Chapter 6 Expanding your Notebook This chapter gives short descriptions of how to add devices to your computer using the ports and connectors of the notebook
Upgrading and Options Your notebook is designed to provide the best technology currently available, but recognizing that computer hardware and software change quickly, your notebook can easily be upgraded and expanded to meet your changing computing needs. Nowadays, many devices support Plug and Play technology. This means that Windows can automatically detect the device when it is connected to your system. If the device requires a driver, Windows will load it automatically.
I/O Ports The rear and left side of your notebook have a full range of I/O ports that allow you to connect a variety of peripheral devices to your system. We will discuss here the ports that are not already covered in a previous part of the manual. Printer Whether you purchase a portable computer or a desktop model, you will probably connect the printer to the computer via the parallel cable.
You may have noticed that there is a fax driver in your printer choices. You can select the fax program as a printer device for any Windows-based document that you are running in Windows. The document will be sent to the fax program just as it would be sent to the printer. Other Parallel Devices Your parallel port can also be used with other parallel devices, e.g.. Your parallel port is capable of supporting enhanced EPP and ECP transfer modes.
Serial Port Figure 6-2: Serial Port If your serial mouse is Windows compliant, the notebook should detect new hardware and take you through the process of installing the hardware. If Windows does not recognize your serial mouse, you will need to use Windows to Add New Hardware (Start/Settings/Control Panel/Add New Hardware). You can have Windows search for the mouse, or if you know the correct settings, you can set up the mouse manually.
constant communication between the USB port and your devices allows you to connect and disconnect devices without shutting down first. USB Port Figure 6-3: USB Port You can connect a USB device by plugging the USB cable into the USB port on the left side of the notebook. The system should automatically detect the new device and make it available for you. If the device is not immediately recognized, check the documentation for the device.
PS/2 Port Figure 6-4: PS/2 Port You can plug in, and unplug an external keyboard even when your system is turned on. When you connect the external keyboard to your system, the builtin keyboard remains active and you can enter data through either keyboard. When you use this port for connecting an external PS/2 pointing device to your system, such as a mouse or a trackball, you can plug in, and unplug, the external pointing device even when your system is turned on.
Using the Optional Port Replicator The optional port replicator duplicates most of the ports of your notebook. If you usually connect your notebook to a number of peripheral devices, such as a printer, a monitor, a mouse, a scanner, and so on, you can permanently connect the devices to the port replicator. When you dock your notebook into the port replicator, you will have immediate access to the devices connected to the replicator.
Installing Memory This notebook has a memory compartment, which contains two sockets for industry standard SODIMMS (small outline dual in-line memory modules). These modules are readily available from numerous third-party manufacturers. The memory compartment is located in the base of the notebook. Install extra memory as follows: 1. Before you begin, turn off your computer, disconnect the AC adapter, and remove the internal battery. 2.
5. If both sockets are occupied by SODIMMs, and you want to change one or both of the SODIMMs for a higher capacity module, locate the locking latches at each side of the socket. Pull these locking latches outwards. This will allow the socket and module to pop up to an angle of about 20 degrees. You can then slide the module out of the SODIMM socket. Figure 6-6: Removing a Memory Module 6. Hold the new module at the same angle as the socket and slide the edge connector side of the module into the socket.
9. Reconnect the AC adapter and/or replace the internal battery. Restart your notebook. When the system POST (power on self test) appears, you can verify that the system has automatically recognized the new memory configuration. NOTE: Please note that your notebook has a preinstalled suspend-todisk partition to support the amount of memory that was factory installed in your notebook.
