Gateway ML6227, ML6230, ML6710, ML6720, ML6730 Quick Reference Guide

NOTEBOOK

REFERENCEGUIDE

®

Contents

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Right . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

Back . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

Bottom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10

Keyboard area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11

LCD panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12

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

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

Reducing eye strain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14

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

Sitting at your notebook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

Avoiding discomfort and injury from repetitive strain . . 15

Connecting the AC adapter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16

Protecting from power source problems . . . . . . . . . . . . .18

Connecting the dial-up modem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18

Connecting to a broadband modem or network . . . . . . . . . .19

Starting your notebook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20

Waking up your notebook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21

Turning off your notebook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21

Restarting (rebooting) your notebook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22

Using the status indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23

Using the keyboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24

Key types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24

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Contents

System key combinations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Using the EZ Pad touchpad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Using the optional multimedia panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

Using the optional webcam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Adjusting the brightness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Adjusting the volume . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

Turning your wireless radio on or off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

IEEE 802.11 wireless network radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Bluetooth radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Chapter 4: Using Drives and Accessories . . . . 41

Using the CD or DVD drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

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

Using a CD or DVD drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Using the memory card reader . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

Memory card types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

Inserting a memory card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

Using a memory card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

Removing a memory card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

Adding and removing a PC Card or Express Card . . . . . . . . . 45

Installing a printer or other peripheral device . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

Connecting a USB device . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

Connecting an IEEE 1394 device . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

Viewing the display on a projec tor or monitor . . . . . . . . . . . 50

Adjusting the display properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

Using the projector or monitor fo r a presentation . . . . 53

Viewing the display on a television . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

Adjusting the television display settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

Ordering accessories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

Chapter 5: Managing Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

Monitoring the battery charge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

Recharging the battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

Changing the battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

Recalibrating the battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

Extending battery life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

Maximizing battery performance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

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Conserving battery power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63

Using alternate power sources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64

Changing power modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64

Changing notebook power settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66

Changing the power plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66

Changing advanced settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .67

Chapter 6: Traveling with Your Notebook. . . 69

Packing your notebook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .70

Traveling by air . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .70

Dial-up modem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .70

Radio frequency wireless connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .71

Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .71

Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72

Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73

Additional tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73

Chapter 7: Main taining Your Notebook . . . . . 75

Caring for your notebook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .76

Cleaning your notebook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .76

Cleaning the exterior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77

Cleaning the keyboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77

Cleaning the notebook screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77

Maintaining the battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .78

Storing batteries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .78

Cleaning CDs or DVDs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .79

Recovering your system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .79

Recovering pre-installed software and drivers . . . . . . . .80

Using Microsoft System Restore . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .86

Recovering your system to its f actory condition . . . . . . .89

Recovering your system using the WindowsDVD . . . . . .90

Chapter 8: Upgrading Your Notebook . . . . . . 93

Preventing static electricity discharge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .94

Adding or replacing memory modules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .95

Replacing the hard drive kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .100

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Contents

Chapter 9: Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103

Safety guidelines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104

First steps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104

Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105

Audio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105

Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105

CD drives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105

Diskette drive (external) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105

Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106

DVD drives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107

Ethernet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109

Express Cards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109

File management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110

Hard drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110

Internet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111

Keyboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112

Media Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113

Memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116

Memory card reader . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116

Modem (cable or DSL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116

Modem (dial-up) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117

Mouse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120

Networks (wired) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121

Networks (wireless) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122

Passwords . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124

PC Cards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124

Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125

Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125

Sound . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127

Status indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127

Touchpad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127

Video . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128

Telephone support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128

Before calling Gateway Customer Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128

Appendix A: Legal Information . . . . . . . . . . 131

Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141

iv

CHAPTER1

About This R eference

• About this guide

• Accessing your online Us er Guide

• Gateway contact information

• Micro soft C ertificat e of Aut henticity

• For more information

1

CHAPTER 1: About This Reference

About this guide

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

Acces sing your online Us er Guide

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

• Help and technical support

• Using and customizing Windows and other software

• Using the Internet

• Protecting your files

• Playing and rec ording media

• Networking

To access your online User G uide:

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

Documentation.

Gate wa y contac t infor mation

Important

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

information varies by model, features ordered, and location.

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Gate w ay mo del and ser ial number

The label on the bot tom of y our notebook contains inf ormation
that identifies your notebook model and its featur es. Gateway
Customer Care will need this information if you call for
assistance.

Online Support:
Tech Support Phone:
Hours:
Model:
S/No:

Micr osof t Cer tificate of Authenticity

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

For more information

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

or the Web addre ss sho wn

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CHAPTER 1: About This Reference

4

CHAPTER2

Checking Out Y our Not ebook

• Front

• Left

• Right

• Back

• Bottom

• Keyboard area

• LC D panel

5

Front

CHAPTER2: Checking Out Your Notebook

LCD panel release latch

Speaker

Batter y ch arg e i nd i c ato r

Powe r i nd i c ato r

Headphone jack

Microphone jack

Speaker

Component Icon Description

LCD panel release
latch

Speakers Provide audio output when headphones or

Battery charge
indicator

Powe r in d i ca to r

Microphone jack Plug a microphone into this jack. The optional

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

Slide to open the LCD panel.

amplified speakers are not plugged in.

■

LED blue - Battery is fully charged.

■

LED purple - Battery is charging.

■

LED blinking red - Battery charge is very low.

■

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

■

LED on - Notebo ok is on.

■

LED blinking - Notebook is in Sleep or Hybrid

Sleep mode.

■

LED off - Notebook is off.

built-in microphone is turned off while an
external microphone is connected.

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

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Kensington lock

slot

S-Video out
jack

Ventilation fan

CD or DVD drive

Component Icon Description

Kensington™
lock slot

S-Video out jack
(optional)

Ventilation fan Helps cool internal components.

CD or DVD drive Insert CDs or DVDs into this drive. For more

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

Plug an S-V i deo device, such as a t e levision, into
this optional jack. For more information, see

“Viewin g the displa y on a t ele v ision ” on page54.

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

information, see “Using the CD or DVD dri v e ” on

page 42. To determine the type of drive in your

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

“Identifying drive types” on page 42.

7

Right

CHAPTER2: Checking Out Your Notebook

Important

Port or jack location may vary by notebook model.

USB port s

Modem jack

PCCard or
Express C ard slot

IEEE 1394
port

USB port s

Memo ry ca rd rea de r

Ethernet jack

Component Icon Description

USB p ort s Plug USB devices (such as a diskette drive, flash

PCCard o r
Express C ard slot

IEEE 1394 port
(optional)

Memory card
reader

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

Insert one Type II PC Card or Type 54
Express Card into this slot. For more information,
see “Adding and removing a PC Card or

ExpressCard” on page 45.

Plug an IEEE1394 (also known as Firewire® or
i.Link®) device (such as a digital camcorder or
MP3 player) into this optional 4-pin IEEE 1394
port.

Insert a memo ry ca rd from a digi tal ca mera,
MP3 player, PDA, or cellular tele phon e into the
memory card reader. For more information, see

“Using the memory card read er” on page 44.

The memory card reader supports Memory

®

, Memory Stick Pr o®, Mini Secure Digital®,

Stick
MultiMediaCard™, RS-MultiMediaCard™, and
Secure Digit al™ cards .

Ethernet jack Plug an Ethernet network cable into this jack.

Modem jack Plug a dial-up modem cable into this jack. For

The other end of the cable can be plugged into
a cable modem, DSL modem, or an Ethernet
network jack. For more information, see

“Connecting to a broadband modem or
network” on pag e 19 .

more information , see “Connecting the dial-up

modem” on page 18.

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Power connector

Component Icon Description

Powe r co n n e cto r Plug the AC adapter cabl e in to this conn ector.
Monitor port Plug an analog VGA mo nitor or projec tor int o this

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

display on a projector or monitor” on page50.

Monitor port

9

Bottom

CHAPTER2: Checking Out Your Notebook

Batter y la tch

Customer
care lab el

Hard drive

bay

Battery

Online Support:
Tech Support Phone:
Hours:
Model:
S/No:

Batter y l ock

Component Icon Description

Hard drive
bay

Customer
Care label

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

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

page 100.

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

on page2.

information, see “Adding or replacing memory

modules” on page95.

Memory
bay

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

“Changing the battery” on page 61.

Battery Provide s powe r when the not ebook is not plugged int o

AC power.

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

“Changing the battery” on page 61.

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Keyboard area

Multimedia

panel

Keyboard

Status indicators

Touchpad

Power
button

Microphone

Component Icon Description

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

Multimedia
panel
(optional)

Power bu tton Press t o turn t he powe r on or off . Y o u can also conf igure

keyboard. For more information, see “Using the

keybo ard ” on pa ge 24.

Use to control playback of CDs and DVDs. The panel
includes v olume con trol bu tt ons. For more inf ormation,
see “Using the optional multimedia panel” on page 31.

the power button for Sleep/Resume mode. For more
information on configuring the power button mode,
see “Changing advanced settings” on page67.

Microphone
(optional)

Touchpad Provides all the functionality of a mouse. For more

Status
indicators

Record audio through this microphone or use it to talk
through when making Voice over Internet Protocol
(VoIP) calls. The built-in microphone is tur ne d off while
an external microphone is connected. For the location
of your microphone jack, see “Front” on page6.

information, see “Using the EZ Pad touchpad” on

page 28.

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

page 23.

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CHAPTER2: Checking Out Your Notebook

L CD panel

Component Icon Description

Webcam

Webcam
(optional)

Use to le t othe rs see w ho the y ar e communic ating w ith
when making VoIP calls. The Webcam status indicator
turns on when the Webcam is turned on. For more
information, see “Using the optional webcam” on

page 32.

12

CHAPTER3

Setting Up and Getting Star ted

• Working saf ely and comf ort ably

• Connecting t he AC adapter

• Connecting the dial-up modem

• Connecting to a br oadband modem or

network

• Starting your not ebook

• T urning of f yo ur notebook

• Rest arting (rebooting) y our notebook

• Using the status indicators

• Using the keyboard

• Using the EZPad t ouchpad

• Using the optional multimedia panel

• Using the optional webcam

• Adjusting the brightness

• Adjusting the volume

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

13

CHAPTER3 : Setting Up and Getting Started

Wo rking safel y and comfortably

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

• Keep hands and arms parallel to the floor.

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

sight.

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

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

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

• Do not use the notebook on any soft, conforming

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

Warning

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

Reduc ing e y e strain

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

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

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

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

your notebook in a dark room.

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

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

• Where feasible, keep your head vertical while looking at

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

14

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Setting up your comp uter de sk and chair

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

• Select a flat surface for your computer desk.

• Adjust the height of the computer desk so your hands

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

• Use an adjustable chair that is comfortable, distributes

your weight evenly, and keeps your body relaxed.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sitting a t your not ebook

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

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

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

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

• Take breaks to stand and stretch your legs.

• Avoid twisting your torso or neck.

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

• Vary your activities to avoid excessive repetition.

• Take breaks to change your position, stretch your

muscles, and relieve your eyes.

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

variety of tasks.

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CHAPTER3 : Setting Up and Getting Started

Connec ting the A C adapter

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

Warning

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

Caution

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

Important

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

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

see “Recalibrating the battery” on page62.

To connect the AC adapter:

1 Connect the power cord to the AC adapter.

16

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

connector.

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

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

• Unpl ug the adapter from your notebook, then plug

it back in.

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

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

ACadapter.

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

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

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

Important

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

page2.

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CHAPTER3 : Setting Up and Getting Started

Prot ecting f rom po wer s ource pr oblems

During a power surge, the voltage level of electricity coming
into you r no teb oo k c an in crease to level s fa r a bove no rma l
levels and cause data loss or system damage. Protect your
notebook and peripheral devices by connecting them to a
surge protector, which absorbs voltage surges a nd prevents
them from reaching your notebook.

Warning

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

Connec ting the dial-up modem

Your notebook has a built-in 56K modem that you can use to
connect to a standard telephone line.

Warning

To reduce the risk of fire, use only No. 26 AWG or larger (for example, No.
24 AWG) UL-listed or CSA-certified telecommunication line cord fo r your dial-up
modem connection.

18

To connect the modem:

1 Insert one end of the modem cable into the modem

jack on your notebook.

www.gateway.com

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

wall jack.

Important

The modem will not work with digital or PBX telephone lines.

Connec ting to a br oadband modem or netw ork

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

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

Ethernet network:

1 Insert one end of the network cable into the network

jack on your notebook.

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

modem, DSL modem, or Ethernet network jack.

19

CHAPTER3 : Setting Up and Getting Started

Starting y our notebook

Warning

Do not work with the notebook resting on your lap. If the air vents are
blocked, the notebook may become hot enough to harm your skin.

Caution

Provide adequate space around your notebook so air vents are not
obstructed. Do not use the notebook on a bed, sofa, rug, or other similar surface.

To start your notebook:

1 Slide the latch on the fr ont of your notebook, t hen lift the

LCD panel.

2 Press the powe r b utto n l oc ated ab ove t he keybo ard .

20

Tip

For more information about changing the power button mode,

see “Changing advanced settings” on page67.

3 If you are starting your not ebook for the f irst time, f ollow

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

4 Attach and turn on any peripheral devices, such as

printers, scanners, and speakers.

Tip

For more information about connecting peripheral devices, see

“Installing a printer or other peripheral device” on page 48.

Tip

See the documentation that came with each device for its setup

instructions.

www.gateway.com

5 To open the main menu, click (Start). From that

menu, you can run programs and search for files. For
more information on using Windows, see “Using
Windows” and “Customizing Windows” in your online
User Gu ide.

Waking up y our not ebook

When you hav e not us ed y our not ebook for sev er al minute s or
if you close the LCD panel without turning off your notebook,
it may enter a power-saving mode called Sleep. While in Sleep
mode, the power i ndicator f la shes. If y our not ebook is in Sleep
mode, press the power button to “wake” it up.

Tip

For more information about Sleep mode, see “Changing power modes” on

page64.

T ur ning off y our notebook

Putti ng you r no teb ook into S lee p mo de i s the easi est way to
power down your notebook. Although it does not turn your
notebook completely off, it turns off or slows down most
system operations to save power. Sleep mode saves your
desktop layout so the next time you restore power, the
programs are laid out just as you left them. Waking your
noteb oo k fro m a Sl ee p s ta te is mu ch fa ster th an t ur nin g o n
your n oteb ook after it has be en tu rne d co mpl etely o ff.

Hibernate mode is an alternative to Sleep mode. In Hibernate
mode, your not ebook is turned completely of f . When y ou wak e
your notebook from Hibernate mode, however, the programs
that were running when your notebook entered Hibernate
mode are running just as you left them.

To put your notebook to sleep:

• Click (Start), t hen c lic k (pow er). The not eboo k

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

-OR­Press F

N+F3.

Tip

You can change the Sleep mode from the standard Sleep mode (default)
to Hybrid Sleep. For more information about Sleep mode, see “Changing power

modes” on page64.

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CHAPTER3 : Setting Up and Getting Started

To put your notebook into hibernation:

• Click (Start), click t he arro w nex t to t he lock icon , then

click Hibernate. The notebo ok saves your session and
shuts down to save power.

To turn off your notebook:

• Click (Start), click t he arro w nex t to t he lock icon , then

click Shut Down. The notebook turns off.

Important

If for some reason you cannot use the Shut Down option in
Windows t o turn of f y our not e book, press and hold the powe r but t on for
about five seconds, then release it.

Re starting (rebooting) y our notebook

If your notebook does not respond to keyboard, touchpad, or
mouse input, you may have to close programs that are not
responding. If closing unre sponsive pr ograms does not r est ore
your notebook to normal operation, you may have to restart
(reboot) your notebook.

To close unresponsive programs on your notebook:

1 Press CTRL+ALT+DEL.
2 Click Start Task Manager. 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.

22

To restart your notebook:

• Click (Start), click the arro w next t o the lock icon, the n

click Restart. The notebook turns off, then turns on
again.

Important

If your notebook d oes no t turn off immed iately, complete the
following steps until the notebook turns off:

1. Pr es s an d h old t he power button f or about fi v e se cond s, t hen re lea se it.

2. Unplug the power cord and remove the battery for more than 10
seconds.

www.gateway.com

A

1

Using t he status indicators

Important

If none of the indicators are on, you may need to press FN+F1 to toggle

the status indicators on.

Status indicators inform you when a drive is being used or
when a button has been pres sed that aff ects how t he ke yboard
is used. The status indicators are located below the touchpad.

Wireless
network

Caps lock

Disc drive

Num lock

Indicator Icon Description

Wireless
network

Caps lock

Num lock

Disc drive

Hard drive

■

LED on - Optional wireless IEEE

802.11 radio is turn ed on.

■

LED off - Optional wireless IEEE

802.11 radio is turned off.

■

LED on - Capslock is turned on.

■

LED off - Capslock is turned off.

■

LED on - Numeric keypad is turned
on.

■

LED off - Numeric keypad is turned
off.

■

LED on - Drive is in use.

■

LED off - Drive is not in use.

■

LED blinking - Hard drive is being
accessed.

■

LED off - Hard drive is not being
accessed.

Hard drive

23

CHAPTER3 : Setting Up and Getting Started

1

Using t he ke yboar d

Y our notebook features a full-si ze ke yboard that functions the
same as a desktop computer keyboard. Many of the keys have
been assigned alternate functions, including shortcut keys for
Windows, function k e ys f or specif ic syst em operations, and the
Nu m Lo c k key s fo r t h e n um e ri c key pa d .

Function keys/

System keys

Numeric

keypad

FN

key

Navigation
keys

Key types

Windows key

Application key

Arrow keys

Tip

Y ou can at tac h an ex t ernal keyboard to the not ebook u sing a U SB port. You

do not need to shut down the notebook to connect a USB keyboard.

The keyboard has several different types of keys. Some keys
perform spec ific ac tions when pr es sed alone and other ac tions
when pressed in combination with another key.

Key t yp e Icon Description

Numeric keypad Use these keys to type numbers

Function keys Press these keys labeled F1 to F12

when the numeric keypad is turned
on. Press FN+ to turn on the
numeric keypad.

to perform actions in programs. For
example, pressing F1 may open
help.
Each program uses different
function keys for different
purposes. See the program
documentation to find out more
about the function key actions.

24

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Key t yp e Icon Description

Syste m ke ys Press these colored keys in

Navigation keys Press these keys to move the cursor

FN key Press the FN key in combinatio n

Windows key Press this key t o open the Windows

Application key Pre ss thi s key for qu ic k a cc ess to

Arrow keys Press these keys to move the cursor

combination with the FN key to
perform specific actions. For m ore
information, see “System key

combinations” on page 26.

to the be ginn ing o f a l ine, to th e
end of a line, u p the page , dow n the
page, to the beginning of a
document, or to the end of a
document.

with a co lored system key to
perform a specific action.

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 (Computer window).

shortc ut menus and h elp ass istants
in Windows.

up, down, right, or left.

25

CHAPTER3 : Setting Up and Getting Started

Sy st em k ey com binations

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

Press and hold
FN

, then press

thi s sys tem key...

To...

Toggle the status indicators on or off. For
more information , see “Using the st atus

indicators” on page 23.

Turn the optional IEEE 802.11 wireless
network radio on or off. For more
information, see “Wirel ess Ethernet
Networking” in your online User Guid e.
Warning: Radio frequency wireless
communication can interfere with
equipme nt on c ommercial aircraft. Curren t
aviat ion regulations r equire w ireless device s
to be turned off while traveling in an
airplane . IEEE 802. 1 1 communication de vices
are exampl es of devices th at p rovide
wireless communication.

Enter Sleep m ode or Hybrid Slee p mode.
Press t he pow er but ton t o lea ve Sl eep mode .
For more informa tion, see “Changing

notebook power settings” on page 66.

T oggle the not ebook displa y in the f ollow ing
order:

■

The LCD

■

An ex ter nal mo ni to r or p roj ecto r (a
monitor or projector must be plugged
into the mo nitor port on your notebo ok)

■

Both displays at the same time
For more informa tion, see “Viewing the

display on a projector or monitor” on
page 50.

26

Turn the optional Bluetooth radio on or off.

6

Warning: Radio frequency wireless
communication can interfere with
equipme nt on c ommercial aircraft. Curren t
aviat ion regulations r equire w ireless device s
to be turned off while traveling in an
airplane. Bluetooth communication devices
are exampl es of devices th at p rovide
wireless communication.

www.gateway.com

Press and hold
FN

, then press

thi s sys tem key...

F8

+

-

To...

Increase the L CD panel brightne ss abov e the
normal brightest setting. Use this feature in
bright lighting s ituations, such a s o ut si de in
bright sunlight.
Press a second time to decrease the
brightness below the normal lowest
brightness setting. Use this feature in dim
lighting situations.
Press a third time to return the display to the
normal brightness setting.
Important: Using this feature will affect
battery performance.

Play or pause the CD or DVD.

Stop playing the CD or DVD.

Skip back one CD track or DVD chapter.

Skip ahead one CD track or DVD chapter.

Increase the brightness of the display.

Decrease the brightness of the display.

Increase volume. For more information, see

“Adjusting the volume” on page36.

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CHAPTER3 : Setting Up and Getting Started

Press and hold
FN

, then press

To...

thi s sys tem key...

Decrease volume. For more information, see

“Adjusting the volume” on page36.

Mute the so u n d . P r ess th e key c ombinati on
again to restore the sound. For more
information, see “Adjusting the volume” on

page 36.

Using t he EZ Pad t ouchpad

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

Touchpad

Scroll
zone

28

Left button

Right button

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When you move your finger on the touchpad, the pointer
(arrow) on the scr een moves in t he same direction. Y ou can use
the scroll zone to scroll through documents. Use of the scroll
zone may vary from program to program.

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

Tip

Yo u can at tac h a mou se t o t he not ebook u sing a US B port. You do not need

to shut down the notebook to connect a USB mouse.

Tip

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, touchpad, or pointing device settings” in your online User
Guide.

Tip

You may have received your notebook with the EZ Pad touchpad set to
only accept clicking by using the touchpad buttons. You can change this feature
to allow tapping on the touchpad to simulate clicking the left button. For more
information, see “Changing the mouse, touchpad, or pointing device settings” in
your online User Gui de.

To... Do this...

Move the
pointer on the
screen.

Move your finger
around on the
touchpad. If you
run out of space
and need to mo ve
the poin ter
farther, lift your
finger, move it to
the mid dle of th e
touc hpa d , th en
continue moving
your finger.

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CHAPTER3 : Setting Up and Getting Started

To... Do this...

Select an
object on the
screen.

Start a
program or
open a file or
folder.

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

Move an
object on the
screen.

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

Position the
pointer over the
object. Press the
left button twic e
in rapid
succession. This
action is called
double-clicking.

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

Position the
pointer over the
object. Press the
left button and
hold it down, then
use the touchpad
to move (drag) the
object to the
appropriate part
of the screen.
Release the
button to drop the
object where you
wan t i t.

30

www.gateway.com

Using t he optional multimedia panel

Use the buttons on the optional multimedia panel to control
playback of CDs and DVDs as well as media files in programs
such as Wind ows Me dia Pl ayer.

Play/Pause

Stop

Skip back

Skip ahead

Mute sound

Volum e u p

Vol u me d o w n

Button Description

Stop playing the CD, DVD, or medi a file.
Skip back one CD track or DVD chapter.

Play or pause the CD, DVD, or media file.
Skip ahead one CD track or DVD chapter.

Mute the s ound. Pr es s again t o re st ore the s ound. F or more
information, see “Adjusting the volume” on page 36.

— Decrease volume. For more inf ormation, see “A djusting the

+ Increase volume. For more information, see “Adjusting the

volu me ” o n p ag e 36.

volu me ” o n p ag e 36.

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CHAPTER3 : Setting Up and Getting Started

Using t he optional webcam

You can use the optional webcam with many of the available
Internet chat programs to add video and audio to your chat
session. In addition, by using the software included with the
webcam, you can take pictures or create video clips. The
Webcam status indicator turns on when the Webcam is turned
on.

Webcam

Status indicator

32

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To u s e t he w e bc a m :

1 Click (Start), All Programs, C amera Ass istant

Software, then click Camera Assistant Software. The
Camera Assistant Toolbar opens.

-OR­Right-click (Camera assistant software) on the

taskbar, then click Show T o olbar. The Camera Assistant
Toolbar opens.

Button Icon Description

Start
camera

Effects Adds a dec orati on or bo rder to

Properties Modifies properties such as

Settings Selects the position of the toolbar

Help Opens online help.

Important

If you do not see the toolbar, the Auto Hide setting may be turned
on. Move your pointer around the outside of the screen until the toolbar
appears.

Turns on the came ra and op ens
the preview screen.

your picture.

zoom, backlight compensation,
brightness, and contrast.

or modifies the pict ure, video, or
audio settings.

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CHAPTER3 : Setting Up and Getting Started

2 Click (Start camera). The Camera Assistant opens.

3 Click one of the following:

Button Icon Description

34

Snapshot Take a picture of what is

Video
recording

Audio
recording

Functions Change a set ting or acces s

Resolution Change the size of the

Mute Turn audio capture on or

Effects Add a decoration or

currently in the preview
screen.

Create a video re cording .

Create an audio recording.

online help.

picture.

off.

border to your picture.

www.gateway.com

Tip

For more information about using the webcam, click in the
Camera Assistant Toolbar or click (Functions), then click Help in the
Camera Assis tant.

Tip

For more information about using the webcam while using an
Internet chat service, see the help for that service.

Adjusting th e brightness

To adjust screen brightness:

• Use the increase brightness and decrease brightness

keys on the keyboard. For more information, see “System

key combinations” on page26.

-OR­Click (Start), All Programs, Accessories

Windows Mobility Center. The Windows Mobility
Center window opens. S lide the Brightness control to

the desired screen brightness.

Tip

For more information about the Windows Mobility Center, see
“Using the Windows Mobility Center” in your online User Guid e.

, then clic k

35

CHAPTER3 : Setting Up and Getting Started

Adjusting t he volume

You can use the volume control to adjust the overall volume
of your notebook.

To adjust the overall volume level using hardware

controls:

• If you are usin g extern al sp ea kers, turn the knob on the

front of the speakers.

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

keyboard. For more informa tion, see “System key

combinations” on page26.

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

optional multimedia panel. For more information, see

“Using the optional multimedia panel” on page31.

-OR­Click (Start), All Programs, Accessories

Windows Mobility Center. The Windows Mobility
Center window opens. S lide the Volume control to the

desired volume level.

, then clic k

36

Tip

For more information about the Windows Mobility Center, see

“Using the Windows Mobility Center” in your online User Guid e.

To adjust the volume from Windows:

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

slider opens.

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

to de creas e vo lu me.

www.gateway.com

3 To mu te the volu me, click (Mute). To restore volume,

click it again.

4 To adjust device volume levels, click Mixer. The Volume

Mixer dialog box opens, where you can click and drag

sliders for individual devices.

Tip

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

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

37

CHAPTER3 : Setting Up and Getting Started

T ur ning your w ireles s radio on or off

Your Gateway notebook may have a factory-installed wireless
radio.

Warning

Radio f r equency wi rel es s communi cation c an int erf e re with equip ment on
commercial aircraft. Current aviation regulations require wireless devices to be
turned off while traveling in an airplane. IEEE 802.11 and Bluetooth
communication devices are examples of devices that provide wireless
communication.

Warning

In environments where the risk of interfer ence to oth er devices or services
is harmful or perceived as harmful, the option to use a wireless device may be
restricted or eliminated. Airports, hospitals, and oxygen or flammable gas laden
atmospheres are limited examples where use of wireless devices may be
restricted or eliminated. When in environments where you are uncertain of the
sanction to use wireless devices, ask the applicable authority for authorization
prior to using or turning on the wireless device.

IEEE 802 .11 wirele ss ne twork radi o

Your notebook has an IEEE 802.11 radio for accessing the
Internet throu gh a wirel ess access point or com munic atin g
with other computers on a wireless Ethernet network.

To turn the wireless IEEE 802.11 radio on or off:

• Press FN + F2. The wireless stat us ind ic ator tu rns on or

off. For the location of the wireless status indicator, see

“Using the status indicators” on page 23.

-OR­Click (Start), All Programs, Accessories

Windows Mobility Center . When the Windows Mobility
Center window opens, click Turn wireless on or Turn

wireless off.

, then clic k

38

Tip

For more information about using your notebook on a wireless network,
see “Wireless Ethernet Networking” in your online User G ui de

Bluet ooth rad io

Y our notebook ma y ha v e a Bluet ooth r adio f or communicating
with another Bluetooth device, such as a printer, scanner,
camera, MP3 player, headph one, keyboard, or mouse.

To turn the Bluetooth radio on or off:

• Press FN + F6.

Tip

For more information about u sing y ou r not ebo ok on a Bluetooth Personal

Area Network, see “Bluetooth Networking” in your online User Guid e

Help

For more information about Bluetooth, click Start, then click Help and

Support. Type the keyword Bluetooth in the Search Help box, then press
E

NTER.

www.gateway.com

39

CHAPTER3 : Setting Up and Getting Started

40

CHAPTER4

Using Driv es and Accessories

• Using the CD or DVD drive

• Using the memory card reader

• Adding and removing a PCCard or

Express Card

• Installing a printer or ot her peripheral de vic e

• View ing the displa y on a projec tor or monit or

• View ing the display on a t elev ision

• Ordering acce ssor ies

41

CHAPTER4: Using Drives and Accessories

Using t he CD or DVD dr iv e

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

Identifying driv e types

Y our Gatew ay notebook may contain one of the follow ing drive
types. Look on the front of the drive for one or more of the
following logos:

If your drive has this
logo...

ROM/R/RW

This is your drive
type...

CD drive

DVD drive

Combination
DVD/CD-RW drive

Multi-format
double layer
DVD±RW drive

Use your drive for...

Installing programs, playing
audio CDs, and accessi ng data.
You cannot use this drive to
create CDs or DVDs or play
DVDs.

Installing programs, playing
audio CDs, playing DVDs, and
accessing data. You cannot
use this drive to create CDs or
DVDs.

Installing programs, playing
audio CDs, playing DVDs,
accessing data, and recording
music and data to recordable
CDs. You cannot use this drive
to create DVDs.

Installing programs, playing
audio CDs, playing DVDs,
accessing data, recording
music and data to CD-R or
CD-RW discs, and recording
video and data to DVD-R,
DVD+ R , DV D - RW, DV D + RW, o r
double layer DVD+R or DVD-R
discs.
Note: To use the double layer
capability of the double layer
recordable DVD drive, the
blank DVDs y ou purcha se must
state Double Layer , Du al Layer,
or DL. Using other types of
blank media will result in less
capacity.

42

www.gateway.com

Using a CD or D VD dr iv e

[

Important

Prerec orde d DVD s and DVD driv es con tain r egiona l codes t hat help contr ol
DVD title exports and help reduce illegal disc distribution. To be able to play a
prerecorded DVD, the disc’s regional code and your DVD drive’s regional code
must match.

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 Mexic o is 4. Y our D VD driv e’s r egional c ode must mat c h the r egional code
of the disc. The regional code for the disc is on the disc, disc documentation, or
packaging.

Important

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

Manual eject hole

Eject b u tton

Tip

For information about cleaning a CD or DVD, see “Cleaning CDs or DVDs”

on page 79.

To insert a CD or DVD:

1 Press the eject button on the CD or 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 until it snaps into place.

3 Push the tray in until it is closed.

To remove a CD or DVD:

1 Press the eject button on the CD or DVD drive. After the

tray opens slightly, pull the disc tray completely open.

2 Carefully lift on the edges of the disc until it snaps off

of the spindle.

3 Push the tray in until it is closed.

Tip

Your notebook must be turned on to remove CDs and DVDs using this
method. If you do not want to turn on your notebook, manually eject the disc
by inserting an opened paper clip into the manual eject hole.

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CHAPTER4: Using Drives and Accessories

Using t he memory card reader

You can 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
telephone.

Memory card types

The memory card reader supports Memory Stick®, Memory
Stick Pro
Digital™, and RS-MultiMediaCard™.

adapter that is available with the media.

®

, MultiMediaCard™, Secure Digital™, Mini Secure

Important

RS-Multimedia Card and Mini Secure Digital cards require the use of an

Inserting a memory card

To insert a memory card:

• Insert the memory card into the memory card slot with

the label facing up and the arrow on the label pointing
towards the no teb oo k.

44

www.gateway.com

Using a memory card

To access a file on a mem ory card:

1 Click (Start), then click Computer.
2 Double-click the drive letter (for example, the E: drive),

then double-click the file name.

Remo v ing a memory car d

Important

Do n ot us e t he rem ove h ard wa re i co n i n the t as kb ar to re move th e
memory c ard. If you use the rem ove hardware i con , your noteboo k may not
recognize your memory card reader until you restart your notebook.

To remove a memory card:

1 Push the memory card into the notebook. The memory

card pops out slightly.

2 Pull the memory card out of the notebook.

Adding and remo ving a PCCard or Expres s Card

Your notebook has a PCCard or ExpressCard slot. This slot
accepts one Type II PCCard or one Type 54 Express Card. You
do not need to restart your notebook when changing most
cards because your notebook supports hot-swapping.
Hot-swapping means that you can insert a card while your
notebook is running. If your card does not work after
hot-sw apping, see the card manuf ac turer’s doc umentation f or
further in formatio n.

Important

To kno w if y our no t ebook uses PCCards or ExpressCards, look for an e jec t
button next to the slot. If your notebook has an eject button, it uses Type II
PCCards. If your notebook does not have an eject button, it uses Type 54
ExpressCards.

45

CHAPTER4: Using Drives and Accessories

To insert a PC Card or Express Card:

• Push the car d f ir ml y into the slot, label-side up , until t he

outer e dge of the ca rd is flus h wi th th e s id e o f yo ur
notebook.

Important

Before inserting an Express Card, you must remove the dummy
card. Keep the dummy card in a safe place and reinsert it when you
remove th e Ex pr ess C ard .

To remove a PC Card:

1 Turn off your no tebo ok , th en g o to ste p 5.

-OR­Double-click the remove hardware icon in the

taskbar. The Safely Remove Hardware dialog box opens.

46

Important

If the re move hardware icon does not app ea r on the taskbar, click
the show hidden icons button.

2 Click the PCCard name, then clickStop. The Stop a

Hardware device dialog box opens.

3 Click the PCCard name, then clickOK. The Safe to

Remov e Ha rdw are dialog box opens.

4 Click OK.
5 Release the eject button by pressing the PCCard eject

butto n on ce.

www.gateway.com

6 Eject the PCCard by pressing the eject button again.

To remove an Express Card:

1 Turn off your no tebo ok , th en g o to ste p 5.

-OR­Double-click the remove hardware icon in the

taskbar. The Safely Remove Hardware dialog box opens.

Important

If the re move hardware icon does not appear on the task ba r, click

the show hidden icons button.

2 Click the ExpressCard name, then click Stop. The Stop a

Hardware device dialog box opens.

3 Click the ExpressCard name, then clickOK. The Safe to

Remov e Ha rdw are dialog box opens.

4 Click OK.
5 Push the Ex press Ca rd into the notebo ok. The Exp ress

Card pops out slightly.

6 Pull the Express Card out of your notebook.

47

CHAPTER4: Using Drives and Accessories

Installing a print er or other peripher al dev ice

Your notebook may have one or more of the following ports:
IEEE 1394 (also known as Firewire
Bus (USB), and S-Video (TV out). You u se thes e ports to connec t
peripheral devices such as printers, scanners, and digital
cameras to your notebook.

Important

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

device documentation and installation instructions.

IEEE 1394 and USBports support plug-and-play and hot
swapping, which means that your notebook will usually

recognize such a device whenever you plug it into the
appropriate port. W hen you u se an IEEE13 94 or USB devic e f or
the first time, your notebook will prompt you to install any
soft war e th e de vice needs. Aft er doi ng th is, y ou can d isco nnec t
and reconnect the device at any time.

Help

For more information about installing peripheral devices, click Start, th en

click Help and Support. Type the keyword installing devices in the Search

Help box, then press E

NTER.

Connec ting a USB de v ice

Your notebook has USB ports for connecting devices such as a
diskette drive, flash drive, printer, scanner, camera, keyboard,
or mouse.

Important

USB devices may have special installation instructions. See your USB

device’s installation guide.

®

or i.Link®), Universal Serial

48

Important

For more information about using the USB port on your device, see your

device’s documentation.

www.gateway.com

To connect yo ur USB device to your notebook:

1 Connect one end of the USB cable to your device.
2 Connect the other end of the cable to a U SB port on

your notebook.

Connec ting an IEEE1 3 9 4 dev ice

Your notebook may have a 4-pin IEEE 1394 port (also known
as a Firewire® or i.Lin k® po rt) for con n ect in g devices su ch as
a video camera.

Important

For more information about using the IEEE 1394 port on your device, see

your device’s documentation.

To connect your IEEE1394 device to your notebook:

1 Connect one end of the IEEE 1394 cable to your IEEE139 4

device.

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CHAPTER4: Using Drives and Accessories

2 Connect the other end of the cable to the IEEE 1394

port on your notebook.

Tip

For more information about editing video, see “Creating a video
DVD” in your online User Gu id e.

Vie wing t he display on a projec tor or monit or

You can use your notebook for giving presentations by
con nect in g a n exte rna l m oni tor or pro jecto r to you r mo ni tor
(VGA) port. Your n otebook supports simultaneous LCD and
external display. Simultane ous display let s you cont rol the
presentation f rom y our not ebook at the s ame time as y ou f ace
your audience.

To use a projector or mon itor

1 Turn off your notebook.
2 Connect one end of the VGA cable to the monitor or

projector.

50

www.gateway.com

3 Plug the other end of the VGA cable into the monitor

port on your notebook.

4 Turn on your notebook.
5 Plug th e pr oje ctor ’s o r m on ito r’s powe r c ord in to a n

ACpower source and turn it on.
Windows recognizes the new hardware and the New

Display Detected dialog box opens.

6 Select the options for the projector or monitor, then click

OK.

7 Press FN+F4 to switch between viewing the display o n

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

Important

If a monitor or pr oj ec tor is connected and you c lo se t he LCD panel,

your notebook ma y turn o ff the LCD panel, but will not enter Sleep mode.

Adjusting the displa y propertie s

If the image on the projector or monitor does not appear
correctly, or if you want to use the display as an extension of
your notebook desktop, you should adjust the display
properties.

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CHAPTER4: Using Drives and Accessories

To adjust the display properties on a projector or

monitor:

1 Click (Start), All Programs, Accessories, then click

Windows Mobility Center. The Windows Mobility
Center window opens.

Tip

For more information about the Windows Mobility Center, see
“Using the Windows Mobility Center” in your online User Guid e.

2 Click (Change display settings). The Display

Settings dialog box opens.

52

3 Click monitor 2.
4 Adjust properties such as Resolution or Colors if

necessary.

5 To use the monitor or projector as a “mirror” (duplicate)

of the notebook display (both displays have the same
content), click to deselect the check box for Extend my
Window s de sktop onto thi s mo nito r.

6 To use the monitor or projector as an extension of your

desktop (increasing the size of your Windows desktop),
click to sele ct the check box for Extend my Windows
desktop onto t his monitor. You can click and drag the
“2” monitor icon to position it the same way the physical
monitor is arranged on your desk.

7 Click OK.

www.gateway.com

Using the p rojec tor or m onitor f or a presentation

You can configure your notebook so the settings are correct
each time you give a presentation.

To use a projector or monitor for a presentation:

1 Click (Start), All Programs, Accessories, then click

Windows Mobility Center. The Windows Mobility
Center wi ndow ope ns.

Tip

For more information about the Windows Mobility Center, see

“Using the Windows Mobility Center” in your online User Guid e.

2 Click (Change presentation settings). The

Presentatio n Settings dialog box opens.

3 Adjust properties such a s Turn of f screen saver and Set

the volume to i f necessary.

4 Click OK.
5 Click Turn on to turn on the presentation settings. W hen

you are finished giving the presentation, click Tur n o f f
to ret urn to you r sta nd ard no teb ook sett in gs.

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CHAPTER4: Using Drives and Accessories

Vie wing t he 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 your notebook.

Important

Audio is not transmitted through an S-Video out jack. Use the built-in
speakers or a set of headphones or external powered speakers, or connect your
notebook to a stereo system using the headphone jack 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 optional S-Video out jack on
your notebook.

54

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.
4 Start your notebook.

www.gateway.com

Adjusting the t elev ision display s etting s

You may n ee d to mod if y th e te levi si on s etti ngs to m atch th e
television you are connecting to.

To adjust the display prope rties on a television:

1 Click (Start), All Programs, Accessories, then click

Windows Mobility Center. The Windows Mobility
Center wi ndow ope ns.

Tip

For more information about the Windows Mobility Center, see

“Using the Windows Mobility Center” in your online User Guid e.

2 Click (Change display settings). The Display

Settings dialog box opens.

3 Click Advanced Settings.

Important

Depending on the graphic processor installed in your notebook,

the remaining steps may vary.

4 Click Intel Graphics Media Accelerator Driver for

Mobile.

5 Click Graphics Properties.

55

CHAPTER4: Using Drives and Accessories

6 Click on a tab an d make c hanges to t he tele vision s etting s

as ne cessa r y.

Tip

If you are traveling internationally, you may need to change the
video standard. For example, many televisions outside of the United
States use PAL instead of NTSC.

Ordering acce ssor ies

T o order acces sories, visit www.gateway.com. Accessories ma y
not be available in all localities.

Automobile/airplane power adapters

With an automo bile/a irplan e power ad apter, you can save
battery p ower by plugging your notebook into an automob ile
cigarette lighter or an airplane in-flight power receptacle.

Batteries

If you run your notebook on battery power for extended
periods, you may w ant t o buy an additional batt ery so y ou can
swap batteries when necessary. See “Changing the battery” on

page 61 for more information about using an additional

battery.

56

Carrying cases

Gateway has large-capacity carrying cases if you need
additional space for accessories or supplies.

Hard drives

If you want to increase your internal storage space, try
replacing your existing hard drive with a larger drive. See

“Replacing the hard drive kit” on page 100 for mo re

information.

Memory

Large programs , such as mu ltimedia games or graphics
programs, 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 mod ules” on

page 9 5 for mo re i nfo rm a t io n.

www.gateway.com

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 prin ters. Using a n inkjet color
printer, you can print pictures, banners, and greeting cards, as
well as documents.

Laser prin ters an d cart ridges are more expen sive, but they
print much f a st er t han in kje t pr inters. 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.

57

CHAPTER4: Using Drives and Accessories

58

CHAPTER5

Managing P ower

• Monitoring t he batt ery charge

• Recharging the battery

• Changing the batt ery

• Recalibrating the battery

• Extending bat tery lif e

• Changing not ebook power set tings

59

CHAPTER5: Managing Power

Monitor ing the bat tery charge

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 powe r b al an ce d wi th o pt im ized b atte ry li fe wh en on
batte ry powe r.

Closely monitor the battery charge. When the battery charge
gets low, change the battery or conn ect to ACp ower
immediately to prevent losing any unsaved work. To monitor
the battery charge:

• Move the mouse pointer over the power cord icon

or battery icon in the taskbar. A message appears
showing the remaining battery time and the current
power plan.

• Wait fo r a Low B atte ry warn in g m essag e to ap pe ar.

• Look at the battery charge status indicator.

If your battery charge indicator displays what looks like
an inaccurate charge, you may need to recalibrate the
battery.

Tip

For more information about the battery charge status indicator,
see “Front” on page6.

Tip

For more information about recalibrating the battery, see

“Recalibrating the battery” on page62.

Re charging t he batt ery

The battery recharges while it is installed and your notebook
is co nne cted to AC power. Whil e the batte ry recha rges , the
batte ry cha rge in di cato r t urn s on.

60

www.gateway.com

Changing t he batt ery

Warning

Danger of explosion if battery is incorrectly replaced.

Replace only with a battery specifically manufactured for your Gateway notebook.
Discard used batteries according to local hazardous material regulations.

The battery used in this device may present a fire or chemical burn hazard if
mishandled. Do not disa s semb le, heat abov e 212°F (100°C), or incinerat e. Dispose
of used batteries promptly. Keep away from children.

Caution

If your notebook is connected to AC power you can change the battery
while the notebook is turned on. If your notebook it is not plugged into an AC
outlet, you must turn the notebook off while changing the battery.

To replace the battery:

1 If your notebook is on and is connected to AC powe r, go

to ste p 2.

-OR­If your notebook is on and is not plugged into an AC

outlet, save your work and turn off the notebook.

2 Turn your no teb oo k over so the bo ttom is facin g u p.
3 Sli de the ba tter y l ock to t he unl ocke d p osi tio n .

4 Slide the battery release latch, then slide the battery out

of the notebook.

5 Slide a rechar ged batt ery into the not ebook until it sn aps

into place.

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CHAPTER5: Managing Power

6 Slide the battery lock to the locked position .
7 Turn your notebook over.
8 Open the LCD panel.

Re calibrating the batt ery

Important

Do not interrupt the battery recalibration process. If recalibration is

interrupted, you must start the process over again.

If your notebook unexpect edly goes into Sleep mode while y ou
are using it but the battery charge is not low, you may need
to rec ali bra te yo ur ba tter y. You sho ul d a lso rec al ib rate the
batte ry pe rio dic al ly to ma int ai n th e a ccu rac y of th e ba tter y
gauge.

To recalibrate the battery:

1 Connect your notebook to AC power and let the battery

charg e c omp lete ly.

2 As soon as it starts and you see a startup screen, press

F2. The BIOS Setup utility opens.

3 Open the Advanced menu.
4 Highlight Battery Auto Learning, then sele ct Enabled

by pressing the spacebar.

5 Open the Exit menu, highlight Exit Saving Changes,

then press ENTER.

6 Select Yes, then press ENTER.

The battery recalibration process begins and a screen
opens showing you the progress. The entire process
takes several hours.

When the rec alibr at ion ha s f inished , the me ss ag e “Pre ss
[Esc] key to exit” appears.

7 Press ESC. The battery charge indicator now displays an

accur ate b atte ry cha rge.

62

Important

If, after completing this procedure, the battery charge indicator still does
not show an accurate charge, contact Gateway Customer Care at the location
shown on the Customer Care label. For more information, see “Gateway contact

information” on page2.

www.gateway.com

Ext ending batt ery life

Maximizing bat tery perf or mance

T o get maximum perf ormance fr om your notebook bat tery , we
recommend that you initially condition (fully charge and
discharge) your new battery a few times during the first
seve ral w eeks of us e, to le t it reac h its maximum r ated capac ity .

Over the long term, use the battery at least once a month, even
if it was k ept in a cool, dry place f or stor age , but av oid fr equent
full discharges because this puts additional strain on the
battery . Se v eral par tial dischar ges w ith f requent rec harge s are
better for a lithium-ion battery than one complete discharge,
and recharging a partiall y charged lithium-ion bat tery does not
cause harm because there is no memory.

Conserv ing batt ery pow er

To conse rve pow er w hi le u sin g th e b atte ry to p ower you r
notebook:

• Turn off wireless networking and Bluetooth.

• Dim the display as low as is comfortab le.

• Disconnect all external devices, like IEEE 1394 and USB

devices.

• Remove PC Cards or ExpressCards when you do not

need them. Many PCCards or Express Cards use a small
amount of power while in serted, even if they are not
being used.

• Select the Pow er sav er power plan to get maximum

power savings.

Tip

For more information about using power plans, see “Changing

notebook power settings” on page66.

• Close t he LCD panel to turn off t he 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.

• Use th e no teb oo k to uch pa d in ste ad of an extern al

mouse.

• Decrease or mute spea ker volume.

• Turn off all scheduled tasks.

• Turn off auto-save features in Microsoft Office and other

applications.

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CHAPTER5: Managing Power

• Copy programs from CDs or DVDs to the hard drive so

you do not use battery power by running optical drives.

• Use the CD or DVD drive only when necessary. This drive

uses a large amount of power.

• Rechar ge the ba tter y o ften , t ake a n ext ra ba tter y, and

fully recharge the batteries b efore traveling. For more
information, see “Re char gin g the ba tter y” on pa ge 60.

Tip

For more information about traveling with your notebook, see

“Traveling with Your Notebook” on page69.

Using alt ern ate po wer s ource s

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

• If traveling intern ation all y, take electrical a dapters. Sav e

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, an automobile power outlet, or an
automobile cigarette lighter, use an airplane/
automobile power adapter or power inverter. Save the
battery for time s w hen you cannot u se a pow er adapt er.

• To find ACpower outlets in airports, look for them next

to support pillars, in large ar ea s such a s boar ding gat e s,
and under banks of telephones.

Changing pow er modes

Y ou can use the following pow er modes to lengthen the life of
your n oteb oo k’s ba ttery:

• Sleep - while your notebook is in Sleep mode, it swit ches

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 completely off. The next time you turn on
your notebook, it reads the memory information from
the hard drive and opens the programs and documents
that were open when you activated Hibernate mode.

64

www.gateway.com

• Hybrid Sleep - while your notebook is in Hybrid Sleep

mode, it switches to a low power state whe re devices,
such as the display and drives, turn off similar to Sleep
mode. The notebook also writes all current memory
(RAM) information to the hard drive similar to Hibernate
mode. If your notebook experiences a power outage
while in Hybrid Slee p mode, the no tebook reads th e
memory information from th e hard dri v e and opens the
programs and documents that were open when you
activated Hybrid Sleep mode. If the notebook does not
experience a power outage while in Hybrid Sleep mode,
it restar ts using the inf orm ation in c urren t memory , thu s
reducing startup time. You must turn on Hybrid Sleep
mode to use it. For more information, see “Changing

advanced settings” on page67.

Using po wer sav ing mode s

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

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

If your notebook
is...

On Enter Sleep or

On Enter Hibernate

In Sleep, Hybrid
Sleep, or Hibernate
mode

...and you want
to...

Hybrid Sleep
mode

mode

Exit Sleep, H ybrid
Sleep, or
Hibernate mode

...then

Press FN+F3.

Click (Start), click
the arrow next to the
lock icon, then click
Hibernate.

Press the power
button.

65

CHAPTER5: Managing Power

Changing not ebook pow er settings

Y ou can ch ange the func tion of y our not ebook ’ s pow er but ton,
Sleep system k ey , and pow er -sav ing timers by changing power
settings on your notebook.

You can customize power settings from the Windows Mobility
Center by selecting power plans and adjusting advanced
power settings.

Changing the po wer plan

Power plans (groups of power settings) let you change power
saving options such as when the display or hard drive is
automatically turned off. You can select one of the defined
power plans or create a custom power plan.

Three power plans are pre-defined for you:

• Balanced - This is the default pow er plan which balances

performance and battery life.

• Power saver - This power plan sacrifices performance in

orde r to ex ten d b a tter y li fe. U se thi s pl a n i f you wi ll b e
away from ACpower outlets for an extended period of
time. Your programs may run slower than you are
accustomed to under the other two power plans.

• High performance - T his power plan sacrif ices bat tery lif e

in order to gain performance. Use this plan if you need
additional computing power for your program. Your
battery may not last as long as you are accustomed to
under the other two power plans.

To change the power plan:

1 Click (Start), All Programs, Accessories, then click

Windows Mobility Center. The Windows Mobility
Center window opens.

66

www.gateway.com

2 Click (Change power settings). The Select a power

plan window opens.

3 Select the power plan you want to use.

- OR ­Click Change plan settings, modify the power plan you

selected, then click Save changes.

Help

For more information about c hanging t he power plan, clic k Start,

then cl ick Help and Support. Type the keyword power plan in the

Search Help box, then press E

NTER.

Changing adv anced set tings

Advanced power settings let you as sign dif ferent power saving
modes to the power button and Sleep sy stem ke y . You can also
select which power saving mode is activated when you close
the LCD panel.

To change advanced power management settings:

1 Click (Start), All Programs, Accessories, then click

Windows Mobility Center. The Windows Mobility
Center wi ndow ope ns.

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CHAPTER5: Managing Power

2 Click (Change power settings). The Select a p ow e r

plan window opens.

3 Click a setting on the left side of the scr een that you want

to change. The t op t hree se ttings are not t ied to a pow er
plan. The bottom three settings modify the currently
selected power pla n.

Help

For more information about changing the power management

settings, click Start, then click Help and Support. Type the keyword

power management in the Search Help box, then press E

NTER.

68

To turn on Hybrid Sleep mode:

1 On the Select a power plan window, click Change plan

settings for the plan you ar e using. The Change settings
for the plan window ope ns.

2 Click Change advanced power settings. The Power

Options dialog box opens.

3 Click the + in front of Sleep, then click the + in front of

Allow hybrid slee p.

4 Chan ge th e val ues to On for On battery and Plugged

in.

Help

For more information about hybrid sleep, click Start, then click
Help and Support. Type the keyword hybrid in the Search Help bo x,
then press E

NTER.

CHAPTER6

T ra veling with Your Not ebook

• Packing y our notebook

• T ra veling by air

• Dial-up modem

• Radio f requency wir eless connec tions

• Files

• Security

• Power

• Additional tips

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CHAPTER6: Traveling with Your Notebook

Pa cking your not ebook

• Remove all discs, PC Cards or Express Cards, peripheral

devices, and cables. Remember to pack those you will
need while traveling.

• Pack your notebook securely into a briefcase or

hand-carried luggage, and keep it separate from
toiletries, liquids, and food. Do not pack it in checked
luggage.

• Keep your notebook stable during travel. Secure it to

prevent it from sliding around in overhead bins and car
trunks.

T r av eling b y air

• Do not check your notebook as luggage.

• Charge the ba ttery in case airport security asks you to

start your notebook.

• Have your not ebook hand-inspected or sent through the

X-ray scanner, but never carry it through the metal
detector.

• Turn off you notebook for takeoff and landing.

• Turn off all wireless devices whi le in the aircraft.

Dial-up modem

• Take a telephone cord to connect the modem to

telephone jack s. If y ou are tr a v eling int er nation ally, take
telephone jack adapters or an acoustic handset coupler.

• Take a telephone line protector.

• Take a telephone line tester to check for unsafe lines,

especially if you are traveling internationally.

• Take remote access information with you so you can

connect to your ISP while outside of your usual calling
area. A list of country dialing codes may be especially
useful if you are traveling internationally.

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Radio f requency w ireles s connections

Important

If your notebook came equipped with an internal embedded wireless
device, see “Legal Information” on page131 for g ene ral w irele ss regul atory
guidelines.

• Every country has different restrictions on the use of

wireless devices. If your notebook is equipped with a
wireless device, check with the local radio approval
authorities prior to your trip for any restrictions on the
use of a wireless device in the destination country.

• Wireless communication can interfere with equipment

on commercial aircraft. Current aviation regulations
require wi reless de vices to be turne d off while tra veling
in an airplane. IEEE802. 11 and Bluetooth communication
devices are examples of devices which use wireless to
communicate.

Tip

For more info rmation about turning y our wir eless dev ice on or of f ,

see “Turning your wireless radio on or off” on page38.

Files

• Copy your w orking fi le s from your desktop computer to

you r no te bo ok befo re you tra vel .

• If you need to access your desktop computer files from

your notebook while traveling, set up your desktop
computer for remote access. Contact your network
admini strator for mo re informat ion ab out rem ote
access.

• Take extra recordable media for transferring files

between computers and backing up files.

71

Security

• Get a locking cable for your notebook so yo u ca n attach

• Always keep your notebook with you while waiting in

• Write down your notebook model number and serial

• Whoever sits next to you or behind you can see your

• Use a startup password to restrict access to your

CHAPTER6: Traveling with Your Notebook

a cable lock and leave your not ebook in your hot el room
whil e you are away.

airports, train stations, or bus terminals. Be ready to
claim your notebook as soon as it passes through the
X-ray ma chi ne in s ecuri ty che ckp oi nts .

number (located on the bottom of your notebook) in
case of theft or loss, and keep the information in a safe
place. Also, tape your business card or an address label
to your notebook and accessories.

notebook display. Avoid working with confidential files
until you can be sure of privacy.

notebook. The startup password is set using the BIOS
utility.

Caution

Use a password that you can remember, but that is difficult for
someone else to guess. The pas sword f eature is v ery secur e , with no ea sy
way to recover a forgotten password. If you forget your password, you
must return your notebook to Gateway for service.

72

To create a startup password:

1 Restart your notebook. As soon as you see a startup

screen, press F2. The BIOS Setup utility opens.

2 Open the Security menu, highlight Set Supervisor

Password, then press E

instructions. You must set the supervisor password
in order to set the user (startup) password.

Important

You must enter the Supervisor Password each time you use

the BIOS Setup utility.

NTER and follow the

3 Highlight Set User Password, then press ENTER and

follow the instructions. This is the password you need
to en ter at s ta rtu p.

Important

You must ent er the User Pa ssword each time you turn on your
notebook if it was turned off or put in hibernate mode. You do not
need to enter the User Password if your notebook was put in Sleep
mode.

4 Highlight Password on boot, then press ENTER.

Power

www.gateway.com

5 Highlight Enabled, then press ENTER.
6 Open the Exit menu, highlight Exit Saving

Changes, then press E

NTER.

7 When you start your computer, you are prompted to

enter the user password you set in step 3.

• Rev ie w t he inf or mation in “Pr ot ec ting y our not eb ook” in

your online User Guide.

• Take your AC power adapter to recharge the battery. If

you are traveling internationally, take power plug
adapters.

• T ake a portable surge prot ector to pr otect y our notebook

from po wer su rge s.

• T o ge t the best performance f rom your notebook, a void

using the battery whenever possible, monitor the
battery charge, and use the most efficient power
management settings. For information on conserving
battery power, using alternate power sources, and
moni tori ng th e ba tter y cha rge, se e “Managing Power”

on page 59.

Additional tips

• If you plan to use several USB peripheral devices, take a

portable USB hub to provide additional USB ports.

• Take a network cable if you need to connect to a

network. Some hotels prov ide Interne t connectiv ity only
through their networks.

• If your notebook has been exposed to cold

tempe rat ur es, let it warm to ro om temp er atu re befo re
turning it on.

• Carry proof of ownership or a merchandise passport

when traveling internationally.

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CHAPTER6: Traveling with Your Notebook

• Consult your insurance company and credit card

company to learn about emergency travel assistance if
your notebook is lost or damaged.

• Take your recovery discs in case you need to install an

additional driver or software.

Tip

You c an crea te a Drivers and Applications Recovery disc using the
Gateway Recovery Center. For more information, see “Preparing for

software an d device driver rec overy” o n pag e 81.

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CHAPTER7

Maintaining Y our Not ebook

• Caring f or your not ebook

• Cleaning y our notebook

• Maintaining the battery

• Cleaning CDs or DV Ds

• Reco veri ng your s yst em

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CHAPTER7: Maintaining Your Notebook

Caring f or y our notebook

To extend the life of your notebook:

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

not put any 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 case.

• Keep your notebook away from magnetic fields.

Magnetic fields can erase data on hard drives.

• Never turn off your notebook when the drive indicator

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

• Avoid subjecting y our notebook to extr eme temperature

changes. The case (and LCD panel) can become brittle
and easy to break in cold temperatures and can melt or
warp i n h ig h tem pe rat ures . D ama ge du e to eith er
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 notebook components, almost an y liquid can result
in expensive repairs that are not covered under a
standard warranty.

• Avoid dusty or dirty work environments. Dust and dirt

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

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

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

• When storing your notebook for an extended period of

time, unplug ACpower and remove the battery after
discharging them partway.

Cleaning y our not ebook

Keeping your notebook clean and the vents free from dust
helps keep your notebook performing at its best. You may
want to g athe r thes e ite ms an d p ut toge the r a no tebo ok
cleaning kit:

• A soft, lint-free cloth

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

extension

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• Cotton swabs

• A CD or DVD drive cleaning kit

Cleaning t he ex terior

Warning

When you shut down your notebook, the power turns off, but some
electrical current still flows t hrough your notebook. To avoid possible injury from
electrical shock, unplug the power cord, modem cable, and network cable from
the wal l o ut le ts a n d rem ove the ba ttery.

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

Use a damp, lint-free cloth to clean your notebook and other
parts of your sy stem. Do not u se household abra siv e or solv ent
cleaners because they can damage the finish on components.

Y our not ebook is cooled by air c ir c ulated through the vents on
the case, so keep the vents free of dust. With your notebook
turned off and unplugged, brush the dust aw ay fr om 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 with the exce ption of the memo ry b ay.

Tip

You may want to occasionally open the memory bay door and remove
dust and lint using an aerosol can of air.

Cleaning t he ke y board

Y ou should clean the ke yboard occa sionally b y using an aerosol
can of air with a narrow, straw-like extension to remove dust
and lint trapped under the keys.

If you spill liquid on the keyboard, turn off your notebook and
turn the notebook upside down. Let the liquid drain, then let
the key board dry before trying to use it again. If the key board
does not work afte r it dries, you may need to replace it. A
replacement keyboard may not be covered by your warranty.

Cleaning t he notebook s cr een

Caution

A notebook LCD screen is made of specially coated glass and can be
scratched or damaged by abrasive or ammonia-based glass cleaners.

Use a soft clot h and wat er to clean the L CD sc reen. Squirt a little
water on the c l ot h (never directly on the screen), and wipe the
screen with the cl oth.

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CHAPTER7: Maintaining Your Notebook

Maintaining the bat tery

The life span of a notebook battery is about 1.5 to 3 years,
under normal conditions. As the battery begins to die, you will
have to re char ge th e ba ttery mor e freq uen tly b eca use it
cannot hold a full charge.

Do no t ex pose the b atter y to high he at o r free zin g
temperatures. Hot batteries discharge very quickly, and cold
ones cannot create as much power. Short battery life is more
likel y to be ca us ed by heat than b y charg e/disc har ge patterns.
Keep your lithium-ion battery cool. Avoid a hot car, for
example.

Charge often, but do not try to fully discharge the battery
frequently. This only adds strain. Several partial discharges
(regular use), with frequent recharges, are better for
lithium-ion than on e total di scharge. Recharging a partially
charged lithium-ion battery does not cause any har m beca use
it has no “memory.”

Batteri es w ith fuel gauge s (not ebooks) should be calibrat ed b y
applying a deliberate full discharge once every 30 charges.
Running the battery down in the equipment does this. If
ignored, the fuel gauge becomes increasingly les s accurate and
in some cases will cut off the device prematurely.

Using the right charger is important. By now you probably
know that each kind of batt ery has its own t echnology, its own
rate of charge, and so on. Charging lithium batteries correctly
is o ne way to e xtend th eir li fe an d to avoi d da ma ge.

Stori ng batt eries

Do not charge up the battery, then store it away. A stored
battery should be used every three to four weeks. Let the
battery fully discharge, then recharge to 40% if you plan to
store it again. If you store a battery for longer than three to
four weeks, the battery could fully discharge because the
battery circuitry itself consumes power.

If you have a spare lithium-ion batt ery , use one ex clusi vel y and
keep the other cool by placing it in the refrigerator. Make sure
that it is wrapped protec tivel y and that nothing will be dropped
on it. Do not freeze the battery.

Do not use old batteries. Avoid purchasing spare lithium-ion
batte r i es and stori ng th e m fo r late r u s e. Do n ot buy ol d stock,
even if it is sold at clearance prices. While it makes sense to
have 2 or 3 extra bat ter ies, so that you al wa ys ha ve a fr esh one
charged up and ready to go, if you buy batteries and store
them for years, they may not wor k when you decid e to use
them.

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Consider removing the battery from your notebook when
running on fixed power. H owever, remember that when you
have re mo ved th e b atte r y from you r n o teb oo k whi l e u si ng it
with an electrical outlet, the automatic battery charger no
longer keeps the battery charged.

Caution

When the batte ry is in the notebook and the notebook is running on AC
power, the battery constantly charges, eve n though it has a full charge. This
reduces the life of the battery. If the battery is fully charged and you want to run
on AC power, remove the battery.

Cleaning CDs or D VDs

Wipe from the center to the edge, not around in a circle, using
a product made especially for the purpose.

Re cov ering y our sy stem

You can solve most notebook problems by following the
information in “Troubleshooting” on page 103 or in the
technical support pages at www.gateway.com. Problem
solving may also involve re-installing some or all of the
notebook’s software (also called recovering or restoring your
system) . Gateway provides everything you need to recover
your system under most conditions.

Caution

To prepare your notebook for additional system recovery options, you
should create a set of software and driver recovery discs as soon as possible. For
instructions, see “Preparing for software and device driver recovery” on page81.

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CHAPTER7: Maintaining Your Notebook

• If only one or two items of software or hardware have

stopped working correctly, the problem may be solved
by re-installing the software or the hardware drivers. To
recover software and drivers that were pre-installed at
the factory, see “Recovering pre-installed software and

drivers” on page80. For instructions on reinstalling

software and drivers that were not pre-installed, see
that product’s documentation or support Web site.

• If re-installing software or drivers does not help, then the

problem may be solved by returning your system to a
previous state when everything was working correctly.
For instructions, see “Using Micr osoft S yst em Rest ore” on

page 86.

• If nothing else has solved the problem and you want to

return your sy st em t o f act ory condition, see “R ecovering

your system to its factory condition” on page89.

If you upgrade or exchange your hard drive or if your hard
drive is completely erased or corrupted, your only option for
system recovery may be to reinstall Windows from the
WindowsDVD, then recover your pre-installed software and
device drivers using recovery discs that you created.

• To re-install Windows using the Windows DVD, see

“Recovering your system using the Windows DVD” on
page 90.

• To re-install your pre-installed software and device

drivers using re covery di scs, see “Recovering

pre-installed softwar e and drivers using recovery discs”
on page 84.

Reco ver ing pre-installed sof tw are and dri ve rs

You can perform a partial recovery by recovering the software
and device dri v ers that wer e pre-installed at the fa ct ory . If y ou
need to recover software that did not come pre-installed on
your system, you need to follow that software’s installation
instructions.

You can recover pre-installed software and drivers from a set
of recovery discs (you must create the discs) or by using
Gateway Recovery Center.

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Preparing for sof tware and dev ice driver rec overy

Y ou can usually r ecover y our pre-installed softwar e and driv ers
from your hard drive. However, if you ever re-install Windows
from the Windows DVD or install a new hard drive, you need
to recover your pre-installed software and drivers using a set
of software and driver recovery discs. Because these discs do
not come with your not ebook, y ou should cr eat e y our o w n se t.

Caution

Although you may not be expecting to need recovery discs, we
recommend that you prepare for any eventuality and create a set of recovery
discs while you have the opportunity.

Important

Yo ur not ebook ma y ha ve sh ipped wi th a Drivers and Appli cations Recover y
disc. If this is the case, you may want to create an additional set of discs in case
the originals are lost or damaged.

You should create a set of discs for recovering your
pre-installed software and device drivers, in case you need to
use them later f or a comple te s yst em reco very . (Your notebook
must have a recordable disc drive to perform this procedure.)

To create discs for recovering pre-installed software

and drivers:

1 Click (Start), All Programs, Gateway Recovery

Center, then click Gateway Recovery Center. The

Gateway Recovery Center opens.

2 Click Applications and drivers external media, then

click Next. The What would you like to do? dialog box
opens.

3 Click Create system recovery discs, then click Next.

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CHAPTER7: Maintaining Your Notebook

4 Insert a blank, recordable disc into the recordable disc

drive, then click Next. If an AutoPlay dialog box opens,
click the x in the upper-right corner to close it.

A dialog box opens that tells you the number of blank
discs you need to create a full set of recovery discs.

5 If you hav e enou gh blank d isc s of th e spec ifie d type , clic k

I have enough discs, then click Next. If you do not ha ve
enough discs, choose a different disc type, or click
Cancel.

The disc recording begins. Label the discs as they are
completed.

82

Important

Use a permanent marker to label each disc “Software and Driver
Recov ery , ” along wi th a s hort desc ript ion of whi ch n ot ebook th e discs a re
for. If you are recording multiple discs, as you remove each disc from the
drive, use the marker to label each disc 1 of x, 2 of x, 3 of x, and so on.

Tip

After a recovery disc is created, your notebook names the disc
Recovery13 for disc 1 of a 3-disc set , Recovery23 for disc 2, and soon.

6 If multiple discs are required, insert the additional blank

discs when prompted.

7 When the process is finished, the Congratulations!

wind ow o pe ns.

8 Click Finish.
9 Remove your final disc, then label all of the discs and

store them in a safe place.

www.gateway.com

Reco vering pre-installed software and dr ivers using Gate way R eco very C enter

To recover specific drivers and software:

1 Click (Start), All Programs, Gateway Recovery

Center, then click Gateway Recovery Center. The

Gateway Recovery Center opens.

Important

If you have recently reinstalled Windows or installed a new hard
drive, and your Start menu does not contain Gateway Recovery Center
as an option, y ou must recov e r y our sof tw a r e and dri vers using sof tw are
and driver recovery discs you have created. For instructions, see

“Recovering pre-installed software and drivers using recovery discs” on
page84.

2 To recover software that was pre-installe d, click

Programs, then click Application recovery.

- OR -

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CHAPTER7: Maintaining Your Notebook

To recover device drivers that were pre-installed, click
Hardware, then click Device driver recovery.

3 Click the software or driver you want to recover, then

click Next.

Reco vering pre-installed software and dr ivers using recovery discs

If you created a multiple-disc set of recovery discs, each disc
contains a unique set of softw are and driv ers. If a r ecovery disc
does not offer the software or driver you need to recover, try
another disc.

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To recover software and drivers using recovery discs:

1 Insert a softwar e and driver recovery disc into the CD or

DVD d rive. If an AutoPlay dialog box appears,
click Run Grc_Vista.exe. If an AutoPlay dialog box
does not appear and Gatewa y R eco very Ce nter does not
start, open Computer and double-click the file
Grc_Vista.exe on the disc. The Gateway Recovery
Center st arts .

2 To recover pre-installe d software, click Application

recovery, t hen cl ick the so ftwar e you wa nt to recove r.

- OR -

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CHAPTER7: Maintaining Your Notebook

To recover pre-installed device drivers, click Device
driver recovery, then click the type of driver you want

to rec over.

3 Click Next.
4 If the software or driver is not shown on the list and you

have a multiple-disc set of recovery discs, close Gateway
Recovery Center and try another disc.

Using Micr os oft S yst em R est ore

Microsoft System Restore periodically takes “snapshots” of
your system settings and saves them as restore points. In most
cases of hard-to-resolve software problems, you can return to
one of these restore points to get your system running again.

Windows automatically creates an additional restore point
each day, and also each time you install software or device
drivers. You can also create a restore point manually. For
instructions, see “Manually creating a restore point” on

page 88.

Help

For more information about using Microsoft System Restore, click Start,

then click Help and Support. Type windows system restore in the Search

Help box, then press E

NTER.

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To restore using Microsoft System Restore:

1 Click (Start), Control Panel, Sy stem an d

Maintenance, then click Backup and Restore Center.
The Backup and Restore Center opens.

2 On the left side of the window, click Rep air Win dows

using System Restore, then click Next. The Choose a

restore poi nt dialog box opens.

3 Click the restore point you want, click Next, then click

Finish. A confirmation message box appears.

4 Click Yes. Y our sy st em is r e st ored u sing t he r est or e point

you specified. This process may take several minutes,
and may restart your notebook.

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CHAPTER7: Maintaining Your Notebook

Manually crea ting a restore poi nt

To manually create a restore point:

1 Click (Start), Control Panel, Sy stem an d

Maintenance, then click Backup and Restore Center.
The Backup and Restore Center opens.

2 On the left side of the window, click Create a restore

point or change settings, then click Next. The System

Properties dialog box opens to the System Protection
tab.

88

3 Click Create. The Create a r est ore poin t dialog bo x opens.

4 T y pe a de sc r iption f or t he r e st or e point (such a s t he dat e

and time), then click Create. The restore point is created.

5 Click OK.

www.gateway.com

Reco ver ing your sy stem t o its fact ory condition

If your notebook’s problems are not solved by any of the other
recovery options, you may need to reco ver its hard dri ve to its
factory condition. This process is called a fa cto ry r ec ov er y.

Caution

A complete factory recovery deletes everything on your hard drive, then
reinstalls Windows and any pre-installed software and device drivers. If you can
access important files on your hard drive, back them up now.

To delet e everything on your hard driv e and re-install all

factory software:

1 If you can still run Windows:

a Click (Start), All Programs, Gateway Recovery

Center, then click Gateway Recovery Center. The

Gateway Recovery Center opens.

b Click Recovery, then click Next. Your notebook

restarts.

2 If you cannot run Windows:

a Turn on or restart your notebook.

b While the notebook is starting up, repeatedly press

F8 until the Recovery Options screen opens. If
Windows star ts to load instead, resta rt t he not e book
and try again.

3 Press the arrow keys on your keyboard to select Repair

Your Computer, then press E

Gateway System Recovery starts, and the System
Recovery Options dialog box opens.

4 Select a language and keyboard layout, then click Next.
5 Click the User name box to select a Wind ows user

account, click in the Password box and type the user
account’s password (if any), then click Next. The System
Recovery Options menu opens.

6 Click Restore Application. The Welco me to G ate wa y

System Re cover y window o pens.

7 Click Next.

NTER.

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CHAPTER7: Maintaining Your Notebook

8 To perform a recovery with data backup

(recommended), click Recovery with au tomatic d ata
backup, then click Next.

Important

Befor e your hard dri ve is r eco vere d, your personal files and f olders

will be auto ma ti ca lly ba cked u p to c: \ba ckup.

- OR ­To perform a full factory recovery without data backup,

click Full factory recovery, then click Next.

Caution

Continuing with t h e ful l factory r e co very will delete e verything on
your hard drive. Make sure that you have backed up any important files
you wan t to s ave.

9 Click Yes, then click Next. The Factor y i ma ge re co ver y

window opens, which shows you the progress of the
system rec over y.

When recovery is finished, the Recovery is complete
wind ow o pe ns.

10 Click Finish, then click Restart. Your notebook restarts

in its original f act ory condi tion. You still need to reinstall
any software that was not pre-installed on your
notebook.

If you selected Recovery with automatic data backup
in step 8, you can find your backed up files in c:\backup.

Reco ve ring y our sy st em using t he Windows DVD

If you install a new hard drive or completely re-format your
original hard drive, you must recover your system using the
Windows Vista
recover your notebook’s pre-installed software and device
drivers.

To completely re-install Windows:

®

operating system DVD. You also need to

1 If you ca n s ti l l r un W i ndows, b ac k u p your personal f il e s ,

and create a set of s of t w are and dri v er r eco v ery discs (if
you have not already done so). For instructions, see “To

create discs for recovering p re-in stalle d software
and drivers:” on page 81.

2 Insert the Windows D V D int o your not e book’s DVD driv e,

then turn on or restart your notebook.

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3 When the prompt “Pres s any k ey t o boot from CD orDVD”

appears, press any key on your keyboard. A list of valid
boot devices appears.

4 Press the arro w keys to s el ect the d rive con ta in ing th e

WindowsDVD, then pres s E
instructions.

NTER and f ollow the on-screen

5 After Win dows is com pl etely re -i ns tal le d, use the

software and driver recovery discs you created to
recover your notebook’s pre-installed software and
device drivers. For instructions, see “Recovering

pre-installed softwar e and drivers using recovery discs”
on page 84.

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CHAPTER7: Maintaining Your Notebook

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CHAPTER8

Upgrading Your Not ebook

• Prev enting static electric ity discharge

• Adding or replacing memory modules

• Replac ing the hard dr iv e kit

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CHAPTER8 : Upgrading Your Notebook

Pre v enting static electric ity discharge

Warning

To a v oid expo sur e t o danger ou s elec tri cal vol tages and mo v ing parts, turn
off your not ebook , unplug the powe r cord, modem cable , and network cabl e, and
remove th e b atter y b efore op en ing th e c ase.

Warning

To pr ev ent ris k of elect ric shock, do not insert an y objec t into t he vent holes
of the no teb oo k.

Important

Before installing or replacing components, you should read and
understand the information in this section.

The components inside your note book are ex tr emely sensiti v e
to static electricity, also known as electrostatic discharge (ESD) .

Before installing or replacing components, follow these
guidelines:

• Avoid static-causing surfaces such as carpeted floors,

plastic, and packing foam.

• Remove components from their antistatic bags only

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

• Alway s hold components by the ir edges. A void t ouching

the edge connectors. Never slide components over any
surface.

• 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.

• T ouch a bare metal surf ace on your w orkbenc h or other

grounded object.

94