Gateway M-14, M-68 Quick Reference Guide

NOTEBOOK

REFERENCEGUIDE

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

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

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

Gateway contact information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2

Contacting Gateway Customer Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Gateway model and serial number . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

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

For more information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

Chapter 2: Checking Out Your Note book. . . . . 5

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

Left . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Right . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

Back . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10

Bottom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11

Keyboard area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12

LCD panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

Chapter 3: Setting U p and Getting Started . . 17

Working safely and comf ortably . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18

Reducing eye strain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18

Setting up your computer desk and chair . . . . . . . . . . . . .19

Sitting at your notebook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19

Avoiding discomfort and injury from repetitive strain . . 19

Connecting the AC adapter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20

Protecting from power source problems . . . . . . . . . . . . .21

Connecting to a broadband modem or network . . . . . . . . . .22

Connecting the optional dial-up modem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23

Starting your notebook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24

Waking up your notebook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25

Turning off your notebook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25

Restarting (rebooting) your notebook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26

Using the status indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27

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

Contents

Key types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

System key combinations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

Using the optional fingerprint reader . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

Running the TouchStrip Tutorial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

Enrolling your fingerprints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Using the Fingerprint Control Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

Using the password bank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Using the fingerprint reader features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Using the EZ Pad touchpad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

Using the optional multimedia panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Using the optional webcam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

Adjusting the brightness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

Adjusting the volume . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

Turning your wireless radio on or off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

IEEE 802.11 wireless network radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

Bluetooth radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

Chapter 4: Using Drives and Accessories . . . . 55

Using the DVD drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

Identifying drive types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

Using a DVD drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

Using the memory card reader . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

Memory card types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

Inserting a memory card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

Using a memory card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

Removing a memory card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

Adding and removing an Express Card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

Installing a printer or other peripheral device . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

Connecting a USB device . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

Viewing the display on a projecto r, monitor, or television . 63

Adjusting the display properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

Using the projector or monitor fo r a presentation . . . . 66

Chapter 5: Managing Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69

Monitoring the battery charge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70

Recharging the battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70

Changing batteries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

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Recalibrating the battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72

Extending battery life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73

Maximizing battery performance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73

Conserving battery power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73

Using alternate power sources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74

Changing power modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .75

Changing notebook power settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .76

Changing the power plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .76

Changing advanced settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .78

Chapter 6: Traveling with Your Notebook. . . 81

Packing your notebook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .82

Traveling by air . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .82

Dial-up modem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .82

Radio frequency wireless connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .83

Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .83

Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .84

Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .85

Additional tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .85

Chapter 7: Main taining Your Notebook . . . . . 87

Caring for your notebook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .88

Cleaning your notebook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .88

Cleaning the exterior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .89

Cleaning the keyboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .89

Cleaning the notebook screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .89

Maintaining the battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .90

Storing batteries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .90

Cleaning CDs or DVDs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .91

Recovering your system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .91

Recovering pre-installed software and drivers . . . . . . . .92

Using Microsoft System Restore . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .99

Recovering your system to its factory condition . . . . . .102

Recovering your system using the WindowsDVD . . . . .103

Chapter 8: Upgrading Your Notebook . . . . . 105

Preventing static electricity discharge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .106

Adding or replacing memory modules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .107

iii

Contents

Replacing the hard drive kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111

Chapter 9: Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115

Safety guidelines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116

First steps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116

Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117

Audio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117

Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117

CD drives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117

Diskette drive (external) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117

Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118

DVD drives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119

Ethernet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121

Express Cards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121

File management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121

Fingerprint reader . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122

Hard drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122

Internet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123

Keyboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124

Media Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125

Memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128

Memory card reader . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129

Modem (cable or DSL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129

Modem (dial-up) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129

Mouse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132

Networks (wired) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133

Networks (wireless) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135

Passwords . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137

Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137

Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138

Sound . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139

Status indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139

Touchpad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140

Video . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140

Telephone support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140

Before calling Gateway Customer Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140

www.gateway.com

Appendix A: Legal Information. . . . . . . . . . . 143

Index. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153

Contents

CHAPTER1

About This R eference

• About this guide

• Accessing your online Us er Guide

• Gateway contact information

• Micro soft C ertificat e of Aut henticity

• For more information

CHAPTER 1: About This Reference

About this guide

This guide includes information and maintenance instructions that are specific to your model of Gateway notebook. For all other notebook information, see your online User Gui de.

Acces sing your online Us er Guide

In addition to this guide, your online User Guide has been included on your hard drive. Your User Guide is an in-depth, easy-to-read manual that includes information on the foll o wi ng to pi c s:

• Help and technical support

• Using and customizing Windows and other software

• Using the Internet

• Protecting your files

• Playing and rec ording media

• Networking

To access your online User G uide:

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

Documentation.

Gate wa y contac t infor mation

Important

The labels shown in this sec tion ar e for informational purposes onl y. Label

information varies by model, features ordered, and location.

Contac ting Gate wa y Cust omer Care

A label on the bottom of your notebook contains information about contacting Gateway Customer Care.

www.gateway.com

Gate w ay mo del and ser ial number

A label on the bottom of your notebook contains information that identifies your notebook model and its featur es. Gateway Customer Care will need this information if you call for assistance.

Micr osof t Cer tificate of Authenticity

The Microsoft Certificate of Authenticity label found on the bottom of your notebook includes the product key code for you r op er at in g sys tem .

For more information

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

or the Web addre ss sho wn

CHAPTER 1: About This Reference

CHAPTER2

Checking Out Y our Not ebook

• Front

• Left

• Right

• Back

• Bottom

• Keyboard area

• LC D panel

CHAPTER2: Checking Out Your Notebook

Front

Power i ndic ator

Microphone jack

Headphone jack

Component Icon Description

Batter y ch arg e i n di c a tor

Headphone jack Plug amplified s peak ers or he adphones int o this

jack. The built-in speakers are turned off when speakers or headphones are plugged into this jack.

Microphone jack Plug a microphone into this jack.

Powe r in d i ca to r

Battery charge indicator

■

LED on - Notebo ok is on.

■

LED blinking - Notebook is in Sleep or Hybrid Sleep mode.

■

LED off - Notebook is off.

■

LED blue - Battery is fully charged.

■

LED purple - Battery is charging.

■

LED blinking red - Battery charge is very low.

■

LED solid red - Battery is malfunctioning. Important: This LED only lights up when your notebook is connected to AC power or the battery charge is very low.

Left

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Ethernet jack

HDMI out jack

(optional)

USB p o r ts

Ventilation fan

Memo ry ca rd re ad er

Wireless network switch

Express Card slot

Component Icon Description

Ethernet jack Plug an Ethernet network cable into this jack.

Memory card reader

Plug the other end of the cable into a cable modem, DSL modem, or an Ethe rnet network jack. For more inf or mation , see “Conne ct ing t o a

broadband modem or network” on page22.

Insert a memory card from a digital camera, MP3 player, PDA, or cellular tele phon e into the memory card reader. For more information, see

“Using the memory card read er” on page 59.

The memory card reader supports Memory Stick®, Mem ory St ick Pro®, M ini Se cure Digital®, MultiMediaCard™, RS-MultiMediaCard™, Secure Digital™, and xD-Picture Card™cards. Important: RS-Multimedia Card and Mini Secure Digit al cards require t he use of an adapter that is available with the media.

HDMI out jack (optional)

USB ports Plug USB devices (such as a diskette drive, flash

HDMI Plug an HDMI device, such as a high definition

television, into this optional jack. For more information, see “Viewing the display on a

projector, monito r, or televisio n” on page 63.

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

CHAPTER2: Checking Out Your Notebook

Component Icon Description

Ventilation fan Helps cool internal components.

ExpressCard slot Insert one T y pe 54 ExpressCard into this slot . For

Wire le ss n et wo rk switch

Warning: Do not wo rk with t he notebook re sting on your lap. If the air vents are blocked, the notebook may become hot enough to harm your skin. Caution: Do not block or insert objects into these slots. If these slots are blocked, your notebook ma y ov erheat re sulting in unex pect ed shutdown or permanent damage to the notebook. Caution: Provide adequate space around your notebook s o air v ent s are not ob struc t ed. D o not use the notebook on a bed, sofa, rug, or other similar surface.

more inf ormation, see “ Adding an d remo ving an

Express Card” on pa ge 61.

Enable or disable the optional IEEE 802.11 wireless network radio and optional Bluetooth radio. The switch must be in the enable position to turn either radio on o r of f u sing th e FN+F2 or FN+F6 buttons. Fo r more i nformat ion, s ee

“Turning your wireless radio on or off” on page 51.

Warning: Radio frequency wireless communication can in terfe re with eq uipment on commercial aircraft. Current aviation regulations require wireless devices to be turned off while traveling in an airplane. IEEE 802.11 and Bluetooth communication devices are examples of devices that provide wireless communication.

Right

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DVD d rive

USB por t

Component Icon Description

DVD d rive Insert CDs or DVDs into this drive. For more

USB port Plug a USB device (such as a diskette drive, flash

information, see “Using the DVD drive” on

page 56. To determine the type of drive in your

notebook, e x amine th e dri v e tray’s plastic co v er and compare the logo to those listed in

“Identifying drive types” on page 56.

drive, printer, scanner, camera, keyboard, or mouse) into this port.

Back

CHAPTER2: Checking Out Your Notebook

Modem jack

(optional)

Kensington lock slot

Power connector

Monitor port

Component Icon Description

Modem jack (optional)

Kensington™ lock slot

Monitor port Plug an analog V GA monit or or project or into this

Power conne ctor Plug the AC adapter c abl e in to this conn ector.

Plug a dial-up modem cable into this optional jack. For more information, see “Connecting the

optional dial-up modem” on page23.

Secure your notebook to an object by connecting a Kensington cable lock to this slot.

port. For mo re informat ion, see “Viewing the

display on a projector, monitor, or television” on page 6 3.

Bottom

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Battery

latch

Hard drive bay

Customer care label

Batter y lo ck

Memory bay

Component Icon Description

Battery latch Slide to release the battery. For more information, see

Battery Prov ides powe r when the not ebook is not plugged int o

Battery lock Slide to unlock the battery. For more information, see

Memory bay Memory modules are located in this bay. For more

“Changing batteries” on page71.

AC power.

“Changing batteries” on page71.

information, see “Adding or replacing memory

modules” on page107.

Hard drive bay

Customer Care label

The hard drive is located in this bay. For more information, see “Replacing the hard drive kit” on

page 111.

Includes the Customer Care contact information. For more information, see “Gateway contact information”

on page2.

CHAPTER2: Checking Out Your Notebook

Keyboard area

Ke yboard area f or select models

Power

button

Keyboard

Speaker

Multimedia panel (optional)

Status indicators

Fingerprint reader (optional)

Touchpad

Speaker

Component Icon Description

Keyboard Provides all the features of a full-sized, computer

keyboard. For more information, see “Using the

keybo ard ” o n p a ge 29.

Powe r button Press to turn the p ower on or off . Y ou can als o configur e

Speakers Provide audio output when headphones or amplified

Multimedia panel (optional)

the power button for Sleep/Resume mode. For more information on configuring the power button mode, see “Changing advanced settings” on page78.

speakers are not plugged in. Use to control playback of CDs and DVDs. The panel

includes a capacitive volume control. For more informat ion, see “Us ing the optio nal multimedia pa nel”

on page43.

www.gateway.com

Component Icon Description

Touchpad Provides all the functionality of a mouse. For more

Fingerprint reader (optional)

Status indicators

information, see “Using the EZ Pad touchpad” on

page 40.

Provi des enhanced secur ity. For more information, s e e

“Using the optional fingerprint reader” on page 34.

Inform you when a driv e is in use or when a butt on has been press ed that af f ects ho w the k e ybo ard is us ed. Fo r more information, see “Using the status indicators” on

page 27.

Ke yboard area f or select models

Power

button

Keyboard

Speaker

Multimedia panel (optional)

Speaker

Status indicators

Fingerprint reader (optional)

Touchpad

CHAPTER2: Checking Out Your Notebook

Component Icon Description

Keyboard Provides all the features of a full-sized, computer

Powe r button Press to turn the p ower on or off . Y ou can als o configur e

Speakers Provide audio output when headphones or amplified

Multimedia panel (optional)

Touchpad Provides all the functionality of a mouse. For more

Fingerprint reader (optional)

Status indicators

keyboard. For more information, see “Using the

keybo ard ” o n p a ge 29.

the power button for Sleep/Resume mode. For more information on configuring the power button mode, see “Changing advanced settings” on page78.

speakers are not plugged in. Use to control playback of CDs and DVDs. The panel

includes a capacitive volume control. For more informat ion, see “Us ing the optio nal multimedia pa nel”

on page43.

information, see “Using the EZ Pad touchpad” on

page 40.

Provi des enhanced secur ity. For more information, s e e

“Using the optional fingerprint reader” on page 34.

Inform you when a driv e is in use or when a butt on has been press ed that af f ects ho w the k e ybo ard is us ed. Fo r more information, see “Using the status indicators” on

page 27.

www.gateway.com

L CD panel

Component Icon Description

Microphone (optional)

Webcam (optional)

Webcam st atus in dic ator (o ptio nal)

Microphone (optional)

Webcam (optional)

Webcam status indicator (optional)

Use to talk through when making Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) calls. Important: The optional microphone is only available when purchased with the op tional web cam.

Use to le t othe rs see w ho the y ar e communic ating w ith when making VoIP calls. For more information, see

“Using the optional webcam” on page 45.

Important: The optional webcam is only available when purchased with the optional microphone.

Turns on when the webcam is turned on.

CHAPTER2: Checking Out Your Notebook

CHAPTER3

Setting Up and Getting Star ted

• Working saf ely and comf ort ably

• Connecting t he AC adapter

• Connecting to a br oadband modem or

network

• Connecting the optional dial-up modem

• Starting your not ebook

• T urning of f yo ur notebook

• Rest arting (rebooting) y our notebook

• Using the status indicators

• Using the keyboard

• Using t he opti onal f ingerpr int re ader

• Using the EZPad t ouchpad

• Using the optional multimedia panel

• Using the optional webcam

• Adjusting the brightness

• Adjusting the volume

• T urning y our wirele ss radio on or of f

CHAPTER3 : Setting Up and Getting Started

Wo rking safel y and comfortably

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

• Keep hands and arms parallel to the floor.

• Adjust the screen so it is perpendicular to your line of

sight.

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

• Although notebooks are so meti mes c alled “l aptop s,” do

not use your note book while it rests on your unprotected lap. Notebook operating temperature s can become quite high, increasing the risk of burns to your legs. Instead, use a laptop desk to protect your legs.

• Do not use the notebook on any soft, conforming

surface, such as your lap, a blanket, carpet, or a sofa. Soft surfaces ca n block your not ebook’s v entilation openings, leading to overheating, permanent damage to your notebook, and fire danger. Instead, place your notebook on a rigid, hard surface, and make sure that you keep the ventilation openings on the sides clear.

Warning

Do not use your notebook on a soft surface, such as your lap, a blanket, carpet, or a sofa. You must keep your notebook’s ventilation openings clear of obstructions, or your notebook may overheat, increasing the risk of fire and personal injury.

Reduc ing e y e strain

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

• Position the comput er desk and screen so you can avoid

glare on your screen and light shining directly into your eyes. Reduce glare by installing shades or curtains on windows, and by installing a glare screen filte r.

• Use soft, indirect lighting in your work area. Do not use

your notebook in a dark room.

• Avoid f ocusing y our eye s on your screen f or long periods

of time. Every 10 or 15 minutes, look around the room, and try to focus on distant objects.

• Where feasible, keep your head vertical while looking at

the screen. If you use an external keyboard, raise the notebook so the top of its screen is no higher than eye level.

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Setting up your comp uter de sk and chair

When you are setting up your computer desk and chair, make sure that the desk is the appropriat e height and the chair helps you maintain good posture.

• Select a flat surface for your computer desk.

• Adjust the height of the computer desk so your hands

and arms are positioned parallel to the floor when you use the keyboard and touchpad. If the desk is not adjustable or is too tall, consider using an adjustable chair to control your arm’s height above the keyboard.

• Use an adjustable chair that is comfortable, distributes

your weight evenly, and keeps your body relaxed.

• Position y our chair s o the k ey board is at or slig htly below

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

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

or use a footrest to distribute your weight evenl y on the chair and relieve pressure on the back of your thighs.

• Adjust the back of the chair so it supports the lower

curve of your spine. You can use a pillow or cushion to provide extra back support.

Sitting a t your not ebook

• Avoid bending, arching, or angling your wrists. Make

sure that they are in a relaxed position when you type.

• Do not slouch forward or lean far back. Sit with your back

straight so your knees, hips, and elbows form right angles when you work.

• Take breaks to stand and stretch your legs.

• Avoid twisting your torso or neck.

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

• Vary your activities to avoid excessive repetition.

• Take breaks to change your position, stretch your

muscles, and relieve your eyes.

• Find ways to break up the work day, and schedule a

variety of tasks.

CHAPTER3 : Setting Up and Getting Started

Connec ting the A C adapter

You can run your notebook using an AC adapter or your noteb oo k’s batte ry. Th e batte ry was sh ipp ed to yo u pa rtia lly charged. You should use the ACadapter right away to fully charge the battery. Allow three hours for the battery to fully charge.

Warning

Do not attempt to disassemble the AC adapter. The AC adapter has no user-replaceable or user-serviceable parts inside. The AC adapter has dangerous voltages t hat can cau se seriou s injury or deat h. C ontac t Gat ew a y about retu rning defective AC adapters.

Caution

Make su re th a t you use th e AC ad ap te r th a t c a me w ith yo ur n ote bo o k o r one of the same type purchased from Gateway. Replace the power cord if it becomes damaged. T h e r eplac eme nt cor d must be of the same type and v ol tag e rating as the original cord or your notebook may be damaged.

Important

If the bat t ery is n ot fu ll y c har ged before yo u u se y our n ot eb ook on bat t e ry powe r for the fir s t ti me, the ba ttery li fe may be mu ch s ho rte r tha n yo u e xp ect . If the battery life seems short even after being charged fo r threehours, the

battery may need to be recali brate d. For inf orma tion on r ecali brating t he battery,

see “Recalibrating the battery” on page72.

To connect the AC adapter:

1 Connect the power cord to the AC adapter.

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2 Conn ect the AC adap ter to yo ur no tebo ok’s pow er

connector.

3 Plug the powe r c ord in to a wal l ou tl et. The ba tter y

charge ind icator turn s on (see “Front” on page 6 for the location of the b attery charge indica tor) . If the battery charge indicator does not turn on, complete the following steps until it turns on:

• Unpl ug the adapter from your notebook, then plug

it back in.

• Press FN+F1 to tog gle th e s ta tus li gh ts on a nd o ff.

• Ma ke sure the p ower cord i s firmly att ached to the

ACadapter.

• P lug th e po wer cord i nto a di ffere nt wa ll ou tle t.

4 When you finish using your notebook for the first time,

turn off your notebook and leave your notebook connected to ACpower until the battery charge indicator turns blue.

Important

If the bat tery c har ge indica tor does n ot turn blue a ft er thr ee hours, contact Gateway Customer Care at the location shown on the Customer Care label. For more information, see “Gateway contact information” on

page2.

Prot ecting f rom power source pr oblems

During a power surge, the voltage level of electricity coming into you r no teb oo k c an in crease to level s fa r a bove no rma l levels and cause data loss or system damage. Protect your

CHAPTER3 : Setting Up and Getting Started

notebook and peripheral devices by connecting them to a surge protector, which absorbs voltage surges a nd prevents them from reaching your notebook.

Warning

High voltages can enter your notebook through both the power cord and the modem conne ction. To protect your notebook and avoid electrical sh ock, use a surge protector. If you ha ve a telephone modem, use a surge protector that has a modem jack. If you have a cable modem, use a surge protector that has an antenna/cable TV jack. During an electrical storm, unplug both the surge protector and the mode m.

Connec ting to a br oadband modem or netw ork

Y our notebook has a network jac k that you can use t o connect to a cable or DSL modem or to a wired Ethernet network.

To connect to a cable or DSL modem or to a wir ed

Ethernet network:

1 Insert one end of the network cable into the network

jack on your notebook.

Tip

When using a cable with a sleeve over the plug, pull the sleeve

back to ma ke su re th at the pl ug lo cks into the ja ck.

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

modem, DSL modem, or Ethernet network jack.

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