NOTE: You, the customer, are solely responsible for data security. WinBook strongly recommends that you perform a backup of all personal data contained on your system prior to performing this procedure. Warning: WinBook will NOT be held responsible for any data loss incurred during this process.

General FAQs

All software for your WinBook XL has been Preinstalled with Microsoft Windows 98 Second Edition and Internet Explore 5.0. This will give you all the components necessary to begin using your computer and explore the World Wide Web. Please store the included disks and CDs in a safe place, in the event you need to reinstall or reconfigure your software in the future.

The BIOS setup program for the WinBook XL is accessed by pressing the DEL key during the boot-up process. A message will display at the top of the screen telling you to "Hit DEL if you want to run setup". You should familiarize yourself with chapter 7 of the XL User's Manual before making changes to the BIOS. If you are not sure what the result of those changes will be, you should call your local WinBook retailer before making changes.

It is a good idea to keep a backup of important data currently on your hard disk at all times. The most important and crucial information to back up is the data (spreadsheets, word processing documents, etc.) that you create. Your operating system and programs can always be reinstalled, using the original manufacturers disks or CDs. You will need to decide if you want to try to do this on floppy disks, or utilize an external device, such as a tape drive, or other removable media drives.

Are there things I can do to extend the battery charge life?

Battery life will vary from user to user depending on how the computer is being used. Configuring the power management features within the BIOS of your WinBook XL can help to increase your battery life. To do this, press the DEL key when prompted during the boot process. This will take you to the first screen of the AMI bios setup program, arrow down to the Power Management Setup menu and press Enter. Here you can make the necessary changes to the settings. The XL User's Manual explains in detail the various Power Management settings, on pages 7.11 through 7.14. You should also be aware that any power management features will only be of benefit if there are periods of inactivity, allowing them an opportunity to engage. Please note that the battery in the WinBook XL takes about 4.5 hours to fully charge, with the machine turned OFF. Windows 98 also incorporates power management support to extend the battery life of your WinBook. For help with Windows 98 power management, select the XL HELP link on your WinBook XL active desktop.

How do I cycle my battery?

Cycling your battery every month or so will extend the life expectancy of your XL battery. The best way to do this is to turn the unit ON and press the DEL key when prompted to enter Setup. Go to the Power Management Setup menu. Arrow down to the Suspend on Low Battery option and press your page down key to disable it. Next, go to the Battery Calibration feature and enable it. The next screen will tell you to unplug the A/C Adapter and press "Y" to continue. Press Y and let the unit complete the rundown procedure (this may take an extended amount of time depending on the amount of charge left in the battery). When the battery is completely drained, the unit will shutoff. Once this is completed, plug the A/C adapter into the unit, and turn the unit on. Once again, press DEL key when prompted to enter Setup. If necessary, you may need to arrow down to the Power Management Setup menu and disable the Suspend on Low Battery option. Arrow down to the Battery Reset feature and enable it. (A screen will ask you to press "Y" for yes.) Once this has been done the unit will reboot. After the unit has finished booting, shutdown the unit as you normally would (Under Win98 - click on the Start button, go to Shutdown, Shutdown the Computer? Choose Yes), and allow the unit charge until the LED farthest to the right below your LCD screen turns green indicating a full charge (this will take approximately 4.5 hours with the unit turned OFF). Once the battery is fully charged, one 'cycle' will be complete. You may then power on the unit and return to normal use.

If I just plug an external PS/2 mouse into the XL will it work?

The XL is designed to support only two PS/2 pointing devices simultaneously. As the unit was delivered to you, the TrackPoint (red 'eraser head' in the middle of the keyboard) and the TouchPad are Enabled. If you want to use an external PS/2 mouse, you need to make a change the BIOS configuration. Turn the unit OFF and plug the PS/2 mouse into the proper port on the back of the unit. Turn the unit ON and press the DEL key when prompted to enter the BIOS setup program. Go to the Advanced CMOS Setup and press your Enter key. Make sure that PS/2 Device is set to auto. If it is not arrow down to the PS/2 Device setting and press your PGDn key until it is set as Auto. Press the Esc key, press the F10 key, and press the Enter key to exit and reboot. This will enable you to use the P/S 2 mouse and the TrackPoint.

Note: The TouchPad will be Disabled and inoperable until BIOS settings are accessed and changed accordingly.

My TouchPad is not working but the TrackPoint and buttons are working correctly. Is there a problem with my computer?

Probably not. There is a BIOS setting that can cause this symptom. It is possible that the BIOS is set up for TrackPoint & External PS/2 Mouse and not for TrackPoint & TouchPad operation. To choose which devices to use, restart the unit. Press the DEL key when prompted and enter the Setup utility. Choose the Advanced CMOS Setup Menu option. There will be a choice for PS/2 Device To change the selection, arrow down to the listing and press your PgDn key. This works in opposite to change back as well by pressing the PgUp key.

Your options are : Auto (suggested), TrackP&TouchP, TrackP&ExtPS2, and ExtPS2. Your touch pad will only work if your PS/2 Device is set to Auto and there is no PS/2 device installed or when set to TrackP&TouchP. Next, press the Esc key, press the F10 key, and then press the Enter key and your machine will save the settings and begin to reboot. Your internal TouchPad should now work.

If after verifying the setup of the internal PS/2 pointing devices, there is still a problem with the TouchPad, contact your local WinBook retailer for additional assistance and support.

Does Windows 98 have built a virus detection program?

No, Windows 98 does not have a virus protection program built in. It is in your best interest to buy and install a virus detection program, as some virii can damage any and all of the data that you have stored on your hard drive.

When I tell Windows 98 to "Shutdown" the machine turns itself off. It does not say "It is now safe to turn off your computer." Is this normal?

Yes, this is the way the machine is designed to work with Windows 98. This is part of the Plug-n-Play capabilities of Windows 98 and the BIOS of your WinBook XL.

Why do I have to push the "power" button so long to turn the unit on?

The button was made that way to protect you from accidentally shutting the unit off by mistake. To both turn the WinBook XL ON and OFF, the power button must be depressed for a full second.

What kind of modem do I have?

If you purchased the modem option, you have an internal 56K flex compatible modem installed in your unit. The "LT WinModem" has voice/data/fax capabilities and modem and implements a Rockwell Chip set. As shipped, it has been configured for COM2 as a default setting.

What do I have to do to use Cardbus or PCMCIA Cards in my WinBook XL?

For most cards, you simply need to insert the card in the PCMCIA slot and Windows 98 will automatically install any necessary drivers. There are some cards that will require an updated driver from the manufacturer. In that case, you should have the disk ready when Windows 98 asks you for a disk from the manufacturer.

What is Cardbus and will my older non-Cardbus PCMCIA cards still work?

Cardbus is a new technology that for PCMCIA cards that features less power consumption and full 32bit access. The WinBook XL fully supports this standard as well as existing PCMCIA standards for non-Cardbus cards. If you are experiencing problems with your PCMCIA cards, contact your retailer for further assistance.

Can I use a Zoom Video (ZV Port) PCMCIA card with my unit?

Yes you can. The bottom slot on the WinBook XL is specially designed for Zoom Video card support as well as regular PCMCIA cards.

What kind of sound card is in my WinBook XL?

The sound card is integrated into the circuitry of your WinBook XL. Your unit has a Yamaha YMF 715 audio chip which is Sound Blaster Pro compatible. It has 3D sound, 32 voice polyphony, and MIDI (128 melody and 47 percussion) capability. The sound is controlled by the use of settings within Windows 98. Please review pages 4.2 through 4.7 in the XL User's Manual or the "XL Help" link on your desktop for further information.

What kind of external microphone can I use?

If you wish to use an external microphone with your unit, you will need to use a self amplified microphone with the WinBook XL. The internal microphone is a mono device.

There is feedback coming from my speakers. What can I do?

Double click on the Speaker icon (bottom right portion of the screen) on the task bar, then add a check the "MUTE" box for Microphone Balance.

How do I get the TV output display to work?

Attach the appropriate cabling to TV and Video Out port on the WinBook XL, turn both the TV and unit ON. Press the DEL key when prompted to enter the Setup utility and select the Advanced CMOS Setup menu. Next, arrow down and the TV display feature and 'enable' by changing this option to NTSC by hitting your PgDn key. Press the Esc key, press F10 to Save Settings, and press Enter to continue and exit. After the unit has returned to Win98 click on Start, go up to Settings, and over to Control Panel. Double click on the Display icon and then on the Settings tab at the top. Change the Desktop area to 640X480. Click on Apply and then OK. To activate the TV display, press the Fn-F2 key combo. The first sequence will enable Ext Display to a regular CRT. Then next sequence will enable dual display, still with an Ext CRT. The third sequence will display only TV out.

What can the infrared port be used for?

The infrared serial port conforms to the IrDA 1.1 standard, and can be used for connecting infrared devices, printers, and for unit to unit file transfers. See pages 3.10 through 3.18 in the XL User's Manual or the "XL Help" link on your desktop for further details.

My unit's LCD seems to time out the screen too quickly. I have to constantly hit a key or move the mouse in order to bring it back. How can I adjust the screen timeout?

This is part of the system BIOS Power Management. You can access the BIOS on startup by pressing the DEL key when prompted to enter Setup. Once in the BIOS Setup, choose Power Management Setup. Within this menu you can adjust the Power Savings Mode of the video Display Timeout. For additional information on Power Management settings and what they can do for you, refer to your XL Users Manual pages 7.11-7.14 or "XL Help" link on your desktop.

COMMON QUESTIONS WITH INTERNET EXPLORER 4.0

I really don't want my desktop to be a active desktop. I just want a regular Windows desktop. How do I change the desktop?

The active desktop under IE 4.0 is removed by clicking on the Start button, Settings and then Active Desktop. Remove the check mark next to View as Web page.

I like the Active desktop idea but how can I customize the links on my desktop?

To add links to your channels click on the Start button, go to Settings, Active Desktop and then Customize my Desktop. Click on New and add your new channel.

COMMON WINDOWS 98 RELATED QUESTIONS:

How do I access the WinBook XL Help file?

To assist you in learning more about your unit and solving problems on your own, the User's Manual has been digitized and provided in an easy to use Help file format. To access, you can either simply click on the 'link' for XL Help from your desktop or select the Start button, go to Programs, WinBook, and then WinBook XL Help file.

Reinstalling Windows 98 - we recommend that you contact your local WinBook retailer before reinstalling Windows 98 because there are certain ramifications of doing so.

a.) You will need to reinstall ALL Windows related programs, because the information contained in the Windows initialization files, some necessary DLL files, etc. will no longer be there.

b.) You will lose all WinBook pre-installed drivers and utilities. For reinstallation, refer to your included XL Utility disk(s) or you can visit our Internet website (http://www.winbookcorp.com) to obtain these necessary drivers.

Copying Windows 98 from another computer using Direct Cable Connect - This is NOT a good idea! It sounds easy, in theory, but copying Windows and its related directories and files overwrites utilities, drivers, etc. that are necessary for the WinBook XL to run properly.

Turning off the machine, or booting while in Windows - In a word - DON'T! This can cause file corruption, lost clusters, cross-linked files, and in a worst-case scenario, actually wipe out the File Allocation Tables (FAT), resulting in a total loss of data on your hard drive!

How do I set up a serial mouse?

Attach the mouse, turn the machine ON, and Windows 98 should detect and load the appropriate driver for it. If necessary, you may need to provide a driver disk or go to Control Panel, select Add New Hardware, and let Windows 98 detect the serial mouse.

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Disclaimer: This information is being provided to you as a service from the Technical Support Department of WinBook Computers. It is intended to assist you in the resolution of your technical problems or questions. If you feel uncomfortable implementing any of the information or suggestions contained herein then you should e-mail the WinBook Technical Support Department. WinBook will not be held responsible for any loss of information, data or programming as a result of the use of this TechNote.