Customizing Your Computer

    This chapter provides information about customizing your computer by adding new hardware devices and changing settings in Windows.

    You can:

Change screen and display settings
Change the background and screen saver
Adjust the mouse settings
Program the Multi-function Keyboard
Install additional devices

Adjusting the screen and desktop settings

    You can adjust the screen settings for brightness, contrast, and horizontal and vertical image position using the controls on the front of your monitor or LCD panel. For more information about these adjustments, see your monitor or LCD guide.

    Adjusting the color depth and screen area are two of the basic settings you may need to change. You also can adjust the display settings such as the screen background and screen saver using the Display Properties window.

    Some games and video-intensive programs change your screen settings automatically, but do not return them to their original values when you close the game or program. In those cases, you will have to manually return your settings to normal.

Adjusting the color depth

    Color depth is the number of colors your monitor or LCD displays. Various image types require various color depths for optimum appearance on your monitor or LCD. For example, simple color drawings may appear adequately in 256 colors while full-range photographs usually need 24-bit True Color (which renders millions of colors) to be displayed with optimum quality.

    Windows lets you choose from four color depth settings for your monitor or LCD.

    We recommend that a 16-bit or higher setting be used at all times. If the color in your images seems "false" or "jumpy," especially after you have played a game or run a video-intensive program, check the color depth setting and return it to 16-bit or higher, if necessary.

To change the color depth:

    1. Click Start, then select Settings, then Control Panel. The Control Panel window opens.

    1. Click/Double-click the Display icon. The Display Properties window opens.

    2. Click the Settings tab.

    1. Select a setting from the Colors drop-down list.

    2. If you want to save your changes, click OK. Windows asks you if you want to restart your computer.

    3. Click OK.

Adjusting the screen area

    The screen area adjustment in Windows lets you change the screen area to a size you prefer. For example, you may want to increase the screen area if you need to have many icons on your desktop. Or you may want to decrease the screen area to make reading and identifying objects on the display easier.

    The larger the screen area, the smaller individual components of the screen, such as icons and menu bars, appear.

To change the screen area:

    1. Click Start, then select Settings, then Control Panel. The Control Panel window opens.

    1. Click/Double-click the Display icon. The Display Properties window opens.

    2. Click the Settings tab.

    1. Drag the Screen area slider to the size you prefer.

    2. If you want to save your changes, click OK. Windows asks if you want to restart your computer.

    3. Click OK.

Applying a color scheme

    A color scheme is a set of colors that you can apply to your Windows environment. You can change the appearance of the desktop, windows, dialog boxes, and other Windows components by selecting a new color scheme.

    If you do not want to use the color schemes that Windows provides, you can create and save your own schemes.

To select a color scheme:

    1. Click Start, then select Settings, then Control Panel. The Control Panel window opens.

    2. Click/Double-click the Display icon. The Display Properties window opens.

    3. Click the Appearance tab.

    1. If you want to apply one of Windows' color schemes, go to Step 7.

    2. If you want to create a new scheme, select various items from the Item drop-down list and change their settings.

    3. Click Save As, type in a name for the new scheme, and then click OK.

    4. Select a color scheme from the Scheme drop-down list. An example of the scheme appears in the window above the list.

    5. Click OK.

Changing the desktop background

    The Windows desktop background can be changed to either a picture or HTML document. Windows provides several background pictures. You also can use pictures or HTML documents that you have created or retrieved from other sources.

      Important

      If Active Desktop is enabled and you have chosen to display Web content, the standard desktop background will be partially or completely hidden, so you may not be able to see changes you have made in the background. For more information about Active Desktop, see Windows online help.

    To change the desktop background:

      1. Click Start, then select Settings, then Control Panel. The Control Panel window opens.

      2. Click/Double-click the Display icon. The Display Properties dialog box opens.

      3. Click the Background tab.
      1. Select a background picture from the Select a background picture... list.
        - OR -
        Select a background picture from another location by clicking Browse.

      1. If you want the picture you chose to cover the entire screen, select Tile from the Picture Display drop-down list.

      2. If the picture you chose does not cover the entire screen and you have not chosen to tile the image in Step 5, you can change the solid color behind the picture by clicking Pattern, selecting a pattern from the Pattern list, then clicking OK.

      3. Click OK.

    Selecting a screen saver

      You may have heard that your monitor might be damaged if you leave it on for a long time without using your computer because the image can "burn in" on the monitor tube or LCD panel. You may have heard that you should use a screen saver to avoid this damage.

      Color monitors are not subject to "burn in," so a screen saver is not absolutely necessary. But, screen savers can be very attractive, and are particularly useful if you want to keep others from viewing your screen while you are away from your computer.

      WIndows supplies a variety of screen savers that you can chose from, and many more are available from the Web and as commercial products.

    To select a screen saver:

      1. Click Start, then select Settings, then Control Panel. The Control Panel window opens.

      2. Click/Double-click the Display icon. The Display Properties dialog box opens.

      3. Click the Screen Saver tab.

      1. Select a screen saver from the Screen Saver drop-down list. Windows previews the screen saver.

      2. If you want to customize the screen saver, click Settings and then make your changes. (If the Settings button is not available, you cannot customize the screen saver you selected.)

      3. If you want to password protect your screen saver, select the Password protected checkbox, click Change, type in your password, then click OK.

      4. If you want to change the time before the screen saver is activated, click the up or down arrows next to the Wait box.

      5. Click OK.

    Changing the mouse settings

      You can adjust the double-click speed, pointer speed, left-hand or right-hand configuration, and other mouse settings.

    To change your mouse settings:

      1. Click Start, then select Settings, then Control Panel. The Control Panel window opens.

      2. If you do not see the Mouse icon, click view all Control Panel options.

      1. Double-click the Mouse icon. The Mouse Properties dialog box opens.

      2. Click one of the tabs to change your mouse settings:
    Buttons lets you change the button configuration and the double-click speed.
    Pointers lets you customize the look of your cursor and pointer.
    Motion lets you set your pointer speed and pointer trails.

    Programming the Multi-function Keyboard

      The Multi-function buttons on the Gateway Multi-function Keyboard are programmed to start actions such as playing a CD or DVD or opening your Web browser. Also, you can program the Shortcut button to open a program or initiate an action of your choosing.

      The Shortcut button will not work until you program it using the Multi-function Keyboard utility. (You can also use this utility to change the functions of some of the other buttons.)

    To program your Multi-function Keyboard buttons:

      1. Click Start, then select Settings, then Control Panel. The Control Panel window opens.

      2. If you do not see the Multi-function Keyboard icon, click view all Control Panel options.

      3. Double-click the Multi-function Keyboard icon. The Gateway Multi-function Keyboard dialog box opens.

      4. Click the tabs to change the functions of your Multi-function Keyboard buttons:
    CD/DVD lets you select a CD/DVD Player program to play CDs and DVDs.
    Help lets you change the Help button setting to open a program other than application Help.
    Internet lets you change the Web address that is opened when you launch your Web browser. Also, if you do not want to use the Internet button to open your Web browser, you can change the button to open a different program.
    E-mail lets you change the E-mail button setting to open a program other than your e-mail program.
    Shortcut lets you select a program of your choice that will open when you press the shortcut button.

    About installing a printer, scanner, or other peripheral device

      Your computer has one or more Universal Serial Bus (USB) connectors, serial ports, and parallel ports for connecting peripheral devices such as printers, scanners, and digital cameras to your computer.

      USB ports are plug-and-play, which means that you usually can use a USB device by just plugging it into the USB connector. Windows establishes communication between your computer and the device automatically.

      Parallel and serial port peripheral devices are not plug-and-play, so they usually require a setup program and device drivers (small programs that let the device communicate with your computer and other software).

      Refer to the device documentation for detailed information and installation instructions.