Getting More out of your Laptop

1. Getting More out of your Laptop

2. The Docking Station • Getting it out • Be sure to shut down the computer first • Pull the lever toward you until the computer slides forward • Putting it in • Be sure you hear the click • Push the lever back into the locked position • Then press the power button

3. A Tour of your Laptop: The Back • Power • PS/2 port • PS/2 connector (round) • To connect a separate mouse or keyboard • RGB (video) port • To connect a separate monitor or LCD projector • Docking port • Parallel port • To connect a printer

4. A Tour of your Laptop: The Back • Serial Port • Perhaps to connect a scanner • 2 USB ports • To connect a mouse or keyboard • Digital camera • Etc.

5. A Tour of Your Laptop:The Left Side • CD/DVD drive • Play audio CDs • Use CD-ROMs • Create CD-ROMs • Play DVDs • S-Video port • S-Video cable (not included) • Connect to a TV and play DVDs • Modem port • Connect to your home dial-up service • Ethernet port • Green ethernet cable (not included) • Connect to a wired internet connection on campus

6. A Tour of your Laptop: The Front • 3 ½” floppy drive (A-drive) • battery

7. A Tour of your LaptopThe Right Side • Audio ports • Microphone • Headphones • Use to listen to CDs or watch DVDs in private • Use when watching DVD on a TV, to use the TV speakers instead of the tinny speakers built in to the laptop (special cable needed) • Audio line out

8. A Tour of your Laptop:The Keyboard • Status lights • Power • Disc drive • Battery charging • Keyboard lights • Num lock • Caps lock • Unknown • Probably scroll lock, but no one knows what that’s for

9. A Tour of your Laptop:The Keyboard • The blue keys • Press the Function key (labeled Fn), then the key you want, to get what’s printed in blue • Fn-PgUp • Increases the volume • Fn-PgDn • Decreases the volume • Fn-End • Mutes

10. The Dell User’s Guide CD • Labeled “Devices and Drivers” • 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.

11. Using the Battery • You should have about 2 hours of battery (less with some power-heavy applications, like the DVD) • The battery icon (cylinder with a plus-minus sign) in the lower right of the screen tells you how much charge you have left • Mouse over it

12. Using the Battery • After 5 minutes of no activity when using the battery, the computer will go into standby mode to save power • Get out of standby by pressing the power button. • When you plug in, either to the docking station or to a wall outlet, the battery light on the keyboard will show that it is charging up • The computer does not have to be on to recharge

13. The CD-RW/DVD Drive • When you put a disc in the drive, you have to press down on the spindle until it snaps in place • This is to hold the disc in place as the laptop is carried around • You can play audio CD’s using Windows Media Player • If a data CD (CD-ROM) doesn’t play automatically, go to My Computer and click on the CD drive, then on the program you want

14. The CD-RW/DVD Drive • To create (“burn”) a CD, click • Start, • All Programs • Roxio Easy CD Creator 5 • Applications • Easy CD Creator • Click Help, then Easy CD Creator Basics to learn all about it

15. Burning a CD • 2 types: • CD-R (Recordable) • Cheaper • Can be recorded only once • Use for permanent backups • CD-RW (Re-Writable) • More expensive • Can be recorded multiple times • Use for dynamic storage

16. Playing DVDs • Insert the DVD • Run InterVideo WinDVD • Play the movie

17. Customize your Display • Right-click on the desktop • Click Properties • Click Settings to change the resolution • Click Appearance to change to Windows Classic View or to change the display font size • Click Desktop to choose a background (wallpaper) • Click Screensaver to choose a screensaver

18. Changing Mouse Settings • Click Start • Click Control Panel • Click Printers and Other Hardware • Click Mouse • Select Touch Pad to enable or disable “tapping” • Select Motion to change the mouse speed

19. Changing Power Settings • Click Start • Click Control Panel • Click Performance and Maintenance • Click Power Options • Adjust the amount of time before the computer goes to System Standby when the computer is plugged in.

20. Windows Updates • Click the blue and green icon at the lower right of the desktop. • Run the wizard to enable automatic Windows updates • Thereafter, when it notifies you that updates are ready to download, do it. • Do not sign up for Windows Passport. Try clicking on the icon and then clicking cancel. This should make it go away.

21. Where on campus can I get a wireless connection? • Wireless is now available throughout all classrooms in AC and Science buildings, both auditoriums, the library, Patriot Hall, Bradley main and President's conference rooms, all Terrace buildings, the athletic center and grounds in front and back of the complex, and the theme houses.

22. How do I know if I have a wireless connection? • There should be an icon showing 2 overlapping computers at the lower right of your screen. Mouse over it to see how strong your connection is.

23. If you do not have this icon for your wireless connection, click: • Start; Control Panel • Network and Internet Connections; Network Connections • Right-click on Wireless Network Connection • Select Properties • Check Show Icon in Notification Area when Connected

24. Network Backup • On the desktop, click Personal Network Folder. This will open up your space on a networked disc drive (your H: drive). • Open My Documents (or wherever you store your files). • Move files into the network folder in the usual way. • Do this often.