START-UP CHECKLIST

McConnell Technology & Training Center (MTTC)
Reprinted with permission

To start and operate a computer system, you must do the following:

1. Make sure all cables are hooked up. In particular:

· Connect the keyboard and mouse to the Central Processing Unit (CPU).
· Attach the power cable to the CPU.
· Connect the SVGA cable from the back of the monitor to the CPU.
· Attach the monitor electric cable.
· Plug the CPU and monitor into a power source (preferably with surge protection).

2. Make sure there is no diskette in the floppy disk drive (the "A" drive).

3. Turn on the monitor and CPU.

The machine should do a system check and then give you a Windows screen followed by a screen with several icons situated on the left side. Windows is an easy to use operating system.

4. To open a program in Windows, Most of your programs are listed under the START button. Click on the START button and then the Programs button to see the list of potential applications. Click on the program you want to start.

5. To close a program in Windows click on the negative sign in the upper right corner to temporarily close the item or on the X.sign to completely close a program. NOTE: Windows stacks programs on top of each other. To close the particular you are using program, start with the lowest set of closing signs in the right hand corner.

6. To close Windows, close all applications you have opened by clicking on the X button in the upper right hand corner. Click on START and select Shut Down on the menu. This will close the Window and ask you if you really want to shut down the computer. Click on "yes" if you want to exit. It will turn off Windows and will tell you it is safe to turn your machine off. You can safely turn off your machine at this point. IF YOU TURN IT OFF BEFORE THIS POINT, YOU MAY DAMAGE YOUR SOFTWARE.

7. When you are desperate and want to restart your computer, hold down the Ctrl key, the Alt key, and the Del key all at the same time. This will restart your computer. You will lose any unsaved data.

INSTALLING A NEW PROGRAM

At some time in the life of your computer, you will want to add new programs. Educational games, spreadsheets, business programs, and other programs are available for sale and for free. Almost all programs follow the same installation procedure on your computer:

1. Make sure your computer is adequate for the program you wish to add. Some programs for Pentium machines may not work well on older machines. Verify that you have enough hard-drive space and computer RAM memory for the new software. To see if you have enough hard-drive space, double click on the "My Computer" icon on your desktop. It will show you the devices attached to your computer. Using the mouse, right click on the C: drive symbol and left click on "Properties." To check out your RAM memory, right click twice on the "My Computer" icon and left click on properties. The last number listed is the amount of RAM on your computer.

2. Ensure that the software is Windows 3.x or Windows 9x compatible. DOS software will also work. Some software is designed to work on Windows 3.x and Windows 9x, CE, and ME.

3. Most new software comes on CD-ROMS. The CD-ROM is normally the D drive on your machine. You can also install new software from 3.5 inch floppy diskettes through the A drive.

4. Start your machine in the normal way.

5. Insert the program you wish to add into the CD-ROM (D drive) or the floppy disk drive (A Drive).

6. Go to START and select Run. It will ask you for the name of the program that you want to install. If you are unsure, type in the letter of the drive (A or D) with a colon, and click on browse. Look for programs with the name setup or install and click on that.

7. If you do not want to put the program on your hard drive, some programs will have a way to use it on the D or A drive. Using the Browse command, look for the programs with an exe or com extension and run that program.

8. You can use the Control Panel (Start, Settings, Control Panel, Add/Remove Software) to also add programs. This is usually an effective way to add software that does not automatically load.

Some programs are designed to only run on the C Drive (hard drive). You must decide if you really want this program on your system. Remember that you have limited hard-drive space on your computer. The more programs you put on, the less space you have. If your disk is too full, it will slow down your machine. It is wise to occasionally get rid of old unused programs and data. Newer machines with large hard drives are less likely to have this space problem.

OPERATING THE WORD PROCESSOR - WordPad

WordPad is a simple program designed to operate on your Windows software. It has an on-line help file when you have questions. In addition, there are a few tips that you may find useful.

1. Open WordPad by clicking on START, Accessories, and then WordPad.

2. WordPad opens and provides you with a blank screen with a menu bar on top. There are six titles. There are a variety of commands under each title.

3. FILE is the command needed to start a New document, to Open an existing file, to Save a file, to Save As a different named file, to Print and explain what printer the program is using (Print Setup), to Page Setup or define the look of your document (margins and layout), to Send a file to another computer on the Internet or local network, and to exit the file. It also shows a list of the 4 most recently accessed files.

4. EDIT is the section where you can change the document. You can cut, copy, and paste sections of the document by using these commands. You can also insert and move pictures in the text of your document. If you want to replace certain phrases or words throughout a document, you can use the Replace command.

5. VIEW allows you to customize the look of the screen. In particular, you can have it display (or not display) a toolbar (new file, open file, save, print, print preview, find, cut, copy, paste, undo, and time and date), format bar (font, size, bold, italic, underline, align, change color of text, and bullets), insert a ruler, and a status bar (at the bottom of the page).

6. INSERT is the section that allows you to insert a date and time and objects (pictures and symbols) into your documents automatically.

7. FORMAT allows you to change your font, bulleting, paragraph alignment, and tabs.

8. HELP explains how to use WordPad. It gives you several ways to find out more about the program.

When you are finished typing your document, remember to save it. If you want to use it with other word processors like WordPerfect then you must save the file as a Text File (.txt). You will need to save it on a diskette. Remember to use a: and the name of the file to save it. You can change the way it saves files by choosing a style under VIEW and Options. Word 6.0 is the default style.

INSTALLING - UPGRADING - REPAIRING

Computers are relatively easy to upgrade and repair. It is usually a good idea to have a PC Repair technician make repairs but there are some things you can do yourself.

1. The best thing you can do to upgrade is to add more SIMMs - single in-line memory modules. These can be purchased from computer stores for a small ($3 to $5 per megabyte) price. It may be more effective to purchase a 16-megabyte SIMM ($35). For most Pentium machines, you need a 72 pin EDO SIMM. WARNING: TRY THE SIMMs BEFORE BUYING. Not all SIMMs will work in all machines. Ask for 72 pin SIMMs for the particular machine you have. Newer machines use DIMMS with 168 pins.

a. SIMMs are usually the chips that are standing up on the motherboard. They are installed in slots with little plastic or metal catches that are very easy to break. A small, non-magnetic screwdriver may be needed to hold the catches back as you remove SIMMs. You must be careful not to expose SIMMs to any magnets (ringing phones, power supplies, all magnets, and static electricity) as these may destroy the memory.

b. Push the SIMM into an open slot at an angle and then straighten it up and snap it into place. You must have an even number of megabytes in your machine (8 -16 -24, etc.).

c. When you startup your machine, it should recognize the new memory. It should count to a higher number than before. If it does not, SIMMs may not be properly seated.

d. Some machines will ask you to reconfigure by entering a setup program. Some machines require you to push the CTRL, ALT, and INS key at the same time to enter the setup program; others require that you push a function key (the F1 through F12 keys on many keyboards). You will usually do this when the machine is first starting. Once you enter the setup program, follow the instructions given by your machine and change the amount of RAM or memory to reflect the total you have in your machine. Currently, most machines automatically update memory configurations.

e. Most newer software requires a minimum of 16 megabytes to operate. Windows 98 and higher programs normally use 32 megabytes of RAM.

2. Usually, adding a faster modem allows you to enter the World Wide Web - faster. Your machine likely has a 56K modem. If it does not, you may want to add one. To go even faster you need to convert to a Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) or a cable modem. These added services are more expensive. DSL adds to your current phone line and costs about $45 more per month. It includes a connection to the Internet that is 10 to 50 times faster than the fastest regular phone modem. Cable connections require you to have cable TV and are about $65 per month. Each of these systems means your computer is hooked to the Internet all the time to a service provider who provides you access as part of the subscription to the DSL or cable. Not all areas have these technologies.

There are slots near the left rear of the machine where a DSL or cable connection can be inserted. Modems are put into a slot with the telephone line plugs facing the rear of the machine. There may be a metal slot plate on the back of the machine that must be removed before the DSL or Cable connection card can be installed.

a. The important thing is that your computer be able to find the modem. You may need to go to the configuration setup (see above) to tell the machine the type (speed) and location (slot) of the modem. Most modem software and Windows hardware setup will handle this for you.

b. To get on the Internet, you must have an Internet provider. America On-Line, MSN, Microtech, and IGLOU are some of the national and local providers who can get you on-line. They will provide you with a CD or diskette to help you connect to their service. Costs range from $6 to $22 per month depending on the number of hours you spend on-line. Juno and Netzero provide free access to the Internet in this region.

3. Adding a larger hard-drive will give you more storage capabilities. If you add a larger hard-drive, you will lose all your current programs and you will need to re-install all your software. One problem exists for hard-drives: larger drives require new software drivers. Many of the older machines limit the disk drive size to 460 megabytes. The new disk drives are usually 1,200 megabytes (1.2 gigabytes) or larger. A trained technician can adjust your machine for the larger drives and can move all your software for you. New, larger hard-drives sell for $60 and up.

4. A second disk drive will give you some additional capabilities. You can add an additional hard-drive or a floppy drive (B drive). Adding a drive is a matter of plugging in the ribbon cable (the cable that runs to your A: or C: drive usually will have two cable connections on it) and a power plug. After installing the drive you may have to enter the configuration setup to tell the machine that this drive has been added. Floppy disk drives are available for $15-$30 and hard-drives are available for $60+. Have a technician do this.

5. Upgrading the CPU is not recommended - it will not add much additional capacity. Upgrade chips sell for $70-$100 and improve speed by a fifth.

6. Power problems are not unusual. If you have checked your cables and electrical outlet and the machine refuses to power-up, either your power supply or on-off switch is broken. Have a technician repair your power problems. Used power supplies cost about $15.

7. If the data and time on your computer are continuously wrong, you probably have a dead or weak battery. In most machines you will see either a small disk battery which must be replaced with the same size battery. This is something you should be able to do. Batteries cost about $12-15. The machine will work without a battery.

8. All monitor problems should be handled by a technician. With 10,000 + volts, even when it is unplugged and off, it is wise to let a trained technician repair monitors.

9. Many computer problems are caused by software. Problems usually arise when you delete a program that should not be deleted. The only way to fix many of these problems is to use a file recovery program like Norton Utilities ($70) or to reload your software.

10. Viruses can enter your machine through shared software. When a machine suddenly starts to act strangely and you have not done anything special to change your machine, the cause may be a software virus. There are many different anti-virus programs available on the market. McAffee, Norton, and F-Prot are three brands that are relatively inexpensive ($20-30) and effective against most of the current viruses. If you have an infected machine, you must also disinfect any diskettes you have used. On the Internet, you can find free demo packages that will temporarily fix viruses.

11. Power surges are the most likely cause of computer damage. A surge protector for both your power and telephone is recommended to reduce injury to your machine. Good surge protectors run about $15-$30.

12. Year 2000 problems are a possibility with some older software. Some older software uses a two-digit year code (99 instead of 1999). At the turn of the century, the software could not calculate certain processes that are year dependent (calculating the cost of a 30 year mortgage). For home use, this problem will have minimal effect. You can still do word processing, spreadsheets, and normal calculations. It will not disable your computer.

Computers are very reliable. A little preventative care should give you years of computing power. Avoid getting liquids into the machines. You can use regular household cleaners on your machine. Occasionally turn the keyboard over and shake out any debris. Be careful when you clean your monitor. Make sure it is off and is not throwing off static electricity.