Dr. Rupp’s Guide for New Laptop Users

Dr. Rupp spent time using and testing out her new laptop this summer. She wrote up some tips and info to share.

How do I get it out of the docking station?  First, close all open programs, then shut down the computer (click Start,  then Shut down Computer).  Grasp the lever on the left side of the docking station and pull it towards you until you hear a click.  The computer should slide forward; now you can remove it.

How do I turn it on when it’s out of the docking station?  The power button is in the upper left corner.  It’s a round button marked with the “power” symbol, which is a circle with a vertical bar at the top.

I turned it on, but everything on the screen is so small that I can’t read it.  You need to change the resolution of your display.  This will take two steps.  First, right-click anywhere on the desktop; a gray box should appear.  Click Properties (at the bottom).  Click the Settings tab, then the Advanced button, then the Nview tab, then the Device settings button.  Select Display adjustment, then make sure Use display adapter scaling is checked.  Now you can change the resolution.  Right-click on the desktop again and click Properties again.  Click the Settings tab.  There is a slider bar on the left that allows you to change the resolution of the display.  The default is 1600 x 1200.  Move the slider bar to the left (click and drag) to select a lower resolution (I like 1280 x 1024; you may prefer 1024 x 768), then click OK. You may get a dialog box telling you that “you have selected a non-optimal screen resolution setting.”  Click OK anyway; it’s not optimal if you can’t read it.  Experiment with different setttings until you find one you like.

Now it keeps asking me if I want a Windows Passport.  Do I?  Probably not.  This does enable some features, like hotmail,  but it also gives Microsoft information about you.  Try clicking on it to sign in and then click cancel; this might make it go away.

It’s also asking me if I want to receive Windows Updates.  Do I?  This one you probably do want.  Activate Windows Update by going through the wizard.  Periodically, when you are connected to the Internet, a notice will pop up in the notification area (the lower right of the taskbar) saying “Windows Updates are ready to download.”  Click on it and follow the directions.  Note:  if you are connected at home, for example, using a dialup connection, the download is very slow.  It’s a good idea to wait until you’re on campus with a fast connection to pick up the updates.

I opened up the My Documents window and I noticed that it the window has a blobby look.  Is there any way I can make it look like I’m used to?  Yes.  Right-click on the desktop and click Properties.  Click on the Appearance tab.  Under Windows and buttons, change from Windows XP style to Windows Classic Style.

I just looked in the laptop bag.  What are all those wires and cables in there for?  They are to enable you to connect the laptop to various things when it is not in the docking station.

1. The cable with a brick-shaped object at the end lets you plug the laptop into a wall outlet.  (This is recommended, if you have access to an outlet, to save the battery.)  One end plugs into the back of the laptop (the power cable jack is on the far left, next to the two round air vents).  A separate cable (looks like a conventional electrical cord) plugs into the other side of the brick and into the wall.
2. The modem cable (looks like a telephone cable) lets you connect the laptop to the internet (if you have internet access).  One end plugs into the left side of the laptop (near the front; there’s a picture of a telephone receiver) and the other end plugs into a phone jack.
3. The S-video cable (short cable with one small round end and one large wide end) is used when connecting the laptop to a TV, which will allow more than one person to watch a DVD.
4. The little purple thing that looks like an eraser is a replacement for the little purple thing that looks like an eraser in the middle of the keyboard.  It’s another way of moving the mouse (if you don’t like the touchpad).

When I turn the computer on or off, that Windows theme music just about blows me off my chair.  How do I adjust the volume?  Volume adjustment is found on the Page Up, Page Down, and End keys (at the top of the keyboard).  Notice the symbols printed in blue.  Anything printed in blue is activated by first pressing the Fn (function) key located at the bottom left of the keyboard (between the Ctrl key and the Windows logo key).  To increase the volume, press Fn-Page Up; to decrease the volume, press Fn-Page Dn; to mute, press Fn-End.  Similarly, pressing the Fn key plus the arrow keys increases or decreases brightness or contrast on the laptop display.

What do I need to know about the battery?  You can run your laptop off the battery when you’re away from the docking station and not near an electrical outlet.  Just press the power button as usual to turn it on.  You should have about 2-3 hours of use, depending on what you’re doing (some applications, like the DVD, draw more power than others).

How do I know how much battery charge I’ve got left?  When you’re using the battery, a battery icon (a cylinder with a plus and minus sign) should appear in the notification bar (the lower right of the taskbar).  Mouse over the icon; it should indicate how much charge is left.

How do I recharge the battery?  Just plug it in, either directly to an outlet or via the docking station.  It can recharge whether the computer itself is powered on or off.  While it is recharging, the green battery indicator light above the keyboard (next to the power indicator light and disk drive activity light) will be green.  When it’s fully charged, the battery indicator light will go out.

I was using the battery and went away for a few minutes.  When I came back, the screen was black.  I tried touching keys but nothing happened.  To save power, the computer goes into Standby mode when there’s no activity for 5 minutes.  To get out of Standby, press the power button.  It will also go into Standby after 30 minutes of no activity when it is on AC power (plugged in, either directly to a wall outlet or through the docking station).  Get out of Standby the same way, by pressing the power button (either the one on the laptop or the one on the docking station).

When I’m connected to the docking station, a message pops up that says “A network cable is unplugged.”  Is something broken?  No.  You can be connected to the campus network in several ways—a wireless connection, a wired connection through the docking station, or a wired connection plugged directly into an internet jack in the wall (like your desktop computer used to be).  The message you’re getting refers to the latter type of connection, which in fact is not connected when the computer is docked.  One use for a network cable might be to connect your laptop to the internet in a classroom that does not have wireless access but does have internet jacks.

When I’m working on campus, a message pops up saying “Wireless Connection Unavailable.”  Is something broken?  No.  Eventually the whole campus will have wireless access, but it doesn’t yet.  If the connection is unavailable, or if it tells you that the signal strength is low, it just means that you’re too far away from an access point.  Think of it like a transistor radio trying to pull in a distant station.

I really hate the touchpad.  Can I connect a regular mouse?  Yes.  If the mouse has a PS/2 connection (the round one with a lot of pins), plug it into the back of the laptop on the left, next to the power jack.  There’s a green picture of a mouse (the cable connection should be green as well).  If the mouse has a USB connection (the flat rectangular one) plug it in to one of the USB ports on the back of the laptop on the far right.

I really hate typing on the laptop keyboard.  Can I connect a regular keyboard?  Yes.  If the keyboard has a PS/2 connection (the round one with a lot of pins), plug it into the back of the laptop on the left, next to the power jack.  There’s a purple picture of a keyboard (the cable connection should be purple as well).  If the keyboard has a USB connection (the flat rectangular one), plug it in to one of the USB ports on the back of the laptop on the far right.

Can I plug in a mouse and a keyboard at the same time?  If they both have USB connections, or if one is USB and one is PS/2, then yes.  If they both have PS/2 connectors, you’ll have to buy something called a “Y-splitter” so you can connect them both using the same input.

I hear I can make CD’s with this computer.  How do I do that?   Your laptop came loaded with a program that will allow you to make either audio or data CD’s.  Click Start, then All Programs, then Roxio Easy CD Creator 5, then Applications, then Easy CD Creator.  Once you’re in the program, click Help, and then Easy CD Creator Basics.  Read it; it’s got everything you need to know.

I hear I can play DVD’s with this computer.  How do I do that?  Insert a DVD into the CD drive (the door is on the left).  Make sure you snap it down onto the spindle before you close the door.  To play a DVD, click Start, All Programs, then select InterVideo WinDVD and play your movie.

Can I connect the laptop to a TV and watch DVD’s that way?  Yes.  There are two ways of connecting, depending on whether your TV has S-Video input or not.  If it does, you will need to buy an additional cable, called an S-Video cable (they’re about $10).  Connect one end of this cable to the laptop in the S-Video jack (on the left side, next to the DVD drive; there’s a picture of a TV with a rabbit-ear antenna) and the other end to your TV’s S-Video input.

If your TV does not have an S-Video input, then you will need to use the adapter cable that came in the laptop bag.  You will also need to buy an RCA Y-cable (about $4).  Plug the narrow end of the S-Video adapter cable into the laptop’s S-Video jack.   Plug 2 RCA jacks into the fat end of the S-Video adapter and the other two into the TV.  Make sure you match up the colors (yellow to yellow and white to white).

Once you have the laptop and TV connected (by whichever method), turn them both on, insert a DVD, and run the DVD player (InterVideo WinDVD).  To switch the display from the laptop to the TV, right-click on the desktop and click Properties.  Click the Settings tab, then the Advanced button, then the NView tab, then the Device Settings button, then Select Output Device, then click TV.  Keep clicking OK until all those windows disappear; at some point the display should switch to the TV.  Enjoy the movie!

When I’m watching a DVD on a TV, the picture keeps hesitating briefly.  There are two things you can try to eliminate this problem.  First, disable all your network connections (even if you’re not connected to any network).  Either right-click on the icons on your taskbar and then click Disable, or run Control Panel, then click Network and Internet Connections, then Network Connections.  Right-click on each type of connection and then click Disable.  Second, try temporarily disabling the anti-virus program.  Right-click the My Computer icon on the desktop.  Click Manage, then Services and Applications, then Services.  Right-click NAI Epolicy orchestrator Agent.  Click Stop.  Right-click MC Shield.  Click Stop.  Don’t worry; the anti-virus will start up again automatically next time you reboot.

How can I find more information?  You can call or email the Mount Saint Mary's helpdesk (dial HELP or email helpdesk@msmary.edu).  You also received a CD with some valuable online documentation. It says "Drivers and Utilities" on the label.   Insert it into your CD drive (the door is on the left).  Make sure you snap it down onto the spindle before you close the door.  When you get the “Welcome Dell System Owner” screen, click Next.  When you get the screen that says “My System” at the top, scroll down until you see Documentation User’s Guides and click on Dell User’s Guide.  Then click on the topic that interests you from the table of contents on the left side of the screen.

If you have any suggestions on how to improve this User’s Guide, email rupp@msmary.edu.