Gateway M520 User Manual

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

Gateway Web site . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Using eSupport . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Help and Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Searching for a topic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Using Your Computer guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Online help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

2 Checking Out Your Gateway Notebook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Front . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Left side . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Right side . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

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

Bottom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Keyboard area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Identifying your model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Gateway model and serial number . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Microsoft Certificate of Authenticity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

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

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

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

Installing the battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Connecting the AC adapter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Protecting from power source problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Starting your notebook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Waking up your notebook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Turning off your notebook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Restarting (rebooting) your notebook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Status indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Using the keyboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Key types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

System key combinations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Multi-function buttons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

Using the EZ Pad touchpad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

Using the touchpad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

Adjusting the volume . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

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4 Using Drives and Ports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41

Using the DVD drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42

Identifying drive types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42

Inserting a CD or DVD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43

Playing a CD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44

Playing a DVD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44

Creating CDs and DVDs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45

Using the memory card reader . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45

Memory card types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46

Inserting a memory card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46

Adding and removing a PC Card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47

Viewing the display on a projector or monitor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49

Viewing the display on a television . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51

5 Managing Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55

Monitoring the battery charge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56

Recharging the battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57

Recalibrating the battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57

Changing batteries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59

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

Extending battery life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61

Conserving battery power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61

Using alternate power sources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62

Changing power modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62

6 Upgrading Your Notebook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65

Preventing static electricity discharge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66

Adding or replacing memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .68

Replacing the hard drive kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .70

7 Maintaining Your Notebook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73

Caring for your notebook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74

Cleaning your notebook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .75

Cleaning the exterior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .75

Cleaning the keyboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .75

Cleaning the notebook screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .76

Cleaning CDs or DVDs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .76

Protecting your computer from viruses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77

Updating Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .80

Restoring your system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .80

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8 Troubleshooting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81

Safety guidelines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82

First steps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83

Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84

Audio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84

Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84

CD drives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84

Device installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84

Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85

DVD drives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86

File management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88

Hard drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89

Internet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90

Keyboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91

Memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92

Memory card reader . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92

Modem (dial-up) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93

Mouse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97

Networks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97

Passwords . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97

PC Cards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98

Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98

Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99

Sound . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100

Status indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101

Video . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101

Telephone support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102

Before calling Gateway Customer Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102

Telephone numbers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103

9 Networking Your Notebook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105

Introduction to networking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106

Using a network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106

Using a wireless network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107

Creating an wireless network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111

Making sure your broadband connection works . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111

Naming the computers and the workgroup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111

Configuring the TCP/IP protocol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112

Setting up a wireless network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115

Testing your network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124

Sharing your resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125

Sharing an Internet connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125

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iii

Sharing drives and printers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .128

Using the network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .131

Connecting to hotspots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .134

Troubleshooting your wireless network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .135

A Safety, Regulatory, and Legal Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .139

Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151

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Chapter 1

(FUUJOH)FMQ

■ Using the Gateway W eb site

■ Using Help and Support

■ Using Y our Computer guide

■ Using online help

Thank y ou for purchasing our notebook!

You’ve made an excellent decision choosing Gateway. We’re sure that you’ll be pleased with the outstanding quality, reliability, and performance of your new notebook. Each and every Gateway notebook uses the latest technology and passes through the most strin gent qual ity control tests to ensure that you are provided with the best product possible.

Your new Gateway notebook is designed to provide an exceptional balance of performance and portability. Your notebook uses the latest chipset and mobile processor technologies to manage the processor speed and power consumption for a greater battery life experience. This design provides you with maximum performance when plugged into AC power balanced with optimized battery life when on battery power.

Please read this manual carefully to familiarize yourself with our range of services and support. We’ve highlighted some basic care and safety information to help you keep your notebook in good operating condition.

Gateway stands behind our value proposition 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 customer service department will provide you with fast, considerate service.

We sincerely hope that you will receive the utmost satisfaction and enjoyment from your new Gateway notebook for years to come.

Thanks again, from all of us at Gateway.

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Gatewa y W eb site

Gateway’s online support is available 24 hours per day, 7 days per week and provides the most current drivers, product specifications, tutorials, and personalized information about your notebook. Visit the Gateway eSupport Web site at support.gateway.com

www.gateway.com

Using eSupport

The eSupport site is divided into six major areas:

■ Support H ome

■ Product Support

■ Downloads

■ Contact Us

■ PC Tools

Support Home

Click Support Home, then click All Support Documents to access product documentation, specifications, and guides. You can also browse through the reference area to locate an article spec ific to the question you have.

Click

Support Home, then click General Tutorials to access an extensive

library of how-to articles and videos on topics, such as making audio CDs and installing a hard drive.

Product Support

Click Product Support to view a list of all the products that Gateway supports.

Downloads

Click Downloads, then click My Downloads to get the latest software updates for BIOS and driver upgrades. By entering your serial number you get drivers specific to your notebook. Click a step-by-step wizard to locate your drivers.

All Downloads to walk through

Contact Us

Click Contact Us to access links to customer care with a live technician, including chat and e-mail. Click numbers for both sales and support. For more information, see

“Telephone support” on page 102.

Call Us to get a list of Gateway telephone

PC T ools

Click PC Tools to access utilities to help you manage your notebook.

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Help and Support

Your notebook includes Help and Support, an easily accessible collection of help information, troubleshooters, and aut omated supp ort. Use He lp and Support to answer questions about W indows and to help you quickly discover and use the many features of your Gateway notebook.

To start Help and Support:

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

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

www.gateway.com

Searching for a topic

To search for a topic in Help and Support, type a word o r phrase (keyword) in the screen, then click the arrow button.

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

■ Suggested Topics - These topics are located in Help and Support and

are relevant to your search to pic.

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

Support and contain the words you entered in the

■ Microsoft Knowledge Base - These topics are located on the Microsoft

Web site and contain the words you entered in the must be connected to the Internet to search for and access these topics.

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

Search box located at the top of any Help and Support

Search box.

Search box. You

To view a topic, clic k the top ic name in the

Search Results list.

Using Your Computer guide

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

To access the Using Your Computer guide:

Click Start, All Programs, then click Gateway Documentation.

www.gateway.com

Online help

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 information by selecting a topic from a menu or by clicking a

You can search for information by viewi ng the help contents , checking the index, searching for a topic or keyword, or browsing through the online help.

Help button.

Help

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Chapter 2

$IFDLJOH0VU:PVS

(BUFXBZ /PUFCPPL

■ Identifying features

■ Locating your notebook’ s model and

serial number

■ Locating the Microsoft Certificate of

Authenticity

■ Locating the specifications for your

notebook

■ Purchasing accessorie s

Front

Speaker SpeakerPower

indicator

LCD panel

release

latch

Battery charge indicator

Component Description

Speakers Provide audio output when he adphones or ampli fied spea kers are

not plugged in.

■

Power indicator

LCD panel release latch

Battery charge indicator

LED on - notebook is on.

■

LED blinking - notebook is in Standby mode.

■

LED off - not ebook is off .

Open the LCD panel by sliding the release latch.

■

LED on - battery is charging.

■

LED blinking - battery charge is very low.

■

LED off - bat tery is fu lly char ged.

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Left side

Memory

card

reader

Ventilation

fan

IEEE 1394

port

USB ports

PC Card eject button

PC Card slot

Memory card reader

Component Icon Description

Memory card reader (optional)

Ventilation fan Helps cool internal components.

IEEE 1394 port (optional)

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

Insert a memory card from a digital camera, MP3 player, PDA, or cellular telephone into the optional memory card reader. For more information, see “Using the memory card reader”

on page 45. The memory card reader supports

CompactFlash MultiMediaCard™, and Secure Digital™ cards.

Caution: Do not block or insert objects into these slots. If these slots are blocked, your notebook may overheat resulting in unexpected shutdown or permanent damage to the notebook.

Plug an IEEE 1394 (also known as Firewire device (such as a digital camcorder) into this optional 4-pin IEEE 1394 port.

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

, IBM Microdrive™, Memory Stick®,

or i.Link®)

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Component Icon Description

PC Card eject button

PC Card slot Insert one Typ e II PC Card into this slot. For mo re information,

Press the eject button to rem ove a PC Card from the PC Card slot. For more information, see “Adding and removing a

PC Card” on page47.

see “Adding and removing a PC Card” on page 47.

Right side

DVD/CD-RW or

DVD-RW drive

Component Description

DVD/CD-RW or DVD-RW drive

Insert CDs or DVDs into this drive. For more information, see “Using

the DVD drive” on page 42.

This drive may be a combination DVD/CD-RW or DVD-RW drive. To determine the type of drive in the notebook, examine the drive tray’s plastic cover and compare the logo to those listed in “Identifying drive

types” on page 42.

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Back

Power connector

Microphone jack

Headphone jack

Modem jack

Monitor port

Ethernet j ack

USB ports

S-Video out jack

Ventilation fan

Component Icon Description

Power connector

Microphone jack

Headphone jack

Modem jack Plug a modem cable into this jack.

Ethernet jack Plug a 10/100 Ethernet network cable into this jack.

Monitor port Plug an analog VGA monitor into this port.

Plug the AC adapter cable into this connector.

Plug a microphone into this jack.

Plug amplified speakers or headphones into this jack. The built-in speakers a re turned of f when speakers or he adphon es are plugged into this jack.

Kensington lock slot

USB ports Plug USB devices (such as a diskett e drive, flash drive, prin ter ,

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

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Component Icon Description

S-Video out jack (optional)

Ventilation fan Helps cool internal components.

Kensington™ lock slot

Plug a standard S-Video cable into this jack. For more information, see “Viewing the display on a television” on

page 51.

Caution: Do not block or in sert objects into thes e slots. If these slots are blocked, your notebook may overheat resulting in unexpected shutdown or permanent damage to the notebook.

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

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Bottom

Battery

lock

Battery

latch

Component Description

System label

Memory bay

Hard drive bay

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

batteries” on page 59.

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

batteries” on page 59.

Hard drive bay The hard drive is located in this bay. For more information, see

“Replacing the hard drive kit” on page 70.

Memory bay Install a mem ory modul e into this ba y. For more informati on, see

“Adding or replacing memory” on page 68.

System label Includes the product model number. For more information, see

“Identifying your model” on page 17.

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Ke yboard area

Multi-function

buttons

Keyboard

Status indicators

Touchpad

Power button

Component Icon Description

Multi-function buttons

Keyboard Provides all the featur es of a full-sized, 86-key ke yb oard . For

Press these buttons to open programs assigned to them or control the volume. For more information, see “Multi-function

buttons” on page 34.

more information, see “Using the keyboard” on page 30.

Status indicators

T ouchpad Provides all the functi onality of a mouse. For more i nformation,

Power button Press to turn the power on or off. You can also configure the

Inform you when a drive is in use or when a button has been pressed that affects how the keyboard is used. For more informatio n, see “Status indicators” on page 29.

see “Using the EZ Pad touchpad” on page 36.

power button for Standby/Resume mode. For more information on configuring the power button mode, see “Changing P ower-sa ving Sett ings” in Using Your Comput er which has been included on your hard drive. To access this guide, click Start, All Programs, then click Gateway Documentation.

www.gateway.com

Identifying your model

Important The labels shown in this section are for

informational purposes only. Label information varies by model, features ordered, and location.

Gatewa y model and serial number

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

Website: www.gateway.com Online Support: www.gateway.com/support Tech Support Phone: Hours: Model: S/No:

Microsoft Certificate of Authenticity

The Microsoft Certificate of Authenticity label found on the bottom of your notebook includes the product key code for your operating system.

www.gateway.com

Finding y our specifications

For more information about your notebook, such as memory size, memory type, and hard drive size, visit Gateway’s eSupport page at

support.gateway.com

Gateway documentation and detailed specifications. For more information, see “Using eSupport” on page 4.

. The eSupport page also has links to additional

www.gateway.com

Accessories

T o order accessories, visit the Accessory Store at accessories.gateway.com.

Batteries and automobile/airplane power adapters

If you run your notebook on battery power for extended periods, you may want to buy an additional battery so you can swap batteries when necessary. See “Changing batteries” on page 59 for m ore information about using an additional battery.

With an automobile/airplane power adapter, you can save battery power by plugging your notebook into an automobile cigarette lighter or an airplane in-flight power receptacle.

Carrying cases

Gateway has large-capacity c arrying cases if you need addi tional space for accessories or supplies.

Memory

Large programs, such as multimedia game s or graphics pr ograms, use a lot of memory . If your programs are running more slowly than you think they should, try adding more memory. See “Adding or replacing

memory” on page 68 for more information.

Printers

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

Inkjet printers and cartridges are relatively inexpensive, but they are slower than laser printers. Using an inkjet color printer, you can print pictures, banners, and greeting cards, as well as documents.

Laser printers and cartridges are more expensive, but they print much faster than inkjet printers. Laser printers are better than inkjet printers when you are printing large documents.

USB flash drive

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

www.gateway.com

Chapter 3

(FUUJOH4UBSUFE

■ Installing the battery

■ Connecting the AC adapter

■ T urning your notebook on and off

■ Using the status indicators, keyboard,

and the EZ Pad touchpad

■ Adjusting the volume

Installing the battery

To install the battery:

1 Close the LCD panel. 2 Turn your notebook over so the bottom is facing up. 3 Hold the battery label-side down and slide it into the open battery

compartment until the battery clicks into place.

4 Slide the battery lock to the locked position.

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Connecting the A Cadapter

You can run your notebook using an AC adapter or your notebook’s battery . The battery was shipped to you partially charged. You should use the AC adapter right away to fully charge the battery. Allow three hours for the battery to fully charge.

Important If the battery is not fully charged before you use

your notebook on battery power for the first time, the battery life may be much shorter than you expect. If the battery life seems short even after being charged for threehours, the battery may need to be recalibrated. For information on recalibrating the battery, see “Recalibrating the

battery” on page 57.

To connect the AC adapter:

1 Connect the power cord to the AC adapter.

Caution Make sure that you use the AC adapter that came

with your notebook or one of the same type purchased from Gateway.

Replace the power cord if it becomes damaged. The replacement cord must be of the same type and voltage rating as the original cord or your notebook may be damaged.

www.gateway.com

2 Connect the AC adapter to your notebook’s power connector.

3 Plug the power cord into a wall outlet.

The battery charge indicator turns on (see “Front” on p age 10 for the location of the battery charge indicator).

If the battery charge indicator does not turn on, complete the following steps until it turns on:

a Unplug the adapter from your notebook, then plug it back in. b Press FN+F1 to toggle the status lights on and off.

4 When you finish using your notebook fo r the first time, turn off your

notebook and leave your notebook connected to AC power until the battery charge indicator turns off.

Warning D o not attempt to disassemble the AC adapter . The

AC adapter has no user-replaceable or user-serviceable pa rts i nside . The ACadapter has dangerous voltages that can cause serious injury or death. Contact Gateway about returning defective AC adapters.

Important If the battery charge indicator does no t turn off af ter

three hours, contact Gateway Customer Care at

support.gateway.com

www.gateway.com

Protecting from pow er source pr oblems

During a power surge, the voltage level of electricity coming into your notebook can increase to far above normal levels and cause data loss or system damage. Protect your notebook and peripheral devices by connecting them to a surge protec tor, which absorbs voltage surges and prevents them from reaching your notebook.

Warning High voltages can enter your notebook through

both the power cord and the modem connection. To protect your notebook and avoid electrical shock, use a surge protector. If you have a telephone modem, use a surge protector that has a modem jack. If you have a cable modem, use a surge protector that has an antenna/ cable TV jack. During an electrical storm, unplug both the surge protector and the modem.

www.gateway.com

Starting your notebook

To start your notebook:

1 Slide the latch on the front of your notebook, then lift the LCD

panel.

2 Press the power button located above the keyboard.

The power button is preset to On/Off mode. However, you can also set it to function in Standby/Resume mode.

Tips & Tricks For more information about changing the power

button mode, see “Changing Power-saving Settings” in Using Your Computer which has been included on your hard drive. To access this guide, click Start, All Programs, then click Gateway

Documentation.

3 If you are starting your notebook for the first time, follow the

on-screen instructions to set up your notebook.

www.gateway.com

W aking up your noteboo k

When you have not used your notebook for several minutes or if you close the LCD panel without turning off your notebook, it may enter a power-saving mode called Standby. While in Standby , the power indicator flashes.

If your notebook is in Standby mode, press the power button to “wake” it up.

Tips & Tricks For more information about changing the power

button mode, see “Changing Power-saving Settings” in Using Your Computer which has been included on your hard drive. To access this guide, click Start, All Programs, then click Gateway Documentation.

T urning off your notebook

To turn off your notebook:

1 Click Start, then click T urn Off Compute r . The Turn Off Computer dialog

box opens.

2 Click Tu r n O f f . Windows shuts down and turns off your notebook.

Important If for some reason you cannot use the Turn Off

Computer option in Windows to turn off your notebook, press and hold the power button for about five seconds, then release it.

www.gateway.com

Restarting (rebooting) your notebook

If your notebook does not respond to keyboard or touchpad input, you may have to close programs that are not respon ding. If closing unresponsive programs does not restore your notebook to normal operation, you may have to restart (reboot) your notebook.

To close unresponsive programs and restart your notebook:

1 Press CTRL+ALT+DEL. The Wi nd ow s S ec uri ty dialog box opens. 2 Click 7DVN0DQDJHU. The Windows Task Manager dialog box opens. 3 Click the program that is not responding. 4 Click End Task. 5 Click Xin the top-right corner of the Windows Task Manager dialog

box.

6 If your notebook does not respond, turn it off, wait ten seconds, then

turn it on again.

Important If your no tebook d oes not tur n off immedi ately,

complete the following steps until the notebook turns off:

1 Press and hold the power button for about

five seconds, then release it.

2 Unplug the power cord and remove the battery

for more than 10 seconds.

As a part of the regular startup process, a program to check the disk status runs automatically. When the checks are finished, Windows starts.

www.gateway.com

Status indicato rs

Status indicators inform you when a drive is being used or when a button has been pressed that affects how the keyboard is used.

Hard driveAC power

Num lockWireless network

Caps lock

Indicator Icon Description

AC power

Wireless Ethernet (optional)

Caps lock

Num lock

Hard drive

■

LED on - AC power is connected.

■

LED off - AC po wer is no t connect ed.

■

LED on - wireless network is turned on.

■

LED off - wireless network is turned off.

■

LED on - caps lock is turned on.

■

LED off - caps lock is turned off.

■

LED on - Nume ric keypad is turned on.

■

LED off - Numeric keypad is turned off.

■

LED blinking - The hard drive is in use.

■

LED off - The hard driv e is not i n use.

Important If none of the indicators are on, you may need to

press FN+F1 to toggle the status lights on and off.

www.gateway.com

Using the ke yboard

Your no tebook features a full-size keyboard that functions the same as a desktop computer keyboard. Many of the keys have been assigned alternate functions, including shortcut keys for Windows, function keys for specific system operations, and th e Num Lock keys for the n umeric keypad.

You can attach an external keyboard to the notebook using a USB port. You do not need to shut down the notebook to connect a USB keyboard.

Function key s/System keys

FN key Windows

key

Numeric keypad

Application key

Navigation ke ys

Arrow keys

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Key types

The keyboard has several different types of keys. Some keys perform specific actions when pressed alone and other actions when pressed in combination with an other key.

Key type Icon Description

Function keys Press these keys labeled F1 to F12 to perform actions

in program s. Fo r e x am pl e, p res si n g Each program uses different function keys for different

purposes. See the program documentation to find out more about the function key actions.

F1 may open help.

System keys Press these color ed keys in combina tion with the

to perform specific actions. For more information, see

“System key combinations” on page 32.

Navigation keys Press these keys to move the cursor to the beginning

of a line, to the end of a l ine, up the pag e, down the page, to the beginning of a document, or to the end of a document.

FN key

FN key Press the FN key in combinati on w ith a colo red sy stem

key to perform a specific action.

Windows key Press this key to open the Windows Start menu. This

key can also be used in combination with other keys to open utilities like

F (Search utility), R(Run utility), and

E (Explorer utility).

Numeric keypad Use these keys to type numbers when the numeric

keypad is turned on. Press the numeric keypad.

Application key Press this key for quick access to shortcut menus and

help assistants in Windows.

Arrow keys Press these keys to move the cursor up , down , right, or

left.

FN+NUM LOCK to turn on

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System k ey combinations

When you press the FN key and a system key at the same time, your notebook performs the action identified by the colored text or icon on the key.

Press and hold F

N, then

press this system key...

To...

Toggle the status indicators on or off. For more information, see “Status indicators” on page 29.

Turn the optional wireless network on or off. For more information, see “Networking Your Notebook” on

page 105.

Warning: Radio frequency wir eless communication can interfere with equipment on c ommer cial ai rcraft. Curre nt aviation regulations require wireless devices to be turned off while traveling in an airplane. 802.11G (also known as wireless Ethernet o r Wifi) comm unication device s are examples of devices that provide wireless communication.

Important: Your notebook came to you with the optiona l wireless network turn off.

Enter Standby mode. Press the power button to leave Standby mode. For more information, see “Changing Power-saving Settings” in Using Your Computer which has been included on your hard drive. To access this guide, click Start, All Programs, then click Gateway

Documentation.

Toggle the notebook display in the following order:

■

The LCD

■

An external monitor or projector (a monitor or projector must be plugged into the monitor port on your notebook)

■

Both displays at the same time

■

S-Video (optional)

For more information, see “Viewing the display on a

projector or monitor” on page 49.

www.gateway.com

Press and hold FN, then press this system key...

To...

Decrease the brightness of the display.

Increase the brightness of the display.

Play or Pause the CD or DVD.

Stop playing the CD or DVD.

Skip back one CD or DVD song or track.

Skip ahead one CD or DVD song or track.

Turn on Num Lock so you can use th e numeric keypad. Press this key combination again to turn off Num Lock. The Num Lock status indicator appears when this function is turned on.

www.gateway.com

Multi-function buttons

Press the multi-function buttons to open the programs associated with them.

Music player

Vol u me d o w n

Button Icon Press to...

Volume down Turn the volume down.

Vol u me u p

Press the V olum e Up and Volume Down buttons at the same time to mute or un-mute the sound.

E-mail

Internet

Music player Open your default music player.

Volume up Turn the volu me up.

Press the V olum e Up and Volume Down buttons at the same time to mute or un-mute the sound.

E-mail Open your default e-mail program.

www.gateway.com

Button Icon Press to...

Internet Open your default Web browser.

Search Open the Search Res ults window . For mo re in form ati on , see

“Searching for files” in Usi ng Your Computer which has been included on yo ur hard dr ive. To access this gu ide, c lick Start, All Programs, then click Gateway Documentation.

www.gateway.com

Using the EZPad touchpad

The EZ Pad™ consists of a touchpad, two buttons, and a scroll zone.

Touchpad

Left button Right button

When you move your finger on the touchpad, the pointer (arrow) on the screen moves in the same direction.

Scroll zone

www.gateway.com

Y ou can use the EZ -Pad left and right buttons below the touchpad to select objects.

Tips & Tricks For instructions on how to adjust the double-click

speed, pointer speed, right-hand or left-hand configuration, and other touchpad settings, see “Changing the mouse or touchpad settings” in Using Your Computer which has b een included on your hard drive. To access this guide, click Start,

All Programs, then click Gateway Documentation.

Using the touchpad

To... Do this...

Move the pointer on the screen.

Select an object on the screen.

Start a program or open a file or folder.

Move your finger around on the touchpad. If you run out of space and need to move the pointer farther, lift your finger , move it to the middle of the touchpad, then continue moving your finger.

Position t he pointer over the ob ject. Quickly press a nd release th e left button once. This action is called clicking.

Position t he pointer over the ob ject. Press the left button twice in rap id succession. T his action is called double-clicking.

www.gateway.com

To... Do this...

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

Move an object on the screen.

Position t he pointer over the ob ject. Quickly press a nd release th e right button once. This action is called right-clicking.

Position t he pointer over the ob ject. Press the left button and hold it down, then use the touchpad to move (drag) the object to the appropriate part of the scre en. Release the button to drop the object where you want it.

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Adjusting the v olume

You can use the volume controls to adjust the overall volume and the volume of specific sound devices in your notebook.

To adjust the overall volume level using hardware controls:

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

speakers.

-ORUse the mute and volume control buttons on the keyboard. For more

information, see “Multi-function buttons” on page 34.

Tips & Tricks For instructions on how to adjust the volume in

Windows, see “Adjus ting the V olume” in Usin g Your Computer which has been included on your hard drive. To access this guide, click Start,

All Programs, then click Gateway Documentation.

www.gateway.com

Chapter 4

6TJOH%SJWFTBOE1PSUT

■ Using DVD drives

■ Using the media card reader

■ Using a PC Card

■ Viewing the display on a monitor ,

projector, or television

Using the D VD drive

Y ou can use your notebook to enjoy a wide variety of multimedia features.

Identifying drive types

Your Gateway notebook may contain one of the follo wing drive types. Look on the front of the drive for one or mo re of the following logos:

If your drive has this logo... This is your drive type... Use your drive for...

Combination DVD/CD-RW drive

DVD-RW Drive

Tips & Tricks For more information, see “Creating CDs and

DVDs” on page 45.

Installing programs, playing audio CDs, playing DVDs, accessing data, and record ing music and data to CD-R or CD-RW discs.

You cannot us e th is dr i ve to create DVDs.

Installing programs, playing audio CDs, playing DVDs, accessing data, recording mus ic and data to CD-R or CD-RW discs, and recording v ideo and data to DVD-RAM, DVD-R, or DVD-RW discs.

www.gateway.com

Inserting a CD or DVD

Activity indicator

Important Some music CDs have copy protection software.

You may not be able to play these CDs on your notebook.

Eject button

Manual eject hole

To insert a CD or DVD:

1 Press the eject button on the DVD drive. After the tray opens slightly ,

pull the disc tray completely open.

2 Place the disc in the tray with the label facing up, then press down

carefully on the disc unt il it snaps into place.

Important When you place a single-sided disc in the tray,

make sure that the la bel side is facing u p. If the disc has two playable side s, place the di sc so the name of the side you want to play is facing up.

3 Push the tray in until it is closed.

www.gateway.com

Playing a CD

Use the music program or Windows Media Playe r on your computer to:

■ Play music CDs

■ Create MP3 music files from your music CDs

■ Edit music track information

■ Use your music files to b uild a music librar y

■ Listen to Internet Radio

Tips & Tricks For more information about playing CDs, see

“Playing CDs” in Using Your Computer which has been included on your hard drive. To access this guide, click Start, All Programs, then click Gateway Doc umentatio n.

Playing a DVD

A Digital V ersa tile Disc (DVD) is similar to a standard CD but has greater data capacity. Because of this increased capacity, full-length movies, several albums of music, or several gigabytes of data can fit on a single disc. You can play DVDs with the DVD program or Windows Media Player.

Tips & Tricks For more information about playing DVDs, see

“Playing DVDs” in Using Your Computer wh ich has been included on your hard drive. To access this guide, click Start, All Programs, then click Gateway Doc umentatio n.

www.gateway.com

Creating CDs and DVDs

Y ou can use the CD and DVD burning program on your c omputer to copy tracks from a musi c CD to your ha rd d rive, cop y or crea te da ta C Ds a nd DVDs, create music CDs, create vid eo DVDs, and more.

Tips & Tricks For more information about creating CDs and

DVDs, see “Creating CDs and DVDs” in Using Y our Computer which has been included on your hard drive. To access this guide, click Start,

All Programs, then click Gateway Documentation.

Using the memory card reader

You c an use memory cards to transfer pictures from a digital camera to your notebook. You can also use the memory card reader to transfer data between your notebook and a device that uses memory cards, such as a PDA, MP3 player, or cellular phone.

Left slot eject

Left slot

button

Right slot

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Memory card types

The memory card reader supports the following card types.

Card Type Slot

CompactFlash

left IBM Microdrive Memory Stick MultiMediaCard Secure Digital

Each slot is assigned a different drive letter (for example, the E: and F: drives) so data can be transferred from on e media type to another.

™ left

right

™ right

Inserting a memory card

To use a memory card:

1 Remove the protector from the memory card slot. 2 Insert the memory card into the memory card slot with the label

facing up and the arrow on the label pointing towards th e notebook.

3 To access a file on the memory card, click Start, then click My

Computer

then double-click the file name.

. Double-click the drive letter (for example, the E: drive),

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To remove a memory card:

1 If you are removing a CompactFlash card or IBM Microdrive, release

the eject button by pressing the eject button once, then eject the card by pressing the eject button again.

-ORIf you are removing a MemoryStick, MemoryStick Pro, SecureDigital,

or MultiMediaCard, push the memory card into the notebook. The memory card pops out slightly.

Important Do not use the remove hardware icon in the

taskbar to remove the memory card.

2 Pull the memory card out of the notebook. 3 Insert the protector into the memory card slot.

Adding and remo ving a PCCard

Your notebook has a PC Card slot (also known as a PCMCIA card slot). This slot accepts one Type II card.

You do not need to restart your notebook when changing most cards because your notebook supports hot-swapping. Hot-swappi ng m eans that you can insert a PC Card while your notebook is running. If your PC Card does not work after hot-swapping, see the PC Card manufacturer’s documentation for further information.

www.gateway.com

To insert a PC Card:

■ Push the card firmly into the PC Card slot label-side up until the

outer edge of the card is flush with the side of your notebook.

To remove a PC Card:

1 Click the remove hardware icon in the taskbar, the PC Card

name, then click

-ORTurn off your notebook.

Important If the remove hardware icon does not appear on

Stop.

the taskbar, click the show hidden icons button.

www.gateway.com

2 Release the eject button by pressing the PC Card eject button once. 3 Eject the PC Card by pressing the eject button again.

Viewing the display on a projector or monitor

You can use your notebook for giving presentations by connecting an external monitor or projector to your monitor (VGA) port. Y our notebook supports simultaneous LCD and CRT display. Simultaneous display lets you control the presentation from your notebook and at the same time face your audience.

To use a projector or external monitor:

1 Turn off your notebook. 2 Plug the projector or monitor cable into the VGA port on your

notebook. For the location of the VGA port, see “Back” on page 13.

3 Turn on your notebook.

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4 Plug the projector’s or monitor’ s power cord into an AC power source

and turn it on. Windows recogni z es 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 manufacturer’s Web site.

5 After the driver is installed, right-click any empty space on the

desktop, then click opens.

Properties. The Display Properties dialog box

6 Click the Settings tab.

7 Right-click the second monitor icon (labeled 2), then click Attached. 8 Click Apply. 9 Adjust properties such as Scre en Resolu tion or Color Quality if

necessary.

10 Click OK.

www.gateway.com

Important Press FN+F4 to switch between viewing the

display on the LCD panel and viewing the display on the projector or monitor.

Important If an external monitor or projec tor is connected and

you close the LCD panel, your notebook turns off the LCD panel, but does not enter Standby mode.

Viewing the display on a television

The optional S-Video out jack on your notebook lets you view your notebook display on a television screen using a standard S-Video cable.

Important To turn on external video by default, connect the

television (or other external video device) before starting yo ur noteb ook.

Important Audio is not transmitted through the S-Video jack.

Use the built-in speakers, a set of headphones or external powered s peakers, or connect your notebook to a stereo system to hear sound while playing a DVD. DVD playback to a VCR will be scrambled by copyright protection software.

To view your notebook display on a television:

1 With your notebook off, connect one end of a standard S-Video cable

to the S-Video jack. For the location of the S-Video jack, see “Back”

on page 13.

2 Connect the other end of the cable to the Video in jack on your

television or VCR.

3 Turn on the television or VCR.

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4 Start your notebook. 5 Press FN+F4 several times until the notebook display is shown on

your television.

To modify television settings:

1 Click Start, then click Control Panel. The Control Panel window opens.

If your Control Panel is in Category View, click

Themes

Appearance and

2 Click/Double-click the Display icon. The Display Pr operties dialog box

opens.

3 Click the Settings tab.

4 Click Advanced. The Multiple Monitors and RADEON IGP 320M

Properties dialog box opens.

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5 Click the Displays tab.

Enable TV

6 Click the Enable TV button if it is not already enabled. 7 Click TV to make any adjustments to the TV settings. 8 Click Apply. 9 Click OK to close the Multiple Monitors and RADEON IGP 320M

Properties dialog box.

10 Click OK to close the Display Properties dialog box. 11 Click X to close the Control Panel window.

www.gateway.com

Chapter 5

.BOBHJOH1PXFS

■ Checking and recharging the battery

■ Recalibrating the battery

■ Changing batteries

■ Extending the life of the battery

Monitoring the battery charge

Your new G ateway notebook is designed to provide an exceptional balance of performance and portability. Your notebook uses the latest chipset and mobile processor technologies to manage the processor speed and power consumption for a greater battery life experience. This design provides you with maximum performance when plugged into AC power balanced with optimized battery life when on battery power.

Closely monitor the battery charge. When the battery charge gets low, change the battery or connect to AC power immediately to prevent losing any unsaved work.

To monitor the ba ttery ch arge:

■ Double-click the power cord icon or battery icon in the

taskbar. The Power Meter dialog box opens.

Important If the power cord or battery icon does not appear

on the taskbar, click the show hidden icons button. If the icon still does not appear, make sure that Always show ic on on the taskbar is checked on the Power Options Properties Advance tab.

For more information, see “Changing advanced settings” in Using Your Computer which has been included on your hard drive. To access this guide, click Start, All Programs, then click Gateway Documentation.

■ Look at the battery charge indicator:

■ LED off - battery is fully charged.

■ LED on - battery is charging.

■ LED blinking - battery charge is very low.

Important This LED only lights up when the notebook is

connected to AC power. For the location of the battery charge indicator, see “Front” on page 10.

■ Wait for a Low Battery warning message to appear.

www.gateway.com

If your battery charge indicator displays what looks like an inaccurate charge, you may need to recalibrate the battery. For more information, see “Recalibrating the battery” on page 57.

Recharging the battery

The battery recharges while it is installed and your notebook is connected to AC power. Whil e the battery is recharging, the battery charge indicator turns on and the battery icon in the taskbar has a lightning bolt .

Important If the power cord or battery icon does not appear

on the taskbar, click the show hidden icons button. If the icon still does not appear, make sure that Always show ic on on the taskbar is checked on the Power Options Properties Advance tab.

Recalibrating the ba ttery

If your notebook unexpectedly goes into Standby mode while you are using it but the battery charge is not low, you may need to recalibrate your battery. You should also recalibrate the battery periodically to maintain the accuracy of the battery gauge.

To recalibrate the battery:

1 Close all open files and programs. 2 Connect your notebook to AC power and allow the battery to

completely charge.

3 Disconnect the AC power and restart your notebook.

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4 Completely discharge the battery by doing the following:

a From the desktop, right-click on the power icon, then select

Adjust Power Properties.

b Click the Power Schemes tab. c Click the arrow button to open the Power Schemes list, then c lick

Always On.

d Click the Alarms tab. e Click to deselect the Low battery alarm and Critical battery alarm

checkboxes. Let the battery drain until your notebook automatically turns off.

Important Do not use your notebook during the recalibration

process. Do not connect the AC adapter to your notebook during this process, or you will interrupt the recalibration process and will have to start again.

5 After the battery is completely drained, reconnect your notebook to

AC power.

6 Charge the battery completely until the yellow battery status

indicator goes out.

7 When you are ready to use your notebook again, do the following:

a From the desktop, right-click on the power icon, then select

Adjust Power Properties.

b Click the Power Schemes tab. c Click the arrow button to open the Power Schemes list, then c lick

the power scheme you want.

d Click the Alarms tab. e Click to select the Low battery alarm and Critical battery alarm

checkboxes.

www.gateway.com

Changing batter ies

If your notebook is connected to AC power, you can change the battery while the notebook is turned on.

Warning Danger of explosion if battery is incorrectly

replaced. Replace only with a battery specifically

manufactured for yo ur Gateway notebo ok. Discard used batteries according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

The batter y us ed i n thi s d e vi ce ma y pre se n t a f ir e or chemical burn hazard if mishandled. Do not disassemble, heat above 212°F (100°C), or incinerate. Dispose of used battery promptly. Keep away from children.

Replacing the battery

To replace the battery:

1 If your notebook is on and is connected to AC power, go to Step 2.

-ORIf your notebook is on and is not connected to AC power, save your

work and turn off your notebook.

2 Close the LCD panel. 3 Turn your notebook over so the bottom is facing up.

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4 Slide the battery lock to the unlock position.

5 Slide the battery release latch, then lift the battery out of the bay.

6 Place a recharged battery into the bay and press down until it snaps

into place.

7 Slide the battery lock to the lock position.

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8 Turn your notebook over. 9 Open the LCD panel and press the power button.

Extending battery life

Conserving battery pow er

To conserve power while using the battery to power your notebook:

■ Dim the display as low as is comfortable.

■ Remove PC Cards and IBM Microdrive cards when you do not need

them. Many PC Cards an d Microdrive cards use a sm all amount of power while inserted, even if they are not being used.

■ Modify the power management settings for maximum power

savings.

Tips & Tricks For more information about using power

management settings, see “Changing Power-saving Settings” in Using Your Computer which has been included on your hard drive. To access this guide, click Start, All Programs, then click Gateway Documentation.

■ Close the LCD panel to turn off the display while you are not using

your notebook. The display stays off until you open the panel again.

■ Use Hibernate mode for maximum power savings while your

notebook is not in use.

Tips & Tricks For more information ab out using Hib ernate mode,

see “Activating and using Hibernate mode” in Using Your Computer which has b een included on your hard drive. To access this guide, click Start,

All Programs, then click Gateway Documentation.

www.gateway.com

■ Use the DVD drive only when necessar y. These drives use a large

amount of power.

■ Recharge the battery often, take an extra battery, and fully recharge

the batteries before traveling. For more information, see “Recharging

the battery” on page 57 and “Changing batteries” on page 59.

Using alternate po wer sources

To extend battery life, use alternate power sources whenever possible.

■ If traveling internationally , ta ke electrical adapters. Save the battery

for times when you cannot use a power adapter . If you plan on taking your AC power adapter, also take a single-plug surge protector.

■ If you will have access to an EmPower™ in-flight power receptacle

or an automobile cigarette lighter , use an airplane/automobile power adapter or power inverter. Save the battery for times when you cannot use a power ada pter.

■ To find AC power outlets in airports, look for them next to support

pillars, in large areas such as boarding gates, and under banks of telephones.

Changing power modes

You can use the following power modes to lengthen the life of your notebook’s battery:

■ Standby - while your notebook is in Standby, it switches to a low

power state where devices, such as the display and drives, turn off.

■ Hibernate - (also called save to disk) writes all current memory (RAM)

information to the hard drive, then turns your notebook c ompletely off. The next time you turn on your notebook, it reads the memory information from the hard drive and opens the p rograms and documents that were open when you activated Hibernate mode.

Using power saving modes

Always save your work before using Standby mode. In Standby mode, your notebook reduces or turns off the power to most devices except memory. However, the information in memory is not saved to the hard drive. If power is interrupted, the information is lost.

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When in Hibernate mode, your notebook saves all memory information to the hard drive, then turns the power completely off.

If your notebook is... ...and you want to... ...then

On Enter Standby mode Press FN+F3. On Enter Hibernate

mode (must be activated)

In Standby or Hibernate m ode

Exit Standby or Hibernate mode

Click Start, then click Turn Off Computer. Press and hold

SHIFT, then click Hibernate.

Press the power button.

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Chapter 6

6QHSBEJOH:PVS/PUFCPPL

■ Adding and replacing memory

■ Replacing the hard drive

Pre venting static electricity discharge

Important Before installing memory or replacing the hard

drive, you should read and understand the information in this section.

The components inside your notebook are extremely sensitive to static electricity, also known as electrostatic discharge (ESD).

Warning To avoid exposure to dang erous electrical voltages

and moving parts, turn off your notebook and unplug the power cord and modem and network cables before opening the case.

Caution ESD can permanently damage electrostatic

discharge-sensitive components in you r notebook . Prevent ESD damage by follo wing ESD gui delines every time you install memory or replace the hard drive.

Before installing memory or replacing the hard drive, follow these guidelines:

■ Turn off your notebook.

■ Wear a grounding wrist strap (available at most electronics stores)

and attach it to a bare metal part of your workbench or other grounded connection.

Warning To prevent risk of electric shock, do not insert any

object into the vent holes of the notebook.

■ Touch a bare metal surface on yo ur workbench or other grounded

object.

■ Unplug the power cord and the modem and network cables.

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■ Remove the battery. For more information, see “Changing batteries ”

on page 59.

■ Disconnect all periph eral devices and remove an y PC Cards.

Before working with computer components, follow these guidelines:

■ Avoid static-causing surfaces such as carpeted floors, plastic, and

packing foam .

■ Remove components from their antistatic bags only when you are

ready to use them. Do not lay components on the outside of antistatic bags because only the inside of the bags provide electrostatic protection.

■ Always hold components by their edges. Avoid touching the edge

connectors. Never slide components over any surface.

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Adding or replacing memory

Your notebook uses memory modules called SO-DIMMs (Small Outline Dual Inline Memory Modules). The modules are available in various capacities and any module c an be placed in the slot. U se only memory modules designed for your Gateway notebook for upgrading your memory.

To add or replace memory modules:

1 Follow the instructions under “Preventing static electricity

discharge” on page 6 6.

2 Turn off your notebook, disconnect the AC adapter and modem and

network cables.

3 Turn your notebook over so the bottom is facing up. 4 Remove the battery. For more information, see “Changing batteries ”

on page 59.

5 Remove the memory bay cover scre w, then remove the memory bay

cover. For the location of the memory bay, see “Bottom ” on pa ge 15.

6 If you are removing a modu le, gently press outward on the clip at

each end of the memory module until the module tilts upward.

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7 Pull the memory module out of the slot.

8 Hold the new or replacement module at a 30-degree angle and press

it into the empty memory slot. This module is keyed so it can only be inserted in one direction. If the module does not fit, make sure that the notch in the module lines up with the tab in the memory bay.

Important Use only memory modules designed for your

Gateway notebook.

9 Gently push the module down until it clicks in place. 10 Replace the memory bay cov er and replace the cover screw. 11 Insert the battery, then turn your notebook over. 12 Connect the power adapter and modem and network cables, then

turn on your notebook.

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Replacing the hard drive kit

If you would like more hard drive capacity, you can replace your original drive with a higher -capacity drive.

To replace the hard drive kit:

1 Back up any data you want to transfer to the new hard drive. For

more information, see “Backing up files” in Using Yo ur Computer which has been included on your hard drive. To access this guide,

Start, All Programs, then click Gatewa y Document ation.

click

2 Follow the instructions under “Preventing static electricity

discharge” on page 6 6.

3 Tu rn off your notebook, disconnect the AC adapter and modem and

network cables.

4 Turn your notebook over so the bottom is facing up. 5 Remove the battery. 6 Remove the hard drive kit screw. For the location of the hard drive

bay, see “Bottom” on page 15.

7 Slide the old hard drive kit out of your notebook.

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8 If your new hard drive already includes the hard drive kit bracket,

go to Step 13.

-ORIf you need to move the hard drive kit bracket from your old hard

drive kit to your new hard drive, go to Step 9.

9 Remove the screws that secure the hard drive to the hard drive kit

bracket.

10 Remove the bracket from the old drive. 11 Insert the new drive into the bracket so the screw holes line up. 12 Replace the two screws that secure the bracket to the drive. 13 Slide the new hard drive kit into your notebook. 14 Replace the screw that secures the hard drive kit to your notebook. 15 Insert the battery and turn your notebook over. 16 Connect the power adapter and modem and network cables, then

turn on your notebook.

17 For instructions on installing Windows, your drivers, and your

applications, see the instructions that were included with the Restore DVD.

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Chapter 7

.BJOUBJOJOH:PVS/PUFCPPL

■ Caring for your notebook

■ Cleaning your notebook

■ Protecting from virus es

■ Updating Windows

■ Restoring your system

Caring for y our notebook

To extend the life of your notebook:

■ Be careful not to bump or drop your notebook, and do not put an y

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

■ When transporting your notebook, we recommend that you put it

in a carrying ca se.

■ Keep your notebook away from magnetic fields. Magnetic fields can

erase data on hard drives.

■ Never turn off your notebook when the hard drive light is on because

data on the hard drive could be lost or corru pted.

■ Avoid subjecting your notebook to extreme temperature changes.

The case (and LCD panel) can become brittle and easy to break in cold temperatures and can melt or warp in high temperatures. Damage due to either extreme is not covered by your warranty. As a general rule, your notebook is safest at temperatures that are comfortable for you.

■ Keep all liquids away from your notebook. When spilled onto

computer components, almost any liquid can result in extremely expensive repairs that are not covered under your warranty.

■ Avoid dusty or dirty work environments. Dust and dirt can clog the

internal mechanisms.

■ Do not block the ventilation fan slots. If these slots are blocked, your

notebook may overheat resulting in unexpe cted shutdown or permanent damage to the notebook.

■ When storing your notebook for an extended period of time, unplug

AC power and remove the battery after discharging it partway.

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Cleaning your notebook

Keeping your notebook clean and the vents free from dust helps keep your notebook performing at its best. You may want to gather these items and put together a notebook cleaning kit:

■ A soft, lint-free cloth

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

■ Cotton sw abs

■ A DVD drive cleaning kit

Cleaning the exterior

Warning When you shut down your notebook, the power

turns off, but some electrical current still flows through your notebook. To avoid possible injury from electrical shock, unplug the power cord and modem cable from the wall outlets.

Always turn off your notebook and other peripherals before cleaning any components. Also, remove the battery befor e cleaning a ny components.

Use a damp, lint-free cloth to clean your notebook and other parts of your system. Do not use household abrasive or solvent cleaners because they can damage the finish on components.

Your notebook is cooled by air circulated through the vents on the case, so keep the vents free of dust. With your notebook turned off and unplugged, brush the dust away from the vents with a damp cloth. Be careful not to drip any water into the vents. Do not attempt to clean dust from the inside of your notebook.

Cleaning the keyboard

You should clean the keyboard occasionally by using an aerosol can of air with a narrow, straw-like extension to remove dust and lint trapped under the keys.

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If you spill liquid on the keyboard, turn off your notebook and turn the notebook upside down. Let the liquid drain, then let the keyboard dry before trying to use it again. If the keyboard does not work after it dries, you may need to replace it.

Cleaning the notebook screen

To clean a notebook LCD screen, use a soft cloth and water to clean the LCD screen. Squirt a little water on the cloth (never directly on the screen), and wipe the screen with the cloth.

Caution A notebook LCD screen is made of specially

coated glass and can be scratche d or dama ged by abrasive or ammonia-based glass cleaners.

Cleaning CDs or DVDs

Wipe from the center to the edge, not around in a circ le, using a product made especially for th e purpose.

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Protecting y our computer from viruses

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

Protect your computer from a virus by:

■ Registeri ng your co py of Nort on AntiVir us and subs cribing to the

virus definition update service. You received a free limited time subscription to the Norton AntiVirus service when you purchased your notebook.

■ Using the Norton

that are attached to e-mail messages or downloaded from the Internet.

■ 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 th at might have a virus.

■ Periodically updating the Norton AntiVirus program to protect

against the latest viruses.

AntiVirus program to check files and programs

Help and

Support

For more information about protecting your computer against viruses, click Start, then click Help and Support.

Type the keyword viruses in the Search box

, then click the arrow.

www.gateway.com

To scan for viruses:

1 Click Start, All Programs, Norton AntiVirus, then click Norton

AntiVirus 2004

Scan for

viruses

. Norton AntiVirus opens.

2 Click Sc an for Viruses.

Scan

3 Click the type of scan you want to make in the Scan for Viruses area,

then under Actions, click

Scan.

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To remove a virus:

1 If Norton AntiVirus finds a virus, follow all on-screen instructions

to remove the virus.

2 Turn off your computer and leave it off for at least 30 seconds.

3 Turn on your computer and rescan for the virus.

To update Norton AntiVirus:

Important Y ou receiv ed a free limit ed time subscri ption to the

Norton AntiVirus service when you purchased your notebook. To update Norton AntiVirus af ter the free subscription period, you must extend your subscription.

1 Make sure that you are connected to the Internet.

2 Click Start, All Programs, Norton AntiVirus, then click LiveUpdate -

Norton AntiVirus

. The LiveUpdate wizard opens.

3 Follow the on-screen instructions to update your Norton AntiVirus

program with the latest virus protection files.

4 When the program has finished, click Finish.

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Updating Windo ws

Windows Update is the online extension of Windows that helps you to keep your computer up-to-date. Use W indows Updat e to choose updates for your computer’s operating system, software, and hardware. New content is added to the site regularly, so you can always get the most recent updates and fixes to protect your computer and keep it running smoothly. Windows Update scan s your co mpu ter and provid es you with a tailored selection of updates that apply only to the software and hardware on your computer.

To run Windows Update:

1 Connect to the Internet. 2 Click Start, All Programs, then click Windows Update. 3 Click Scan for Available Updates.

Help and

Support

For more information about Windows Update in Windows XP, click Start, then click Help and Support.

Type the keyword Windows Update in the HelpSpot Search box , then click the arrow.

Restoring your sy stem

If you need to restore your computer to its original configuration, use the Restore DVD that was shipped with your computer . The Restore DVD contains a copy of all programs that were preinstalled on your computer. Instructions for using the Restore DVD are included with the DVD.

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Chapter 8

5 SPVCMFTIPPUJOH

■ T roubleshootin g typical hardware and

software problems

■ Getting telephone support

■ Using automated troubleshooting

systems

Safety guidelines

While troubleshooting your notebook, follow these safety guidelines:

■ Never remove the memory bay cover or hard d rive while your

notebook is turned on, while the battery is installed, and while the modem cable, network cable, and AC power ad apter are connect ed to your notebook.

■ Make sure that you are correctly grounded before accessing internal

components. For more information about preventing damage from static electricity, see “Preventing static electricity discharge” on

page 66.

■ After you complete any maintenance tasks where you remove the

memory bay cover or hard drive kit, make sure that you replace the cover or hard drive kit, reinstall any screws, then replace the battery before you start your notebook.

Warning Do not try to troubleshoot your problem if power

cords or plugs are damaged, if your notebo ok was dropped, or if the case was damaged. Instead, unplug your notebook and contact a qualified computer technician.

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First steps

If you have problems with your notebook, try these things first:

■ Make sure that the AC power adapter is connected to your notebook

and an AC outlet and that the AC outlet is supplying power.

■ If you use a power strip or surge protector, make sure that it is turned

on.

■ If a peripheral device (such as a keyboard or mouse) does not work,

make sure that all connec tions are secure.

■ Make sure that your hard drive is not full.

■ If an error message appears on the screen, write down the exact

message. The message may help Gateway Customer Care in diagnosing and fixing the problem.

■ If you added or removed peripheral de vices, review t he installation

procedures you performed and make sure that you followed each instruction.

■ If an error occurs in a program, see the program’s printed

documentation or the online help.

Help and

Support

For more information about troubleshooting, click Start, then click Help and Support.

Type the keyword troubleshooting in the Search box , then click the arrow.

www.gateway.com

Troubleshooting

Troubleshooting topics are listed in alphabet ical order.

Audio

Audio troubleshooting is covered under “So und” on page 100.

Battery

Battery troubleshooting is covered unde r “Power” on page 98.

CD drives

CD drive troubleshooting is covered unde r “DVD drives” on page 86.

Device installation

You have compu ter pr oblems after a dding a new de vice

Sometimes a new devi ce, such as a PC Card, can cause a system resource (IRQ) conflict. Check IRQ usage to determine if there is an IRQ conflict.

To check IRQ usage:

1 Click Start, then click Control Panel. The Control Panel window

opens. If your Control Panel is in Category View, click

Performance and Maintenance.

2 Click/Double-click System, click the Hardware tab, then click

Device Manager. The Device Manag er window opens.

3 Click View, then click Resources by type. Double-click Interrupt

request (IRQ)

displayed.

. All IRQs and their hardware assignments are

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Help and

Support

For more information about IRQs , click Start, then click Help and Support.

Type the keyword IRQs in the Search box

, then click the arrow.

To free IRQ resources for the new device:

1 In the Device Manager window, ch eck the device list for a

resource conflict. A resource confl ict appears as a black exclamation point in a yellow circle.

2 Remove the device you are trying to install, then determine

which one of the existing devices or ports you can disable.

3 Right-click the device or port you want to disable, then click

Disable. The device or port is disabled.

Display

The screen is too dark

Adjust the brightness using the system keys. For more information, see

“System key combinations” on page 32.

The screen resolution is not correct

Change the screen resolution from the Display Properties dialog box.

Tips & Tricks For instructions on ch anging the s creen resolutio n,

see “Adjusting the sc reen resoluti on” in Usin g Y our Computer which has been included on your hard drive. To access this guide, click Start,

All Programs, then click Gateway Documentation.

The text on the display is dim or difficult to read

■ Adjust the brightness and contrast using the system keys. For more

information, see “System key comb inations” on page 32.

■ Change the display settings.

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Tips & Tricks For instru ctions on chang ing the d isplay s etting s,

see “Adjusting the scre en and desktop settings” in Using Your Computer which has b een included on your hard drive. To access this guide, click Start,

All Programs, then click Gateway Documentation.

■ Move your notebook away from sources of electrical interference,

such as televisions, unshielded speakers, microwaves, fluorescent lights, and metal beams or shelves.

The display has pixels that are always dark or too bright

This condition is normal and inherent in the TFT tec hnology used in active-matrix LCD screens. Gateway’s inspection standards keep these to a minimum. If you feel these pixels are unacceptably numerous or dense on your display, contact Gateway Customer Care to identify whether a repair or replacement is justified based on the number of pixels affected.

DVD drives

Your notebook does not rec ognize a disc

■ The disc may not be seated correctly in the tray. When you place a

disc on the tray, make sure that you press the disc firmly onto the spindle so the retainers hold the disc in place.

■ Make sure that the disc label is facing up, then try again.

■ Try a different disc. Occasionally discs are flawed and cannot be read

by the drive.

■ Some music CDs have copy protection software. Y ou may not be able

to play these CDs on your notebook.

■ Your notebook may be experiencing some temporary memory

problems. Shut down and restart you r notebook.

■ Clean the disc. For more information, see “Cleaning CD s or DVD s ”

on page 76.

An audio CD does not pr oduce s ound

■ Make sure that the CD label is facing up, then try again.

■ Some music CDs have copy protection software. Y ou may not be able

to play these CDs on your notebook.

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■ Make sure that the volume control on your notebook is turned up.

For more information, see “Multi-function buttons” on page 34.

■ Make sure that the Windows volume control is turned up.

Tips & Tricks For instructions on how to adjust the volume con trol

in Windows, see “Adjusting the volume” in Using Your Computer which has been included on your hard drive. To access this guide, click Start,

All Programs, then click Gateway Documentation.

■ Make sure that Mute controls are turned off. For more information

about the mute setting, see “Multi-function buttons” on page 34.

■ Make sure that headphones are not plugged into the headphone

jack. For the location of the headphone jack, see “Back” on page 13.

■ If you are using powered speakers, make sure that they are plugged

in and turned on.

■ Clean the disc. For more information, see “Cleaning CD s or DVD s ”

on page 76.

■ Your notebook may be experiencing some temporary memory

problems. Shut down and restart you r notebook.

■ Reinstall the audio device drivers. For more information, see

“Downloads” on pag e 4.

A DVD movie will not play

■ Make sure that the label or side you want to play is facing up, then

try again.

■ Shut down and restart your notebook.

■ Clean the DVD. For more information, see “Cleaning CDs or DVDs”

on page 76.

■ DVD discs and drives contain regiona l cod es that help control DVD

title exports and help reduce illegal disc distribution. To be able to play a DVD, the disc’s regional code and your DVD drive’s regional code must match.

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The regional code on your DVD drive is determined by your notebook’s delivery address. The regional code for the United States and Canada is 1. The regional code for Mexico is 4. Your DVD drive’s regional code must match the regional code of the disc. The regional code for the disc is on the disc, disc documentation , or packaging.

If the DVD movie does not play, the disc’s regional code and your DVD drive’s regional code may not match.

■ Make sure that a DVD playe r program has been ins talled on your

notebook.

Tips & Tricks For instructions on playing a DVD, see “Playing a

DVD” on page 44.

A DVD does no t produ ce s ound on a TV

Audio is not transmitted through the S-Video jack. Use the built-in speakers, a set of headphones or external powered speakers, or co nnect your notebook to a stereo system to hear sound while playing a DVD.

File management

A file was accidentally deleted

If a file was de leted at a DOS prom pt or in Windows while holding down

HIFT key, the file cannot be restored.

the S

To restore deleted files:

1 Double-click the Recycl e Bin icon. 2 Right-click the file you want to restore, then click Restore. The

file is restored to the place where it was originally deleted from. If the Recycle Bin was emptied before you tried to restore a file,

the file cannot be restored.

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Help and

Support

For more information ab out restoring deleted fi le s, click Start, then click Help and Support.

Type the keyword System Restore in the Search box , then click the arrow.

Hard drive

You see an “Insufficien t disk spac e ” error message

■ Delete unnecessary files from the hard drive using Disk Cleanup.

Tips & Tricks For instructions on del eting u nnece ssary files, see

“Using Disk Cleanup” in Using Your Computer which has been included on your hard drive. To access this guide, click Start, All Programs, then click Gateway Documentation.

■ Empty the Recycle Bin by right-clicking the Recycle Bin icon, the n

clicking

Empty Recycle Bin.

Caution All delete d files w ill be los t when you e mpty the

Recycle Bin.

■ Save your files to another drive. If the hard drive is full, copy any

files not regularly used to backup media, then delete them from the hard drive.

Help and

Support

For more information about file management, click Start, then click Help and Support.

Type the keyword file management in the Search box , then click the arrow.

You see a “Data err or” messag e

This may be the result of a defective area on the hard drive. To fix hard drive problems, run the Error checking p rogram.

www.gateway.com

Tips & Tricks For instructions on fix ing ha rd dri ve pro ble ms , s ee

“Checking the hard drive for errors” in Using Your Computer which has been included on your hard

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

The hard driv e canno t be acc essed , or y ou see a “ Gener al fa ilure reading driv e C” e rror messag e

■ Make sure that the hard drive is installed correctly. Remove it, firmly

reinsert it, then restart your notebook. For more information, see

“Replacing the hard drive kit” on page 70.

■ If your notebook has been subjected to static electricity or physical

shock, you may need to reinstall the operating system.

Internet

You cannot connect to the Internet

■ If you are using a dial-up modem, make sure that the modem cable

is plugged into the modem jack and not the Ethernet network jack. See “Back” on page 13 to make sure that the connec tio ns h ave bee n made correctly.

-ORIf you are using a cable or DSL modem, make sure that the modem

cable is plugged into the Ethernet network jack and not the modem jack. See “Back” on page 13 to make sure that the connections have been made correctly.

■ Make sure that you do not have a problem with your modem. For

more information, see “Modem (dial-up)” on page 93.

■ Make sure that your account with your Internet service provider (ISP)

is set up correctly. Contact your ISP technical support for help.

Help and

Support

For more information about troubleshooting Internet connections, click Start, then click Help and Support.

Type t he keyword tr oubleshooting co nnections in the Search box , then click the arrow.

www.gateway.com

You see an “Unable to locat e host” mes sage an d are un able t o bro wse the Internet

This problem can occur when you have typ ed a URL (Web address) incorrectly , you have lost your Internet connection, or your ISP is having technical difficul ties.

Double-check the URL or try a different URL. If the error message still appears, disconnect from the ISP connection and close your browser, then reconnect and open the browser. If you still get the error, your ISP may be having technical difficulties.

Connecting to a Web site takes too long

Many factors can affect Internet performance:

■ The condition of the telephone lines in your residence or at your

local telephone service

■ The condition of the Internet computers to which you connect and

the number of users accessing those computers

■ The complexity of graphics and multimedia on Web pages

■ Having multiple Web browsers open, performing multiple

downloads, and having mu ltiple programs open on y our notebook

People are sending you e-mail messages, but you have not received any mail

■ Click the receive button in your e-mail program.

■ Make sure that your account with your Internet service provider (ISP)

is set up correctly. Contact your ISP for technical support.

Keyboard

The external k eyboard d oes not wo rk

■ Make sure that the keyboard cable is plugged in correctly.

■ Remove all extension cables and switchboxes.

■ Clean the keyboard b y using an aerosol can o f air with a narrow,

straw-like extension to remove dust and lint trapped under the keys.

■ Try a keyboard that you know works to make sure that the keyboard

port works.

www.gateway.com

■ If you spilled liquid in the keyboard, turn off your notebook and

unplug the keyboard. Clean the keyboard and turn it upside down to drain it. Let the keyboard dry before using it again. If the keyboard does not work after it dries, you may need to replace it.

A keyboard character keeps repeating or you see a “Keyboard stuck” or “Key failure” error message

■ Make sure that nothing is resting on the keyboard.

■ Make sure that a key is not stuck. Press each key to loosen a key that

might be stuck, then restart your notebook.

You are pressing a letter key and a number appears on the screen

■ The numeric keypad is turned o n. See “System key combinations”

on page 32 for instructions on turning off your numeric keypad.

Memory

You see a “Memory err or” message

■ Make sure that the memory module is inserted correctly in the

memory bay slot. For more information, see “Adding or replacing

memory” on page 68.

■ Use a third -party diagnost ic program to help de termine i f the

memory module is failing.

You see a “Not enough memory” error message

Close all programs, then restart your notebook.

Help and

Support

For more information about troubleshooting memory errors, click Start, then click Help and Support.

Type the keyword memory error in the Search box , then click the arrow.

Memory card reader

Drive letters for the memory card slots do not appear in the My Computer window

■ Reboot your notebook.

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Modem (dial-up)

Your modem does not dial or does not connect

■ Make sure that the modem cable is plugged into the modem jack

and not the Ethernet network jack. See “Back” on page 13 to make sure that the connections have been made correctly.

■ Make sure that your notebook is connected to the telephone line

and the telephone line has a dial tone.

■ Make sure that the modem cable is less than 6 feet (1.8 meters) long.

■ Remove any line splitters or surge protectors from your telephone

line, then check for a dial tone by plugging a working telephone into the telephone wall jack.

■ If you have additional telephone services such as call waiting, call

messaging, or voice mail, make sure that all messages are cleared and call waiting is disabled before using the modem. Contact your telephone service to get the correct code to temporarily disable the service. Also make sure that the modem dialing properties are set appropriately.

To check the dialing properties:

1 Click Start, then click Control Panel. The Control Panel window

opens. If your Control Panel is in Category View, click

and Other Hardware

Printers

2 Click/Double-click the Phone and Modem Options icon, then clic k

Dialing Rules tab.

the

3 Click the location from which you are dialing, then click Edit. 4 Make sure that all setti ngs are correct.

Help and

Support

For more information about di aling propertie s, click Start, then click Help and Support.

Type the keyword dialing in the Search box

, then click the arrow.

www.gateway.com

■ Disconnect any ans werin g m ach ine, fax mach ine, or print er that is

on the same line as the modem. Do not connect these devices to the same telephone line as the modem.

■ Make sure that you are not using a digital, rollover, or PBX line.

These lines do not work with your modem.

■ Check for line noise (scratchy, crackling, or popping sounds). Line

noise is a common problem that can cause the modem to connect at a slower rate, abort downloads, or even disconnect. The faster the modem, the less line noise it can tolerate and still work correctly.

Listen to the line using your telephone. Dial a single number (such as 1). When the dial tone stops, listen for line noise. Wiggle the modem cable to see if that makes a difference. Make sure that the connectors are free from corrosion and all screws in the wall or telephone wall jack are secure.

Y ou can also call your telephone service and have the telephone line checked for noise or low line levels.

■ Try another telephone line (either a different telephone number in

your house or a telephone line at a different location). If you can connect on this line, call your telephone service.

■ Try connecting with the modem at a lower connection speed. If

reducing the connect speed lets you connect, call your telephone service. The telephone line may be too noisy.

You cannot connect to the Internet

■ The ISP may be having technical difficulties. Contact your ISP for

technical support.

■ See if the modem works with a different communications program.

The problem may be with just one program.

■ Review the troubleshooting information under “Internet” on

page 90.

Your 56K modem does not connect at 56K

Current FCC regulations restrict actual data transfer rates over public telephone lines to 53K. Other factors, such as line noise, telephone service provider equipment, or ISP limitations, may lower the speed even further.

www.gateway.com

Gateway M520 User Manual

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual

Contents

Gatewa y W eb site

Using eSupport

Support Home

Product Support

Downloads

Contact Us

PC T ools

Help and Support

Searching for a topic

Using Your Computer guide

Online help

Front

Left side

Right side

Back

Bottom

Ke yboard area

Identifying your model

Gatewa y model and serial number

Microsoft Certificate of Authenticity

Finding y our specifications

Accessories

Installing the battery

Protecting from pow er source pr oblems

Starting your notebook

W aking up your noteboo k

T urning off your notebook

Restarting (rebooting) your notebook

Status indicato rs

Using the ke yboard

Key types

System k ey combinations

Multi-function buttons

Using the touchpad

Adjusting the v olume

Using the D VD drive

Identifying drive types

Inserting a CD or DVD

Playing a CD

Playing a DVD

Creating CDs and DVDs

Using the memory card reader

Memory card types

Inserting a memory card

Viewing the display on a projector or monitor

Viewing the display on a television

Monitoring the battery charge

Recharging the battery

Recalibrating the ba ttery

Changing batter ies

Replacing the battery

Extending battery life

Conserving battery pow er

Using alternate po wer sources

Changing power modes

Using power saving modes

Pre venting static electricity discharge

Adding or replacing memory

Replacing the hard drive kit

Caring for y our notebook

Cleaning your notebook

Cleaning the exterior

Cleaning the keyboard

Cleaning the notebook screen

Cleaning CDs or DVDs

Protecting y our computer from viruses

Updating Windo ws

Restoring your sy stem

Safety guidelines

First steps

Troubleshooting

Audio

Battery

CD drives

Device installation