Chapter 1 Getting Started This chapter provides a brief description of all the major components of your notebook
Introduction Congratulations on your purchase of this powerful notebook computer. This high-end system runs a powerful Intel Pentium III processor that is designed to deliver smooth multimedia and lighting-fast performance. This chapter will introduce the steps you should follow to get the notebook up and running as quickly as possible. Unpacking the Notebook Your notebook comes securely packaged in a sturdy cardboard shipping carton.
Opening the notebook You can find a latch at the front edge of the notebook. To open the screen cover, slide the latch toward the right to and then lift the cover. Figure 1-1: Opening the Cover Around the Front of the System When the screen cover is opened, the main working area of the notebook is visible.
Built-in Screen This notebook is installed with color LCD (Liquid Crystal Displays). The LCD measures 14.1” diagonally. Screen use a TFT active matrix display that delivers a bright, high-contrast picture. The screen resolutions are XGA (1024 x 768). XGA resolution puts the maximum information on the display, without making the text and icons too small to be legible. Power Switch The power switch is located just above the keyboard in the middle, and is used to turn the notebook on and off.
Figure 1-4: Status Indicators The green LED next to this icon turns on when the notebook is reading from a disc in the CD-ROM drive. The green LED next to this icon turns on when the notebook is reading from or writing to the built-in hard disk drive. The green LED next to this icon turns on when the notebook is reading from or writing to a diskette in the floppy disk drive. The green LED next to this icon turns on when the keyboard is in Num Lock mode.
The green LED next to this icon turns on when the notebook is powered on. When the system is suspended to RAM, the LED flashes. When the system is suspended to disk, or when the system is powered down, the LED turns off. The LED next to this icon turns on green when the battery inside the notebook is fully charged. When the battery is charging the LED turns amber. When there is less than 3 minutes of battery capacity left, the LED turns red and flashes, while an audible warning beep sounds.
Right Side The right side of the notebook is the location of the CD-ROM drive, the infrared port, The AC adapter plug and also the anchor for the security locking cable. CD-ROM Drive Lock Anchor Infrared Port AC Adapter Jack Figure 1-6: Right-side Components CD-ROM Drive This drive bay is either installed with a CD-ROM or drive. This option is factory installed and cannot be easily switched. You can use this drive to read from CD data discs, videodiscs, and audio discs.
Left-side The left side of the notebook is the location of the PS/2 connector, the PC card slot compartment, and also the floppy disk. PS/2 Port Cooling Vent Floppy disk/ LS-120 drive PC Card Slot Compartment Figure 1-7: Left-side Components PS/2 Port You can use the mini-DIN PS/2 port to connect your computer to an external PS/2 device, such as a keyboard or a pointing device. When you connect an external keyboard or mouse, the internal equivalent remains active.
Rear Side The rear side of the notebook has a series of connectors. Some of these connectors are located inside a separate compartment. Each compartment has a pull-down door to protect the ports inside the compartments. The illustration and list below identifies the function of each of the connectors. Figure 1-8: Connector Compartments To access the covered compartments, pull down the doors. The door of the expansion connector compartment flaps away underneath the notebook.
Expansion Connector The expansion connector is used for connecting your notebook to proprietary optional expansion modules, such as a port replicator. Audio Jacks Audio Input Jack You can use this jack to input stereo sound from other devices, such as a radio or tape recorder, into your notebook. Audio Output Audio Input External Microphone Figure 1-10: Audio Jacks External Microphone Jack You can use this jack to input sound from an external microphone into your notebook.
TV-out Port The RCA video jack can be used to output video to devices that use RCA plugs such as most TV receivers. Around the Bottom of the System If you close the screen cover and turn the unit over, you can locate the components installed on the base of the unit.
Hard Disk Drive and System Memory It can’t identify these two items by exploring your notebook because they are internal items installed inside the system case. However, they are very important components, which store the software and data that your computer uses. Hard Disk Drive The notebook is installed with a hard disk drive, which can store from 3 to 6 or more gigabytes (GB) of software and data.
