Gateway 200 series User Manual
Have a look at the manual Gateway 200 series User Manual online for free. It’s possible to download the document as PDF or print. UserManuals.tech offer 54 Gateway manuals and user’s guides for free. Share the user manual or guide on Facebook, Twitter or Google+.
161 Files www.gateway.com Files ■Copy your working files from your desktop computer to your notebook before you travel. ■If you need to access your desktop computer files from your notebook while traveling, set up your desktop computer for remote access. Contact your network administrator for more information about remote access. ■Take extra recordable media for transferring files between computers and backing up files. Security ■Get a locking cable for your notebook so you can attach a cable lock and leave your notebook in your hotel room while you are away. ■Always keep your notebook with you while waiting in airports, train stations, or bus terminals. Be ready to claim your notebook as soon as it passes through the x-ray machine in security checkpoints. ■Write down your notebook model number and serial number (see “Identifying your model” on page 9) in case of theft or loss, and keep the information in a safe place. Also, tape your business card or an address label to your notebook and accessories. ■Whoever sits next to you or behind you can see your notebook display. Avoid working with confidential files until you can be sure of privacy. ■Use a startup password to restrict access to your notebook. ImportantUse a password that you can remember, but that is difficult for someone else to guess. The password feature is very secure, with no easy way to recover a forgotten password. If you forget your password, you must return your notebook to Gateway for service. Call Gateway Technical Support for instructions.
162 Chapter 9: Travel Tips www.gateway.com To create a startup password: 1Restart your notebook. As soon as you see a startup screen, pressF2. The BIOS Setup utility opens. 2Open the Security menu. 3Highlight Set Supervisor Password, then press ENTER and follow the instructions. You must set the supervisor password in order to set the user (startup) password. 4Highlight Set User Password, then press ENTER and follow the instructions. This is the password you need to enter at startup. 5Highlight Password on boot and press ENTER. 6Highlight Enabled, then press ENTER. 7Open the Exit menu, highlight Exit Saving Changes, then press ENTER. When you start your computer, you are prompted to enter the user password you set in Step 4. Power ■Take your AC power adapter to recharge the battery. If you are traveling internationally, take power plug adapters. ■Take a portable surge protector to protect your notebook from power surges. ■To get the best performance from your notebook, avoid using the battery whenever possible, monitor the battery charge, and use the most efficient power management settings. ■For information on conserving battery power, see “Conserving battery power” on page 147. ■For information on using alternate power sources, see “Using alternate power sources” on page 148. ■For information on monitoring the battery charge, see “Monitoring the battery charge” on page 142.
163 Additional tips www.gateway.com Additional tips ■If you plan to use several USB peripheral devices, take a portable USB hub to provide additional USB ports. ■Take a network cable if you need to connect to a network. Some hotels provide Internet connectivity only through their networks. ■If your notebook has been exposed to cold temperatures, allow it to warm to room temperature before turning it on. ■Ta k e y o u r System Restoration CDs in case you need to install an additional driver or software.
10 165 Customizing Yo u r C o m p u t e r This chapter provides information about customizing your computer by changing settings in Windows. Read this chapter to learn how to: ■Change screen and display settings ■Change the background and screen saver ■Adjust the touchpad settings ■Add, change, and switch user accounts in Windows XP
166 Chapter 10: Customizing Your Computer www.gateway.com Adjusting the screen and desktop settings Adjusting the color depth and screen area are two of the most basic display settings you may need to change. You can also adjust settings such as the screen background and screen saver. Adjusting the color depth Color depth is the number of colors your screen displays. Various image types require various color depths for optimum appearance. For example, simple color drawings may appear adequately in 256 colors while color photographs need millions of colors to be displayed with optimum quality. Windows lets you choose from several color depth settings. We recommend that you use the 32-bit True Color setting at all times. If the color in your images seems “false” or “jumpy,” especially after you have played a game or run a video-intensive program, check the color depth setting and return it to 32-bit True Color, if necessary. To change the color depth: 1In Windows XP, click Start, then click Control Panel. The Control Panel window opens. If your Control Panel is in Category View, click Appearance and Themes. - OR - In Windows 2000, click Start, Settings, then click Control Panel. The Control Panel window opens. 2Click/Double-click the Display icon. The Display Properties dialog box opens.
167 Adjusting the screen and desktop settings www.gateway.com 3Click the Settings tab. 4Click the arrow button to open the Color quality or Colors list, then click the color depth you want. 5To save your changes in Windows XP, click OK, then click Yes. - OR - To save your changes in Windows 2000, click OK, then click OK again. Help and SupportFor more information about adjusting display settings in Windows XP, click Start, then click Help and Support. Type the keyword changing display settings in the HelpSpot Search box , then click the arrow.
168 Chapter 10: Customizing Your Computer www.gateway.com Adjusting the screen resolution You can increase the screen resolution to fit more icons on your desktop, or you can decrease the resolution to make reading the display easier. The higher the resolution, the smaller individual components of the screen (such as icons and menu bars) appear. To adjust the screen resolution: 1In Windows XP, click Start, then click Control Panel. The Control Panel window opens. If your Control Panel is in Category View, click Appearance and Themes. - OR - In Windows 2000, click Start, Settings, then click Control Panel. The Control Panel window opens. 2Click/Double-click the Display icon. The Display Properties dialog box opens. 3Click the Settings tab. 4Drag the Screen resolution or Screen area slider to the size you prefer.
169 Adjusting the screen and desktop settings www.gateway.com 5To save your changes in Windows XP, click OK, then click Yes. - OR - To save your changes in Windows 2000, click OK, then click OK again. Changing the colors on your Windows desktop You can change the colors of Windows desktop items, such as the background color and dialog box title bars. To change desktop colors in Windows XP: 1Click Start, then click Control Panel. The Control Panel window opens. If your Control Panel is in Category View, click Appearance and Themes. 2Click/Double-click the Display icon. The Display Properties dialog box opens. Help and SupportFor more information about adjusting screen resolution in Windows XP, click Start, then click Help and Support. Type the keyword changing screen resolution in the HelpSpot Search box , then click the arrow.
170 Chapter 10: Customizing Your Computer www.gateway.com 3Click the Appearance tab. 4Click the arrow button to open the Color scheme list, click the color scheme you want, then click OK. The new colors appear on your desktop. - OR - If you want to create a new color scheme as part of a desktop theme: aClick Advanced. The Advanced Appearance dialog box opens. bClick the arrow button to open the Item list, then click the item you want to change. cChange the color or font settings for the item. dClick OK, then click the Themes tab. eClick Save As, type a name for the new theme, then click OK twice. The new colors appear on your desktop.