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Follow the instructions in this
chapter to set up your computer
and learn the basics.
1 Getting Started
The illustration on the next page shows all the equipment you will need to set
up your computer and begin using it. (Note that your monitor and keyboard
may look slightly different depending on what you purchased.)
Place your equipment on a sturdy, flat surface near a grounded wall outlet.
(Your computer was designed to be placed on the floor to conserve desk
space, but it can also be placed o
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Monitor Macintosh computer Keyboard cable (sometimes built into the keyboard as shown here) Keyboard Mouse Monitor cable Apple PlainTalk Microphone (optional) (sometimes built into the monitor) Computer power cord Monitor power cord (sometimes built into the monitor)
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Plugging in the computer Before you plug your Macintosh into a wall socket, carefully read all the setup instructions in this chapter. Then, before you connect anything to your Macintosh, follow the instructions in this section to plug it in. The plug grounds the computer and protects it from electrical damage while you are setting up. When you are ready to begin, follow these steps: 1Plug the socket end of the computer’s power cord into the recessed power socket (marked with the symbol ≤) on th
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Installing an expansion card If you purchased an expansion card for your Macintosh, install it now. (See Appendix B, “Installing an Expansion Card,” for instructions.) If you don’t have to install an expansion card, go on to the next section, “Connecting a Monitor.” Connecting a monitor You can connect many types of monitors (often called displays) to your Macintosh computer, including most standard monitors. See the Technical Information booklet that came with your computer for a complete list.
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2Connect the monitor power cord to the monitor. On some monitors, the cord is already attached. 3Plug in the monitor power cord. Some monitor power cords are designed to plug into the back of your computer. Some monitor power cords must be connected to a grounded electrical outlet, not to the computer. Check the information that came with the monitor. Monitor power socket Monitor power cord Getting Started 5
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Connecting the monitor cable After you plug in the monitor power cord, you connect the monitor cable to the computer’s monitor port. To connect the monitor cable, follow these steps: 1Attach the monitor cable to the monitor. On some monitors, the cable is already attached. 2Attach the monitor cable to the monitor port on the back panel of the computer. See the information that came with the monitor to use its special features. ™ Monitor port Monitor cable 6 Chapter 1
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Connecting the mouse and keyboard You have a choice of several keyboards for your Macintosh. The way you connect the mouse and keyboard depends on whether the keyboard has a separate cable or a built-in cable. Connecting a keyboard with a built-in cable 1Plug the mouse cable into the recessed port on the back of the keyboard. The plug and the port are marked with the ◊ icon (symbol). The positions of the port and icon on your keyboard may be different from those pictured. By the way: A port mark
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Connecting a keyboard with a separate cable 1Plug the mouse cable into the port on either side of the keyboard. Most right-handed people prefer to use the mouse with their right hand; most left-handed people prefer to use their left hand. Plug the mouse into the port on the side you prefer. The plug and the port are marked with the ◊ icon (symbol). Align the symbols before you insert the plug. (The positions of the port and icon on your keyboard may be different from those pictured here.) By the
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Connecting other equipment If you are new to the Macintosh, it’s a good idea to get some experience using your computer before you connect other equipment, such as a printer or scanner. To learn basic Macintosh skills, continue with the instructions in this chapter. When you’re ready to connect other equipment to your Macintosh, see the instructions in Chapter 3. Turning the computer on To turn on the computer for the first time, follow these steps: 1 Turn on your monitor. See the information th
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2 Turn on your computer by pressing the Power key on the keyboard or pressing the power button on the front panel of the computer. The Power key is marked with a triangle. Its location depends on which keyboard you have. You hear a tone from the computer as it starts up. 10 Chapter 1
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3Check to see what’s on your screen. You ’ll see a sequence of messages describing what is happening, followed by the Energy Saver dialog box. m If you’re a beginning Macintosh user, press the Return key. m If you’re an experienced Macintosh user, you may want to set your energy- saving options now (refer to the information about saving energy in Macintosh Guide, available in the Guide [h] menu, and “Saving Energy With the Energy Saver Control Panel,” later in this chapter). Getting Started 11
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m If, when you press Return, you see the Macintosh desktop (shown here), your system software is already set up correctly. Hard disk icon Macintosh desktop Skip now to “What’s Next?” m If you see a blinking question mark, see “Solutions to Common Problems” in Chapter 6. m If you see anything else on your screen, or if you see nothing at all, see the section “Problems Turning Your Computer On?” next in this chapter. Note: To save energy, your computer is automatically set to put itself to sleep i
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Problems turning your computer on? If you don’t see anything on the screen, check these items to see if you can identify the problem: m Is the computer plugged into a power source? If it is plugged into a power strip, is the power strip turned on? m Is the computer turned on? The power-on light on the front panel of the computer should be on. If it isn’t on, press the power button, also on the front panel. m Are the keyboard and mouse cables connected correctly? (Don’t connect or disconnect the
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What’s next? You’ve finished setting up your computer. Continue with one of the following steps: m If you are new to the Macintosh, turn to the next section, “Learning the Basics.” When you’ve learned the basic Macintosh skills, turn to the section, “Saving Energy With the Energy Saver Control Panel” to learn how to set energy-saving options for your computer. m If you are an experienced Macintosh user, turn to the section “Saving Energy With the Energy Saver Control Panel,” later in this chapte
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Learning the basics If you are new to the Macintosh, you should begin by looking at the easy-to-use program called the Macintosh Tutorial. The tutorial teaches you the basic skills you’ll need to use your computer. To start the tutorial, follow these steps: 1Slide your mouse along your mouse pad or desk. Hold the mouse as shown, with the cable pointing away from you. Rest the heel of your palm on the desk and grasp the sides of the mouse between your thumb and fingers. Use your wrist and fingers
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3With the tip of the arrow on the question mark, press and hold down the mouse button. A list of choices (called a menu) appears. This is the Guide (h) menu, which is the place to go when you have a question about how to use your computer. 4While holding down the mouse button, move the arrow until the words “Macintosh Tutorial” are highlighted, then release the mouse button. A window appears welcoming you to the tutorial. You can set this book aside for now and follow the instructions on the scr
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Reviewing the basics You can use the following illustrations to review the elements you use on your screen to do work with your computer. Icons Menu Window Menus The strip across the top of the screen is called the menu bar. The symbols and words in it represent menus of commands. To open a menu, place the pointer on the symbol or word for the menu and press the mouse button. Guide menu To find an answer to a question, look in the Guide (h) menu. Application menu You can have several applicatio
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Icons Icons are small pictures that represent disks, programs, documents and folders. You can double-click any icon to open it and see what it contains. This icon represents your computer’s internal hard disk. Icons like this one represent application programs, which you use to create documents and do other work. Icons like this one represent documents, which you can create and edit. Icons like this represent folders. A folder contains other icons. To throw away an item you no longer want, drag
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Saving energy with the Energy Saver control panel When you save energy, you save natural resources and reduce pollution. Your Power Macintosh contains features that automatically save energy. You can increase the energy savings by using the Energy Saver control panel to turn your computer off if you won’t be using it for a while—for example, overnight or over the weekend. The Energy Saver dialog box (shown in step 3 of “Turning the Computer On” earlier in this chapter) appears every time you sta
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Putting your computer to sleep Your Power Macintosh is pre-set to put itself to sleep after 30 minutes of inactivity. When your computer goes to sleep, the screen dims to save energy and to prevent images from “burning” into the screen. You do not lose any of the information you were working on even if you did not save it before the computer went to sleep. To put your computer to sleep immediately, press the Power key on the keyboard or choose the Sleep command from the Special menu. You can set
