Solo9550.book Page 49 Tuesday, June 19, 2001 3:18 PM Getting Help 4 This chapter tells you about additional information resources available to help you use your computer. It includes the following topics: ■ HelpSpot™ ■ Online help ■ 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/. www.gateway.
Solo9550.book Page 50 Tuesday, June 19, 2001 3:18 PM Chapter 4: Getting Help HelpSpot Your notebook may include HelpSpot, 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: ■ Click Start, then select Help. -ORDouble-click the Gateway Help and Support desktop icon. HelpSpot opens.
Solo9550.book Page 51 Tuesday, June 19, 2001 3:18 PM HelpSpot You can find help information by clicking a link, performing a search, or 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. www.gateway.
Solo9550.book Page 52 Tuesday, June 19, 2001 3:18 PM Chapter 4: Getting Help 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: ■ 52 To play a video in HelpSpot, click Videos on the HelpSpot navigation bar, then click a video title. The video plays. www.gateway.
Solo9550.book Page 53 Tuesday, June 19, 2001 3:18 PM Online help Online help Many programs provide information online so you can research a topic or 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. www.gateway.
Solo9550.book Page 54 Tuesday, June 19, 2001 3:18 PM Chapter 4: Getting Help 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: ■ Technical documentation and product manuals ■ Technical tips and support ■ Hardware drivers ■ A glossary of computer terms ■ Frequently asked questions (FAQs) For more information about connecting to the Internet, see “Learning about the Internet” on page 88.
Solo9550.book Page 55 Tuesday, June 19, 2001 3:18 PM Gateway Web site 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.
Solo9550.book Page 56 Tuesday, June 19, 2001 3:18 PM Chapter 4: Getting Help Resource Service description Location 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.
Solo9550.book Page 57 Tuesday, June 19, 2001 3:18 PM 5 Windows Basics Read this chapter to get basic information on how to: ■ Work on the Windows desktop ■ Manage files and folders ■ Work with documents ■ Use shortcuts ■ Transfer software from your old computer HelpSpot For more information on using Windows, double-click the HelpSpot icon on your desktop. www.gateway.
Solo9550.book Page 58 Tuesday, June 19, 2001 3:18 PM Chapter 5: Windows Basics 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. 58 www.gateway.
Solo9550.book Page 59 Tuesday, June 19, 2001 3:18 PM About the Windows environment 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.
Solo9550.book Page 60 Tuesday, June 19, 2001 3:18 PM Chapter 5: Windows Basics Desktop icons, buttons, and elements Description 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.
Solo9550.book Page 61 Tuesday, June 19, 2001 3:18 PM About the Windows environment 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. Close button Maximize button Title bar Menu bar Minimize button www.gateway.
Solo9550.book Page 62 Tuesday, June 19, 2001 3:18 PM Chapter 5: Windows Basics 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.
Solo9550.book Page 63 Tuesday, June 19, 2001 3:18 PM Using the Start menu 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: ■ Click the Start button on the lower left of the Windows desktop. The Start menu opens showing you the first level of menu items.
Solo9550.book Page 64 Tuesday, June 19, 2001 3:18 PM Chapter 5: Windows Basics 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. HelpSpot For more information on working with files and folders, double-click the HelpSpot icon on your desktop.
Solo9550.book Page 65 Tuesday, June 19, 2001 3:18 PM Working with files and folders To see the files and folders on a drive: ■ 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. www.gateway.
Solo9550.book Page 66 Tuesday, June 19, 2001 3:18 PM Chapter 5: Windows Basics 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. Folders Files To create a folder: 1 Double-click the My Computer icon on the desktop. The My Computer window opens.
Solo9550.book Page 67 Tuesday, June 19, 2001 3:18 PM Working with files and folders 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.
Solo9550.book Page 68 Tuesday, June 19, 2001 3:18 PM Chapter 5: Windows Basics To move a file or folder to another folder: 1 Right-click the file or folder that you want to move. A pop-up menu opens on the desktop. 2 3 4 Select Cut from the pop-up menu. 5 Select Paste. The file or folder you moved appears in its new location and is removed from its old location. Open the destination folder. With the pointer inside the destination folder, press the right mouse button.
Solo9550.book Page 69 Tuesday, June 19, 2001 3:18 PM Working with files and folders 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 81. 3 Select File, then Restore.
Solo9550.book Page 70 Tuesday, June 19, 2001 3:18 PM Chapter 5: Windows Basics 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).
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Solo9550.book Page 72 Tuesday, June 19, 2001 3:18 PM Chapter 5: Windows Basics Using the Windows Me or Windows 2000 Search utility To find files and folders using the Search utility: 72 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.
Solo9550.book Page 73 Tuesday, June 19, 2001 3:18 PM Searching for files 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.
Solo9550.book Page 74 Tuesday, June 19, 2001 3:18 PM Chapter 5: Windows Basics Using the Windows 98 Find utility To find files and folders using the Find utility: 74 1 Click Start, then select Find, then Files or Folders. The Find: All Files dialog box opens. 2 If you want to search by file or folder name, click the Name & Location tab, then type in all or part of the file or folder name in the Named text box. ■ If you type all of the name, Find will list all files and folders of that name.
Solo9550.book Page 75 Tuesday, June 19, 2001 3:18 PM Searching for files 3 Click Find 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 You can find files meeting more criteria than file name.
Solo9550.book Page 76 Tuesday, June 19, 2001 3:18 PM Chapter 5: Windows Basics 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.
Solo9550.book Page 77 Tuesday, June 19, 2001 3:18 PM Working with documents Creating a new document HelpSpot For more information on creating a document, double-click the HelpSpot icon on your desktop. 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.
Solo9550.book Page 78 Tuesday, June 19, 2001 3:18 PM Chapter 5: Windows Basics Saving a document After you create a document, you need to save it if you want to use it later. HelpSpot For more information on saving a document, double-click the HelpSpot icon on your desktop. To save a document in Microsoft Word: 1 2 3 Select File, then Save. The Save As dialog box opens. Select the folder in which you plan to save the file from the Save in list. Type the new file name.
Solo9550.book Page 79 Tuesday, June 19, 2001 3:18 PM Working with documents 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. HelpSpot For more information on opening a document, double-click the HelpSpot icon on your desktop. 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 3 Select File, then Open.
Solo9550.book Page 80 Tuesday, June 19, 2001 3:18 PM Chapter 5: Windows Basics 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. HelpSpot For more information on printing a document, double-click the HelpSpot icon on your desktop.
Solo9550.book Page 81 Tuesday, June 19, 2001 3:18 PM Working with documents 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.
Solo9550.book Page 82 Tuesday, June 19, 2001 3:18 PM Chapter 5: Windows Basics 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.
Solo9550.book Page 83 Tuesday, June 19, 2001 3:18 PM Transferring software and hardware from your old computer To find files in the My Documents folder: 1 Double-click the My Computer icon on your desktop. The My Computer window opens. 2 3 Double-click the C:\ drive icon. The C:\ window opens. Double-click the My Documents folder. The My Documents window opens and displays many of your saved personal data files.
Solo9550.book Page 84 Tuesday, June 19, 2001 3:18 PM Chapter 5: Windows Basics 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 ■ 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.
Solo9550.book Page 85 Tuesday, June 19, 2001 3:18 PM Transferring software and hardware from your old computer 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.
Solo9550.book Page 86 Tuesday, June 19, 2001 3:18 PM Chapter 5: Windows Basics 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.
Solo9550.book Page 87 Tuesday, June 19, 2001 3:18 PM 6 Using the Internet This chapter provides information about the Internet and the World Wide 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. www.gateway.
Solo9550.book Page 88 Tuesday, June 19, 2001 3:18 PM Chapter 6: Using the Internet 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).
