Technical Report Outline on How to Use My Dell Inspiron 8100
Date originally created: September 12, 2002
Section 1: Verify Contents of the
Laptop
Before beginning to use your Dell Inspiron 8100, verify that you have the
following components:
· 1x Dell Inspiron 8100 laptop
· 1x Dell Power Adapter
· 1x Laptop carrying case
· Any CD's or extra peripherals you might be using
Section 2: Powering On the Laptop
For Use
Here are the steps on how to power on the laptop:
1. Plug the three-pronged end of the Dell Power Adapter into an active
electrical wall circuit. When the adapter is plugged in correctly, you will see
a green power light indicator on the adapter indicating that the power brick is
receiving electricity
2. Plug the circular pronged end into the back of the Dell Inspiron 8100's power
adapter port
3. Press your thumb on the front of the laptop screen bezel until you feel the
monitor latch push in
4. Lift the monitor up and position it at a 90 degree angle relative to the
keyboard and track pad.
5. Press the power button above the keyboard to turn on the laptop
6. Wait for Windows Millennium Edition to start. Once Windows Millennium Edition
starts up, continue to whichever sub-section of section 3 below you would like
to use the laptop for.
Section 3A: Using the Desktop
1. Once Windows Millennium Edition has started, you will be brought
automatically to the Windows desktop.
2. To access any program: Either double left-click on any desktop icon or left
click the Start Menu and browse to whatever program you want to open.
3. To access your documents: Double left-click on your "My Documents"
folder and navigate to whichever folder the document you are looking for is
stored by single clicking on the appropriate folder.
Section 3B: Accessing the
Internet
1. Once Windows Millennium Edition has started, you will be brought
automatically to the Windows desktop.
2. Double left-click on the Internet Explorer icon to open the Internet web
browser program.
3. Up top in the address bar, type in the address of wherever it is you are
wanting to go.
· TIP: If you are not sure where to go, a good place to start is an Internet
search engine such as Google or Ask Jeeves.
4. To scroll up and down on a page, use the track pad to move the mouse cursor
over to the up and down elevator buttons on the right-hand side of the page and
either single left-click the elevator box and drag it up and down or single
left-click the corresponding arrows at the top and bottom of the elevator bar to
go up or down line by line.
5. To go back or forward a page in the web browser, single left-click the back
or forward arrow buttons in the upper-left corner of the browser window.
6. To go back to your homepage, single left-click the Home button in the
upper-left corner of the browser window.
7. To close out of the browser window, click the gray X button in the
upper-right hand corner. It is to the right of the resize window button (two
squares or single square) and the minimize button (single dashed line)
Section 3C: Using the Microsoft
Word Word Processor Program
1. Once Windows Millennium Edition has started, you will be brought
automatically to the Windows desktop.
2. Double left-click on the Microsoft Word 2000 icon to open up the word
processor program.
3. Begin typing on the keyboard to write out a document. You can change various
settings while typing such as:
a) Font: Single left-click the font bar up top (Times
New Roman by default) and use the track pad to scroll down and single left-click
on a new font to select it
b) Font Size: Single left-click the font size bar up
top (size 10 by default) and use the track pad to scroll down and single
left-click on a new font size to select it
c) Font Color: Select a word or sentence of text and
single left-click the font color button up top to change the highlighted word or
sentence to the selected color. To change the color, single left-click the
dropdown arrow next to the color and single left click again to select a new
color.
d) Bold/Italic/Underline: Select a word or sentence of
text and single left-click the bold, italic, or underline buttons up top to
change the highlighted word or sentence to the selected type of text. Please
note that you can click any multiple or single combinations of these buttons.
4. Once you are done typing, single left-click the Save button icon in top
toolbar to save your document.
To close out of the browser window, click the gray X button in the upper-right
hand corner. It is to the right of the resize window button (two squares or
single square) and the minimize button (single dashed line)