Quanta Computer 1400015318 Users manual

Contents

1 Checking Out Your Gateway Notebook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

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

Left Side . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Right Side . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Back . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

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

Keyboard area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Identifying your model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Accessories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

2Getting Started. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Connecting the AC adapter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Protecting from power source problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Starting your notebook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Waking up your notebook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Turning off your notebook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Switching user accounts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Status indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

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

Keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

System key combinations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Multi-function buttons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Using the EZ Pad touchpad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Using the touchpad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Connecting the modem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Connecting to an Ethernet network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Broadband Internet connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Installing a printer, scanner, or other peripheral device . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

3Getting Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

HelpSpot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

HelpSpot Videos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

Online help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Gateway Web site . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

4 Windows Basics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

About the Windows environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Using the desktop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Using the Start menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

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Identifying Window items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41

Working with files and folders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43

Viewing drives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43

Creating folders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44

Copying and moving files and folders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45

Deleting files and folders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46

Browsing for files and folders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48

Searching for files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49

Using the Search utility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50

Working with documents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52

Creating a new document . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52

Saving a document . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53

Opening a document . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54

Printing a document . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55

Shortcuts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56

5 Using the Internet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57

Learning about the Internet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58

Setting up an Internet account . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59

Accessing your Internet account . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60

Using the World Wide Web . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61

Connecting to a Web site . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62

Downloading files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63

Using e-mail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64

Sending e-mail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64

Checking your e-mail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65

6 Using Multimedia. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .67

Using diskettes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .68

Using the CD/DVD drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .69

Inserting a CD or DVD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .69

Adjusting the volume . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .70

Listening to CDs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73

Recording and playing audio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74

Playing audio and video files with the Windows Media Player . . . . . . . . . . . . .76

Playing a DVD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77

Using MusicMatch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .78

Playing CDs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .78

Creating music files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .80

Editing track information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .81

Building a music library . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .82

Listening to Internet radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .84

Using advanced features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .85

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7 Sending and Receiving Faxes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87

Setting up your cover page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88

Sending a fax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90

Faxing from programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92

Receiving and viewing a fax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92

8 Managing Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93

Monitoring the battery charge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94

Recharging the battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94

Recalibrating the battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95

Changing batteries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96

Extending battery life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97

Conserving battery power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97

Using alternate power sources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97

Changing power modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98

Changing power settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99

Changing the power scheme . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100

Changing alarm options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101

Changing advanced power management settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102

Using Hibernate mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103

9 Travel Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105

Modem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106

Radio frequency wireless connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106

Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107

Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107

Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108

10 Customizing Your Notebook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109

Adjusting the screen and desktop settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110

Adjusting the color depth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110

Adjusting the screen resolution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111

Applying a color scheme . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113

Changing the desktop background . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114

Selecting a screen saver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115

Changing the touchpad settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117

Programming the multi-function buttons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118

Allocating system memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119

11 Upgrading Your Notebook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121

Adding PC Cards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122

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Preventing static electricity discharge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .124

Installing memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .125

Replacing the hard drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .129

12 Networking Your Notebook. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .131

The benefits of using a network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .132

Sharing a single Internet connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .132

Sharing drives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .132

Sharing peripheral devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .133

Streaming audio and video files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .133

Playing multi-player games . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .133

Example network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .134

Selecting a network connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .135

Wired connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .135

Wireless Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .136

Assessing your connection needs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .137

Comparing data transfer speed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .139

Using a wireless network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .141

Using wireless Ethernet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .141

Purchasing additional network equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .164

HPNA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .164

Ethernet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .165

Wireless Ethernet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .166

For more information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .166

13 Moving from Your Old Computer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .167

Transferring software and hardware from your old computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .167

Using the Files and Settings Transfer Wizard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .167

Transferring files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .168

Transferring Internet settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .169

Reinstalling your old printer or scanner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .170

Reinstalling your old programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .171

14 Maintaining Your Notebook. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .173

Caring for your computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .173

Creating an emergency startup diskette . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .175

Protecting your computer from viruses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .177

Managing hard drive space . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .179

Checking hard drive space . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .179

Using Disk Cleanup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .180

Checking the hard drive for errors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .181

Defragmenting the hard drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .182

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Backing up files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184

Using the Scheduled Task Wizard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185

Cleaning your computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186

Cleaning the exterior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186

Cleaning the keyboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187

Cleaning the screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187

Cleaning the mouse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187

15 Restoring Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189

Reinstalling device drivers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189

Updating device drivers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191

Reinstalling Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193

Reinstalling Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193

Reinstalling programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194

16 Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197

Safety guidelines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198

Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199

First steps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199

Software support tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200

CD/DVD drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201

Device installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203

Diskette drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203

Error-checking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204

File management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205

Hard drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205

Internet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206

Keyboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207

LCD panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208

Memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208

Modem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208

Mouse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212

Networks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213

Passwords . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213

PC Cards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213

Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214

Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214

Sound . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216

Video . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216

Telephone support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217

Before calling Gateway Technical Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217

Telephone numbers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218

Tutoring and training . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219

v

Self-help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .219

Tutoring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .219

Training . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .220

A Safety, Regulatory, and Legal Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .221

Index. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239

vi

Checking Out
Your Gateway
Notebook

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

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

1

www.gateway.com

1

Chapter 1: Checking Out Yo ur Gateway Notebook

Front

Wireless Ethernet
indicator/button

Speaker

Battery

Release
latch

charge

indicator

Power
indicator

Component Icon Description

Wireless Ethernet
indicator/button

Lights up when the optional wirel ess Ethernet is turned on.
The button in the center of the indicator may be used for
turning the wireless Ethernet on and off. For more
information, se e “Turning your wirele ss Ethe rnet on or o f f”
on page 149.

Speaker

Release latch Open the noteboo k cov er b y sliding the re lease latch to the

right.

Speakers Provide audio output. Speakers are disabled while

headphones are connected.

Battery charge indicator The LED shows the battery activity and status.

■

Green – battery is fully charged.

■

Orange – battery is being charged.

■

Red – battery is low.

■

Blinking and red – battery is very low.

■

Blinking and orange – battery is malfunctioning.

2

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Component Icon Description

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

notebook power status:

■

LED on – notebook is ON.

■

LED off – notebook is OFF or in Hibernate mode.

■

LED flashing – notebook is in Standby mode.

Warning Radio frequency wireless communication can interfere

with equipment on commercial aircraft. Current aviation
regulations require w irel ess devices to be turned off while
traveling in an airplane. IEEE 802.11b (also known as
wireless Ethernet or WiFi) communication devices is an
example of devices that provide wireless communication.

Important If your system came equipped with an internal radio

frequency wireless device, see “Safety, Regulatory, and
Legal Information” on page 221 for general wireless
regulatory and safety guidelin es. To find out if you r system
has an internal wireless device, check the label (see
“Identifying your model” on page 9).

Front

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3

Chapter 1: Checking Out Yo ur Gateway Notebook

Left Side

Modem jack

Ethernet jack

Speake r ja ck

PC Card
eject button

Microphone
jack

PC Card
slot

Diskette
drive

Diskette drive
eject button

Component Icon Description

Modem jack Plug a modem cable into this jack. For more information, see

“Connecting the modem” on page 28.

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

information, see “Connecting to an Ethernet network” on page 29.

Speaker jack Plug external speakers or headphones into this jack.

Microphone jack Plug a microphone into this jack.

PC Card eject
button

PC Card slot Insert one Type II or Type III PC Card into this slot. For more

Diskette drive Insert a standard 3.5-inch diskette into this drive. For more

Press the eject button to remove a PC Card from a PC Card slot.
For more information, see “Adding PC Cards” on page 122.

information, see “Adding PC Cards” on page 122.

information, see “Using diskettes” on page 68.

Diskette drive
eject button

4

Press the eject button to remove a diskette from the drive.

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Right Side

Right Side

Battery

CD/DVD
drive

CD/DVD
drive
indicator

Manual eject

hole
CD/DVD drive
eject button

Component Icon Description

Battery bay Insert the battery into this bay . F or more information, see

“Changing batteries” on page 96.

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

see “Using the CD/DVD drive” on page 69.

CD/DVD drive indicator Lights up when the computer is accessing the

CD/DVDdrive.

CD/DVD d rive eject
button

Manual eject hole Insert a straightened papercl ip into this h ole to open the

Press the eject button to open the disc tray.

CD/DVDdrive if the CD/DVD drive eject button fails to
open it.

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5

Chapter 1: Checking Out Yo ur Gateway Notebook

Back

Kensington
lock slot

Power
connector

USB
ports

Monitor
port

Parallel
port

Ventilation
fan

Component Icon Description

Kensington™ lock slot Secure your computer to an object by connecting a

Kensington cable lock to this slot.

Power connector Plug the AC power adapter cable into this connector.
USB por ts Plug USB (Un iversal Ser ial Bus) devices (such as a

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

Monitor port Plug an external (VGA) monitor into this port.

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

Ventilation fan Helps cool system components. Do not block.

6

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Bottom

Memory
bay

Ventilation
fan

Bottom

Hard drive

Battery
bay

Battery
latch

System
label

Component Icon Description

Hard drive The hard drive is stored here. For more information, see

“Replacing the hard drive” on page 129.

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

“Changing batteries” on page 96.

Battery latch Slide to release the battery.

System label Includes the product model number and serial number. For

more information, see “Identifying your model” on page 9.
Ventilation fan Helps cool system components. Do not block.
Memory bay Install as many as two SO-DIMM memory modules into the

slots in this bay. For more infor mation, see “Installing

memory” on page 125.

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7

Chapter 1: Checking Out Yo ur Gateway Notebook

Ke yboard area

Multi-function buttons

Power button

Keyboard

Touchpad

Status
indicators

Component Description

Po we r button Press to turn the power on or off. For more information on configuring

the power button mode, see “Changing power settings” on page 99.
Multi-function buttons See“Multi-function buttons” on page 24 for more information.
Status indicators See “Status indicators” on page 19 for more information.
Touchpad See “Using the EZ Pad touchpad” on page 25 for more information.
Keyboard See “Using the keyboard” on page 20 for more information.

8

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Identifying y our model

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

Important The label shown below is for informational purposes only.

Label information var ies by model.

Identifying your mo del

Gatewa y model
number

Gateway serial
number

Revision code
and display
type/processor
size

Internal
wireless
devices

Gateway part
number

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9

Chapter 1: Checking Out Yo ur Gateway Notebook

Accessories

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

Batteries and automobile/airplane power adapt ers

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

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

Carrying cases

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

External devices

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

10

Memory

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

Printers

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

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

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

www.gateway.com

Getting Started

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

■ How to con nect the A C power ada pter

■ How to start and turn off your notebook

■ How to use the keyboard

■ How to use the EZ Pa d™ touch pad

■ How to connect the modem

■ How to connect to an Ethernet network

■ How to install peripheral devi ces

2

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11

Chapter 2: Getting Started

Connecting the A C adapter

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

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

notebook on battery pow er f or the first tim e, the battery lif e
may be much shorter than you expect. If the battery life
seems short even after being charged for 24 hours, the
battery may need to be recalibr ated. F or more inf ormation,
see “Recalibrating the battery” on page 95.

To connect the AC adapter:

1 Connect the power cord to the AC adapter.

12

Warning Replace the power cord if it becomes damaged. The

replacement cord must be of the same type and voltage
rating as th e origi nal cord.

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Connecting the AC adapter

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

3 Plug the power cord into a wall outlet.

The battery charge indicator turns on (see “Front” on page 2 for the
location of the indicator). If the battery charge indicator does not turn
on, disconnect the adapter from your n otebook and repeat Step 2.

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

notebook off and leave the notebook connected to AC power for at least
24 hours.

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

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

Warning Do not attempt to disassemble the AC adapter. The

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

www.gateway.com

13

Chapter 2: Getting Started

Protecting from power source problems

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

Warning High voltages can enter your computer through both the

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

14

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Starting your notebook

To start the notebook:

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

to the right and lifting the LCD panel.

2 Press the power button located above the keyboard.

Pow er b u tt o n

Starting your notebook

The power button is preset to On/Off mode. However, you can also set
it to function in Standby/Resume mode. For instructions on changing
the power button mode, see “Changing power settings” on page 99.

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

instructions to set up your computer.

W aking up your notebook

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

If your notebook is in Standby mode, “wake” it up by pressing the power
button. For more information on changing power-saving settings, see
“Managing Power” on p age 9 3.

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15

Chapter 2: Getting Started

T urning off your notebook

To turn off your notebook:

■ Click Start, then click Turn Off Computer, then click Tu r n Off. Windows

shuts down and turns off your computer.
If for some reason you cannot use the Turn Off Computer option in

Windows to shut down your notebook, press and hold the p ower button
for about five seconds, then release.

16

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Switching user accounts

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

Switching user accounts

Help and

Support

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

To add, delete, or modify user accounts:

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

Accounts window opens.

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

To switc h user accounts:

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

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17

Chapter 2: Getting Started

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

logon screen opens.

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

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

18

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Status indicators

Pad lo ck

Caps lock

Scroll lock

Status indicators

Diskette drive

Hard drive

Optical disc
drive

Indicator Icon D escription

Caps Lock Turns on when Caps Lock is activated.

Pad Lock Turns on when the embedded numeric keypad is

1

Scroll Lock Turns on when Scroll Lock is activated.

Diskette drive Tur ns on when the standard 1.44 MB diskette drive is in

Hard drive Turns on when the hard drive is in use.

Optical disc drive Turns on when the CD/DVD drive is in use.

activated.

use.

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19

Chapter 2: Getting Started

Using the keyboar d

Your notebook features a keyboard that has the same functionality as a
desktop computer keyboard. Many of the keys have been assign ed alternate
functions. The alternate function is printed on the key in green text.

You can attach an external keyboard to the notebook using a USB port. You
do not need to shut down the notebook to connect a keyboard.

FN key

Application
key

Function keys/System keys

Numeric

key

keypad

Volume keys/Navigation keys

Windows
key

N key

F

Arrow keysWindows

20

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Keys

Keys Icon Description

Function keys Press these keys labeled F1 to F12 to perfor m

actions in progr ams . For example, pressing F1 ma y
open help.

Each program uses different function keys for
different purposes. Refer to the program
documentation to find out more about the function
key act ions .

System keys Press these green-colored k eys in combin ation with

N key to perform specific actions.

the F

V olume keys Press these green-colored ke ys in combin ation with

the F

N key to increase or decrease the volume or

mute the sound.

Navigation keys Press these keys to move the cursor to the

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

Using the keyboard

N key Press the FN key in combination with a

F

green-colored sys tem key (such as S

TATUS) to perform a specific action.

or S

Applicatio n key Press for quick access to shortc ut menu s an d help

assistants in Windows.

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

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

Numeric keypad Use these keys to type numbers when the numeric

keypad is turned on. Press
the numeric keypad.

Arrow keys Press these keys to mo ve the cu rsor up, do wn, right,

or left.

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FN+PAD LOCK to turn on

TANDBY, PAUSE,

21

Chapter 2: Getting Started

System key combinations

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

L

Press FN and this
function key...

To...

Display the power status box in the upper left corner of your
screen. The bo x shows the battery charge l ev el, the BIOS ve rsion,
and whether the AC adapter is being used. Press the key
combination again to close this box.

Toggle the notebook screen between the LCD, an external
monitor, or both di splays at the s ame time. A mo nitor must be
plugged into the monitor port on the notebook.

Enter Standby mode. Press the power button to leave Standby
mode.

Turn on Pad Lock so you can use the numeric keypad. Press th is
key combination again to turn off Pad Lock. The Pad Lock status
indicator appears while this function is turned on.

22

Pause the text scrol lin g i n a D OS s creen . T he Scro ll Lo ck sta tus
indicator ap pears wh en this f unctio n is tur ned on. Press the key
combination again to continue scrolling. (This function is only
available in some programs.)

Pause e xecut ion of a DOS progra m. (This function is only avai lable
in some programs.)

Stop the cur rently r unning D OS program. (This func tion is on ly
available in some programs.)

Mute the sound. Press the key combination again to restore the
sound.

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Using the keyboard

Press FN and this
function key...

To...

Increase volume.

Decrease volume.

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23

Chapter 2: Getting Started

Multi-function buttons

Internet

E-mail

User-defined
shortcut

Help

Button Icon Press to...

E-mail Open your e-mail program.

Internet Open your Web browser.

Help Open online help.

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

For more information, see “Programming the multi-function buttons” on
page 118.

24

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Using the EZ P ad touchpad

The EZ Pad™ touchpad consists of a touchpad, a rocker switch, and two
buttons.

Using the EZ Pa d touchpad

Left
touchpad
button

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

Rocker
switch

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Right
touchpad
button

Touchpad

25

Chapter 2: Getting Started

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

You can assign a function to the rocker switch between the touchpad buttons
on your notebook. This function can be to scroll up or dow n, maximize or
minimize the active window, or open and close the Start menu. For more
information about programming the rocker switch, see “Changing the
touchpad settings” on page 117.

Using the touchpad

To... Do this...

Move the pointer
on the scre en.

Select an object
on the scre en.

Start a program
or open a file or
folder.

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

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

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

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

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

26

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To... Do this...

Using the EZ Pa d touchpad

Move an object
on the scre en.

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

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27

Chapter 2: Getting Started

Connecting the modem

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

To connect the modem:

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

side of the notebook.

28

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

modem will not work with digital or PBX telephone lines.

3 Start your notebook, then start your communications software.

www.gateway.com

Connecting to an Ethernet ne twork

Connecting to an Ethernet netw ork

If your notebook has a network jack, the notebook can connect to an Ethernet
10/100 network.

To connect to a network:

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

left side of the notebook.

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

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

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

Broadband Internet connections

You can use your computer’s Ethernet jack for more than just networking.
Many broadband Interne t connections, such as cable modems and DSL
modems, connect to your computer’s Ethernet jack. For more information,
see “Using the Internet” on page 57 and “Networking Your Notebook” on
page 131.

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29

Chapter 2: Getting Started

Installing a printer , scanner , or other
peripheral device

Your computer has two Universal Serial Bus (USB) ports and a parallel printer
port. These ports are used for connecting peripheral devices such as printers,
scanners, and digital cameras to your computer. For more information about
port locations, see “Checking Out Your Gateway Notebook” on page 1.

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

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

30

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Getting Help

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

■ HelpSpot

■

Online help

■ Gateway Web site

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

™

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

3

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31

Chapter 3: Getting Help

HelpSpot

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

To start HelpSpot:

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

32

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

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

Getting Started link on the HelpSpot main

page.

HelpSpot

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33

Chapter 3: Getting Help

HelpSpot Videos

HelpSpot contains several short videos to help introduce you to new concepts
or show you how to perform various tasks.

To play a HelpSpot video:

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

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

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Online help

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

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

Help button.

Online help

Help menu or

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35

Chapter 3: Getting Help

Gatewa y Web site

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

36

Visit the Gateway Web site at www.gateway.com for:

■ Technical documentation and product manuals

■ Technical tips and support, including online chat services

■ Hardware drivers

■ Order status

■ Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

For more information about connecting to the Internet, see “Using the
Internet” on page 57.

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Windows
Basics

Read this chapter to get basic information on how to:

■ Work on the Windows desktop

■ Manage files and folders

■ Wo r k w i t h d ocu m ents

■ Use shortcuts

Help and

Support

4

For more information on Windows, click Start, then select
Help and Support.

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Chapter 4: Windows Bas ics

About the Windows en viro nment

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

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

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Using the desktop

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

Desktop elements Description

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

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

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

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

Using the desktop

The Recycle Bin is where files, folders, and
programs that you discarded are stored. Y o u must
empty the Recycle Bin to permanently delete
them from y our computer . Fo r instructions on ho w
to use the Recycle Bin, see “Deleting files and
folders” on page 46.

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Chapter 4: Windows Bas ics

Using the Start menu

You can sta rt progr ams, ope n files, c ustomiz e your sys tem, get h elp, se arch
for files and folders, and more using the Start menu.

To use the Start menu:

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

menu opens showing you the first level of menu items.

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

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

3 Click a file or program to open it.

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Identifying Window items

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

Local Disk (C:) icon in the My Computer

Identifying Window ite ms

Title bar

Menu bar

Close

Maximize

Minimize

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Chapter 4: Windows Bas ics

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

Window item Description

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

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

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

Clicking the close button closes the active
window or program.

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

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Working with files and folders

W orking with files and f olders

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

Viewing drives

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

To view the drives on your computer:

■ Click Start, then select My Com puter from the Start menu.

Drives

To see the files and folders on a drive:

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

you double-click its icon, click

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Show the contents of this drive.

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Chapter 4: Windows Bas ics

Creating folders

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

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

Folders

Files

To create a folder:

1 Click Start, then select My Computer from the Start menu.
2 Double-click the drive or folder, for example the Local Disk (C:), where you

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

44

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

drive or folder, click

appears by the folder icon.

Show the contents of this drive.

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Working with files and folders

Copying and moving files and f olders

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

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

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

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

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

To copy a file or folder to another folder:

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

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

2 Select Copy from the pop-up menu.
3 Open the destination folder.
4 With the pointer inside the destination folder, right-click.
5 Select Paste. A copy of the file or folder appears in the new location.

To move a file or folder to another folder:

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

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

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

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Chapter 4: Windows Bas ics

4 With the pointer inside the destination folder, right-click.
5 Select Paste. The file or folder you moved appears in its new location and

is removed from its old location.

Deleting files and f olders

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

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

You can recover any file in the R ecycle Bin as long as the bin has not been
emptied.

To delete files or folders:

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

want to delete. For instructions on how to select multiple files and folders,
see “Shortcuts” on page 56.

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

Recycle Bin.

To recover files or folders from the Recycle Bin:

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

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

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

how to select multiple files and folders, see “Shortcuts” on page 56.

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

their original locations.

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Working with files and folders

To empty the Recycle Bin:

Caution Emptying the Recycle Bin permanently erases any files or

folders in the bin. These files cannot be restored.

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

opens.

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

you want to empty the bin.

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

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Chapter 4: Windows Bas ics

Bro wsing for fil es and folder s

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

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

To browse for a file:

1 Click Start, then select My Computer.
2 Double-click the drive or folder that you think contains the file or folder

that you want to find. (If you do not see the contents of a folder, click

Show the contents of this folder.)

48

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

file or folder you want.

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Chapter 4: Windows Bas ics

W orking with documents

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

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

For more information about using a program, select

Creating a ne w document

Help and

Support

To create a new document:

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

starts and a blank docu ment opens.

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

®

Word. Though these examples use

Help on the menu bar.

52

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Working with documents

3 Click General Templates. The Templates dialog box opens.

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

documen t te mplat e sty le, then clic k

OK. The document template opens.

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

the top of the window to format the document.

Saving a document

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

Help and

Support

To save a document in Microsoft Word:

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

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

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Chapter 4: Windows Bas ics

3 Type the new file name.

File

folder

File

name

4 Click Save.

Opening a document

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

Help and

Support

To open a document in Microsoft Word:

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

starts and a blank docu ment opens.

2 Select File, then Open.

54

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

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Working with documents

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

File

folder

File

name

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

Printing a document

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

Help and

Support

To print a document in Microsoft Word:

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

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

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Chapter 4: Windows Bas ics

Shortcuts

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

To... Do this...

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

the object, then press C

TRL + V.

Select multiple items in a list or in a
window

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

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

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

Close the active window o r program Pre ss ALT + F4.
Switch to a different file, folder, or

running program

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

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

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

S

HIFT + DELETE. The file

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

then press E

Press A

NTER.

LT + TAB.

TRL key,

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Using the
Internet

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

5

®

Internet service so that

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Chapter 5: Using the Inter net

Learning about the Internet

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

Internet Servers

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

Yo u r computer
connects to the
Internet through
an ISP.

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

If you want to access the Internet you need:

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

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

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

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

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

Wide Web .

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

e-mail messages over the Internet.

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Setting up an Internet acc ount

Setting up an Internet account

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

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

Help and

Support

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

To set up an Internet account with America Online:

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

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

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Chapter 5: Using the Inter net

Accessing your Internet account

Help and

Support

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

To connect to your America Online Internet account:

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

Connect. The computer dials the Internet account telephone number.

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

After connecting, the W eb browser window opens. For information about the
Web and the Web browser, see “Using the World Wide Web” on page 61.

To disconnect from your America Online Internet account:

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

computer disconnects from the Internet.

Important Make sure that your computer disconnects correctly from

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

60

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

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Using the W orld Wide W eb

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

Information on the Web comes to you on We b pag es, w hich are electronic
documents that you view using a Web page display program called a browser.
You can use any of the commercially available Web browsers, like Microsoft
Internet Explorer, which comes installed on your new computer.

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

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

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

Using the World Wide Web

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

Web

page

Link

Linked W eb pag e

Help in the menu

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Chapter 5: Using the Inter net

Connecting to a Web site

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

Help and

Support

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

To connect to a Web site:

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

opening page or welcome screen opens.

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

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

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

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

GO on the browser address bar.

62

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

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Downloading files

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

To protect your computer against viruses, make sure that you scan the files
you download. For more information, see “Protecting your computer from
viruses” on page 177.

Using the World Wide Web

Help and

Support

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

To download files or programs from a Web site:

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

or program you want to download, then click
bar.

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

file that you want to download.

GO on the browser address

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

computer.

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

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

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

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

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

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Chapter 5: Using the Inter net

Using e-mail

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

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

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

[e-mail]

User name I nterne t domain n ame

Sending e-mail

Help and

Support

To send e-mail using America Online:

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

the

Send To box.

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

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

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

the e-mail address you specified.

Checking y our e-mail

Using e-mail

Help and

Support

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

To check your e-mail using America Online:

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

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

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Chapter 5: Using the Inter net

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Using
Multimedia

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

■ Use the diskette drive

■ Use the CD/DVD drive

■ Play CDs and DVDs

■ Record and play audio files

■ Use Windows Media Player

■ Use MusicMatch

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Chapter 6: Using Multim edia

Using diskettes

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

Warning Do not expose diskettes to water or magnetic fields.

Exposure could damage the data on the diskette.

To use a diskette:

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

3 To remove the diskette, make sure the drive activity indi cator (see “Status

68

Diskette
slot

the drive letter (for example, the A: drive), then double-click the file.

indicators” on page 19) is off, then press the diskette eject button.

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Eject
button

Using the CD/D VD drive

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

Inserting a CD or D VD

Activity indicator Manual eject hole

Eject button

Using the CD/DVD drive

To ins ert a CD or DVD:

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

slightly, pull the tray completely open.

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

carefully on the disc until it snaps into place.

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

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

3 Push the tray in until it is closed.

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Chapter 6: Using Multim edia

Adjusting the volume

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

Help and

Support

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

To adjust the overall volume level using hardware controls:

■ On the keyboard, press the volume system key combination FN+ or

F

N+ to change the volume, or press the mute system key combination

F

N+ to turn off a ll sound .

To adjust the overall volume level from Windows:

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

dialog box opens.

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Adjusting the volume

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

or click to select the

To adjust specific volume levels:

Mute check box, then click OK.

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

dialog box opens.

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Chapter 6: Using Multim edia

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

Volume dialog box opens.

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

5 Drag the volume level and balance sliders for the device you want to

adjust, then close the window. For more information about the volume
controls, select Help in the Master Volume dialog box.

Options, Properties, select the audio device you want

OK.

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6 Click X in the top right corner of the Master Volume dialog box.

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Listening to CDs

Use the Windows Media Player to listen to CDs. For more information about
using the Windows Media Player, select

To play a CD:

1 In sert a CD i nto the C D/DVD dr ive.
2 If a message asks you to chose a CD player, select Windows Media Player.

The Windows Media Player opens.

3 When the med ia player opens, click (play).

Listening to CDs

Help.

Play

Stop

Previous Mute

Volume

Next

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Chapter 6: Using Multim edia

Recording and pla ying audio

Use the instructions below to make an audio recording by speaking into the
microphone.

Help and

Support

For more inf ormation on record ing and pla ying audio , clic k
Start, then sele ct Help and Support.

To make an audio recording:

1 Plug a microphone into the Microphone jack on the computer. See “Left

Side” on page 4 for the location of the jack.

2 Click Start, then select All Programs, Accessories, Entertainment, then

Sound Recorder. The Sound Recorder opens.

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Rewind Fast

Forward

Play Stop Record

3 Click (record), then speak into the microphone.
4 When you finish recording, click (stop).
5 Select File, then Save As. The Save As dialog box opens.
6 Name the recording, specify the path, then click Save. The recording is

saved.

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Recording and playin g audio

To play an audio recording in Sound Recorder:

1 Open the S ound Recorder.
2 Select File, then Open. The Open dialog box opens.
3 Select the file you want to play back, then click Open.
4 Play the file by clicking (play), then stop playing the file by clicking

(stop).

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Chapter 6: Using Multim edia

Playing audio and video files with the
Windows Media Player

The Windows Media Player can play several types of audio and video files,
including WAV, MIDI, MP3, AU, AVI, and MPEG formats. For more
information about using the Windows Media Player, select

To play a file using the Windows Media Player:

1 Click Start, then select All Programs, then Windows Media Player. The

Windows Media Player opens.

Help.

Video file
information

Video
screen

76

Play

Stop

2 Select File, then Open. The Open dialog box opens.
3 Select the file you want to play, then click Open.
4 Play the file by clicking (play), then stop playing the file by clicking

(stop).

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Playing a D VD

A Digital Versatile Di sc (DVD) is similar to a standard CD but has greater data
capacity. Because of this increased capacity, full-length movies, several albums
of music, or several gigabytes of data can fit on a single disc. If your computer
has a DVD drive, you can play DVDs with the DVD Player program. For more
information about playing DVDs, select

To play a DVD:

1 Make sure that the speakers are turned on or headphones are plugged in

and that the volume is turned up.

2 Turn off your system screen saver and standby timers.
3 Click Start, then select All Programs, DVD Player, then DVD Player. The

DVD Player vid eo screen and control panel open.

4 Insert a DVD into the DVD drive, then click ( play). The DVD plays.
5 To control the DVD or adjust the volume, use the controls in the

DVD player. For more information on using the DVD player, see its
online help.

Recording and playin g audio

Help in the DVD player program.

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Chapter 6: Using Multim edia

Using MusicMatch

Using MusicMa tch™, you can:

■ Play music CDs

■ Create MP3 music files from your music CDs

■ Use your music files to build a music library

■ Enter music track information

■ Listen to Internet Radio

For more information on using MusicMatch, see its online Help.

Playing CDs

You can use the MusicM atch program to play mu sic CDs.

To play a music CD:

1 Insert the music CD into the CD/DVD drive on your computer. The first

time you insert a CD, the Audio CD dialog box opens.

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Using MusicMatch

2 Click Play Audio CD using mmjb, select Always do the selected action, then

click

OK. MusicMatch opens, the CD begins playing, and the names of

the music tracks appear in the playlist area.

The next time you insert an audio CD, MusicMatch plays the CD
automatically.

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Chapter 6: Using Multim edia

Building a m usic library

Use MusicMatch to build a music library. You can organize your music tracks
by categories, find a track quickly by using the sort features, and add
information to a music file.

You can add music tracks to your music library by:

■ Creating MP3 files – When you create MP3 files from the tracks on your

music CD, MusicMatch automatically adds these files to your music
library.

■ Dragging and Dro pping – Drag a nd drop files from Windows Explorer

or your desktop to the music library.

■ Downloading files from the Internet – When you are connected to the

Internet, MP3 files that you download are automatically added to your
music library.

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Changing the music library display settings

Using MusicMatch

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Chapter 6: Using Multim edia

Listening to Internet radio

Use the Radio feature in MusicMatch to listen to Internet Radio stations.

To listen to an Internet radio station:

1 Connect to the Internet, then in MusicMatch, click Radio Stations.

The Radio window opens.

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Using MusicMatch

2 To select one of the MusicMatch Internet radio stations, select one of the

Popular Stations. You can also choose another Internet radio station by
clicking

Broadcast Stations, then clicking Station Selector.

3 Select a radio station, then click Play. MusicMatch connects to the sta tion.

Using advanced features

Y ou can a lso use MusicMatch to create your own music CDs and to download
MP3 files to your portable MP3 player. See the MusicMatch online Help.

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Chapter 6: Using Multim edia

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Sending and
Receiving
Faxes

PhoneTools lets you send and receive faxes using the modem.
After you have created a document using a spreadsheet, word processor, or

graphics progra m, you c an send it as a fa x. You can also receive fa xes on y our
notebook. This chapter shows you how to:

■ Set up a fax co ver page

■ Create and send a new fax

■ Fax a document you created in another program

■ Receive, view, and print a fax

Help and

Support

7

For more information on using the fax functions in
PhoneTools, click Start, then select Help and Support.

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Chapter 7: Sending and Rec eiving Faxes

Setting up y our cover page

Before you send your first fax, you need to s et up your user information. Your
fax cover sheets and fax headers will contain this information, which is
required by law.

To set up your fax cover page:

1 If PhoneTools is not open, click Start, then select All Programs, PhoneTools,

then

PhoneTools.

88

2 Select Setup, then select General Setup. The General Setup dialog box

opens.

3 Click the Customize tab, then type your personal information in the User

boxes.

4 Click the Fax tab, then enter your name and fax number in the Fax

identifier

enter up to 20 characters in the text box. We suggest using eight
characters for your identifier name, followed by 12 characters for your
telephone number.

text box. This identifier information is required by law. Yo u ca n

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Setting up your cove r page

Important Some fax machines cannot use special characters such

as hyphens . W e sugges t using spa ces instead o f h yphens
in telephone and fax numbers.

5 Click OK.
6 If you want to change the logo that appears on the cover page, select

Setup, then select Logo Management. The Logo Management dialog box

opens.

Import
button

Clear
button

7 If you do not want the PhoneTools logo on your cover page, click the

picture then click the clear button.

- OR ­If you want to replace the PhoneTools logo with one of your own, cl ick

the import button then select a picture for the logo. The picture must
be saved in a supported format (.BMP, .DGR, .GIF, .JPG, .PCX, .T31, or
.TIF) and be small enough to fit in the logo box.

8 Click OK.

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Chapter 7: Sending and Rec eiving Faxes

Sending a fax

To send a fax:

1 If PhoneTools is not open, click Start, then select All Programs, PhoneTools,

then

PhoneTools.

2 Click Send Fax. The Send Fax Wizard opens.

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Setting up your cove r page

3 Enter the recipient’s name, company (if a pplicable), and fax number , then

click

Next.

4 Type the message text in the Message Text area.
5 Select a cover page template from the Template list, then click Next. If you

typed a message in the Message Te xt area, you must select a cover page.

6 If you want to attach a file, make sure the file is not open, then click

(browse), select the file, then click

Open.

7 Click Next, then click Finish. The Confirm Transmissions dialog box

opens.

8 Click Send. PhoneTools dials the fax number and sends your fax.

Important If for any reason you receive a failed transmission

message, select Se nd, then Outbox . Right-click the f ax that
was not sent to modify it.

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Chapter 7: Sending and Rec eiving Faxes

Faxing from programs

To fax a document directly from most programs:

1 In the program with the document open, click File, then select Print. The

Print dialog box opens.

2 Select the printer CAPTURE FAX BVRP, then click OK. The Send Fax Wizard

opens.

3 Complete the wizard as instructed in “Sending a fax” on page 90.

Receiving and vi ewing a fax

To receive and view a fax:

1 If PhoneTools is not open, click Start, then select All Programs, PhoneTools,

then

PhoneTools. When PhoneTools is open, it detects incoming faxes and

stores them in the In Box.

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Important Your notebook cannot detect incoming faxes while in the

Standby pow er-sav ing mode . F or inf ormation on changing
power sa ving s set tin gs , see “Changing power settings” on
page 99.

Make sure no other device (such as an answering
machine) is set up to answer the telephone on fewer rings
than PhoneTools.

2 To view a fax, click Fax Inbox, then double-click the fax you want to view.

The fax viewer opens, where you can view and print the fax.

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Managing P ower

While your notebook is running on ba ttery power , you should manage power
consumption to get the most use out of the battery. This chapter shows you
how to:

■ Check and recharge the battery

■ Change batteries

■ Recalibrate the battery

■ Extend the life of the battery by conserving battery power and using

alternate power sources

■ Change power-saving settings

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Chapter 8: Managing Powe r

Monitoring the battery charge

Closely monitor the battery charge. When the battery charge gets low, change
the battery or connect to AC power immediately to prevent losing any
unsaved work.

Monitor the battery charge by:

■ Positioning the cursor over the power cord icon or battery icon on

the taskbar. A battery status window opens. Move the cursor away from
the icon to close the window.

■ Pressing FN+STATUS to view the Status display, which opens in the upper

left corner of the screen. The Status display shows the current power
source, the battery charge, and the power management mode.

■ Looking at the battery charge indicator:

■ A green light indicates the battery is fully charged.

■ An orange light indicates the battery is being charged.

■ A red light indicates the battery is low.

■ A red, blinking light indicates the battery is critically low.

■ An orange, blinking light indicates the battery is malfunctioning.

■ Waiting for a Low Battery warning message to appear.

If your battery charge indicators display what looks like an inaccurate charge,
you may need to recalibrate the battery. For more information, see
“Recalibrating the battery” on page 95.

Recharging the ba ttery

The battery recharges while it is installed and your notebook is connected to
AC power. While the battery is recharging, the battery charge indicator turns
orange and the battery icon on the taskbar has a lightning bolt .

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Recalibrating the battery

If your notebook unexpectedly goes into Standby mode while you are using
it but the battery charge is not low, you may need to recalibrate your battery.
Y ou should also recalibrate the battery once a month to maintain the accuracy
of the battery gauge.

To recalibrate the battery:

1 Connect the AC adapter, then turn on your notebook.
2 When you see the startup scr een, press F2. The BIOS Setup program

opens.

3 Click Exit, then select Battery Auto-Learning (set by default to disabled). A

checkmark appears to show that it is now turned on.

4 Exit the BIOS Setup utility by clicking Exit, then selecting Save and Exi t.

The battery recalibration program begins and the notebook will reboot.
After your battery has been recalibrated, the notebook recharges the

battery. Recharging may take 12-24 hours. After the battery finishes
recharging, the battery meter displays the accurate battery charge. If the
battery meter does not show an accurate charge, contact Gateway
Technical Support.

Recalibrating the ba ttery

Important Do not interrupt the battery recalibration process. If

recalibration is interrupted , you must start the process o ver
again.

5 Follow the on-screen instructions to exit the battery recalibration

program.

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Chapter 8: Managing Powe r

Changing batteries

Your notebook must be plugged into AC power or turned off while changing
the batteries.

Warning Danger of explosion if battery is incorrectly replaced.

Replace only with a Gateway battery designed for your
notebook. Discard used batteries according to the
manufacturer’s instructions.

The battery used in this device may present a fire or
chemical burn hazard if mishandled. Do not disassemble,
heat above 212°F (100°C), or incinerate. Dispose of us ed
battery promptly. Keep away from children.

To replace the battery:

1 If your notebook is on, save all work and shut down the notebook.
2 Close the notebook cover, turn your notebook over, slide the battery

release latch, and slide the battery out of the bay.

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3 Slide a charged battery into the bay until it snaps into place.

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Extending battery life

Conserving battery power

While using the battery to power your notebook, conserve power by:

■ Dimming the display as low as is comfortable.

■ Removing PC Cards when y ou do not need them. Ma ny PC Cards use a

small amount of power while inserted, even if they are not being used.

■ Modifying the Power Management settings for maximum power savi ngs.

For more information, see “Changing power settings” on page 99.

■ Closing the display panel to turn off the display while you are not using

your notebook. The display stays off until you open the panel again.

■ Using Hibernate mode for maximum power savings while the notebook

is not in use. For more information, see “Using Hibernate mode” on
page 103.

■ Using the CD/DVD drive only when necessary . CD/DVD drives use a large

amount of power.

Extending battery life

■ Recharge the battery often, take an extra battery, and fully recharge the

batteries before traveling. For more information, see “Recharging the
battery” on page 94 and “Changing batteries” on page 96.

Using alternate power sources

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

■ If traveling internationally, take electrical adapters. Save the battery for

times when you cannot use a power adapter. If you plan on taking your
AC power ada pter, also take a single-plug power surge pro tector.

■ If you will have access to an EmPower™ in-flight power receptacle or an

automobile cigarette lighter, use an airplane/automobile power adapter.
Save the battery for times when you cannot use a power adapter.

■ T o find AC power outlets in airports, look for them next to support pillars,

in large areas such as boarding gates, and under banks of telephones.

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Chapter 8: Managing Powe r

Changing power modes

Y ou can use the following power modes to lengthen the life of your notebook’ s
battery:

■ Standby - while your notebook is on standby, it switches to a low power

state where devices, such as the LCD screen and drives, turn off.

■ Hibernate - (also called save to disk) writes all current memory (RAM)

information to the hard drive, then turns your notebook completely off.
The next time you turn on the notebook, it reads the memory
information from the hard drive and opens the programs and documents
that were open when you activated Hibernate. For more information on
using Hibernate mode, see “Using Hibernate mode” on page 103.

Using Standby mode

Always save your work before u sing Standby mode. When in Standby, your
computer reduces or turns off the power to most devices except memory.
However, the information in the memory is not saved to the hard drive. If
power is interrupted, the information is lost.

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

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If your computer
is...

On Enter

On Enter Hibernate

In Standby or
Hibernate mode

...and you
want to...

Standby mode

mode (must be
enabled)

Exit Standby or
Hibernate mode

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...then

Click Start, then click
Turn Off Computer, then click StandBy.

Click Start, then click
Turn Off Computer, press and hold

HIFT, then click Hibernate.

S

Press the power button.

Changing power settings

You can change the function of the power button, Standby key, and
power-saving timers by changing power settings on your notebook.

You can customize power settings from the Windows Control Panel by
selecting power schemes, setting power alarms, adjusting advanced power
settings, and activating Hibernate mode.

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

Alarms can alert you when the battery charge is low.
Advanced power settings let you assign different power saving modes to the

power button and Standby key.

Changing power se ttings

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