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eMachines T3656 8512161 - eMachines Desktop Hardware Reference Guide - Page 65

Caring for your computer

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www.emachines.com Caring for your computer To extend the life of your computer: • Be careful not to bump or drop your computer, and do not put any objects on top of it. The case, although strong, is not made to support extra weight. • When transporting your computer, we recommend that you put it in the original packaging materials. • Keep your computer away from magnetic fields. Magnetic fields can erase data on hard drives. • Never turn off your computer when the drive indicator is on because data on the hard drive could be lost or corrupted. • Avoid subjecting your computer to extreme temperature changes. The case can become brittle and easy to break in cold temperatures and can melt or warp in high temperatures. Damage due to either extreme is not covered by your warranty. As a general rule, your computer is safest at temperatures that are comfortable for you. • Keep all liquids away from your computer. When spilled onto computer components, almost any liquid can result in expensive repairs that are not covered under a standard warranty. • Avoid dusty or dirty work environments. Dust and dirt can clog the internal mechanisms and can lead to permanent damage to the computer. • Do not block the ventilation fan slots. If these slots are blocked, your computer may overheat, resulting in unexpected shutdown or permanent damage to the computer. • When storing your computer for an extended period of time, unplug AC power. 59

Section	Page
Contents	3
About This Reference	7
About this guide	8
For more information	8
Accessing the online User Guide	8
To access your User Guide:	8
eMachines contact information	9
Microsoft Certificate of Authenticity	9
Checking Out Your Computer	11
Front	12
Back	14
Setting Up and Getting Started	17
Working safely and comfortably	18
Reducing eye strain	19
Setting up your computer desk and chair	19
Sitting at your computer	20
Avoiding discomfort and injury from repetitive strain	20
Preparing power connections	20
Protecting from power source problems	20
Checking the voltage selection	21
To set the voltage selection switch:	21
Connecting to a broadband modem or network	21
To connect to a broadband modem or to an Ethernet network:	21
Connecting a dial-up modem	22
To connect the modem:	22
Starting your computer	22
To start your computer:	22
Waking up your computer	23
Turning off your computer	23
To put your computer to sleep:	24
To turn off your computer:	24
Restarting (rebooting) your computer	25
To restart your computer:	25
Using the keyboard	26
Enhanced keyboard	26
Standard keyboard	26
Using the mouse	28
Using optical drives	30
Features	30
Loading an optical disc	30
To insert an optical disc:	30
Identifying optical drive types	30
Playing discs	32
Playing a CD	32
Playing a DVD	32
Playing a Blu-ray Disc	33
Playing an HD-DVD	33
Creating discs	33
Recording to optical discs	33
Creating audio and video files	33
Copying optical discs	33
Using the memory card reader	34
Memory card types	34
Using a memory card	34
To insert a memory card:	34
To remove a memory card:	35
Adjusting the volume	35
To adjust the overall volume using hardware controls:	35
To adjust the volume from Windows:	35
Configuring the audio jacks	37
To configure the audio jacks:	37
Installing a printer, scanner, or other device	38
Upgrading Your Computer	39
Preventing static electricity discharge	40
Opening the case	41
Removing the side panel	41
To remove the side panel:	41
Removing the front bezel	42
To remove the front bezel:	42
Closing the case	43
Replacing the front bezel	43
To replace the front bezel:	43
Replacing the side panel	44
To replace the side panel:	44
Replacing the color panel	44
To replace the color panel on the front bezel:	44
Installing memory	46
To install or replace DIMM memory:	46
Adding or replacing an optical disc drive	48
To add replace an optical drive:	48
Replacing the media panel	50
To replace the media panel:	50
Adding or replacing a hard drive	53
To add or replace a hard drive:	53
Replacing the heat sink and processor	55
To replace the heat sink and processor:	55
Adding or replacing an expansion card	58
To add or replace an expansion card:	58
Replacing the system battery	59
To replace the battery:	59
Replacing the system board	60
To replace the system board:	60
Maintaining Your Computer	63
Setting up a maintenance schedule	64
Caring for your computer	65
Cleaning your computer	66
Cleaning the exterior	66
Cleaning the keyboard	67
To clean the keyboard:	67
Cleaning the monitor	67
To clean the monitor:	67
Cleaning the mouse	67
To clean the mouse:	67
Cleaning optical discs	68
To clean an optical disc:	68
Updating Windows	68
Using BigFix	69
To start BigFix:	69
Managing hard drive space	69
Checking hard drive space	70
To check hard drive space:	70
Deleting unnecessary files	71
To delete unnecessary files:	71
Checking the hard drive for errors	72
To check the hard drive for errors:	72
Defragmenting the hard drive	73
To defragment the hard drive:	73
Backing up files	74
To back up files:	74
Scheduling maintenance tasks	75
To start the Task Scheduler:	75
Moving from your old computer	76
Transferring files and settings automatically	76
To move files and settings from your old computer:	76
Transferring files and settings manually	76
Finding your documents	77
To find files in the documents folder:	77
Finding other files	77
To find files using Find or Search:	78
Troubleshooting	79
Safety guidelines	80
First steps	80
Troubleshooting	81
Add-in cards	81
Audio	81
CD or DVD drives	81
The computer does not recognize a disc or the CD or DVD drive	81
An audio CD does not produce sound	82
A DVD movie will not play	82
Display	83
The screen resolution is not correct	83
The computer is running, but there is no picture	83
The color is not uniform	83
The text on the display is dim or difficult to read	83
DVD drives	83
Ethernet	84
You cannot see the other computers on your network	84
The computer does not recognize an Ethernet expansion card	84
Your Ethernet network is running slower than you expect	85
Expansion cards	85
The computer does not recognize an expansion card	85
File management	85
A file was accidentally deleted	85
To restore deleted files:	85
You need to restore your computer to a working condition	85
Hard drive	86
You see an “Insufficient disk space” error message	86
You see a “Data error” message	86
The hard drive cannot be accessed, or you see a “General failure reading drive C” error message	86
Internet	87
You cannot connect to the Internet	87
You see an “Unable to locate host” message and are unable to browse the Internet	87
Connecting to a Web site takes too long	88
People are sending you e-mail messages, but you have not received any mail	88
Keyboard	88
The keyboard does not work	88
A keyboard character keeps repeating or you see a “keyboard stuck” or “key failure” error message	88
Liquid spilled in the keyboard	89
Media Center	89
The Media Center video display looks bad on your TV	89
You need to configure your computer to output to a TV	91
You want to change display settings to get better TV or DVD image quality	91
You need to burn programs that were recorded with your computer to a DVD using Media Center	91
You want to play recorded programs on other computers	92
You get a “Download Error” message when Media Center tries to update the Program Guide	92
Memory	92
You see a “Memory error” message	92
To run the Memory Diagnostic Tool:	92
You see a “Not enough memory” error message	92
Memory card reader	92
Drive letters for the memory card slots do not appear in the Computer window	92
Modem (cable or DSL)	93
My computer cannot connect to the Internet.	93
Modem (dial-up)	93
Your modem does not dial or does not connect	93
To check the dialing properties:	93
You cannot connect to the Internet	94
Your 56K modem does not connect at 56K	95
Your fax communications program only sends and receives faxes at 14,400 bps when you have a 56K modem	95
The modem is not recognized by your computer	95
To run modem diagnostics:	95
The modem is noisy when it dials and connects	96
To turn down the modem volume:	96
Monitor	96
Mouse	97
The mouse does not work	97
The mouse works erratically	97
Networks	97
You cannot connect to your company network	97
Passwords	97
Your computer does not accept your password	97
Power	98
Your computer will not turn on	98
Printer	98
The printer will not turn on	98
The printer is on but will not print	98
To set a default printer:	98
You see a “Printer queue is full” error message	99
To make sure that the printer is not set to work offline:	99
You see a “Printer is out of paper” error message	99
Sound	100
You are not getting sound from the speakers	100
Recovering your system	100
Recovering pre-installed software and drivers	101
Preparing for software and device driver recovery	102
To create discs for recovering pre-installed software and drivers:	102
Recovering pre-installed software and drivers using eMachines Recovery Center	103
To recover specific drivers and software:	103
Recovering pre-installed software and drivers using recovery discs	104
To recover software and drivers using recovery discs:	104
Using Microsoft System Restore	105
To restore using Microsoft System Restore:	105
Manually creating a restore point	107
To manually create a restore point:	107
Recovering your system to its factory condition	108
To delete everything on your hard drive and re-install all factory software:	108
Recovering your system using the Windows DVD	109
To completely re-install Windows:	109
Telephone support	110
Before calling Customer Care	110
eMachines contact information	111
Self-help	112
Legal Notices	113
If your computer has a DVD-compatible drive and an analog TV Out port, the following paragraph applies:	121