Gateway E-5250 User manual

E-5250
User's Guide
MAN SYS US E5250 USR GDE R0 6/98
8502956

E-5250 User’s
Guide
Part #8502956 MAN SYS US E5250 USR GDE R0 7/98
In our effort touse nature’s resources efficiently and wisely, we print allmanuals on recycled papers that meet the
minimum requirements established by the Federal EPA in its guidelines for recycled paper products.

Notices
Copyright © 1998 Gateway 2000, Inc.
All Rights Reserved
610 Gateway Drive
N. Sioux City, SD 57049 USA
All Rights Reserved
This publication is protected by copyright and all rights are reserved. No part of it may be reproduced
or transmitted by any means or in any form, without prior consent in writing from Gateway 2000.
The information in this manual has been carefully checked and is believed to be accurate. However,
changes are made periodically. These changes are incorporated in newer publication editions.
Gateway 2000 may improve and/or change products described in this publication at any time. Due to
continuing system improvements, Gateway 2000 is not responsible for inaccurate information which
may appear in this manual. For the latest product updates, consult the Gateway 2000 web site at
www.gateway.com. In no event will Gateway 2000 be liable for direct, indirect, special, exemplary,
incidental, or consequential damages resulting from any defect or omission in this manual, even if
advised of the possibility of such damages.
In the interest of continued product development, Gateway 2000 reserves the right to make
improvements in this manual and the products it describes at any time, without notices or obligation.
Trademark Acknowledgments
AnyKey, black-and-white spot design, ColorBook, CrystalScan, Destination, EZ Pad, EZ Point, Field
Mouse, Gateway 2000, HandBook, Liberty, TelePath, Vivitron, stylized “G” design, and “You’ve got a
friend in the business” slogan are registered trademarks and “All the big trends start in South Dakota”
slogan, GATEWAY, and Gateway Solo, are trademarks of Gateway 2000, Inc. Intel, Intel Inside logo,
Pentium, and LANDesk are registered trademarks and Xeon is a trademark of Intel Corporation.
Microsoft, MS, MS-DOS, Windows, and Windows NT are trademarks or registered trademarks of
Microsoft Corporation. All other product names mentioned herein are used for identification purposes
only, and may be the trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies.

Contents i
Contents
Preface .....................................................................................iii
Conventions Used in This Guide........................................................... iv
Safety Instructions................................................................................... v
Getting Started ......................................................................... 1
Setting Up Your System.......................................................................... 2
Starting Your System .............................................................................. 3
Understanding the Power-On Self-Test .......................................... 5
Setting Up the Operating System .................................................... 5
Installing and Restoring LANDesk................................................. 6
Turning Off Your System ....................................................................... 7
Resetting Your System............................................................................ 8
System Features ..................................................................... 9
Computer Features ................................................................................ 10
AGP Video ..................................................................................... 10
BIOS ............................................................................................... 10
Cache Memory............................................................................... 10
Connectors...................................................................................... 10
Drives.............................................................................................. 11
Expansion Slots .............................................................................. 12
Intel 440GX Chip Set..................................................................... 12
Manageability................................................................................. 12
Memory .......................................................................................... 12
Networking..................................................................................... 13
Processor......................................................................................... 13
Front Panel............................................................................................. 14
Rear Panel.............................................................................................. 16

ii E-5250 User’s Guide
Maintainingand Cleaning Your System ................................19
Maintaining the Hard Drive.................................................................. 20
Protecting Against Viruses................................................................... 21
Cleaning Your System.......................................................................... 22
Cleaning the Mouse....................................................................... 22
Cleaning the Keyboard .................................................................. 22
Cleaning the Monitor Screen......................................................... 23
Cleaning the Computer and Monitor Cases.................................. 23
Appendix .................................................................................25
Acronyms and Abbreviations............................................................... 26
Terms and Definitions .......................................................................... 28
Regulatory Compliance Statements..................................................... 31
Index....................................................................................... 35

Preface
Contents
Conventions Used in This Guide ........................... iv
Safety Instructions................................................... v

iv E-5250User’s Guide
Conventions Used in This Guide
Throughout this guide, you will see the following conventions:
Convention Description
ENTER Keyboard key names are printed in small
capitals.
CTRL+ALT+DEL A plus sign indicates that the keys must be
pressed simultaneously.
Setup Commands to be entered, options to
select, and messages that appear on your
monitor are printed in bold.
User’s Guide
Names of publications and files are printed
in italic.
An important informs you of special
circumstances.
A caution warns you of possible damage
to equipment or loss of data.
A warning indicates the possibility of
personal injury.
Important!
Caution!
Warning!

Preface v
Safety Instructions
Observe the following safety instructions when using your system:
•Follow all instructions marked on the system and in the
documentation.
•When the system is turned off, a small amount of electrical current
still runs through the system. Always unplug the system from the
electrical outlet before cleaning the system or opening the cover.
(Follow the cleaning instructions on page 22.)
•Do not use this product near water or a heat source, such as a
radiator or heat register.
•Do not spill anything on or into the system. The best way to avoid
spills is to avoid eating and drinking near your system.
•Make sure you set up the system on a stable work surface.
•Openings in the system cabinet are provided for ventilation. Do not
block or cover these openings. Make sure you provide adequate
space (at least 12 inches) around the system for ventilation when
you set up your work area. Never insert objects of any kind into the
system ventilation slots.
•Use the voltage setting for your area. The voltage selector switch is
set at the factory to the correct voltage.
•This system is equipped with a 3-wire grounding plug (a plug with
a grounding pin). This plug will only fit into a grounded power
outlet. This is a safety feature. Do not defeat the purpose of the
grounding pin. If you are unable to insert the plug into the outlet,
contact your electrician to replace the outlet.
•Do not walk on the power cord or allow anything to rest on it.
•If you use an extension cord with this system, make sure the total
ampere ratings on the products plugged into the extension cord do
not exceed the extension cord ampere rating. Also, the total ampere
requirements for all products plugged into the wall outlet must not
exceed 15 amperes.
Warning!
Do not attempt to service
the system yourself except
as explained elsewhere in
the system documentation.
Adjust only those controls
covered in the instructions.
Opening or removing
covers marked “Do Not
Remove” may expose you
to dangerous electrical
voltages or other risks.
Refer all servicing of those
compartments to qualified
service personnel.

vi E-5250 User’s Guide
•There is a danger of explosion if the CMOS (complementary
metal-oxide semiconductor) battery is replaced incorrectly.
Replace the battery with the same or equivalent type recommended
by the manufacturer. Dispose of used batteries according to the
manufacturer’s instructions.
•Unplug the system from the wall outlet and refer servicing to
qualified personnel if:
• The power cord or plug is damaged.
• Liquid has been spilled into the system.
• The system does not operate properly when the operating
instructions are followed.
• The system was dropped or the cabinet is damaged.
• The system’s performance changes.

Getting Started
Contents
Setting Up Your System.......................................... 2
Starting Your System .............................................. 3
Turning Off Your System ....................................... 7
Resetting Your System............................................ 8

2 E-5250 User’s Guide
Setting Up Your System
Before you set up your system, prepare a safe working environment for it.
•Provide a clean, flat, and stable surface for your system. Allow at
least 12 inches at the rear of the computer for cabling and air
circulation.
•Obtain a grounded (three-prong) AC surge-protected power strip.
A surge-protected power strip helps protect against AC line spikes.
•Protect your system from extreme temperature and humidity. Do
not expose your system to direct sunlight, heater ducts, or other
heat-generating objects.
•Keep your computer away from equipment that generates magnetic
fields, such as unshielded stereo speakers. Even a telephone placed
too close to the computer may cause interference.
•Plug the computer into a wall outlet or power strip that is easily
accessible. When you turn off the computer with the power button,
some electricity still flows through the computer. To remove all
power from the computer, you need to unplug it.
After you prepare a safe working environment, use the poster that came
with your system to set up the system.
Important!
Keep the product carton
and packing material, in
case you need to send the
system out for repair. If you
return your system to the
factory in different
packaging, your warranty
may be void.
Caution!
Make sure your computer
and peripherals are turned
offand unplugged from the
power outlet when you
connect peripherals to the
computer.

Getting Started 3
Starting Your System
Before you start your system for the first time:
•Check that the voltage selector switch on the back of the computer
is still set to the correct voltage for your area. This switch is set at
the factory to the correct voltage. (See the illustration on page 16
for the location of the switch.)
•Make sure all cables are firmly connected to the proper cable ports
on the rear panel of the computer.
•Make sure the computer and monitor are plugged into an AC outlet
or power strip.
1. If you have connected the system components to a power strip, make
sure all the system components are turned off, and then turn on the
power strip.
2. Press the power button on the monitor to turn on the monitor.
To start the system

4 E-5250 User’s Guide
3. Press the power button on the computer to turn on the computer. The
power light-emitting diode (LED) on the front panel is lit when the
computer’s power is on.
4. Turn on any other components connected to the computer, such as
speakers, a printer, or a scanner.
5. If nothing happens when you turn on the system:
•Recheck the power cables to see that they are securely plugged in
and that your power strip (if you are using one) is plugged in and
turned on.
•Make sure the monitor is connected to the computer, plugged into
the power strip or AC outlet, and turned on. You may also need to
adjust the brightness and contrast controls on the monitor.
Wait until the startup procedure is finished before loading a diskette in the
diskette drive, or the computer may search on the diskette for startup
information.
Power LED
Power button
Reset button

Getting Started 5
For more troubleshooting information, see the “Troubleshooting” chapter in
the Maintaining and Troubleshooting Your E-5250 System guide.
Understanding the Power-On Self-Test
When you turn on your computer, the power-on self-test (POST) routine
checks the system memory and components. To see the POST information
on the screen, press TAB during POST. Press ESC to bypass the remaining
memory count.
The system beeps or displays an error message if POST finds any
problems. Write down the number of beeps that sound or the error message
that appears. See the “Troubleshooting” chapter of the Maintaining and
Troubleshooting Your E-5250 System guide for a description of the beep
codes and error messages.
Setting Up theOperating System
Your computer comes with the Microsoft®Windows NT®4.0 operating
system. The first time you start your computer, the operating system takes a
few minutes to set up. As you start Windows NT, if you are connecting to a
network, have your transmission control protocol/Internet protocol (TCP/
IP) information available. Contact your system administrator for your TCP/
IP information.
Refer to your software documentation for specific instructions on what to
do after the computer starts.
1. After the computer starts, the Start-up wizard opens. Click Next to
continue.
2. Type the requested information in the appropriate text boxes. When
you have finished entering the information, click Next.
To complete the operating system setup

6 E-5250 User’s Guide
3. Continue following the instructions and selecting options in the Start-
up wizard dialog boxes, clicking Next to move through the dialog boxes
until the wizard tells you to restart your computer.
Most of the dialog boxes that open in the Start-up wizard have a button
that takes you back to previous dialog boxes in case you need to
change or correct the information you typed.
4. Restart your system. The setup is complete.
Installing and Restoring LANDesk
LANDesk®Client Manager is the desktop management interface (DMI)
solution that is already loaded on your system. LANDesk Client Manager
lets you monitor your system for critical situations that may need your
attention. It also lets your system administrator remotely inventory and
manage systems on your network.
1. In the C:\DMI folder, double-click the Setup icon to launch the
InstallShield®wizard.
2. Follow the instructions that appear on your screen. If you are prompted
for a password during the installation process, enter LOWTCO.
LANDesk Client Manager comes with complete electronic documentation
and online help. Refer to these documents and the program’s Help for any
LANDesk concerns.
If you ever need to restore LANDesk from the System Restoration CD that
came with your system, enter LOWTCO if prompted for a password.

Getting Started 7
Turning Off Your System
Every time you turn off your system, shut down the Windows NT operating
system first. You may lose data if you do not follow the proper procedure.
1. On the Taskbar, click Start.
2. Click Shut Down.
3. Select Shut down the computer?
4. Click OK.
5. When you see a message saying It is now safe to turn off your computer,
press your computer’s power button to turn off the computer. Then
turn off the monitor and peripherals.
To turn off your system
Warning!
When you turn the
computer off by pressing
the power button, some
electric current still flows
through the computer.
Before opening the
computer case or
connecting or removing any
peripherals, turn off the
computer and then unplug
the power cord from the
electrical outlet.

8 E-5250 User’s Guide
Resetting Your System
If your computer does not respond to keyboard or mouse input, you may
need to reset the system.
1. Press CTRL+ALT+DEL. A window opens that enables you to close a
program that is not responding.
2. Click Task Manager, select the program that is not responding, and click
End Task.
3. If your computer does not respond,press the reset button on the
computer. (For the location of the reset button, see the figure on
page 4.) The computer turns off and restarts.
A program to check the disk status runs automatically and then
Windows NT starts.
To reset your system

System
Features
Contents
Computer Features ................................................ 10
Front Panel............................................................. 14
Rear Panel .............................................................. 16

10 E-5250 User’s Guide
Computer Features
The following features are standard to the computer’s basic architecture.
AGP Video
An accelerated graphics port (AGP) video connector on the system board
and an AGP expansion card are standard features. AGP is a bus architecture
that increases video performance by routing video signals through a
dedicated graphics bus rather than sending video signals on the PCI bus.
BIOS
The basic input/output system (BIOS) is software that enables your
computer to communicate with peripheral devices (such as the keyboard,
mouse, and monitor) without using programs on the hard drive.
The battery in your computer maintains the BIOS settings in
complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) memory even when
the computer is turned off.
You can change the BIOS settings through the Setup program. Open Setup
by pressing F1 when you are prompted as your computer starts.
CacheMemory
Your computer includes level 1 (L1) and level 2 (L2) cache. This cache
memory is located on the processor. Cache reduces the average time
required for the processor to get the data it needs from the main memory by
storing recently accessed data in the cache.
Connectors
The standard input/output (I/O) connectors included with the computer are:
•Keyboard port
•Mouse port
•Two serial ports

System Features 11
•Parallel port
•Two universal serial bus (USB) ports
•Audio-out jack
•AGP video port
•Network connector
•External SCSI connector.
Drives
The standard configuration for your computer includes a 1.44-MB 3.5-inch
diskette drive, a hard drive, and a CD-ROM drive. You can install up to
seven additional drives (depending on drive height) in the computer.
Two IDE controllers and a diskette controller are integrated into the system
board. A SCSI controller card is also included as a standard feature. For
instructions on installing drives, see the “Installing Components” chapter in
the Maintaining and Troubleshooting Your E-5250 System guide.
The first 2 gigabytes (GB) of the hard drive shipped with your Windows
NT computer are partitioned as file allocation table (FAT)16. The rest of the
space on the drive is partitioned as NT file system (NTFS). Any other hard
drives shipped from the factory with your computer are partitioned as
NTFS.
FAT16 and NTFS are different methods that the operating system uses to
organize and keep track of files on a hard drive. Your hard drive is divided
into both types of partitions to support your 16-bit software and your 32-bit
software.
FAT16 supports the older 16-bit software and is limited to partitions of 2
GB or less. NTFS supports 32-bit software and large drive sizes. Unlike
FAT16 partitions, NTFS partitions cannot be viewed with Microsoft®disk
operating system (MS-DOS®) diagnostic utilities, such as fdisk. See your
Windows NT manual for more information on NTFS.