Gateway SOLO 9550, SOLO 9500 User Manual

Contents

1 Checking Out Your Gateway Solo 9500. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Front . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Left side . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Right side . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Back . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Bottom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Identifying your model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Accessories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

2 Checking Out Your Gateway Solo 9550. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Top . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Front . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Left side . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Right side . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Back . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Bottom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Identifying your model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Accessories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

3Getting Started. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Connecting the AC adapter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Protecting from power source problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Starting your notebook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Waking up your notebook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Turning off your notebook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Switching user accounts in Windows XP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

Status indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Using the keyboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

System key combinations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

Multi-function buttons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Using the EZ Pad touchpad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Using the touchpad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

Connecting the modem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

Connecting to an Ethernet network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

Broadband Internet connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

Installing a printer, scanner, or other peripheral device . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

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4Getting Help. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47

HelpSpot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48

HelpSpot Videos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50

Online help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51

Gateway Web site . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52

5 Windows Basics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53

About the Windows environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54

Using the desktop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55

Using the Start menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56

Identifying Window items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57

Working with files and folders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59

Viewing drives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59

Creating folders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60

Copying and moving files and folders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61

Deleting files and folders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62

Browsing for files and folders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64

Searching for files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65

Using the Windows XP, Windows Me, o r Windows 2000 Search utility . . . . . .66

Using the Windows 98 Find utility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .68

Working with documents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .70

Creating a new document . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .70

Saving a document . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .71

Opening a document . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72

Printing a document . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73

Shortcuts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74

6 Using the Internet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .75

Learning about the Internet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .76

Setting up an Internet account . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77

Accessing your Internet account . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .78

Using the World Wide Web . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .79

Connecting to a Web site . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .80

Downloading files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .81

Using e-mail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .82

Sending e-mail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .82

Checking your e-mail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .83

7 Using Multimedia. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .85

Using diskettes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .86

Using the CD/DVD drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .87

Inserting a CD or DVD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .87

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Using Audio DJ on the Solo 9550 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88

Adjusting the volume in Windows XP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90

Adjusting the volume i n Windows M e, Windows 2000, a nd Windows 98 . . . . . . . 94

Listening to CDs in Windows XP, Windows 2000, and Windows Me . . . . . . . . . . 96

Listening to CDs in Windows 98 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97

Recording and playing audio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98

Playing audio and video files with the Windows Media Player . . . . . . . . . . . 100

Playing a DVD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101

Using MusicMatch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102

Playing CDs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102

Creating music files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104

Editing track information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105

Building a music library . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106

Listening to Internet radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108

Using advanced features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109

Viewing the display on a television . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110

Capturing video . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112

8 Sending and Receiving Faxes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113

Setting up your cover page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114

Sending a fax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116

Faxing from programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118

Receiving and viewing a fax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118

9 Managing Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119

Monitoring the battery charge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120

Recharging the battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120

Changing batteries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121

Installing a second battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123

Extending battery life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125

Conserving battery power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125

Using alternate power sources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125

Changing power modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126

Changing power settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127

Changing SpeedStep settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132

Changing power settings in Windows NT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134

10 Travel Tips. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135

Modem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136

Radio frequency wireless connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136

Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137

Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137

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Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .138

11 Customizing Your Notebook. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .139

Adjusting the screen and desktop settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .140

Adjusting the color depth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .140

Adjusting the screen resolution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .142

Applying a color scheme . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .144

Changing the desktop background . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .146

Selecting a screen saver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .149

Changing the touchpad settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .151

Programming the multi-function buttons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .153

12 Upgrading Your Notebook. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .155

Adding PC Cards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .156

Changing bay modules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .158

Changing 5.25-inch bay modules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .158

Changing 3.5-inch bay modules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .160

Preventing static electricity discharge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .161

Installing memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .162

Replacing the main hard drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .165

13 Using the Port Replicator and Docking Station . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .169

Checking out the port replicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .169

Front . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .170

Left side . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .171

Back . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .172

Right side . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .174

Connecting to the port replicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .175

Checking out the docking station . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .177

Front . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .177

Left side . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .178

Back . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .179

Right side . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .181

Connecting to the docking station . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .183

Adjusting audio settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .184

Installing a PCI card in the docking station . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .185

14 Networking Your Notebook. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .189

Using a network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .190

Sharing a single Internet connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .190

Sharing drives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .190

Sharing peripheral devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .191

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Streaming audio and video files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191

Playing multi-player games . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191

Introducing the Gateway Connected Home . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192

Components of a Gateway Connected Home . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193

Selecting a network connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194

Wired connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194

Wireless Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195

Assessing your connection needs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196

Comparing data transfer speed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198

Network shopping list . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200

HPNA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200

Ethernet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201

Wireless Ethernet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202

Bluetooth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202

For more information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203

15 Moving from Your Old Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205

Transferring software and hardware from your old computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205

Using the Windows XP Files and Settings Transfer Wizard . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205

Transferring files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206

Transferring Internet settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207

Reinstalling your old printer or scanner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208

Reinstalling your old programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209

16 Maintaining Your Notebook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211

Caring for your computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211

Creating an emergency startup diskette . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213

Protecting your computer from viruses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217

Managing hard drive space . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219

Checking hard drive space . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219

Using Disk Cleanup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220

Checking the hard drive for errors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221

Defragmenting the hard drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223

Backing up files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225

Using the Scheduled Task Wizard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226

Recalibrating the battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227

Cleaning your computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228

Cleaning the exterior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228

Cleaning the keyboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229

Cleaning the screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229

Cleaning the mouse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229

v

17 Restoring Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .231

Reinstalling device drivers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .231

Reinstalling devic e drivers in Windows 98, Windows Me , Windows 200 0, or

Windows XP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .232

Reinstalling device drivers in Windows NT 4.0 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .233

Reinstalling the Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .244

Updating device dr ivers in Windows 98, Windows Me, Wi ndows 2000, or

Windows XP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .245

Reinstalling Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .247

Reinstalling Windows 98, Windows Me, Windows 200 0, or Windows XP . . .24 7

Reinstalling Windows NT 4.0 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .248

Reinstalling programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .249

18 Troubleshooting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .251

Safety guidelines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .252

Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .253

First steps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .253

Software support tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .254

CD/DVD drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .255

Device installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .257

Diskette drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .258

File management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .259

Hard drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .260

Internet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .261

Keyboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .262

LCD panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .262

Memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .263

Modem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .263

Mouse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .268

Networks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .268

Passwords . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .268

PC Cards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .269

Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .269

Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .270

ScanDisk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .272

Sound . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .272

Video . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .272

Telephone support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .273

Before calling Gateway Technical Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .273

Telephone numbers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .274

Tutoring and training . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .275

Self-help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .275

vi

Tutoring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275

Training . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 276

A Safety, Regulatory, and Legal Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277

Index. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 295

vii

viii

Checking Out Your Gateway Solo 9500

If you purchased the Gateway Solo 9550, go to “Checking Out Your Gateway

Solo 9550” on page 11.

Tips & Tricks T o acce ss the contents of this guide while you a re trav eling,

download an electronic copy from
www.gateway.com/support/manlib/.

1

www.gateway.com

1

Chapter 1: Checking Out Yo ur Gateway Solo 9500

Front

Speaker Cover release latch

Battery

Speaker
charge
indicator

Power
indicator

Component Icon Description

Speakers Provide audio outp ut when he adphon es or sp eak ers a re

not plugged in.

Cover release latch Open the notebook cover by sliding the release latch to

the right.

Battery charge indicator Lights up when the computer is plugged in.

■

LED green – batter y is fully charged.

■

LED orange – battery is charging.

■

LED off – notebook is running on battery power.

Power indicator Lights up when the notebook is turned on and shows

notebook power status:

■

LED on – power is ON.

■

LED blinking– power is in Standby or Suspend mode.

■

LED off – power is off.

2

www.gateway.com

Left side

Left side

Port
options

V entilation f an
(do not block)

PC Card
slots

3.5-inch
modular bay

Component Icon Description

Port options Depending on the options you ordered with your

notebook, this area can contain:

■

A modem jack

■

An Ethernet jack

■

An IEEE 1394 (also known as Firewire or i.Link) port

Ventilation fan Helps cool internal components. Do not block.
PC Card slots Insert one Type I, II, III, or Zoom Video PC Card into this

slot. For more information, see “Adding PCCards” on
page 156.

3.5-inch modular bay Install a standard 3.5-inch diskette drive or an LS-120
drive. For more information, see “Using diskettes” on
page 86 and “Changing 3.5-inch bay modules” on
page 160.

www.gateway.com

3

Chapter 1: Checking Out Yo ur Gateway Solo 9500

Right side

Microphone jack

USB
ports

S/PDIF digital audio jack

Line In jack

Headphone jack

5.25-inch
modular bay

Component Icon Description

USB ports Plug USB (UniversalSerial Bus) devices (such as a USB

printer, scanner, or camera) into these ports.

S/PDIF digital audio jack Plug an optical Toslink digital audio cable into this jack.

Headphone jack Plug amplified speakers or headphones into this jack.

Line In jack Connect an external audio input source (such as a

stereo) to this ja ck so that you c an rec ord sound on your
computer or play sound through the notebook speakers.

Microphone jack Plug a mic rophone into thi s jack. The built -in microphon e

is turned off when a microphone is pl ugged into this ja ck.
For the location of your built-in microphone, see “Using
the keyboard” on page 35.

5.25-inch modular bay Install a CD or DVD drive, a second hard dr ive, or a
second battery into this bay. For more information, see
“Installing a second battery” on page 123 or “Changing

5.25-inch b ay modules” on pag e 158.

4

www.gateway.com

Back

Back

PS/2 port Parallel

port

Monitor
port

Docking
port

V entilation fan
(do not block)

Serial port

TV out jack

Power connector

Kensington lock sl ot

Component Icon Description

PS/2 port Plug a PS/2® (Per sonal System/2) de vice (s uch as a k eyboard

or mouse) into this port.

Parallel port Plug a parallel device (such as a printer) into this port.

Monitor port Plug an analog VGA monitor into this port.

Docking port Connect the optional docking station or port replicator to this

port.
Warning! Power is passed through this port. This docking

connection is UL certified for use only with Solo 9500 docking

stations or port replicators.
Ventilation fan Helps cool internal components. Do not block.
Serial port Plug a serial device (such as a digital camera) into this port.

TVout jack Plug a TV into this jack so that you can view your notebook

display on a TV using NTSC/PAL composite video. For more

information, see “Viewing the display on a television” on

page 110.

www.gateway.com

5

Chapter 1: Checking Out Yo ur Gateway Solo 9500

Component Icon Description

Power connector Plug the AC adapter cable into this connector.
Kensington

lock slot

Secure your computer to a n object b y connecting a Ke nsington
cable lock to this slot.

6

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Bottom

Bottom

Reset hole

5.25-inch
modular bay

Memory bay

Battery bay

Component Icon Description

Reset hole Insert a straightened paper clip into this hole to man ually

restar t the syst em.

5.25-inch modular bay Install a CD/DVD drive, a second hard drive , or a secon d
battery into this bay. For more inf ormation, see “Installing
a second battery” on page123 or “Changin g 5.25-inc h
bay modules” on page 158.

Ventilation
fan

3.5-inch
modular bay

Memory bay Install memo ry modu les into thi s bay. For more

information, see “Installing memory” on page 162.

Battery bay Insert the battery into this bay. For more info rmation, see

“Changing batteries” on page 121.

Ventilation fan Helps cool internal components. Do not block.

3.5-inch modular bay Install a standard 3.5-inch diskette drive or an LS-120
drive. For more information, see “Using diskettes” on
page 86 and “Changing 3.5-inch bay modules” on
page 160.

www.gateway.com

7

Chapter 1: Checking Out Yo ur Gateway Solo 9500

Identifying y our model

The label on the bottom of your computer contains informa tion that
identifies your notebook model. Gateway Technical Support will need this
information if you call for assistance.

Important The label shown below is for informational purposes only.

Label information varies by model.

Revision co de and display
type/ processor size

Gateway model
number

Gateway serial
number

00.0X/000XXX X 0.0/XX

Gateway part
number

8

www.gateway.com

Accessories

Gateway offers accessories that can help you make the most of using your
notebook.

Batteries and automobile/airplane power adapt ers

If you run your notebook on battery power for extended periods, you may
want to buy an additional battery so that you can swap batteries when
necessary.

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

Carrying cases

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

Docking stations and port replicator s

Although you can attach external devices directly to your notebook, a docking
station or port replicator lets you make all of those connections at once. When
you travel with your notebook, you merely disconnect from the docking
station or port replicator instead of unplugging all the external devices.

Accessories

A docking station or port replicator also provides additional ports and other
expansion features not included with your notebook.

External devices

Y ou can attach external devices suc h as a keyboard, mouse, printer, o r monitor
to your notebook, docking station, or port replicator.

Memory

Large programs, such as multimedia games or graphics programs, use a lot of
memory. If your programs are running more slowly than you think they
should, try adding more memory.

www.gateway.com

9

Chapter 1: Checking Out Yo ur Gateway Solo 9500

Printers

You can attach many types of printers to your computer. The most common
types are inkjet and laser printers, which print in color or black and white.

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

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

10

www.gateway.com

Checking Out Your Gateway Solo 9550

If you purchased the Gateway Solo 9500, go to “Checking Out Your Gateway
Solo 9500” on page 1.

Tips & Tricks T o acce ss the contents of this guide while you a re trav eling,

download an electronic copy from
www.gateway.com/support/manlib/.

2

www.gateway.com

11

Chapter 2: Checking Out Yo ur Gateway Solo 9550

Top

Bluetooth Indicator

Component Icon Description

Bluetooth indicator
(optional)

Warning Radio frequency wireless communication can interfere

with equipment on commercial aircraft. Current aviation
regulations require w irel ess devices to be turned off while
travel ing in an airplane . Bluetooth and IEEE 802.11b (al so
known as wireless Ethernet or WiFi) communication
devices are examples of devices that provide wireless
communication. For instructions to turn Bluetooth on and
off, see “Multi-function buttons” on page 39.

12

Lights up when Bluetooth is turned on.

www.gateway.com

Important If your system came equipped with an internal radio

frequency wir eless device, see “Safety, Regulatory, and
Legal Information” on page 277 for general wireless
regulatory and safety guidelin es. To find out if your sy stem
has an internal wireless device, check the label (see
“Identifying your model” on page 22).

Top

www.gateway.com

13

Chapter 2: Checking Out Yo ur Gateway Solo 9550

Front

Cover release latch

Battery charge

indicator

Powe r i nd i ca to r

Speaker

Speaker

Audi o DJ
controls

Hot-swap indicator

Component Icon Description

Cover release latch Open the notebook cover by sliding the release latch to

the right.

Speakers Provide audio output when headphones or speakers are

not plugged in.

Audio DJ controls Control the built-in CD player. For more information, see

“Using Audio DJ on the Solo 9550” on page 88.

Battery charge indicator Lights up when the computer is plugged in.

■

LED green - battery is fully charged.

■

LED orange - battery is charging.

■

LED off - notebook is running on battery power.

Power indicator Lights up when the notebook is turned on and shows

notebook power status:

■

LED on - power is ON.

■

LED blinking - power is in Standby or Suspend mode.

■

LED off - power is off.

14

www.gateway.com

Component Icon Description

Hot-swap indica tor Indicate s when it is safe to remove the 5. 25-inch b ay

module.

■

LED green - it is safe to remove the 5.25-inch bay
module.

■

LED orange - it is not safe to remove the 5.25-inch bay

module.
For more information, see “Changing 5.25- inch bay
modules” on page 158.

Front

www.gateway.com

15

Chapter 2: Checking Out Yo ur Gateway Solo 9550

Left side

Ethernet
jack

Ventilation
Fan

PC Card slot

3.5-inch modu lar bay

Component Icon Description

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

information, see “Connecting to an Ethernet network” on page 45 and
“Networking Your Notebook” on page 189.

Ventilation Fan Helps cool internal components. Do not block or insert objects into

these slots.

PC Card slot Insert one T y pe I, II, or III PC Card into this slot. For more information,

see “Adding PC Cards” on page 156.

3.5-inch
modular bay

Install a standard 3.5-inch diskette drive, an additional hard drive, or
a second battery into this bay. For more information, see “Installing
a second battery” on page 123 and “Changing 3.5-inch ba y mo dules”
on page 160.

16

www.gateway.com

Right side

Right side

Line in jack

Microphone jack

Headphone jack

S/PDIF digital audio jack

USB
ports

5.25-inch modular bay

Modem jack

IEEE 1394 port

Component Icon Description

Line in jack Connect an external audio input source (such as a

stereo) to this j ack so that yo u can reco rd sound on your
computer or pla y s ound thro ugh th e noteboo k speak ers .

Microphone jack Plug a microphone into this jack. The built-in

microphone is turned of f when a micropho ne is plugged
into this jack. For the location of your built-in
microphone, see “Using the keyboa rd” on page 35.

Headphone jack Plug amplified speakers or headphones into this jack.

S/PDIF digital audio jack Plug an optical Toslink digital audio cable into this jack.

USB ports Plug USB (UniversalSerial Bus) devices (such as a

USB Iomega™ Zip™ drive, pri nter , scanner , or camera )
into these ports.

IEEE 1394 port Plug an IEEE 1394 (also known as Firewire or i.Link)

cable into this jack.

www.gateway.com

17

Chapter 2: Checking Out Yo ur Gateway Solo 9550

Component Icon Description

Modem jack Plug a modem cable into this jack.

5.25-inch modular bay Install a CD/D VD or an additional hard drive into this bay.
For more information, see “Changing 5.25-inch bay
modules” on page 158.

18

www.gateway.com

Back

Back

PS/2
port

Parallel
port

Ventilation
Fan

Docking
port

Monitor
port

Serial
port

Power connector

TV out
jack

Kensington lock
slot

Component Icon Description

PS/2 port Plug a PS/2 device (such as a keyboard or mo us e) into

this port.

Parallel port Plug a parallel device (such as a printer) into this port.

Ventilation Fan Helps cool internal components. Do not block or insert

objects into these slots.

Docking port Connect the docking station or port replicator to this

port.
Warning! Power is passed through this port. This

docking connec tion is UL certified f or use onl y with Solo
9550 docking stations or port replicators.

Monitor port Plug an analog VGA monitor into this port.

Serial port Plug a serial device (such as a digital camera) into this

port.

TV out jack Plug a TV into this jack so that you can view your

computer screen on a TV using NTSC/PAL composite
video. For more information, see “Viewing the displ ay on
a television” on page 110.

www.gateway.com

19

Chapter 2: Checking Out Yo ur Gateway Solo 9550

Component Icon Description

Power connector Plug the AC adapter cable into this connector.
Kensington™ lock slot Secure your computer to an object by connecting a

Kensington cable lock to this slot.

20

www.gateway.com

Bottom

Reset
hole

5.25-inch

modular
bay

Memory
bay

Battery
bay

Bottom

Ventilation
Fan

3.5-inch
modular
bay

Component Icon Description

Reset hole Insert a straightened paper clip into th is hole to manually

restar t the sys tem.

5.25-inch modular bay Install a CD, DVD, or an additional hard drive into this
bay. For more information, see “Changi ng 5.25-inch ba y
modules” on page 158.

Memory bay Install a memory module in this bay. For more

information, see “Installing memory” on p age 162.

Battery bay Insert the main battery into this bay. For more

information, see “Changing batteries” on page 121.

Ventilation Fan Helps cool internal components. Do not block or insert

objects into these slots.

3.5-inch modular bay Install a standard 3.5-inch diskette drive, an additional
hard drive, or a se cond ba tter y in to t his bay. For more
information, see “Installing a second battery” on
page 123 and “Changing 3.5-inch bay modules” on
page 160.

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Chapter 2: Checking Out Yo ur Gateway Solo 9550

Identifying y our model

The label on the bottom of your computer contains informa tion that
identifies your notebook model. Gateway Technical Support will need this
information if you call for assistance.

Important The label shown below is for informational purposes only.

Label information varies by model.

Gateway
model
number

Gateway
serial
number

Revision
code and
display
type/
processor
size

Internal
wireless
devices

Gateway part
number

22

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Accessories

Gateway offers accessories that can help you make the most of using your
notebook.

Batteries and automobile/airplane power adapt ers

If you run your notebook on battery power for extended periods, you may
want to buy an additional battery so that you can swap batteries when
necessary.

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

Carrying cases

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

Docking stations and port replicator s

Although you can attach external devices directly to your notebook, a docking
station or port replicator lets you make all of those connections at once. When
you travel with your notebook, you merely disconnect from the docking
station or port replicator instead of unplugging all the external devices.

Accessories

A docking station or port replicator also provides additional ports and other
expansion features not included with your notebook.

External devices

Y ou can attach external devices suc h as a keyboard, mouse, printer, o r monitor
to your notebook, docking station, or port replicator.

Memory

Large programs, such as multimedia games or graphics programs, use a lot of
memory. If your programs are running more slowly than you think they
should, try adding more memory.

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Chapter 2: Checking Out Yo ur Gateway Solo 9550

Printers

You can attach many types of printers to your computer. The most common
types are inkjet and laser printers, which print in color or black and white.

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

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

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Getting Started

This chapter provides basic information about your Gateway notebook. Read
this chapter to find out:

■ How to connect the AC adapter

■ How to start and turn off your notebook

■ How to use the key board

■ How to use the EZ Pa d™ touch pad

■ How to connect the modem

■ How to connect to an Ethernet network

■ How to install peripheral devi ces

3

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Chapter 3: Getting Started

Connecting the A C adapter

Y ou can run y our notebook using an AC adapter or the notebook battery . The
battery was shipped to you partially charged. You should use the AC adapter
right away to fully charge the battery. Allow 24 hours for the battery to fully
charge.

Important If the battery is not fully charged before you use your

notebook on battery pow er f or the first tim e, the battery lif e
may be much shorter than you expect. If the battery life
seems short even after being charged for 24hours, the
battery may need to be recalibrated. For information on
recalibrating the b attery , se e “Recalibr ating the battery” on
page 227.

To connect the AC adapter:

1 Connect the power cord to the AC adapter.

26

Warning Replace the power cord if it becomes damaged. The

replacement cord must be of the same type and voltage
rating as the original cord or the notebook may be
damaged.

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Connecting the AC adapter

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

3 Plug the power cord into a wall outlet.

The battery charge indicator turns on. If the battery charge indicator does
not turn on, disconnect the adapter from your notebook and repeat
Step 2.

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

notebook off and leave the notebook connected to AC power for at least
24 hours. The battery charge meters may not show a charge for several
hours. For more information about battery meters on your model, see
“Monitoring the battery charge” on page 120.

5 If the battery meters do not show a full charge after 24 hours, contact

Gateway Technical Support at www.gateway.com/support/contact.

Warning Do not attempt to disassemble the AC adapter. The

AC adapter has no user-replaceable or user-serviceable
parts inside. The A C adapter has dangerous vo ltages that
can cause serious injury or dea th. Contact G ate wa y about
returning defective AC adapters.

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Chapter 3: Getting Started

Protecting from power source problems

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

Warning High voltages can enter your computer through both the

power cord and the modem connection. Protect your
computer by using a surge protector. If you have a
telephone modem, use a surge protector that has a
modem jack. If you have a cable modem, use a surge
protector that has an antenna/cable TV jack. During an
electrical storm, unplug both the surge protector and the
modem.

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Starting your notebook

To start the notebook:

1 Open your notebook by sliding the latch on the front of your notebook

to the right and lifting the LCD panel.

2 Press the power button located above the keyboard.

Power button

Starting your notebook

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Chapter 3: Getting Started

The power button is preset to On/Off mode. However, you can also set
it to function in Standby/Resume mode. For instructions on changing
the power button mode, see “To change advanced power management
settings:” on page 130.

3 If you are starting your computer for the first time, follow the on-screen

instructions to set up your computer.

W aking up your notebook

When you have not used your notebook for several minutes, it enters a
power-saving mode called Standby. While in Standby, the power indicator
flashes.

If your notebook is in Standby mode, “wake” it up by pressing the power
button. For more information on changing power-saving settings, see
“Changing power modes” on page 126.

T urning off your notebook

To turn off your notebook:

■ In Windows XP, click Start, then click Turn Off Computer, then click Turn

Off

.

- OR ­In Windows Me, Windows 2000, or Windows 98, click

Shut Down. In the Shut Down Win dows dialog box, select Shut Down , then

click

OK.

If for some reason you cannot use the T urn Off Comp uter or Shut Down
option in Windows to shut down your notebook, press and hold the
power button for about five seconds.

30

Start, then select

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Switching user accounts in Windo ws XP

Switching user accounts in
Windows XP

When you first turn on your notebook, you have the option to add different
user accounts. These user accounts can be customized for each person that
uses the notebook. Y ou can add, delete, or modify existin g user accounts. You
can also switch (change) user accounts without turning off your notebook.

Help and

Support

For more information about adding, deleting, and
modifying your user accounts, click Start, then select Help
and Support.

To add, delete, or modify user accounts in Windows XP:

1 Click Start, select Control Panel , then double-click Use r Accounts. The User

Accounts window opens.

2 Follow the on- screen prompts to add, delete, or modify a user accou nt.

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Chapter 3: Getting Started

To switch user accounts in Windows XP:

1 Click Start, then select Log Off. The Log Off Windows dialog box opens.

2 Click Switch User to switch between your user accounts. The Windows

logon screen opens.

3 Select the user account that you want to activate. When you switch

between users, any programs that were running for the previous user
continue to run.

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Status indicators

Status indicators

Diskette drive

5.25-inch modular drive
Hard drive

Caps lock

Pad lo ck

Scroll lock

This light turns
on...

When...

The noteboo k is acce ssing a har d drive.

The notebook is access ing the 5.25-inch modular drive.

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Chapter 3: Getting Started

This light turns
on...

1

When...

The noteboo k is acce ssing the d iskette dr ive.

Caps Lock is turned on.

Pad Lock is turned on.

Scroll Lock is turned on.

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Using the keyboar d

Your notebook features a full-size keyboard that has the full functionality of
a desktop computer keyboard. Many of the keys have been assigned alternate
functions, including shortcut keys for Windows, function keys for specific
system operations, and the Pad Lock keys for the numeric keypad.

Y ou can attach an external keyboard to the notebook using a USB or PS/2 port.
You do not need to shut down the notebook to connect a keyboard.

Using the keyboard

V olume control
buttons

Function/
system keys

Navigation
keys

FN key

Windows
key

Numeric
keypad

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Application
key

Arrow keys

Built-in
microphone

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Chapter 3: Getting Started

Keys

Component Icon Description

Vo l u m e c ontro l
buttons

Function keys Press these ke ys la beled F1 to F12 to perf orm action s

System keys Press these green- or blue-colored keys in

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

N key Press the FN key in combination with a green- or

F

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

Numeric keypad Use these keys to type numbers when the numeric

Press the volume buttons to change the volume, or
press the mute button to turn off all sound.

in programs. F or e xam ple, pr essing F1 ma y op en help .
Each program uses differen t function ke ys f or diff erent

purposes. Refer to the prog ram document ati on to fi nd
out more about the function key actions.

combination with the F
actions.

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.

blue-colored system key (such as S

LUETOOTH) to perform a specific action.

B

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

keypad is turn ed on. Press
the numer ic keypad.

N key to perform specific

TANDBY, PAUSE, or

FN+PAD LOCK to turn on

Application key Press for quick access to shortcut menus and help

assistants in Windows.

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

or left.

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System key combinations

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

Using the keyboard

Press and hold F

N while

pressing this system key ...

To...

Display the power status box in the upper left corner of your
screen. The box shows the battery charge level, the BIOS
version, and whe ther the A C ada pter is b eing us ed. Pres s the
key combi nation again to close th is bo x. (A vaila ble on the Solo
9500 only.)

Toggle the notebook screen between the LCD, an external
monitor , or both displ a ys at the same time . A monitor mu st be
plugged into the monitor p ort on the notebook, p ort replicator,
or docking station.

Enter Standby mo de. Press the pow er button to lea ve Stan dby
mode.

Turn on PadLock so you can use the numeric keypad. Press
this key co mbina tion agai n to turn off P adLock. The P ad Lock
status indicator appears while this function is turned on.

Pause the text scrolling in a DOS screen. The Scroll Lock
status indicator appears when this function is turned on. Press
the key combi nation aga in to contin ue scrol ling. (T his functi on
is only available in some programs. )

Pause execution of a DOS program. (This function is only
available in some programs.)

Stop the currently running DOS prog ram. (Thi s function is onl y
available in some programs.)

Increase the brightness of the display.

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Chapter 3: Getting Started

Press and hold FN while
pressing this system key ...

To...

Decrease the brightness of the display.

Tur n Bluetooth on and off. (This function is only available on
notebooks equipped with Bluetooth.)

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Multi-function buttons

Using the keyboard

Bluetooth/
E-mail

Internet

Help

User-defined
shortcut

Button Icon Press to...

Bluetooth Turn Bluetooth on and off. This button must be pressed

at the same time the F
is only avai lable on notebo oks equipped wi th Bluetooth.)

E-mail Open your e-mail program.

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N button is pressed. (This function

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Chapter 3: Getting Started

Button Icon Press to...

Internet Open your Web browser.

Help Open online help.

User-defined shortcut Open the program you assign to this key.

The multi-function buttons can be assigned different functions than those
listed above. For more information, see “Programming the multi-function
buttons” on page 153.

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Using the EZ Pad touchpa d

The EZ Pad™ consists of a touchpad, two buttons, and a rocker switch. (The
rocker switch is available on the Solo 9550 only.)

Using the EZ Pad touchpad

Left
touchpad
button

When you move your finger on the touchpad, the pointer (arrow) on the screen
moves in the sam e directi on.

Rocker
switch

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Right
touchpad
button

Touchpad

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Chapter 3: Getting Started

You can use the EZ-Pad left and right buttons below the touchpad to select
objects. You can assign a function to the rocker switch between the touchpad
buttons on the Solo 9550. This fun ction can be to scroll up or down, maximize
or minimize the active window, or open and close the Start menu. For more
information about programming the rocker switch, see “Changing the
touchpad settings” on page 151.

Using the touchpad

To... Do this...

Move the pointer
on the scre en.

Select an object
on the scre en.

Start a program
or open a file or
folder.

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

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

Position the pointer over the
object. Press the left button
below the touchpad once. This
action is called clicking.

Position the pointer over the
object. Press the left button
below the touchpad twice in
rapid succession. This action is
called double-clicking.

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

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To... Do this...

Using the EZ Pad touchpad

Move an object
on the scre en.

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

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Chapter 3: Getting Started

Connecting the modem

If your notebook has a modem jack, the notebook has a built-in 56K modem.

Caution To reduce the risk of fire, use only No. 26 AWG or larger

telecommunications line cord.

To connect the modem:

1 Insert one end of the modem cable into the modem jack on the side

of the notebook.

44

2 Insert the other en d of the modem cable into a telephone wall jack. The

modem will not work with digital or PBX telephone lines.

3 Start your notebook, then start your communications software.

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Connecting to an Ethernet ne twork

Connecting to an Ethernet netw ork

If your notebook has a network jac k, yo u can co nnec t it to a 10/100 Etherne t
network.

To connect to a network:

1 Insert one end of the network cable into the network jack on the

side of the notebook.

2 Insert the other end of the network cable into a network wall jack. Ask

your network administrator to help you select the correct network jack.

Your notebook is now physically connected to the network. Your network
administrator can help you log onto your network.

Broadband Internet connections

You can use your computer’s Ethernet jack for more than just networking.
Many broadband Internet connections, such as cable modems and DSL
modems, connect to your computer’s Ethernet jack. For more information,
see “Using the Internet” on page 75 and “Networking Your Notebook” on
page 189.

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Chapter 3: Getting Started

Installing a printer , scanner , or other peripheral device

Y our computer has one or more of the following ports: IEEE 1394 (also known
as Firewire or i.Link), Universal Serial Bus (USB), serial, and parallel. These
ports are used for connecting peripheral devices such as printers, scanners,
and digital cameras to your computer. For more information about port
locations, see “Checking Out Your Gateway Solo 9500” on page 1 and see
“Checking Out Yo ur Gateway Solo 9550” on page 11.

IEEE 1394 and USB ports support plug-and-play and hot sw apping, which means
that your computer will usually recognize such a device whenever you plug
it into the appropriate port. When you use an IEEE 1394 or USB device for
the first time, your computer will prompt you to install any software the
device needs. After doing this, you can disconnect and reconnect the device
at any time.

Parallel and serial port devices are not plug-and-play. Refer to the device
documentation for detailed information and installation instructions.

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Getting Help

This chapter tells you about additional information resources ava ilable to help
you use your computer, including:

■ HelpSpot

■

Online help

■ Gateway Web site

Tips & Tricks T o acce ss the contents of this guide while you a re trav eling,

™

download an electronic copy from
www.gateway.com/support/manlib/.

4

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Chapter 4: Getting Help

HelpSpot

Y our computer may include HelpSpot, an easily accessible collection of Help
information, troubleshooters, instructional videos, and automated support.
Use HelpSpot to answer questions about Windows and to help you quickly
discover and use the many features of your Gateway computer.

To start HelpSpot:

■ Click Start, then select Help and Support. HelpSpot opens.

48

If this is the first time you have started HelpSpot on your computer, you
may experience a brief wait while HelpSpot builds the help database, then
HelpSpot will display an introductory video.

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You can find help information by clicking a link, performing a search, or
browsing the index. To learn about using your Gateway computer, your
mouse, and other topics, click the

Getting Started link on the HelpSpot main

page.

HelpSpot

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Chapter 4: Getting Help

HelpSpot Videos

HelpSpot contains several short v ideos to help introduc e you to new concepts
or show you how to perform various tasks.

To play a HelpSpot video:

■ T o watch a video in HelpSpot, click Video Tutorials on the HelpSpot home

page, then click a video title. The video plays.

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Online help

Many programs provide information online so you can research a topic or
learn how to perform a task while you are using the program. Most online
help information can be accessed by selecting a topic from a
by clicking a

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

Help button.

Online help

Help menu or

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Chapter 4: Getting Help

Gatewa y Web site

Gateway provides a variety of information on its Web site to help you use
your computer.

52

Visit the Gateway We b site at www.gateway.com for:

■ Technical documentation and product manuals

■ Technical tips and support, including online chat services

■ Hardware drivers

■ Order status

■ Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

For more information about connecting to the Internet, see “Using the
Internet” on page 75.

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Windows Basics

Read this chapter to get basic information on how to:

■ Use the Windows desktop

■ Manage files and folders

■ Wo r k w i t h d ocum e n t s

■ Use shortcuts

Help and

Support

5

For more information on Windows, clic k Start, then select
Help and Support or Help.

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Chapter 5: Windows Bas ics

About the Windows en viro nment

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

Y our deskto p may be different from the example shown below , depending on
how your computer is set up.

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Using the desktop

The desktop contains the taskbar, the Start button, and the Recycle Bin icon.

Desktop elements Description

The taskbar is the bar at the bottom of the sc reen
containing the Start butt on on the left a nd a cloc k
on the right. Other buttons on the taskbar
represent programs that are running.

Click a program’s button on the taskbar to open
the program’s win dow.

The Star t button provides access t o programs,
files, help for Windows and other programs, and
computer tools and utilities.

Click the Start button, then op en a file or prog ram
by cli cki ng ( selecting) an item on t he menu t hat
opens.

Using the desktop

The Recycle Bin is where files, folders, and
programs that you discarded are stored. Y o u must
empty the Recycle Bin to permanently delete
them from y our computer . Fo r instructions on ho w
to use the Recycle Bin, see “Deleting files and
folders” on page 62.

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Chapter 5: Windows Bas ics

Using the Start menu

You can st art prog rams, op en files, customi ze your s ystem, ge t help, se arch
for files and folders, and more using the Start menu.

To use the Start menu:

1 Click the Start button on the lower left of the Windows desk top. The Start

menu opens showing you the first level of menu items.

2 To see all programs and files in the Start menu, click All Programs.

When you move the mouse pointer over any menu item that has an
arrow next to it, another menu, or submenu, opens and reveals related
files, programs, or commands.

3 Click a file or program to open it.

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Identifying Window items

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

Local Disk (C:) icon in the My Computer

Identifying Window ite ms

Title bar

Menu bar

Close

Maximize

Minimize

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Chapter 5: Windows Bas ics

Every program window looks a little different because each has its own menus,
icons, and controls. Most windows include these items:

Window item Description

The title bar is the horiz ontal bar at the top
of a window th at shows the window tit le.

Clicking the minimize button reduces the
active window to a button on the taskbar.
Clicking the program button in the taskbar
opens the window again.

Clicking the maximize button expands the
active window to fit the entire screen.
Clicking the maximize button again
restores the window to its former size.

Clicking the close button closes the active
window or program.

Selecting an item on the menu bar star ts
an action such as Print or Save.

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Working with files and folders

W orking with files and f olders

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

Viewing drives

Drives are like file cabinets because they hold files and folders. A computer
almost always has more than one drive. Each drive has a letter, usually Local
Disk (C:) for the hard drive and 3½ Floppy (A:) for the diskette drive. You may
also have more drives such as a CD/DVD drive.

To view the drives on your computer:

■ In Windows XP, click Start, then select My Computer from the Start menu.

- OR ­In Windows Me, Windows 2000, or Windows 98, double-click the

Computer

Drives

icon on the desktop.

My

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Chapter 5: Windows Bas ics

To see the files and folders on a drive:

■ Double-click the drive icon. If you do not see the contents of a drive after

you double-click its icon, click

entire contents of this drive

Creating folders

Folders are much like the folders in a file cabinet. They can contain files and
other folders.

Files are much like pa per documents—letters, spreadsheets, and pictures—that
you keep on your computer. In fact, all information on a computer is stored
in files.

Folders

Files

Show the contents of this drive or View the

.

To create a folder:

1 In Windows XP, click Start, then select My Computer from the Start menu.

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- OR ­In Windows Me or Windows 2000, double-click the

the desktop.

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My Computer icon on

Working with files and folders

2 Double-click the drive or folder, for example the Local Disk (C:), where you

want to put the new folder.
The drive or folder window opens. If you do not see the contents of the

drive or folder, click

contents of this drive

Show the contents of this drive or View the e ntire

(or this folder).

3 Select File, then New, then Folder. The new folder is created.
4 Type a name for the folder, then press ENTER. The new folder name

appears by the folder icon.

Copying and moving files and f olders

The skills you need to copy and move files are called copying, cutting, and
pasting.

When you copy and paste a file or folder, you place a copy of the file o r folde r
on the Windows clipboard, which stores it. Then, when you decide what folder
you want the copy to go in (the destination folder), you paste it there.

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

Important The clipboard stores whate ver y ou cut or cop y until you cut

or copy again. Then the clipboard contains the new
information only. Therefore, you can paste copies of a file
or folder into more than one pla ce, but as soon as y ou copy
or cut a different file or folder, the original file or folder is
deleted from the clipboard.

To copy a file or folder to another folder:

1 Right-click (press the right mouse button) the file or folder that you want

to copy. A pop-up menu opens on the desktop.

2 Select Copy from the pop-up menu.
3 Open the destination folder.

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Chapter 5: Windows Bas ics

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

To move a file or folder to another folder:

1 Right-click (press the right mouse button) the file or folder that you want

to move. A pop-up menu opens on the desktop.

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

is removed from its old location.

Deleting files and f olders

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

In Windows, you throw away files and folders by first moving them to
Windows trash can, called the Recycle Bin, where they remain until you decide
to empty the bin.

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

To delete files or folders:

1 In My Computer or Windows Explorer, select the files or folders that you

want to delete. For instructions on how to select multiple files and folders,
see “Shortcuts” on page 74.

2 Select File, then Delete. Windows moves the files and folders to the

Recycle Bin.

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Working with files and folders

To recover files or folders from the Recycle Bin:

1 Doubl e-click the Recycle Bin icon. The Recycle Bin window opens and

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

2 Select the files or folders that you want to restore. For instructions on

how to select multiple files and folders, see “Shortcuts” on page 74.

3 Select File, then Restore. Windows returns the deleted files or folders to

their original locations.

To empty the Recycle Bin:

Caution Emptying the Recycle Bin permanently erases any files or

folders in the bin. These files cannot be restored.

1 Double-click the Recycle Bin icon on the desktop. The Recycle Bin window

opens.

2 Select File, then Empty Recycle Bin. Windows asks you if you are sure that

you want to empty the bin.

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

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Chapter 5: Windows Bas ics

Bro wsing for fil es and folder s

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

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

To browse for a file:

1 In Windows XP, click Start, then select My Computer.

- OR ­In Windows Me, Windows 2000, or Windows 98, double-click the

Computer

icon on the desktop.

My

2 Double-click the drive or folder that you think contains the file or folder

that you want to find.

3 Continue double-clicking folders and their subfolders until you find the

file or folder you want. (If you do not see the contents of a folder, click

Show the contents of this folder or View the entire contents of this folder.)

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Searc hing for files

If you are looking for a particular file or folder or a set of files or folders that
have characteristics in common, but you do not remember where they are
stored on your hard drive, you can use the Search utility in Windows XP,
Windows Me, or Windows 2000, or the Find utility in Windows 98 to search
by:

■ Name or part of a name

■ Creation date

■ Modification date

■ File type

■ Text contained in the file

■ Time period in which it was created or modified

You can also combi ne search criteria to refi ne searches.
Files and folders found using these utilities can be opened, copied, cut,

renamed, or deleted directly from the list in the results window.

Searching for files

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Chapter 5: Windows Bas ics

Using the Windows XP , Windows Me, or
Windows 2000 Search utility

To find files and folders using the Search utility:

1 In Windows XP, click Start, then select Search. The sear ch window opens.

Click

All files and folders.

- OR ­In Windows Me or Windows 2000, click

For Files or Folders. The search window opens.

Start, then select Search, then

2 If you want to search by file or folder name, type in all or part of the

file or folder name in the name box in the left pane of the window.

■ If you type all of the name, Search will list all files and folders of

that name.

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■ If you type part of the name, Search will list all of the file and folder

names containing the letters you typed.

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Searching for files

3 Click Search or Search Now . When the sear ch is completed, Win dows lists

the files and folders whose names contain the text that you searched for.

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

Using advanced search options

Search can find files meeting more criteria than file name. You can narrow
your search by selecting the search options that you want. You can search by
the:

■ Date the file was created or modified.

■ Size of the file.

■ Type of file, such as a program or a text document.

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Chapter 5: Windows Bas ics

Using the Windows 98 Find uti lity

To find files and folders using the Find utility:

1 Click Start, then select Find, then Files or Folders. The Find: All Files dialog

box opens.

2 If you want to search by file or folder name, click the Name & Location

tab, then type in all or part of the file or folder name in the
box.

Named text

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■ If you type all of the name, Find will list all files and folders of

that name.

■ If you type part of the name, Find will list all of the file and folder

names containing the letters you typed.

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Searching for files

3 Click Find Now. When the search is completed, Windows lists the files

and folders whose names contain the text that you searched for.

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

Using advanced search options

You can find files meeting more criteria than fil e name. You can narrow your
search by clicking the
you want:

■ Date searches for files that were created or modified on a specific date or

during a specific period.

■ Size searches for files of a specific size.

■ Type searches for files of a specific type, such as a program or a text

document.

Date or Advanced tabs and selecting the options that

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Chapter 5: Windows Bas ics

W orking with documents

Documents are commonly word processing files, spreadsheet files, or other
similar files. The basic methods of creating, saving, opening, and printing a
document apply to most of these types of files.

The following examples illustrate the concepts for creating, saving, opening,
and printing a document in Microsoft
Microsoft W ord, similar procedures apply to other programs such as Microsoft
Excel, Microsoft Works, and Microsoft Publisher.

For more information about using a program, select

Creating a ne w document

Help and

Support

To create a new document:

1 Click Start, then select All Programs, then Microsoft Word. Microsoft Word

starts and a blank docu ment opens.

2 Select File, then select New. The New Document pane opens.

For more information on creating a document, click Start,
then select Help and Support or Help.

®

Word. Though these examples use

Help on the menu bar.

New
Document
pane

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Working with documents

3 Click General Templates. The Templates dialog box opens.

4 Click a tab for the type of document you want to create, select a

documen t templ ate styl e, then click

OK. The document template opens.

5 Begin composing your document. Use the menus and toolbar buttons at

the top of the window to format the document.

Saving a document

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

Help and

Support

To save a document in Microsoft Word:

1 Select File, then Save. The Save As dialog box opens.
2 Select the folder in which you plan to save the file from the Save in list.

For more information on saving a document, click Start,
then select Help and Support or Help.

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Chapter 5: Windows Bas ics

3 Type the new file name.

File

folder

File

name

4 Click Save.

Opening a document

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

Help and

Support

To open a document in Microsoft Word:

1 Click Start, then select All Programs, then Microsoft Word. Microsoft Word

starts and a blank docu ment opens.

2 Select File, then Open.

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For more information on opening a document, click Start,
then select Help and Support or Help.

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Working with documents

3 Find the folder you wan t to open in the Look in list.

File

folder

File

name

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

Printing a document

To print a document, you must have a printer connected to your computer
or have access to a network printer. For more information about installing or
using you r printe r, refer to the printer documen tation.

Help and

Support

To print a document in Microsoft Word:

1 Make sure that the printer is turned on and loaded with paper.
2 Star t Microsoft Word and open a document.
3 Select File, then Print. The Print dialog box opens.
4 Select the print options, then click OK. The document prints.

For more information on printing a document, click Start,
then select Help and Support or Help.

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Chapter 5: Windows Bas ics

Shortcuts

The following table shows a fe w shortc uts tha t yo u ca n use in Windows and
almost all programs that run in W indows. For more information on W indows
shortcuts, see your Windows or program documentation.

To... Do this...

Copy a file, folder, text, or graphic Select the item, then press CTRL + C.
Cut a file, folder, text, or graphic Select the item, then press C
Paste a file, folder , text, or graphic Click inside th e folder or wind ow where you w ant to paste

the object, then press C

Select multiple items in a list or in a
window

Select multiple adj ac ent it em s in a lis t
or window

Permanently delete a file or folder Click the file or folder, then press S

Rename a file or folder Select the file or folder, press F2, type the new name,

Close the active window o r program Press A
Switch to a different file, folder, or

running program

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

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

HIFT key, then click the last item in the list.

S

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

then press E

Press A

NTER.
LT + F4.
LT + TAB.

TRL + X.

TRL + V.

TRL key,

HIFT + DELETE. The file

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Using the Internet

This chapter provides information about the Internet and the World Wide
W eb, and tells you how to set up the America Online
you can send and receive e-mail and access other Internet resources.

6

®

Internet service so that

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Chapter 6: Using the Inter net

Learning about the Internet

The Internet is a worldwide network of computers linked together to provide
information to people everywhere. The two most popular services on the
Internet are e-mail and the World Wide Web. You can access this network by
connecting your computer to a telephone, DSL (Digital Subscriber Line), or
cable line and signing up with an Internet Service Provider (ISP).

Internet Ser vers

store infor mation so other
computers can access it
from the Internet.

Yo u r com p u ter
connects to the
Internet through
an ISP.

ISP Servers
let you connect to
the Internet and
access your e-mail
messages.

If you want to access the Internet you need:

■ A modem – a device that connects your computer, using a telephone,

DSL, or cable line, to other computers or servers.

■ An I nternet Service Provider – a company that provides access to the

Internet through an ISP server. When you connect to an ISP, the ISP ser ver
lets you access the Internet and yo ur e-mail messages.

■ A Web browser – a program that displays information from the World

Wide Web .

■ An e-mail program – a program that lets you create, send, and receive

e-mail messages over the Internet.

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Setting up an Internet acc ount

Setting up an Internet account

Before you can view the information on the World Wide Web, you need to
set up an Internet account with an Internet Service Provider (ISP). If you have
chosen America Online as an ISP, follow these instructions to set up and
connect to your account. To establish a different ISP service, or to transfer an
existing account to this computer, contact the ISP directly.

If you set up an account with America Online, an Internet e-mail address is
created for you. After completing the setup you are ready to access the
Internet.

Help and

Support

For more information on setting up an Internet account,
click Start, then select Help and Support or Help.

To set up an Internet account with America Online:

1 Select Start, then select All Programs, then America Online.
2 Follow the on-screen instructions. After setting up your account, you can

connect to the Internet and access your e-mail services.

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Chapter 6: Using the Inter net

Accessing your Internet account

Help and

Support

For more information on accessing your Internet account,
click Start, then select Help and Support or Help.

To connect to your America Online Internet account:

1 Select Start, then select All Programs, then America Online.
2 Complete the member name and password information, then click

Connect. The computer dials the Internet account telephone number.

If you are using a service other than America Online, check with your ISP for
the correct procedure for conn ecting.

After connecting, the W eb browser window opens. For information about the
Web and the Web browser, see “Using the World Wide Web” on page 79.

To disconnect from your America Online Internet account:

■ Click X in the top right corner of the America Online program. Yo ur

computer disconnects from the Internet.

Important Make sure that your computer disconnects correctly from

your Internet account. If you do not have an “unlimited
hours” ISP account, you may have to pay for the time that
you are connected, even if you are not at the computer.

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If you are using a service other than America Online, check with your ISP for
the correct procedure for disconnecting.

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Using the W orld Wide Web

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

Information on the Web c omes to you on Web p a g e s , which are electronic
documents that you view using a Web page display program called a browser.
You can use any of the commercially available Web browsers, like Microsoft
Internet Explorer, which comes installed on your new computer.

Web pages can contain text, animations, music, and other multimedia
features.

A group of related Web p ages is called a Web s it e. You can access Web sites to
shop, track investments, read the news, download programs, and much more.

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

Using the World Wide Web

To learn more about using the Web browser features, select
bar.

Web

page

Link

Linked W eb pag e

Help in the menu

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Chapter 6: Using the Inter net

Connecting to a Web site

After you set up an account with an Internet Service Provider (ISP) such as
America Online, you can access the many information sources on the World
Wide Web .

Help and

Support

For more information on connecting to a Web site, click
Start, then sele ct Help and Support or Help.

To connect to a Web site:

1 Connect to your Internet account. After the computer connects, a default

opening page or welcome screen opens.

2 To go to a different Web site, type the address (called a URL for “Universal

Resource Loca tor”) in the browser address bar (for example
www.gateway.com) then click

- OR ­On the current Web page, click a link to a Web site.
The Web browser locates the server computer on the Internet, downloads

(transfers) data to your computer, and displays the page on the site that
you requested.

GO on the browser address bar.

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Sometimes Web pages display slowly. The speed that a Web page displays on
your screen depends on the complexity of the Web page and other Internet
conditions. Additionally, the speed of your connection will determine how
fast Web pages display.

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Downloading files

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

To protect your computer against viruses, make sure that you scan the files
you download. For more information, see “Protecting your computer from
viruses” on page 217.

Using the World Wide Web

Help and

Support

For more inf ormation on downloading fi les, click Start, then
select Help and Support or Help.

To download files or programs from a Web site:

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

or program you want to download, then click
bar.

- OR ­Click a link on a Web page to navigate to the Web site containing the

file that you want to download.

GO on the browser address

3 Create or locate the folder where you want to store the file on your

computer.

4 Click the link on the Web page for the file that you want to download.
5 Follow the on-screen instructions for saving the file in the folder that

you created.
A copy of the file is downloaded to your comp uter. The time that it takes

to transfer the file to your computer depends on file size and Internet
conditions.

6 Open the folder that you created.
7 Install or view the downloaded file by double-clicking it. If applicable,

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

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Chapter 6: Using the Inter net

Using e-mail

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

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

An e-mail address consists of a user name, the @ symbol, and the Internet
domain name of the Internet Service Provider (ISP) or company that “hosts”
that user. Your e-mail address is assigned when you sign up for an account
with an ISP. For example, a person with an account with America Online
might have an e-mail address that is similar to this one:

[e-mail]

User name Internet do main name

Sending e-mail

Help and

Support

To send e-mail using America Online:

1 Connect to your America Online account.
2 Click Write.
3 Type the e-mail address of the recipient you want to send e-mail to in

the

Send To box.

4 Type the subject of your e-mail in the Subject box.

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For more information on sending e-mail, click Start, then
select Help and Support or Help.

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5 Type the e-mail message.
6 When finished, click Send Now. Your e-mail is sent over the Internet to

the e-mail address you specified.

Checking y our e-mail

Using e-mail

Help and

Support

For more inf o rmation on c hecking your e-mail, c lick Start,
then select Help and Support or Help.

To check your e-mail using America Online:

1 Connect to your America Online account.
2 Click Read.

For more information about managing and organizing your e-mail messag es,
see the online help in your e-mail program.

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Chapter 6: Using the Inter net

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Using Multimedia

This chapter provides information on using the multimedia capabilities of
your notebook. Read this chapter to learn how to:

■ Use the diskette drive

■ Use the CD/DVD drive

■ Play CDs and DVDs

■ Use Audio DJ (Solo 9550 only)

■ Record and play audio files

■ Use Windows Media Player

■ Use MusicMatch

■ View the display on a television

■ Capture video using the IEEE 1394 (also known as Firewire or i.Link) port

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Chapter 7: Using Multim edia

Using diskettes

The diskette drive uses 3.5-inch diskettes (sometimes called floppy disks).
Diskettes are useful for storing files or transferring files to another computer.

Warning Do not expose diskettes to water or magnetic fields.

Important The diskette drive is a module that is used in the 3.5-inch

Exposure could damage the data on the diskette.

module bay. If the bay contains a module other than the
diskette drive, you will need to swap modules. For more
informatio n about swapping modules, se e “Changing

3.5-inch bay modules” on page 160.

To use a diskette:

1 Insert the diskette into the diskette drive with the label facing up.
2 To access a file on the diskette in Windows XP, click Start, then select My

3 To remove the diskette, make sure the drive activity indicator is off (see

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Diskette slot

Computer

- OR ­To access a file on the diskette in Windows Me, Windows 2000, or

Windows 98, double-click the
file.

“Status indicators” on page 33), then press the diskette eject button.

, then the drive letter, then double-click the file.

My Computer icon, the drive letter , then the

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Diskette eject
button

Using the CD/D VD drive

You can use your computer to enjoy a wide variety of multimedia features,
such as making recordings, listening to audio CDs, and watching DVD movies.

Important The CD/D VD drive i s a module that i s used in the 5.25-inc h

module bay. If the bay contains a module other than the
CD/DVD drive, you will need to swap modules. For more
informatio n about swapping modules, se e “Changing

5.25-inch bay modules” on page 158.

Inserting a CD or DVD

Using the CD/DVD drive

CD/DVD
tray

Activity
indicator

Eject
button

Manual
eject hole

To insert a CD or DVD:

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

pull the disc tray completely open.

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

carefully on the disc until it snaps into place.

Important When you place a singl e-s ide d dis c in the tray, make sure

that the label side is f ac ing up. If the disc has two pla y ab le
sides, place the disc so that the n ame of th e side y ou w ant
to play is facing up.

3 Push the tray in until it is closed.

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Chapter 7: Using Multim edia

Using A udio DJ on the Solo 9550

You can play CDs on your Solo 9550 without turning on the notebook. You
control Audio DJ by using the buttons on the front of the notebook.

Pow er i n di c a t or

Power
slider

Back

Play/
Pause

Stop

Volume

Next

Component Description

Power indicator Indicates the current Audio DJ status:

■

LED green - Audio DJ is turned on and playing.

■

LED amber - Audio DJ is turned on and play is stopped.

■

LED off - Audio DJ is turned off.

Power slider Slide to the right to turn the Audio DJ on or off. This switch works only when

the Solo 9550 is turned off.
Back Skip back one song or to the start of the current song.
Play/Pause Select play to start playing your CD or pause to pause playing.
Stop Stop playing.

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Using Audio DJ on the So lo 9550

Component Description

Next Skip ahead one song.
Volume Press the left button to increase the volume and the right button to decrease

the volume.

To play a CD using Audio DJ:

1 Slide the power slider to the right.
2 Complete the steps in “Inserting a CD or DVD” on page 87.
3 Press the (play) button.

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Chapter 7: Using Multim edia

Adjusting the v olume in Windows XP

Y ou c an use the volume controls to adjust the overall volume and the volume
of specific sound devices in your computer.

Help and

Support

For more inf ormation on adjusting volu me, click Start, then
select Help and Support.

To adjust the overall volume level using hardware controls:

■ On the keyboard, press the volume buttons to change the volume,

or press the mute button to turn off all sound.

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Adjusting the volume in Windows XP

To adjust the overall volume level from Windows:

1 Click Start, then select Control Panel. The Control Panel window opens.
2 Select Sounds, Speech, and Audio Devices.
3 Select Adjust the system volu me. The Sounds and Audio Devices Properties

dialog box opens.

4 On the Volume tab, drag the Device Volume slider to change the volume

or click to select the

Mute check box, then click OK.

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Chapter 7: Using Multim edia

To adjust specific volume levels:

1 Click Start, then select Control Panel. The Control Panel window opens.
2 Select Sounds, Speech, and Audio Devices.
3 Select Adjust the system volu me. The Sounds and Audio Devices Properties

dialog box opens.

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4 On the Volume tab, click Advanced in the Device volume area. The Master

Volume dialog box opens.

If the device you want to adjust does not appear in the Master Volume
dialog box, select
to adjust, then click

Options, Properties, select the audio device you want

OK.

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