Toshiba Equium 3100 M - Manual (Page 19)

Chapter 2
Learning the Basics
This chapter provides basic information on care for your computer , formatting diskettes , handling
CD-ROMs , and other general tasks related to computer care and usage.
Precautions
q Do not spill liquids into the computer.
If a liquid gets into any part of the computer, turn it off, unplug it from the AC power source,
and let it dry completely before turning it on again.
q Do not turn off the computer if a drive indicator light indicates the drive is active.
Turning off the computer while it is reading from or writing to a disk may damage the disk,
the drive, or both.
q Keep the computer and disks away from objects that generate magnetic fields, such as large
stereo speakers.
Information on disks is stored magnetically. Getting a magnet too close to a disk can erase
important files.
q Scan all new files for viruses.
This precaution is especially important for files you receive informally via diskette,
CD-ROM, email, or downloads from the Internet. Occasionally, even new programs you buy
from a supplier may contain a computer virus. A number of good virus-
scan programs are
available commercially.
Computing tips
Do not be afraid to use the computer, because it is only a machine. If you follow directions, you
are unlikely to do the computer any harm. So use it and have fun.
Some helpful tips are:
q Save your work frequently.
Your work stays in the computer's temporary memory until you save it to disk. If the network
you are using goes down and you must restart the computer to reconnect, or a power failure
occurs, you will lose all the work done since you last saved.
To save your work, choose Save from the File menu of the program you are using.
Some programs have an automatic- save feature which you can turn on. This feature saves your
file at preset intervals. See your software documentation for details.
q Back up your files to diskettes (or other removable media) on a regular basis, unless your
files reside only on a network drive. Label the backup copies clearly and store them in a safe
place.
It is easy to put off backing up because it takes time. However, if your hard disk suddenly
fails, you will lose all the data on it unless you have a separate backup copy.
q Take frequent breaks to avoid repetitive- motion injuries and eyestrain.
q Before turning off the computer, always follow your operating system's procedure for