Gateway Solo 3100 User manual

i
Contents
Checking Out Your Documentation..................................................... iii
Checking Out Your Notebook ................................................. 1
Checking Out Your Solo 3100................................................................ 2
Keyboard and LCD panel ................................................................ 2
Top panel buttons and indicators..................................................... 3
Rear panel ......................................................................................... 4
Right side .......................................................................................... 5
Left side ............................................................................................ 6
Bottom ............................................................................................. 7
Getting Started ......................................................................... 9
Getting Your System Running.............................................................. 10
Installing the battery pack .............................................................. 10
Connecting the AC power.............................................................. 11
Starting up your notebook.............................................................. 12
Using Your Notebook ............................................................ 15
Using Your Solo 3100........................................................................... 16
Using the keyboard......................................................................... 16
Using key combinations................................................................. 17
Using the LCD................................................................................ 20
Using the EZ Point ......................................................................... 22
Connecting the modem .................................................................. 24
Using the audio............................................................................... 25
Using 3.5" diskettes........................................................................ 27
Using CD-ROMs and DVDs......................................................... 28
Using the USB port ........................................................................ 31
Removing and replacing the hard disk drive ................................ 31
Using PC Cards .............................................................................. 32
Using the IR port ............................................................................ 34
Using McAfee VirusScan .............................................................. 35
Getting Online ........................................................................ 37
Using the Internet .................................................................................. 38
E-mail.............................................................................................. 39

ii Using Your Gateway Solo 3100 Notebook
World Wide Web........................................................................... 39
Using Microsoft Fax............................................................................. 41
Setting up Microsoft Fax............................................................... 41
Sending and receiving faxes.......................................................... 43
Manually answering with your modem........................................ 44
Installing Your PC Modem .................................................................. 44
Enabling the modem...................................................................... 46
Installing Your Network Modem......................................................... 47
Configuring the modem................................................................. 49
Locating the COM port address .................................................... 50
Managing Power Usage .........................................................51
Managing Battery Power...................................................................... 52
Charging the battery pack.............................................................. 52
Using the battery ............................................................................ 54
Monitoring the battery status......................................................... 55
Changing the Power button setting ............................................... 55
Using the Suspend and Standby modes........................................ 56
Maximizing Battery Life ...................................................................... 58
Using the Port Replicator .......................................................61
Checking Out the Port Replicator ........................................................ 62
Attaching to the replicator ............................................................. 64
Separating from the replicator....................................................... 65
Setting up the video out port ......................................................... 66
Accessories ............................................................................69
Solo Notebook Accessories.................................................................. 70
Using the BIOS Setup Program ............................................71
About the BIOS Setup Utility............................................................... 72
Using the BIOS Setup utility......................................................... 72
Contacting Gateway ...............................................................75
Contacting Gateway.............................................................................. 76
Index .......................................................................................83

iii
Checking Out Your
Documentation
In addition to this User Guide, we’ve also provided other documentation to
help you get the most from your Solo 3100. Please refer to the following
printed and online documentation for additional resources:
♦Printed manuals
•The “Maintaining and Troubleshooting Your Solo 3100 Notebook”
contains information about managing system resources, preserving
your system performance, reinstalling your operating system and
drivers, and general troubleshooting tips.
•Windows 95, 98, or NT manual (depending upon the operating
system you ordered) provides information about using the
operating system, learning about advanced features, networking,
getting help, and more.
♦Online documentation - Lets you access the electronic manuals from
your hard drive when you are traveling or when the manuals are not
accessible. To access the online documentation click Start, Online
Documentation, then select the manual you want to review.
♦Gateway web site (http://www.gateway.com) - If you have a
subscription to an Internet service provider, you can tap into some of
the latest help and other information on our web site. We provide
notebook support help, technical documents, tech tips, FAQs
(Frequently Asked Questions), glossary, software library with BIOS
updates, and other resources that can help you make the most of using
your notebook.

iv Using Your Gateway Solo 3100 Notebook

Chapter 1:
Checking Out
Your Notebook
Checking Out Your Solo 3100................................ 2
Keyboard and LCD panel ................................ 2
Top panel buttons and indicators ..................... 3
Rear panel ......................................................... 4
Right side .......................................................... 5
Left side............................................................. 6
Bottom .............................................................. 7

2 Using Your Gateway Solo 3100 Notebook
Checking Out Your Solo 3100
Take a tour of your notebook to familiarize yourself with its options.
Keyboard and LCD panel
Component Description
A. 12.1" TFT Color
LCD (Liquid
Crystal Display)
Provides sharp, crisp resolution with backlit
anti-glare screen.
B. Keyboard Provides full functionality of a desktop com-
puter keyboard. Many keys have been
assigned alternate functions.
C. Speakers Provides high-quality sound reproduction for
software, audio CDs, and DVDs.
D. EZPoint™ Controls the cursor movement on the screen.
A
B
C
D
C

Chapter 1: Checking Out Your Notebook 3
Top panel buttons and indicators
Component or
Indicator Icon Description
A. Power or
Suspend/
Standby button
Can be set to either turn the system on and
off or suspend and resume. Pressing the
switch for five seconds restarts the system.
B. Display off
button Activated automatically by closing the note- book lid. Turns off the LCD display.
C. Hard drive Displays when the computer accesses the
hard drive.
D. DVD or CD Displays when the computer accesses the
DVD or CD (Compact Disc) drive.
E. Caps lock Visible when Caps Lock is enabled.
F. Pad lock Visible when Pad Lock is enabled.
G.Scroll lock Visible when Scroll Lock is enabled.
H.Microphone Records sounds when the system is
recording.
D
CEFGH
B
A
Note:
You can save power and
extend battery operating
time by using the Suspend/
Standby mode. See “Using
the Suspend and Standby
modes” on page 56 for
more information on setting
the power button to
Suspend/Resume.

4 Using Your Gateway Solo 3100 Notebook
Rear panel
Port Icon Description
A. Fast IR
(Infrared) port Sends infrared signals between the notebook
and a remote device that uses infrared (for
example, another computer, printer, or other
peripheral).
B. Speaker out/
Headphone jack Connect external speakers or headphones to this port. Supports small unamplified
speakers. (1/8 inch/3.5 mm jack.)
C. Modem jack Plug a phone line into this jack to connect the
notebook’s on-board modem to an analog
phone system.
D. PS/2 port Connect an external keyboard, mouse,
numeric keypad, or other device to this port.
E. VGA port Connect a VGA (Video Graphics Adapter)
monitor cable to this port.
F. Parallel port
(LPT1) Connect a parallel device such as a printer to this port.
G.Serial port Connect an optional serial device to this port.
H.Fan intake Pulls air into chassis to keep system
components cool.
ABCDEFGH
Note:
For best IR operation, place
infrared devices up to three
feet (one meter) apart.

Chapter 1: Checking Out Your Notebook 5
Right side
Component Icon Description
A. DVD or
CD-ROM drive Reads data and audio CDs (and DVDs if you have a DVD drive).
B. Eject button Ejects the DVD or CD-ROM tray from the
drive. This button works only when the power
is on.
C. Manual eject
button Provides manual eject capability to remove a DVD or CD if power is unavailable. Insert a
straightened paper clip or other stiff wire to
eject the DVD or CD tray.
D. PC Card slot Accepts one Type I or Type II PC Card.
E. Volume wheel Adjustspeakervolume.Other portvolumelevels
are controlled by multimedia software.
F. PC Card eject
button Push once to release the eject button and push a second time to eject the PC Card.
Push a third time to retract the button into the
chassis.
ABCDEF
Note:
For more information on
adjusting volume levels,
see “Adjusting the volume”
on page 25.

6 Using Your Gateway Solo 3100 Notebook
Left side
Component Icon Description
A. Kensington lock
slot Attach a Kensington lock into this slot. A Kensington lock is an optional cable lock for
portable computers.
B. Air outlet port Outlet for air intake to cool components.
C. Power connector Connect the AC power adapter to this port.
D. USB port Plug optional USB (Universal Serial Bus)
serial devices into this port.
E. Hard disk drive Hard disk drive storage bay. The hard drive
can be removed only by first removing the
mounting screw on the bottom of the note-
book, then sliding the drive out.
ABCDE
Note:
For more information on
how to use the USB port,
see “Using the USB port”
on page 31.

Chapter 1: Checking Out Your Notebook 7
Bottom
Component Icon Description
A. Battery pack Slide battery pack into bay for battery power
and battery charging.
B. Battery release
latch Slide the latch to release the battery pack from the battery pack bay.
C. Hard disk drive The hard drive can be removed only by first
removing the two mounting screws, then
sliding the drive out.
D. Replicator port Connect the port replicator to this port.
E. Memory bay Open the memory bay cover to install or
remove RAM memory modules.
CBA
D
Note:
See “Attaching to the
replicator” on page 64 for
more information about
using the port replicator.

8 Using Your Gateway Solo 3100 Notebook

Chapter 2:
Getting
Started
Getting Your System Running.............................. 10
Installing the battery pack .............................. 10
Connecting the AC power.............................. 11
Starting up your notebook.............................. 12

10 Using Your Gateway Solo 3100 Notebook
Getting Your System Running
To get the computer started, you’ll need to install the battery pack, connect
to AC power, open the LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) panel, and start up the
system.
Installing the battery pack
Your notebook is shipped to you with the battery partially charged. When
you first get started, you may want to use the AC adapter to fully charge the
battery and provide a constant supply of power while you are checking out
some of the notebook features.
If your battery is not installed, you need to install the battery pack and
charge it. The battery will charge whenever your notebook is connected to
AC power.
The notebook can run on a fully charged battery for about 2.5 to 3 hours,
but battery life varies depending on configuration, power management
settings, and features used. Use the battery gauge icon in the taskbar to
track the available battery power.
Battery life is affected by how much you use the system components such
as the hard drive, CD/DVD drive, LCD display, and other components.
Other factors such as the power management settings affect battery life.
1. Turn the notebook over so the battery bay is facing up.
2. Insert the front end of the battery into the battery bay, then press the
battery down until it securely latches.
To install the battery pack
Note:
See Chapter 5, “Managing
Power Usage” for more
information about power
management and
monitoring the battery
status.

Chapter 2: Getting Started 11
Connecting the AC power
Your AC adapter comes in two parts, the power cord and the AC power
adapter.
1. Connect the power cord to the AC power adapter.
To connect the AC adapter
Caution!
Replace the power cord if it
becomes damaged. The
replacement cord must be
of the same type and
voltage rating as the
original cord.
Warning!
Do not attempt to
disassemble the AC
adapter. The AC adapter
has no user-replaceable or
user-serviceable parts
inside. The AC adapter has
dangerous voltages that
can cause serious personal
injury or death. Contact
Gateway about returning
defective AC adapters.

12 Using Your Gateway Solo 3100 Notebook
2. Plug the AC power adapter into the notebook power connector on the
left side of the notebook.
3. Plug the power cord into an electrical outlet.
Starting up your notebook
After the battery is installed and the AC power adapter is plugged in, you can
start up your system.
1. Slide the LCD panel latch to the right to release and open the LCD
panel, then tilt the LCD panel to adjust for the proper viewing angle.
2. Press the power button to turn your computer on.
3. Press FN+↑or FN+↓ to change display brightness for suitable viewing.
Windows starts and the Regional Settings dialog box opens.
To start up the computer
Important!
The power button is preset
to On/Off mode. You can
set it to function either in
On/Off or Standby/Resume
mode using the BIOS setup
program. See “Using the
BIOS Setup utility” on page
72 for more information
about accessing the BIOS
Power menu settings to
change the Power button
mode.
Important!
This system ships with the
“Auto dim with battery”
feature enabled. Auto dim
cuts LCD power 50% when
your notebook is operating
on battery power. See
“Using the BIOS Setup
utility” on page 72 for
information about the
Power menu options.

Chapter 2: Getting Started 13
1. Scroll down the list and select the appropriate regional setting, then
click Next. The Keyboard Layout dialog box appears.
2. Scroll down the list and select the keyboard layout, then click Next. The
User Information dialog box appears.
3. Enter your name and company (optional) in the User Information dialog
box, then click Next. The License Agreement appears.
4. Read the License Agreement, click I accept the agreement, then click
Next. The Certificate of Authenticity dialog box appears.
5. Type in the Product ID number (located on the Certificate of
Authenticity on the cover of the Windows manual), then click Next.
The Start Wizard dialog box appears.
6. Click Finish. The Time Properties dialog box appears.
7. Set the Time Zone and Time, then click OK. The Add Printer Wizard
dialog box appears.
8. Click Next.
9. Select a printer from the list and click Next.
- OR -
click Cancel to skip the printer setup.
10. Select the printer port (usually LPT1), then click Next. The Printer Name
dialog box appears.
11. Type a name for the printer, then click Next.
12. Click Yes or No to print a test page, then click Finish. The Welcome
dialog box appears, and you can begin exploring your new notebook.
To complete the first-time operating system setup

14 Using Your Gateway Solo 3100 Notebook

Chapter 3:
Using Your
Notebook
Using Your Solo 3100................................................16
Using the keyboard..............................................16
Using key combinations......................................17
Using the LCD.....................................................20
Using the EZ Point ..............................................22
Connecting the modem .......................................24
Using the audio....................................................25
Using 3.5" diskettes.............................................27
Using CD-ROMs and DVDs ..............................28
Using the USB port .............................................31
Removing and replacing the hard disk drive......31
Using PC Cards ...................................................32
Using the IR port .................................................34
Using McAfee VirusScan ...................................35

16 Using Your Gateway Solo 3100 Notebook
Using Your Solo 3100
This chapter covers using the components on your computer. Spend some
time getting familiar with the versatility built into your Solo notebook.
Using the keyboard
Your notebook features a keyboard that has the full functionality of a
desktop computer keyboard. Many of the keys have been assigned alternate
functions, including shortcut keys, function keys for specific system
operations, and pad lock keys for the numeric keypad.
Key Action
A. Fn (function)
Combination
keys
Press FNkey plus one of the Fn Combination keys
(blue) to perform a specific function. For example,
FN+F2 shows the Pop-up status display.
B. Fn (function)
keys Press FNkey plus another Fn Combination key (such
as F2, F3, F4, etc.) to perform a specific function.
C. Numeric keypad Press FN+F9 to activate the numeric keypad.
CA
B