Toshiba Satellite C50b User Guide

							71Learning the Basics
Saving your work
Saving your work
Before you turn off the computer using the Shut down 
command, save your work on the internal storage drive, 
external media, flash media, or optical disc. This is one of 
the most important rules of computing.
Many applications offer a feature that saves documents at 
regular intervals. Check your program’s documentation to 
see if it has an automatic save feature.
Backing up your work
Back up all the files you create in case something happens 
to your computer. You can back up your files to different 
types of media such as CDs, DVDs, external storage media, 
or to a network, if available.
To back up several files at one time, use the Microsoft
® 
Windows® file recovery program preinstalled on the 
computer’s internal storage drive. Also see “Backing up your 
data or your entire computer with the Windows® operating 
system” on page 138.
HINT: Backing up all the files on your internal storage 
drive may take a considerable amount of time and 
multiple CDs/DVDs. You may prefer to use a high-
capacity file recovery system, such as an external hard 
drive.
Using the optical disc drive
(Available on certain models.)
Optical storage is a popular medium for software, music, 
and video. Digital versatile discs (DVDs) provide a significant 
increase in data storage and support features that were not 
available on previous video platforms. These features 
include wide-screen movies, multiple language tracks, digital 
surround sound, multiple camera angles, and interactive 
menus. 
						

							72Learning the Basics
Using the optical disc drive
TECHNICAL NOTE: Your optical disc drive is set to play 
region 1 (North America) DVD-ROMs. A DVD disc of a 
region other than the above mentioned cannot be played 
unless you manually change it in the Properties setting of 
the optical disc drive. The drive will allow you to change 
regions four times. On the fourth change, the region will 
be “locked in.” That is, the drive will only play DVDs from 
that last region. Note that changing from region 1 to 
region 2 and back to region 1 is counted as two changes. 
For optimum DVD performance, it is recommended that 
you play DVDs while running the computer on AC power.
When viewing DVD movies use the DVD Player software 
that came with your computer.
Optical disc drive components
The optical disc drive is located on the side of the computer. 
Your optical disc drive may look like this:
 (Sample Illustration) Optical disc drive
Drive in-use indicator light—Indicates when the drive is in 
use. 
Eject button—Press to release the disc tray. 
Do not press the eject button or turn off the computer 
while the drive in-use indicator light is glowing. Doing so 
could damage the disc or the drive. 
When the disc tray is open, be careful not to touch the 
lens or the area around it. Doing so could cause the drive 
to malfunction.
NOTE
NOTE
Drive in-use indicator light
Eject button
Manual eject hole 
						

							73Learning the Basics
Using the optical disc drive
Manual eject hole—Use if you need to release the disc 
tray when the power is off. Use a straightened paper clip or 
other narrow object to press the manual eject button located 
inside the hole.
Never use a pencil to press the manual eject button. 
Pencil lead can break off inside the computer and 
damage it.
Media control buttons
The media control buttons located above the keyboard allow 
you mute the sound and play audio CDs or DVD movies 
when the computer is on.
 (Sample Illustration) Media control buttons
The Previous track button allows you to restart playing the 
current track or go to the previous track.
The 
Play/pause button allows you to start playing or pause 
the media currently playing
The 
Next track button allows you to go to the next track.
The 
Volume decrease button allows you to decrease the 
volume.
The 
Volume increase button allows you to increase the 
volume.
The 
Mute button allows you to enable/disable volume mute.
Inserting an optical disc 
To insert an optical disc into the drive:
1Make sure the computer is turned on.
2Make sure the drive’s in-use indicator light is off.
3Press the drive’s eject button.
Mute button  Previous track Next track
Play/pause button
button
Volume decrease button
Volume increase 
buttonbutton 
						

							74Learning the Basics
Using the optical disc drive
4Hold the disc by its edges and check that it is free of 
dust.
If the disc is dusty, clean it.
5Place the disc carefully in the disc tray, label side up, 
and gently press the disc onto the center spindle until it 
clicks into place.
Handle DVDs and CDs carefully, making contact only 
with the center hole and edge. Do not touch the surface 
of the disc. Do not stack discs. If you incorrectly handle 
the discs, you could lose data.
6Push the disc tray in by pressing gently on the center of 
the tray until it clicks into place.
If you insert the disc incorrectly, it may jam the drive. If 
this happens, contact Toshiba support for assistance.
Playing optical media
If you insert an optical disc into the optical disc drive and the 
Auto-Run feature does not automatically start your disc, try 
launching the optical disc manually. To do this, follow these 
steps:
1Press the ( ) + 
E keys.
2Double-click or touch the optical disc drive icon.
The drive will run the optical disc.
If your disc does not run using this method, try using an 
application that is associated with the media on the disc. For 
example, if it is a music CD, open Windows Media
® Player 
and use it to select and then play the CD. For other types of 
media, use the associated software to open the files on the 
disc.
Recording optical media
Depending on the configuration, your computer may come 
with an optical disc drive that allows you to:
❖Play pre-recorded and recorded optical media.
❖Read/write data and multi-media files to recordable 
optical media. 
						

							75Learning the Basics
Using the optical disc drive
For more information regarding supported optical media 
formats please refer to your computer’s detailed 
specifications at support.toshiba.com.
Due to manufacturing and quality variations in third party 
optical media (e.g., CD or DVD) or optical media 
players/recorders, in certain cases, your Toshiba optical 
disc drive may not record on certain optical media that 
bear the applicable logo, or play back optical media 
recorded by other computers or optical media recorders. 
Additionally, certain optical media recorded on your 
optical disc drive may not play back or operate properly 
on other computers or optical media players. These 
problems are not due to any defect in your Toshiba 
computer or optical disc drive. Please refer to your 
computer's product specification for listing of specific 
format compatibilities.
Copy protection technology may also prevent or limit 
recording or viewing of certain optical media.
For details on how to use the software, please refer to the 
respective Online Help menus.
Removing a disc with the computer on
To remove an optical disc with the computer turned on:
1Press the eject button on the drive.
Do not press the eject button while the drive in-use 
indicator light is glowing. Doing so could damage the 
disc or the drive. 
Also, if the disc is still spinning when you open the disc 
tray, wait for it to stop spinning before you remove it. 
2Pull the tray out until it is fully open, remove the disc, and 
place it in its protective cover.
3Gently press the tray in to close it.
NOTE 
						

							76Learning the Basics
Toshiba’s online resources
Removing a disc with the computer off
To remove a disc with the computer turned off:
1Insert a slender object, such as a straightened paper 
clip, into the manual eject hole. 
The disc tray slides partially out of the drive.
Never use a pencil to press the manual eject button. 
Pencil lead can break off inside the computer and 
damage it.
2Pull the tray out until it is fully open, remove the disc, and 
place it in its protective cover.
3Gently press the tray in to close it.
Toshiba’s online resources
Toshiba maintains a number of online sites to which you can 
connect. These sites provide information about Toshiba 
products, give help with technical questions and keep you 
up to date with future upgrades. For more information, see 
“Contacting Toshiba” on page 141.  
						

							77
Chapter 3
Mobile Computing
This chapter covers all aspects of using your computer while 
traveling.
Toshiba’s energy-saver design
Your computer enters a low-power suspension mode when it 
is not being used, thereby conserving energy and saving 
money in the process. It has a number of other features that 
enhance its energy efficiency.
Many of these energy-saving features have been preset by 
Toshiba. We recommend you leave these features active, 
allowing your computer to operate at its maximum energy 
efficiency, so that you can use it for longer periods while 
traveling.
Running the computer on battery power
The computer contains a Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion) battery that 
provides power when you are away from an AC outlet. You 
can recharge it many times.  
						

							78Mobile Computing
Running the computer on battery power
Battery Notice
Battery life rating is for comparison purposes only, and does 
not indicate the battery life that will be obtained by any 
individual user. Actual battery life may vary considerably 
from specifications depending on product model, 
configuration, applications, power management settings and 
features utilized, as well as the natural performance 
variations produced by the design of individual components. 
The battery life rating is only achieved on the select models 
and configurations tested by Toshiba under the specific test 
settings at the time of publication and is not an estimate of a 
system’s battery life under any conditions other than the 
specific test settings. 
Recharge time varies depending on usage. Battery may not 
charge while the computer is consuming full power. After a 
period of time, the battery will lose its ability to perform at 
maximum capacity and will need to be replaced. This is 
normal for all batteries.
To ensure that the battery maintains its maximum capacity, 
operate the computer on battery power at least once a 
month. The Lithium-Ion battery has no memory effect so it is 
not necessary to let the battery fully discharge each time. 
However, for better accuracy of the battery meter, it is helpful 
to fully discharge the battery periodically. Please see 
“Maintaining your battery” on page 90 for procedures. If the 
computer is continuously operated on AC power, either 
through an AC adaptor or a port replicator (if applicable to 
your system), for an extended period (more than a month), 
the battery may fail to retain a charge. This may shorten the 
life of the battery, and may cause the battery meter to be 
inaccurate.
For best performance when playing streaming media 
(especially streaming video), either power the computer 
from its AC adaptor, or set up a power plan that keeps 
the computer running at full performance even when 
powered from its battery. For more information about 
Windows® power plans, see “Power Plans” on page 84.
NOTE 
						

							79Mobile Computing
Charging batteries
Power management
Your computer ships with the power management options 
preset to a configuration that will provide the most stable 
operating environment and optimum system performance for 
both AC power and battery modes.
Changes to these settings may result in system 
performance or stability issues. Users who are not 
completely familiar with the power management 
component of the system should use the preset 
configuration. For assistance with setup changes, 
contact Toshiba’s Customer Support Center.
Charging batteries
The battery needs to be charged before you can use it to 
power the computer.
Always use the AC adaptor specified by Toshiba. You 
can order a Toshiba AC adaptor from Toshiba’s Web site 
at accessories.toshiba.com.
Battery charge time may vary depending on the 
applications, power management settings, and features 
used.
Charging the main battery
The battery needs to be charged before you can use it to 
power the computer.
To charge the main battery, plug the computer into a live 
electrical outlet. The battery charges whether the computer 
is on or off.
TECHNICAL NOTE: The recharging of the battery may 
not occur when your computer is using all of the power 
provided by the AC adaptor to run applications, 
features, and devices. Your computer's Power Options 
utility can be used to select a power level setting that 
reduces the power required for system operation and 
will allow the battery to recharge.
NOTE 
						

							80Mobile Computing
Monitoring battery power
The battery may not start charging immediately under the 
following conditions:
❖The battery is extremely hot or cold. 
To ensure that the battery charges to its full capacity, 
wait until it reaches room temperature (50 to 80 degrees 
Fahrenheit, 10 to 26 degrees Celsius).
❖The battery is almost completely discharged. 
Leave the power connected and the battery should 
begin charging after a few minutes.
HINT: Once the battery is fully charged, we recommend 
that you periodically operate your computer on battery 
power until the battery discharges completely.
Please make a complete back up of your data to external 
media before discharging the battery. For more 
information, see “Backing up your work” on page 71
Monitoring battery power
To locate your system indicator lights, please refer to your 
Quick Start document.
The computer’s main battery light gives you an indication of 
the main battery’s current charge. 
❖Glows amber while the main battery is being charged 
(AC adaptor connected)
❖Glows white when the main battery is fully charged
Battery life and charge time may vary, depending upon 
power management settings, applications and features 
used.
❖Flashes amber when the main battery charge is low and 
it is time to recharge the main battery or plug in the AC 
adaptor
NOTE
NOTE