Gateway m675 User Manual
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291 Troubleshooting www.gateway.com ■Remove any line splitters or surge protectors from your telephone line, then check for a dial tone by plugging a working telephone into the telephone wall jack. ■If you have additional telephone services such as call waiting, call messaging, or voice mail, make sure that all messages are cleared and call waiting is disabled before using the modem. Contact your telephone service to get the correct code to temporarily disable the service. Also make sure that the modem dialing properties are set appropriately. To check the dialing properties in Windows XP: 1Click Start, then click Control Panel. The Control Panel window opens. If your Control Panel is in Category View, click Printers and Other Hardware . 2Click/Double-click the Phone and Modem Options icon, then click the Dialing Rules tab. 3Click the location from which you are dialing, then click Edit. 4Make sure that all settings are correct. To check the dialing properties in Windows 2000: 1Click Start, Settings, then click Control Panel. The Control Panel window opens. 2Click/Double-click the Modems icon, then click Dialing Properties tab. The Dialing Properties dialog box opens. 3Make sure that all settings are correct. Help and SupportFor more information about dialing properties in Windows XP, click Start, then click Help and Support. Type the keyword dialing in the Search box , then click the arrow.
292 Chapter 17: Troubleshooting www.gateway.com ■Disconnect any answering machine, fax machine, or printer that is on the same line as the modem. Do not connect these devices to the same telephone line as the modem. ■Make sure that you are not using a digital, rollover, or PBX line. These lines do not work with your modem. ■Check for line noise (scratchy, crackling, or popping sounds). Line noise is a common problem that can cause the modem to connect at a slower rate, abort downloads, or even disconnect. The faster the modem, the less line noise it can tolerate and still work correctly. Listen to the line using your telephone. Dial a single number (such as 1). When the dial tone stops, listen for line noise. Wiggle the modem cable to see if that makes a difference. Make sure that the connectors are free from corrosion and all screws in the wall or telephone wall jack are secure. You can also call your telephone service and have the telephone line checked for noise or low line levels. ■Try another telephone line (either a different telephone number in your house or a telephone line at a different location). If you can connect on this line, call your telephone service. ■Try connecting with the modem at a lower connection speed. If reducing the connect speed lets you connect, call your telephone service. The telephone line may be too noisy. You cannot connect to the Internet ■The ISP may be having technical difficulties. Contact your ISP for technical support. ■See if the modem works with a different communications program. The problem may be with just one program. Your 56K modem does not connect at 56K Current FCC regulations restrict actual data transfer rates over public telephone lines to 53K. Other factors, such as line noise, telephone service provider equipment, or ISP limitations, may lower the speed even further. If your notebook has a v.90 modem, the speed at which you can upload (send) data is limited to 33.6K. If your notebook has a v.92 modem, the speed at which you can upload data is limited to 48K. Your ISP may not support 48K uploads.
293 Troubleshooting www.gateway.com You can check modem connection speeds and dial-up network (DUN) connections by accessing the gateway.your.way dial-up server. The server also contains drivers, patches, and updates for current Gateway hardware and software. The server provides a secure connection and is a stand-alone server. You cannot use it to access the Internet. The server cannot be accessed Mondays from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. CT. To access the gateway.your.way dial-up server: 1Insert the red Drivers and Applications CD into the CD or DVD drive. 2Click Help, then click Support Web Site. 3To check your modem connection speed, click the Direct Dial option. After your modem connects, move the mouse pointer over the Dial-Up Networking icon (located next to the clock on your taskbar). Your modem connection speed appears. Your fax communications program only sends and receives faxes at 14,400 bps when you have a 56K modem Current fax technology only supports a maximum send and receive rate of 14,400 bps. The modem is not recognized by your notebook ■Make sure that the line connected to the modem is working and plugged into the appropriate port on your notebook. See “Back” on page 7 and “Back” on page 269 to make sure that the connections have been made correctly. ■If the modem shares the telephone line with another device, make sure that the telephone line is not in use (for example, someone is on the telephone, or another modem is in use). ■Use the modem cable that came with your notebook. Some telephone cables do not meet required cable standards and may cause problems with the modem connection. ■Shut down and restart your notebook. ■Run Windows modem diagnostics.
294 Chapter 17: Troubleshooting www.gateway.com To run modem diagnostics in Windows XP: 1Close all open programs. 2Click Start, then click Control Panel. The Control Panel window opens. If your Control Panel is in Category View, click Printers and Other Hardware . 3Click/Double-click the Phone and Modem Options icon, then click the Modems tab. 4Click your modem, then click Properties. The Modem Properties dialog box opens. 5Click the Diagnostic tab, then click Query Modem. If information about the modem appears, the modem passed diagnostics. If no modem information is available, a white screen appears with no data, or if you get an error such as port already open or the modem has failed to respond, the modem did not pass diagnostics. To run modem diagnostics in Windows 2000: 1Close all open programs. 2Click Start, Settings, then click Control Panel. The Control Panel window opens. 3Double-click the Modems icon. The Modems Properties window opens. 4Click the Diagnostic tab, click the COM port next to the name of the modem, then click More Info. The Modem Info dialog box opens. If information about the modem appears, the modem passed diagnostics. If no modem information is available, a white screen appears with no data, or if you get an error such as port already open or the modem has failed to respond, the modem did not pass diagnostics. Help and SupportFor more information about modem troubleshooting in Windows XP, click Start, then click Help and Support. Type the keyword modem troubleshooting in the Search box , then click the arrow.
295 Troubleshooting www.gateway.com The modem is noisy when it dials and connects When your modem tries to connect to another modem, it begins handshaking. Handshaking is a digital “getting acquainted” conversation between the two modems that establishes connection speeds and communication protocols. You may hear unusual handshaking sounds when the modems first connect. If the handshaking sounds are too loud, you can turn down the modem volume. To turn down the modem volume in Windows XP: 1Click Start, then click Control Panel. The Control Panel window opens. If your Control Panel is in Category View, click Printers and Other Hardware . 2Click/Double-click the Phone and Modem Options icon, then click the Modems tab. 3Click the modem you want to adjust, then click Properties. 4Click the Modem tab, then adjust the Speaker volume control. 5Click OK twice to close the Phone and Modem Options dialog box. To turn down the modem volume in Windows 2000: 1Click Start, Settings, then click Control Panel. The Control Panel window opens. 2Double-click the Modems icon. The Modems Properties dialog box opens. 3Click the General tab, click the modem you want to adjust, then click Properties. 4Adjust the Speaker volume control. 5Click OK. Mouse The external mouse does not work ■Make sure that the mouse cable is plugged in correctly.
296 Chapter 17: Troubleshooting www.gateway.com ■Shut down and restart your notebook. ■Remove all extension cables and switch boxes. ■Try a mouse you know is working to make sure that the mouse port works. The external mouse works erratically ■Clean the mouse. For more information, see “Cleaning the mouse” on page 242. ■Some mouse pad patterns “confuse” optical mice. Try the mouse on a different surface. Networks You cannot connect to your company network Every network is unique. Contact your company computer department or network administrator for help. Operating system The program I am working in has stopped responding but the cursor moves and other programs work ■The program has crashed. Press CTRL+ALT+DEL to open the Task Manager and close the non-responsive program. The notebook keeps showing the wrong date and time even after resetting ■The CMOS battery on the system board may need to be replaced. Contact Gateway technical support. The notebook seems to be operating more slowly than usual ■The hard drive is full or nearly full. Run the Disk Cleanup utility to clear out unnecessary and temporary files, and remove unneeded programs and files. For more information, see “Using Disk Cleanup” on page 234. Help and SupportFor more information about network troubleshooting in Windows XP, click Start, then click Help and Support. Type the keyword network troubleshooting in the Search box , then click the arrow.
297 Troubleshooting www.gateway.com ■The hard drive needs defragmenting. Run Disk Defragmenter to consolidate files and folders on the hard drive. For more information, see “Defragmenting the hard drive” on page 237. Passwords Your notebook does not accept your password Make sure that CAPS LOCK is turned off, then retype the password. You forgot your startup password The password feature (which is set in the BIOS Setup utility) is very secure, with no easy way to recover a forgotten password. You must return your notebook for repair. Call Gateway Technical Support for instructions. PC Cards You installed a PC Card and now your notebook is having problems ■The card is incorrectly inserted. Eject the card and re-insert it with the label side up. For more information, see “Adding and removing a PC Card” on page 256. ■Make sure that you have correctly installed required software for the PC Card. For more information, see your PC Card’s documentation. ■Make sure that the PC Card you installed is not causing a system resource conflict. For more information on resource conflicts, see “Device installation” on page 282. Power Your notebook is not working on AC power ■Make sure that your AC power adapter is connected correctly to your notebook. For more information, see “Connecting the AC adapter” on page 21. ■If your notebook is plugged into a surge protector, make sure that the surge protector is connected securely to an electrical outlet, turned on, and working correctly. To test the outlet, plug a working device, such as a lamp, into the outlet and turn it on.
298 Chapter 17: Troubleshooting www.gateway.com ■Make sure that the AC power adapter cables are free from cuts or damage. Replace any damaged cables. Your notebook is not working on battery power ■Make sure that the battery is installed correctly. For more information, see “Changing batteries” on page 171. ■Make sure that the battery is fully recharged. For more information, see “Recharging the battery” on page 169. ■Make sure that the battery is calibrated correctly. For more information, see “Recalibrating the battery” on page 170. Your notebook will not turn off, even after pressing the power button for five seconds If your notebook has “frozen,” and pressing the power button for five seconds does not turn it off, insert a straightened paper clip into the reset hole on the bottom of your notebook. For the location of the reset hole, see “Bottom” on page 8. The battery seems to run down very quickly ■Peripheral devices and programs that make heavy use of the hard drive drain the battery more quickly. Use AC power whenever possible, and readjust the Power Properties to Max Battery when AC power is unavailable. For more information, see “Changing power settings” on page 176. ■The battery is weakening or defective. All batteries run down in time, but if a new battery appears to be defective, contact Gateway about replacing it. The notebook will not turn on ■The Power button has not been fully engaged. Press and hold the Power button for at least a half-second, but no more than three seconds. ■The battery is fully discharged but AC power is not connected. Connect the AC adapter to power the notebook and charge the battery. The notebook turns on and the hard drive status indicator flashes, but nothing appears on the display ■Display brightness is set too low. The notebook will not enter Hibernate mode ■Hibernate mode is not activated. For more information, see “Activating and using Hibernate mode” on page 180.
299 Troubleshooting www.gateway.com The notebook will not come out of Standby or Hibernate mode when running on battery power. ■The battery fully discharged and AC power is not connected. Connect the AC power adapter to power the notebook and charge the battery. The display goes black while the notebook is still turned on ■Notebook has gone into Standby after sitting idle (power status indicator is blinking blue). Press and hold the Power button for about a second to resume operations. ■Notebook has gone into low-battery Hibernate (power status indicator is blinking blue). Press and hold the Power button for about a second to resume operations, and charge the battery. Printer The printer will not turn on ■Make sure that the printer is online. Many printers have an online/offline button that you may need to press. ■Make sure that the power cable is plugged into an AC power source. The printer is on but will not print ■Check the cable between the printer and your notebook. Make sure that it is connected to the correct port. ■Make sure that the printer is online. Many printers have an online/offline button that you may need to press so the printer can start printing. Press the button to put the printer online. ■Check the port and cable for bent or broken pins. ■If the printer you want to print to is not the default printer, make sure that you have selected it in the printer setup. To set a default printer in Windows XP: 1Click Start, then click Control Panel. The Control Panel window opens. If your Control Panel is in Category View, click Printers and Other Hardware . 2Click/Double-click the Printers and Faxes icon. The Printers and Faxes window opens.
300 Chapter 17: Troubleshooting www.gateway.com 3Right-click the name of the printer you want to be the default printer, then click Set as Default Printer. To set a default printer in Windows 2000: 1Click Start, Settings, then click Printers. 2Right-click on the name of the printer you want to be the default printer, then click Set as Default. ■Reinstall the printer driver. See the guide that came with your printer for instructions on installing the printer driver. You see a “Printer queue is full” error message ■Make sure that the printer is not set to work offline. To make sure that the printer is not set to work offline in Windows XP: 1Click Start, then click Control Panel. The Control Panel window opens. If your Control Panel is in Category View, click Printers and Other Hardware . 2Click/Double-click the Printers and Faxes icon. The Printers and Faxes window opens. 3Right-click the name of the printer you want to use. If the menu shows a check mark next to Use Printer Offline, click Use Printer Offline to clear the check mark. Help and SupportFor more information about printer troubleshooting in Windows XP, click Start, then click Help and Support. Type the keyword printer troubleshooter in the Search box , then click the arrow.