Maintaining the System Hardware

Preventing static electricity

    Before opening the computer case, read and follow these precautions to prevent damage from static electricity.

Caution!
Preventing Static Electricity Damage

Static electricity can permanently damage electronic components in the computer. Prevent electrostatic damage to the system by following static electricity precautions every time you open the computer case.

    1. Turn off the computer power.
    2. Touch a bare metal surface on the back of the computer.
    3. Unplug all cords from the wall outlet.

    Also follow these static electricity precautions:

Avoid static-causing surfaces such as plastic and styrofoam in your work area.
Remove parts from their antistatic bags only when you are ready to use them. Do not lay parts on the outside of antistatic bags because only the inside provides antistatic protection.
Always hold cards by their edges and their metal mounting bracket. Avoid touching components on the cards and the edge connectors that connect to expansion slots. Never slide cards or other parts over any surface.

Installing memory (RAM)

    Your Gateway Profile supports two extra 144-pin SO-DIMM memory modules. Memory modules are available in various capacities. Use the following instructions to add or replace memory modules.

To add or replace memory modules:

    1. Shut down your system and turn the computer completely off.
    2. Remove the screw securing the memory bay cover on the back of the computer, then remove the cover.
    1. If you are replacing a module, gently press outward on both clips at either end of the old memory module at the same time until the module snaps out of the slot and tilts forward.
    1. Gently pull the memory module out of the slot.
    2. Hold the replacement module at a 45-degree angle and slide it into the empty memory slot.
    1. Align the memory module key (a slight notch in the module) with the key slot on the connector and gently push it in until it clicks in place under the clips above.

Hard disk drive utilities

    Regular use of hard disk drive utilities can help preserve the performance of your hard disk drive. Set up a maintenance schedule and perform these functions regularly. To optimize your computer's performance, run ScanDisk monthly and Disk Defragmenter every other month.

Disk Defragmenter

    As you use your computer, some files may become too large to store in a single location on your hard disk drive. These files are broken into separate pieces, or fragments. File fragmentation is part of the normal operation of Windows.

    There's nothing wrong with these fragmented files, they just take longer to access because the different fragments might be located far away from one another on the hard disk drive. Disk Defragmenter speeds hard disk drive file access by sorting your files so that they are stored in a more efficient order. Disk Defragmenter cannot defragment your CD/DVD drive or any network drive.

To use Disk Defragmenter:

    1. Click Start, then select Programs, Accessories, System Tools, then Disk Defragmenter. The Select Drive window opens.
    2. Select the drive you want to defragment, then click OK. The Disk Defragmenter window opens.
    3. Click Start. When the program has finished defragmenting the drive, another Disk Defragmenter window opens.
    4. Quit Disk Defragmenter by clicking Yes.

ScanDisk

    ScanDisk examines your hard disk drive for physical errors and for file problems. Hard disk drive surface errors are normal, and using utilities like ScanDisk help eliminate them. Also use ScanDisk if your computer has trouble starting or if Windows or an application performs erratically.

To use ScanDisk:
    1. Click Start, then select Programs, Accessories, System Tools, then ScanDisk. The ScanDisk window opens.
    2. Click the drive you want to check, then click Start. When the program has finished checking the drive, the ScanDisk Results window opens.

Partitioning and formatting the hard drive

    This section explains how to partition and format the hard disk drive. Partitioning and formatting is required if the operating system is not working properly and requires reinstallation.

    If you are using Windows 98, partition but do not format the drive. The Windows 98 Setup program automatically formats the hard disk drive during the setup process.

    Follow these procedures to partition and format your hard disk drive:

Delete existing partitions, if necessary.
Create a primary partition.
Create an extended partition.
Format the hard disk drive and partitions.

Deleting existing partitions

     

To delete existing partitions:
    1. Start up the computer. The Gateway startup screen appears.
    2. While the Gateway startup screen is displayed, press Esc . The Boot menu opens.
    3. Insert the System Restoration CD in the CD/DVD drive.
    4. Use the arrow keys to select ATAPI CD-ROM Drive, then press Enter . The Gateway System Restoration CD Boot Menu opens.
    5. Select Boot from CD-ROM then press Enter . The Bootable CD Main Menu opens.
    6. Select Exit Program then press Enter . The A:> prompt appears.
    7. Type fdisk then press Enter .
    8. Type Y then press Enter . The FDISK Options menu opens.
    9. Type 4 then press Enter . The Display Partition Information screen opens.
    10. Write down the following information for use later in the process:
Partition (number of partitions)
Type (type of partition used)
Volume Label (name of the partition)
System (file system format used, FAT16 or FAT32)
    1. Press Esc . The program returns you to the FDISK Options menu.
    2. Type 3 then press Enter . The Delete DOS Partition or Logical DOS Drive menu opens.
    3. If there is only one partition on the hard disk drive, type 1 then press Enter .
      - OR -
      If there are several partitions on the hard disk drive, delete the partitions in the following order:
      1. Delete non-DOS partitions
      2. Delete logical DOS drive(s) in the extended DOS partition
      3. Delete extended DOS partitions
      4. Delete the primary DOS partition
    1. Press Esc . The FDISK Options menu opens.
    2. Go to the next procedure, starting with step 9.

Creating a primary partition

    A primary DOS partition contains the system files required to start up the computer. To load these system files on the hard disk drive, you must first use the FDISK program to create a primary DOS partition and make the partition active.

    Two types of files systems are used to manage data on the hard disk drive:

File Allocation Table (FAT) 32 lets the computer address up to
2 TBs (2 Terabytes) of drive space per partition.
FAT16 lets the computer address 2.1 GB of drive space per partition.

 

To partition your drive with FAT32:

    1. Start up the computer. The Gateway startup screen appears.
    2. While the Gateway startup screen is displayed, press Esc . The Boot menu opens.

    3. Insert the System Restoration CD in the CD/DVD drive.
    4. Use the arrow keys to select ATAPI CD-ROM Drive, then press Enter . The Gateway System Restoration CD Boot Menu opens.
    5. Select Boot from CD-ROM, then press Enter . The Bootable CD Main Menu opens.
    6. Select Exit Program then press Enter . The A:> prompt appears.
    7. Type fdisk then press Enter . The program asks you if you want to enable large disk support.
    8. Type Y. Large disk support is enabled.
    9. Select Fixed Hard Disk Drive Number by typing 1, then press Enter. The FDISK Options menu opens again with the appropriate drive selected as the current fixed disk drive.
    10. Type 1 then press Enter. The Create DOS Partition or Logical DOS Drive menu opens.
    11. Type 1 then press Enter . The Create Primary DOS Partition screen opens and drive integrity is verified.
    12. Type Y then press Enter. The message, "Primary DOS Partition created, drive letters changed or added," appears.
    13. Press Esc , then exit FDISK by pressing Esc again.
    14. If you want to create an extended DOS partition, go to "Creating an extended partition" on page 32.
      - OR -
To partition your drive with FAT16:
    1. Start up the computer. The Gateway startup screen appears.
    2. While the Gateway startup screen is displayed, press Esc . The Boot menu opens.
    3. Insert the System Restoration CD in the CD/DVD drive.
    4. Use the arrow keys to select ATAPI CD-ROM Drive, then press Enter . The Gateway System Restoration CD Boot Menu opens.
    5. Select Boot from CD-ROM, then press Enter . The Bootable CD Main Menu opens.
    6. Select Exit Program then press Enter . The A:> prompt appears.
    7. Type fdisk then press Enter . The program asks you if you want to enable large disk support.
    8. Type N. Large disk support is not enabled.
    9. Select Fixed Hard Disk Drive Number by typing 1, then press Enter. The FDISK Options menu opens with the appropriate drive selected as the current fixed disk drive.
    10. Type 1 then press Enter . The Create DOS Partition or Logical DOS Drive menu opens.
    11. Type 1 then press Enter . The Create Primary DOS Partition screen opens and drive integrity is verified.
    12. Type Y then press Enter. The message "Primary DOS Partition created, drive letters changed or added" appears.
    13. Press Esc . The FDISK Options menu opens.
    14. Exit FDISK by pressing Esc .

Creating an extended partition

    Because your drive is larger than 2.1 GB, you need to create an extended DOS partition to have full use of your drive space. An extended DOS partition is a portion of a hard disk drive where non-system files can be stored. Unlike a primary DOS partition, you cannot start the computer from an extended DOS partition. The computer does not require an extended partition to function.

    A logical drive is an area of an extended DOS partition that you can set up to group directories and files. It does not increase disk storage capacity. You must set up an extended DOS partition before you can create a logical drive. (You can create up to 23 logical drives in an extended DOS partition.)

    Hard disk Drive Space
    Partitions
    Logical Drives

    Primary Partition

    C:

    Extended Partition

    D:


    E:


    F:

    Because FAT32 lets the computer address up to 1 TB of drive space per partition, you need to make an extended partition only if you want to create more than one partition for organizing and managing files. For example, you want to store all system files on the C: drive partition and all data files on the D: drive partition.

To create an extended partition:
    1. Start up the computer. The Gateway startup screen appears.
    1. While the Gateway startup screen is displayed, press Esc . The Boot menu opens.
    2. Insert the System Restoration CD in the CD/DVD drive.
    3. Use the arrow keys to select ATAPI CD-ROM Drive, then press Enter . The Gateway System Restoration CD Boot Menu opens.
    4. Select Boot from CD-ROM, then press Enter . The Bootable CD Main Menu opens.
    5. Select Exit Program then press Enter . The A:> prompt appears.
    6. Type fdisk then press Enter .
    7. Select Create DOS Partition or Logical DOS Drive by typing 1 and pressing Enter .
    8. Select Create Extended DOS Partition by typing 2 and pressing Enter . The Create Extended DOS Partition screen opens and drive integrity is verified. After the message "The Extended DOS Partition is created," the total size of the partition is displayed.
    9. Press Enter , then press Esc.
    10. Press Enter. The hard disk drive assigns a letter to the partition.
    11. Press Enter repeatedly until a message opens stating that all available drive space has been partitioned.
    12. Press Esc. The FDISK Options menu opens.
    13. Exit FDISK by pressing Esc . Go to "Formatting the Partitions" below.

    If you are using Windows 98, do not format the drive. The Windows 98 Setup program automatically formats the hard disk drive during the setup process.

Formatting the partitions

To format the primary partition
    1. Start up the computer. The Gateway startup screen appears.
    2. While the Gateway startup screen is displayed, press Esc . The Boot menu opens.
    3. Insert the System Restoration CD in the CD/DVD drive.
    4. Press the down arrow key to select ATAPI CD-ROM Drive, then press Enter . The Gateway System Restoration CD Boot Menu opens.
    5. Select Boot from CD-ROM, then press Enter . The Bootable CD Main Menu opens.
      If the Main Menu does not open, press F1 , then press F10 to exit to the A:> prompt.
    1. Select Exit Program and press Enter . The A:> prompt appears.
    2. Type format c: /s (or the letter of the hard disk drive you have just installed), then press Enter .
    3. Select Y. When formatting is complete, the program asks if you want to label the drive.
    4. If you do not want to label the disk, press Enter .
      - OR -
      Type in a label name and press Enter .
      The partition is ready for operating system installation and file storage.

    When you format a partition, all file information is erased. If you want to save this file information, save it to a diskette or other backup media.

    If an operating system has not been installed on the drive, you need to format the primary partition before following this procedure.

To format extended partitions in Windows:
    1. Right click the My Computer icon, then click Explore.
    2. Right click the partition you want to format, then select Format. The system formats the partition, and the partition is ready to store files.