Laptop
Specs
Do I need to
keep the
box?
What do I
do first?
Where do I
save my
files?
What is re-
imaging?
1. What is the hardware configuration of the IBM Think Pad T61?
• FDU ThinkPad T61 Widescreen
• Genuine Windows® XP Professional
• Intel® Core™2 Duo 2.0GHz
• 14.1" Display
• 802.11 a/b/g
• Integrated Gigabit Ethernet
• 1GB RAM
• 100GB Hard Drive
• Multiburner drive
• 128MB nVIDIA Quadro NVS
• Embedded Security Subsystem 2.0
2. Do I need to keep the box, user manuals and packaging materials that I received
along with my laptop?
NO! We no longer need to return the ThinkPad in its original box and packaging materials
in three years as we have in the past.
3. What are the first things that I should do in order to use my new laptop computer?
• Charge the battery completely before using. (See FAQ #14 for Battery information)
• Browse through the Setup Guide and read this FAQ.
4. Where do I save my files?
You must store all of your files (word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, etc.) in the
“My Documents” folder, which is located on the D: drive. By saving all of your personal
files on the D: drive, you will safely prevent your files from being erased during any future
re-imaging.
5. What is re-imaging?
Re-imaging is the process of using your laptop’s C: drive for installation of an operating
system and university licensed software. As we provide updates and solve problems, the
method of re-imaging simply wipes out what you currently have on your laptop’s C: drive
and replaces it with the updated software installation on your laptop. The actual re-imaging
takes only ten minutes to be completed by a computer center staff member.
IBM ThinkPad T61
FAQ’s
BIOS Setup 6. Should I setup a password in the BIOS?
NO! DO NOT GO INTO THE BIOS SETUP! We cannot change, erase or reset any
password that you may create in the BIOS. If you put a password in the BIOS setup,
only IBM can fix it and they will charge FDU to do so.
Returning
the laptop
How do I set
the date and
time?
7. When should I return my laptop?
You will be returning your laptop when either the lease is up or if you are leaving the
University. If you are leaving the University, please return the laptop computer to the Center for Teaching
and Learning with Technology. You will be notified when the lease has expired.
8. How do I set the time and date?
Your computer’s internal clock may not be set on the correct time when you first turn the
laptop on. Check the time box (clock) at the bottom right of the screen (on the taskbar). If
you need to change the time, click on Start=>Settings=>Control Panel. Then double click
on the icon Date/Time and set the correct time, date and time zone.
Center for Teaching and Learning with Technology
Page 2
How do I
turn the
laptop on?
How do I
use the
mouse?
How do I
shut my
laptop off?
How do I
turn my
laptop off in
an
emergency?
Battery
Information
9. How do I turn the laptop on?
Before you turn the laptop on for the first time, make sure that the battery is fully charged
(see FAQ#16). Then either with the laptop still plugged in or running on battery power,
release the LCD screen (cover) by sliding the LCD latch located on the right front of the
ThinkPad cover and pulling up. Once the LCD screen is open, press the power On switch,
which is labeled with a white dot and located above the keyboard (see the Setup Guide for
a diagram). The laptop will take over a minute to boot up, so please do not press any
keys during this process. When the laptop is finished the desktop will be displayed and
you may begin to work.
10. How do I use the trackpoint (mouse)?
The trackpoint or mouse is a red/orange round ball on the laptop’s keyboard. Using your
finger (with a small amount of pressure), you can guide the pointer around the screen. The
left and right mouse buttons are located below the keyboard. The central mouse button is
used in conjunction with the trackpoint to scroll up and down the screen in certain
applications. There is also a touchpad with a second set of left and right mouse buttons
below the track point buttons if this is more convenient.
11. How do I shut my laptop off?
In order to turn off your laptop properly and safely, you must follow these steps:
• Exit all applications.
• Logoff any networks if necessary.
• Click on Start=>Shut Down…
• A dialog box will appear asking what you want to do. Click on Shut down and then
click OK.
• It will take a few seconds for the laptop to automatically turn off.
• Once the screen becomes black, you may close the laptop.
12. How can I turn my laptop off in an emergency?
If at any time you cannot shut down the computer properly (see FAQ#12) you can do it
manually by holding the On switch (labeled with a white dot and located above the
keyboard) for 5-7 seconds.
13. What can I do if my computer screen freezes up on me?
If you are working on your laptop and suddenly the screen freezes and you cannot proceed
to work, we suggest that you try walking away from the machine for approximately 5-10
minutes. If you return and the screen is still frozen you can try simultaneously pressing the
Ctrl, Alt, and Delete keys and selecting Shut Down from the pop-up window. If this does
not work, follow FAQ#12.
14. How do I charge the battery?
• Do not turn the laptop computer on!
• Connect the AC Adapter cable (the round yellow end) into the power jack on the
computer.
• The power jack is round and yellow and located on the rear panel of the ThinkPad
labeled with the following symbol:
• Plug the other end of the AC Adapter into an outlet
IBM ThinkPad T61 FAQ’s
Center for Teaching and Learning with Technology
IBM ThinkPad T61 FAQ’s
How do I
access the
network on-
campus?
Page 3
15. How do I know that the battery is charging?
The battery status lamp shows the status of the battery pack. This indicator is located on
the top cover of the computer (keep laptop closed). While the light is orange or blinking
green, the battery pack is being charged. If the battery status lamp is green, then the
battery is fully charged. It will take approximately one hour to charge the battery.
16. When do I recharge the battery?
The system status indicators located below the laptop’s monitor (when the LCD screen is
open) display the different states that the computer may be in. The light next to the battery
symbol takes on different colors to indicate the status of the battery. The laptop will beep
three times when it needs to be charged.
Indicator Color Battery Status
Green Battery is fully charged.
Blinking Green The battery is being charged but enough power remains for operation.
Orange The battery pack is being charged but the battery power is still low.
Blinking Orange The battery pack needs to be charged. When the indicator starts
blinking orange, the computer will beep three times.
17. How can I check how much battery power I have left?
When the laptop is open and on, there is a battery symbol on the taskbar that indicates the
percentage of battery power available. A pop-up will display the approximate amount of
time of battery power that is left when you hover over the battery symbol with your mouse.
Additional information and settings are available by clicking on the battery and selecting
options from a pop-up menu.
18. When I’m using my laptop computer should I keep it plugged into an outlet?
If you are using the ThinkPad at home or in the office where an outlet is easily accessible
then keep it plugged in. Otherwise, use it on battery power! That is the purpose of a laptop
computer, so you can use it almost anywhere (in the classroom, on an airplane, on the
beach, in bed, etc.).
19. How do I access the campus network?
Your laptop is equipped with a wireless network card that will automatically connect to the
network if possible. There are a number of locations on-campus that are wireless-enabled.
Wireless access will eventually be expanded throughout the entire campus. You will be required to login to
the wireless network with your Webmail account when you run Internet Explorer.
If you are on-campus in a location that does not have
wireless access, you can use a gray Ethernet cable to
connect your laptop to the campus network to a network
jack in your office or classroom. Before turning your laptop
on, plug one end of this gray cable into the silver Ethernet
jack located on the left side of your laptop and the other
end of the cable into the data jack on the wall.
Through a network connection and without a Novell account, you will be able
to browse the Internet, open FDU Systems to access the alpha server (an
alpha account is needed), Datatel (a Datatel account is needed) and Library
Services. You can also run the program Ws_ftp32 (see FAQ#33 for more
information on FDU Systems and Ws_ftp32).
To use any of the applications in the Network Enabled Software folder or to save/retrieve
files from your Novell account, you must login to the Novell network. You will be
automatically prompted for a Novell username and password as long as you have a
network connection (either through wireless access or a cable).
Center for Teaching and Learning with Technology
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