Gateway GT5448E manual

® REFERENCE GUIDE 8511861.book Page a Monday, December 18, 2006 11:20 AM[...]

8511861.book Page b Monday, December 18, 2006 11:20 AM[...]

i Chapter 1: A bout This Referenc e . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 About this guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Accessing the online User Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Gateway contact information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Microsoft Certificate of Authenticity . .[...]

Contents ii Chapter 4: U pgradi ng Your Computer . . . . . . . 29 Preventing static electricity discharge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Opening the case . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Removing the side panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Removing the front bezel . . . . . . . . . . .[...]

www.gatewa y.com iii Backing up files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69 Scheduling maintenance tasks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70 Moving from your old computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71 Moving with Windows Easy Transfer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71 Moving files and settings[...]

Contents iv Telephone support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108 Before calling Gateway Customer Care . . . . . . . . . . . . 108 Telephone number s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109 Self-help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110 Tutoring . . . . . . . .[...]

CHAPTER 1 1 About This Ref erence • About this guide • Accessing th e onli ne User Guide • Gateway contact information • Microsoft Certificate of Authenticity • For more inform ati on 8511861.book Page 1 Monday, December 18, 2006 11:20 AM[...]

CHAPTER 1 : About This Reference 2 About this guide This guide includes information and maintenance instructions that are specific to your mode l of Gateway computer . Some illustrations in this guide may look d ifferent than your computer because hardwar e options and port locations may vary . For all other co mputer informati on, see the online U[...]

www.gatewa y.com 3 Gateway contact inf ormation The label on the sid e of your computer c ase contains information that identifie s your computer mo del and serial number . Gateway C ustomer Care will need this information if you call for assistanc e. Micr osoft Certificate o f Authen ticity The Microsoft Cer tificate of Authentic ity label found o[...]

CHAPTER 1 : About This Reference 4 8511861.book Page 4 Monday, December 18, 2006 11:20 AM[...]

CHAPTER 2 5 Checking Out Y our Computer • Fro nt • Back 8511861.book Page 5 Monday, December 18, 2006 11:20 AM[...]

CHAPTER 2 : Checking Ou t Your Computer 6 Fro n t Com pone nt Ic on Descr ipt ion Opti cal disc drive Use th is drive to lis ten t o audio CDs, i nstall games and programs, watch DVDs, and stor e large files onto recordable discs (depending on drive type). This driv e may be a CD , recorda ble CD, DV D, recorda ble DVD, B lu-ra y, or HD DVD d rive.[...]

www.gatewa y.com 7 Headphone jack Plug powered, analog fron t speakers, an external amplifier , or headphones into t his jack . This jack is c olor- coded gree n. Diske tte d rive (op tion al) Use this dr ive to read from and write to 3 .5" disket tes. Memory card reader (opt ional) Insert a memo ry card from a digital camera, MP3 player , PDA[...]

CHAPTER 2 : Checking Ou t Your Computer 8 Back Y our computer incl udes the following com ponents. Important Y our co mp uter’s hardw are opt ions and p ort lo cati ons ma y v ary fro m this illust ration . Com pone nt Ic on Descr ipt ion Power c onnecto r Plug th e power co rd into th is conn ector . Case thum bsc rew Remove this scre w before o[...]

www.gatewa y.com 9 Audi o input (Line in) jack (bl ue plug ) -OR- Side speak er jack This ja ck is us er config urable for one of the followi ng: Stereo in: Plug an external audio input source (suc h as a st ereo) into this jack so you can r ecor d sound on your c omputer ( Default ). Stereo out: Plug your side lef t and righ t speaker s into thi s[...]

CHAPTER 2 : Checking Ou t Your Computer 10 Headphone/analog speakers jack (gr een plug) -OR- Front speaker s jack This ja ck is us er config urable for one of the followi ng: Headphon e: Plug headphones or amplifie d speakers into this jack ( Default ). Stereo out: P lug your front le ft and righ t speak ers int o this j ack. For mo re in form a ti[...]

CHAPTER 3 11 Setting Up and Getting Started • Workin g safely and comf ortably • Pre paring power connections • Connecting to a br oadband modem or networ k • Connecting a dial-up modem • Starting your computer • T urning off your c o mputer • Restarti ng (rebo oting) your compu ter • Using the keyboar d • Using the mouse • Adju[...]

CHAPTER 3 : Setting Up and Getting Started 12 W orking saf ely and comfortably Before using your comp uter , follow the se general guidelines for setting up a safe and comfortable work ar ea and avoiding discomfort and strain: • Keep hands and arms parallel to the floor . • Adjust the screen so it is perpe ndicular to your line of sight, and th[...]

www.gatewa y.com 13 Reducin g eye strain Sunlight or brig ht indoor light ing should not reflect on the monitor screen or shi ne directly into your ey es. • Position the computer desk and screen so you can avoid glare on your screen and light shining directly into your eyes. Reduce glare by installing sh ades or curtains on windows, and by ins ta[...]

CHAPTER 3 : Setting Up and Getting Started 14 Sitting at your computer • Avoid bending, arching, or angling your wr ists. Make sure that they are in a relaxed position when y ou type. • Do not slouch forward or lean far back . Sit with your back straight so your knees, hi ps, and elbows form righ t ang les wh en you work. • T ak e breaks to s[...]

www.gatewa y.com 15 Checking t he voltage se lection The power supply , a compo nent built into your compute r , provides powe r to the system b oard, add-in cards, and peripher al devices. The power supply’s vo ltage select ion for your location is t ypically set at the factory , but you c an change it to match the elec trical servic e available[...]

CHAPTER 3 : Setting Up and Getting Started 16 Connecting a dial-up modem Y our computer may have a 56K modem that you can use with a standard telephone line to connect to the int ernet or fax documents. T o connect the mo dem: 1 Insert on e end of the mode m cable into th e modem jack on t he mod em at t he b ack o f your comp uter . 2 Insert the o[...]

www.gatewa y.com 17 5 T o open y our computer’s main menu, click ( Start ). From that menu, you can run programs and search for files. For more information on using your computer ’s menus, see “Using Windows” and “Customizing Windows” in the onli ne User Guide . Wa king up your comp uter When you have not used your computer for seve ral[...]

CHAPTER 3 : Setting Up and Getting Started 18 T o put your compute r to sleep: 1 Click ( Start ), then click (power). The computer saves your session and partially shuts down to save power . 2 T o “wake” your compute r , press a key on the keyboard or press the power button. T o tur n off yo ur com put er: 1 Click ( Start ), click the ar row ne[...]

www.gatewa y.com 19 2 If your computer does not turn off , pr ess and hold the power button until the co mputer turns off (about five seconds), then press it again to turn the computer bac k on. Using the keyboar d Premium multimedia ke yboard f eatures The keybo ard has s evera l di ffe rent ty pes of ke ys and b utt ons. Y our keyboard also has s[...]

CHAPTER 3 : Setting Up and Getting Started 20 Elite multime dia keyboard f eatures The keyboard has several different types of keys and bu ttons. Y our keyboard also has status indicators that show which keyboard feature is active. Navigatio n keys Press th ese keys t o move the cur sor to the beginning of a line, to the end of a line, up the page,[...]

www.gatewa y.com 21 Fe at u r e Icon Descri ptio n Sleep bu tton Pr ess this butto n to ac tivate your co mputer ’s Sleep (power-savin g) mode. Function keys Press th ese ke ys to st art progra m actions . Each program uses di fferent function keys for different purpo ses. See the progr am documen tation to find out mo re about the function ke y [...]

CHAPTER 3 : Setting Up and Getting Started 22 Using the mouse The mouse is a device that controls the pointer movement on the computer d isplay . This illustrati on shows the standard mouse. As you move the mouse, the pointer (arrow) on the display moves in the s ame direction. Y ou can use the left and righ t buttons on the mouse to selec t object[...]

www.gatewa y.com 23 Y ou can use the scroll wheel on the mouse to move through a document. Thi s feature is not available in all p rograms. For more information about how to ad just the double -click speed, pointe r speed, right-hand or le ft-hand configuration, and other mouse settings, see the “ Customizing” chapter in the online User Guide .[...]

CHAPTER 3 : Setting Up and Getting Started 24 Adjusting the volume Y ou can adjust volume using your speakers’ controls or the Windows volume contr ols. Y ou ca n also adjust the volume of specific sound devices in your com puter . T o ad just the overall volume using hardware controls: • If you are using ex ternal speaker s, turn the k nob on [...]

www.gatewa y.com 25 4 T o ad just device volum e levels, click Mixer . The Vo lum e Mixer dialog bo x opens, where you can cli ck and drag sliders for ind ividual devic es. 5 Click X in the top-right corner of the window to close it. Tip Adjus t the Win dows Soun ds sl ider t o cha nge syste m so unds volum e independ ently of gene ral volu me (suc[...]

CHAPTER 3 : Setting Up and Getting Started 26 Configuring the audio jacks I f t h e b a c k o f y o u r c o m p u t e r h a s f i v e a u d i o j a c k s , t h e y a r e universal jacks. This means that they can be used for more than one purpose. For example, the bl ue jack on the com puter can be a stereo in jack or a stereo out ja ck. T o use the[...]

www.gatewa y.com 27 IEEE 1394 and USB ports support plu g-and-play and hot-swapping , which means that your computer will usuall y recognize such a d evice whe never you plug it into the appropriate port. When you us e an IEEE 1394 or USB device for the first time, y our comp uter will prompt y ou to install a ny software the device ne eds. After d[...]

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CHAPTER 4 29 Upgrading Y our Computer • Preventing static el ectricity dis charge • Opening and closing the case • Installi ng memory • Replacing the system battery • Adding or re placing a CD or DV D drive • Repla cin g the m emo ry ca rd reade r • Addin g or replacin g a hard drive • Replacing the front fan • Repla cing the rear[...]

CHAPTER 4 : Upgrading Yo ur Computer 30 Pr eventing static electricity dischar ge The comp onents inside y our computer are e xtremely sensitive to static electr icity , also k nown as electros tatic d ischarge (ESD). Before opening the computer case, follow thes e guideline s: • Wear a grounding wrist stra p (available at m ost electronics store[...]

www.gatewa y.com 31 Opening the case Y our computer case provides easy ac cess to inter nal components . Removing the side panel T o r e m o v e t h e s i d e p a n e l : 1 Follow the ins tructions in “Preventing stat ic elec tricity discharge” on page 30 . 2 Shut down your computer , then disconnect the power cord and modem, network, a nd all [...]

CHAPTER 4 : Upgrading Yo ur Computer 32 Removing the front beze l T o remove the front bezel: • Press the three bezel retention tabs , then swing the right side of the front bezel away from the computer and remove it. Closing the case Replacing the front bezel T o replace the front bezel: 1 Slide the tabs on the left side of the bezel into the sl[...]

www.gatewa y.com 33 Replacing the side panel T o replace the side panel: 1 Make sure that all of the internal cable s are arranged inside the co mputer so they will not be pinched when you close the computer . 2 Insert the front edge of the side panel i nto the inside front edge of the computer , then swing the side panel i n t o w a r d t h e b a [...]

CHAPTER 4 : Upgrading Yo ur Computer 34 Installing memory When you upgrade the computer memory , ma ke sure that yo u install the correct type of memory module for your comput er . Y our computer uses DIMM memory . T o inst all o r repl ace DIMM memo ry: 1 Remove the s ide panel by following the instr uctions in “Removing the side panel” on pag[...]

www.gatewa y.com 35 5 Align the notches on the new DIMM with the notches on the memory module bank and press the module firmly into the bank. The tabs on the sides of the memory module should secure the memory module automatically . When the module is secure, you hea r a click. 6 Replace the side panel by following the instructions in “Replacing [...]

CHAPTER 4 : Upgrading Yo ur Computer 36 5 Remove the s ide panel by following the instr uctions in “Removing the side panel” on pag e 31 . 6 For more stability , place your computer on its side. T o avoid scratc hing the case, place it on a towel or other non-abrasive surface. 7 Locate the old b attery on the system boa rd and note its orientat[...]

www.gatewa y.com 37 Adding or r eplacing a CD or DVD drive T o add replace a CD or DVD drive: 1 Remove the s ide panel by following the ins tructions in “Removing the side panel” on pa ge 3 1 . 2 Remove the front bezel by followi ng the instructio ns in “Removing the front bezel” on page 32 . 3 If you are installing a new drive ( not replac[...]

CHAPTER 4 : Upgrading Yo ur Computer 38 6 Remove the two dr ive retention screws, then slid e the drive forward and out of the driv e bay . 7 Slide the new drive into the drive bay , line up the screw holes on the drive bay wi th the screw holes on the drive, then replace the two driv e retention screws. 8 Reconnect the drive cables using yo ur not[...]

www.gatewa y.com 39 Replacing the memory car d rea de r T o replace the memory card reader: 1 Remove the s ide panel by following the ins tructions in “Removing the side panel” on pa ge 3 1 . 2 Remove the front bezel by followi ng the instructio ns in “Removing the front bezel” on page 32 . 3 If you are installing a new card reader (not rep[...]

CHAPTER 4 : Upgrading Yo ur Computer 40 5 Slide the new card reader into the bay from the front of the case. 6 Use the screws yo u removed previously t o secure the card read er t o the b ay . 7 Connect the new card reader’s data cable to the system board. 8 Reinstall the be zel by following the ins tructions in “Replacing the front bezel” on[...]

www.gatewa y.com 41 3 Disconnect the drive cab les, noting the ir locations and orientation. (You will reconnect the cables after you install the new dr ive.) 4 Pull the front fan assembly away from the sy stem board, then remove it. 8511861.book Page 41 Monday, December 18, 2006 11:20 AM[...]

CHAPTER 4 : Upgrading Yo ur Computer 42 5 Disconnect the fan c able from the system bo ard. 6 Remove the hard drive b ay screw . 7 Remove the hard drive bay from your computer . Y ou may need to work the bay out of your computer by rocking the bay back and forth. Hard dri ve bay screw 8511861.book Page 42 Monday, December 18, 2006 11:20 AM[...]

www.gatewa y.com 43 8 If you are replacing an old drive, remove the four screws that secure the hard drive to the hard drive bay , the n remov e th e hard dri ve fro m the bay . - OR - If you are adding a new drive (not replacing an old one), r e m o v e t h e f o u r s c r e w s ( t w o o n e a c h s i d e ) f r o m t h e empty hard drive bay . 9 [...]

CHAPTER 4 : Upgrading Yo ur Computer 44 11 Slide th e drive bay back into your computer , making sure that the tabs on the bottom of the bay align with and slide into the slots on the bott om of your computer . 12 Secure the drive bay to your computer using the screw you removed previously . 13 Connect the dr ive cables. If you are replacing a driv[...]

www.gatewa y.com 45 Replacing the fr ont fan T o replace the front fan: 1 Remove the s ide panel by following the ins tructions in “Removing the side panel” on pa ge 3 1 . 2 Pull the front fan away from the system board, then remov e it . 3 Disconnect the fan c able from the system bo ard. 4 Connect the new fan ca ble to the sys tem board, then[...]

CHAPTER 4 : Upgrading Yo ur Computer 46 5 Replace the side panel by following the instructions in “Replacing the side panel” on p age 3 3 . Replacing the r ear fan T o re place the rear fan: 1 Remove the s ide panel by following the instr uctions in “Removing the side panel” on pag e 31 . 2 Disc onn ect the f an fro m the sy stem board . T [...]

www.gatewa y.com 47 3 Remove the four screws on the outside of the case that secure the fan to the back of the case, then remove the fan. 4 Place the new fan on the back of your computer , then replac e the screw s th at secu re it t o the back co ver . 5 Reconnect th e fan cable to t he system board. 6 Replace the side panel by following the instr[...]

CHAPTER 4 : Upgrading Yo ur Computer 48 3 Remove the three screws that secure the power supply to your computer . 4 Slide th e power supply aw ay from the back of your computer , then pull it down and remove it. 5 Install the new p ower supply into the case, then install the three screws to secure the power sup ply to the case. 6 Reconnect the powe[...]

www.gatewa y.com 49 2 For more stability , place your computer on its side. T o avoid scratc hing the case, place it on a towel or other non-abrasive surface. 3 Pull the front fan away from the system board, then remov e it . 4 Disconnect the fan c able from the system bo ard. Important The location of the fa n connection m ay vary , s o make sure [...]

CHAPTER 4 : Upgrading Yo ur Computer 50 5 Loosen the four screws that secure the heat sink to the system board, then remove the heat sink and place it on a stable surface with the flat surface of the heat sink (the side with the ther mal grease) up. 6 Release the proces sor by pushing down on the leve r , and then lifting it c ompletely up. 7 Remov[...]

www.gatewa y.com 51 9 If this is a new heat sink, remove the strip on the heat sink that cover s the gray therm al grease. If you are re-using a heat sink, then re-apply a small bead of thermal grease to the surface that contac ts the processor . 10 Place the heat sink on the proc essor , then tighten the screws that secur e it to the system board.[...]

CHAPTER 4 : Upgrading Yo ur Computer 52 4 Remove the screw that secures the I/O panel to your computer , then remov e the I/O panel from your computer . 5 Insert th e new I/O p anel into your co mputer , then repla ce th e sc rew. 6 Connect the I /O panel cable to the new I/O pa nel. 7 Replace the front bezel b y following the instruct ions in “R[...]

www.gatewa y.com 53 4 Open the card retention leve r . 5 Remove the old exp ansion card. Y ou can slight ly seesaw the card end-to- end to loosen the card, but do not bend the card sideways. 6 Install the new c ard into the expansion s lot. Y ou can slightly see saw the card end-to- end to help insert the card, but do not bend the card sideways. 7 [...]

CHAPTER 4 : Upgrading Yo ur Computer 54 Replacing the system boar d T o re place the system board: 1 Remove the s ide panel by following the instr uctions in “Removing the side panel” on pag e 31 . 2 Disconnect any ex pansion card cables from the cards and from the system board, noting their locations and orientation. (You will reconnect the ca[...]

www.gatewa y.com 55 5 Pull the front fan away from the system board, then remov e it . 6 Disconnect the fan c able from the system bo ard. Important The location of the fa n connection m ay vary , s o make sure that you trace the fan cab le from the fan to the system board. 8511861.book Page 55 Monday, December 18, 2006 11:20 AM[...]

CHAPTER 4 : Upgrading Yo ur Computer 56 7 Find the memory modul e banks on your system board. 8 Gently pull the plastic tabs away from the sides of the memory modules, then remove them. 9 Disconnect the p ower and data cab les from the syste m board, noting their locations and orientation. (You will reconnect the cables after you install the new bo[...]

www.gatewa y.com 57 12 Remove the seven system boar d screws. 13 Lift the system b oard up and out of the case. 14 Align the new sys tem board on the screw holes in the case, then secure it into the case w ith the screws. 15 If your replacement sys tem board does not incl ude a processor , go to Step 16 . -OR- If your replacement system bo ard incl[...]

CHAPTER 4 : Upgrading Yo ur Computer 58 17 Release the proces sor from the old syste m board by pushing down on the lever , then lifting i t completely up. 18 Remove the pr ocessor from the old system board. 19 Install the processor onto the new system board making sure that Pin 1 on the processor (indicated by the silk-screened ar row on the corne[...]

CHAPTER 5 59 Maintaining Y our Computer • Setting up a mainte nance sche dule • Caring fo r your comput er • Cleani ng your compu ter • Updating Windo ws • Using BigFix • Managing har d drive space • Scheduling main tenance tasks • Moving from you r old compu ter 8511861.book Page 59 Monday, December 18, 2006 11:20 AM[...]

CHAPTER 5 : Maint aining Your Compu ter 60 Setting up a maintenance schedule Use the following table to set up a regular mainte nance schedule. Caring f or your computer T o exte nd the life of your computer: • Be careful not to bump or drop your computer , and d o not put any objects on t op of it. The case, althoug h strong, is not made to supp[...]

www.gatewa y.com 61 • Avoid subjecting your computer to e xtreme temperature ch anges. The c ase can become bri ttle and eas y to br eak in col d tem per atur es and c an mel t or warp i n high tem pera tur es. Da mage d ue to eithe r extreme is not covered by your warranty . As a general rule, your comp uter is safest at tempe ratures that are c[...]

CHAPTER 5 : Maint aining Your Compu ter 62 Cleaning the e xterior • Always turn off your comp uter and ot her peripheral devi ces be fo re cl ean ing any compo nents . • Use a damp, lint-free cloth to clean your compute r and other parts of your system. Do not use household abrasive or solvent c leaners bec ause they c an damage the finish on c[...]

www.gatewa y.com 63 Cleaning the mon itor T o clean the monitor: • T o clean an LCD flat panel monitor , use a soft cloth and water to clean the screen. Dampen the clot h (never apply liquid directl y to the screen), then wipe the screen with the cloth. • T o clea n a CRT monitor , use a soft cloth and glass cleaner to clean the monitor screen.[...]

CHAPTER 5 : Maint aining Your Compu ter 64 Updating Windows Windows Update helps you keep your computer up-to-date. Use Windows Update to ch oose updates for your computer’s operating system, software, and har dware. New content is added to the site regularly , so you can alwa ys get the most recent updates and fixes to protect your computer and [...]

www.gatewa y.com 65 Checki ng har d drive spa ce T o chec k ha rd dri ve s pace : 1 Click ( Start ) then click Computer . The Computer window opens. 2 Right-click the drive that you want to check for available fil e spa ce, th en clic k Properties . Drive spac e information appears. Shor tcut Start Ö Computer Ö right-cl ick dri ve Ö Properties 8[...]

CHAPTER 5 : Maint aining Your Compu ter 66 Deleting un necessary file s Delete unnecessary files, such as temporary files and files in the Recyc le Bin , to f ree har d driv e spa ce. T o delete unnecessary fi les: 1 Click ( Start ), All Progra ms , Accessories , Syst em T ool s , then click Disk Cleanup . The Disk Cleanup dialog box opens. 2 Click[...]

www.gatewa y.com 67 If you use your computer several hours every day , you probably want to run Error -checking once a week. If you use your computer less frequently , once a month may be adequate. Also use Error-checking if you encounter hard drive problems. T o check the hard drive fo r errors: 1 Click ( Start ) then click Computer . The Computer[...]

CHAPTER 5 : Maint aining Your Compu ter 68 Defragment ing the hard drive When working w ith files, sometimes W indows divides the file information into piece s and stores them in di fferent places on the hard drive. This is called fra g ment ation , and it is normal. In orde r for your computer to use a file, Windows must search for the pieces of t[...]

www.gatewa y.com 69 Backing up files Backing up files and removing them from the hard drive frees space for new file s on the hard drive. It als o protects you from losing important i nformation if the hard drive fails or you accidentally d elete file s. Y ou should back up your fil es regularly to a writable optical disc (if you have a recordab le[...]

CHAPTER 5 : Maint aining Your Compu ter 70 Scheduling maintenance tasks T as k Schedule r lets you schedule maintenance ta sks such as running Disk Defragmenter and checking your drives for erro rs. To s t a r t t h e Ta s k S c h e d u l e r : 1 Click ( Start ), All Progra ms , Accessories , Syst em T ool s , then click T ask Scheduler . The Ta s [...]

www.gatewa y.com 71 Moving fr om your old computer Moving with Windows Eas y T ransf er Y ou can move your files, folders, software settings, and user account settings (such as display , Inter net, and e-mail settings) from your old computer to your new one using Windows Easy T ransfer , providing your old computer uses Wi ndows X P or Windows Vist[...]

CHAPTER 5 : Maint aining Your Compu ter 72 Moving files and settings manu ally Y ou can manually transfer your personal da ta files by copying them to removable media, such as a writabl e disc, an external hard drive, a network l o cation, or a flash drive. Findi ng yo ur d ocuments Many programs save y our personal dat a files in the Documents or [...]

www.gatewa y.com 73 T o find files using Find or Search: 1 In Windows Vista, cl ick ( Start ), then click Search . The Sea rch Result s window opens. - OR - In Windows XP , click Start , then click Search . The Sear ch R esu lts window opens. - OR - In Windows 9 8, Windows M e, or Windows 200 0, click Start , Find or Search , then click For Files o[...]

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CHAPTER 6 75 T roubleshooting • Safety guidelin es • First step s • T r oubleshoot ing • Recoverin g your system • T elephone support 8511861.book Page 75 Monday, December 18, 2006 11:20 AM[...]

CHAPTER 6 : Troubleshooting 76 Safety guidelines While troubleshoot ing your compute r , follow these safety guidelines : First steps If you have problems with your computer , try these things first: • M a k e s u r e t h a t t h e p o w e r c o r d i s c o n n e c t e d t o y o u r computer and an AC outlet and that the AC outlet is supply ing p[...]

www.gatewa y.com 77 • If you adde d or removed p eripheral de vices, review the installation procedures you performed and make sure that you followed each i nstruction. • If an e rror occu rs in a prog ram, see the p rogra m’s printed docu mentation or the onli ne help. T r oubleshooting T roubleshooting topics are listed in al phabetical ord[...]

CHAPTER 6 : Troubleshooting 78 • Clean the disc. For more information, see “Cleani ng optical discs” on page 63 . • Restart your computer , then enter the BIOS Setup utility by pressing and holding F2 while your computer restarts. Make su re that the IDE co ntrollers are enabled. • Make sure that the dr ive is configured co rrectly by fol[...]

www.gatewa y.com 79 • DVDs an d DVD drive s contain re gi onal cod es that help control DVD ti tle exports and help reduce illeg al disc distribution. T o be able to play a DVD, the disc’s regional c o d e a n d y o u r D V D d r i v e ’ s r e g i o n a l c o d e m u s t m a t c h . The regional code on your DVD drive is determined by your co[...]

CHAPTER 6 : Troubleshooting 80 Y ou see a “Disk is full” error message • Delete unnecessary files on the diskette. • T ry a d ifferent diskette. Occasi onally diskettes are flawed and cannot b e read by the diskette dr ive. • Run Erro r Che ck ing o n t he di sk ette . For m ore information, see “Checking the hard drive for errors” on[...]

www.gatewa y.com 81 The comput er does not recognize an add-in Ethe rnet card • Shut down and restart your computer . • Make sure that you have installed the required software. For more information, see the documentation t h a t c a m e w i t h y o u r E t h e r n e t c a r d . • Reseat the card. For more information, about op ening your comp[...]

CHAPTER 6 : Troubleshooting 82 Hard drive Y ou see an “Insufficient disk space” error message • Delete unnecessary files from the har d drive using Disk Cleanup. For instructions on deleting unnecessary files, see “Deleting unnec essary files” on page 66 . • Empty th e Recycle Bin by ri ght-cli cking the Recyc le Bin icon, th en clickin[...]

www.gatewa y.com 83 Internet See als o “Modem (dial-up)” o n page 89 . Y ou cannot connect to the Inte rnet • If you are using a dial-up mode m, make sure that the modem cable is plugged into the modem jack and not the Ethernet network j ack. See your hardware r eference or setup poster to mak e sur e that the connec tions have been made cor [...]

CHAPTER 6 : Troubleshooting 84 Connecting to a W eb site takes too long Many factors can affect Internet p erformance: • The conditi on of the t elephone line s in your residence or at your local te lephone service • The condition of the Internet compute rs to which you connect and the number of users acc essing those computer s • The complex[...]

www.gatewa y.com 85 Liquid spill ed in the keyboard • If you spill ed liquid in the ke yboard, turn off your computer and unplug the keyboard. Clean the keyboard and turn it upside d own to drain it. Let the keyboard dry before using it again. If the keyboard does not work after it dries, you may need to replace it. Media Center T o view Media Ce[...]

CHAPTER 6 : Troubleshooting 86 • S-Video —If your TV does not have a VGA port, but includes an S-Video port, co nnect the S-Video cable fro m the Med ia Cent er compu ter’s S- Video Ou t port to the TV’s S -Video In port. S-Video display q uality is usually good for TV im ages. The display quality for the Media Center computer functions, ho[...]

www.gatewa y.com 87 • Ty p e of T V (interlaced or progressi ve scan) Many TVs us e interlaced vi deo. Interlac ed video displays a video frame wit h two passes of alternating scan lines. T he TV screen fir st displays th e video image od d lines one at a time, sequential ly from top to bottom, then it fil ls in the other half of the vide o image[...]

CHAPTER 6 : Troubleshooting 88 Y ou want to know whether y ou can play recorded programs o n other co mputers • Y e s , y o u c a n . A D V R - M S f i l e r e c o r d e d t o D V D c a n b e replayed on another Media Cente r computer or on a non-Media Center computer t hat has a DVD pla yer and DVD decoder software (such as WinDVD). The non-Medi[...]

www.gatewa y.com 89 Modem (cable or DSL) • See the documentation that came with your mo dem for additional troubleshooting information. Modem (dial-up) See als o “Internet” on page 83 . Y our modem does not dial or does not connect • Make sure that the mo dem cable is plug ged into the modem jack and not the Ethernet ne twork jack. See you [...]

CHAPTER 6 : Troubleshooting 90 • Disconnect any ans wering machine, fax machine, or printer that is o n the same line as the m odem. Do not connect these devices to the same tele phone line as the modem. • Make sure that you are not using a digital, rollover , or PBX line . These lines do not work with your modem. • Check for line no ise (scr[...]

www.gatewa y.com 91 If your computer has a v .90 modem, the speed at which yo u can upload (send ) data is limited to 33.6K. If your co mputer has a v .92 modem, the speed at which you can upload data is limited to 48K. Your ISP may not suppo rt 48K upload s. Y our fax communications p rogram only sends and rec eives faxes a t 14,400 bps when you h[...]

CHAPTER 6 : Troubleshooting 92 The modem is noisy when it dials and conne cts When your modem tries to connect to another modem, it begins handshaking . Handshaking i s a digital “getti ng acquainted” conver sation between the tw o modems that establishes connection sp eeds and communica tion protocols. Y ou may hear unusual handshaking sounds [...]

www.gatewa y.com 93 • Reinstall the de vice driv er . • Connect a monitor that you know works to your computer . The color is not unif orm • Make sure that the monitor warms up f or at least 30 minute s befor e making a final judgment about color uniformity . • Make sure that: • Non-shiel ded speake rs are not placed too cl ose to the mon[...]

CHAPTER 6 : Troubleshooting 94 Mouse The mouse does not w ork • Make sure that the mous e cable is p lugged in cor rectly . • Shut down and restart your computer . • Remove all e xtension cables and sw itch boxes. • T ry a mouse you know is working to make sure that the mouse port work s. The mouse works erratically • If the mous e pointe[...]

www.gatewa y.com 95 Power Y our compute r will not turn on • M a k e s u r e t h a t t h e p o w e r c o r d i s c o n n e c t e d t o a n AC power sourc e and to your computer , and that your computer is tur ned on. • If your computer is plugged into a surge protector , make sure that the surge protector is connecte d securely to an electric a[...]

CHAPTER 6 : Troubleshooting 96 • Reinstall the printer dr iver . See the guide that came with your printer for instruc tions on installing th e printer driver . Y ou see a “Printer queue is full” error message • Make sure that the printe r is not set to work offline. T o make sure that the printer is not set to work o ffline: 1 Click Sta rt[...]

www.gatewa y.com 97 Recovering your system Most compute r problems can be s olved by followi ng the information in “T roubleshooting” on page 14 3 or i n the technical support pag es at www . gate way .co m . Problem-solving may also involv e re-installing some or all of the computer’s softw are (also called recovering or restoring your syste[...]

CHAPTER 6 : Troubleshooting 98 Recovering pre-installe d software and drivers Y ou ca n perfo rm a parti al reco very by rec overi ng th e sof tware and device driv ers that were pre-installe d at the factory . If you need to recover softw are that did not come pre-ins talled on your system, you need to follow that softwar e’s installation instru[...]

www.gatewa y.com 99 Y ou should create a set of discs for recovering your pre-installed softw are and device dri vers, in case you w ill need to use them later for a complet e system recovery . (Y o ur computer must hav e a recordable disc drive to perform this procedure.) T o create discs f or recovering pre-installed software and drivers: 1 Click[...]

CHAPTER 6 : Troubleshooting 100 4 Insert a blank, recordable disc into a recordable disc drive, the n clic k Next . If an Auto Pla y dialog box opens, click the x i n the u pper- right co rne r to clo se i t. A dialog box opens that tells you the number of blank discs you will need to create a full se t of recovery discs. 5 If you have enough blank[...]

www.gatewa y.com 101 Recovering pre-installe d software and drivers using Gatew ay Reco very Ce nter T o recover specific drivers and software: 1 Click ( Star t ), Al l Prog rams , Gateway Recov ery Center , then click Gatewa y Recover y Center . The Gateway Recovery Center opens. 2 T o recover software that was pre-installe d, click Programs , the[...]

CHAPTER 6 : Troubleshooting 102 4 Click the software or driver you w ant to recover , then click Next . Recovering pre-installe d software and drivers using recovery discs If you created a multiple-disc s et of recovery discs, each disc contains a unique set of software and drivers. If a recovery disc does not o ffer the software or driver you ne e[...]

www.gatewa y.com 103 2 T o rec over p re -inst alled soft ware , click Appl icatio n recovery , click the sof tware y ou want to recov er , then click Next . - OR - T o recov er pre-installed de vice driv ers, click Device drive r rec over y , click the typ e of driver you want to recover , then clic k Next . 3 If the softw are or driver is not sho[...]

CHAPTER 6 : Troubleshooting 104 Using Microsoft System Restor e Microsoft System Restore period ic ally takes “ snapshots” of your system settings and saves them as restore point s . In most cases of hard-to-r esolve software pr oblems, you can return to one of these restore points to get your system running again. Windows automati cally create[...]

www.gatewa y.com 105 2 On the left side of the window, click Repair Windows using System Restore , then click Next . The Choose a restore point dialog box ope ns. 3 Click the restore point you want, click Next , then click Finish . A confirmation message box appears. 4 Click Ye s . Y our syste m is restored using the restore point you specifie d. M[...]

CHAPTER 6 : Troubleshooting 106 2 On the left side of the window , click Create a resto re point or change settings , t hen clic k Nex t . Th e Syste m Properties dialog box opens to the System Protection tab. 3 Click Create . The Create a restore point dialog box opens. 4 T yp e a description for the re store point (such as the date and time), the[...]

www.gatewa y.com 107 Recovering your system to its factory condition If your compute r’s problems are not solved by any of t he other recovery options, you may need to recov er its hard drive to its factory co ndition. This proces s is called a fact ory recovery . T o delete ev erything on your hard drive and re- install all factory software: 1 I[...]

CHAPTER 6 : Troubleshooting 108 8 Click Ye s , then c lick Nex t . The Factory image recovery window opens, whic h shows you the progress of the system recove ry . When reco very i s fi nish ed, t he Reco very is complete window opens. 9 Click Finish , then click Restart . Y our computer r estarts into its original factor y condition. Recoveri ng y[...]

www.gatewa y.com 109 • Make sure that your computer is connected correctly to a grounded AC outlet that is supp lying power . If you use a surge protector , make s ure that it is turned on. • If a peripheral device , such as a keyboard or mouse, does not appear to work, make sure that all cables are plugged in s ecurely . • If you have recent[...]

CHAPTER 6 : Troubleshooting 110 Te l e p h o n e n u m b e r s Y ou can access the following services through your telephone to get answers to your questio ns: Self-h elp If you have how-to questions about using your Gateway-suppl ied hardware or software, see t he following resourc es: • The printed or online docume ntation that came wit h your [...]

www.gatewa y.com 111 Tu t o r i n g Answers by Gateway SM is a telephone ser vice that provides answers to all of your “How do I...” questions on Gateway computers. For more information, go to www .gatew ay .com/an swers . T r aining Gateway provides the follow ing computer-based tr aining: Res our ce Ser vice descri pti on Fo r mo re inf ormat[...]

CHAPTER 6 : Troubleshooting 112 8511861.book Page 112 Monday, December 18, 2006 11:20 AM[...]

Appendix A 113 Legal Notices • Important safety information • Regulatory compliance statements • Envir o nmental in form ation • Notices 8511861.book Page 113 Monday, December 18, 2006 11:20 AM[...]

Appendix A : Legal Noti ce s 114 Important safety inf ormation Y ou r Gate way sy st em is d esig ne d and teste d to m eet t he lat est sta ndard s for sa fety of inf orma tion techn olog y equi pm ent. How ever , to ens ure s afe use of t his pr oduct , it is im porta nt that the safe ty instructi ons marke d on the product and in the document at[...]

www.gatewa y.com 115 Care during use • D o n o t w a l k o n t h e p o w e r c o r d o r a l l o w a n y t h i n g t o r e s t o n i t . • D o n o t s p i l l a n y t h i n g o n t h e s y s t e m . T h e b e s t w a y t o a v o i d s p i l l s i s t o a v o i d e a t i n g and drinki ng near your sy stem. • Some pr oducts h ave a rep laceabl[...]

Appendix A : Legal Noti ce s 116 • Reori ent or relo cate the r eceiving antenn a • Increa se the sep aration b etween th e equipm ent and r ec eiver • Connect the equipment to an outlet on a different circuit from tha t to which th e receiver is conne cted • Consult the dea ler or an experience d radio/TV technici an for help. Compliance A[...]

www.gatewa y.com 117 When p rogrammi ng or ma king test ca lls to emer g ency n umbers: • Remai n on the line and br iefly expl ain to the disp atcher t he reas on f or the call. • Perf orm such a ctivities in th e off-p eak ho u rs su ch a s ear ly mo rning or lat e even ings. The United States T elephone Consumer Pro tection Act of 1991 makes[...]

Appendix A : Legal Noti ce s 118 Laser saf ety statement All Gat eway sys tems equi pped with CD and DV D drives c omply with th e appro priate safe t y standa rds, incl uding IEC 825. The l aser devic es in these com ponents ar e classified as “ Class 1 Laser Products” under a US Department o f Health and Human Services (DHHS) Radiation Perfor[...]

www.gatewa y.com 119 Power line s Do not l ocate th e ante nna near overhead light or powe r circuits , or whe re it co uld fall into s uch power lines or c ircuits. Wa r n i ng When install ing or realigning an outs ide antenna system, extreme ca re should be taken to keep from touching s uch power lines or circuits. Contact with them could b e fa[...]

Appendix A : Legal Noti ce s 120 Envir onmental info rmation The product you have p urchased contai ns extract ed natural resources th at have bee n used in the manufacturi ng process. This product may contain substa nces known to be hazardous to the environment or to human health. T o prevent re leases of harmful su bstances int o the enviro nment[...]

www.gatewa y.com 121 T rademark ac knowledgmen ts Gatew ay and the Black-a nd-W hite Spot D esign are trademarks or reg istered t rademarks of Gateway , Inc. in the U. S. and other coun tries. Intel, Intel Insid e logo, and Pent ium are re gistere d trad emarks and MMX is a tra demark of Intel Co rporat ion. Mi cros oft, MS, MS-D OS, and W indow s [...]

Appendix A : Legal Noti ce s 122 8511861.book Page 122 Monday, December 18, 2006 11:20 AM[...]

123 A AC powe r connecto r 8 accessories safety precautions 115 activity indicators See indicators application butto ns 21 application key 20 , 21 arrow keys 20 , 21 audio audio in jack 9 center speaker jack 10 configuring jacks 26 front spe aker ja ck 10 headphone jack 10 line in jack 9 line out jack 10 microphone j ack 6 , 7 , 10 muting 24 rear s[...]

124 Index speakers 26 connecting mode m 16 PS/2 keyboard 10 PS/2 mouse 9 to Ethernet netwo rk 9 , 15 to Internet 9 to network 9 , 15 connections audio in 9 center speaker 10 digital c amera 6 , 10 , 26 digital vid eo camera 7 , 9 , 26 Ethernet 9 , 15 external audio 9 , 10 external s peakers 10 Firewire 7 , 9 , 26 fron t spe aker 10 headpho ne 10 i.[...]

125 www.gatewa y.com electrostatic discharg e (ESD) 30 ergonomics 12 Error-check ing 66 Ethernet jack 9 Ethernet netw ork connecting 15 jack 15 expa nsion c ard adding 52 repl aci ng 52 external audio j ack 9 , 10 F fan repl aci ng 45 , 46 faxe s troublesh ooting 91 fil es backing up 69 deleting 66 opening 23 searching for 72 transferring 72 troubl[...]

126 Index cleaning 62 features 19 PS/2 port 10 troublesh ooting 84 USB port 6 , 10 keys and buttons application 20 , 21 arrow 20 , 21 audio playback 19 , 21 directio nal 20 , 21 editing 19 , 21 funct ion 19 , 21 Internet 19 mouse 22 navigation 20 , 21 numeric 20 , 21 sleep 21 Windows 20 , 21 L label Microsoft Certificate of Authenticity 3 pro duct [...]

127 www.gatewa y.com multimedia adjusting volum e 24 muting s ound 24 N navigation ke ys 20 , 21 network jack 9 , 15 troublesh ooting 80 , 94 non-technical su pport Accounting 110 Sales 110 Warranty 110 numeric key pad 20 , 21 indicator 20 , 21 O opening computer cas e 31 fil es 23 fold ers 23 fro nt b ezel 32 pro gram s 23 shortcut menu 23 optical[...]

128 Index screen troublesh ooting 92 screen o bjects getting information 23 movin g 23 selecting 23 Scroll Lock indicator 20 , 21 scroll wheel 23 searching for files and folders 72 setting up safety precautions 114 shortcut menus accessing 23 shortcuts opening menu 23 shut ting down c omput er 17 , 18 side panel remo ving 31 repl aci ng 31 sleep bu[...]

129 www.gatewa y.com telephone su pport 108 Web site conne ction speed 84 Windows Me dia Center 85 turning off comp uter 7 , 17 , 18 turning on comp uter 7 , 16 tutoring fee- based 11 0 U uninterru ptible power supply (UPS) 14 updating Windows 64 UPS 14 USB port 6 , 10 , 26 V volume adjusting 24 adjusting modem 92 controls 24 muting 24 troublesh oo[...]

130 Index 8511861.book Page 130 Monday, December 18, 2006 11:20 AM[...]

8511861.book Page 131 Monday, December 18, 2006 11:20 AM[...]

MAN 6BA Y MBTX CONS REFGDE V R0 12/06 8511861.book Page 132 Monday, December 18, 2006 11:20 AM[...]