INDEX .................................................................... 100
4
Page 5
BEFORE Y OU G ET STARTED…
BEFORE YOU GET STARTED…
Please read the following section carefully so you know how to keep your
data, your Notebook, and yourself free from harm.
Safety Warnings
DO NOT allow children to play unattended with electrical
equipment.
DO NOT open the case of the Notebook, the battery or
the power adaptor. When the case is open there is a danger
of severe electric shock.
DO NOT insert objects through the slots and openings
of the Notebook. This may lead to electric shock, shortcircuit, or fire that could cause personal harm or damage to
your Notebook.
DO NOT cover the slots and openings of the Notebook.
These openings are provided for ventilation purposes.
Covering these vents may lead to overheating.
This Notebook is NOT designed for use within industrial
environments.
For U.S./Canada
Danger: Invisible laser radiation when open. Avoid direct exposure to beam.
Danger: Radiations invisibles du laser en cas d’ouverture. Eviter toute
exposition directe au faisceau.
This product is certified by the manufacturer to comply with DHHS rules
21CFR, Chapter 1, Subchapter J, applicable at date of manufacture. Refer to
optical drive labels for additional details.
5
CD-ROM, CD-RW, DVD, DVD-ROM, and DVD-RW drives are
Laser Class 1 devices. These lasers must remain in their
sealed case. DO NOT remove the drive covers, as exposure to the lasers may prove harmful.
DO NOT look directly into the laser, even when
wearing eye protection.
Page 6
BEFORE Y OU G ET STARTED…
Please contact Customer Care if the:
Power cord or the attached plug is worn or damaged. Have the
defective power cord replaced with an original cable. Never try to
repair a defective cable.
Notebook cover is damaged or liquids have penetrated. Do not operate
the Notebook until you first check with your dealer. It is possible that
the Notebook cannot be operated safely and could cause danger of a
potentially fatal electric shock!
TFT Display Safety
• To avoid damage to the TFT Display, never open it a full
180º. Do not forcibly open it.
• In order to avoid damage to the display, do not touch it with
your fingers or sharp objects.
•Never lift the Notebook by the TFT Display; doing so could
break the hinges.
•There is a risk of injury if the TFT display breaks. Use
protective gloves to pack up the broken pieces and contact
customer service to arrange for proper disposal.
It is important to thoroughly wash your hands after handling a
broken TFT display. There is a chance that chemicals may
have been released.
•Never place objects on top of the Notebook that would
exert any pressure on the display. There is a danger
that even slight pressure may break the TFT display.
Important Safety Instructions
When using any electronic equipment, you should always take basic safety
precautions. Following the guidelines below can reduce the risk of fire,
electric shock, and personal injury:
Do not use this product near water (for example, near a bathtub, wash
bowl, kitchen sink, laundry tub, wet basement, or swimming pool).
6
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BEFORE Y OU G ET STARTED…
Avoid using a telephone or modem (other than a cordless type) during
an electrical storm. There may be a remote risk of electric shock from
lightning.
If you find that the power cord or power adapter are worn or
damaged, or
Liquid is spilled on the Notebook and it ceases to function properly, or
The Notebook is dropped and ceases to function properly,
o Shut down your Notebook immediately.
o Remove the power cord from the socket.
o Contact Customer Service.
o Do not restart unless you have contacted Customer Service.
Data Security
Digital pictures of a fantastic holiday, home video of baby’s first steps, a term
paper on economics, your favorite recipes, financial and tax records…
whatever data is important to you, make sure you back it up. We
recommend that you make a second copy of all of your data, whether on a
CD or DVD, floppy disks, flash cards, an Internet back-up service, or an
external hard drive. Medion does not assume liability for data loss or damage
to data storage units, and no claims can be accepted for damages resulting
from the loss of data or for consequential damages.
Setup Location
Keep your Notebook and all devices connected to it away from
moisture, dust, heat, and direct sunlight. Any of these factors can lead
to Notebook malfunction or damage.
Set up and use the Notebook and all connected devices on a stable,
balanced, and vibration-free surface.
Do not leave the base of your Notebook on your lap or any part of
your body for a long period of time while the Notebook is turned ON or
charging. The Notebook can become very warm while it is turned on or
charging and can cause discomfort or injury from heat.
7
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BEFORE Y OU G ET STARTED…
Temperature
Your Notebook can be used most reliably at an ambient temperature between
41° and 95° F, and at a relative humidity between 30% and 70%. When
powered down, the Notebook can be stored at temperatures between -40°
and 158° F (without condensation). When powered off, the Notebook can be
stored at temperatures between 32° and 140°.
Touch Pad
Light pressure with the tip of your finger is all that is required to operate the
touch pad. Because the touch pad is electrostatic sensitive, objects cannot be
used in place of your fingers. Using a pen or other object can damage the
touch pad or cause the Notebook to malfunction.
Battery operation
To extend the life and power of your battery and guarantee secure operation, the
instructions below should be followed:
• Never expose the battery to direct sunlight or heat for long periods.
• Do not dispose of the battery by fire as they may explode. Check with
local codes for possible special disposal instructions.
• Do not open the battery housing; it contains no user-serviceable parts.
• Disregarding these instructions will lead to damage and under some
circumstances may evencause the battery to explode.
• Keep the battery away from electrically conductive materials, chemical substances and
cleaning agents.
• Only use the originally supplied power adapterto charge the battery.
• Fully discharge the batterybefore recharging it.
• Replace the battery only with the same type or an equivalent type recommended by
the manufacturer.
• Charge the battery only until the battery charging light goes out. Also, refer to the
instructions under "Checking the Battery Level" on page 17 for instructions on
checking the battery level.
• Only change the battery when the unit is switched off.
• Batteries are classified as special waste and should always be disposed of
properly. Contact Customer Service for more details.
• Keep batteries away from children at all times.
• Use only the batteries and power adapter/cord indicated in this manual.
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BEFORE Y OU G ET STARTED…
Power Adapter
• Do not open the power adapter housing. When the housing is open there
is a danger of severe electric shock. It contains no user-serviceable parts.
• The electric outlet must be in the vicinity of the Notebook and within reach
of the power adapter cables. DO NOT stretch the power cables tightly to
reach an electric outlet.
• To disconnect your Notebook from the power source, or set the Notebook
to battery operation, remove the power cord from the Notebook’s power
socket.
• Only use the Notebook with a power adaptor (FSP065-AAC) operating at
AC 115V~/60 Hz. In European countries use the Notebook at AC 220240V~/50 Hz.
For details on power consumption, please refer to the rating plate on the
rear of your Notebook. If you are unsure of the type of power supply
available at the point of use, ask your local power company.
• Use only the supplied power cord and power adapter.
• If using an extension cord, make certain that it meets your local safety
requirements. If in doubt, consult an electrician.
• To provide additional protection against electric shock, power surges,
lightning strikes, or other electrical damage to your Notebook, we
recommend the use of a surge protector.
9
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VIEWS OF THE N OTEBOOK
VIEWS OF THE NOTEBOOK
Open Notebook
n
o
p
r
s
n
TFT display(Ö p. 19)
o
Hotkeys
p
Power On/Off (Ö p. 14)
q
Keyboard(Ö p. 21)
r
Touch pad(Ö p. 21)
s
Status LED Indicators (Ö p. 13)
q
10
Page 11
Front View
n
IEEE 1394 (FireWire®)
o
Microphone in (Ö p. 25)
p
Audio Out/Headphones (Ö p. 25)
q
Display catch (Ö p. 19)
r
Device LED Indicators (Ö p. 13)
VIEWS OF THE N OTEBOOK
Left Side
n
o
p
q
r
s
Optical drive: DVD/CD-RW Combo drive (Ö p. 23)
Disc eject button (Ö p. 23)
Disc emergency eject (Ö p. 23)
PC card slot PCMCIA (Ö p. 26)
USB Port (Ö p. 29)
3 in 1 card reader (Ö p. 28)
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VIEWS OF THE N OTEBOOK
Right Side
n
USB Ports (Ö p. 29)
o
Modem Port (RJ-11) (Ö p. 26)
p
LAN Port (RJ-45) (Ö p. 28)
q
External Monitor (VGA) (Ö p. 19)
r
Power Socket (Ö p. 14)
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VIEWS OF THE N OTEBOOK
Device Indicators
LED's indicate the power and operating system states of the Notebook. The meaning
of each LED is:
Num Lock
n
This LED lights when NUM-Lock has been activated. It sets the keyboard so
that numbers are assigned to certain characters, simplifying number input.
Caps Lock
This LED lights when CAPS-Lock has been activated. This makes all letters
o
you type be capital letters.
Scroll Lock
This LED indicates that the Scroll Lock key on the keyboard is activated.
p
The Scroll Lock key has different functions depending on the software you
are using.
Disk Activity
q
This lights up when your hard drive is reading or writing.
Power
r
This LED indicates that your computer is turned on.
Battery
This lights up when the battery is charging. When the battery is fully
s
powered, this turns off.
Wireless Local Area Network
t
When this lights up steadily, WLAN function is enabled.
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POWER S UPPLY
POWER SUPPLY
On/Off button
The On/Off button (page 10) is used to power up/down the Notebook.
Pressing the button briefly will turn off your computer using the operating
system. This is the same as clicking Start then Turn Off Computer. If the
button is held down for longer than 4 seconds, it will force the notebook to
power down without going through the operating system shut down process.
This may be useful if your computer has crashed or stalled.
WARNING! Do not switch off your Notebook while the hard
disk or the optical drive is running and the corresponding media
activity LEDs are lit. Otherwise data may be lost. To protect the
hard disk you should always wait for 20 seconds after powering
down the Notebook before powering it up again.
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POWER S UPPLY
Power Adapter
Your Notebook is supplied with a universal AC power adapter, which
automatically adjusts to the available power source. The following levels are
supported: AC 100-240V~/ 50-60 Hz. Please follow the power supply safety instructions found on page 9.
The power adapter (1 above) is connected via a power cord (2 above) to an
AC outlet. The DC power lead from the power adapter is connected to the rear
side of the Notebook (see page 12).
The adapter provides the Notebook with power and also charges the battery. The
power supply indicators of the Notebook (see page 10) provide details on the
operating state. The battery is also being charged when you are working on your
Notebook with the power adapter.
The power adapter is still active when the Notebook is not connected. You
should unplug the power adapter from the outlet when it is not connected to
the Notebook.
WARNING! Use only the power adapter and power cord supplied
with your Notebook.
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POWER S UPPLY
Battery Operation
In order to extend the life and power of your battery, and to guarantee reliable
operation, it is essential that the safety instructions on page 8 are followed.
Inserting the Battery
Slide the battery, contacts first, into the battery compartment.
Removing the battery
Slide the battery locks to remove the battery.
WARNING! Do not remove the battery while the Notebook is
running on battery power. You increase the possibility of losing
data.
Charging the Battery
The battery is charged via the power adapter. If the power adapter is
connected, it charges the battery automatically, whether the Notebook is
turned on or not.
It is recommended that from time to time you discharge the battery
completely and recharge it afterwards with the Notebook switched off. You
can discharge the battery without losing data, if you turn your notebook on
without using any application and no power adapter. As soon as the battery
is empty your notebook will enter the hibernate mode. We recommend doing
this procedure every time you think the battery power is losing efficiency.
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POWER S UPPLY
Battery Power
A fully charged Li-Ion battery will provide power for hours of operation.
However, the battery life will vary according to how the power saving
functions are set, the way you work, how much memory your computer has
and the display type.
When working in Windows an audible warning alert will sound as soon as the
battery level drops below a set minimum value. When this happens, the
processing power is reduced in order to save power.
NOTE: Battery warning signals and "Low-Battery" mode will be
heard immediately when the power pack is first connected.
Checking the Battery Level
In order to check the current level of the battery, move the cursor over the
power symbol in the taskbar.
When in battery mode, a battery symbol is displayed and when the power
adapter is in use a power connector is displayed. If the battery is being
charged, the power connector has a lightning symbol superimposed over it.
Further information on power settings can be obtained by double clicking on
the symbol.
NOTE: If you ignore the warning signal when the battery level is
low, your Notebook goes into suspend mode. (Depending on the
BIOS/OS setting this will be Save-to-Disk or Save-to-RAM).
WARNING! If the battery is empty, your data will not be retained
for long in Standby/Save-to-RAM mode.
WARNING! Never remove the battery while the Notebook is
switched on or if the Notebook has not yet gone into suspend
mode, as this may lead to loss of data.
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Power Management
Your Notebook offers automatic and modifiable power saving functions that
you can use to maximize battery life and reduce overall operating costs. The
power saving modes are known as standby mode and suspend (hibernate)
mode.
Standby Mode
When in standby mode, the contents of the RAM of your Notebook are
preserved while practically all other components of your Notebook are shut
down, reducing your power consumption to a minimum. By pressing any key
on the keypad, you can bring your Notebook back to the fully operational
state. You will restart at precisely the line in which you were working prior to
the interruption. The computer takes less time to go into and come out of
standby mode, but uses more power than suspend (hibernate) mode.
Suspend (hibernate) mode
The hibernate mode is an alternative to a complete shutdown of the
Notebook. In this mode all data from RAM (system and graphic data) are
copied to the hard disk as a file. As soon as the data has been safely saved,
the Notebook powers down. When the Notebook is switched on again, this
file is written back to RAM by the BIOS. In a few moments the Notebook is in
the exact state as when it was last used. If while working on a document the
Notebook is closed (assuming the correct ACPI setting), the Notebook saves
the data in RAM for you automatically. You will restart at precisely the line in
which you were working prior to the interruption. The computer uses no
power while it is in suspend (hibernate) mode, but it takes a little longer for
the computer to go into and come out of hibernation compared to standby.
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DISPLAY
DISPLAY
Opening and Closing the Display
A display catch keeps the display closed when the Notebook is not in use.
To open, use your thumbs to push the bar to the right (n) then lift (o) the
display with your thumbs and index finger and position it as desired.
WARNING! The display should not be opened fully to 180°.
Do not try to forcibly open it.
The opening and closing of the display can be assigned various functions via
the Power management feature. For example, the Notebook can be
programmed to power down when the display is closed.
Screen Resolution
The integral screen has a native resolution of 1280 x 800 pixels. Using a
higher resolution can lead to distortion of the display, especially with text.
Using a lower resolution may cause the display to use only a portion of the
screen area.
Connecting an External Monitor
The Notebook has a VGA port for connecting an external monitor. To connect
and configure an external monitor:
1. Shut down your notebook.
2. Connect the video signal cable of the external monitor to the VGA
port of the Notebook (see page 12).
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DISPLAY
3. Connect the external monitor to the electrical socket, power it up and
start your notebook.
There are two options for setting up an external monitor:
1. Clone your Desktop
This option allows you to display the same picture on both internal and
external monitor.
2. Extend your Desktop
This option extends the picture from your internal monitor to your
external monitor. Windows can be switched form one monitor to the
other.
To configure these output options double click on the following icon in your
taskbar:
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DATA ENTRY
The Keyboard
By dual assignment of certain keys you have the same range of functions available
to you as with a normal Windows keyboard. Some functions are input using the Fn
key, which is normal on notebook computers.
Notebook-specific key combinations
Combination Description
Fn + F2 Toggles the display screen between LCD,
external display and simultaneous
display.
Fn + F4 Enhances screen brightness.
Fn + F5 Reduces screen brightness.
Fn + F7 Decreases the volume.
Fn + F8 Increases the volume
Fn + F9 Switches the loudspeakers on / off.
Fn + F12 Power saving functions. This key
combination is set to power down by
default. To adjust this key to your own
needs go to display properties in
power saving.
Touch pad
The touch pad’s primary function is to move the cursor around or select
items displayed on the screen with the use of your fingertip instead of a
mouse. It is positioned in front of the keyboard (see page 10). The pointer
follows the direction which is specified by moving your finger or thumb over
the touch pad.
DO NOT use a ball-point pen or other object on the touch pad, as this could
damage or cause a malfunction of your touch pad.
Below the touch pad are the left and right mouse buttons which can be used
as on a normal mouse. You can also perform a direct click or double click
using the touch pad by tapping the surface briefly once or twice.
In the Windows Control Panel you will find a number of useful settings that
will make using the touch pad easier. If the Control Panel is in category view,
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THE H ARD D RIVE
click Printers and Other Hardware and then Mouse. In classic view,
double-click Mouse.
THE HARD DRIVE
The hard drive is the main storage medium combining large storage capacity
and rapid data access.
The Windows operating system cannot use the full capacity of the hard drive,
which means that there will be a difference between the capacity that the
BIOS displays and what the operating system displays.
The hard drive contains the operating system of the computer, other application
programs and backup files. These programs and files are pre-installed on your
Notebook, so you may note that some of the space on your hard drive is
already taken.
Whenever the computer is accessing the hard disk, the corresponding LED
illuminates (see page 13).
WARNING! Never switch off the computer while the busy
indicator is lit since this may result in loss of data.
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THE O PTICAL D RIVE
THE OPTICAL DRIVE
Your Notebook has a CD-RW/DVD-ROM combo drive. This drive can play
everything that a DVD-ROM drive can play: DVD movies, music CDs, and
data DVDs and CDs. It can also run software programs from CDs and DVDs.
In addition, this drive can write data and music CDs and copy CDs. It writes
to CD-R or CD-RW.
Handling Discs
To maintain the life of CD and DVD discs, observe these guidelines.
•
•
•
•
•
We also recommend that you avoid specially shaped discs such as hearts or
polygons, or discs that are not standard size. Do not use warped or cracked
discs as they may cause damage to your drive.
Avoid radiation by direct sunlight (UVA/UVB).
Avoid scratches and damage to the disc surface.
Avoid extreme temperatures.
Do not attach labels or paper to DVD discs.
Do not use record-cleaning or anti-static agents to clean your discs.
Loading a Disc
 Attention: Do not use scratched or dirty disks, discs with
pieces broken off or disks of poor quality. Because of the high
speeds in the drive the disks might break and damage your
data as well as your drive. Examine the disks before you enter
them. If damage or dirt is visible, you should not use them.
Damage caused by faulty media is excluded from warranty and
their repair must be charged.
1. Press the eject button on the front of the drive to open the tray.
2. Place the disc on the tray so that it lays flat with the label facing upward.
3. Gently push the tray in to close it.
Removing a Disc
Press the eject button on the front of the drive to eject the disc.
WARNING! While the Notebook is accessing the CD-ROM drive
the media activity indicator is lit. Do not try to remove the CD
from the drive while this LED is lit.
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THE O PTICAL D RIVE
Emergency Ejection of a blocked Disc
If the tray fails to open automatically, then the tray can be opened manually
provided there is an opening for emergency ejection.
Restart your notebook and if the tray is still locked proceed as follows:
Shut down Windows and switch off your notebook.
Insert a long thin object (like a straightened paper clip) into the emergency
ejection opening until you feel resistance.
Press lightly and the tray will open.
Remove the disc and restart the notebook.
(Ö p. 11).
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THE S OUND C ARD
THE SOUND CARD
Your Notebook has an integrated stereo sound card (on-board) with 16-bit
and 3D spatial sound effects. The sound card is compatible with the industry
standard Sound Blaster and Microsoft Sound System Version 2.0. This
guarantees optimal support for all popular programs and games.
If you wish to alter the base volume, click on the loudspeaker symbol in the
task bar. A double click opens the sound mixer.
You can use the key combinations
You can use Fn+F8 to increase the volume and Fn+ F7 to decrease it.
(Ö page 21) to control the volume.
External Audio Ports
Microphone in
(Ö page 11)
Audio out
(Ö page 11)
Your Notebook has a loudspeaker, so you can play sounds without additional
equipment. The connection of a Hi-Fi system increases the sound quality
significantly.
For recording via an external microphone.
For sound reproduction via external stereo
equipment such as loudspeakers (active) or
headphones.
The notebook automatically recognizes if an analog
(3.5mm stereo plug) or a digital (optical) link has
been created. The internal loudspeakers are
switched off when this port is used.
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MODEM
MODEM
The modem is fitted with an RJ-11 interface, into which a standard telephone
lead can be plugged.
WARNING! Use only with an analog telephone line. The modem
cannot withstand the voltage levels of digital telephone systems
such PBX or lines such as ISDN or Broadband services.
Modem port
Insert one end of the RJ11-connection (telephone plug connector) into the
modem/network interface and the other into an analog telephone socket that
is easily accessible.
NOTE: Do not place the Notebook in Suspend (or Sleep) mode if you
are connected to your Internet provider, since this will cause the
modem connection to be lost.
THE PC CARD SLOT
The PC card slot on the left side (see page 11) of the Notebook can be used
to operate credit card-sized PC cards. Most PC cards are communications or
interface devices such as ISDN-, Faxmodem-, Network- or SCSI-adapters.
Some PC cards contain memory chips or hard disks for data storage. If you
use such cards with your Notebook, the system assigns the card a drive
name, so that you may access the resources. The PC card drive in your
Notebook supports PCMCIA 2.1 - (Type II), and CardBus (Type I) cards.
Cards of Type I are 3.3 mm, and Type II 5 mm thick.
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THE PCC ARD SLOT
32-bit CardBus Port
CardBus cards have a 32-bit architecture with which high data transfer
speeds of up to 132 MB can be achieved, similar to PCI. In this way your
Notebook can also support data intensive devices such as 100Mbps Fast
Ethernet, Fast SCSI peripherals and video conferencing devices.
The CardBus port is backward compatible with 16-bit PC cards with a 5V
power supply, though the CardBus only requires a power-saving 3.3V.
Use of PC-cards
In order to run a PC card, special software is needed (drivers, etc.). The card
manufacturer usually supplies this software. Support for the card port is a
component of Windows
operational smoothness. You should consider this point when choosing
between alternative operating systems.
®
and at present represents the optimum in
Installing a PC card
Follow the PC card installation instructions that are given for use under
Windows
started Windows
When the card is fully inserted two audible signals will be heard, provided it
has been correctly recognized and successfully configured.
If only one signal is heard, this signifies a problem with the card recognition.
In this case, follow the instructions that accompany your new PC card.
®
and have the necessary driver software ready. Once you have
®
, insert the card carefully into the slot provided.
Removing a PC card
To remove your PC card, press the eject button next to the slot.
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THE PCC ARD SLOT
Memory Card Connections
Memory cards are media that are being used for a variety of purposes,
especially in digital photography. They are increasingly replacing the floppy
disk. The form and capacity of a memory card can vary according to the
manufacturer.
Your notebook supports the following formats:
• MMC (MultiMediaCard)
• SD (Secure Digital)
• Memory Stick/Memory Stick Pro
When inserting memory cards, ensure that the contacts are facing the right
way. See table below. Incorrect insertion of a card can cause damage to the
card reader and/or the card.
Inserting a Memory Card
Insert the card with the contacts pointing down. Push the memory card into
the slot until it clicks into place.
Removing a Memory Card
Press the card further into the slot. Then pull out and remove the card.
Network Connections
Connect a network cable, with RJ-45 connectors on each end, to the network
port on your computer. Attach the other end to a hub, switch or router. Your
computer has a 10/100 ethernet card, meaning it can connect at either
10Base-T or 100Base-T speeds.
The cable used to connect your computer to a host (generally a hub) is called
straight-through Twisted Pair Ethernet (TPE). The end connectors are called
RJ-45 connectors. These connectors are not compatible with RJ-11 phone line
connectors. If you are connecting two computers together directly (without a
hub or router), you will need crossover twisted-pair wire.
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CONNECTION O PTIONS
CONNECTION OPTIONS
The Notebook has a number of input and output interfaces for connection of
peripheral devices such as a printer, scanner, keyboard, and so on. This
section presents the individual ports. For further information, refer to pages
11 and 12, where the positions of the respective ports are described.
Universal Serial Bus (USB) Port
3 USB ports are located on your Notebook. You can use any USB device with
any USB port. Some USB devices require that you reinstall software drivers
when you connect the device to a different USB port than the one originally
used. This can be avoided by always using the device with the same USB
port. Devices connected directly to the USB bus should not draw more than
500 mA. Should the devices need more power than this, it will be necessary
to provide a powered hub.
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LEARNING ABOUT YOUR NOTEBOOK
There are many different resources in addition to this manual to help you use
your Medion Notebook.
Microsoft Windows Help and Support Center
This invaluable resource has answers to most questions about your
Notebook. It can be found by selecting Start, then Help and Support.
* Your Help and Support Center screen may not appear exactly as the one shown.
The Help and Support Center gives you many options for finding information.
You can use the Search box at the top of the screen to look up information
about a specific issue. You can also browse different topics on the left-hand
side of the screen. The right-hand side of the screen shows common tasks
that you may want to perform on your system.
Microsoft Windows Operating System Manual
A printed manual from Microsoft can be found in your accessory kit. It
provides general information about your operating system—the master
software that controls how your computer works.
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LEARNING ABOUT Y OUR NOTEBOOK
Microsoft Windows Tour
This is an interactive tour that comes with your computer. Select Start, then
All Programs, then Accessories to access the tour.
Microsoft Interactive Training
Training is the most powerful way to acquire skills that help you perform a
specific task efficiently. Select Start, then All Programs, then Accessories
to access Microsoft Interactive Training.
Information about Your PC
Clicking on Start, then Information about your PC will bring up more
information about your PC, as well as useful links to software tools and other
resources. You may also find last-minute information about your Notebook
that is not included in this manual.
Software Help
Many software programs include extensive help features within the program
itself. Look for a menu option at the top of the screen that says Help, or
icons that display a question mark. In many programs, pressing the F1 key
on your keyboard will bring up a Help menu.
Software companies often have extensive websites with additional information
about their products, and sometimes even templates or other useful tools.
Sometimes, there will be a link to a website under the Help menu. Other times,
you may need to perform an Internet search to find the correct website (see the
section Internet: Worldwide Web and Email in this manual).
External Hardware Help
The best source for information about external hardware (for example, a
printer, scanner, or digital camera) is the manufacturer of the equipment. If the
answer you need isn’t available in the manual and/or CDs that came with your
external hardware, or if you have misplaced these materials, the manufacturer’s
website is usually quite helpful. Such websites often provide documents and
files that you can download, as well as answers to common questions.
System Properties
System Properties can also help you identify characteristics of your
Notebook.
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LEARNING ABOUT Y OUR NOTEBOOK
n To access System Properties, right-click (press the right mouse
button) on My Computer.
o A menu will appear. Left-click (press the left mouse button) on
Properties at the bottom of the menu.
p A dialog box will open that shows your processor type and speed, as
well as the amount of RAM on your system. On some systems without
a separate graphics card, the amount of RAM that you see here is the
total amount of RAM minus the amount shared for video (typically 16
MB or 32 MB). See your Specifications Sheet for more information.
Some of the tabs in System Properties can provide even more in-depth
information about your Notebook and its components. You can also change
some of the operating system settings in this window.
The Hardware tab provides access to the Device Manager, a tool for
checking the hardware installed on your system.
The Automatic Updates tab can be used to set up your system to
automatically download important security and performance updates
from Microsoft.
The System Restore tab lets you adjust the amount of disk space
that can be used by the System Restore feature included as part of
your operating system.
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COMPUTER BASICS
The information in this section is designed to help you use the basic features
of your Notebook. More information about using the Internet and special
multimedia features of your Medion Notebook can be found in later sections.
The first time you start your Notebook, you will be asked a series of
questions that will help make sure that your Notebook is set up properly.
Please pay careful attention to these instructions and choose the answers
that are best for you.
During this setup process, you will be asked for information about your
Internet account. If you don’t yet have an Internet account, simply skip
these screens. If you do have an Internet account, you can either contact
your ISP (Internet Service Provider) immediately to fill in the requested
information—or you can skip these screens and contact your ISP later for
assistance in setting up your account on your new Notebook.
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Turning Off Your Computer
nTo turn off your computer, click the Start button, then click either
Turn Off Computer or Shut Down (this will depend on the operating
system that is installed on your Notebook).
oA dialog box will appear. Select Turn Off or Shut Down. Then click
OK to turn off your Notebook.
Restarting (Rebooting)
Sometimes, you may want to restart (reboot) your computer.
To restart your computer, follow the instructions for turning off your
Notebook, but select Restart in the final dialog box.
Stand By
Stand By puts your computer in a special mode that saves power without
shutting down completely. Your work and all open programs are saved to
your Notebook’s RAM while in standby mode. This helps you get back to work
(or play) more quickly when you return to your Notebook. However, if the
Notebook loses power completely (due to a power outage, for example), any
unsaved work will be lost. To bring your Notebook out of standby mode,
simply press any key on your keyboard, or press and release the main power
button on the front of your Notebook.
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Can’t Turn Off Your Notebook?
Sometimes, if your computer is “hung” or “frozen,” it might not be possible
to use the Turn Off or Shut Down command to turn it off. In these instances,
try the following procedure.
n First, press CTRL + SHIFT + ESC simultaneously (this is easiest to do
if you press and hold CTRL, then press and hold SHIFT, then press
ESC). This will open the Task Manager.
o Once you are in the Task Manager, look in the Status column for
programs that are “Not Responding.” Select these programs with your
mouse, then click End Task. Then close the Task Manager and see if
your computer can be properly turned off.
p If this does not solve the problem, you can press and hold the main
power button on the front of your Notebook for five seconds. This will
force your Notebook to turn off. However, this should be done only as a last resort because it can damage your Notebook!
q Wait 30 seconds for the hard drive to stop spinning before turning the
power back on.
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COMPUTER B ASICS
Looking at the Desktop
Your Microsoft Windows operating system desktop is similar to your physical
desktop. It’s your main workspace, where you keep your open files and
folders and store your commonly used tools. Your desktop might not look
exactly like the one shown here.
r
q
o
n
p
s
n Start: Clicking on the start button brings up the Start menu. This
menu can take you to your programs and documents, and it is also an
easy place to access common tools such as Help and Support and the
Control Panel.
oAll Programs: Your most recently used programs will automatically
appear on the left side of the Start menu. If you don’t see the program
that you want to use, click All Programs to bring up a more
comprehensive list.
t
p Control Panel: The Control Panel is where you will find options for
configuring different parts of your Notebook.
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COMPUTER B ASICS
qCurrent User: This shows the name and icon for the user who is
currently logged in to the Notebook. Different users may have different
settings for personalization and privacy.
rShortcuts: Double-clicking an icon on the desktop opens the
associated file, folder, or program.
sTask Bar: The task bar shows the status of your computer, as well as
any open programs.
tRecycle Bin: The Recycle Bin is a holding tank for items that you
want to delete. To send an item to the Recycle Bin, either select the
item and press Delete on the keyboard, or just drag the item onto the
Recycle Bin.
What is a Window?
When you open a program or file, it will usually be displayed in a window.
This is the frame that surrounds your current work. A typical window is
shown below. Windows for different programs will have different appearances
and tools, but these basic elements are shown in most windows.
n
t
o p q
r
s
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COMPUTER B ASICS
nThe name of your program or file will be shown at the top in the title
bar. You can click and drag the title bar to move the window.
oThis button will minimize the active window. A minimized window is
still open, but it is shown only as a tab on the task bar. This lets you
see other windows or the desktop behind the active window. To return
the window to full size, just click on its tab on the task bar.
p This button will maximize the active window. This will expand the
window to take up as much space as possible, which will let you see
more of your document or picture on the screen.
q This button will close the current window. Make sure you save first!
r The main menu is where you will find the tools available in a particular
program. Clicking on one of these items will open a drop down menu
where you can select specific tasks to perform.
s Most programs show commonly used tools on button menus. Hold the
pointer over a button—without clicking!—to bring up a short
description of the button’s function.
t The status bar shows details about your current program. If you are
working on a document with many pages, you can probably see which
page number is currently shown on your screen in the status bar.
Files and Folders
Documents, pictures, music, and other items are saved as files on your
Notebook.
Folders hold groups of files (or other folders), just like a physical filing
system. You can create and name folders to make it easier to find a specific
file. For example, if you have several different files that you use to organize
the Little Feet soccer team (a calendar, a roster, an equipment list, etc.), you
can create a folder called Little Feet, where you can store all of the related
files.
My Documents is a special folder that is easy to access from the desktop or
the Start menu. In order to find your files quickly and easily, we recommend
that you store them in the My Documents folder.
Files and folders can be saved on drives. To see the drives on your Notebook,
double-click on the My Computer icon on your desktop. Each drive has a
specific letter, such as (C:) or (A:).
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Drives are organized by Hard Disk Drives, Devices with Removable Storage,
and Network Drives.
Hard Disk Drives are your Notebook’s main storage. The My Documents
folder is saved on your main hard disk drive, usually labeled (C:).
Devices with Removable Storage can include floppy disk drives, CD drives,
and DVD drives, as well as card reader drives, pen drives, or even a digital
camera that is connected to your Notebook!
Network Drives are hard drives on other computers that you can access
through a network, when applicable.
File Names
Each file has its own file name, such as “Tanya_walking.jpg” or
“My_favorite_song.mp3”. The last three characters of the file name, the ones
after the period, are the file extension. These tell your Notebook what type of
file it is, and what program to use to open the file. For example, the
extension .mp3 tells your Notebook that My_favorite_song is a music file, and
that it should be opened with a program that plays music.
You can change the program that is used to open files labeled with a
particular extension. For example, you can set all .mp3 files to be opened
with MUSICMATCH instead of Windows Media
®
Player, or vice versa.
n Click on Start, then Control Panel.
o Switch to Classic View if you are not already in it.
p Double-click Folder Options.
q Click on the File Types tab.
r Scroll down to the file type you want to change and left-click on it to
select it.
s Click Change and select a program from the list that appears. We
recommend that you choose only programs from the Recommended
Programs list.
t Click OK, then Close.
If the Change button is dim and clicking on it doesn’t do anything, then you
can not change the program associated with that file type.
If you change your mind later, you can return to the File Types tab, select the
file type, and click Restore to have the file type opened by the default program.
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COMPUTER B ASICS
Folders also have their own names, but they do not have extensions.
Opening a folder will show you the files inside, but it will not open any
programs or documents.
Browsing for Files
Browsing is an effective way to find a specific file if you already have a pretty
good idea of which folder contains it. There are several ways to start
browsing for a file.
To go straight to your My Documents folder, either double-click the My Documents icon on your desktop, or click Start, then My Documents.
To look for files in other folders, you can:
Double-click the My Computer icon on your desktop, or
click Start, then My Computer, or
press á + E on the keyboard to open Windows Explorer.
Any of these methods will give you access to the files on your hard drive, as
well as files on connected devices—such as a Compact Flash card from your
digital camera that is in the card reader, a DVD in one of your optical drives,
or an MP3 player that is connected to one of your USB ports.
When browsing a folder that contains many files, select View on the top
menu bar, then Details. This will display several columns with additional
information about each file, such as the size of the file, the type of file, and
the date it was last modified. Click on the column header to sort the files by
that attribute. For example, to sort files by size, click size.
Searching for Files
If you aren’t sure where to start looking for a file, it is sometimes faster and
easier to use the search tool to locate it. You can open the search window by
clicking Start then Search. Or, you can simultaneously press the á key and
the F key on the keyboard.
Instructions on the left side of the screen will walk you through the search
process.
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COMPUTER B ASICS
Using Software Programs
Software programs are also called simply programs, or applications. Programs
are the tools that you use to tell your computer what to do. For example, word
processing programs are used to create text documents like this manual.
Microsoft Word is an example of a well-known word processing program.
We have taken care to select software that will help you explore the Internet,
enjoy your photos or videos with family and friends, listen to music and
watch movies. We test our products with applications to ensure that you will
have a great user experience. Not all of these programs appear on your
Notebook desktop. We feel that this is your personal space and you should
choose what appears here. You can access the programs installed on your
Notebook through the Start menu. Click Start, then All Programs to see a
list of the programs on your Notebook, as well as special offers from some of
your favorite companies.
Please note that the software programs included with your Notebook have all
been pre-installed. You do not need to use the discs that came with your
Notebook to install programs. These are for back-up purposes only.
Adjusting the Volume
There are several ways to adjust the volume on your computer.
You can use Fn+F8 to increase the volume and Fn+ F7 to decrease it.
You can adjust the system volume by double-clicking this icon in
the bottom-right corner of your screen. This will open the Volume Control
window. You can also access the Volume Control window by clicking
Start, then selecting Accessories, then Entertainment, then Volume
Control. The options shown in this window will vary depending on your
particular system. This window will allow you to change the volume and
balance for your entire system or for individual devices.
Finally, the software program that you are using may have a built-in
volume control. For example, both MUSICMATCH and Windows Media
Player have volume sliders that control the volume of the music that
they are playing without affecting the volume of system alerts.
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COMPUTER B ASICS
Adjusting Your Monitor and Display Settings
There are many settings that you can adjust to control the way that your
Notebook displays text and images on your screen. To access these settings:
nSelect Start, then Control Panel. If you are in Category View, click
Appearance and Themes.
o Click/double-click Display. This opens the Display Properties window.
You can also access the Display Properties window by right-clicking anywhere
on the desktop and then selecting Properties.
Changing the Desktop Background
n In the Display Properties window, click the Desktop tab.
o Select one of the images in the Background list, or click Browse to
use a personalized photo or image that you have saved on your hard
drive. Locate the image you would like to use, and click Open.
p Your new background image is shown on the sample display. The
Position drop down menu lets you change how the image is
displayed.
q Click Apply to show your new background image on your desktop. If
you are satisfied with this image, click OK.
Changing the Screen Saver
Using a screen saver can help extend the life of your monitor and prevent
burn in, which happens when images that are displayed for an extended
period of time create flaws in the monitor.
n In the Display Properties window, click the Screen Saver tab.
o Choose a screen saver from the drop down menu. The screen saver is
displayed with its current settings on the sample display.
p Click Settings to customize your screen saver. This will open a dialog
box with options that depend on the screen saver that you have
chosen. When you have finished changing the settings, click OK to
close the dialog box.
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COMPUTER B ASICS
q Click Preview to see what your screen saver will look like on a full
screen. Move the mouse or press any keyboard key to end the
preview.
r Enter the number of minutes that you would like your Notebook to
wait before it displays the screen saver. If you enter 5 minutes, the
Notebook will display the screen saver after the Notebook keyboard
and mouse have been inactive for 5 minutes.
s Select On resume, password protect to have your Notebook require
your Windows password to access the computer once the screen saver
has started. This can prevent others from using your computer if you
have left it on while out of the room.
t Click OK to accept your changes and close the Display Properties
window.
Changing the Text Size for Windows and Buttons
n The size of the text on your windows can be changed to be easier to
read. For example, if your Notebook is set to display at a very high
resolution (see below), the words on your desktop and menus may be
too small to read. In this case, you would want to use a larger font. In
the Display Properties window, select the Appearance tab.
o Choose a Font size and click Apply. It may take a few moments for
your Notebook to apply the change.
p Click OK to accept your changes and close the Display Properties
window.
This will not affect the size of the font in your software programs, such as
text in Microsoft Word. However, many programs include a zoom feature that
will allow you to increase or decrease the size of text and objects on the
screen.
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COMPUTER B ASICS
Changing the Screen Resolution
The resolution of your screen is the amount of detail it shows. High
resolutions include more information, which makes individual elements
appear smaller. A low resolution shows less information, but individual
elements appear larger.
n In the Display Properties window, select the Settings tab.
o Drag the Screen resolution slider to the resolution you want to use.
p Click Apply. If you receive an error message, or if your screen goes
completely blank, don’t panic! Just wait a few moments and your PC
will return to the previous settings.
q Your new resolution will be shown on screen. Click Yes on the dialog
box that appears to accept the new resolution, or click No to return to
the Display Properties window.
Changing the Color Depth/Quality
Color depth, or color quality, is the number of colors that your display can
show. Some programs, such as demanding games, may require that you
reduce the color depth for the game to run smoothly.
For most tasks, you will not need to change the color depth. This has been
set at the factory for optimal results.
n In the Display Properties window, select the Settings tab.
o Use the drop down menu under Color quality to choose the color
depth.
p Click Apply. If you receive an error message, or if your screen goes
completely blank, don’t panic! Just wait a few moments and your
Notebook will return to the previous settings.
q Your new color settings will be shown on screen. Click Yes on the
dialog box that appears to accept the new resolution, or click No to
return to the Display Properties window.
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Hard Disk Drive
Your hard disk drive, or hard drive, is the main storage for your Notebook.
This is where your files and programs are saved.
Although most Medion Notebooks ship with only one physical hard disk drive,
you may see two or more drives in this section. This is because the hard disk
drive has been partitioned to act as multiple drives. Partitioning the drive
allows us to store important files for restoring your Notebook to the factory
condition in case something goes wrong. Usually, the (C:) drive is where you
will store your personal files, and the much smaller (D:) drive holds recovery
information. It is very important not to alter or delete the existing files
on the (D:) drive, or change the size of the (D:) partition.
Checking Hard Drive Space
From time to time, you may want to see how much space is available on your
hard drive.
n Double-click My Computer.
o Right-click on the drive that you want to check.
p On the pop-up menu, select Properties.
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COMPUTER B ASICS
Making Your Own CDs
You need permission from the copyright owner to record copyrighted
material onto a CD. Otherwise, you may be violating copyright law and be
subject to payment of damages and/or other remedies. If you are uncertain
about your rights, contact your legal advisor.
Some CDs have copy protection software that will not allow them to be
copied.
There are several types of discs that you can create with your Medion
notebook.
A data disc is for files and folders that can be read on a notebook. For
example, you might use a data disc to archive documents and
spreadsheets.
A music disc is one that can be played on conventional CD players,
such as the one in your home or car. These will work only if your CD
player supports the type of CD (for example, a CD-R).
Nero Express software has been included with your notebook to make
creating your own music, video, and data discs a snap. To open Nero
Express, select Start, then Nero Burning ROM, then Nero Express.
Make a Copy of a Disc Using Nero Express
Follow these instructions to copy an entire disc, whether it’s a music CD or
data CD.
n If you have multiple disc drives, insert a blank, recordable disc in your
recordable drive (CD-RW/DVD). Insert your original disc, the one that
you want to copy, in your second drive.
** or **
If you have only one disc drive, insert the original disc in the drive.
o Clear any messages that appear by selecting Cancel. If your original
disc starts playing automatically, stop play and close any opened
programs.
p Open Nero Express.
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q Select Copy entire disc.
COMPUTER B ASICS
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COMPUTER B ASICS
rThe Select source and destination window opens. Use the Source
drive drop down menu to select the drive that holds the original disc.
Use the Destination drive drop down menu to select the drive that
holds your blank disc. If you have only one optical drive, the
destination drive will be the same as your source drive.
s Click Burn. (If the Burn option is grayed-out, check that there is a
blank recordable disc in the burning drive.)
t If you are copying a music CD, the Nero’s Title and CD Database
window may open. If it displays the correct information for your disc,
you can click Selected disc to save the song and album information
on your new CD. Otherwise, click Cancel to continue burning.
u The Burning Process screen opens. If you are using a single drive,
replace the original disc with a blank, recordable disc when prompted.
v A dialog box will appear when your burn is complete. Click OK to clear
this box, then click Next. Your discs will automatically be ejected, and
you will return to the opening screen on Nero Express.
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Create a Data Disc Using Nero Express
n Insert a blank, recordable disc in your recordable drive.
o Clear any messages that appear by selecting Cancel.
p Open Nero Express.
q Select Data, then Data Disc. This opens the Disc Content window.
r Click the Add button to add the files that you want to burn to your
disc. This opens the Select Files and Folders window.
s Browse to the file(s) or folder(s) that you wish to add. Select the file or
folder with the left mouse button, then click Add. The file or folder will
be added, and you will be returned to the Select Files and Folders
window to add more files/folders. You can select multiple files/folders
by holding down CTRL while left-clicking your selections.
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t When you have finished adding files, click Finished. You will return to
the Disc Content screen. The blue bar toward the bottom of this screen
shows how much space you have used on the disc.
u Click Next. This will take you to the Final Burn Settings screen. Make
sure that your recordable drive is selected in the Current recorder
drop down menu.
v Click Burn. The Burning Process screen appears, and your files are
burned to your disc. Your disc drive may open and close again during
the burning process. Wait a few moments before removing any discs
to make sure that the process is complete.
w A dialog box will appear when your burn is complete. Click OK to clear
this box, then click Next. Your disc will automatically be ejected, and
you will return to the opening screen on Nero Express.
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COMPUTER B ASICS
Create a Music Disc Using Nero Express
Nero Express can help you turn the music files on your hard drive into a
variety of different music disc types.
Audio CDs can be played on standard home and car CD players. Your
MP3 files are automatically converted to Audio CD format.
Audio and Data CDs can be played on standard home and car CD
players, and they can also contain data files that can be viewed on
another notebook.
MP3 Discs can be played on some home and car CD players that
support the MP3 format. They can also be played on notebooks. More
songs will fit on an MP3 disc, but the disc will not be as compatible
with other players as a standard audio CD.
WMA Discs are similar to MP3 discs, but they use the WMA format
instead of the MP3 format.
The process for creating a music disc is essentially the same for any of the
different music disc formats.
n Insert a blank, recordable CD in your recordable drive. We recommend
using a CD-R for the highest level of compatibility with standard CD
players.
o Clear any messages that appear by selecting Cancel.
p Open Nero Express.
q Select Music, then the type of music CD that you would like to create:
Audio CD, Audio and Data CD, MP3 disc, or WMA disc.
r A window opens where you can add the audio files that you want to
burn. Click Add.
s Browse to the file(s) or folder(s) that you wish to add. Select the file or
folder with the left mouse button, then click Add. The file or folder will
be added, and you will be returned to the Select Files and Folders
window to add more files/folders. You can select multiple files/folders
by holding down CTRL while left-clicking your selections.
t When you have finished adding files, click Finished. You will return to
the Disc Content screen. The blue bar at the bottom of this screen
shows how much space you have used on the disc.
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u Click Next. This will take you to the Final Burn Settings screen. Make
sure that your recordable drive is selected in the Current recorder
drop down menu.
v Click Burn. The Burning Process screen appears, and your files are
burned to your disc. Your disc drive may open and close again during
the burning process. Wait a few moments before removing any discs
to make sure that the process is complete.
w A dialog box will appear when your burn is complete. Click OK to clear
this box, then click Next. Your disc will automatically be ejected, and
you will return to the opening screen on Nero Express.
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INTERNET: WORLD W IDE WEB AND E MAIL
INTERNET: WORLD WIDE WEB AND EMAIL
Computers around the world can communicate with one another through a
common network called the Internet. This network lets you exchange email
and access websites.
Just like you need an account with your local phone company to make
telephone calls, you need to have an account with an Internet Service Provider (ISP) to access the Internet.
There are three common ways to connect your computer to the Internet. We
recommend that you choose an ISP based on the type of Internet connection
that you want to use.
A dial-up connection uses your regular telephone line and the modem
inside your computer. This type of connection is widely available and
generally inexpensive. However, it is not as fast as broadband
connections, such as DSL and cable.
A DSL (Digital Subscriber Line) connection is a type of broadband
connection. It uses your telephone line and a special modem that
connects to the Ethernet (network) port on your computer. DSL is
faster than dial-up, but it is more expensive and is not available in all
areas.
A cable connection is another type of broadband connection. It uses
your TV cable line and a special modem that connects to the Ethernet
(network) port on your computer. Like DSL, cable is faster than dialup, but it is also more expensive and is not available in all areas.
Setting Up an Internet Account
The following example shows the set up of a dial-up Internet account using
PeoplePC. There are many other ISPs available. If you want to use or are
already using a different ISP, please contact that service directly for
assistance in setting up or transferring your account. More information on
setting up an Internet account is available on page 45 of this manual. You
can also check Start, then All Programs for set up programs for other ISPs.
PeoplePC is not included on all Medion notebooks. If your notebook does not
include PeoplePC software, please follow the instructions on page 45 for
setting up an Internet account with a different ISP.
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Setting Up a PeoplePC Dial-up Account
PeoplePC is an ISP that provides dial-up Internet service. The following
instructions show the steps for setting up a dial-up account with PeoplePC.
This is provided as an example.
n Double-click the PeoplePC icon on your desktop.
This will open the PeoplePC setup program.
o A window will appear that explains the PeoplePC offer. Click this button
to continue.
p A window will appear with information about PeoplePC features. Click Next
to continue.
q On the following screen, click the button in the New Members box.
r Enter your personal information in the window that appears, and then click
Next to continue.
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INTERNET: WORLD W IDE WEB AND E MAIL
s Enter the member name that you want to use, your password, and a
password hint, and press Next to continue.
t On the following window, select the method you would like to use for
payment: check or credit card. Then click Next to continue.
u If you selected credit card as the payment type, enter a valid credit card
number and expiration date. Click Join Now when you are finished.
**or**
If you selected check as the payment type, enter a valid bank routing
number and checking account number. Information on the screen will help
you find these numbers on a check. Click Join Now when you are
finished.
v Next you will be asked to review the PeoplePC legal terms and conditions.
Click the Agree button if you agree to the terms and conditions.
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INTERNET: WORLD W IDE WEB AND E MAIL
w Congratulations! You are now a PeoplePC member. Record your member
information here:
Member Name
Password
Email
Order ID
The PeoplePC software will download the remaining pieces of software. You
will then be asked to restart your computer. Once you have completed this
action, you will have a PeoplePC Online icon on your desktop. You will also
have an PeoplePC E-Mail Notification icon. Double-click the PeoplePC icon
to set up your connection to PeoplePC Online. Once connected, double click
the E-mail Change Notification to let all your contacts know your new email address.
Setting Up an Internet Account with a Different ISP
If you wish to use an Internet Service Provider other than PeoplePC or
Earthlink, follow these instructions.
nSelect Start, then All Programs, then Accessories, then
Communications, then New Connection Wizard. Click Next to
continue.
o Select Connect to the Internet, then click Next to continue.
p Select the option that best fits your situation:
Choose from a list of Internet service providers (ISPs) is best
if you do not currently have an account with an ISP.
Set up my connection manually is useful if you already have an
account with an ISP. If you do not have your account name,
password, and access phone number handy, make sure to get them
from your ISP before you continue.
Use the CD I got from an ISP is the selection you should use if
you wish to use a setup disc that has been provided by an ISP.
q Click Next to continue, and follow the instructions on screen.
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Accessing Websites
Once you have an Internet account, you are ready to access websites for
news, hobby information, recipes, downloads, shopping, financial services,
and just about anything you can imagine.
The software that you use to access websites is called a browser. Microsoft
Internet Explorer is a browser that comes installed on your computer.
o
q
n
p
Every website has a unique name called a URL (uniform resource locator).
For example, the URL for Medion’s website is http://www.medion.com.
If you know the URL for a website that you want to access, you can enter it
in your browser’s address bar
the website.
57
nand click Go. This will take you directly to
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If you don’t know the URL for a website that you want to access, you can
search for websites that match a specific subject or topic. Many browsers
have a search function
You can also visit specialized websites for searching the rest of the World
Wide Web, such as http://www.yahoo.com or http://www.google.com. In
addition to search tools, these sites may also include a directory that you can
use to browse for sites, sort of like looking up a phone number in the yellow
pages of your phone book.
You can move around different parts of a website, or even between multiple
websites, using hyperlinks
section of text, a button, or even part of an image. When you move your
pointer over a hyperlink, it will change from an arrow to a pointing finger.
Then you can left-click to follow the hyperlink.
If you want to return to the page you were on before you clicked the
hyperlink, you can click the Back button
Back button takes you to the most recently viewed page.
o built into their menus.
p. A hyperlink may be shown as an underlined
q on your browser’s menu bar. The
The Help function of your browser should provide more in-depth information
about accessing websites.
Using Email
Email stands for electronic mail. To send an email, you will need an Internet
connection and an email account. Depending on the type of email account
that you have, you may also need an email program, such as Microsoft
Outlook Express.
Most Internet accounts also come with a free email account. Please contact
your ISP if you have questions about setting up the email account for your
ISP.
There are also services on the World Wide Web that offer free or inexpensive
email accounts. These email accounts often let you use your Internet
browser (for example, Internet Explorer) instead of an email program (for
example, Outlook Express) to check, manage, and send email.
Email is much faster than regular postal mail. A typical email is sent and
received within minutes. You can send email to Aunt Betty any time of the
day or night, but she won’t see your messages until she logs in to her email
account and checks her inbox.
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Microsoft Outlook Express
Your Medion notebook comes with the Microsoft Outlook Express software
program for reading, sending, and receiving email. Your ISP may offer
custom software for sending and receiving email. If you are using a webbased email account (for example, a Hotmail account), you may not need an
email program at all.
If you are using an email account from your ISP, please contact your ISP for
help setting up email. The correct settings vary depending on the type of
Internet and email service your ISP provides.
o n
p
q
r
Looking at Microsoft Outlook Express
n Create Mail button. Click here to write a new email.
o Send/Receive button. Click here to update your Inbox and Outbox.
p Inbox. Click here to see the email that you have received.
q Sent Items. Click here to see the email that you have sent.
r Contacts. Any contacts that you have added to your address list will
appear here.
Creating a New Email Message
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n Click the Create Mail button to open the New Message window.
t
r s
o
p
q
o Type the email address of the person who will receive the email in the
To: field. If you want to send an email to more than one person, enter
a comma (,) or semicolon (;) between the different email addresses.
p Enter the subject, or title, of your email.
q Write the body of your email.
r Optional: If you wish, you can click the Spelling button to check your
email for spelling errors before it is sent.
s Optional: To add a separate file to your email, such as a resume
formatted in Microsoft Word, click the Attach button. This will open a
separate window where you can browse for the file that you would like
to attach. Keep in mind that the person who will be receiving your
email may have limits to the size of email that they can accept.
Anything over 5MB should be avoided.
t When you are done writing your email, press the Send button.
For more information about using Outlook Express, click Help on the main
menu, then click Contents and Index to see a list of topics.
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MULTIMEDIA: SOUND, PHOTOS, AND MOVIES
MULTIMEDIA: SOUND, PHOTOS, AND MOVIES
Your Medion computer was designed to help you take advantage of today’s
digital multimedia—from MP3 music files to DVD movies and from digital
photographs to home videos.
Software and Disc Type Recommendations
There are many different options available to you for working with
multimedia. Sometimes, deciding on the program and the type of disc that
you should use for a project can be a daunting task. The following chart
shows Medion’s recommendations for some common projects. All of the
software listed on this chart is included on your Medion system.
Of course, you should always feel free to experiment with the other programs
included on your system, or with third-party software purchased separately.
These are only recommendations.
To… Use this software… And this type of disc…
Play audio CDs or
MP3s
Play a DVD movie PowerDVD
Copy a CD Nero Express CD-R, CD-RW
Create a data CD Nero Express CD-R, CD-RW
Create an audio CD Nero Express or
Create a MP3 CD Nero Express or
Please note that some CDs include copy protection software that will not
allow them to be played on your notebook.
Windows Media Player and MUSICMATCH are programs that can help you
play, organize, and download music. These programs come pre-installed on
your system. There are other programs available for working with music files.
Which one you use depends on your personal preference.
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The following instructions are for Windows Media Player 9 and MUSICMATCH
8.2. If you have an older version of these programs installed on your
notebook, you can update them for free by downloading the latest version
from the websites below:
Windows Media Player:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/default.aspx
MUSICMATCH: http://www.musicmatch.com
n To check the version that is installed on your notebook:
o Open the program.
p Select Help, then About [program name]
A window will appear with information about the version of the program
installed on your notebook. This works for many different software programs,
not just MUSICMATCH and Windows Media Player.
Play Music CDs
Windows Media Player or MUSICMATCH can be used to play music CDs.
n Insert your music CD into an optical drive.
o If a dialog box opens with a list of players, select either Windows
Media Player or MUSICMATCH.
** or **
If a dialog box does not open, click start, then All Programs, then
open either Windows Media Player or MUSICMATCH.
p If your CD does not begin playing automatically, click play.
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Looking at MUSICMATCH and Windows Media Player
Although the screens may look different, MUSICMATCH and Windows Media
Player work very similarly.
r
o
n
p
s
q
n Music controls for play , skip backward , skip forward ,
pause
, and stop .
o Playlists let you create and save your own custom song lists.
p If you are connected to the Internet, you can use these programs to
listen to radio stations.
q Send your playlists to a CD or portable music device.
r Watch visualizations that pulse to the sound of your music (this is in
the Now Playing section of Windows Media Player).
s Your songs appear in the library, where they can be sorted by artist,
album, or genre.
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o
r
p
q
n
s
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Create MP3s
MP3 files are a common way of compressing music files so that they take up
less space on your hard drive. You can use the MUSICMATCH software loaded
on your Medion notebook to create MP3 files from a music CD. These MP3
files are automatically stored on your hard drive.
If you are connected to the Internet, MUSICMATCH can automatically list the
name of the album, artist, and songs for the music that you are recording.
This information can be used to name the MP3 files that you are creating. If
you wish to use this feature, make sure that you are connected to the
Internet before proceeding.
Some music CDs have copy protection software that prevent creation of
MP3s from these CDs.
n Select Start, then All Programs, then MUSICMATCH, then
MUSICMATCH Jukebox to open the MUSICMATCH software.
o Insert your music CD into an optical drive.
p If the CD automatically begins playing, click Stop .
q Find the Music Center menu on the left-hand side of the MUSICMATCH
window. Under COPY, click Rip From CD. Then select the drive that
holds your music CD. This will open the MUSICMATCH Recorder
window.
r You can remove the check box next to any songs that you do NOT
want to convert and save.
s Click the red Start button at the bottom of the Recorder window.
t You may see a CD-ROM Configuration window that says that your CD
drive needs to be configured or initialized. Click OK to let
MUSICMATCH configure your optical drive.
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u MUSICMATCH will now record the selected songs on your CD to your
hard drive as MP3 files.
Organize Music
You can use either MUSICMATCH or Windows Media Player to organize your
music files.
MUSICMATCH
In MUSICMATCH, your music files can be organized in My Library.
n First you must add your music files to My Library. When you use
MUSICMATCH to create MP3s from music discs, these MP3s are
automatically added to My Library. You can also add songs to My
Library by dragging and dropping the files from Windows Explorer, or
by clicking the Add To Library button.
o Once your files are added to My Library, you can sort them by genre,
artist, song title, or other categories. Click View Library by to select
from a list of categories that can be used to sort your music.
p MUSICMATCH uses track tags to identify and sort your music files. To
change the title, genre, or other information about a song, right-click
the song in My Library and select Edit Track Tag(s)… in the menu
that appears. The Edit Track Tag(s) window will open. When you are
finished making changes, click OK.
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Windows Media Player
In Windows Media Player, your music files are organized in the Media Library.
n The first time you select Media Library in Windows Media Player, a
dialog box will appear asking if you would like to search your computer
for media. If you already have songs saved on your hard drive, this is
a quick way to add them to your library. Click Yes to search your hard
drive for songs.
** or **
If this dialog box does not automatically appear, or if you want to
access this feature in future sessions with Windows Media Player,
simply open the program and press F3 on your keyboard.
o This will open the Add To Media Library By Searching Computer dialog
box. You can use the options in this dialog box to specify where and
how you want Windows Media Player to search for your music files.
Click the Help button on this screen for more information. When you
are finished adjusting the settings, click Search.
p A progress bar will appear. When the search is completed, click Close
to clear the dialog box.
qTo see the music that you’ve added to your Media Library, click All
Music on the left side of the screen. Click the small + symbol next to
All Music to see different options for viewing your music files.
r Like MUSICMATCH, Windows Media
identify and sort your music files. To change the title, genre, or other
information about a song, right-click the song and select Advanced Tag Editor. This will open the Advanced Tag Editor window, where
you can update and
add information about
a song. When you are
finished making
changes, click OK.
Player also uses track tags to
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Photos
Moving Images from a Digital Camera to Your Notebook
Most digital cameras store images on a memory card. If the memory card
used by your digital camera is one of the types supported by the Medion card
reader, then you can use it just like a floppy disk to transfer images. This
method does not require special drivers, nor does it require that your camera
be on while you transfer images.
Please check the separate Specifications Sheet to see whether your notebook
includes a card reader, and the types of cards it supports.
n Turn off your digital camera.
o Remove the memory card from your camera (see the instructions for
your camera for help with this step).
p Insert the card in the appropriate memory card slot on your card
reader.
q After a moment, a window may open that lists a series of actions that
Windows can perform with picture files. Select Copy pictures to a
folder on my computer using Microsoft Scanner and Camera
Wizard and follow the simple instructions on screen.
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r If the action window does not open, double-click My Computer.
s Double-click on the icon for the type of memory card that you are
using. You may need to open several folders on the memory card
before you find your images.
t Drag the images from your memory card to a folder on your computer.
u Don’t forget to put the memory card back in your camera when you
have finished!
If your digital camera does not use a memory card supported by your Medion
card reader, or if your notebook does not include a card reader, you will need
to follow the instructions that came with your camera to connect it to your
notebook and transfer images. Typical setup instructions might look like this:
n Install a driver from a CD-ROM.
o Connect your camera to the notebook with a USB cable.
p Turn your camera on, and make sure that it is set to the correct mode.
Please contact your camera manufacturer if you have questions about using
your camera with your Medion notebook.
Creating Photo Slideshow Discs using PowerProducer
You can use the PowerProducer software included with your Medion notebook
to create digital photo slideshows that can be recorded to CD or DVD. These
discs can be played on other computers and many conventional DVD players.
Step 1: Disc Settings
n If you have not already done so, follow the instructions above to move
the digital images from your camera to your notebook.
oClick Start, then All Programs, then PowerProducer, then
PowerProducer to open the PowerProducer program.
p Once the program is open, select Produce Movie Disc.
q Select the output disc format VCD
VCD is a lower-quality video format that can be saved to CD-R or CDRW. It can be played on some conventional DVD players.
r Select the Country. This is the country where your disc will be played.
This is important because TVs in different countries sometimes use
different video formats. USA is the default.
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s Select the Video Quality. Your Medion notebook has enough power to
record at the highest quality.
t Click Next. This is the green arrow pointing to the right at the bottom
of the screen. The green arrows let you move back and forth between
the PowerProducer screens to change your selections.
Step 2: Develop Your Slideshow
nYou should now see the Capture/Import Content screen. Under Extra
Features on the left side of the screen, click Create Slideshows.
oYou should now see the Create Slideshows screen. Click Create an
Album. This will open a dialog box where you can browse for the
images that you would like to include in your slideshow. You can select
multiple images in a folder by holding the CTRL key while you click on
the images. Click Open and wait for the images to be imported into
PowerProducer. The image(s) that you selected will appear on the film
strip at the bottom of the screen.
p To add more photos to your slideshow, click Add Files to Album,
select the images, and click Open.
q To change the order in which your photos appear, simply click and
drag them on the film strip at the bottom of the screen.
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rOptional: To use an MP3 as background music for your slideshow, click
this symbol:
This will open the background music screen, where you can
select a song and adjust the music settings.
sOptional: To change how long a photo remains on screen, select the
photo on the film strip, then enter the number of seconds that you
would like it to be displayed under Slide Duration.
tWhen you are finished arranging your slides, click the green
checkmark to return to the Capture/Import Content screen. Click
Next to move to the Preview screen.
uOptional: To change the way that menus will appear on a VCD, click
the Authoring button for more options.
Step 3: Test and Burn Your Disc
n On the Preview screen, click on the buttons of the on-screen remote
control to test your slideshow before burning it to disc. When you are
satisfied with your slideshow, click Next.
o Make sure there is a blank disc in the drive. Remember that you can
record to an “R” disc only once. You will not be able to add to or copy
over an “R” disc once you have burned something to it.
p Decide whether to include PowerDVD Player on your disc. You can
include PowerDVD Player to make sure that your disc will play on
computers that do not already have software for movie disc playback.
Including PowerDVD player may take up more space on your disc. It
will not affect playback on home DVD players.
q Click the Finish button to make your disc:
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Movies
Playing a DVD Movie
Medion has included the award-winning PowerDVD software for playing
movies on your notebook.
n Insert your DVD.
o If a dialog box opens with a list of players, select PowerDVD.
** or **
If a dialog box does not open, click Start, then All Programs, then PowerDVD, then PowerDVD.
p If your movie does not begin playing automatically, click play in the
center of the control wheel.
If your notebook has two drives that can play DVDs (for example, a DVD-RW
drive and a DVD drive), PowerDVD may recognize only one of the drives
automatically. To view DVDs from the other drive, press CTRL + O or click
the Select Source button
, then choose the drive you wish to use.
Regional Playback Information for DVD
The playback of DVD movies includes the decoding of MPEG2 videos, digital
AC3 audio data, and the deciphering of CSS protected contents. CSS
(sometimes called copy guard) is the name of a data protection program
incorporated by the movie industry as an action against illegal copies.
Among the numerous regulations for CSS licensees, the most important ones
are the country-specific playback restrictions. In order to facilitate the
geographically restricted release of movies, DVD titles are released for
certain regions. Copyright laws require the restriction of each DVD movie to a
certain region (usually the region in which it is sold). DVD movie versions can
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be published in several regions, but the CSS regulations require that each
CSS decipherable system may be used only in one region.
The decoding software included with your notebook may be changed for
regional DVD decoding up to five times, after which the drive will play DVD
movies only for the region setting last entered. Changing the region code
after that is not covered by the warranty.
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CHANGING H ARDWARE AND SOFTWARE
CHANGING HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE
Your Medion notebook includes everything you need to get started right
away. However, we have also made it easy to add third-party hardware and
software so you can customize your Medion notebook to meet your specific
needs.
Adding Software (Programs, Games, etc.)
During software installations, important files can be changed or even deleted.
Medion recommends that you set a Windows XP recovery point before
installing software. Instructions and additional information about Windows XP
recovery points can be found in the System Recovery section of this manual.
For specific installation information, refer to the documentation that came
with the software program. Here is a typical installation procedure.
n Load the software program installation disc in the optical drive.
o Most installer programs start automatically after a few moments. If the
installer program does not start automatically, you can manually start
it by double-clicking My Computer, and then double-clicking the drive
letter where you loaded the software program installation disc.
p Follow the instructions given by the program.
Digital Signatures
When installing software or drivers, you may receive the message “The
software you are installing has not passed Windows Logo testing to verify its
compatibility with Windows XP.” Although the software lacks the digital
signature, it may work properly. Click on Tell me why this testing is important to get detailed information. Click on Continue Anyway to
continue to install your software.
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CHANGING H ARDWARE AND SOFTWARE
Removing Software Programs
Removing a software program is not as simple as deleting a folder on your
hard drive. Although this will certainly stop the program from working, it will
leave stray parts of the program that can clutter up your system and reduce
your system’s performance. Instead, always use Windows’ Add or Remove Programs feature to get rid of software that you don’t want on your
notebook.
nClick Start, then select Control Panel, then Add or Remove
Programs.
o A list of the programs installed on your computer will appear. Select
the program you would like to remove, then click the
Change/Remove button.
p A dialog box will appear. Confirm that you want to remove the
program by clicking Yes.
q Follow the instructions on screen.
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CHANGING H ARDWARE AND SOFTWARE
Adding Peripherals (Printers, Scanners, etc.)
Most modern peripherals are very easy to install. Simply follow the
instructions that came with your device.
In general, there are two steps to adding any peripheral to your notebook.
n First, you must make sure that your hardware is connected correctly.
Make certain that you have located the correct port on your computer
and that all plugs are firmly inserted.
o Second, you will need to install the correct device driver. A driver is a
piece of software that lets the notebook and the peripheral
communicate with each other. Some drivers come pre-loaded as part
of your operating system, but some will need to be installed from a
disc that came with your peripheral. If you have misplaced the disc
that came with your peripheral, you may be able to download the
correct driver from the manufacturer’s website.
If you connect a peripheral device and it is not automatically recognized by
Microsoft Windows XP, try the Add Hardware Wizard.
n Select Start, then Control Panel.
o If you are in Category View, click Switch to Classic View.
p Double-click Add Hardware.
q Follow the instructions on screen.
Please contact the manufacturer of your peripheral device if you have any
questions about its setup or use.
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NETWORKING
A network is a system of two or more computers connected together.
Networks can be used to share an Internet connection, files, or peripheral
devices such as printers. You can also use a network to pit your skills against
your friends and family in popular multi-player games. There are two basic
types of network, wired and wireless.
Wired Networks
A wired network requires that all computers and peripherals on the network
be connected with a physical cable, commonly called Cat 5 cable.
Each computer on the network will need a network, or Ethernet, port. If one
of your coputers did not come with an Ethernet port, you will have to add an
Ethernet card (or Ethernet PC card for notebooks) in order to connect the
computer to your network. Ethernet comes in different speeds, 10Mbps
(standard Ethernet), 10/100Mbps (Fast Ethernet), and 10/100/1000Mbps
(Gigabit Ethernet). Your Medion notebook uses a 10/100 Fast Ethernet
connection.
You will also need an Ethernet router, switch, or hub. A router should have a
port for connecting a cable or DSL modem, support for dynamic IPs, a builtin firewall, and enough ports for all of the computers and devices on your
network. Switches and hubs do not generally provide support for dynamic IPs
or firewall features.
Setting Up a Wired Network
Although every network is slightly different, here is the basic procedure for
setting up a wired network using a router. If you are using a switch or hub
instead of a router, you may first need to contact your ISP to receive multiple
IP addresses, which may incur an additional charge.
n Turn off and unplug all of the devices that will be used on your
network.
o If you are using a DSL or cable modem, connect this to the router with
Cat 5 cable. Make sure that you are using the correct port, usually
labeled uplink.
p Connect each of the computers that you want to network to the
remaining ports on the router with Cat 5 cable.
q Turn on the computers, your modem, and the router. There should be
a row of lights on the router that corresponds to each of the devices
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NETWORKING
that are plugged in to it. If a light for one of your connections does not
come on, make sure that the cable is connected securely and that the
device is on.
rOn your Medion notebook, click Start, then All Programs, then
Accessories, then Communications, then Network Setup Wizard,
and follow the instructions on screen.
s When the Network Setup Wizard is finished, it will ask if you want to
create a network setup disc. This disc can be used to run the Network
Setup Wizard on other computers on your network, even if they are
running older versions of the Microsoft Windows operating system.
Wireless Networks
A wireless network offers the same benefits as a wired network, but—you got
it—without the pesky wires. A wireless network can be extremely useful,
especially if you use a notebook at home. Keep in mind that a variety of
factors can impact wireless network performance, including the distance
between devices, the construction of your home, and electrical interference.
There are a few different wireless standards out there. All of the devices on
your network will need to be compatible with the same standard in order for
your network to function.
802.11a is generally used only in office settings. It is less likely to
receive interference from other home electronics, and it is faster than
802.11b. However, 802.11a has a short range (25 to 50 feet) and the
components are generally more expensive.
802.11b is the common standard for hotspots at colleges, airports, and
coffee shops. It has a range of 100 to 150 feet. Microwaves and
cordless phones may cause interference with an 802.11b network.
802.11b is generally inexpensive.
802.11g is the same speed as 802.11a, but it is compatible with
802.11b. However, if there are also 802.11b devices on your network,
it will run at the slower 802.11b speed. 802.11g may also be
susceptible to interference from microwaves and cordless phones.
Do not use a wireless LAN in any environment where it may cause
interference with critical devices, such as a hospital.
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NETWORKING
Setting Up a Wireless Network
To connect multiple computers and share a broadband Internet connection
with a wireless network, you will need a wireless router. Your cable or DSL
modem connects directly to the wireless router with Cat 5 cable. Your
wireless computers connect to the wireless router via radio waves.
Because the procedure for setting up a wireless network varies based on the
equipment that you are using, you should always follow the instructions that
came with your wireless access point to set up your wireless network.
For more information on networking, please see the Help and Support Center
accessible from the Start menu.
Setting Up a Mixed Wired/Wireless Network
If you are networking both wired and wireless computers, you have a couple
of options. If you already have an existing wired network with a router, you
can purchase a wireless access point and connect it to an open port on your
router. In this case, all of your wireless computers will communicate with the
network through the wireless access point.
Or, if you don’t already have a wired router, you can purchase a wireless
router that has a wired switch/hub built into it. That way you can have any
wireless computers connected to the wireless router, and you can add any
computers that don’t have a wireless network controller to the built-in
switch/hub on the wireless router.
The best source of help and information when setting up your wireless or
mixed wired/wireless network is the manufacturer of your wireless router or
wireless access point. Please contact the manufacturer of your wireless
networking equipment for help with your wireless network.
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NOTEBOOK AND DATA CARE
Proper care of your notebook can help extend its working life and protect
your important files.
Backing Up Data
Back up your data regularly to external media such as CDs, DVDs, or floppy
disks. Windows XP provides both a Backup program and a Files and Settings Transfer Wizard for this purpose. To use these tools, click the Start menu,
then choose Accessories, then choose System Tools.
Maintenance Programs
You can avoid some hardware and software errors with use of two Windows
XP programs: Disk Defragmenter and Disk Cleanup. To use these tools, click
the Start menu, then choose Accessories, then choose System Tools.
Disk Defragmenter
Disk defragmenter reorganizes the files on your hard drive. This can improve
hard drive performance. Running the disk defragmenter program can take a
considerable amount of time. Make sure that you are logged off of any
network before running disk defragmenter. Do not use your mouse or
keyboard while running disk defragmenter or you may reset the process.
Disk Cleanup
Disk cleanup deletes unnecessary files to free up space on your hard drive.
You will have the option to choose which types of files to delete, such as
temporary Internet files or files in the recycle bin.
Scheduling Tasks
The Scheduled Task Wizard lets you set specific times that you want
maintenance programs, such as disk defragmenter, to run. This way you can
make sure that the maintenance programs are completed without interfering
with your notebook use. However, your notebook must be on in order to run
scheduled tasks. If you set a task to run at midnight, but you turned off your
notebook when you went to bed at eleven, your task will not run.
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To schedule a maintenance task:
nSelect Start, then All Programs, then System Tools, then
Scheduled Tasks.
o Double-click Add Scheduled Task to open the Scheduled Task Wizard.
p Click Next, then select the program that you want to schedule.
q Follow the instructions on the screen.
Password Reset File
You should create a password reset disk and keep it in a safe place in case a
you forget your password. To create a password reset disk:
n Select Start, then Control Panel, then User Accounts. Click on the icon
for your account.
o Select Prevent a forgotten password on the left side of the window.
p Follow the instructions on the screen.
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TROUBLESHOOTING
First Steps
Many common problems can be solved very quickly and easily by following
these simple steps.
n Check that the notebook is plugged in, that the AC outlet is providing
power and that the surge protector or power strip is turned on.
o Check that there is no disc in the floppy drive, and no bootable disc
(for example, the Application & Support disc) in any optical drives.
p Check that there is space remaining on your hard drive.
q If the problem occurred while installing or removing a peripheral,
check that you performed all tasks as instructed and review the
documentation for the peripheral.
r If the problem occurred while using a software program, check the
printed documentation or online help for the program.
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Troubleshooting Common Problems
A CD or DVD Will Not Play
n Make sure that the disc has been inserted properly, and that the label
side is facing up.
o Check to see if the disc needs to be cleaned. Always clean discs by
wiping from the center to the edge—never use a circular motion. Use
only cloths made especially for cleaning discs.
p Try a different disc. Sometimes discs become flawed or scratched and
cannot be read by your PC.
q If you are trying to play a music CD, make sure that the volume is
turned up and that speaker cables are connected correctly.
r If you are trying to play a DVD movie, check that the regional code of
the DVD matches the regional code of your DVD drive. The regional
code for the United States and Canada is 1.
s If Restart your computer to make sure it is not a temporary memory
error.
t In some cases, the disc may not play because of copy protection
software.
A CD Recording Failed
n Close all other programs and don’t perform any other tasks while
making your recording.
o Reduce the recording speed.
p Make sure that you have enough room on the disc to which you are
trying to record.
q Make sure that you have enough space on your hard disk drive.
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TROUBLESHOOTING
Hard Disk Drive Problems
If you suspect that there is a problem with your hard drive, run Check Disk
to scan the drive for errors.
n Double-click My Computer.
o Right-click the drive that you want to check, and select Properties in
the menu that appears.
p Select the Tools tab.
q Under Error-checking, click Check Now.
r In the dialog box that appears, click Start. Check Disk will scan the
selected drive and notify you of any errors.
Hardware Device Problem
n Make sure that all cables are correctly and firmly attached.
o Make sure that the manufacturer’s instructions are carefully followed
during device setup.
p Check for device driver problems:
a. Select Start, then Control Panel. If you are in Category View,
select Performance and Maintenance.
b. Click/double-click System to open the System Properties window.
c. Select the Hardware tab, then click Device Manager.
d. Check the list for an exclamation point on a yellow circle. If this
icon is next to any of your devices, you may need to reinstall the
driver.
q To reinstall the driver, first use Windows XP Device Driver Rollback to
replace the faulty driver with a previously installed version. Then
install the new driver. Drivers for hardware that came with your
system can be found on the Medion website at www.medion.com. For
other drivers, please contact the manufacturer of your device.
84
a. Select Start, then Control Panel. If you are in Category View,
select Performance and Maintenance.
b. Click/double-click System to open the System Properties window.
c. Select the Hardware tab, then click Device Manager.
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TROUBLESHOOTING
d. Right-click the device with the driver that you want to roll back,
then select Properties on the menu that appears.
e. Click the Drivers tab, then click Roll Back Driver.
Keyboard Character Repeats
n Make sure that nothing is pressing against or resting on the keyboard.
o Press each key to loosen any that might be stuck, then restart your
computer.
Modem Does Not Dial or Connect
n Make sure that the modem cable is plugged into the modem port, not
the network port. These ports are very similar in appearance. The
separate Specification Sheet that came with your PC shows the
location of both ports.
o Use a telephone that you know to be working to check that the
telephone line is getting a dial tone. Also check that there is not an
excessive amount of noise on the line, as this will impact your
modem’s ability to operate, especially at high speeds.
p Make sure that you are using a modem cable that is less than six feet
long.
q If the telephone line being used is shared with another telephone or
modem, make sure that someone else is not using the line.
r If you have services such as call waiting, make sure that they are
temporarily disabled before using the modem. Your telephone
company can provide you with a code for this.
s If you have voice mail, make sure all messages are cleared before
using your modem to remove any message notification alerts.
t If you have an answering or fax machine that is on the same line,
disconnect it.
u Check that your modem dialing properties are set correctly.
a. Click Start, then select Control Panel. If you are in Category
View, click Printers and Other Hardware.
b. Click or double-click Phone and Modem Options, then select
the Dialing Rules tab.
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c. Select the location from which you are dialing, then click Edit.
Confirm that all settings, such as your area code, are correct,
then click OK.
v Perform a hyper terminal test to check that your modem is working.
a. First, make sure that all cables are connected correctly and that
you are using a working telephone line.
b. You may also need to adjust the modem volume. You will be
using sound to verify that your modem is working. See Modem Volume Is Too Loud/Too Soft below in this manual.
c. Select Start, then All Programs, then Accessories, then
Communications, then Hyper Terminal.
d. A dialog box will appear asking if you want to make Hyper
Terminal your default Telnet program. Click No to clear this box
and continue.
e. In the Connection Description dialog box, enter “test” as the
name for your connection, then click OK.
f. If your modem is not working, you may see an error message
that reads Windows has reported a TAPI error use the phone
and modem options icon in the control panel to make sure that
a modem is installed, then restart hyper terminal. If you see
this message, contact Customer Care. If not, continue with the
following steps.
g. In the Connect To dialog box, enter the number for any
telephone. A separate line in your home or your mobile
telephone number is ideal because you will be able to hear it
ring if the test is positive. Once you have entered the number,
click OK.
h. In the Connect dialog box, click the Dial button.
i. If your modem is working and everything is connected properly,
you should now hear a dial tone. The telephone for the number
you entered should ring.
Modem Volume Is Too Loud/Too Soft
nSelect Start, then Control Panel. If you are in Category View, click
Printers and Other Hardware.
oClick/double-click Phone and Modem Options and select the
Modems tab.
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p Select your modem, then click Properties.
q Select the Modem tab, then adjust the Speaker volume.
r Click OK until all dialog boxes are closed.
Non-System Disk Error Message
n Remove the floppy disk from the floppy drive and restart your PC.
Not Enough Memory Error Message
n Close all programs and restart your computer.
Printer Does Not Work
n Make sure that all cables are firmly connected and that the printer is
receiving power.
o Check that the printer is set to online. Many printers have an
online/offline button that you may need to press.
p Check that you have selected the correct printer in the printer setup,
or set the printer as a default printer.
a. Select Start, then Control Panel. If you are in Category View,
select Printers and Other Hardware.
b. Click/double-click the Printers and Faxes icon.
c. Right-click on the printer that you want to use, then select Set as
Default Printer.
q Check your printer port and cable for bent or broken pins.
r Reinstall or update the printer driver. If you no longer have the disc
that came with your printer, or if the driver from your disc is not
working, check the printer manufacturer’s website for an updated
driver.
s Turn the printer off for at least ten seconds and then turn it back on.
Often, this will clear the memory and resolve many common printing
problems.
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TROUBLESHOOTING
Software Program “Hangs”
If a software program that you are running stops responding to the mouse or
keyboard, you can close it using the Task Manager.
n Press CTRL + SHIFT + ESC.
o Select the Applications tab.
p Select the program that is not responding and click End Task.
Speakers Make No Sound
n Make sure that all cables are firmly connected and that the speakers
are receiving power. If your speakers are built in to your monitor,
make sure that a sound cable is connected between your PC and
monitor in addition to the monitor (VGA) cable.
o Make sure that the volume controls on your speakers, your system,
and the software program that you are using are turned up.
p Disconnect any headphones that may be attached to your PC. Use of
the headphones port automatically mutes the front speakers.
Video Capture Problems
If your video camera does not appear in the “Video Devices” list:
n Check that the cables are connected correctly.
o Check that the camera is on and receiving power.
p Check that the camera is in VCR or playback mode.
q Check that the correct video source is selected under Video Devices.
If you can capture video but not sound:
n Check that a sound cable is connected correctly.
o Check that the correct sound source is selected. If you are using the
front sound connections, use Aux as the sound source. If you are using
the rear connections, use Line In as the sound source.
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TROUBLESHOOTING
Contacting Medion Customer Care
If the troubleshooting steps in the previous section do not resolve your issue,
please try Medion USA’s online support website at www.medionusa.com.
Here you will find drivers and updates for your product, a searchable
Knowledge Base containing additional articles on common issues, and ways
to contact Medion USA Customer Care.
If you decide to contact Medion USA Customer Care, please have the
following information available:
The model of your computer.
A list of hardware upgrades made to the computer after purchase.
A list of peripherals that are attached to the computer.
A list of software that is installed on the computer.
The software you were using when the issue occurred.
Any error messages that may have appeared in conjunction with the
issue.
Are you able to repeat the issue?
A list of troubleshooting steps you performed before contacting
Customer Care.
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SYSTEM R ECOVERY
SYSTEM RECOVERY
Before performing a recovery, you should review the “Troubleshooting
Common Problems” section in this manual to see if you can resolve the
problem. If not, it is possible that a software file required by Windows XP to
operate the PC was damaged or deleted. If this is the case, there are two
strategies for recovery:
Restoring Microsoft Windows XP using Windows XP System
Restore
This type of recovery is usually very quick and will solve most typical
problems that occur after an unsuccessful installation of an application,
device, or driver has caused instability in the system.
Restoring the factory settings using the Application & Support
CD provided by Medion
There are several options for recovery available using the Application &
Support CD, including the ability to restore your entire system to its
original factory settings.
Restoring Microsoft Windows XP
Windows XP System Restore allows you to set recovery points. This feature
enables you to take a snapshot of the current system configuration, to which
you can return should an unsuccessful installation of an application, device,
or driver cause instability in the system.
While Windows XP automatically creates recovery points, you can also set
them manually. In addition, you can configure the maximum amount of
memory used for this.
To use System Restore to set recovery points or restore your system, click
the Start menu, then choose All Programs, then choose Accessories, then
choose System Tools, then choose System Restore. Select the task that
you would like to perform and follow the on-screen instructions. For detailed
information, refer to Windows XP Help and Support.
System Restore includes various functions to help ensure that your PC and
installed applications and devices work correctly. These functions assist you
in solving the problems that might occur by adding, deleting, or replacing
files required for proper functioning of Windows XP and your software and
devices. The restore function you use depends on the type of problem or
error.
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SYSTEM R ECOVERY
In general, it is a good idea to set a recovery point before installing a new
software program or driver. If the system becomes unstable during or after
the installation, you can usually return to a workable configuration without
deleting newly created documents. If Windows XP System Restore does not
solve your problem, refer to the next section, Restoring the Factory Settings.
Restoring the Factory Settings
System Recovery powered by PowerQuest.
www.powerquest.com
If your system is not functioning properly and Windows XP System Restore
did not solve the problem, then you should use the Application & Support CD
provided by Medion to restore your system to working order.
There are three options for restoring your system.
nRecovery of start-up files
Use this option to restore the start-up files. This option is most useful
when a virus has corrupted certain files necessary for your computer
to boot. It is executed very quickly.
oRecovery of system and driver files
This option will copy the original system and driver files to your hard
disk. This feature shouldn’t affect your personal files and settings.
However, we recommend that you first back up your personal data,
just to be safe.
pRestoring the factory settings
This recovery will reset your system to its condition at delivery. ALL
DATA ON YOUR LOCAL DISK (C:) DRIVE WILL BE ERASED. If possible,
back up your personal data to external media before performing this
restore.
Restoring the Factory Settings: Important Information
Any changes made to the original factory configuration (for example,
settings for your display, printers, network, or Internet connection) will
be overwritten by this restoration.
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SYSTEM R ECOVERY
Any software that you installed after purchasing the PC will be erased
and will need to be reinstalled.
Everything on the C:\Local Disk partition will be erased. This
includes all of your documents and settings.
Tampering with the Recovery (D:) hard disk drive or its contents will
make it more difficult to restore your PC. Do not alter, resize, or
delete the Recovery (D:) hard disk drive. Also, do not alter or
delete the files on the Recovery (D:) hard disk drive.
Performing the Restore
Each step of the restore replaces an increasing number of files on your hard
drive, and therefore takes longer to finish. We recommend that you attempt
each of the restore options in order, starting with “Recovery of start-up files.”
After finishing each restore option, you should test your system to see if the
problem is solved. If the problem persists, then try the next restore option.
To make selections in the restore program, use the up and down arrow keys
to highlight the option you would like to select, then press enter to make the
selection.
nPrepare your PC: If possible, copy your data files to external media
(such as a floppy disk, CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-RW, or flash card) BEFORE
you continue! Also, remove all peripherals (such as printers or USB
devices) except your keyboard, mouse, and monitor before starting
the restore.
o Insert the Application & Support disc and restart (reboot) the PC.
Make sure you use a drive that can read a DVD, such as a DVDROM or DVD-RW drive!
p Caution: Do not use the Medion Product Recovery CD-ROM (a Windows
XP CD for restoring Windows XP itself) for restoration purposes. This
disc does not restore the original factory setup of the PC.
q Select the option Boot from CD-ROM from the first screen.
r Use the arrow keys to read through the license agreement, then press
the Esc key to proceed.
s Read the information screen that appears, then press Enter to
proceed.
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SYSTEM R ECOVERY
t Select option 1, 2, or 3 to perform a restore (the types of restore are
described earlier in this section). Select option 4. Reboot if you want
to cancel the restore process.
u The next screen shows information about the type of restore that you
have chosen. Select either Abort or Back to return to the previous
screen, or select Finish to execute the restore.
v When the restore is completed, it automatically restarts the PC.
Remove and store the Application & Support CD.
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STANDARDS ANDLEGALINFORMATION
STANDARDS AND LEGAL INFORMATION
Your Medion PC meets the requirements for the following standards.
Electromagnetic Compatibility
This PC meets the following requirements for standards of electromagnetic compatibility and
electrical safety.
EN 55022: Information technology equipment - Radio disturbance characteristics - Limits and
methods of measurement.
EN 55024: Information technology equipment - Immunity characteristics - Limits and
methods of measurement.
EN 61000-3-2: Limits - Limits for harmonic current emissions (equipment input current up to
and including 16 A per phase).
EN 61000-3-3: Limits - Limitation of voltage fluctuations and flicker in low voltage supply
systems for equipment with a rated current up to 16 A.
Keep the PC at least one meter (approximately three feet) away from high frequency
and magnetic interference sources (for example, televisions, loudspeaker cabinets,
mobile telephones, and so on) in order to avoid malfunctions and/or loss of data.
Only shielded cables shorter than 3 meters (9.84 ft) should be used for the LPT, COM,
USB, IEEE 1394, audio, video, and network interfaces with this PC.
When connecting additional components, please observe the Guidelines on
Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC).
This class B digital apparatus complies with Canadian ICES-003. Cet appareil
numérique de la classe B est conforme á la norme NMB-003 du Canada.
Electrical Safety
EN 60950: Safety of information technology equipment.
The connection of devices is limited to equipment that complies with EN60950 “Safety
of information technology equipment” or EN60065 “Audio, video and similar electronic
apparatus. Safety requirements.”
For U.S./Canadian purposes: The PC should be connected only to equipment that
complies with UL 60950/CAN CSA 22.2 No 60950.
Ergonomics
EN 29241-3: Ergonomic requirements for office work with visual display terminals (VDTs).
Visual display requirements.
EN ISO 9241-8: Ergonomic requirements for office work with visual display terminals (VDTs).
Requirements for displayed colors.
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STANDARDS ANDLEGALINFORMATION
Noise Emission
ISO 7779 (ISO 9296): Acoustics. Measurement of airborne noise emitted by information
technology and telecommunications equipment.
This PC fulfills the requirements of noise emissions according to ISO 7779 with following
values.
Operating Mode Max. Sound power level LWAd (dB/A)
(declared according to ISO 9296)
Idling 4.8
Operating 5.2
Max. Sound pressure level LpAm (dB/A)
(declared according to ISO 9296)
At bystander position Idling 40
St bystander position Operating 47
Supplementary
This product was tested in the US and complies with the requirements of the R&TTE Directive
1999/5/EC and carries the CE-marking accordingly.
CE 0682
Macrovision Statement
This product incorporates copyright protection technology that is protected by method claims
of certain U.S. patents and other intellectual property rights owned by Macrovision Corporation
and other rights owners. Use of this copyright protection technology must be authorized by
Macrovision Corporation, and is intended for home and other limited viewing uses only unless
otherwise authorized by Macrovision Corporation. Reverse engineering or disassembly is
prohibited.
FCC Compliance Statement
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital
device, pursuant to Part 15 of FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable
protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates,
uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with
the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is
no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does
cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by
turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by
one or more of the following measures.
Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.
Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the
receiver is connected.
Consult the dealer or an experienced technician for help.
Changes or modifications not expressly approved by the party responsible for compliance
could void the user’s authority to operate the equipment. Shielded interface cables, if any,
must be used in order to comply with the emission limits.
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STANDARDS ANDLEGALINFORMATION
Declaration of Conformity
According to 47CFR, Parts 2 and 15 for Class B Personal Computers:
We: Medion USA, Inc.
Located at: 1001 Bayhill Dr. Ste. 155, San Bruno, CA 94066
Fax : 650.875.1106 (for conformity issues only)
Declare under sole responsibility that the product identified herein complies with 47CFR Parts
2 and 15 of the FCC rules as a Class B digital device. Each product marketed is identical to the
representative unit tested and found to be compliant with the standards. Sampling records
continue to indicate that the equipment being produced can be expected to lie within the
acceptable variation, due to quantity production and testing on a statistical basis as required
by 47CFR §2.909. Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1) This device may
not cause harmful interference, and (2) This device must accept any interference received,
including interference that may cause undesired operation. The above named party is
responsible for ensuring that the equipment complies with the standards of 47CFR §§15.101
to 15.109.
Trade Name: Medion
Type or Model Number: MD95334 – SIM2010
Party Responsible: MEDION USA, Inc.
Executed on 7th of March 2005, at San Bruno
Copyrights
Microsoft, Windows, Windows Media, and the Windows logo are registered trademarks of
Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. Other company, product,
and service names may be trademarks or service marks of others.