parental controls. You

cannot set up parental controls for an administrator user account.

Filter ing Inter net access

You can specify the type of Internet content that can be accessed by a user.

To set up Internet filtering:

1 Click (Start), Control Panel, then under User Accounts and Family Safety, click Set

up parenta l controls for any user. The Parental Controls dialog box opens.

2 Click the user account to set up restrictions for. The User Contro ls dialog box opens.

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3 Click On, enforce current settings, then click Windows Vista Web Filter. The Web

Restrictions dialog box opens.

4 Spe cify the sett in gs yo u wa nt to use for thi s use r, the n cl ick OK. The settings are saved.

CHAPTER 7: Customizing Windows

Scheduling computer and I ntern et us e

To schedule the times a user can access the Internet:

1 Click (Start), Control Panel, then under User Accounts and Family Safety, click Set

up parenta l controls for any user. The Parental Controls dialog box opens.

2 Click the user account to schedule for, then click Time limits. The Time Restri ctio ns dialog

box opens.

3 Click inside the grid to set when the user can access the computer. Blocked hours are blue,

and allowed hours are white.

Restricting game access

You can restrict games by game ratings, or you can specify the games which are not allowed.

To restrict games by game ratings:

1 Click (Start), Control Panel, then under User Accounts and Family Safety, click Set

up parenta l controls for any user. The Parental Controls dialog box opens.

2 Click the user account to set up restrictions for, then click Games. The Game Controls dialog

box opens.

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3 Click Set game ratings. The Game Restrictions dialog box opens.

4 Click the level of games you want allowed, then click OK. The settings are saved.

To restrict specific games:

1 Click (Start), Control Panel, then under User Accounts and Family Safety, click Set

up parenta l controls for any user. The Parental Controls dialog box opens.

2 Click the user account to set up restrictions for, then click Games. The Game Controls dialog

box opens.

3 Click Block or Allow specific games. The Game Ove rrides dialog box opens.

CHAPTER 7: Customizing Windows

4 Click the level of access you want for each game listed, then click OK. If the game you want

to restrict access to is not shown on the list, see “Restricting specific programs” on page 80.

Re stricting spec ific pr ograms

To restrict specific programs:

1 Click (Start), Control Panel, then under User Accounts and Family Safety, click Set

up parenta l controls for any user. The Parental Controls dialog box opens.

2 Click the user account to set up restrictions for, then click Allow and block specific

programs. The Application Restrictions dialog box opens.

3 Click [User name] can only use the programs I allow , click the c heckbox f or each progr am

you want to allow access to, then click OK.

Tip

Click Check All, then click to uncheck the checkboxes of the programs you

want to restrict access to.

Creating acti vity reports

To create a report of a user’s computer and Internet use:

1 Click (Start), Control Panel, then under User Accounts and Family Safety, click Set

up parenta l controls for any user. The Parental Controls dialog box opens.

2 Click the user account to create a report for, then click View activity reports. The activity

report is displayed. The activity report includes such information as:

• Top 10 Web sites visited

• Most recent 10 Web sites blocked

• File downloads

• Applications run

• Logo n t im es

Notices

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This publication is protected by copyright and all rights are reserved. No part of it may be reproduced or transmitted by any means or in any form, without prior consent in writing from Gateway.

The inf orm ation in this manual has been car eful ly c hec k ed a nd is be lie v ed t o be a cc urat e . How e v er, changes are made periodically. These changes are incorporated in newer publication editions. Gateway may improve and/or change products described in this publication at any time. Due to continuing system improvements, Gateway is not responsible for inaccurate information which may appear in this manual. For the latest product updates, consult the Gateway Web site at

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incidental, or consequential damages resulting from any defect or omission in this manual, even if advised of the possibility of such damages.

In the interest of continued product development, Gateway reserves the right to make improvements in this manual and the products it describes at any time, without notices or obligation.

. In no event will Ga teway be liable for direct, indirect, s pecial, exempla ry,

T radem ark acknow ledgments

Gateway and the Black-and-White Spot Design are trademarks or registered trademarks of Gateway, Inc. in the U.S. and other countries. Intel, Intel Inside logo, and Pentium are registered trademarks and MMX is a trademark of Intel Corporation. Microsoft, MS, MS-DOS, and Windows are trademarks or registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. All other product names mentioned herein are used for identification purposes only, and may be the trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies.

CHAPTER 7: Customizing Windows

Index

access point

setting up using 46

accessibility

high contrast color scheme Magnifier 74

Narrator 74 on-screen keyboard 74 settings 74

accessing

shared drives shared files 52 shared folders 52

accounts

Internet 18 ISP 18 user 71 Windows user 56

adding

user account s 71

address

e-mail 20 Web 19

AU file

playing

audio

playing recording file 31

audio CD

adding tracks to library editing track information 33 playing 29

AVI file

playing

28 28

background

changing Windows 65 BigFix 61 Bluetooth network 53

installing device 53

installing printer 53

personal area netw ork 53 Blu-ray Disc

playing 29 broadband Int ernet connect ion

18, 44, 47

browser

Web browsing for files and folders 13

18, 19

cable modem 18, 42, 44

adding tracks to library creating audio 34 creating data 37 editing track information 33

playing musi c 29 clipboard 10 close button 9 closing

program

window 9, 16 color

changing scheme

depth 64

high contrast scheme 74 computers

naming configuring

router

TCP/IP protocol 48 connecting

to Internet

to Web site 19 connections

monitor (VGA) 69

projector 69

VGA 69 copying

files across netwo rk

files and folders 10, 16

text and graphics 16 creating

data disc

desktop icon 8

desktop shortcut 8

document 14

folder 10

MP3 file 32

music file 32

video DVD 35

WMA file 32 customizing 63 cutting

files and folders

9, 16

deleting files and folders 6, 11, 16 desktop

adding icon

adding shortcut 8

adjusting settings 64

changing background 65

changing color scheme 65

extending 69

selecting screen saver 66

using 6

using Start menu 7 DHCP 42, 48 disconnecting from Internet 18 display

using screen saver documentation

Gateway Web site

help 2

Help and Support 2

online help 3 documents

creating

opening 14

printing 15

saving 14 downloadin g files 20 drivers

updating drives

mapping ne twork

sharing 51

un-sharing 51

viewing contents 9

viewing files and folders 9 DSL modem 18, 42, 44 DVD

creating data

creating video 35

playing 29 Dynamic Host Configuration

Protocol 48

Ease of Access Center 75 editing

music track inform ation e-mail

address

checking for messages 21

sending 20

using 18, 20 Ethernet netw ork

See wired Ethernet network

See wi reless Eth ernet netwo rk

Fast Ethernet 42 faxes

canceling

receiving and viewing 25

sending 21, 25

sending from program 25

sending scanned image 25

setting up cover page

template

Index

files

copying cutting 10 deleting 6, 11, 16 downloading 20 finding 12, 13 moving 10 opening 7 opening shared 52 pasting 10, 16 recovering 11 renaming 16 searching for 12, 13 sharing 51 un-sharing 51 viewing list 9

finding

files and folders Help and Support topics 2

folders

copying creating 10 cutting 10 deleting 6, 11, 16 finding 12, 13 moving 10 opening 9 pasting 10, 16 recovering 11 renaming 16 searching for 12, 13 sharing 51 un-sharing 51 viewing list 9

10, 16

gadgets

adding changing 67 configuring 67 configuring Sidebar 68 using cont rol pane l 68

game access

restricting 78

Gateway

contact information 3 model number 3 serial number 3 Web address 2 Web site 2

Gigabit Ethernet 42

HD-DVD

playing

help

Media Center

12, 13

online 3 using 2

Help and Support 2

searching 2

hyperlinks 19

Internet

account 18 connecting to 19 downloadin g files 20 filtering 77 requirements to access 18

using 18 Internet Explorer 18 Internet service provider (ISP) 18

connecting to 19

disconnecting from 18

setting up account 18 IP address 42

entering 48 ISP

See Internet service provi der

Kensington lock slot 56 keyboard

on-screen

shortcuts 16

labels

model number

serial number 3 LAN 42 LCD panel

using screen saver links 19 local area network (L AN) 42 lock slot

Kensington

maintenance

virus protection mapping netw ork drives 52 maximize button 9 Media Center

See Windows Media Cen ter Media Player

See Windows Media Play er menu bar messages

checking e-mail

sending e-mail 20

MIDI file

playing minimize button 9 model number 3 modem

cable

dial-up 18

DSL 18, 42, 44 monitor

color quality

controls 64

screen resolution 69

setting up m ultiple 69

using screen saver 66 mouse

changing settings

using Magnifier 74 moving

files 10

folders 10 MP3 file

creating

editing track information 33

playing 28 MPEG file

See MP3 file multimedia

playing audio CD

playing DVD 29

recording audio 31

using Windows Medi a Player music library

building

editing 33 music tracks

copying

18, 42, 44

name

computer

workgroup 47 naming

computers

workgroup 47 Narrator 74 network

Bluetooth

testing 50

using 52

wired Ethernet 42

wireless Ethernet 45 Norton Internet Security

scanning for viruses

starting 58

www.gateway.com

updating 58

online help 2, 3 opening

documents

files 7 files across network 52 folders 9 programs 7

optical disc

creating data 37

playing 29 Outlook 18 Outlook Express 18

PAN 42 parental controls

activity repo rts 80

blocking specific games 79

game ratings 78

Internet filt ering 77

restricting game access 79

restricting games 78

restricting programs 80

scheduling comput er use 78

scheduling Internet access 78

setting up 76

time limits,setting 78 password

hard drive

startup 56 pasting

files and folders

text and graphics 16 personal ar ea network (P AN) 42 playing

audio CD

audio file 28

multimedia files 28

music CD 29

video files 28

Windows Media Player file 28 power

changing plans

plans 73

schemes 73 printer

adding Bluetooth

sharing 51 printing

documents

files across network 53 programs

closing

10, 16

opening 7 restricting 80

projector

color quality

connecting 69 screen resolution 69

recording

audio file 31

CD tracks 32 recovering files and folders 11 Recycle Bin 6

deleting file s and folders 11

emptying 12

recovering files and folders

remote control

Windows Medi a Center 40 removing files and fo lders 6, 11,

12, 16

renaming files and folders 16 resolution

changing screen

restoring file s and fold ers 11 router

configuring

example netwo rk 42

setting up 44, 45

using 42

saving

documents 14 scheduling

computer use 78 screen

adjusting settings

resolution 69

saver 66 screen saver

changing

Search utility 12 searching

for files and folders

in Help and Support 2 security

BigFix

data 56

hardware 56

lock slot 56

Norton Internet Security 57

password 56

user account s 56

virus protection 57

Windows Security C enter 59

12, 13

Windows Update 60

wireless Ethernet 50 serial number 3 Shared Document s folder 71 sharing

drives 51

folders 51

printer 51 shortcuts

adding to desktop

closing programs 16

closing windows 16

copying 16

deleting files and folders 16

keyboard 16

pasting 16

renaming files and folde rs 16

selecting adjacent items in

list selecting items in li st 16 switching between files,

folders, or programs

Sidebar

configuring 68 gadgets 68

software

See programs

sound

changing system

scheme 70

Sound Recorder

recording audio

speech recognition 76 Start button 6 Start menu 7 starting programs 7 subnet mask 42

entering 48

support

using

system identification label 3

taskbar 6 TCP/IP protocol

configuring 48

telephone

canceling fax 25 installing Windows Fax and

Scan receiving and viewing faxes

sending fax 25 sending fax from progra m 25 sending scanned image fax

Index

setting up fax cover page

template 25 testing networ k 50 text to speech 76 title bar 8 transferring

files from In ternet 20

un-sharing

drives folders 51

updating

device drivers 2 Norton Internet Security 58 Windows 60

user account s

adding in Windows deleting 71 switching in Windows 71

VGA port 69 video

playing

viewing

shared drives shared folders 52

virus

protecting ag ainst 57 removing 57

voice recognition 76

WAN 42 WAV file

playing Web browser 18, 19 Web page 19 Web site 19

connecting to 19

downloadin g files 20

Gateway 2 wide area network (WAN) 42 window 8

changing colors 65

close button 9

closing 9, 16

maximize button 9

menu bar 9

minimize button 9

title bar 8 Windows

changing background

clipboard 10 Search utility 12

user account s 56 Windows Fax and Scan 21 Windows Medi a Center 38

help 3

starting 38 Windows Medi a Player

building mus ic library 33

creating MP3 32

creating music files 32

creating WMA files 32

editing tack info rmation 33

playing audio CD 29

playing audio file 28

viewing video file 28 Windows Security C enter

icon

using 57 Windows Updat e 60 wired Ethernet network 42

equipment needed 43

example 42

installing card s 44

installing drivers 44

setting up 44 wireless Ethernet network 45

connecting to 48

equipment needed 46

installing card s 47

installing drivers 47

security 50

setting up 47 WMA file

creating

editing track information 33

playing 28 Wordpad 13 workgroup

naming World Wide Web (WWW) 19

downloadin g files 20

MAN GW GENERIC DT USR GDE V R2 10/07

Gateway FX542XT User Manual

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual

Getting Help

Thank y ou f or purc hasing our computer!

Using t he Gate wa y Web sit e

Using Help and Suppor t

To search for a topic in Help and Support:

Contac ting Gate w ay

Get ting help fo r Window s Media Cent er

To access Media Center help:

Using online help

Using Windo ws

Using t he Window s deskt op

Using the Start menu

To u s e t he S t a rt m e nu :

Adding icons to the de sktop

To add ic ons to the des ktop:

Identifying windo w it ems

Wo rking with fi les and f olders

Viewing drives

To view the drives, folders, and files on your computer:

Creating f olders

To create a folder:

Cop ying and mo ving file s and f olders

To copy a file or folder to another folder:

To move a file or folder to another folder:

Deleting file s and f olders

To delete files or folders:

To recover files or folders from the Recycle Bin:

To empty the Recycle Bin:

Searc hing for f iles

Using the W indow s Sear ch

To find files and folders using the Search:

Using adv anced sea rch options

Brow sing f or files and f olders

To b r ow s e f o r a f i l e:

Wo rking with doc uments

Creating a ne w doc ument

To create a new document:

Sav ing a doc ument

To s a ve a do c u m e nt :

Opening a document

To o p e n a d o c u me n t :

Printing a document

To print a document:

Shortcuts

Using the Inter net and Faxing

Lear ning about the Inter net

Set ting up an Interne t account

Acces sing your In ter net account

Using t he WorldWideWeb

Connec ting to a W ebsite

To connect to a Web site:

Downloading files

To download files or programs from a Web site:

Using e-mail

Sending e-mail

To send e-mail using Windows Mail:

Checkin g your e-mail

To check your e-mail using Windows Mail:

Using W indow s Fax and Scan

Sending a f ax

To s e n d a f a x:

Setting up your cover page template

To set up your fax cover page template:

Faxing a s canned docu ment or fr om progr ams

To fax a scanned document or to fax directly from programs:

Canceling a f ax

To cancel a fax that has not been sent:

Rece iv ing and v ie wing a f ax

To r e c e iv e a n d vi e w a f a x:

Pla ying mu sic and movie s

Pla ying aud io and video f iles

To play a file using WindowsMedia Player:

Pla ying optical dis cs

To p l ay a n o p t i c al d i s c:

Creating a udio files and mu sic libraries

Creating music f iles