The laptop computer you've just received is an IBM ThinkPad
T20 Model 2647-41U. As you unpack the
box, please take a few minutes to make sure you have -- and hang onto -- the
materials listed below. Also
make sure you keep the separate sheet you received that has your RCS userID and
password.
Materials to Keep
n Laptop
computer
n Power
cord and AC adapter
n Floppy
diskette drive
n IBM
Li-Ion battery pack
n Bag
containing an extra TrackPoint cap, a telephone cord, and a security screw for
the laptop's hard drive
n Getting
Started -- Microsoft Windows 98 Manual (Second edition)
n IBM
ThinkPad T20 User's Reference Manual
n IBM
ThinkPad T20 Setup Guide and Checklist for Unpacking
n IBM
ThinkPad T20 MT 2647 Product Recovery CDs
n IBM
ThinkPad T20 Software Selections CD
n 3COM
10/100 Mini-PCI Ethernet Adapter with 56K Modem (already installed inside your
laptop)
n Miscellaneous
advertisement documents and brochures
PLEASE NOTE: When you first unpack your laptop, you may see a "Please
read!" document at the very top of the box regarding a possible version
conflict message during setup of the Microsoft Windows 98 operating system when
the 3COM 10/100 Mini-PCI Ethernet Adapter is installed. SINCE YOUR ETHERNET CARD HAS ALREADY BEEN
INSTALLED ON YOUR MACHINE, YOU MAY SAFELY DISREGARD THIS MESSAGE.
Please remember to complete, sign, and return
the configuration/installation checklist
that you received with your laptop.
Front View
1.
The system status indicators consist of
a series of indicator lights, and show the computer's current status in green
or orange. (A close-up view of the
system status indicators appears on the following page, along with a list of
their descriptions.)
2.
The power switch turns the computer on and off.
3.
The battery, standby mode, and UltraBay status
indicators. Full descriptions of these indicators appear on the following page.
4.
The bay latch allows you
to eject and remove the Ultrabay 2000 device, should you ever need to replace
it.
5.
The eject button ejects various storage devices, such as DVD or CD-ROM drives, from
the Ultrabay 2000 device (6).
6.
The Ultrabay 2000 device accepts storage devices, such as a DVD drive or a CD-ROM
drive.
7.
The TrackPoint pointing stick is a built-in pointing device that provides a
function similar to that
of a mouse.
8.
The TrackPoint buttons work with the TrackPoint stick (7) and provide functions similar
to those of mouse buttons.
9.
The ThinkPad button provides
you with built-in, one-button access to information you need, along with
ThinkPad portals for mobile solutions, service, support, and more.
10. The volume and mute buttons allow you to control the volume level on your
laptop.
Note that
your laptop also comes equipped with the ThinkLight ä feature that makes it easy for you to see your keyboard in low-light
conditions, such as when you're giving a presentation, or if you're using your
laptop on a plane.
The System Status Indicators
- Device
Access indicator. This will appear in green while data is
being read from or written to the hard disk drive, the diskette drive, or
a drive in the Ultrabay 2000.
Do not put the computer into standby mode or turn off the computer
while this indicator is on.
- Numeric
lock indicator. Indicates that the numeric keypad on
the keyboard is enabled. To enable
or disable the keypad, press and hold the Shift key, and then press the
NumLk (Scrlk) key.
- Caps
lock indicator. Indicates that the Caps Lock mode is
enabled.
- Scroll
lock indicator. Indicates that Scroll Lock mode is
enabled, and you can use the arrow keys
as screen-scroll function keys.
Note that the cursor cannot be moved with the arrow keys while this
function is enabled, although not all applications support this function.
- Power
on indicator. Indicates that the laptop is powered on
and ready to use. This light
remains on whenever the computer is powered on and not in standby mode.
- Battery
indicator. When green, this indicates that the
battery is fully charged. When
blinking green, it indicates that the battery is being charged, but has
enough power to operate the machine.
When orange, it indicates that the battery is being charged but
that the power is still low, and when blinking orange, it indicates that
the battery needs charging.
- Standby
indicator. When green, this indicates that the
computer is in standby mode. When
blinking green, the computer is entering either standby or hibernation
mode, or is resuming normal operation.
- Ultrabay
indicator. When green, this indicates that a
device, such as a CD or DVD, is installed and in use in the drive. When blinking green, it indicates that
the Ultrabay device is in the process of being detached. When not illuminated, this indicates
that the Ultrabay 2000 drive is not in use.
Rear View
1.
The security keyhole allows you to connect a mechanical
lock to your laptop to help prevent it from being stolen.
2.
The video-out (S video) connector allows you
to connect your computer to an external television receiver.
3.
The serial connector allows you to connect a
serial mouse, serial printer, or serial device and to transfer data
between devices.
4.
The parallel
connector allows you
to connect a diskette drive, a Centronics interface printer, or some other
parallel device, and to transfer data between devices.
5.
The external
monitor connector allows you to attach an external
monitor.
6.
The modem connector is used
for connecting your computer to a telephone line.
7.
The
Ethernet connector is used for connecting your computer to a
local network. Please note that you should not connect your telephone line to this
connector.
8.
The power
jack allows you to connect the AC adapter cable.
9.
The universal serial bus (USB) connector allows you
to connect any device that conforms to the USB interface. Many recent digital devices comply with this
new standard.
10.
The external-input-device connector allows you to attach a mouse or external numeric keypad to the
computer. You may also attach an
external keyboard to this connector using an optional keyboard/mouse cable.
Bottom View
1.
The built-in stereo speakers provide the sound for
your laptop computer.
2. The battery
pack is a
built-in power source for the computer, whenever you do not have an AC adapter
available.
3. The battery-pack
latches lock or release the battery pack.
4. The docking
connector allows you
to connect your laptop to a Thinkpad Dock or ThinkPad Port replicator.
5. The mini
PCI card slot contains a
card that acts as both your modem and Ethernet card.
6. The dual inline memory module (DIMM) allows
for memory expansion. (The system has
128 MB of memory standard, but can be configured for up to 512 MB by adding up
to two 256MB DIMMs in the two available slots.)
7. The PCMCIA
card slots accept PC cards. (Note that your
machine has both an upper and a lower card slot.)
8. The PC card eject button ejects
the PC card from the PC card slots (7).
9. The infrared port allows
the computer to communicate with other devices that have infrared data-transfer
capability.
10. The stereo
headphone jack, a 3.5mm diameter jack, allows you to connect a
stereo headphone or external speakers.
11. The stereo line-in jack, a
3.5mm diameter jack, allows you to connect an external stereo audio device.
12. The microphone jack, another 3.5mm diameter jack, allows you to
connect a stereo microphone.
13. The hard disk drive consists
of the computer's large-capacity, built-in hard disk drive.
14. The LCD latches open the
laptop cover when pressed.
Recording Your Windows Product Key
Before you begin setting up your new laptop, take a minute
to turn it over and locate the Windows Product Key that appears on the special
laminated sticker on the bottom of your machine.
Enter this product key information both at the top of
your Laptop Configuration/Installation Checklist and on the back of the first
page of this document. You will need it
to initialize -- or if you ever need to re-install -- Windows.
Connecting the Pieces
Connecting the Power Cord
To connect the power cord, first insert the two-pronged
"jack" end of the power cord into the matching receptacle of the AC
adapter, then plug the other end into a standard electrical outlet. Insert the yellow-coded plug on the AC
adapter cord into the matching yellow-coded power jack (labeled as #8 on the
rear view on page 7) located on the back of the laptop.
Connecting the Network Cable
Insert one end of the grey network cable into the Ethernet
connector receptacle at the back of the laptop (labeled as #7 on the rear view
on page 7) until it clicks into place, and the other end of the cable into a
laptop jack.
Opening the Machine
There are two small spring-loaded latches (LCD latches,
labeled as #14 on the bottom view on page 8), on the front of the laptop, toward
either side of the machine. Use your
thumbs to push these two switches out away from each other, toward the sides of
the laptop. Then, still holding the
switches outward, push up the lid of the laptop.
Powering on the Laptop
To power on the laptop, push the round power button (labeled
as #2 on the front view on page 4) located above the keyboard and to the right
of the system status indicators (labeled as #1 on the front view on page 4).
Entering the Required Information
When the laptop has powered up completely, a Windows 98
Setup Wizard window will appear, asking you for some user information. You must enter your name in the Name:
field. In the Company:
field, you may either keep "Rensselaer" as the default, or leave the
field blank altogether. Click the Next button at the bottom of the
window.
A License Agreement window will appear. After you have read the terms of the
agreement, select the option saying that you accept the terms of the agreement,
and click the Next button to accept
those terms.
Another window will appear, asking for your Windows product
key information. Refer back to the page
in this document where you recorded your product key information, then type in
that product key in the fields provided.
(You don't have to use the Tab key; the cursor will automatically move
from field to field as you type.
Similarly, you don't have to press the Shift key to enter capital
letters; letters will appear as capitals automatically.) Double-check what you have typed to make
sure you have entered the product key correctly, then click the Next button.
A Start Wizard window appears. Click on the Finish
button to continue starting Windows 98.
Wait a moment for the Supply Rensselaer Credentials
window to appear. Enter your
assigned RCS userID -- which consists of the first five letters of your last
name, the first initial of your first name, and possibly a digit or two to make
it unique-- exactly as it appears on your account sheet, in the top field of
this window. Enter the name of your
dorm building as your workgroup name.
(The system will require you
to enter a workgroup.) Off-campus users
should enter offcampus as their
workgroup name.
Click the OK
button.
THE LAPTOP WILL NOW AUTOMATICALLY SHUT DOWN. WAIT A FEW MOMENTS FOR THIS PROCESS TO
COMPLETE.
Power the machine back on.
Connecting to the Network and Obtaining Your Adapter Address
When the machine finishes booting, an Enter Network Password
window will appear; your RCS userID should already appear in the Name:
field. Enter your RCS password, exactly
as shown on your account sheet (your password is case-sensitive) in the
Password: field, and click OK.
A Set Windows Password window will appear. Your RCS password will have already been
entered in the New password: field. (It will appear as a string of
asterisks.) Enter your RCS password
again in the Confirm new password: field and click OK.
The Welcome to Windows 98 window will appear. At this point, either click the Close
("X") button in the upper
right corner of the window, or the Close button, to close this window.
(Clicking on the Continue option
would start up a guided tour of Windows 98, but please don't do this now. However, you should go back and go through
this guided tour later.)
Double-click on the Winipcfg icon in the lower right corner
of the desktop. An IP Configuration
window appears. If the adapter is
listed as PPP Adapter in the top field of the window, click on the
small drop-down arrow beside that field and select the 10/100 Mini PCI Ethernet Adapter option . When you do this, the remaining IP Address, Subnet Mask, and
Default Gateway information will appear in the appropriate fields.
Record the machine's adapter address (shown in the Adapter
Address field) in the appropriate field provided at the bottom of page 2 of
this document, as well as on your Laptop Configuration/Installation Checklist.
(Please note that whenever the network connection does
not appear to be working, left-click on the Release button and then on
the Renew button to obtain a new IP address.)
Left-click on the "X" in the upper right corner of
the IP Configuration window to close it.
You should now be connected to the network.
An Overview of the Included Software
Your laptop has come pre-loaded with a number of software
packages, including:
n Microsoft Office Pro 2000 --
Microsoft's Office suite of Word, Excel, Access, Outlook, and PowerPoint
packages will provide you with word processing, spreadsheet, database, e-mail,
and presentation capabilities, respectively.
n Maple 6 -- This symbolic algebra package allows you
to integrate, differentiate, solve equations, and plot functions.
n SecureCRT 3.0 -- This package provides a secure connection
to the RCS UNIX systems.
n Microsoft Visual C++ -- This package provides a C++ programming/development environment
from Microsoft. The rest of the Visual
Studio package, including Front Page 2000, J++, FoxPro, and Visual Basic, is
available on CD ROM at the VCC Help Desk.
n LabVIEW -- National Instruments' LabVIEW package
provides data acquisitions and control, data analysis, and data presentation
capabilities. Please note that only
sub-sets of this package have been pre-installed on your machine; you can
obtain the remaining components on CD from the VCC Help Desk.
n Netscape Communicator and Internet Explorer
-- Both of these browsers allow you to access the World Wide Web.
n MapInfo Professional --
Through a process known as Object Linking and Embedding (OLE), MapInfo
Professional turns your word processing and spreadsheet applications into mini
MapInfo programs in which you can create, display, and edit a map for use in a
presentation or report, or even for publishing.
n
Adobe Acrobat
Reader 4.0 This product allows you to view, navigate,
and print PDF files across all major computing platforms.
n SolidWorks 2000 --
This package provides powerful, easy-to-use solid modeling capabilities.
n EZ-Snapshot--
This service provides you with a scheduled, automated means of backing up and
restoring your files. We strongly
recommend that you sign up for this service by filling out and returning the
application form you received with your laptop.
n Norton Anti-Virus Corporate Edition -- This software helps protect your laptop
against possible virus contamination and related problems.
Your laptop's disk drive consists of one main 12-gigabyte
partition composing one logical drive, as described below:
C:\ Your
laptop's C drive contains all of the system files and the machine's Windows 98
CAB files. This partition is formatted as FAT 32, and is 11.2GB in size.
D:\ This
refers to your laptop's CD/DVD drive.
Understanding Some Basic Terms
Active Window–
Refers to the window in which you're currently working. The active window has the color title bar,
(not the gray one).
Control Menu Box – Obtained when you right-click on a window's
title bar (see description below), this box provides options to restore, move,
size, minimize, maximize, or close an application.
Desktop– Consists of the entire
screen. There is only one desktop.
Menu Bar -- Provides commands applicable for use in
the application. A sample menu bar
appears below.
Scrolling
n The Vertical scroll bar is located on
the right side of the window and is used to scroll up and down the page.
n The Horizontal scroll bar is located at
the bottom of the window, and allows you to scroll to the right and left of the
window.
n The Scroll box is another way to scroll
either vertically or horizontally.
Click on the scroll box and drag the box up or down, or left or right, to
change your position within the window.
Task Bar
The Task Bar contains the Start button, an area that
displays buttons for each program you have open and the time. You can relocate
the Task Bar by left clicking on it and dragging it to either the top of the
screen or to either the far left or right side of the screen.
Tile – An option that allows you to arrange your
active windows either vertically or horizontally, or cascade them by
right-clicking on the Task bar and selecting the appropriate option.
Title Bar –
Displays the name of the application and the document filename.
The Title Bar also
contains the following icons:
n Close Button ( 
) Located in the upper right corner of a
window on your screen, this icon provides one way to close an application.
n Maximize button( 
)
Located in the upper right corner of a window on your screen, this icon
maximizes the window to full-screen size.
n Minimize button ( 
) – Also located in the upper right corner of
a window on your screen, this icon reduces the application to an icon on the
Task Bar (the portion of the screen which contains the Start button, and an
area that displays buttons for each program you have open and the time).
n Restore button ( 
) – Restores the window to the size it was
prior to using the Maximize button.
Wallpaper/Background – Refers to the image that covers the desktop
or appears in the center of the desktop.
Window – Refers to one of the large rectangular
boxes on the screen in which you can run various applications, etc. You can have several windows open at the
same time on your desktop.
Identifying Some Desktop Features
Start Button 
You can use the Start Button to start a program, open a
document, change system settings, get Help, and find files, folders, or another
networked computer.
When you click on the Start
button, the following menu appears:
The Start Menu consists of the following commands:
|
This Command
|
Does this….
|
|
|
Programs
|
Displays a list of programs that you can select to start.
You can also customize this list. **
|
|
Documents
|
Displays a list of recently opened documents
|
|
Settings
|
Displays a list of settings that can be changed such as
Control Panel, Taskbar and Start Menu
|
|
Find
|
Allows you to search for a file, folder, or computer
|
|
Help
|
Opens the Windows 98 Help Topics window
|
|
Run
|
Allows you run a program by entering the appropriate
command
|
|
Shut Down
|
Displays a list of options that allow you to shut down,
restart the computer, or log off and log in as a different user
|
|
|
|
|
** When you select
the Programs option from the Start menu, all of the applications
should appear listed alphabetically, with all folders listed first, and then
programs. If this list of applications
should ever get out of order, you can restore it to alphabetical order by doing
the following:
1.
Open the Start menu and select the Programs option.
2.
Right-click on
the pop-up sub-menu that appears, and select the Sort by Name
option. All of the listed folders and
programs should once more appear in alphabetical order.
Using the TrackPoint and Buttons
The TrackPoint consists of the stick on the keyboard and the
three click buttons located below the keyboard.
The amount of pressure you apply to the non-slip cap on the
stick controls the movement and speed of the cursor on the screen. As you press the stick away from you, the
cursor moves toward the top of the screen; similarly, moving the stick toward
you moves the cursor toward the bottom of the screen. To move the cursor to the right, press the stick toward the right
and vice versa. (Please note that the
TrackPoint sometimes "drifts".
This isn't a defect.)
The left and right click buttons function in the same way as
those on a traditional desktop PC mouse.
(Of course these functions also depend on the software that you are
using.) The center button can be used
to scroll, or as a magnifying glass by customizing the TrackPoint
settings. Please refer to your IBM
User's Reference manual for instructions on how to customize the TrackPoint
buttons.
Using the ThinkPad Button
When you first press the ThinkPad button, an Access ThinkPad
window may appear, summarizing how you can add programs to your laptop using
the Software Selections CD that was included with your new laptop. If you wish to simply close the window at
this time, you may either click on the OK button or the "X" in
the upper-right corner. If you do not
wish to see this window appear again, first select the "Do not show this
notice again" option, and then close the window as described above.
When you exit the Access ThinkPad window, another window
will appear, listing a number of help categories:
§
Up & Running
§
About Your ThinkPad
§
Everyday Essentials
§
Problem Solving
§
How to reach IBM
This screen even includes a Quick Search field that allows
you to run a search for a specific topic.
To get started, position your cursor on the Everyday
Essentials link; you should see a pop-up sub-menu appear. Next, position your cursor over the Everyday
use option (it will appear highlighted in yellow) and then click on it to
select that option. A new window
containing lots of helpful information appears; using the ThinkLight Ô
keyboard light, the TrackPoint, and the Ultrabay 2000, playing a CD or DVD,
managing the battery power, and familiarizing yourself with the machine's many
keys, buttons, and indicator lights are just a few of the numerous topics
you'll find listed.
Please note that, as an alternative to pressing the ThinkPad
button, you may also access the laptop's built-in information by opening the Start
menu, and selecting the ThinkPad Assistant option.
However you access it, we think you will find the
ThinkPad Assistant to be an extremely valuable tool, so always remember to use
it as an excellent source of help and information any time you may have a
question as to how to use your new laptop!
Identifying the Desktop Icons
Note that the icons marked with a double asterisk (**)
require that you be connected to the network in order for you to access and use
them properly.
Double-click on this icon to display your computer’s
contents, including the available drives and printers, the control panel, and
dial-up networking.
** When you
initially double-click on this icon, the only entry you will see is
"Entire Network." When you
select that option, you will receive an "Unable to Browse the
Network" error message; this occurs because file and print sharing are not
enabled on your laptop by default.
If you wish to enable file and print sharing on your
laptop, open the Start menu, select
the Settings option, and then select
the Control Panel option. In the window that appears, double-click the
Network icon, and then click on the File and Print Sharing… button. In the window that appears, click in either
(or both) of the file and print sharing options, and click the OK button. Please note that your enabling this feature does not
actually share any resources on your laptop; use the Sharing tab on the
Properties window to specify the drive or directory you want to share.
Use the Recycle Bin as a temporary "storage" place
for deleted files. As long as you haven't emptied your Recycle Bin, you can use
it to retrieve files that you accidentally deleted. To completely delete any files you have placed in the Recycle
Bin, first right-click on the Recycle Bin icon. From the pop-up sub-menu that appears, select the Empty Recycle Bin option.
Double-click on this icon to access Microsoft's Visual C++
compiler.
** Double-click on
this icon to access the documentation that Academic Computing Services has
assembled especially for laptop users.
Double-click on this icon for more information about your
laptop's specific licensing information.
Double-click on this icon to access the Maple 6 symbolic
math package.
** Double-click on
this icon to access file and print sharing on the RCS UNIX platform. You must double-click on this icon and login
using your RCS userID and password to be able to print to a network printer.
Double-click on this icon to access Microsoft's Access
database program.
Double-click on this icon to access Microsoft's Excel
spreadsheet program.
Double-click on this icon to access Microsoft's PowerPoint
presentation software program.
Double-click on this icon to access Microsoft's Word
word-processing program.
Double-click on this icon to access the SolidWorks 2000
solid modeling program.
** Double-click on
this icon to access the Internet Explorer Web browser.
** Double-click on
this icon to open a SecureCRT session, which provides a secure connection to
the RCS UNIX systems.
** Double-click on
this icon to obtain IP address, subnet mask, and other configuration
information about your laptop. (Please
note that whenever you run this utility and an IP address does not
automatically appear, you should left-click on the Release button and
then the Renew button, to obtain a new IP address.)
Customizing Your Desktop
You can customize your desktop in several ways. To do this, right-click anywhere on the
desktop; from the pop-up sub-menu that appears, select the Active Desktop option, then Customize
my Desktop.
Click on the Background
tab; you can now specify what image you want to display on your desktop. (Please note, however, that using colorful
backgrounds and/or images on your machine may cause certain programs such as
Maple to fail.)
You can choose to display the image in the center of your
screen or the entire screen. Click on the Apply
button to see a ‘preview’ of your selected image. If satisfied with your choice,
click on OK.
If you click on the Screen
Saver tab, you can select a preexisting screen saver or marquee (which
allows you to enter your own screen saver message). You can also choose the amount of time you want to wait before
the screen saver is activated when the desktop has been idle.
Clicking on the Appearance
tab allows you to customize the color scheme of the desktop, icons, active and
inactive title bars, menus, windows, etc.
Moving and Resizing Windows
To move a window,
left-click on the application's title bar,
as shown below, hold down the left mouse button, and drag the window to a
different place on the desktop.
To resize a
window, place your mouse button over one of the four corner edges of the window
until your cursor turns into a double-ended arrow ( 
) as shown in the upper left corner of the
title bar below. Once you have the
double-ended arrow, click and hold down the left mouse button and drag the
window to the desired size.
Moving a Window in Front of Other Windows
To move one window in front of another, left-click on any
portion of the window that you wish to bring to the front. (You may need to move the windows around a
bit in order to see the window you wish to bring forward.)
Using Scroll Bars to View the Entire Contents of a Window
You can click on the small arrows at the top and bottom of
the vertical scroll bar, located on the right side of the screen, to scroll up
and down the page.
If your window has a horizontal scroll bar located at the
bottom of the screen, you can click on the small arrows on either side of the
scroll bar to scroll and see what text may run off the left and/or right side
of the screen.
You may also use the scroll bubble located inside the scroll
bar to scroll either vertically or horizontally. To do this, click on the scroll bubble and drag it up or down in
the vertical scrollbar, or left or right in the horizontal scrollbar, to change
your position within the window.
Working with Keyboard Shortcuts
Using shortcuts can save a lot of time and mouse/TrackPoint
maneuvering. A list of some helpful keystroke shortcuts appears on the
following page. (For each of the
following shortcuts, hold down either the Ctrl or Fn key while pressing the
other key shown.)
|
Action
|
Keystrokes
|
|
Copy
|
Ctrl + c
|
|
Cut
|
Ctrl + x
|
|
Paste
|
Ctrl + v
|
|
Turns
off the LCD display, leaving the screen blank. To turn the LCD display back on, press any key or the
TrackPoint stick.
|
Fn + F3
|
|
Turns
standby mode * on. To return to
normal operation, press the Fn key.
|
Fn + F4
|
|
Toggles
between the LCD screen and an external monitor.
|
Fn + F7
|
|
Turns
screen expansion on or off.
|
Fn + F8
|
|
Turns
hibernation mode * on.
|
Fn + F12
|
|
Turns
the ThinkLight on or off.
|
Fn + PgUp
|
|
Increases
the brightness on the LCD.
|
Fn + Home
|
|
Decreases
the brightness on the LCD.
|
Fn + End
|
*For more information on suspend and hibernation modes,
please refer to the "Conditioning and Charging the Battery and Increasing
Battery Life" section, located on page 24 of this document.
Using the DVD Player
To play a digital video disk (DVD) in the Ultrabay 2000
device:
- Press
the small blue eject button (labeled as #5 on the front view on page 5) on
the Ultrabay device. The disk tray
should open slightly.
- Gently
pull the tray out until it is completely open. (DO NOT FORCE IT.)
- Insert
the video disk in the tray just as you would any music or software CD,
with the mirror-finish side facing downward. (If your video disk has two mirror-finished sides, check it
carefully for any labels that indicate the first and second sides of the
disk, and place the disk in the tray so that the first side -- for
example, Side A -- faces up.)
- Gently
press the video disk straight downward until it clicks into place. Make sure you seat your video disk
correctly, as it may not engage or may actually become jammed in the
machine if you do not.
- Once
you have seated the disk properly, gently press the disk tray back into
the laptop until it clicks into place.
If you have loaded the disk correctly, the small green LED to the
left of the eject button will briefly flash as the disk spins up.
Please note that your viewing options
may vary from DVD to DVD. For example,
some DVDs allow you to view the film in a wide-screen format, in different
languages, or with the use of subtitles and closed captioning, and so on. Therefore, you may need to explore each
DVD's options carefully, to make sure you get the desired viewing effects.
Adjusting the Sound
There are two ways to adjust the sound:
n Click
on the small yellow “horn” icon located in the bottom right corner of the
taskbar. A small window containing a
volume-control slider will appear.
Press and hold down the left TrackPoint button (see #8 on the front view
on page 5), then use the TrackPoint itself to position the cursor over the
slider and move it up or down to control the volume level as you wish.
n Use
the volume control buttons (labeled as #10 on the front view on page 5) that
appear in the upper left corner of your laptop keyboard, immediately to the
right of the ThinkPad button. The first
button is the "volume down" button, the second button is the
"volume up" button, and the third button is the mute button, which
turns the sound off altogether.
Powering off the Laptop
First, exit out of all programs you have running. Next, open the Start menu and select the Shut
Down… option. The system will
prompt you if you are sure you wish to shut down the computer. If so, click Yes. Otherwise, click No, or Help for additional information.
The laptop will shut itself off after a few seconds.
When you purchase new software for your laptop, it may help
to know that some applications will automatically start the installation setup
once you insert the software CD in the CD/DVD drive. Other packages, however, may require you to load the software
from floppy disks. (Also, when
purchasing software, make sure that the package is labeled for Windows PCs, and
not for Macintosh computers.)
To install software, open the Start menu and select the Run
option. Type the letter of your CD
drive in the window that appears, and click on Browse. Look for the setup.exe file in the list of files
that should appear.
To uninstall a piece of software from your laptop, first
open the Start menu and select the Settings option. From the pop-up sub-menu that appears,
select the Control Panel
option. In the Control Panel window
that appears, double-click on the Add/Remove
Programs icon. An Add/Remove
Programs Properties window will appear.
If the software you wish to remove appears in the list at the bottom of
the window, click on the software you wish to delete to select it, then
left-click on the Add/Remove
button. Follow the prompts that appear
on the screen to finish uninstalling the software.
If the software you wish to uninstall does not appear in the
list at the bottom of the Add/Remove Programs Properties window, open the Start menu and select the Programs option. From the pop-up sub-menu that appears,
select the name of the software you wish to remove, and see if there's an
uninstall option available for that package.
If so, click on the uninstall option and follow the prompts to finish
uninstalling the software.
Still other software packages require you to re-run the
program's setup/installation procedure from the original media, in order to
uninstall the software.
While your laptop is designed and tested to hold up to a lot
of use, common sense should tell you that you should not misuse your
machine. As a result of some hard
lessons students learned last year, we offer you the following advice,
emphasizing the top three items:
DON'T:
n
Have liquids, especially sweet, sticky drinks like
soda, nearby when using your laptop.
Spills can cause serious damage to the machine and can be costly to
repair.
n
Crush your laptop by stuffing too many books around
it inside your backpack.
n
Pile heavy objects on top of it.
n Drop,
jar, or bump your laptop.
n Pick
up or hold your laptop by the screen, or scratch, twist, hit, or push the
surface of the display.
n Leave
a pen or pencil on your laptop when you close it. Doing so will break the screen.
n Disassemble
or attempt to repair your laptop yourself.
n Leave
the laptop's base resting directly on your body (your legs or torso) for an
extended period of time. It can get
hot!
n Use
your laptop in or near water.
n Use
or store your laptop at temperatures above 95° F or below 41° F.
n Place
your laptop closer than five inches from any electrical appliance that generates
a strong magnetic field, such as a television, refrigerator, etc.
n Touch
the lens on the CD-ROM tray or the surface of the compact disk.
n Insert
a floppy disk at an angle.
DO:
n Condition
your battery. (Please see the
"Conditioning and Charging the Battery, and Increasing Battery Life"
section of this document for more information.)
n Replace
the plastic bezel when you exchange drives.
n
Use a soft cotton cloth, such as a handkerchief,
moistened with non-alkaline detergent to clean your computer. The Campus Computer Store recommends -- and
sells -- Kensington's "Screen Guardian" cleaner for this
purpose. Since different types of
the "Screen Guardian" cleaner are available, make sure that you
purchase the small spray bottle cleaner that is made especially for laptop
computers, and anti-glare and polarized computer screens.
n Use
a carrying case that provides good protection for your laptop, such as the
backpack you received with it.
n Register
your laptop with IBM in case it is lost or stolen, and also to receive upgrade
notices.
Physically Securing the Machine
Always remember to use the security cable that you
received with your laptop! This
is especially important whenever you need to leave your machine for a few
moments, whether you're looking for a book in the library, asking a question at
the VCC Help Desk, or getting your lunch in one of the dining halls.
You may want to seriously consider using some of the
following tips and tricks to make your machines more secure:
n It
may sound like common sense, but keep your laptop with you as much as possible,
and never leave it unattended and unsecured.
For example, let's say you need to run into the Union Bookstore to buy a
book; you know you'll only be in there a minute. Think you can just leave your backpack -- with your laptop in it
-- on the open shelves inside the door?
Well, think again! Sure, it may
be tempting to leave your laptop and backpack unattended, especially if you
know you'll only be gone for a short period of time, but the truth is that the
potential for someone to walk off with your laptop is high.
So keep your machine with you,
whenever you can. And if you do
ever go into the Union Bookstore, take advantage of their free lockable
storage to secure your laptop and other belongings until you've finished your
shopping.
n Protect
your data by requiring the use of a password.
n Consider
using a Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) password, which you can add for
additional security; they won't prevent the actual theft of your machine, but
they will protect the data on it.
However, please note that you should exercise extreme caution when
setting any of these passwords, as setting and then forgetting them can have
serious consequences, as explained below.
§
The Power-on Password prevents unauthorized
users from starting up the ThinkPad. You must enter the correct power-on
password prior to starting an operating system. Rensselaer Computer Repair (RCR) on an IBM repair facility can
reset this password if you forget it.
§
The Supervisor Password protects the system
information stored in the BIOS in such a way that a user can change the
computer's configuration only after entering the correct supervisor password. Important
note: If you forget the supervisor
password, RCR or an IBM repair facility will have to replace the system
motherboard. This expensive repair is neither covered under the IBM warranty
nor by insurance.
§
The Hard-disk Passwords (master and user)
protect the information stored on your hard disk in that you can only access
the infor
