Gateway S-5215 Quick Reference Guide

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Chapter 3: Setting U p and Getting Started . . 11

Working safely and comf ortably . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12

Reducing eye strain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13

Setting up your computer desk and chair . . . . . . . . . . . . .13

Sitting at your computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14

Avoiding discomfort and injury from repetitive strain . . 14

Positioning the computer case . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14

Preparing power connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

Protecting from power source problems . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

Connecting to a broadband modem or network . . . . . . . . . .15

Connecting a dial-up modem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16

Starting your computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16

Waking up your computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17

Turning off your computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17

Restarting (rebooting) your computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19

Using the keyboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20

Premium multimedia keyboard features . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20

Elite multimedia keyboard features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21

Standard keyboard features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23

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

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

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

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

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

Contents

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

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

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

Memory card types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

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

Using the diskette drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Adjusting the volume . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

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

Chapter 4: Upgrading Your Computer. . . . . . . 37

Preventing static electricity discharge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Opening and closing the case . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Replacing the optical disc drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

Replacing the diskette drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Replacing the memory card reader . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

Replacing the hard drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Installing memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

Adding or replacing an expansion card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

Replacing the heat sink and processor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

Replacing the system battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

Replacing the power supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

Replacing the system board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64

Chapter 5: Maintaining Your Computer . . . . . 69

Setting up a maintenance schedule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70

Caring for your computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

Cleaning your computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

Cleaning the exterior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

Cleaning the keyboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73

Cleaning the monitor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73

Cleaning the mouse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73

Cleaning optical discs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74

Updating Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74

Using BigFix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75

Managing hard drive space . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76

Checking hard drive space . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76

Deleting unnecessary files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77

www.gateway.com

Checking the hard drive for errors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .78

Defragmenting the hard drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .79

Backing up files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .81

Scheduling maintenance tasks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .82

Using Task Scheduler in WindowsVista . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .82

Using the Scheduled Task Wi zard in Windows XP . . . . . . 83

Moving from your old computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .84

Transferring files and settings automatically . . . . . . . . . .84

Transferring files and settings manually . . . . . . . . . . . . . .85

Chapter 6: Troubleshooting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87

Safety guidelines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .88

First steps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .88

Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .89

Add-in cards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .89

Audio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .89

CD or DVD drives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .89

Diskette drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .91

Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .92

DVD drives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .92

Ethernet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .93

Expansion cards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .94

File management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .94

Floppy drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .95

Hard drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .95

Internet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .96

Keyboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .97

Memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .98

Memory card reader . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .98

Modem (cable or DSL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .99

Modem (dial-up) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .99

Monitor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .104

Mouse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .104

Networks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .105

Passwords . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .105

Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .105

Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .105

iii

Contents

Sound . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108

Recovering your Windows Vista system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109

Recovering pre-installed softw are and drivers . . . . . . . 110

Using Microsoft System Restore . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116

Recovering your system to its factory condition . . . . . 119

Recovering your system using the Windows DVD . . . . 120

Recovering your Windows XP system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121

Understanding system recovery options . . . . . . . . . . . . 121

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

Telephone support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129

Before calling Gateway Customer Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129

Telephone numbers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130

Self-help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130

Tutoring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130

Training . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131

Appendix A: Legal Notices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133

Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143

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

CHAPTER1: About This Reference

About this guide

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

For more inf ormation

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

or the Web addre ss show n

Acces sing your online User

Guide

In addition to this guide, your User Guide has been included on your hard drive. Your User Gu id e is an in-depth, easy-to-read manual that includes information on the following topics:

• Help and technical support

• Using and customizing Windows and other software

• Controlling audio and video settings

• Using the Internet

• Protecting your files

• Playing and rec ording media

• Networking

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

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

Documentation.

www.gateway.com

Gate wa y contac t infor mation

The label on the top or side of your computer contains information that identifies your computer model and serial number. Gateway Customer Care will need this information if you call for assistance.

Technical Sup por t

telephon e numb er

Serial number

Micr osof t Cer tificate of Authenticity

The Microsoft Certificate of Authenticity label found on the back or side of your computer includes the product key code for your operating system. If you ever reinstall Windows from the installation DVD, you will need to enter these numbers to activate Windows.

CHAPTER1: About This Reference

• Front

• Back

CHAPTER2

Checking Out Y our

Computer

Front

FireWire™ (IE EE 1394)

port (optional)

USB po rt s

Microphone jack

Headphone jack

Power bu tton /

power indicator

CHAPTER2: Checking Out Your Computer

Memory card reader or di skette dr ive (optional)

Optical disc drive

Rotatable logo

www.gateway.com

Component Icon Description

Firewire™ (IEEE1394) port (optional)

USB ports Plug USB (Universal Serial Bus) devices (such as

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

Headphone jack Plug powered, analog front speakers, an

Power button/power indicator

Memory card reader or diskette drive (optional)

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

Plug a Firewire (al so known as I EEE 1394) device (such as a digital camcorder) into this 6-pin port.

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

or other device ” on page 35.

color-coded pink.

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

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

Insert a me mory card from a digita l came ra, MP3 player, PDA, cellular telephone, or other device into the m emor y card re ader. Insert a

3.5" diskett e (floppy) to read from and write to.

games and programs, watch DVDs, and store large file s onto r ecordable di scs (depen ding on drive ty pe). This dri v e may be a CD , recor dable CD, DV D, re co rd ab le DVD, B lu - ray , o r H D DVD drive. For more information about your drive, see “Iden tifying optical drive types” on

page 27.

Rotatable badge R otate this logo badge to matc h the ver tical or

horizontal orientation of your computer.

Back

)

Power connector

Audio in/side speaker

Ethernet (network) jack

CHAPTER2: Checking Out Your Computer

jack

Microphone jack Line out (headphones)/

front s pe aker jac k

USB port s

Kensington lock slot

Panel release latch

Padlock slot

Parallel port

PS/2 mouse port

Modem (line) jack

(optional)

Monitor (VGA) port

Serial port

PS/2 keyboard port

Telephone jack (optional

www.gateway.com

Component Icon Description

Power co nn ecto r Plug the power cord into this connector. Audio in (line in)/side

speaker jack (blue)

Ethernet (network) jack

Panel release latch Press this latch into the back of the

Padl oc k s lo t Attach a standard padlock to this slot to

Kensington lock slot Attach a cable lock to this slot for security. Parallel po rt Plug a paralle l de vice (su ch as a printer)

PS/2 mouse port (green)

Modem (line) jack (optional)

Plug an ext er nal audi o input sour ce (suc h as a stereo) into this jack so you can record sound on your computer. For 5.1 surround sound, plug the surround sound side speakers to this jack.

Plug an Ethernet network cable or a device (such as a cable or DSL modem) into this jack. For more information, see “Learning about the Int ernet” in y our online User Guide or “Connecting to a broadband modem or

network” on page15.

computer to release the access panel.

prevent unauthorized openi ng of the c ase.

into this port.

Plug a PS/2 mo use into this po rt.

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

modem” on page16.

Microphone jack (pink)

Line o ut (headphones)/front speaker jack (green)

USB ports Plug USB (Uni v ersalSerial Bu s) de vi ces (such

Monitor (VGA) port Plug a VGA monitor cable into this port. Serial po rt Plug a serial device into this port.

Plug a microphone into this jack.

Plug headphone s or amplified speak ers int o this jack. For 5.1 surround sound, plug the surround sound front speaker to this jack.

as a USB printer, scanner, camera, keyboard, or mouse) into th ese port s. For more information, see “Installing a printer,

scanner, or other device” on page35.

CHAPTER2: Checking Out Your Computer

Component Icon Description

PS/2 keyboard port (purple)

Telephone jack (optional)

Plug a PS/2 keyboard into this port.

Plug your telephone into this jack.

CHAPTER3

Setting Up and Getting

Started

• Working saf ely and comf ort ably

• Preparing po wer connec tions

• Connecting to a br oadband modem or

network

• Connecting a dial-up modem

• Starting your comput er

• T urning of f y our computer

• Rest arting (rebooting) y our computer

• Using the keyboard

• Using the mouse

• Using optical driv es

• Using the memory card reader

• Using the diskette drive

• Adjusting the volume

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

CHAPTER3 : Setting Up and Getting Started

Wo rking safel y and comfortably

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

• Keep hands and arms parallel to the floor.

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

sight, and the top of the screen is no higher than eye level.

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

• Keep ventilation openings clear of obstructions.

Top of screen is not higher than eye level

Hands and arms are

parallel to the floor

Screen is perpendicular to your line of si ght

Feet are flat on the floor

www.gateway.com

Reduc ing e y e strain

Sunlight or bright indoor lighting should not reflect on the monitor 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 filter.

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

your computer in a dark room.

• Set paper holders at the same height and distance as the

monitor.

• Avoid 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.

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 ke yboard and mouse . If the desk is not adjustable or is too tall, consider usi ng an adjustable chair t o control your arm’s height above the keyboard.

• Use an adjustable chair that is comfortable, distributes

your weight evenly, and keeps your body relaxed.

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

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

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

or use a footrest t o distribute your weight evenly on the chair and relieve pressure on the back of your thighs.

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

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

CHAPTER3 : Setting Up and Getting Started

Sitting at y our comput er

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

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

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

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

• Take breaks to stand and stretch your legs.

• Avoid twisting your torso or neck.

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

• Vary your activities to avoid excessive repetition.

• Take breaks to change your position, stretch your

muscles, and relieve your eyes.

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

variety of tasks.

Po sitioning the comput er cas e

Position the computer case in a location that is easy for you to reach. You can rotate the Gateway badge on the front bez el to match the position of your case.

www.gateway.com

Preparing po wer connec tions

Prot ecting f rom power source pr oblems

Warning

High voltages c a n e nter your co mputer through both t he power c ord and the modem conne ction. Pro tect y ou r com puter by using a surge protec tor. If you have a telephone modem, use a surge protector that has a modem jack. If you have a cable modem, use a surge protector that has an ante nna/cable TV jack. During an electrical storm, unplug both the surge protector and the modem.

During a power surge, the voltage level of electricity coming into your computer can incr ease to f ar above normal levels and cause data loss or s y stem damage. Protec t y our comput er and peripheral devices by connecting them to a surge protector, which absorbs voltage surges and prevents them from reaching your computer.

An uninterruptible power supply (UPS) supplies battery power to your computer dur ing a pow er f ailure . Although y ou cannot run your computer for an extended period of time wi t h a UPS, a UPS lets you run your computer long enough to save your work and shut down your computer normally.

Connec ting to a br oadband modem or netw ork

Important

Your computer has a built-in Ethernet (network) jack. For information about setting up a wired or wireless Ethernet network, see your online User Guide.

You can connect your computer to a cable or DSL modem or to a wired Ethernet network.

To connect to a broadband (cable or DSL) modem or to

an Ethernet networ k:

1 Insert one end of the network cable into the network

jack on the back of your computer.

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

modem, DSL modem, or network jack.

CHAPTER3 : Setting Up and Getting Started

Connec ting a dial-up modem

Warning

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

telecommunications l ine cord.

Your computer may have a 56K modem that you can use with a st an dard tel ep ho ne li ne to co nn ect to th e I nte rnet or fax documents.

To connect the modem:

1 Insert one end of the modem cable into the modem

jack at the back of your comp uter.

2 Insert the other end of the modem cable into a t elephone

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

3 If you want, connect a te lephone to the PHONE jack at

the back of your computer.

Starting y our computer

To start your computer:

1 Connect the power, network, mouse, and keyboard

cables to your computer according to the setup poster.

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

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

Important

Your computer has a variable-speed fan, which can run at different speeds at times to ensure correct system cooling. You may notice an increas e i n the fan no i se wh en the fan is running at high speed and a decrease in the fan noise when it switches to normal speed.

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

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

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

such as printers, scanners, and speakers. If you need to attach a peripheral device to the parallel or serial ports, turn off your computer f irst. See the documentation that came with each device for its setup instructions.

www.gateway.com

5 To open your computer’s Start menu, click (Start).

From that menu, you can run programs and search for files. For more information on using your computer’s menus, see “Using Windows” and “Customizing Windows” in your online User G ui d e.

Waking up y our comput er

Tip

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

“Customizing Windows” chapter in your online User G ui de.

When you have not used your computer for several minutes, it may enter a power-saving mode called Sleep. While in Sleep mode, the power indicator on the power button flashes.

If your computer is in Sleep mode, move the mouse, press a key on the keyboard, or press the power button to “wake” it up. If the computer remains in Sleep mode, press the power button.

T ur ning off y our computer

Warning

When you turn off your computer, certain components in the power supply and system board remain energized. In order to remove all electrical power from your computer, unplug the power cord and modem cable from the wall outlets. We recommend disconnecting the power cord and modem cable when your computer will not be used for long periods.

Important

If for some re ason you cannot use the Shut Down option in Windows to turn off y our c ompu ter, press an d hold the power button for about five seconds, then re le ase it .

Putting your computer into Sleep (power-saving) mode is the easiest way to power down your computer. Although it does not turn your computer completely off, it does turn off or slow down most system operations to save power, and saves your desktop layout so the next time you restore power, the programs are laid out just as you left them. Waking your computer from a Sleep state is much faster than turning on your computer after it has been turned completely off.

CHAPTER3 : Setting Up and Getting Started

To put your computer in Stan dby (power-saving) m ode :

1 In WindowsVista, click (Start), then click

(power). The computer saves your session and partially shuts down to save power.

- OR In WindowsXP, click Start, Shut Down, Stand by, then

click OK.

2 To “wake” your computer, press a key on the keyboard.

If the computer remains in Standby mode, press the power button.

To turn off your computer:

1 In WindowsVista, click (Start) , click the arrow next

to the lock icon, then click Shut Down. Windows shuts down and turns off your computer.

- OR In WindowsXP, Click Start,

click Turn Of f. Windows shuts down and turns off your computer.

Important

To completely disconnect all power (such as for servicing internal

components ), al so discon nect the power cord.

Turn Off Computer, then

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Re starting (rebooting) y our computer

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

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

1 In WindowsVista, click (Start) , click the arrow next

to the lock icon, then click Restart. Your comp ut er tur ns off, then turns on again.

- OR In WindowsXP, click Start, Shut Down, Restart, then

click OK.

2 If your computer does not turn off, press and hold the

power button until the computer turns off (about five seconds), then press it again to turn the computer back on.

CHAPTER3 : Setting Up and Getting Started

Using t he ke yboar d

Premium multimedia k e yboard featur es

The keyboard has several different types of keys and buttons. Your keyboard also has status indicators that show which keyboard feature is active.

Function keys

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

Windows keys

Application key Directional keys Numeric keypad

Navigation keys

Indicators

Feature Icon Description

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

Internet b uttons Press these buttons to launch your Internet home

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

page, search, or e-mail programs.

Audio playback buttons

Navigation keys Press these keys to move the cursor to the

Indicators Show if your N

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

beginning of a line, to the end of a line, up the page, down the page, to the beginning of a document, or to the end of a document.

UM LOCK, CAPS LOCK, or SCROLL LOCK

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

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Feature Icon Description

Windows keys Press one of these keys to open the Windows

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

Directional keys Press these keys to move the cur sor u p, down ,

Numeric keypad Press these keys to type numbers when the

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

assistants in Windows.

right, or left.

numeric keypad (NUMLOCK) is turned on.

Elite multi media ke yboar d featur es

The keyboard has several different types of keys and buttons. Your keyboard also has status indicators that show which keyboard feature is active.

Sleep button Application buttons

Function keys

Audio playback

buttons

Indicators

Windows keys Application key Numeric keypad

Navigation keys

CHAPTER3 : Setting Up and Getting Started

Feature Icon Description

Sleep button Press this button to activate your computer’s

Function key s Pre ss these k e ys to start program actions. Each

Application buttons Press these b utton s to laun ch you r In ternet

Audio playback buttons

Indicators Show if your NUM LOCK, CAPS LOCK, or

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

Application key Press this key to access shortcut menus and

Navigation keys Press these keys to move the cursor to the

Sleep (power-saving) mode.

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

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

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

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

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

help assistants in Windows.

beginning of a line , to the end of a line, up the page, down the page, to the beginning of a document, or to the end of a document. Press the arrow keys to move th e curs or.

Numeric keypad Press these keys to type numbers when the

numeric keypad (NUMLOCK) is turned on.

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Standard key board features

Function keys Navigation keys Indicator s

Windows keys A pplication key Directional keys Numeric keypad

Feature Description

Function keys Press these keys to start program actions. Each program

Navigati on keys Press these keys to move th e cu rso r to the be gi nn i ng of

Indicators Show if your NUM LOCK, CAPS LOCK, or SCROLL LOCK keys are

Windows keys Press to open th e Wi ndows Start menu. These keys can

Application key Press this key to access shortcut menus and help

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

Numeric keypad Press these keys to type numbers when the numeric

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

a line, to the end of a line, up the page, down the page, to the beginning of a document, or to the end of a document.

activated. P ress the co rrespo ndin g key to activate the function.

also be used in combination with other keys to open utilities like F (Find/Search), R(Run utility), and E (Computer/MyComputer).

assistants in Windows.

left.

keypad ( NUM LOCK ) is turned on.

CHAPTER3 : Setting Up and Getting Started

Using t he mouse

Scroll wheel

Left bu tton

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

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

Righ t b utto n

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

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

To... Do this...

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Move the point er on the screen

Select an object on the screen

Start a program or open a file or folder

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

Move an object on the screen.

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

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

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

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

Position the pointer over the object. Press the left mouse button and hold it down. Move (drag) the ob ject to th e appropriate part of the screen. Release th e button to drop the object where you w ant it. This is called clicking and dragging.

For more information about how to adjust the double-click speed, pointer speed, right-hand or left-hand configuration, and other mouse settings, see the “Customizing Windows” chapter in your online User Guide. For in structio ns on how to clean the mouse, see “Cleaning the mouse” on page73.

CHAPTER3 : Setting Up and Getting Started

Using optical dr iv es

Features

Your optical drive has the following basic components:

Disc tray

Manual eject hole

Activity indicator

Loading an optical disc

To insert an optical disc:

1 Press the eject button on the optical disc drive.

Important

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

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

Eject b u tton

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Identifying optical driv e types

Your computer may contain one of the following drive types. Look on the front of the drive’s disc tray for one or more of the following logos:

If your optical drive has this logo...

Y our drive type is...

CD-RW

DVD/CD-RW

DVD

DVD+RW

DVD RW/ R

Use your drive for...

Installing programs, playing audio CDs, and accessing data.

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

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

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

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

Installing programs, playing audio CDs, playing DVDs, accessing data, and recording video and data to CDs and DVD+R, DVD+RW, DVD-R, and DVD- RW d is cs .

Double layer DVD+RW

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

CHAPTER3 : Setting Up and Getting Started

If your optical drive has this logo...

RECORDER

Playing discs

Playing a CD

Important

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

play these CDs on your computer.

Y our drive type is...

DVD-RAM/-RW

Blu-ray Disc

HD-DVD

Use your drive for...

Installing programs, playing audio CDs, playing DVDs, accessing data, and recording video and data to CDs and DVD- RA M, DVD -R , o r DV D- RW discs.

Installing programs, playing audio CDs, playing DVDs, playing Blu-r ay Disc s, accessing data, and recording video and data to CDs, DVD-RAM, DVD-R, DVD-RW, and Blu-ray discs.

Installing programs, playing audio CDs, playing DVDs and HD-DVDs, accessing data, and recording vi deo an d data to CDs, DVD-RAM, DVD-R, D VD-RW, and HD-DVD discs.

A standard CD (compact disc) can hold an entire album of digital songs and can be played on a CD player or your computer’s CD drive.

Use a music program or WindowsMedia Player on your computer to:

• Play mus ic CDs

• Create MP3 music files from your music CDs

• Edit music track information

• Use your music files to build a music library

For more information about playing CDs, see your online User Guide.

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Playing a DVD

A DVD (Digital Versat ile Di sc) is simi lar t o a standard CD but ha s greater data capacity. Because of this increased capacity, full-length movies, several albums of music, or seve ral gigabytes of data can fit on a single disc. DVDs can be played on a DVD player or a DVD drive-equipped computer. For more information about playing DVDs, see your online User Gu id e.

Playing a Blu-ray Disc

A Blu-ray Disc is a high-capacity optical disc that can store much more data than a DVD . Adual-layer Blu-ray Disc can hold 50GB of files, about 23 hou rs of standard-definition video, or about 9 hours of high-definition video. Blu-ray Discs can be played on a Blu-ray-compatible player or a Blu -ray drive-equipped computer . For mor e infor mation about playing Blu-ray Discs, see your onlin e Use r G u id e.

Play ing an HD-D VD

An HD-DVD is a high-capacity optical disc that can store much more data than a DVD. A dual-layer HD-DVD can hold 30 GB of files, about 1 4hours of standard-definition video, or about 5.5 hours of high-definition video. HD-DVDs can be played on an HD-DVD-compatible player or an HD-DVD drive-equipped computer. For more information about playing HD-DVDs, see your online User Gui de.

Creating discs

Recording t o optical discs

You can use the disc burning program on your computer to copy tracks from a music CD to your hard drive , copy or create data discs, cr eate music CDs, create video D VDs, and more. For more information about creating CDs and DVDs, see your online User G uid e.

Creating audio and video files

You can create audio and music files, either from scratch or from music CDs. You can also create video files from home video. For mo re informat ion, se e your on line User Gu ide.

Copying optical discs

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

CHAPTER3 : Setting Up and Getting Started

Using t he memory card reader

You can use the optional memory card reader to transfer pictures from a digital camera to your computer. You can also use the memory card reader to transfer data between your computer and a devic e that use s memory cards, such as a PD A, MP3 player, or cellular telephone.

Memory card types

The memory card reader supports several memory card types. To determine which types are supported by your card reader and the slots to use for each type of card, examine the face plate o f t he reader. E ac h sl ot is assigned a different drive letter (for example, the E: and F: drives), so data can be transferred from one memory card type to another.

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Using a memory card

Caution

Before inserting a memory card into a slot, make sure that the slot is

empty, or you could damage the card reader.

To insert a memory card:

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

card slot.

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

then click Computer or My Computer . Double-clic k t he drive (f or ex ample, t he E: dri ve), then double-click the file name.

To remove a memory card:

• Wait for the memory card reader access indicator to stop

blinking, then pull the memory card out of the slot.

Caution

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

Important

Do not use the remove hardware icon in the taskbar to remove the memory card, or you will have to restart the computer to re-enable the memory card reader.

CHAPTER3 : Setting Up and Getting Started

Using t he disk ett e dri ve

The opt io n a l diskette drive uses 3 .5 -i n ch d i s kettes (so met i m es called flo ppy di sk s) . Diskettes are useful for storing files or transferring fil es to anothe r com puter.

Drive activity light

Diskette slot

Eject b utto n

To load a diskette:

1 Inse rt t he d is kette in to th e di skette drive with the la bel

facing up or to the right.

2 To acce ss a f ile on the disk et te , c lick (Start), t h e n click

Computer or My Computer. Double-click the diskette

drive (f or example , the A: drive), then double-click the file name.

3 To remove the diskett e , make sure that the drive activity

lig ht i s o ff, the n p ress the eje ct b utto n.

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Adjusting the v olume

You can adjust volume using your speakers’ controls, your keyboard controls, or the Windows volume controls. You can also adjust the volume of specific sound devices in your computer.

To adjust the overall volume using hardware controls:

• If you are usin g exter nal speakers, turn the knob on the

front of the speakers.

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

keyboard. For more informat ion, see “Using the

keyboard” on page20.

To adjust the volume from Windows:

1 Click (Volume) on the taskba r. The volume control

slider opens. (WindowsVista volume control and icon shown)

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

to de creas e vo lu me.

3 To mu te the volume, click (Mute). To rest ore volume,

click it again.

CHAPTER3 : Setting Up and Getting Started

4 To adj ust d evic e vo lu me leve ls :

In WindowsVista, click Mixer. The Volume Mi xer dialog box opens, where you can cl ick and drag sliders to adjust individual devices.

- OR In Windows XP, double-click the speaker icon on the

taskbar. The Volum e Cont rol dialog box opens, where you can click and drag sliders to adjust individual devices.

Tip

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

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

Help

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

NTER.

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

Important

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

device documentation and installation instructions.

Your computer has one or more of the following ports: IEEE 1394 (also known as Firewire serial, and parallel. Use these ports to connect peripheral devices s uch a s pr int ers, s canners, and digital camer a s t o y our computer. For more information about port locatio ns, see

“Checking Out Your Computer” on page 5.

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

Help

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

Parallel and serial port devices are not plug-and-play. See the device d ocumentation f or de tailed inf ormation and installation instructions.

NTER.

), Universal Serial Bus (USB),

CHAPTER3 : Setting Up and Getting Started

CHAPTER4

Upgrading Your C omputer

• Prev enting static electric ity discharge

• Opening and closing the ca se

• Replac ing the optical disc dri v e

• Replac ing the disk ett e dri ve

• Replacing the memory card reader

• Replac ing the harddriv e

• Installing memory

• Adding or replacing an e xpansion card

• Replac ing the heat sink and proce ssor

• Replacing t he syst em batt ery

• Replacing t he syst em board

CHAPTER4: Upgrading Your Computer

Pre v enting static electric ity discharge

Warning

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

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

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

Before opening the computer case, follow these guidelines:

• Wear a grounding wrist strap (available at most

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

• Turn off your computer.

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

• Unplug the power cord and the modem and network

cables.

Caution

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

Before working with computer components, follow these guidelines:

• Avoid static-causing surfaces such as carpeted floors,

plastic, and packing foam.

• Remove components from their antistatic bags only

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

• Always hold expansion cards by their edges or their

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

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Opening and clo sing the cas e

Your computer case provides easy access to internal components.

Warning

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

Important

Some details of your computer, such as available ports, may differ from those s h own .

To remove the side panel:

1 Follow the instructions in “Preventing static electricity

discharge” on page38.

2 Shut down your computer, then disconnect the power

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

3 Press the power button for ten seconds to drain any

residual power from your computer.

4 Lay the computer down flat, pre ss in on the panel release

latch, then lift the panel off.

5 To replace the side panel, line up the tabs on the front

of the panel with the notches near the f ront of the case, then press the panel down until it snaps into place.

CHAPTER4: Upgrading Your Computer

Re placing the optical dis c driv e

To replace the optical drive:

1 Remove the side panel by following the instructions in

“Opening and closing the case” on page 39.

2 Disconn ect the c ables from the opti cal d rive.

3 Slide the optical drive lock to the “unlock” position.

4 Slide the optical drive out the front of the computer. 5 Note any ju mpe r s etti ngs on the ol d d rive an d se t th e

jumper on the new drive to be the same.

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6 Slide the new drive into the drive bay, then slide the

optical drive lock to the “lock” position.

7 Reconnect the drive cables, then replace the side panel

by f ollowi ng the instruc tions in “Opening and closing the

case” on page39.

Re placing the disk e tte driv e

To replace the optional diskette drive:

1 Remove the side panel by following the instructions in

“Opening and closing the case” on page 39.

2 Disconnect the cables from the optical drive.

CHAPTER4: Upgrading Your Computer

3 Slide the optical drive lock to the “unlock” position.

4 Slide the optical drive out the front of the computer. 5 Disconnect the cables from the diskette drive. 6 Slide the 3.5-inch drive lock to the “unlock” position.

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7 Slide the diskette drive out the front of the computer.

8 Slide the new diskette driv e into the dri ve bay, then slide

the 3.5-inch drive lock to the “lock” position.

9 Reconnect the disket te driv e cables, then slide the optical

drive into the drive bay.

CHAPTER4: Upgrading Your Computer

10 Slide the optical drive lock to the “lock” position, then

reconnect the optical drive cables.

11 Replace the side panel by following the instructions in

“Opening and closing the case” on page 39.

Re placing the memory card reader

To replace the optional memory card reader:

1 Remove the side panel by following the instructions in

“Opening and closing the case” on page 39.

2 Disconn ect the c ables from the opti cal d rive.

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3 Slide the optical drive lock to the “unlock” position.

4 Slide the optical drive out the front of the computer. 5 Disconnect the cable from the memory card reader. 6 Slide the 3.5-inch drive lock to the “unlock” position.

7 Slide the old card reader out the front of the computer. 8 Slide the new card reader into the 3.5-inch bay.

CHAPTER4: Upgrading Your Computer

9 Slide the 3.5-inch drive lock to the “lock” position.

10 Reconnect the card reader’s cable. 11 Slide the optical drive into the drive bay. 12 Sl ide the optical drive lock to the “lock” position, then

reconnect the optical drive cables.

13 Replace the side panel by following the instructions in

“Opening and closing the case” on page 39.

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Re placing the har d dri ve

To replace the hard drive:

1 Remove the side panel by following the instructions in

“Opening and closing the case” on page 39.

2 Lift th e h ard driv e ca ge away fro m th e c om pute r.

3 Disconnect the hard drive cables, press the hard drive

latch’s release lever, then open the hard drive latch.

CHAPTER4: Upgrading Your Computer

4 Remove the old hard dri ve from the har d drive cage, then

insert the new on e.

5 Close the hard driv e release latc h to secur e the hard drive

into the hard drive cage.

6 Reconnect the hard drive cables, then insert the hard

drive cage into the computer by lining up the slots on the end of the cage with the tabs on the computer.

Hard drive cage slots

7 Replace the side panel by following the instructions in

“Opening and closing the case” on page 39.

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Installing memory

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

To install or replace DIMM memory:

1 Remove the side panel by following the instructions in

“Opening and closing the case” on page 39.

2 Remove the drives from the optical and 3.5-inch drive

cage by following the instruction s in “Replacing the

diskette drive” on page41 or “Replacing the memory card reader” on page 44.

3 Press and hold the drive cage release le ver on the bott om

of the drive cage.

Drive cage release lever

CHAPTER4: Upgrading Your Computer

4 While holding the release lever, lift the cage up and out

of the computer.

5 Lift the hard drive cage away from the computer. You do

not need to unplug the hard drive cables.

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6 Remove the four screws that secure the power supply to

the computer.

Screw Screw

7 Slide the power supply away from the back of the

computer, then lift it out of the computer. You do not need to unplug the cables.

CHAPTER4: Upgrading Your Computer

8 Find the memory module banks on your system board.

9 Press the pl asti c t abs on eith er si de o f the me mor y

module bank you are installing the new module into. If a module i s already in the slot, remove the module.

10 Align the notches on the new module with the notches

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

11 Secure the power supply to t he computer u sing the f our

screws you removed previously.

12 Inse rt the hard drive cage back into the computer. 13 Press the optical and 3.5-inch drive cage down until it

clicks into place, then reinstall the drives you removed.

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14 Replace the side panel by following the instructions in

“Opening and closing the case” on page 39.

15 Reconnect the cables and the power cord. 16 Turn on your computer. Windows starts and the

Windows desktop appears.

17 Click (Start), r i g h t - c l i c k Computer or My Computer,

then click Properties. The amount of memory in your computer is displayed.

Adding or r eplacing an expansion car d

To add or replace an expansion card:

1 Remove the side panel by following the instructions in

“Opening and closing the case” on page 39.

2 If you are replacing an expansion card, disconnect any

cables that are attached to the card, noting their locations and orientation. (You may need to reconnect the cables after you in stall the new c ard.)

3 Open the card retention lever.

CHAPTER4: Upgrading Your Computer

4 If you are replacing an expansion card, remove the old

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

Caution

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

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

5 If you are installing a new expansion card, remove the

EMI shield from the opening near the expansion slot.

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

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

7 Press the card retention lever back into place.

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8 If you have just replaced an expansion card, reconnect

the expansion card cables (if any) using your not es f r om Step 2. If y ou hav e added a ne w expansion card, connect its cables acco rding to its user guide.

9 Replace the side panel by following the instructions in

“Opening and closing the case” on page 39.

Re placing the heat sink and processor

Tools

You need a Phillips screwdriver to replace the heat sink.

To replace the heat sink and processor:

1 Remove the side panel by following the instructions in

“Opening and closing the case” on page 39.

2 Remove the drives from the optical and 3.5-inch drive

cage by following the instruction s in “Replacing the

diskette drive” on page41 or “Replacing the memory card reader” on page 44.

3 Press and hold the drive cage release le ver on the bott om

of the drive cage.

Drive cage release lever

CHAPTER4: Upgrading Your Computer

4 While holding the release lever, lift the cage up and out

of the computer.

5 Unplug the heat sink fan cable from the system board.

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6 Remove the heat sink fan.

7 Lift the hard drive cage away from the computer. You do

not need to unplug the hard drive cables.

CHAPTER4: Upgrading Your Computer

8 Loosen the four captive sc r ew s that sec ure the heat sink

to the system board (the screws cannot be completely removed), then remove the heat sink and place it on a stable surface with the flat surface of the heat sink (the side with the thermal grease) up .

ScrewScrew

9 Push the processor release lever down and away from

the processor, then lift i t com pletely up .

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10 Lift the processor retention bracket, then remove the

processor from the system board.

11 Install the new processor onto the system board. Make

sure that Pin 1 on the pr ocessor (indicat ed by the print ed triangle on the corner of the processor) aligns with Pin 1 on the processor sock et (indicated by a tr iangle molded into the corner of the processor socket), then return the retention bracket and lever to their locked positions.

12 If this is a new heat sink, remove the strip on the heat

sink that covers the gray thermal grease. If you are re-using a heat sink, use rubbing (isopropyl) alcohol to remove the old thermal grease, then re-apply a small bead of thermal grease (about the size of half a pea) to the surface that contacts the processor.

13 Place the heat sink on the processor, then tighten the

four screws that secure it to the system board.

14 Slide the heat sink fan back into place over the heat sink,

then plug it into the system board.

15 Insert the hard drive cage back into the computer. 16 Press the optical and 3.5-inch drive cage down until it

clicks into place, then reinstall the drives you removed.

17 Replace the side panel by following the instructions in

“Opening and closing the case” on page 39.

CHAPTER4: Upgrading Your Computer

Re placing the s yst em batt ery

Warning

Danger of explosion if battery is incorrect ly replaced. Replace onl y with the same or equivalent type recommended by the manufacturer. Dispose of used batteries following the manufacturer’s instructions.

Caution

Any custom BIOS settings you have made will be lost when you remove the system battery. All settings will return to their factory defaults.

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

To replace the battery:

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

menu of the BIOSSetup u tility opens.

3 Write do w n all v alue s in th e menus and submenu s, t he n

exit from the utility.

Caution

Any custom BIOS settings you have made will be lost when you remove the system batte ry. All settings will return to their factory defaults.

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

“Opening and closing the case” on page 39.

6 Remove the drives from the optical and 3.5-inch drive

cage by following the instruction s in “Replacing the

diskette drive” on page 41 or “Replacing the memory card reader” on page 44.

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7 Press and hold the cage rel ease lever on the bottom of

the drive cage.

Drive cage release lever

8 While holding the release lever, lift the cage up and out

of the computer.

CHAPTER4: Upgrading Your Computer

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

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

Important

Your computer’s battery location may vary from the illustration below.

Batter y rel e as e ta b

Battery

10 Push the battery release tab. The battery pops out of the

socket.

11 Make su re th at th e p os it ive ( + ) s id e of th e n ew b atte r y

is facing up (usually the side that the battery type and model number are etched into), then press the battery into the socket until it snaps in to place.

12 Press the optical and 3.5-inch drive cage down until it

clicks into place, then reinstall the drives you removed.

13 Replace the side panel by following the instructions in

“Opening and closing the case” on page 39.

14 Reconnect all external cables and the power cord. 15 Turn on your computer and open the BIOS Setup utility. 16 In the BIOS Setup utility, restore any settings that you

wrote down in Step 3.

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

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Re placing the po wer suppl y

To replace the power supply:

1 Remove the side panel by following the instructions in

“Opening and closing the case” on page 39.

2 Remove all drives and drive cages by following the

instructions in:

• “Replacing the optical disc drive” on page 40

• “Replacing the diskette drive” on page 41

• “ Replacing the mem ory card rea der ” on page 44

• “Replacing the hard drive” on page 47

3 Unplug all power supply cables from the system board.

Make note of where they are connected.

4 Remove the four screws that secure the power supply to

the computer.

Screw Screw

CHAPTER4: Upgrading Your Computer

5 Slide the power supply away from the back of the

computer, then remove it.

6 Slide the new power supply into place, then secure it to

the computer using the four screws you removed previously.

7 Plug the power supply cables back into the system

board, then replace all drive cages and drives and reconnect their cables.

8 Replace the side panel by following the instructions in

“Opening and closing the case” on page 39.

Re placing the s yst em board

To replace the system board:

1 Remove the side panel by following the instructions in

“Opening and closing the case” on page 39.

2 Remove all e xpansion cards by f ollowing the instruc tions

in “Adding or replacing an expansion card” on page53.

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3 Remove all drives and drive cages by following the

instructions in:

• “Replacing the optical disc drive” on page 40

• “Replacing the diskette drive” on page 41

• “ Replacing the mem ory card rea der ” on page 44

• “Replacing the hard drive” on page 47

4 Remove all memory modules by following the

instructions in “Install ing mem ory ” on pa ge 49.

5 Remove the heat sink fan, heat sink, and processor by

following the directions in “Replacing the heat sink and

processor” on page 55.

6 Disconnect all the power and data cables from the

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

Tip

Yo u ca n labe l e ach cable with tape to make it easier to r e-con ne ct

them l ate r.

7 Remove the four screws that secure the power supply to

the computer.

Screw Screw

CHAPTER4: Upgrading Your Computer

8 Slide the power supply away from the back of the

computer, then remove it.

9 Slide the system board tray about one inch (2.5cm)

toward the front of the case, then remove the tray.

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10 Remove the four screws that secure the system board to

the tray.

Screw Screw

11 Align the new system board on the screw holes in the

tray, then se cure i t i nto the tray with the four screws .

12 If your replacement system board does not include a

processor, install the one you removed previously onto the new system board by following the instructions in

“Replacing the heat sink and processor” on page 55.

13 Slide the power supply back into the case, then secure

it using the four screws you removed previously.

14 Reconnect the power cables to the system board. 15 Reinstall any memory modules and expansion cards you

removed previously.

16 Reinstall the drive cages and dri ves, and reconnect their

cables.

17 Replace the side panel by following the instructions in

“Opening and closing the case” on page 39.

CHAPTER4: Upgrading Your Computer

CHAPTER5

Maintaining Y our

Computer

• Setting up a maint enance schedule

• Caring f or your comput er

• Cleaning y our comput er

• Updating Windo ws

• Using BigFix

• Managing hard dri ve space

• Scheduling maintenance tasks

• Moving f rom y our old comput er

CHAPTER 5: Maintaining Your Computer

Set ting up a mainten ance schedule

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

Maintenance task Weekly Monthly When

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

peripheral devices

needed

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Caring f or y our computer

To extend the life of your computer:

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

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

• When transporting your computer, we recommend that

you put it in the original packaging m aterials.

• Keep your computer away from magnetic fields.

Magnetic fields can erase data on hard drives.

• Never turn off your computer when the drive indicator

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

• Avoid subjecting y our computer to extreme temperature

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

• Keep all liquids away from your computer. When spilled

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

• Avoid dusty or dirty work environments. Dust and dirt

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

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

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

• When storing your computer for an extended period of

time, unplug ACpower.

CHAPTER 5: Maintaining Your Computer

Cleaning y our comput er

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

• A soft, lint-free cloth

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

extension

• Cotton swabs

• An optical disc drive cleaning kit

Cleaning t he ex terior

Warning

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

• Always turn off your computer and other peripheral

devices before cleaning any components.

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

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

• Your computer is cooled by air circulated through the

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

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Cleaning t he ke y board

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

To clean the keyboard:

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

extension to remove dust and lint trapped under the keys.

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

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

Cleaning t he monitor

Caution

A flat-pa nel monit or is made of spec iall y coat ed glas s and can be scrat ched

or damaged by abrasive or ammonia-based glass cleaners.

To clean the monitor:

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

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

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

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

Cleaning t he mouse

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

To clean the mouse:

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

cloth.

CHAPTER 5: Maintaining Your Computer

Cleaning optical dis cs

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

To clean an optical disc :

• Wipe from the center t o the edge, not around in a circ le,

using a product made especially for the purpose.

Updating Windo ws

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

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

Help

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

NTER.

Using BigF ix

Your computer may have BigFix software installed. BigFix monitors your computer for problems and conflicts. It automatically gathers information about the latest bugs, security alerts, and updates from BigFix sites on the Internet. Whenever BigFix det ects a problem, it alerts you b y flashing the blue taskbar icon. T o fix the problem, c lic k on that icon t o open BigFix.

To s t a rt B i g Fi x :

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

Tools, then click BigFix.

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

Tutorial.

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CHAPTER 5: Maintaining Your Computer

Managing hard dr iv e space

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

Checking hard driv e space

To check hard drive space:

Shortcut

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

1 Click (Start), t hen cl ick Computer or My Computer.

The Computer or My Computer window opens. (Windows Vista version shown)

www.gateway.com

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

file space , then c lick Properties. Drive space information appears. (WindowsVista version shown)

Deleting unnece ssary files

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

To delete unnecessary files:

Shortcut

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

DiskCleanup

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

Tools, then click Disk Cleanup. The Disk Cleanup dialog

box opens. (WindowsVista version shown)

CHAPTER 5: Maintaining Your Computer

2 Click one of the options (Windows Vista only), then

click OK:

• My files only cleans only the folders for the

currently logged in user.

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

folders.

3 In Windows XP, click the drive you want to delete from,

click OK, then select the file types to delete.

Help

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

Checking the hard dri ve f or errors

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

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

To check the hard drive for errors:

1 Click (Start), t hen cl ick Computer or My Computer.

The Computer or My Computer window opens.

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

click Properties, then click the Tools tab. (WindowsVista version shown)

NTER.

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

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

Important

In WindowsVista, error checking cannot scan a drive while the drive is bein g used. If you try to check y o ur hard driv e for errors, you see a prompt asking you if you want to scan the hard drive later (the next time you restart your computer). If you see this prompt, click Schedule disc check.

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

4 Correct any problems that are found by following the

on-screen instructions.

5 Click OK.

Help

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

Defragme nting the hard dr iv e

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

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

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

Tip

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

NTER.

CHAPTER 5: Maintaining Your Computer

To defragment the hard drive:

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

Tools, then click Disk Defragmenter. The Disk Defragmente r dialog box opens. (Windows Vista v e rsion

shown)

3 Click Defragment now or Defragment. This process

may take hours to complete, depending on the size of the drive being defragmented.

Help

For more information about defragmenting the hard drive, click

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

NTER.

Backing up file s

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

You should back up your files regularly to a writable optical disc ( if you have a r e cordable dr i ve). Use a b ac kup devic e, such as a recordable disc drive, to do a complete hard drive backup.

To back up files:

1 Click (Start), t hen cl ick Computer or My Computer.

The Computer or My Computer window opens.

2 Right-click the drive that you want to back up, click

Properties, then click the Tools tab. (WindowsVista version shown)

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3 Click Backup Now, then click Run a file backup now. 4 Follow the on-screen instructions to select a backup

storage location and the files and folders to back up.

Help

For more inf ormatio n about back ing up fil es, cl ick Start, th en c lic k

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

NTER.

CHAPTER 5: Maintaining Your Computer

Scheduling maint enance ta sks

Using Task Scheduler i n Window sVista

Task Scheduler lets you schedule maintenance tasks such as running Disk Defragmenter and checking your drives for errors.

Important

Your computer must be on during scheduled tasks. If your computer is off,

scheduled tasks will not run.

To s t a rt t h e Ta s k S c he d u l er :

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

Tools, then click Task Scheduler. Th e Tas k Sc he d u l er dialog box opens. (WindowsVista version shown)

2 Click Create Basic Task for basic tasks or click Create

Task for more complex tasks, then follow the on-screen instructions to finish setting up and scheduling the task.

Help

For more information about scheduling tasks, click Start, then click Help and Support. T ype task scheduler in the Search Help box, then press E

NTER.

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Using the S cheduled Task Wi zar d in Windows XP

The Scheduled Task Wizard lets you schedule maintenance tasks such as running Disk Defragmenter and Error-checking.

To start the Scheduled Task Wizard:

1 Click Start, All Programs, Accessories, Syst em Too l s,

then click Scheduled Tasks. The Scheduled Tasks wind ow o pe ns.

2 Double-click the Add Scheduled Task icon. The

Scheduled Task Wizard opens.

3 Click Next, then click the task or program you want to

schedule.

4 Follow the on-screen instructions to customize the task.

CHAPTER 5: Maintaining Your Computer

Mov ing fr om your old computer

T r ansf erring f iles and s ettin gs aut omatically

You can move your files, folders, software settings, and user account settings (such as displa y, Internet, and e-mail settings) from your old computer to your new one using Windows Easy Transfer (WindowsVista) or the Files and Settings Transfer Wizard (WindowsXP).

• If your new computer uses WindowsXP, files can be

transferred automatically to it as long as your old computer has Windows95, Windows98, Windows 98SE, WindowsMe, WindowsNT 4.0, or Windows X P.

• If your new computer uses WindowsVista, files can be

transferred automatically to it as long as your old computer has WindowsXP.

Important

If your old computer’s Windows version is not compatible with automatic transfe r , you must manual ly mo v e y our data b y us ing a writ e able disc , fla sh dri v e , or external hard drive.

While using these transfer utilities, you will not be able to run other tasks on the computers.

To move files and settings f rom your old co mpu ter using

Windows Vista:

1 If you want to transfe r program settings to your new

computer, install those programs on the new computer before running Windows Easy Transfer. Windows Easy Transfer c opi es on ly the softwa re’s se ttin gs, n ot th e software itself, to the new computer.

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

Tools, then clic k W indo ws Easy Transfer. T he Windows

Easy Transfer dialog box opens.

3 Click Next, click Start a new transfer, then follow the

on-screen instructions to complete the transfer.

Help

For more information about transferring files, click Start, then click Help and Support. Ty p e transferring files in the Search Help box, then press E

NTER.

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To move files and settings f rom your old co mpu ter using

Windows XP:

1 Click Start, All Programs, Accessories, Syste m Too ls ,

then click Files and Settings Transfer Wizard.

2 Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the

transfer.

T r ansf erri ng files an d set tings manu ally

Y ou can manu ally transfer your personal data files by copying them to removable media, such as a writable disc, an external hard drive, a network location, or a flash drive.

Finding your documents

Many programs save your personal data files in the Documents or My Documents folder. Look in your old computer’s documents folder for personal data files.

To find files in the documents folder:

1 In WindowsVista, click (Start), then click

Documents. The Documents folder opens and displays many of your saved personal data files. Go to Step4.

- OR In WindowsXP, click Start, then click My Documents.

The My Documents window opens and display s many of your saved personal data files. Go to Step4.

- OR In Windows98, Windows Me, or Windows 2000,

double-click the My Computer icon on the desktop. Go to the next step.

2 Double-click the C:\ drive icon. 3 Double-click the Documents or My Documents folder.

The My Documents window opens and display s many of your saved personal data files.

4 Copy your personal data files to removable media or to

another computer on your network.

CHAPTER 5: Maintaining Your Computer

Finding other files

Use Window s Find or S earc h t o locate other person al data file s. For mor e inf or matio n, see “Usi ng Wi ndow s” in y our o nline User Guide.

You can often identify different data file types by looking at the file’s extension (the part of the file name following the last period). For example, a document file might have a .DOC extension and a spr eadsheet fi le might hav e an .XL S ex t ension.

File type File usually ends in...

Documents .DOC, .TXT, .RTF, .HTM, .HTML, .DOT Spreadsheets .XLS, .XLT, .TXT Pictures .JPG, .BMP, .GIF, .PDF, .PCT, .TIF, .PNG, .EPS Movies .MPEG, .MPG, .AVI, .GIF, .MOV Sound and music .WAV, .CDA, .MP3, .MID, .MIDI, .WMA

To find files using Find or Search:

1 In WindowsVista or WindowsXP, click (Start), then

click Search. The Search Results window opens.

- OR In Windows98, Windows Me, or Windows 2000, click

Start, Find or Search, then click For Fil es o r Folde rs. The Sea rch Results window opens.

2 Type the filename or part of a filename you want to

search for, then press E displayed.

3 To learn about more search options, click Help.

NTER. The search results are

CHAPTER6

Troubleshooting

• Safety guidelines

• First steps

• Troubleshooting

• Reco veri ng your W indow sVista s yst em

• Reco ver ing y our Windo wsXP sy st em

• T elephone support

CHAPTER6: Troubleshooting

Saf ety guideline s

While troublesho oting your computer, follow these safety guidelines:

Warning

Never open your computer case while your computer is turned on and

while the modem cable, network cable, and power cord are connected.

Warning

Make sure that you are correctly grounded before accessing internal components. For more information about preventing damage from static electricity, see “Preventing static electricity discharge” on page38.

Warning

To avoid bodily injury, do not attempt to troubleshoot your computer problem if:

• Power cords or plugs are damaged

• Liquid has been spilled into your computer

• Your computer was dropped

• The case was damaged

Instead, unplug your computer and contact a qualified computer technician.

First step s

If yo u ha v e pr obl ems w it h y our c ompu te r, try thes e t hing s fi rst :

• Make s ure tha t th e p ower co rd i s c on necte d to you r

computer and an ACpower outlet and that the power outlet is supplying power.

• If you use a power strip or surge protector, make sure

that it is turned o n.

• If a peripheral device does not work, make sure that all

connections are secure.

• Make sure that your hard drive is not full.

• If an error message appea rs on the screen, write down

the exact message. The message m ay help Customer Care in diagnosing and fixing the problem.

• If you added or remove d peripheral devices, review the

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

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

printed documentation or the online help.

Help

For more inf ormation about tr oubleshooting, cli ck Start, then c lick Help and Support . T ype th e ke yword/p hrase troubleshooting in the Search Help box, then press E

NTER.

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Troubleshooting

Troubleshooting topics are listed in alphabetical order.

Add-in cards

See “Expansion cards” on page94.

Audio

See “Sound” on page 10 8.

CD or DVD driv es

The computer does not recognize a disc or the CD or DVD drive

• Make sure that the di sc label is f ac ing up or out, then try

again.

• Try a different disc. Occasionally, discs are flawed or

become scratc hed and cannot be read b y t he CD or DVD drive.

• If you are trying to play a DVD, make sure that you have

a DVD drive. T o identify your dri v e type, see “Identifying

optical drive types” on page 27.

• Your computer may be experiencing some temporary

memory problems. Shut down and restart your computer.

• Some music CDs hav e copy prot ection sof tware . Y ou may

not be able to play these CDs on your computer.

• Clean the disc. For more information, see “Cleaning

optical discs” on page74.

• Restart your computer, then enter the BIOS Setup utility

by pressing and holding F2 while your computer restarts. Make sure that the IDE controllers are enabled.

• Make sure that th e drive is co nfigured c orrectly by

following the instructions in the drive documentation.

• Reinstall the device driver.

CHAPTER6: Troubleshooting

An audio CD d oes not prod uce sound

• Make sure that the di sc label is f ac ing up or out, then try

again.

• Some music CDs hav e copy prot ection sof tware . Y ou may

not be able to play these CDs on your computer.

• Make sure that the volume controls are turned up. For

more informat ion, see “A d j us t i n g th e vo l u m e ” o n

page 33.

• Make s ure th at the mu te co nt rol s a re t urn ed off. Fo r

more informat ion, see “A d j us t i n g th e vo l u m e ” o n

page 33.

• If you have external speakers attached, make sure that

the speakers are turned on and that the cables are connected correctly and securely.

• Shut down and restart your computer.

• Clean the disc. For more information, see “Cleaning

optical d iscs” on page 74.

• Reinstall the appropriate device drivers.

A DVD movie will not play

• Make sure that you have a DVD drive. To identify your

drive type, see “Identifying optical drive types” on

page 27.

• Make sure that the disc label is facing out, then try again.

• Try a different disc. Occasionally discs are flawed or

become scratched and cannot be read by the DVD drive.

• Clean the disc. For more information, see “Cleaning

optical d iscs” on page 74.

• Shut down and restart your computer.

• Make sure that th e DVD progra m h as bee n i nst al led o n

your computer.

• DVDs and DVD drives contain regio nal c odes tha t help

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

The regional code on your DVD drive is determined by your computer’s deli v e ry addre ss. The regional code for the United States and Canada is1. The regional code f or Mexico is4. Your DVD drive’s regional code must match the regional code for the disc. The regional code for the disc is on the disc, disc documentation, or disc packaging.

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

• Reinstall the device driver.

Diske tt e driv e

The diskette drive is not recognized

• Shut down and restart your computer.

You cannot save a file to diskette or you see the message “disk is full or write-protecte d”

• Make sure that the write-protection tab on the

• The disket t e ma y be full. Delete unneces sary files on t he

• Make su re th at th e di skette you are u sing is

• T ry a dif fer ent disk et te . Occa sionall y disk et te s are fla wed

• Run Error- checking on the diskette. For more

You see an “Access Denied” or “Write protect” error message

• Make sure that the write-protection tab on the

• The disket t e ma y be full. Delete unneces sary files on t he

• Make su re th at th e di skette you are u sing is

• T ry a dif fer ent disk et te . Occa sionall y disk et te s are fla wed

www.gateway.com

upper-right corner of the disk et te is do wn (unprote ct ed). diskette and try again. IBM-compatible. and cannot be read by the diskette drive. information, see “Checking the h ard drive for errors” on

page 78. If errors are detected and corrected, try using

the d is kette ag a in.

upper-right corner of the disk et te is do wn (unprote ct ed). diskette and try again. IBM-compatible. and cannot be read by the diskette drive.

You see a “Disk is full” error message

• Delete unnecessary files on the diskette.

• T ry a dif fer ent disk et te . Occa sionall y disk et te s are fla wed

and cannot be read by the diskette drive.

• Run Error- checking on the diskette. For more

information, see “Checking the h ard drive for errors” on

page 78. If errors are detected and corrected, try using

the d is kette ag a in.

You see a “Non-system disk” or “Disk error” error message

• Eject the diskette from the diskette drive, then press

NTER.

• Make su re th at th e di skette you are u sing is

IBM-compatible.

Display

CHAPTER6: Troubleshooting

The diskette drive LED is lit continuously

• Remov e the diskette from the drive. If the lig ht stays on,

try restarting your computer.

The screen resolution is not correct

• Change the scree n resoluti on from the Display Settings

dialog box. For more information, see the “Customizing Windows” chapter in your online User Gui de.

The computer is running, but there is no picture

• Adjust the brightness and contra st controls to t he center

position.

• Check the cable for bent or damaged pins.

• Make sur e th at t he m onit o r is pl ugge d in an d tur ned on.

If th e m o n ito r is t u rn e d on , th e pow e r L E D s h o u ld b e l i t .

• Make sure that the video cable is connected to the video

port on your computer.

• Connect a monitor that you know works to your

computer.

• Reinstall the device driver.

The color is not uniform

The text on the screen is dim or difficult to read

For more information about monitor types, see your monitor and video card documentation.

then cl ick Help and Support. Type the phrase screen res olution in the Search Help box, then press E

DVD drives

• Make s ure th at th e m on ito r wa rms up for a t l eas t

30 minutes before making a final judgment about color uniformity.

• Adjust the brightness and contrast controls.

• Change the display settings. For more information, see

the “Customizing Windows” chapter in your online User Guide.

Help

For more information about changing the screen resolution, click Start,

NTER.

• See “CD or DVD drives” on page 89.

Ethernet

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You cannot see the other computers on your network

• Make sure that your Ethernet cable is plugged into the

Ethernet jack on your computer. Make sure that the other end is plugged into a network router, switch, hub, or other network device.

• Make sure that all computers are plugged into a

powered electrical outlet and turned on.

• Make sure that the router (if you are using one) is

plugged into a powered electrical outlet and turned on. Most routers have lights that indicate they are working. For more information, see the documentation that came with your router.

• If you are using a router, try rebooting it by unplugging

its power cord, waiting five seconds, then plugging it back in.

• Make sure that all comput ers on your network have the

same workgroup name.

• Make sure that all computers are using the same Subnet

Mask.

• If you assigned IP addresses to the computers, make sure

that all computers have diff erent IP addres ses. For home networks, IP addresses should be 192.168.N.N where N is a number you assign between 0 and 254. The first N should be the same for all computers on your network and the second N should be different for all computers on your network.

The computer does not recognize an Ethernet expansion card

• Shut down and restart your computer.

• Make sure that y ou hav e installed the required sof tware .

For more inf ormation, see t he documentation t hat came with your Ethernet card.

• Reseat the card. For mo re informat ion ab out resea ting

the card, see “Adding or replacing an expansion card” on

page 53. For more information about your Ethernet card,

see the documentation that came with your Ethernet card.

Your Ethernet network is running slower than you expect

• If your Ethernet network is running slower than you

expect, check the speed of each Ethernet component. For best results, all Ethernet components should be standard Ethernet ( 10 Mbps), Fast Ethernet (100 Mbps or 10/100Mbps) , or Gigabit Ethernet (1000 Mbps or 10/100/1000 Mbps). A mixture of Ethernet, Fast Ethernet, and Gigabit Et herne t components w ill r esult in your network running at the slowest component speed.

Expansion cards

The computer does not recognize an expansion card

• Shut down and restart your computer.

• Make sure that y ou hav e installed the required sof tware .

For more infor mation, see the doc umentation that came with your expansion card.

• Reseat the card. For more informati on, see “Adding or

replacing an expansion card” on page 53 .

File management

CHAPTER6: Troubleshooting

Help

For more information about restoring deleted files, click Start, then click Help and Support. Type the keywor d/phra se System Re store in th e Search Help box, then press E

A file was accidentally deleted

If a file was deleted while holding down the S cannot be restored.

To restore deleted files:

NTER.

HIFT key, the file

1 Double-click the Recycle Bin icon. 2 Righ t-cli ck the f ile you wan t to resto re, th en cli ck

Restore. The file is restored to the place where it was originally deleted from.

If the Recycle Bin was emptied before you try to restore a file, the file ca nnot b e restored.

You need to restore your computer to a working condition

• See “Recovering your Windows Vista system” on

page 109 or “Recovering your WindowsXP system” on page 121.

Gateway S-5215 Quick Reference Guide

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual

Contents

About This R eference

About this guide

For more inf ormation

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

Gate wa y contac t infor mation

Micr osof t Cer tificate of Authenticity

Front

Back

Wo rking safel y and comfortably

Reduc ing e y e strain

Setting up your comp uter de sk and chair

Sitting at y our comput er

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

Po sitioning the comput er cas e

Preparing po wer connec tions

Prot ecting f rom power source pr oblems

Connec ting to a br oadband modem or netw ork

Connec ting a dial-up modem

To connect the modem:

Starting y our computer

To start your computer:

Waking up y our comput er

T ur ning off y our computer

To put your computer in Stan dby (power-saving) m ode :

To turn off your computer:

Re starting (rebooting) y our computer

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

Using t he ke yboar d

Premium multimedia k e yboard featur es

Elite multi media ke yboar d featur es

Standard key board features

Using t he mouse

Using optical dr iv es

Features

Loading an optical disc

To insert an optical disc:

Identifying optical driv e types

Playing discs

Playing a CD

Playing a DVD

Playing a Blu-ray Disc

Play ing an HD-D VD

Creating discs

Recording t o optical discs

Creating audio and video files

Copying optical discs

Using t he memory card reader

Memory card types

Using a memory card

To insert a memory card:

To remove a memory card:

Using t he disk ett e dri ve

To load a diskette:

Adjusting the v olume

To adjust the overall volume using hardware controls:

To adjust the volume from Windows:

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

Upgrading Your C omputer

Pre v enting static electric ity discharge

Opening and clo sing the cas e

To remove the side panel:

Re placing the optical dis c driv e

To replace the optical drive:

Re placing the disk e tte driv e

To replace the optional diskette drive:

Re placing the memory card reader

To replace the optional memory card reader:

Re placing the har d dri ve

To replace the hard drive:

Installing memory

To install or replace DIMM memory:

Adding or r eplacing an expansion car d

To add or replace an expansion card:

Re placing the heat sink and processor

To replace the heat sink and processor: