Gateway E-6000 Troubleshooting

127

support.gateway.com

Troubleshooting

This chapter provides some solutions to common computer

problems. Read this chapter to learn how to:

■Troubleshoot typical hardware and software problems

■Get telephone support

■Use automated troubleshooting systems

■Get tutoring and training

If the suggestions in this chapter do not correct the problem,

see “Getting Help” on page 21, for more information about

how to get help.

Contents

Main Page Contents 1 Checking Out Your Gateway E-6000 Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 2 Setting Up Your Computer 3G e t t i n g H e l p 4 Using Drives and Multimedia 5 Maintaining Your Computer 6 Restoring Software 7 Adding or Replacing Components 8 Using the BIOS Setup Utility 9 Troubleshooting A Reference Data Page Page Front Your computer may contain any of the following components. Front Back Your computer may contain any of the following components. Back Page Identifying your model Identifying your model Gateway model number Gateway serial number Microsoft Certificate of Authenticity Finding your specifications Finding your specifications Page 11 Accessories Accessories Networking kit Imaging equipment Printers 12 Storage Devices Memory Uninterruptible power supplies Page Working safely Reducing eye strain Working safely Setting up your computer desk and chair Setting up your computer and computer accessories Sitting at your computer Avoiding discomfort and injury from repetitive strain Protecting from power source problems Protecting from power source problems Starting your computer Turning off your computer Turning off your computer To turn off your computer in WindowsXP: 3 1 2 Restarting (rebooting) your computer To close unresponsive programs and restart your computer: 1 2 3 4 Getting Help HelpSpot To start HelpSpot in WindowsXP: Page Searching for a topic HelpSpot HelpSpot videos To play a HelpSpot video: Online help Gateway Web site Gateway Web site Using eSupport Support Home tab Downloads tab Contact Us tab Account Info tab Page Using the diskette drive Using the diskette drive To use a diskette: 1 2 3 Using the CD or DVD drive Identifying drive types Using the CD or DVD drive Page Page Using a recordable drive Creating data CDs and DVDs Using a recordable drive To create a data CD or DVD: 1 2 3 4 Using a recordable drive 5 6 7 Creating music CDs To create music CDs: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Copying CDs Copying CDs To copy a CD using one drive: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Copying CDs 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Maintaining Your Computer Caring for your computer Caring for your computer Creating an emergency startup diskette To create an emergency startup diskette in WindowsXP: 1 2 3 4 5 Page Protecting your computer from viruses Protecting your computer from viruses To scan for viruses: 1 2 3 Page Managing hard drive space Checking hard drive space To check hard drive space: 1 2 Using Disk Cleanup To use the Windows Disk Cleanup program: 3 1 2 Checking the hard drive for errors To check the hard drive for errors: 1 2 62 3 4 5 6 7 Defragmenting the hard drive To run Disk Defragmenter: 1 2 3 4 5 6 Backing up files Using the Scheduled Task Wizard To start the Scheduled Task Wizard: 1 2 3 Cleaning your computer Cleaning your computer Cleaning the exterior Cleaning the keyboard Cleaning the computer screen Cleaning the mouse Page Power management Using power saving modes Changing power settings Changing the power scheme To change the power scheme: 3 Changing advanced power settings To change advanced power management settings: 1 2 3 4 Activating and using Hibernate mode To activate Hibernate mode: 1 2 3 Setting up an uninterruptible power supply To install an uninterruptible power supply (UPS): Page Page Using the Restoration CDs Restoration CDs Reinstalling device drivers Reinstalling device drivers To reinstall device drivers: 1 2 3 5 6 7 8 Updating device drivers Updating device drivers To update device drivers: 1 2 3 5 Reinstalling programs To reinstall programs from the Applications CD: 1 9 10 11 To reinstall programs from a CD: 1 2 Reinstalling Windows To reinstall WindowsXP or Windows 2000, and the device drivers: 1 2 3 4 5 Page Page Adding or Replacing Components Selecting a place to work Gathering the tools you need Gathering the tools you need Preventing static electricity discharge Opening the case Page Page Closing the case Page Adding or replacing a drive Adding or replacing a drive To add or replace a CD, DVD, or diskette drive: 1 2 Page Page Page Page Page Adding or replacing add-in cards Page Adding or replacing add-in cards 5 Page Replacing the power supply Page Page Page Replacing the system board Page Page Page Adding or replacing memory Adding or replacing memory 116 RIMMs Identical A RIMM has a metal cover on one or both sides of the module. C-RIMMs Page 4 5 6 7 8 Replacing the system battery To replace the battery: 1 2 3 Page Page Chapter 8: Using the BIOS Setup Utility Opening the BIOS Setup utility To open BIOS Setup utility: 1 2 Opening the BIOS Setup utility BIOS Setup Utility Updating the BIOS Page Page Troubleshooting Safety guidelines First steps First steps Software support tools 131 Troubleshooting Add-in cards The computer does not recognize an add-in card CD, DVD, or recordable drives The computer does not recognize a disc or the CD, DVD, or recordable drive 132 Audio CD does not produce sound A DVD movie will not play 133 Cleaning CDs and DVDs Computer The computer will not start 134 Diskette drive The diskette drive is not recognized You cannot save a file to diskette or you see the message disk is full or write-protected You see a Access Denied or Write protect error message 135 You see a Disk is full error message You see a Non-system disk or Disk error error message The diskette drive LED is lit continuously 136 File management A file was accidentally deleted To restore files that were deleted in Windows: 1 2 Hard drive 137 You see a Data error message The hard drive cannot be accessed, or you see a General failure reading drive C error message You see a Non-system disk or disk error error message The computer does not recognize an IDE drive Internet You cannot connect to the Internet You see an Unable to locate host message and are unable to browse the Internet 139 Connecting to a Web site takes too long Keyboard The keyboard does not work A keyboard character keeps repeating or you see a keyboard stuck or key failure error message 140 Liquid spilled in the keyboard Memory You see a memory error message during startup You see a Not enough memory error message Modem Your modem does not dial or does not connect 1 2 3 4 To check the dialing properties in Windows2000: 1 2 3 142 You cannot connect to the Internet Your 56K modem does not connect at 56K 143 To access the gateway.your.way dial-up server: 1 2 3 The modem is not recognized by the computer To run modem diagnostics in WindowsXP: 1 2 3 4 5 To run modem diagnostics in Windows2000: 1 2 3 4 145 The modem is noisy when it dials and connects To turn down the modem volume in WindowsXP: 1 2 3 4 5 To turn down the modem volume in Windows2000: 1 2 3 4 146 Monitor The screen resolution is not correct The computer is running but there is no picture The color is not uniform 147 Mouse The mouse does not work 148 The mouse works erratically Power My system is turned on but nothing is getting power Printer Printer will not turn on Printer is on but will not print 1 2 3 To set a default printer in Windows2000: 1 2 1 2 3 To make sure that the printer is not set to work offline in Windows 2000: 1 2 Sound You are not getting sound from the speakers Telephone support Before calling Gateway Technical Support Telephone support Telephone support Gateway offers a wide range of customer service, technical support, and information services. Automated troubleshooting system Telephone numbers You can access the following services through your telephone to get answers to your questions: Service description How to reach Tutoring and training Self-help Tut or in g Tutoring and training Tra in in g Page A Reference Data Chapter A: Features Page Section 1 Page Section 2 BIOS configuration jumper settings BIOS configuration jumper settings Chapter A: System board specifications System board specifications Page B Safety, Regulatory, and Legal Information Important safety information Setting up your system Care during use Replacement parts and accessories Regulatory compliance statements United States of America Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Unintentional emitter per FCC Part 15 FCC declaration of conformity Telecommunications per FCC part68 (applicable to products fitted with USA modems) EPA ENERGY STAR Canada Industry Canada (IC) Unintentional emitter per ICES-003 Telecommunications per DOC notice (for products fitted with an IC-compliant modem) Laser safety statement Television antenna connectors protection (for systems fitted with TV/cable TV tuner cards) External television antenna grounding Lightning protection Power lines Page Notices All Rights Reserved Trademark Acknowledgments Macrovision statement Index