Gateway Solo 1200 Manual 

Front . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Left . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Right . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Back . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Bottom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Identifying your model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Accessories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 2 Getting Started. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Connecting the AC adapter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Protecting from power source problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Starting your notebook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Waking up your notebook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Turning off your notebook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Status indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Using the keyboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 System key combinations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Multi-function buttons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Using the EZ Pad touchpad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Using the touchpad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Using the rocker switch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Connecting the modem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Connecting to an Ethernet network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Broadband Internet connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Installing a printer, scanner, or other peripheral device . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 3 Getting Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 HelpSpot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 HelpSpot Videos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Online help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Gateway Web site . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 4 Windows Basics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 About the Windows environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Desktop items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Window items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 Using the Start menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 Solo1200.book Page i Friday, May 25, 2001 10:48 AM

About drives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48 About folders and files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50 Copying and moving files and folders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51 Deleting files and folders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53 Browsing for files and folders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55 Searching for files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56 Using the Windows Search utility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57 Working with documents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59 Creating a new document . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60 Saving a document . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61 Opening a document . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62 Printing a document . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63 Shortcuts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64 Transferring software and hardware from your old computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65 Transferring files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65 Transferring Internet settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .67 Reinstalling your old printer or scanner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .68 Reinstalling your old programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .69 5 Using the Internet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .71 Learning about the Internet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72 Setting up an Internet account . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73 Accessing your Internet account . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74 Using the World Wide Web . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .75 Connecting to a Web site . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .76 Downloading files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77 Using e-mail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .78 Sending e-mail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .78 Checking your e-mail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .79 6 Using Multimedia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .81 Using Drives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .82 Using diskettes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .82 Using the CD drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .83 Adjusting the volume . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .85 Listening to music CDs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .87 Recording and playing audio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .88 Playing audio and video files with Windows Media Player . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .90 Using MusicMatch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .91 Playing CDs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .91 Creating music files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .92 Editing track information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .93 Solo1200.book Page ii Friday, May 25, 2001 10:48 AM

Changing the music library display settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95 Listening to Internet radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96 Using advanced features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97 7 Sending and Receiving Faxes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99 Setting up your cover page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100 Sending a fax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103 Faxing from programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105 Receiving and viewing a fax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106 8 Managing Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107 Monitoring the battery charge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108 Recharging the battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108 Changing batteries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109 Extending battery life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111 Conserving battery power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111 Using alternate power sources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111 Changing power modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112 Changing automatic power settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113 9 Travel Tips. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119 Modem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120 Radio frequency wireless connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120 Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121 Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121 Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122 10 Customizing Your Notebook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123 Adjusting the screen and desktop settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124 Adjusting the color depth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124 Adjusting the screen area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126 Applying a color scheme . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127 Changing the desktop background . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129 Selecting a screen saver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131 Changing the touchpad settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133 Programming the multi-function buttons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135 Allocating system memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136 11 Upgrading Your Notebook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137 Adding a PC Card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138 Preventing static electricity discharge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140 Solo1200.book Page iii Friday, May 25, 2001 10:48 AM

Replacing the hard drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .145 12 Networking Your Computer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .147 Using a network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .148 Sharing a single Internet connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .148 Sharing drives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .148 Sharing peripherals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .149 Streaming audio and video files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .149 Playing multi-player games . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .149 Introducing the Gateway Connected Home . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .150 Components of a Gateway Connected Home . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .151 Selecting a network connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .152 Wired connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .152 Wireless connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .153 Assessing your connection needs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .154 Comparing data transfer speed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .157 Network shopping list . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .159 HPNA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .159 Ethernet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .160 Wireless Ethernet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .161 Bluetooth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .161 For more information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .162 13 Maintaining Your Notebook. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .163 Caring for your computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .163 Creating an emergency startup diskette . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .165 Protecting your computer from viruses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .167 Managing hard drive space . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .169 Checking hard drive space . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .169 Using Disk Cleanup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .170 Scanning the hard drive for errors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .171 Defragmenting the hard drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .173 Backing up files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .175 Using Maintenance Wizard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .176 Recalibrating the battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .177 Cleaning your computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .178 Cleaning the exterior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .178 Cleaning the keyboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .179 Cleaning the screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .179 Cleaning the mouse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .179 Solo1200.book Page iv Friday, May 25, 2001 10:48 AM

Reinstalling device drivers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182 Updating device drivers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184 15 Restoring Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187 Reinstalling Windows Me . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188 Reinstalling programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189 16 Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191 Safety guidelines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191 First steps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192 Software support tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193 Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194 CD drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194 Device installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195 Diskette drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196 File management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197 Hard drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198 Internet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199 Keyboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200 LCD panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200 Memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201 Modem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201 Mouse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206 Networks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206 Passwords . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207 PC Cards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207 Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207 Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208 ScanDisk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209 Sound . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210 Video . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210 Telephone support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211 Before calling Gateway Technical Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211 Telephone numbers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212 Tutoring and training . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213 Self-help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213 Tutoring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213 Training . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214 Solo1200.book Page v Friday, May 25, 2001 10:48 AM

Index. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231 Solo1200.book Page vi Friday, May 25, 2001 10:48 AM

To access the contents of this manual while you are traveling, download an electronic copy from www.gateway.com/support/manlib/. Solo1200.book Page 1 Friday, May 25, 2001 10:48 AM

www.gateway.com Front Component Description Cover release latch Open notebook cover by pressing the release latch. Cover release latch Solo1200.book Page 2 Friday, May 25, 2001 10:48 AM

Press the eject button to remove a PC Card from the PC Card slot. PC Card slot Insert one Type I, II, or III PC Card into this slot. For more information, see “Adding a PC Card” on page 138. Diskette drive Insert a standard 3.5-inch diskette into this drive. For more information, see “Using diskettes” on page 82. Diskette drive eject button Press the eject button to remove a diskette from the drive. PC Card eject button PC Card slot Diskette drive Diskette drive eject button Solo1200.book Page 3 Friday, May 25, 2001 10:48 AM

www.gateway.com Right Component Icon Description CD drive Insert CDs into this drive. For more information, see “Using the CD drive” on page 83. CD drive indicator Lights up when the computer is accessing the CD drive. CD drive eject button Press the eject button to eject the disc tray from the drive. Microphone jack Plug a microphone into this jack. Headphone jack Plug headphones or amplified speakers into this jack. Modem jack Plug a telephone cord into this jack. Battery charge indicator The LED shows the battery activity and status. I Green – battery is fully charged. I Orange – battery is being charged. I Red – battery is low. I Blinking and red – battery is very low. I Blinking and orange – battery is malfunctioning. CD drive CD drive indicator CD drive eject button Microphone jack Headphone jack Modem jack Power indicator Battery charge indicator Solo1200.book Page 4 Friday, May 25, 2001 10:48 AM

notebook power status: I LED on – notebook is ON. I LED off – notebook is OFF or in Hibernate. I LED flashing – notebook is in Standby. Component Icon Description Solo1200.book Page 5 Friday, May 25, 2001 10:48 AM

www.gateway.com Back Component Icon Description USB ports Plug USB (Universal Serial Bus) devices (such as a USB Iomega™ Zip™ drive, printer, scanner, or camera) into these ports. Parallel port Plug a parallel printer into this port. Fan Helps cool internal components. Do not block or insert objects into these slots. Monitor port Plug an external (VGA) monitor into this port. Kensington™ lock slot Secure your computer to an object by connecting a Kensington cable lock to this slot. Ethernet jack (optional) Plug a 10/100 Ethernet network cable into this jack. For more information, see “Connecting to an Ethernet network” on page 30 and “Networking Your Computer” on page 147. Power connector Plug the AC adapter cable into this connector. USB ports Parallel port Monitor port Fan Kensington lock slot Ethernet jack Power connector Solo1200.book Page 6 Friday, May 25, 2001 10:48 AM

Remove this assembly to replace the hard drive. Certificate of Authenticity label Find the registration key for the operating system on this label. Memory bay Install a memory module in this bay. Battery release latch Slide to release the battery. Battery Insert the battery into this bay. System identification label Find the product model number and serial number on this label. Hard drive assembly Battery release latch Battery System identification label Memory bay Certificate of authenticity label Solo1200.book Page 7 Friday, May 25, 2001 10:48 AM

www.gateway.com Identifying your model The label on the bottom of your computer contains information that identifies your notebook model. Gateway Technical Support will need this information if you call for assistance. Label information varies by model. Gateway part number Gateway model number Gateway serial number Revision code and display type/ processor size Internal wireless devices Solo1200.book Page 8 Friday, May 25, 2001 10:48 AM

notebook. Batteries and automobile/airplane power adapters 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 You can attach external devices such as a keyboard, mouse, printer, or monitor to your notebook. 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 can print pictures, banners, 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. Solo1200.book Page 9 Friday, May 25, 2001 10:48 AM

www.gateway.com Solo1200.book Page 10 Friday, May 25, 2001 10:48 AM

this chapter to find out: I How to connect the AC adapter I How to start and turn off your notebook I How to use the keyboard I How to use the EZ Pad™ touchpad I How to connect the modem I How to connect to a network I How to install peripheral devices Warning Radio frequency wireless communication can interfere with equipment on commercial aircraft. Current aviation regulations require wireless devices to be turned off while traveling in an airplane. IEEE 802.11b (also known as wireless Ethernet or Wifi) and Bluetooth communication devices are examples 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 215 for general wireless regulatory and safety guidelines. To find out if your system has an internal wireless device, check the label (see “Identifying your model” on page 8. Solo1200.book Page 11 Friday, May 25, 2001 10:48 AM

www.gateway.com Connecting the AC adapter You can run your 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. To connect the AC adapter: 1 Connect the power cord to the AC adapter. Important If the battery is not fully charged before you use your notebook on battery power for the first time, the battery life 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 recalibrated. For information on recalibrating the battery, see “Recalibrating the battery” on page 177. Warning Replace the power cord if it becomes damaged. The replacement cord must be of the same type and voltage rating as the original cord or the notebook may be damaged. Solo1200.book Page 12 Friday, May 25, 2001 10:48 AM

www.gateway.com 2 Connect the AC adapter to your notebook’s power connector. 3 Plug the power cord into an AC power outlet. The battery charging indicator light turns on. If the battery charging indicator light does not turn on, disconnect the adapter from your notebook and repeat Step 2. 4 When you finish using your notebook the first time, turn the notebook off and leave the notebook connected to AC power for at least 24 hours. Warning Do not attempt to disassemble the AC adapter. The AC adapter has no user-replaceable or user-serviceable parts inside. The AC adapter has dangerous voltages that can cause serious injury or death. Contact Gateway about returning defective AC adapters. Solo1200.book Page 13 Friday, May 25, 2001 10:48 AM

www.gateway.com 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 peripherals by connecting them to a surge protector, which will absorb voltage surges and prevent 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. Solo1200.book Page 14 Friday, May 25, 2001 10:48 AM

www.gateway.com Starting your notebook To start the notebook: 1 Open your notebook by pressing the latch on the front of your notebook and lifting the LCD panel. 2 Press the power button located above the keyboard. Power button Solo1200.book Page 15 Friday, May 25, 2001 10:48 AM

www.gateway.com 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 automatic power settings” on page 113. 3 If you are starting your computer for the first time, follow the on-screen instructions to set up your computer. Waking up your notebook When you have not used your notebook for several minutes, it will go into a power-saving mode called Standby. While in Standby, the power indicator light flashes. If your notebook has gone into Standby mode, “wake” it up by pressing the power button. For more information on changing power-saving settings, see “Managing Power” on page 107. Solo1200.book Page 16 Friday, May 25, 2001 10:48 AM

www.gateway.com Turning off your notebook To turn off your notebook: 1 Click Start, then select Shut Down. The Shut Down Windows dialog box opens. 2 Select Shut down. 3 Click OK. Windows shuts down and turns off your notebook. Important If for some reason you cannot use the Shut down option in Windows to turn off your notebook, press and hold the power button for about five seconds. Solo1200.book Page 17 Friday, May 25, 2001 10:48 AM

www.gateway.com Status indicators Caps lock Pad lock Scroll lock Diskette drive Hard drive CD drive Solo1200.book Page 18 Friday, May 25, 2001 10:48 AM

on... When... Caps Lock is turned on. Pad Lock is turned on. Scroll Lock is turned on. The notebook is accessing the diskette drive. The notebook is accessing the hard drive. The notebook is accessing the CD drive. 1 Solo1200.book Page 19 Friday, May 25, 2001 10:48 AM

www.gateway.com Using the keyboard Your notebook features a full-size keyboard that has the full functionality of a desktop computer keyboard. Many of the keys have been assigned alternate functions, including shortcut keys for Windows, function keys for specific system operations, and the Pad Lock keys for the numeric keypad. 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 USB keyboard. System keys System keys Numeric keypad Navigation keys FN key Windows key Windows key Application key Arrow keys Solo1200.book Page 20 Friday, May 25, 2001 10:48 AM

www.gateway.com Keys Component Icon Description Function keys Press these keys labeled F1 to F12 to perform actions in programs. For example, pressing F1 may open help. Each program uses different function keys for different purposes. Refer to the program documentation to find out more about the function key actions. Numeric keypad Use these keys to type numbers when numeric keypad is turned on. Press FN+PAD LOCK to turn on the numeric keypad. System keys Press these green or blue-colored keys in combination with the FN key to perform a specific action. 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. FN key Press the FN key in combination with a green or blue-colored system key (such as STANDBY, or PAUSE) to perform a specific action. Windows key Press to open the Windows Start menu. These keys can also be used in combination with other keys to open utilities like F (Search utility), R (Run utility), and E (Explorer utility). Application key Press for quick access to shortcut menus and help assistants in Windows. Arrow keys Press these keys to move the cursor up, down, right, or left. Solo1200.book Page 21 Friday, May 25, 2001 10:48 AM

www.gateway.com System key combinations When you press the FN key and a system key at the same time, the notebook performs an action identified by the green or blue text on the key. Press and hold FN while pressing this system key... To... Display the power status box in the upper left corner of your screen. The menu shows the battery charge level, the BIOS version, 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 at the same time. A monitor 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 this key combination again to turn off Pad Lock. The Pad Lock status indicator lights up while this function is turned on. Pause the text scrolling in a DOS screen. The Scroll Lock status indicator appears when this function is turned on. Press the key combination again to continue scrolling. (This function is only available in some programs.) Pause execution of a DOS program. (This function is only available in some programs.) Stop the currently running DOS program. (This function is only available in some programs.) Increase the volume. Solo1200.book Page 22 Friday, May 25, 2001 10:48 AM

www.gateway.com Decrease the volume. Mute the volume. Press and hold FN while pressing this system key... To... Solo1200.book Page 23 Friday, May 25, 2001 10:48 AM

www.gateway.com Multi-function buttons Button Icon Press to... E-mail Open your e-mail program. Internet Open your Web browser. E-mail Internet Help User-defined shortcut Solo1200.book Page 24 Friday, May 25, 2001 10:48 AM

www.gateway.com Help Open online help. User-defined shortcut Open the program you assign to this key. Button Icon Press to... Solo1200.book Page 25 Friday, May 25, 2001 10:48 AM

www.gateway.com Using the EZ Pad touchpad The EZ Pad™ consists of a touchpad, two buttons, and a rocker switch. When you move your finger on the touchpad, the pointer (arrow) on the screen moves in the same direction. You can use the EZ-Pad left and right buttons below the touchpad to select objects. You can scroll, zoom, autoscroll, and pan using the rocker switch between the touchpad buttons. Scrolling capabilities are available in some Windows applications, including Microsoft Office. Touchpad Left touchpad button Right touchpad button Rocker switch Solo1200.book Page 26 Friday, May 25, 2001 10:48 AM

www.gateway.com Using the touchpad To... Do this... Move the pointer on the screen. Move your finger around on the touchpad. If you run out of space on your touchpad and need to move the pointer farther, lift your finger, move it to the middle of the touchpad, then continue moving your finger. Select an object on the screen. Position the pointer over the object. Press the left button below the touchpad once. This action is called clicking. Start a program or open a file or folder. Position the pointer over the object. Press the left button below the touchpad twice in rapid succession. This action is called double-clicking. Access a shortcut menu or find more information about an object on the screen. Position the pointer over the object. Quickly press and release the right button once. This action is called right-clicking. Solo1200.book Page 27 Friday, May 25, 2001 10:48 AM

www.gateway.com Using the rocker switch Move an object on the screen. 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. To... Do this... Scroll up/down Press forward or backward on the rocker switch to scroll through documents. Zoom in/out Press and hold the CTRL key as you apply pressure to the rocker switch. Data zoom Press and hold the SHIFT key as you rock the switch to jump to a hyperlink, return to previous Web sites using Internet Explorer, or expand or collapse menu trees in Windows Explorer. Autoscroll Click both sides of the rocker switch and let go once. The document continues flowing until you use a keystroke, mouse click, or additional rocker action to quit scrolling. Pan Hold down both sides or the middle of the rocker switch and swipe your finger across the Touchpad to scroll quickly, either vertically or horizontally. Lift your finger from the touchpad to quit scrolling. To... Do this... then drag Solo1200.book Page 28 Friday, May 25, 2001 10:48 AM

www.gateway.com Connecting the modem If your notebook has a modem jack, the notebook has a built-in V.92 56K modem. To connect the modem: 1 Insert one end of the telephone cord into the modem jack on the right side of the notebook. 2 Insert the other end of the telephone cord 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. Caution To reduce the risk of fire, use only a No. 26 AWG or larger telecommunications line cord. Solo1200.book Page 29 Friday, May 25, 2001 10:48 AM

www.gateway.com Connecting to an Ethernet network If your notebook has a network jack, you can connect it to a 10/100 Ethernet network. To connect to a network: 1 Insert one end of the network cable into the network jack on the back 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 onto your network. Solo1200.book Page 30 Friday, May 25, 2001 10:48 AM

www.gateway.com Broadband Internet connections You can use your computer’s Ethernet jack for more than just networking. Many broadband Internet connections, such as cable modems and DSL modems, connect to your computer’s Ethernet jack. For more information, see “Using the Internet” on page 71 and “Networking Your Computer” on page 147. Solo1200.book Page 31 Friday, May 25, 2001 10:48 AM

www.gateway.com 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. USB ports support 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. Solo1200.book Page 32 Friday, May 25, 2001 10:48 AM

you use your computer. It includes the following topics: I HelpSpot™ I Online help I Gateway Web site Tips & Tricks To access the contents of this manual while you are traveling, download an electronic copy from www.gateway.com/support/manlib/. Solo1200.book Page 33 Friday, May 25, 2001 10:48 AM

www.gateway.com HelpSpot HelpSpot is 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: I Click Start, then select Help. -OR- Double-click the Gateway Help and Support desktop icon. HelpSpot opens. If this is the first time you have started HelpSpot on your computer, you will experience a brief wait while HelpSpot builds the help database, then HelpSpot will display an introductory video. Solo1200.book Page 34 Friday, May 25, 2001 10:48 AM

browsing the index. To learn about how to work with documents and programs, use your mouse, and other topics, click the Getting Started link on the HelpSpot main page. Solo1200.book Page 35 Friday, May 25, 2001 10:48 AM

www.gateway.com 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: I To watch a video in HelpSpot, click Videos on the HelpSpot navigation bar, then click a video title. The video plays. Solo1200.book Page 36 Friday, May 25, 2001 10:48 AM

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 Help menu or by clicking a Help button. 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. Solo1200.book Page 37 Friday, May 25, 2001 10:48 AM

www.gateway.com Gateway Web site Gateway provides a variety of information on its Web site to help you use your computer. Visit the Gateway Web site at www.gateway.com for: I Technical documentation and product manuals I Technical tips and support I Hardware drivers I A glossary of computer terms I Frequently asked questions (FAQs) For more information about connecting to the Internet, see “Learning about the Internet” on page 72. Solo1200.book Page 38 Friday, May 25, 2001 10:48 AM

www.gateway.com You can access the following resources through the Gateway Web site or through HelpSpot: Resource Service description Location Gateway Update Utility This utility automatically finds, downloads, and installs the latest drivers for your Gateway-supplied hardware. www.gateway.com/ support/index.shtml Chat with Gateway CoPilot Use this remote-help utility that allows Gateway to deliver live person-to-person computer support to you. Any time you engage in a live chat session, a Gateway support representative has the ability to resolve your in-warranty technical issue in real time. This is done by simultaneously viewing your desktop, controlling the mouse and keyboard, and chatting with you. www.gateway.com/ support/index.shtml -OR- HelpSpot Chat with Search Assistant Engage in a live Internet chat session to help you find data on the Gateway.com technical support Web site. If the assistants cannot direct you to the solution on the technical support site, they will refer you to the area or department that can. www.gateway.com/ support/index.shtml -OR- HelpSpot E-mail Tech Support Get the answers to your technical inquiries by e-mail from a Gateway Technical Support representative. www.gateway.com/ support/index.shtml E-mail a Friend Send a link for the Web page you are currently viewing on the Gateway Web site to anyone in the world with an e-mail address. www.gateway.com/ support/index.shtml Frequently Asked Questions Get the answers to many of our most common customer service-related questions. www.gateway.com/ support/index.shtml Chat with Customer Service Engage in a live Internet chat session with a Gateway Customer Service Assistant about a non-technical issue. www.gateway.com/ support/index.shtml -OR- HelpSpot E-mail Customer Service Get the answers to your non-technical inquiries by e-mail from a Gateway Customer Service Assistant. www.gateway.com/ support/index.shtml Solo1200.book Page 39 Friday, May 25, 2001 10:48 AM

www.gateway.com Chat with eSales Advisor Get a personalized look at what system is best suited for your own individual needs. To use this service, fill out the eSales Advisor Questionnaire. The eSales Advisor will contact you by telephone and discuss the Gateway solution that best fits your needs. www.gateway.com -OR- HelpSpot Order Status Get information on whether your order has been received, is in production, or has been shipped. You will also be given an estimated or actual shipping date, depending on the status. This information is updated daily and is available 24 to 36 hours after an order is placed. www.gateway.com Resource Service description Location Solo1200.book Page 40 Friday, May 25, 2001 10:48 AM

I Work on the Windows desktop I Manage files and folders I Work with documents I Use shortcuts I Transfer software from your old computer HelpSpot For more information on using Windows, double-click the HelpSpot icon on your desktop. Solo1200.book Page 41 Friday, May 25, 2001 10:48 AM

www.gateway.com About the Windows environment 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. Your desktop may be different from the example shown below, depending on how your computer is set up. Solo1200.book Page 42 Friday, May 25, 2001 10:48 AM

www.gateway.com Desktop items Icons are graphic representations of objects on the desktop that you select and open, such as a drive, folder, file, or program. Buttons are graphic representations of controls that you use to open windows or apply changes. Desktop icons, buttons, and elements Description The My Computer icon provides access to drives and other computer controls. Double-click the My Computer icon to view the drives and folders on your computer. My Documents is a folder where you store your personal files. You can create other folders to save files in, but My Documents is easy to find because it is on the desktop. Double-click the My Documents icon to view your personal files and folders. The Recycle Bin is where files, folders, and programs that you discarded are stored. You must empty the Recycle Bin to permanently delete them from your computer. For instructions on how to use the Recycle Bin, see “Deleting files and folders” on page 53. Microsoft Internet Explorer is a program called a browser that lets you view Web sites and Web pages on the Internet. Double-click the Internet Explorer icon to open the browser. The America Online Included icon lets you connect to the America Online ISP (Internet Service Provider). Double-click the America Online Included icon to dial the service. Gateway has provided an easily accessible interactive guide called HelpSpot. This guide is designed to provide help information and let you quickly discover and use the features of your computer. Double-click the HelpSpot icon to begin. Solo1200.book Page 43 Friday, May 25, 2001 10:48 AM

www.gateway.com The Start button provides access to programs, files, help for Windows and other programs, and computer tools and utilities. Click the Start button, then open a file or program by clicking (selecting) an item on the menu that opens. The taskbar is the bar at the bottom of the screen. It contains the Start button on the left and a clock 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. Desktop icons, buttons, and elements Description Solo1200.book Page 44 Friday, May 25, 2001 10:48 AM

www.gateway.com 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 Local Disk (C:) icon in the My Computer window. Minimize button Maximize button Close button Title bar Menu bar Solo1200.book Page 45 Friday, May 25, 2001 10:48 AM

www.gateway.com 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 horizontal bar at the top of a window that shows the name of the program. Clicking the minimize button reduces the active window to a button on the taskbar. Clicking the program button in 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. Clicking an item on the menu bar starts an action such as Print or Save. Solo1200.book Page 46 Friday, May 25, 2001 10:48 AM

www.gateway.com Using the Start menu You can start programs, open files, customize your system, get help, search for files and folders, and more using the Start menu. To open the Start menu: I Click the Start button on the lower left of the Windows desktop. The Start menu opens showing you the first level of menu items. 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. Click a file or program to open it. Solo1200.book Page 47 Friday, May 25, 2001 10:48 AM

www.gateway.com Working with files and folders 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. About 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. You may also have more drives such as a CD drive. To view the drives on your computer: I Double-click the My Computer icon on your desktop. HelpSpot For more information on working with files and folders, double-click the HelpSpot icon on your desktop. Drives Solo1200.book Page 48 Friday, May 25, 2001 10:48 AM

www.gateway.com To see the files and folders on a drive: I Double-click the drive icon. If you do not see the contents of a drive after you double-click its icon, click View the entire contents of this drive. Solo1200.book Page 49 Friday, May 25, 2001 10:48 AM

www.gateway.com About folders and files Folders are much like the folders in a file cabinet. They 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. To create a folder: 1 Double-click the My Computer icon on the desktop. The My Computer window opens. 2 Double-click the drive or folder, for example 3½ Floppy (A:) or Local Disk (C:), where you 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 View the entire contents of [this drive or this folder]. 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 appears under the folder. Folders Files Solo1200.book Page 50 Friday, May 25, 2001 10:48 AM

www.gateway.com Copying and moving files and folders The skills you need to copy and move files are copying, cutting, and pasting. When you copy and paste a selection, you place a copy of the file you selected 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 selection, you remove the file from its folder and place the file on the Windows clipboard. When you decide where you want the file to go, you paste it there. To copy a file or folder to another folder: 1 Right-click the file or folder that you want to copy. A menu opens on the desktop. 2 Select Copy from the menu. 3 Open the destination folder. 4 With the pointer inside the destination folder, press the right mouse button. 5 Select Paste. A copy of the file or folder appears in the new location. Important The clipboard stores whatever you cut or copy until you cut or copy again. Then the clipboard contains the new information only. Therefore, you can paste copies of a file into more than one place, but as soon as you copy or cut a file again, the old file is deleted from the clipboard. Solo1200.book Page 51 Friday, May 25, 2001 10:48 AM

www.gateway.com To move a file or folder to another folder: 1 Right-click the file or folder that you want to move. A menu opens on the desktop. 2 Select Cut from the menu. 3 Open the destination folder. 4 With the pointer inside the destination folder, press the right mouse button. 5 Select Paste. The file or folder you moved appears in its new location and is removed from its old location. Solo1200.book Page 52 Friday, May 25, 2001 10:48 AM

www.gateway.com Deleting files and folders 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, the Recycle Bin, where they remain until you decide to empty the bin. You can recover any file in the Recycle 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 64. 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 Double-click the Recycle Bin icon. The Recycle Bin window opens listing 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 64. Select File, then Restore. Windows returns the deleted files or folders to their original locations. Solo1200.book Page 53 Friday, May 25, 2001 10:48 AM

www.gateway.com To empty the Recycle Bin: 1 Double-click the Recycle Bin icon on the desktop. The Recycle Bin window opens. 2 Click 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 the files in the Recycle Bin. Caution Emptying the Recycle Bin permanently erases any files or folders in the bin. These files cannot be restored. Solo1200.book Page 54 Friday, May 25, 2001 10:48 AM

www.gateway.com Browsing for files and folders 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 Double-click the My Computer icon on the desktop. 2 Double-click the drive or folder that you think contains the file or folder that you want to find. 3 Continue double-clicking folders and their subfolders until you find the file or folder you want. (If you do not see the contents of a folder, click View the entire contents of this folder.) Solo1200.book Page 55 Friday, May 25, 2001 10:48 AM

www.gateway.com Searching for files If you are looking for a particular file or folder or a set of files or folders that have characteristics in common, but you do not remember where they are stored on your hard drive, you can use the Search utility in Windows to search by: I Name or part of a name I Creation date I Modification date I File type I Text contained in the file I Time period in which it was created or modified You can also combine search criteria to refine searches. Files and folders found using these utilities can be opened, copied, cut, renamed, or deleted directly from the list in the results window. Solo1200.book Page 56 Friday, May 25, 2001 10:48 AM

www.gateway.com Using the Windows Search utility To find files and folders using the Search utility: 1 Click Start, then select Search, then For Files or Folders. The search dialog box opens. 2 If you want to search by file or folder name, type in all or part of the file or folder name in the Search for files or folders named box in the left pane of the window. I If you type all of the name, Search will list all files and folders of that name. I If you type part of the name, Search will list all of the file and folder names containing the letters you typed. Solo1200.book Page 57 Friday, May 25, 2001 10:48 AM

www.gateway.com 3 Click Search Now. When the search is completed, Windows lists the files and folders whose names contain the text that you searched for. 4 Open a file, folder, or program by double-clicking the name in the list. Using advanced search options Search can find files meeting more criteria than file name. You can select options to narrow your search by clicking Search Options and selecting the options that you want: I Date searches for files that were created or modified on a specific date or during a specific period. I Size searches for files of a specific size. I Type searches for files of a specific type, such as a program or a text document. I Advanced Options give you access to further search options. Solo1200.book Page 58 Friday, May 25, 2001 10:48 AM

www.gateway.com Working 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® Word. Though these examples use Microsoft Word, similar procedures apply to other programs such as Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Works, and Microsoft Publisher. For more information about using a program, select Help on the menu bar. Solo1200.book Page 59 Friday, May 25, 2001 10:48 AM

www.gateway.com Creating a new document To create a new document: 1 Click Start, then select Programs, then Microsoft Word. Microsoft Word starts and a blank document opens. 2 Select File, then select New. The New dialog box opens. 3 Click a tab for the type of document you want to create, select a document template style, then click OK. The document template opens. 4 Begin composing your document. Use the menus and toolbar buttons at the top of the window to format the document. HelpSpot For more information on creating a document, double-click the HelpSpot icon on your desktop. Solo1200.book Page 60 Friday, May 25, 2001 10:48 AM

www.gateway.com Saving a document After you create a document, you need to save it if you want to use it later. To save a document in Microsoft Word: 1 Select File, then Save. The Save As dialog box opens. 2 Select the folder in which you plan to save the file from the Save in list. 3 Type the new file name. 4 Click Save. HelpSpot For more information on saving a document, double-click the HelpSpot icon on your desktop. File folder File name Solo1200.book Page 61 Friday, May 25, 2001 10:48 AM

www.gateway.com 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. To open a document in Microsoft Word: 1 Click Start, then select Programs, then Microsoft Word. Microsoft Word starts and a blank document opens. 2 Select File, then Open. 3 Find the folder that contains the file you want to open in the Look in list. 4 Double-click the document file name. The document opens. HelpSpot For more information on opening a document, double-click the HelpSpot icon on your desktop. File folder File name Solo1200.book Page 62 Friday, May 25, 2001 10:48 AM

www.gateway.com 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 your printer, refer to the printer documentation. To print a document in Microsoft Word: 1 Make sure that the printer is turned on and loaded with paper. 2 Start 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. HelpSpot For more information on printing a document, double-click the HelpSpot icon on your desktop. Solo1200.book Page 63 Friday, May 25, 2001 10:48 AM

www.gateway.com Shortcuts The following table shows a few shortcuts that you can use in Windows and almost all programs that run in Windows. For more information on Windows 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, folder, text, or graphic Select the item, then press CTRL + V. Select multiple icons on the desktop Click the first icon, press and hold down the CTRL key, then click each of the remaining icons that you want to select. Select multiple items in a list or in an Explorer window Click the first item, press and hold down the CTRL key, then click each of the remaining items. Select multiple adjacent items in a list Click the first item in the list, press and hold down the SHIFT key, then click the last item in the list. Permanently delete a file or folder Click the file or folder, then press SHIFT + DELETE. The file is permanently deleted and is not stored in the Recycle Bin. Rename a file or folder Select the file or folder, press F2, type the new name, then press ENTER. Close the active window or program Press ALT + F4. Switch to a different file, folder, or running program Press ALT + TAB. Solo1200.book Page 64 Friday, May 25, 2001 10:48 AM

www.gateway.com Transferring software and hardware from your old computer If your new computer is replacing an old computer, you may have personal data files, Internet settings, a printer or other peripheral devices, and other unique computer settings that you want to move from your old computer to your new one. Gateway Data Mover Plus kit If both your old and new computers have USB ports, you can use the Gateway Data Mover Plus kit to automatically transfer customized computer settings, such as Desktop settings, sound schemes, Internet and e-mail settings, as well as personal data files, such as documents, spreadsheets, and photographs. This program, with its special USB cable, helps you do this quickly and efficiently. To order the Gateway Data Mover Plus kit, visit the Gateway Accessory Store at www.gateway.com. Transferring files You can manually transfer your personal data files by copying them to removable media, such as a diskette, CD, or Zip disk, or by using a home network. For more information, see “Networking Your Computer” on page 147. Finding your files Many programs automatically save your personal data files in the My Documents folder. Look in your old computer’s My Documents folder for personal data files. Use Windows Search to locate other personal data files. Solo1200.book Page 65 Friday, May 25, 2001 10:48 AM

www.gateway.com To find files in the My Documents folder: 1 Double-click the My Computer icon on your desktop. The My Computer window opens. 2 Double-click the C:\ drive icon. The C:\ window opens. 3 Double-click the My Documents folder. The My Documents window opens and displays many of your saved personal data files. You can often identify different data file types by looking at the file’s extension (the part of the file name following the last period). For example, a document file might have a .DOC extension and a spreadsheet file might have an .XLS extension. To find files using Search: 1 Click Start, then select Search, then For Files or Folders. The Search Results window opens. 2 Use Windows Search to locate data files by file name or file type. For help on finding files, click Help, then select Help Topics. File type File usually ends in... Documents .DOC, .TXT, .RTF, .HTM, .HTML, .DOT Spreadsheets .XLS, .XLT, .TXT Pictures .JPG, .BMP, .GIF, .PDF, .PCT, .TIF, .PNG Movies .MPEG, .MPG, .AVI, .GIF, .MOV Sound and Music .WAV, .CDA, .MP3, .MID, .MIDI Solo1200.book Page 66 Friday, May 25, 2001 10:48 AM

www.gateway.com Transferring Internet settings You can use different methods to transfer your Internet account from your old computer to your new one. Setting up your ISP I If your current Internet Service Provider (ISP) software came preinstalled on your new computer, run that setup program. If it asks to set up a new account or an existing one, choose to reconnect to an existing account. I If your current ISP software is not preinstalled on your new computer, locate the original Internet setup program provided by your local ISP, or contact your ISP to see if they have an updated version of their software, and install it on your new computer. I If you use MSN as your ISP, or if you know your ISP settings, use the Windows Internet Connection Wizard. To use the Internet Connection Wizard: 1 Click Start, then select Programs, Accessories, Communications, then Internet Connection Wizard. The Internet Connection Wizard window opens. 2 Configure your Internet settings by following the on-screen instructions. Transferring your e-mail and address book Refer to your old e-mail program’s online help for information on exporting and importing e-mail messages and the address book. You can often export all of your old e-mail messages or address book to a diskette, then import them from the diskette into your new computer’s e-mail program. Alternatively, you may want to consider simply printing the old information or e-mailing it to yourself. Transferring your Internet shortcuts You can export and import your old bookmarks (Netscape Navigator) or favorites (Microsoft Internet Explorer). For more information, refer to your Internet browser program’s online help. Solo1200.book Page 67 Friday, May 25, 2001 10:48 AM

www.gateway.com Reinstalling your old printer or scanner Older printers, scanners, or other peripheral devices may have Windows support integrated (built in), which means you do not need any additional software. Newer devices, however, usually require your original software installation CDs or diskettes. Reinstalling a USB printer or scanner USB devices may have special installation instructions. Refer to your USB device’s installation guide. Reinstalling a parallel port printer You can usually install parallel port printers by following these steps. To reinstall your old printer: 1 Exit Windows and turn off your computer. 2 Connect your parallel port printer. 3 Turn on your printer, then your computer. 4 If Windows detects your printer, install your printer by following the on-screen instructions. You are finished. - OR - If Windows does not detect the printer, go to the next step. 5 Click Start, then select Settings, then Printers. The Printers window opens. 6 Double-click the Add Printer icon. The Add Printer Wizard window opens. 7 Install your printer by following the on-screen instructions. Refer to your peripheral device’s user guide for installation information and tips. Because most installation software is periodically updated, you should also check the publisher’s Web site for driver updates. Solo1200.book Page 68 Friday, May 25, 2001 10:48 AM

www.gateway.com Reinstalling your old programs You probably use some programs that did not come installed on your new computer, such as personal finance software, graphics programs, or games. Spend some time going through your old computer’s Start and Programs menus, making note of any programs you want to install on your new computer. Locate your original program installation CDs and installation guides. Your original CDs and guides should contain any serial numbers or product ID keys that may be required for program installation and registration. Remember to check the publisher’s Web site for important program updates. Tips & Tricks If your new computer comes with a newer version of a program, it is usually best to use the newer version than to reinstall the old one. Solo1200.book Page 69 Friday, May 25, 2001 10:48 AM

Web, and tells you how to set up the America Online® Internet service so that you can send and receive e-mail and access other Internet resources. Solo1200.book Page 71 Friday, May 25, 2001 10:48 AM

www.gateway.com 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, or cable line and signing up with an Internet Service Provider (ISP). If you want to access the Internet you need: I A modem – a device that connects your computer, using a telephone, DSL, or cable line, to other computers or servers. I 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 your e-mail messages. I A Web browser – a program that displays information from the World Wide Web. I An e-mail program – a program that lets you create, send, and receive e-mail messages over the Internet. Your computer connects to the Internet through an ISP. ISP Servers let you connect to the Internet and access your e-mail messages. Internet Servers store information so other computers can access it from the Internet. Solo1200.book Page 72 Friday, May 25, 2001 10:48 AM

www.gateway.com 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. To set up an Internet account with America Online: 1 Double-click the America Online Included icon. If the icon is not on the Windows desktop, look for the America Online Included icon located in the Online Services folder on the Windows desktop. 2 Follow the on-screen instructions. After setting up your account, you can connect to the Internet and access your e-mail services. HelpSpot For more information on setting up an Internet account, double-click the HelpSpot icon on your desktop. Solo1200.book Page 73 Friday, May 25, 2001 10:48 AM

www.gateway.com Accessing your Internet account To connect to your America Online Internet account: 1 Double-click the America Online Included icon. The Connect dialog box opens. 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 connecting. After connecting, the Web browser window opens. For information about the Web and the Web browser, see “Using the World Wide Web” on page 75. To disconnect from your America Online Internet account: I Click X in the top right corner of the America Online program. Your computer disconnects from the Internet. If you are using a service other than America Online, check with your ISP for the correct procedure for disconnecting. HelpSpot For more information on accessing your Internet account, double-click the HelpSpot icon on your desktop. 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. Solo1200.book Page 74 Friday, May 25, 2001 10:48 AM

www.gateway.com Using the World Wide Web 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 Web pages, which 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 not only text, but animations, music, and other multimedia features. A group of related Web pages is called a Web site. 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 Web page called links, or hyperlinks. A link may be colored or underlined text, a picture, or an animated image. You can identify a link by moving the mouse pointer over it. If the pointer changes to a hand, the item is a link. To learn more about using the Web browser features, select Help in the menu bar. Web page Link Linked Web page Solo1200.book Page 75 Friday, May 25, 2001 10:48 AM

www.gateway.com 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. 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 GO on the browser address bar. - 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. 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. HelpSpot For more information on connecting to a Web site, double-click the HelpSpot icon on your desktop. Solo1200.book Page 76 Friday, May 25, 2001 10:48 AM

www.gateway.com 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 167. 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 GO on the browser address bar. - OR - Click on links on a Web page to navigate to the Web site containing the file that you want to download. 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 computer. 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. HelpSpot For more information on downloading files, double-click the HelpSpot icon on your desktop. Solo1200.book Page 77 Friday, May 25, 2001 10:48 AM

www.gateway.com 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 Internet 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 the America Online ISP might have an e-mail address that is similar to this one: Sending e-mail 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. 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. HelpSpot For more information on sending e-mail, double-click the HelpSpot icon on your desktop. [email protected] User name Internet domain name Solo1200.book Page 78 Friday, May 25, 2001 10:48 AM

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 messages, see the online help in your e-mail program. HelpSpot For more information on checking your e-mail, double-click the HelpSpot icon on your desktop. Solo1200.book Page 79 Friday, May 25, 2001 10:48 AM

www.gateway.com Solo1200.book Page 80 Friday, May 25, 2001 10:48 AM

your notebook. Read this chapter to learn how to: I Use the diskette drive I Use the CD drive I Play CDs I Record and play audio files I Use Windows Media Player I Use MusicMatch Solo1200.book Page 81 Friday, May 25, 2001 10:48 AM

www.gateway.com Using Drives This section explains how to use the diskette and CD drives. 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. 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, double-click the My Computer icon, the drive letter, then the file. 3 To remove the diskette, make sure the drive activity light is off, then press the diskette eject button. Caution Do not expose diskettes to water or magnetic fields. Exposure could damage the data on the diskette. Solo1200.book Page 82 Friday, May 25, 2001 10:48 AM

You can use your computer to enjoy a wide variety of multimedia features, such as playing games and listening to audio CDs. To insert a CD: 1 Press the eject button on the CD drive, then pull the disc tray completely open. Solo1200.book Page 83 Friday, May 25, 2001 10:48 AM

www.gateway.com 2 Place the CD in the tray with the label up, then press down carefully on the disc until it snaps into place. 3 Push the tray in until it is closed. Solo1200.book Page 84 Friday, May 25, 2001 10:48 AM

www.gateway.com Adjusting the volume You can use the volume controls to adjust the overall volume and the volume of specific sound devices in your computer. To adjust overall volume level: I Click the speaker icon on the taskbar, then drag the slider to change the volume or click to select the Mute check box. -OR- On the keyboard, press the FN+PAGE UP or PAGE DOWN keys to change the volume, or press FN+HOME keys to turn off (mute) all sound. HelpSpot For more information on adjusting volume, double-click the HelpSpot icon on your desktop. Solo1200.book Page 85 Friday, May 25, 2001 10:48 AM

www.gateway.com To adjust specific volume levels: 1 Double-click the speaker icon on the taskbar. The Volume Control dialog box opens. If the device you want to adjust does not appear in the Volume Control dialog box, select Options, then Properties. Select the audio device you want to adjust, then click OK. 2 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 Volume Control dialog box. Solo1200.book Page 86 Friday, May 25, 2001 10:48 AM

www.gateway.com Listening to music CDs The Windows Media Player turns your computer into a multimedia center. Use the player to listen to Internet radio stations, play and copy your CDs, look for Internet movies, and create lists of all media on your computer. For more information about using the Windows Media Player, select Help. To listen to a CD in the Windows Media Player: I Insert a CD into the CD drive. The Windows Media Player opens and the CD plays. If the Windows Media Player does not open automatically when you insert the CD, open it from the Start menu by clicking Start, then selecting Programs, then Windows Media Player. When the media player opens, click (play). Play/ Pause Stop Sound Controls Track Controls Solo1200.book Page 87 Friday, May 25, 2001 10:48 AM

www.gateway.com Recording and playing audio Use the instructions below to make an audio recording by speaking into the microphone. To make an audio recording: 1 Plug a microphone into the microphone jack. For the location of the jack, see “Right” on page 4 2 Click Start, then select Programs, Accessories, Entertainment, then Sound Recorder. The Sound Recorder opens. 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. HelpSpot For more information on recording and playing audio, double-click the HelpSpot icon on your desktop. Rewind Fast Forward Play Stop Record Solo1200.book Page 88 Friday, May 25, 2001 10:48 AM

www.gateway.com To play an audio recording in Sound Recorder: 1 Open the Sound Recorder. 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). Solo1200.book Page 89 Friday, May 25, 2001 10:48 AM

www.gateway.com Playing audio and video files with 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 Help. To play a file using the Windows Media Player: 1 Click Start, then select Programs, Accessories, Entertainment, then Windows Media Player. The Windows Media Player opens. 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). For more information about the Windows Media Player, select Help. Video file information Video screen Play/Pause Stop Solo1200.book Page 90 Friday, May 25, 2001 10:48 AM

I Play music CDs I Create MP3 music files from your music CDs I Use your music files to build a music library I Enter music track information I Listen to Internet Radio Playing CDs You can use the MusicMatch program to play music CDs. To play a music CD: 1 Double-click the musicmatch JUKEBOX icon on your desktop. MusicMatch opens. 2 Insert the music CD into the CD drive on your computer, then click the CD tab. The names of the music tracks appear in the playlist area. 3 Click (play). HelpSpot For more information on using MusicMatch, double-click the HelpSpot icon on your desktop. Solo1200.book Page 91 Friday, May 25, 2001 10:48 AM

www.gateway.com Creating music files Using MusicMatch, you can copy the tracks from a music CD to your computer’s hard drive as MP3 files. Here are some terms that you need to know before you get started: I Bit rate is the number of bits required to store one second of music. CD quality is 128 kilobits per second. A high bit rate gives you better sound quality but the file size is also larger. For information about changing the sound quality settings, see the online help in MusicMatch. I MP3 (MPEG Layer 3) is a standard for digitally compressing high-fidelity music into compact files without noticeably sacrificing quality. MP3 files end in the file extension .MP3. I Ripping is the process of copying a music track from a music CD and storing it on your computer’s hard drive. To create (rip) MP3 files: 1 Double-click the musicmatch JUKEBOX icon. 2 Insert a CD into the CD drive, then click (record). The Recorder window opens. 3 In the Recorder window, select the tracks you want to record, then click (record). The tracks that you selected are copied as MP3 files to your computer’s hard drive. Solo1200.book Page 92 Friday, May 25, 2001 10:48 AM

After you add a CD track as an MP3 file to your music library, you can edit the track’s information. To edit track information: 1 In MusicMatch, click Music Library. The Music Library window opens. 2 In the Music Library window, right-click the file, then select Edit Track Tag. The Edit Track Tag dialog box opens. 3 Enter information such as track title, lead artist, album, and genre. 4 Click OK. The new track information is displayed in the MusicMatch playlist, music library, and recorder. Solo1200.book Page 93 Friday, May 25, 2001 10:48 AM

www.gateway.com Building a music 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: I Creating MP3 files – When you create MP3 files from the tracks on your music CD, MusicMatch automatically adds these files to your music library. I Dragging and Dropping – Drag and drop files from Windows Explorer or your desktop to the music library. I Downloading files from the Internet – When you are connected to the Internet, MP3 files that you download are automatically added to your music library. Solo1200.book Page 94 Friday, May 25, 2001 10:48 AM