Document Outline

• Contents
• About This Reference
  • About this guide
    • For more information
  • Accessing the online User Guide
    • To access your User Guide:
  • Gateway contact information
  • Microsoft Certificate of Authenticity
• Checking Out Your Computer
  • Front
  • Back
• Setting Up and Getting Started
  • Working safely and comfortably
    • Reducing eye strain
    • Setting up your computer desk and chair
    • Sitting at your computer
    • Avoiding discomfort and injury from repetitive strain
  • Preparing power connections
    • Protecting from power source problems
    • Checking the voltage selection
      • To set the voltage selection switch:
  • Connecting to a broadband modem or network
    • To connect to a broadband modem or to an Ethernet network:
  • Connecting a dial-up modem
    • To connect the modem:
  • Starting your computer
    • To start your computer:
    • Waking up your computer
  • Turning off your computer
    • To put your computer to sleep:
    • To turn off your computer:
  • Restarting (rebooting) your computer
    • To restart your computer:
  • Using the keyboard
    • Premium multimedia keyboard features
    • Elite multimedia keyboard features
  • Using the mouse
  • Using optical drives
    • Features
    • Loading an optical disc
      • To insert an optical disc:
    • Identifying optical drive types
    • Playing discs
      • Playing a CD
      • Playing a DVD
      • Playing a Blu-ray Disc
      • Playing an HD-DVD
    • Creating discs
      • Recording to optical discs
      • Creating audio and video files
      • Copying optical discs
  • Using the memory card reader
    • Memory card types
    • Using a memory card
      • To insert a memory card:
      • To remove a memory card:
  • Using the diskette drive
    • To load a diskette:
  • Adjusting the volume
    • To adjust the overall volume using hardware controls:
    • To adjust the volume from Windows:
  • Configuring the audio jacks
    • To configure the audio jacks:
  • Installing a printer, scanner, or other device
• Upgrading Your Computer
  • Preventing static electricity discharge
    • To prevent risk of electric shock, do not insert any object into the vent holes of the power supply.
  • Opening the case
    • Removing the side panel
      • To remove the side panel:
    • Removing the front bezel
      • To remove the front bezel:
  • Closing the case
    • Replacing the front bezel
      • To replace the front bezel:
    • Replacing the side panel
      • To replace the side panel:
  • Replacing the color panel
    • To replace the color panel on the front bezel:
  • Installing memory
    • To install or replace DIMM memory:
  • Adding or replacing an optical disc drive
    • To add replace an optical drive:
  • Replacing the memory card reader
    • To replace the memory card reader:
  • Adding or replacing a hard drive
    • To add or replace a hard drive:
  • Replacing the heat sink and processor
    • To replace the heat sink and processor:
  • Adding or replacing an expansion card
    • To add or replace an expansion card:
  • Replacing the system battery
    • To replace the battery:
  • Replacing the system board
    • To replace the system board:
• Maintaining Your Computer
  • Setting up a maintenance schedule
  • Caring for your computer
  • Cleaning your computer
    • Cleaning the exterior
    • Cleaning the keyboard
      • To clean the keyboard:
    • Cleaning the monitor
      • To clean the monitor:
    • Cleaning the mouse
      • To clean the mouse:
    • Cleaning optical discs
      • To clean an optical disc:
  • Updating Windows
  • Using BigFix
    • To start BigFix:
  • Managing hard drive space
    • Checking hard drive space
      • To check hard drive space:
    • Deleting unnecessary files
      • To delete unnecessary files:
    • Checking the hard drive for errors
      • To check the hard drive for errors:
    • Defragmenting the hard drive
      • To defragment the hard drive:
    • Backing up files
      • To back up files:
  • Scheduling maintenance tasks
    • To start the Task Scheduler:
  • Moving from your old computer
    • Transferring files and settings automatically
      • To move files and settings from your old computer:
    • Transferring files and settings manually
      • Finding your documents
        • To find files in the documents folder:
      • Finding other files
        • To find files using Find or Search:
• Troubleshooting
  • Safety guidelines
    • . Power cords or plugs are damaged
    • . Liquid has been spilled into your computer
    • . Your computer was dropped
    • . The case was damaged
    • Instead, unplug your computer and contact a qualified computer technician.
  • First steps
  • Troubleshooting
    • Add-in cards
    • Audio
    • CD or DVD drives
      • The computer does not recognize a disc or the CD or DVD drive
      • An audio CD does not produce sound
      • A DVD movie will not play
    • Diskette drive
      • The diskette drive is not recognized
      • You cannot save a file to diskette or you see the message “disk is full or write-protected”
      • You see an “Access Denied” or “Write protect” error message
      • You see a “Disk is full” error message
      • You see a “Non-system disk” or “Disk error” error message
      • The diskette drive LED is lit continuously
    • Display
      • The screen resolution is not correct
      • The computer is running, but there is no picture
      • The color is not uniform
      • The text on the display is dim or difficult to read
    • DVD drives
    • Ethernet
      • You cannot see the other computers on your network
      • The computer does not recognize an Ethernet expansion card
      • Your Ethernet network is running slower than you expect
    • Expansion cards
      • The computer does not recognize an expansion card
    • File management
      • A file was accidentally deleted
        • To restore deleted files:
      • You need to restore your computer to a working condition
    • Floppy drive
    • Hard drive
      • You see an “Insufficient disk space” error message
      • You see a “Data error” message
      • The hard drive cannot be accessed, or you see a “General failure reading drive C” error message
      • You see a “Non-system disk” or “disk error” error message
    • Internet
      • You cannot connect to the Internet
      • You see an “Unable to locate host” message and are unable to browse the Internet
      • Connecting to a Web site takes too long
      • People are sending you e-mail messages, but you have not received any mail
    • Keyboard
      • The keyboard does not work
      • A keyboard character keeps repeating or you see a “keyboard stuck” or “key failure” error message
      • Liquid spilled in the keyboard
    • Media Center
      • The Media Center video display looks bad on your TV
      • You need to configure your computer to output to a TV
      • You want to change display settings to get better TV or DVD image quality
      • You need to burn programs that were recorded with your computer to a DVD using Media Center
      • You want to play recorded programs on other computers
      • You get a “Download Error” message when Media Center tries to update the Program Guide
    • Memory
      • You see a “Memory error” message
        • To run the Memory Diagnostic Tool:
      • You see a “Not enough memory” error message
    • Memory card reader
      • Drive letters for the memory card slots do not appear in the Computer window
    • Modem (cable or DSL)
      • My computer cannot connect to the Internet.
    • Modem (dial-up)
      • Your modem does not dial or does not connect
        • To check the dialing properties:
      • You cannot connect to the Internet
      • Your 56K modem does not connect at 56K
      • Your fax communications program only sends and receives faxes at 14,400 bps when you have a 56K modem
      • The modem is not recognized by your computer
        • To run modem diagnostics:
      • The modem is noisy when it dials and connects
        • To turn down the modem volume:
    • Monitor
    • Mouse
      • The mouse does not work
      • The mouse works erratically
    • Networks
      • You cannot connect to your company network
    • Passwords
      • Your computer does not accept your password
    • Power
      • Your computer will not turn on
    • Printer
      • The printer will not turn on
      • The printer is on but will not print
        • To set a default printer:
      • You see a “Printer queue is full” error message
        • To make sure that the printer is not set to work offline:
      • You see a “Printer is out of paper” error message
    • Sound
      • You are not getting sound from the speakers
  • Recovering your system
    • Recovering pre-installed software and drivers
      • Preparing for software and device driver recovery
        • To create discs for recovering pre-installed software and drivers:
      • Recovering pre-installed software and drivers using Gateway Recovery Center
        • To recover specific drivers and software:
      • Recovering pre-installed software and drivers using recovery discs
        • To recover software and drivers using recovery discs:
    • Using Microsoft System Restore
      • To restore using Microsoft System Restore:
      • Manually creating a restore point
        • To manually create a restore point:
    • Recovering your system to its factory condition
      • To delete everything on your hard drive and re-install all factory software:
    • Recovering your system using the Windows DVD
      • To completely re-install Windows:
  • Telephone support
    • Before calling Gateway Customer Care
      • . Power cords or plugs are damaged
      • . Liquid has been spilled into your computer
      • . Your computer was dropped
      • . The case was damaged
      • Instead, unplug your computer and contact a qualified computer technician.
    • Telephone numbers
      • Automated troubleshooting system
      • Telephone numbers
    • Self-help
    • Tutoring
    • Training
• Legal Notices
  • Important safety information
  • Regulatory compliance statements
  • Environmental information
  • Notices
    • If your computer has a DVD-compatible drive and an analog TV Out port, the following paragraph applies:
    • A
    • B
    • C
    • D
    • E
    • F
    • G
    • H
    • I
    • J
    • K
    • L
    • M
    • N
    • O
    • P
    • R
    • S
    • T
    • U
    • V
    • W
    • X
    • Z
• Index