Compaq 277958-001 - Manual

1–2 Learning More About Your Computer Performing Common Tasks Modifying the Keyboard Language Setting You can modify the language setting for your keyboard. To Modify the Keyboard Language Setting 1. Click the Start button from the Windows taskbar. 2. Click Control Panel. 3. Click Date, Time, Langua...

Learning More About Your Computer 1–3 Performing Common Tasks 8. Click the Keyboard layout/IME down arrow and select a language from the list. 9. Click OK. 10. Click OK to apply the changes. Modifying the Mouse Properties You can view and modify different properties of the mouse from the Mouse Prope...

Learning More About Your Computer 1–5 Performing Common Tasks Shutting Down the Computer When you are finished working or playing on the computer, it is a good idea to shut it down. To Shut Down the Computer 1. Click the Start button from the Windows taskbar. 2. Click Turn Off Computer. Printing You...

1–6 Learning More About Your Computer Performing Common Tasks To Use the Print Menu 1. Click File on the menu bar. 2. Click Print... 3. Select your printing options. Remember, the look and feel of the Print dialog box varies from application to application. 4. Click OK. Playing Games You can use the...

Learning More About Your Computer 1–7 Performing Common Tasks Before you download or purchase any games, check the computer requirements for the game. These are usually listed on the Internet site or outside of the game box. You should pay particular attention to the amount of disk space required fo...

1–8 Learning More About Your Computer Performing Common Tasks ✎ It is recommended that you use the same disc drive (CD or DVD) to play a game that you used to install it. If you have problems installing or playing a game, contact the game manufacturer. Playing Digital Audio You can play digital audi...

Learning More About Your Computer 2–1 2 Using Your Computer Drives Computers can have several types of drives that include: ■ Diskette (floppy) ■ Hard ■ CD-ROM (compact disk - read only memory) ■ CD-RW (compact disk - re-writable) ■ DVD-ROM (digital versatile disk- read only memory) ■ DVD-R/RW (digi...

2–2 Learning More About Your Computer Using Your Computer Drives ✎ If you have a tower model, hold the diskette with the label facing left and the arrow pointing toward the drive. 2. Gently push the diskette into the drive. Removing a diskette You should remove the diskette from the diskette drive w...

Learning More About Your Computer 2–3 Using Your Computer Drives Ä CAUTION: If you remove a diskette while the activity light is glowing, you can damage the diskette or the information stored on it. Using the Hard Drive You can store computer operating files, applications, data, Internet, and person...

2–4 Learning More About Your Computer Using Your Computer Drives Using the CD or DVD Drive The CD-ROM, CD-RW, DVD-ROM, and DVD-R/RW drives allow you to perform several different actions (such as, store information, listen to music, view and create movies). The DVD-ROM and DVD-R/RW drives take longer...

Learning More About Your Computer 2–5 Using Your Computer Drives It is important to read all directions before attempting to record onto a DVD-R or DVD-RW disc. You should make sure that all open applications are closed and remain closed while you are burning the DVD-R or DVD-RW disc. ✎ Your 4.7 Gig...

Learning More About Your Computer 2–7 Using Your Computer Drives Inserting a CD or DVD To Insert a CD or DVD 1. Power on the computer. 2. Press the load/eject button to open the drive. 3. Carefully lift the CD or DVD from its case. You should avoid touching the surface of the CD or DVD. If possible,...

2–8 Learning More About Your Computer Using Your Computer Drives 4. Place the CD or DVD, label side up (label side left if tower model), into the round tray ✎ If the tray has support tabs, carefully slide the disc under the tabs to position it correctly in the tray. 5. Press the load/eject button to...

Learning More About Your Computer 2–9 Using Your Computer Drives Removing a CD or DVD To Remove a CD or DVD 1. Power on the computer. 2. Press the load/eject button to open the drive. 3. Carefully lift the CD or DVD from the drive. You should avoid touching the surface of the disc. If possible, hold...

2–10 Learning More About Your Computer Using Your Computer Drives ✎ The DVD drives may take longer to begin music playback because they must determine the type of media being played. To Listen to Music 1. Insert a CD or DVD as described previously in this chapter, “Inserting a CD or DVD.” 2. Wait fo...

Learning More About Your Computer 2–11 Using Your Computer Drives 6. Click Apply, then OK. Playing a Movie You can only play a DVD movie from the DVD-ROM and DVD-R/RW drives. To Play a Movie 1. Insert a DVD as described previously in this chapter, “Inserting a CD or DVD.” ✎ For best performance, it ...

2–12 Learning More About Your Computer Using Your Computer Drives 2. Wait for the DVD to automatically start playing. If the DVD does not start playing automatically, follow these steps. a. Click the Start button on your Windows desktop. b. Click All Programs, Compaq WinDVD, then Win DVD Player. c. ...

2–14 Learning More About Your Computer Using Your Computer Drives Maintaining the CD or DVD Drive You should keep the following guidelines in mind when maintaining and cleaning your CD or DVD drive: ■ Do not move the drive while it is operating ■ Avoid exposing the drive to rapid changes in temperat...

Learning More About Your Computer 3–1 3 Maintaining and Shipping Routine and preventive maintenance for the computer is easier than you might think. A few basic procedures will help keep the computer and monitor in good operating condition. ■ Disk cleanup ■ Scan disk ■ Defragment Use virus scan soft...

3–2 Learning More About Your Computer Maintaining and Shipping ■ Keep the computer away from excessive heat, cold, moisture, and direct sunlight (for specific ranges of temperature and humidity, see your computer specifications) ■ Keep liquids away from the computer and keyboard ■ Turn off the compu...

Learning More About Your Computer 3–3 Maintaining and Shipping 4. Right click the hard disk drive you want to clean up. 5. Click Properties on the pop-up menu. 6. On the General tab, click Disk Cleanup. 7. Click the types of files you want to delete. 8. Click OK.

3–4 Learning More About Your Computer Maintaining and Shipping Emptying the Recycle Bin After you delete files from the hard drive, they are sent to the recycle bin. You can retrieve files that are sent to the recycle bin as long as you have not emptied it. Once you empty the recycle bin, your files...

Learning More About Your Computer 3–5 Maintaining and Shipping 8. Click Start to begin scanning. Defragmenting the Drive You can increasingly improve the efficiency of the computer by defragmenting it on a regular basis. Defragmenting moves the files closer together so that the hard drive space is u...

3–6 Learning More About Your Computer Maintaining and Shipping 8. Click Defragment to begin. Protecting from a Virus A computer virus can destroy information on the hard drive. You can get a virus through: ■ An infected diskette ■ A CD, CD-R, CD-RW, DVD, DVD-R or DVD-RW disc ■ E-mail messages and at...

Learning More About Your Computer 3–7 Maintaining and Shipping You should take the following precautions in order to protect your new computer: ■ Do not open unsolicited e-mail from unknown sources ■ Only download files from sources you feel are safe ■ Always scan documents for viruses before openin...

Learning More About Your Computer 4–1 4 Saving Energy You can conserve energy by using the Microsoft Windows Power Management system. With this system, you can determine when the computer is sleeping, hibernating, or awake. You can also determine when your monitor and hard drive turns off. Using Pow...

4–2 Learning More About Your Computer Saving Energy ✎ If your computer is connected to a network or has “always on” DSL connection, you should use the Always On power scheme. Using the Power Options Properties 1. Click Start from the Windows taskbar. 2. Click Control Panel. 3. Click Performance and ...

Learning More About Your Computer 4–3 Saving Energy Sleep Mode Sleep mode is a low-power standby state that reduces the amount of electrical power consumed by the computer while you are not using it. The Microsoft Windows Power Management system automatically puts the computer into sleep mode after ...

4–4 Learning More About Your Computer Saving Energy Manually Entering the Sleep Mode You can manually put the computer into sleep or standby mode to conserve energy. To Manually Enter Sleep Mode 1. Close all programs and save any open files. 2. Click Start on the Windows taskbar 3. Click the Control...

Learning More About Your Computer 4–5 Saving Energy Hibernate Mode You can also set the computer to go into Hibernate mode after a specified period of inactivity. Before the computer can hibernate, it saves everything in memory to the hard drive. Then, it shuts itself off. When you awake the compute...

Learning More About Your Computer 5–1 5 Understanding Computer Terms This chapter provides definitions for computer terms used in this guide and other documents that ship with your computer. A 1394 port A new type of connector for plugging in peripherals with extremely fast data-transfer rates, such...

5–2 Learning More About Your Computer Understanding Computer Terms application A technical term for a computer program. See program. audio/video streaming See streaming. authoring What you do to create a program that may eventually be stored on a CD. For example, if you want to create a multimedia g...

5–8 Learning More About Your Computer Understanding Computer Terms close session When a session is closed, information about its contents is written into the Table of Contents of the CDs, and a lead-in and lead-out are written to prepare the CD for subsequent sessions. coaster Popular term for a rui...

5–10 Learning More About Your Computer Understanding Computer Terms disc image A single large file which is an exact representation of the whole set of data and programs as it will appear on a CD in terms of both content and logical format. This may be an ISO 9660 image or some proprietary format su...

Learning More About Your Computer 5–11 Understanding Computer Terms drop-down menu A list of options that drops down when you click a menu name on the menu bar or click the down arrow on a dialog box. DSL (digital subscriber line) A telephone line that carries both voice and data signals, allowing y...

Learning More About Your Computer 5–15 Understanding Computer Terms I icon A small picture that represents a menu command, file, program, tool, or peripheral. interactive A computer program that responds to you as if you were having a conversation. You give instructions; computer performs an action ...

5–16 Learning More About Your Computer Understanding Computer Terms ISP (Internet Service Provider) A company that provides access to the Internet. To use the service, you need the ISP software, a user name, a password, and access phone number(s). J jewel case The hinged plastic case in which CDs ar...

5–20 Learning More About Your Computer Understanding Computer Terms mixed-mode disc A CD that includes both computer data and CD-DA tracks. The data is all contained in track one, and the audio in one or more of the following tracks. Contrast with CD Extra. modem: A device in the computer that conve...

5–22 Learning More About Your Computer Understanding Computer Terms newsgroup A discussion group on the Internet where people can post or read messages on thousands of topics, such as professional basketball, environmental protection, Himalayan cats, Scottish bagpipes, Irish clog dancing, soufflés, ...

5–24 Learning More About Your Computer Understanding Computer Terms peripheral An external device connected to a computer, such as a monitor, keyboard, mouse, joystick, scanner, printer, and digital camera. See component. PDF (Portable Document Format) A file format that has captured all the element...

Learning More About Your Computer 5–25 Understanding Computer Terms plug-and-play A feature introduced with Windows 95 to simplify the use of some peripheral devices. Once the device is installed (in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions), you can plug it into the computer while the comput...

Learning More About Your Computer 5–31 Understanding Computer Terms surge protector A device that protects a computer from fluctuations in power. A surge protector regulates the flow of electricity to the computer and prevents high-voltage surges from reaching and possibly damaging the equipment. SV...

5–32 Learning More About Your Computer Understanding Computer Terms track-at-once A method of writing data to a CD. Each time a track (data or audio) is completed, the recording laser is stopped, even if another track will be written immediately afterwards. Link and run blocks are written when the l...

5–34 Learning More About Your Computer Understanding Computer Terms W WAV A file format used to store sounds. WAV sound files can be identified by the file extension .wav. Microsoft and IBM developed the format for Windows-based programs that support sound. See file extension. Web See World Wide Web...