Gateway Profile 6 Service Manual

							CHAPTER3
15
Setting Up and Getting
Started
•Working safely and comfortably
•Preparing power connections
•Connecting to a broadband modem or 
network
•Connecting a dial-up modem
•Starting your computer
•Turning off your computer
•Restarting (rebooting) your computer
•Using the keyboard
•Using the mouse
•Adjusting the volume
•Configuring the audio jacks
•Installing a printer, scanner, or other device
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Working safely and 
comfortably
Before using your computer, follow these general guidelines 
for setting up a safe and comfortable work area and avoiding 
discomfort and strain:
•Keep hands and arms parallel to the floor.
•Adjust the screen so it is perpendicular to your line of 
sight, and the top of the screen is no higher than eye 
leve.
•Place your feet flat on the floor or on a footrest.
•Keep ventilation openings clear of obstructions.
Top of screen is not
higher than eye level
Feet are flat on the floor Hands and arms are
parallel to the floorScreen is perpendicular to 
your line of sight
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Reducing eye strain
Sunlight or bright indoor lighting should not reflect on the 
monitor screen or shine directly into your eyes.
•Position the computer desk and screen so you can avoid 
glare on your screen and light shining directly into your 
eyes. Reduce glare by installing shades or curtains on 
windows, and by installing a glare screen filter.
•Use soft, indirect lighting in your work area. Do not use 
your computer in a dark room.
•Set paper holders at the same height and distance as 
the monitor.
•Avoid focusing your eyes on your computer screen for 
long periods of time. Every 10 or 15 minutes, look 
around the room, and try to focus on distant objects. 
Setting up your computer desk and chair
When you are setting up your computer desk and chair, make 
sure that the desk is the appropriate height and the chair helps 
you maintain good posture.
•Select a flat surface for your computer desk.
•Adjust the height of the computer desk so your hands 
and arms are positioned parallel to the floor when you 
use the keyboard and touchpad. If the desk is not 
adjustable or is too tall, consider using an adjustable 
chair to control your arm’s height above the keyboard.
•Use an adjustable chair that is comfortable, distributes 
your weight evenly, and keeps your body relaxed.
•Position your chair so the keyboard is at or slightly 
below the level of your elbow. This position lets your 
shoulders relax while you type.
•Adjust the chair height, adjust the forward tilt of the 
seat, or use a footrest to distribute your weight evenly 
on the chair and relieve pressure on the back of your 
thighs.
•Adjust the back of the chair so it supports the lower 
curve of your spine. You can use a pillow or cushion to 
provide extra back support.
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Sitting at your computer
•Avoid bending, arching, or angling your wrists. Make 
sure that they are in a relaxed position when you type.
•Do not slouch forward or lean far back. Sit with your 
back straight so your knees, hips, and elbows form right 
angles when you work.
•Take breaks to stand and stretch your legs.
•Avoid twisting your torso or neck.
Avoiding discomfort and injury from repetitive 
strain
•Vary your activities to avoid excessive repetition.
•Take breaks to change your position, stretch your 
muscles, and relieve your eyes.
•Find ways to break up the work day, and schedule a 
variety of tasks.
Preparing power connections
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 peripheral devices by connecting them to a surge 
protector, which absorbs voltage surges and prevents them 
from reaching your computer.
An uninterruptible power supply (UPS) supplies battery power 
to your computer during a power failure. Although you cannot 
run your computer for an extended pe ri od of time w ith a UPS, 
a UPS lets you run your computer long enough to save your 
work and shut down your computer normally.War ning
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.
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Connecting to a broadband 
modem or network
You can connect your computer to a cable or DSL modem or 
to a wired Ethernet network.
To connect to a broadband modem or to an Ethernet 
network:  
1Insert one end of the network cable into the network 
jack on the right side of your computer. To see its 
location, see “Side port panel” on page 11.
2Insert the other end of the network cable into a cable 
modem, DSL modem, or network jack.
Connecting a dial-up modem
Your computer may have a 56K modem that you can use with 
a standard telephone line to connect to the Internet or fax 
documents.
To connect the modem:  
1Insert one end of the modem cable into the modem 
jack on the modem at the right side of your 
computer. To see its location, see “Side port panel” on 
page 11.
2Insert the other end of the modem cable into a 
telephone wall jack. (The modem will not work with 
digital or PBX telephone lines.)
3If you want, connect a telephone to the PHONE jack on 
the modem on the right side of your computer. Important
Your computer may be equipped with a built-in Ethernet (network) jack. 
For information about setting up a wired or wireless Ethernet network, see the 
online User Guide.
War ningTo reduce the risk of fire, use only No. 26 AWG or larger 
telecommunications line cord.
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Starting your computer
To start your computer:  
1Connect the power, network, mouse, and keyboard 
cables to your computer according to the setup poster.
2Press the power button on the front of your computer. 
If your computer does not turn on, check the power 
cable connections.
3If you are starting your computer for the first time, 
follow the on-screen instructions to select the language 
and time zone and to create your first user account.
4Attach and turn on any USB or audio peripheral devices, 
such as printers or scanners. If you need to attach a 
peripheral device to the parallel or serial ports, turn off 
your computer first. See the documentation that came 
with each device for its setup instructions. 
5To open your computer’s main menu, click  (Start). 
From that menu, you can run programs and search for 
files. For more information on using your computer’s 
menus, see “Using Windows Vista” and “Customizing 
Windows” in the online User Guide.
Waking up your computer
When you have not used your computer for several minutes, 
it may enter a power-saving mode called Sleep. While in Sleep 
mode, the power indicator on the power button flashes.
If your computer is in Sleep mode, move the mouse, press a 
key on the keyboard, or press the power button to “wake” it 
up.Important
Your computer has a built-in, variable-speed fan. In addition, 
your computer uses a powerful processor which produces heat and has 
its own cooling fan. Both the system fan and processor fan can run at 
different speeds at times to ensure correct system cooling. You may 
notice an increase in the fan noise when the fan is running at high speed 
and a decrease in the fan noise when it switches to normal speed.
TipFor more information about changing the power button mode, see the 
“Customizing Windows” chapter in the online User Guide.
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Turning off your computer
Putting your computer into Sleep mode is the easiest way to 
power down your computer. Although it does not turn your 
computer completely off, it does turn off or slow down most 
system operations to save power, and saves your desktop 
layout so the next time you restore power, the programs are 
laid out just as you left them. Waking your computer from a 
Sleep state is much faster than turning on your computer after 
it has been turned completely off.
To put your computer to sleep:  
1Click  (Start), then click  (power). The 
computer saves your session and partially shuts down 
to save power.
2To “wake” your computer, press a key on the keyboard 
or press the power button.
To turn off your computer:  
1Click  (Start), click the arrow next to the lock icon, 
then click Shut Down. The computer turns off.
2To completely disconnect all power (such as for 
servicing internal components), also disconnect the 
power cord. War ning
When you turn off your computer, certain components in the power 
supply and system board remain energized. In order to remove all electrical 
power from your computer, unplug the power cord and modem cable from 
the wall outlets. We recommend disconnecting the power cord and modem 
cable when your computer will not be used for long periods.
ImportantIf for some reason you cannot use the Shut Down option in Windows to 
turn off your computer, press and hold the power button for about five seconds, 
then release it.
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Restarting (rebooting) your 
computer
If your computer does not respond to keyboard or mouse 
input, you may need to restart (reboot) your computer.
To restart your computer:  
1Click  (Start), click the arrow next to the lock icon, 
then click Restart. Your computer turns off, then turns 
on again.
2If your computer does not turn off, press and hold the 
power button until the computer turns off (about five 
seconds), then press it again to turn the computer back 
on.
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Using the keyboard
Premium multimedia keyboard features
The keyboard has several different types of keys and buttons. 
Your keyboard also has status indicators that show which 
keyboard feature is active.
FeatureIconDescription
Editing buttonsPress these buttons to copy, cut, and paste.
Function  keys Press these keys to start program actions. Each 
program uses different function keys for 
different purposes. See the program 
documentation to find out more about the 
function key actions.
Internet buttonsPress these buttons to launch your Internet 
home page, search, or e-mail programs.
Audio playback 
buttonsPress these buttons to play your audio files and 
to adjust the volume.
Navigation keysPress 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.
Function keys
Navigation keysIndicators
Windows keysApplication key Directional keys Numeric keypad Editing buttons Internet buttons Audio playback buttons Internet buttons
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Elite multimedia keyboard features
The keyboard has several different types of keys and buttons. 
Your keyboard also has status indicators that show which 
keyboard feature is active.
Indicators Show if your NUMLOCK, CAPSLOCK, or 
SCROLLLOCK keys are activated. Press the 
corresponding key to activate the function.
Windows keysPress one of these keys to open the Windows 
Start menu. These keys can also be used in 
combination with other keys to open utilities like 
F(Find/Search), R(Run), and E(Computer).
Application  key Press this key to access shortcut menus and help 
assistants in Windows.
Directional keysPress these keys to move the cursor up, down, 
right, or left.
Numeric keypad Press these keys to type numbers when the 
numeric keypad (N
UMLOCK) is turned on.
FeatureIconDescription
Function keys
Navigation keysIndicators
Windows keys Application key Numeric keypad Sleep button Internet buttonsAudio playback 
buttons
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