Maintaining Your Computer

    This chapter provides basic information about maintaining your computer hardware and software. You should perform regular maintenance to keep your computer running efficiently.

    Check the following table to set up your best maintenance schedule.

    Maintenance task Immediately after purchase Monthly When needed

    Create an emergency disk

    X


    X

    Back up files


    X

    X

    Scan hard drive


    X

    X

    Defragment hard drive


    X

    X

    Check for viruses


    X

    X

    Manage hard drive space



    X

    Clean computer case



    X

    Clean keyboard



    X

    Clean screen



    X

    Clean mouse



    X

Caring for your computer

    Your Gateway computer is a durable product. However, when transporting it, we recommend that you put it in a carrying case.

    Here are more ways to extend the life of your system:

Do not bump or drop your computer and do not put objects on top of it. The case, although strong, is not made to support extra weight.
Keep diskettes and modular disk drives away from magnetic fields. Magnetic fields can erase data on both diskettes and hard drives.
Never turn off your computer when the hard drive light is on because data on the hard drive could be lost or corrupted.
Avoid subjecting your computer to extreme temperature changes. The case can become very brittle and easy to break in cold temperatures and could melt or warp in high temperatures. Damage due to either extreme is not covered by your warranty. As a general rule, your computer is safest at temperatures that are comfortable for yourself.
Keep all liquids away from your computer, especially drinks. Exposure to almost any liquid can result in extremely expensive repairs that are not covered under your warranty.
Avoid dusty or dirty work environments. Dust and dirt can clog the internal mechanisms.
Keep port covers closed when you are not using the external device ports so that the connectors remain clean and the pins do not get bent or broken.

Protecting from power source problems

    Surge suppressors and line conditioners can help protect your computer from power source problems.

      Warning

      Replace the power cord if it becomes damaged. Failure to do so may result in computer damage or bodily injury. The replacement cord must be of the same type and voltage rating as the original cord.

        Warning

        The adapter uses high voltages that can cause serious injury or death. Do not attempt to disassemble the AC adapter. The AC adapter has no user-replaceable or user-serviceable parts inside. Contact Gateway about returning defective adapters.

      Surge suppressors

        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 peripherals by connecting them to a surge suppressor, which will absorb voltage surges and prevent them from reaching your computer.

          Warning

          High voltages can enter your computer through the phone line connected to the modem. To protect your computer during electrical storms, unplug the telephone line from the modem jack or use a telephone line surge suppressor.

            Caution

            Do not plug your modem into a digital phone line. If you attempt to use the modem on a digital line, your modem could be damaged. (Most residential phone lines are analog, and most business lines are digital.)

          Creating an emergency startup diskette

            An emergency startup diskette is a diskette that contains critical information that you need to start your computer if Windows fails to start. Using the startup diskette, you can restore the files that are required to return your computer to normal operation.

            You should create a startup diskette as soon as you get your computer and when you make configuration changes to your computer, such as adding new hardware or software.

          To create an emergency startup diskette:

            1. Click Start, then select Settings, then Control Panel. The Control Panel window opens.
            2. Double-click the Add/Remove Programs icon. The Add/Remove Programs Properties window opens.
            3. Click the Startup Disk tab. The Startup Disk tab opens.
            1. Place a blank diskette into the diskette drive.
            2. Click Create Disk. A message box appears telling you to insert a new diskette.
            3. Click OK. Files are copied to the emergency startup diskette. When Windows finishes copying files, remove the diskette from the diskette drive.
            4. Label the diskette "Emergency startup diskette."
            5. If you want to write-protect your diskette, which will prevent the diskette from being erased or infected by viruses, slide the tab that is at the top of the diskette to the up position.
          ]
            1. Store your emergency startup diskette in a safe place and away from magnetic fields.

          Scanning the hard drive for errors

            The ScanDisk utility examines the hard drive for surface errors, file problems, and folder problems. ScanDisk corrects these problems so that Windows and other programs run efficiently.

            Use ScanDisk from once a week to once a month, depending on how often you use your system. Also use ScanDisk if you encounter hard drive problems.

          To run ScanDisk:

            1. Double-click the My Computer icon. The My Computer window opens.
            2. Right-click the hard drive that you want to check for errors, then select Properties. The System Properties window opens.
            1. Click the Tools tab. The Tools tab opens.
            1. Click Check Now. The ScanDisk dialog box opens.
            2. Click Start. ScanDisk checks the drive for errors.
            3. Correct any problems that are found by following the on-screen instructions. After ScanDisk has finished checking the drive for errors, it provides a summary of the problems that were found.
            4. Click Close.

          Defragmenting the hard drive

            When working with files, Windows may divide the file information into pieces and store the pieces in different places on the hard drive. This division of files, called fragmentation, is normal. However, to access a file, the hard drive must search for the pieces of the file and put the file back together, which can slow down your hard drive performance.

            The Disk Defragmenter utility rearranges the data on the drive so that each file is stored as one unit rather than multiple pieces scattered across different areas of the disk. Defragmenting the information stored on the drive can improve hard drive performance.

              Caution

              Do not use your keyboard or mouse during the defragmentation because using them may restart the process at the beginning. Also, if you are connected to a network, log off any network connections because network communication may restart the defragmentation process.

            To run Disk Defragmenter:

              1. Double-click the My Computer icon. The My Computer window opens.
              2. Right-click the hard drive that you want to defragment, then select Properties. The System Properties window opens.
              3. Click the Tools tab. The Tools tab opens.
              1. Click Defragment Now.
              2. If Disk Defragmenter does start automatically, click Start.
                Disk Defragmenter displays the progress on the screen. After the process is over, you are asked if you want to defragment another drive.
              1. If you do not want to defragment another drive, click No.

            Protecting your computer from viruses

              A virus is a program that attaches itself to a file on a computer and then spreads from one computer to another. Viruses can damage data, cause computers to malfunction, and can display annoying or offensive messages. Some viruses can go unnoticed for long periods of time because they are activated on a certain date or time. Protect your computer from a virus by:

            Using the Norton® AntiVirusTM scanning program to scan for viruses on your drives or diskettes. The Norton AntiVirus scanning program is located in the Start menu. If you need help using the program, select Help in the menu bar.
            Backing up your files periodically to diskettes, a separate hard drive, or a high-capacity storage drive.
            Write-protecting diskettes. A virus cannot infect a write-protected diskette.
            Obtaining all software from reputable sources and checking the software for viruses before installing it.
            Using your antivirus program to check files and programs that are on diskettes, attached to e-mail messages, or downloaded from the Internet.
            Disabling macros on suspicious Microsoft Word and Excel files. These programs will warn you if a document that you are opening contains a macro that might have a virus.
            Updating Norton AntiVirus periodically to keep up with new viruses.

            To remove a virus:

              1. If you suspect your system has been infected with a virus, find and remove the virus immediately using an Norton Antivirus. The Norton AntiVirus scanning program is located on the Start menu. If you need help using the program, select Help in the menu bar.
              2. Turn off your computer and leave it off for at least 30 seconds.
              3. Turn on the computer and rescan for the virus.

            Managing hard drive space

              By deleting unnecessary files from your hard drive and managing the space that is automatically allocated for saving certain files, you can help maintain the performance of the hard drive.

            Checking hard drive space

              In Windows, you can see a chart of the available hard drive space.

            To check hard drive space:

              1. Double-click on the My Computer icon. The My Computer window opens.
              2. Right-click the hard drive that you want to check for available file space, then select Properties. The System Properties window opens and shows the free and used space on the drive.

            Backing up files

              In order to retrieve files that may have been lost or damaged, you should back up your files regularly to diskettes or other backup media.

              You can back up all of the files on your computer or you can select specific files and folders. Use diskettes to do a partial backup of selected files or folders. Use a backup device such as a Zip® drive, tape drive, or other high capacity backup device to do a complete hard drive backup.

              Windows 98 includes a backup program to help manage backups. The following instructions describe how to use the backup program. Select Help for more information about using the backup program.

              If you lose a file that was not backed up, you can restore the file using Gateway GoBack. For more information about restoring files, see "Using Gateway GoBack".

            To run the Windows backup program:

              1. Double-click the My Computer icon. The My Computer window opens.
              2. Right-click the hard drive you want to back up, then select Properties. The System Properties window opens.
              3. Click the Tools tab. The Tools tab opens.
              1. Click Backup Now. The Backup program starts.
              2. Follow the on-screen instructions.

            Deleting unnecessary files

              By deleting unnecessary files from the hard drive, you free up space on the hard drive and help improve its performance. Use the Windows Disk Cleanup utility to delete temporary Windows files, delete temporary Internet files, empty the Recycle Bin, and delete other files.

            To use Windows Disk Cleanup:

              1. Click Start, then select Programs, Accessories, System Tools, then Disk Cleanup. The Select Drive window opens.
              2. Select the drive you want to clean up and click OK. The Disk Cleanup window opens.
              3. Click the check box beside each file type you want to delete. For more information about each file type you can delete, read the descriptions in the Disk Cleanup window.
              4. Click OK, then click Yes. The selected files are deleted.

            Cleaning your computer

              Keeping your computer clean and the vents free from dust helps keep your system performing at its best. Use the instructions in this section to clean your computer components.

              Before you start, you may want to gather these items and put together a computer cleaning kit:

            A soft cloth
            An aerosol can of air that has a narrow, straw-like extension
            Isopropyl alcohol
            A cotton swab
            A CD/DVD drive cleaning kit

            Cleaning the keyboard

              You should clean the keyboard occasionally to free it of dust and lint particles trapped under the keys. The easiest way to do this is to blow trapped dirt from under the keys using an aerosol can of air with a narrow, straw-like extension.

              If you spill liquid on the keyboard, turn off the computer and turn the keyboard upside down to let the liquid drain. Let the keyboard dry before trying to use the keyboard again. If the keyboard does not work after it is dry, you may need to have it replaced.

            Cleaning the screen

              Use a soft cloth and water to clean the screen. Squirt a little water on the cloth (never directly on the screen), and wipe the screen with the cloth.

                Caution

                The LCD screen is made of specially coated glass and can be scratched or damaged by abrasive or ammonia-based window cleaners.

              Cleaning the exterior

                Always turn off the computer and other peripherals before cleaning any components.

                  Caution

                  When you shut down your computer the power turns off, but some electrical current still flows through the computer. To completely disconnect power from the computer, unplug the power cable and modem cable from the wall outlets.

                  Use a damp, lint-free cloth to clean the computer, keyboard, and other parts of your system. Do not use abrasive or solvent cleaners because they can damage the finish on your components.

                  Your computer is cooled by air drawn in through the vents on the chassis and blown out through the power supply exhaust fan. Keep vents on the chassis free of dust. With the computer turned off and unplugged, brush the dust away from the vents with a slightly damp cloth. Be careful not to drip any water into the vents. Do not attempt to clean dust from the inside of the computer.

                Cleaning the mouse

                  If the mouse pointer begins moving erratically across the screen or becomes difficult to control precisely, then cleaning the mouse will likely improve mouse accuracy.

                To clean the mouse:

                  1. Turn the mouse upside down.
                  2. Rotate the retaining ring on the bottom of the mouse counter-clockwise.
                  1. Remove the retaining ring and mouse ball.
                  1. Remove any dust, lint, or dirt from the mouse ball with a soft cloth.
                  2. Clean the mouse rollers with a cotton swab dipped in isopropyl alcohol.
                  1. Replace the mouse ball and retaining ring.
                  2. Rotate the retaining ring on the bottom of the mouse clockwise and lock it in place.