Computer Tech Link Vector - Manual (Page 20)

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• Powering the system off after completing your work - This alternative is best if you use
the computer infrequently, especially where the periods of use are short.
• Leaving the system on and only powering off at the end of the day - If you use your
computer many times a day or for long periods, it is probably better to leave it on.
Applications such as voicemail and fax may require that the system be constantly on.
Most office computers fall into this category. Some tips:
o If your computer is not required to run applications such as fax or voicemail
software after hours, you should shut down at the end of the day to conserve
energy.
o Enable the power management settings of your system and monitor to save
energy and to save your monitor screen. Power management settings can be
accessed through the Windows Control Panel. Enabling power management
and leaving your system on constantly might be your best alternative. Many
computers also support spinning down the hard drives to save wear and energy.
o Make sure you use a screen saver or turn the monitor off. This prevents the
possibility of “burning” any screen images on the phosphor coating of the tube,
which could result in permanent shadows on the display.
• Never powering the system off - This approach is necessary for computers supporting
24-hour access to voicemail or fax, or for network servers. However, systems should be
reset at least once a week using the appropriate Restart Procedure, above, to reload a
clean operating system, close open files that are not needed, and recover any memory
held by processes that are no longer in use. You may want to research the impact, if any,
that enabling your computer's power management features has on your computer's
required functionality. The monitor may be turned off when not in use.
NOTE If you leave your computer on all the time, you may wish to purchase one of the many
types of auxiliary cooling fans that fit inside your computer's case. Please contact your CTL
Dealer or Representative if you need to purchase additional fans.
General Controls and Indicators
This section describes your system’s controls and indicators. Note that some of these may not
appear on your computer case.
Power Button and Indicator Light
The Power button turns the system on and off. Many newer computer systems support an option
where the user can place the computer in suspend mode. Suspend mode places the CPU and
peripherals into their lowest available power-consumption modes while preserving all open
applications in a frozen state.
Computers equipped with this advanced option typically require the user to rapidly press and
release Power to place the system in suspend mode. Shutting down the system requires
pressing and holding Power for about four seconds.
Please refer to the motherboard and operating system documentations included with your system
for details on all power management options supported by your computer. Always remember to