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.

Congratulations on your purchase of the WinBook XL2! We are proud to offer Windows 98 as the operating system on the unit you purchased.

Please do not lose the Certificate of Authenticity number that is attached to the front of the Windows 98 manual (Product Key xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx), because another number can not be issued. We CANNOT provide a replacement!

Helpful Tips

Check for missing items. In addition to your WinBook unit, you should receive a XL2 User’s manual, Windows 98 CD-ROM and User’s manual, AC adapter and power cord. If any of these items are missing, contact Customer Service immediately.

The included User’s Manual should be read thoroughly before operating your new WinBook.

A compilation of Frequently Asked Questions is included in this file to help in resolving more common problems. Also included for reference/troubleshooting purposes is the Help file accessed by the "XL2 Help" Icon located on your desktop.

It is strongly recommended that you fully charge your WinBook battery before using the computer for the first time.

If you are having hardware or software problems with the WinBook or included items, contact Technical Support. Or refer to the Technical Support Website at http://www.winbookcorp.com for further information.

Your WinBook XL2 has Windows 98 preinstalled. This gives you all the components necessary to begin using your computer and exploring the World Wide Web. Please store the included Windows 98 CD and manual in a safe place in the event that you need to reinstall or reconfigure your software in the future.

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, an LS 120 Super Disk, or an external device, such as a tape drive or other removable media drives.

NOTE: An on-line version of the WinBook XL2 User’s Manual can be accessed through the icon labeled "XL2 Help" on your Windows 98 desktop.

You can access the bios setup program by pressing the DEL key at boot-up. A message will display at the bottom of the screen telling you to "Press DEL to enter setup". You should familiarize yourself with chapter 8 of the XL2 User’s Manual before making changes to the BIOS. If you are not sure what the result of those changes will be, you should contact your local WinBook retailer before making changes.

Frequently Asked Questions

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. To help increase your battery life, you can configure the power management features within the Power Management properties of Windows 98.

To access Power Management properties click on the Start button, go to Settings and choose Control Panel. Next, click on the Power Management Icon. You can customize these settings as you choose. You should be aware that any power management features will be of benefit only if there are periods of inactivity which allow the settings to engage. Please note that the battery in the WinBook XL2 takes about 4.5 hours to fully charge, with the machine turned OFF.

How do I cycle my battery?

Cycling your battery every month or so will extend the life expectancy of your WinBook XL2 battery.

Important! Before beginning this process make sure your AC adapter is plugged in. 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 and press Enter. Arrow down to Battery Auto Calibration, and change it to enabled. You will get a message stating, "Please make sure that the AC adapter & battery are present. Do you wish to do battery auto-learning? (y/n)." Press Y and then Enter. Once calibration is completed the computer will prompt you to shutdown and restart.

When I close the lid the computer goes into suspend mode, is this normal?

Yes, you can set the computer to go into suspend mode, hibernate mode, or shutdown when the lid is closed.

To change this setting, go to the Control Panel. Double-click on the Power Management icon. Click on the Advanced tab. Change the "When I close the lid of my portable computer" option to the desired action.

No Action- Nothing happens when the lid is closed, it continues normal operation.

Standby- The computer goes into suspend mode. This mode will conserve battery power. Not for use with an external monitor.

Hibernate- The computer goes into save to disk mode. This mode saves your information to the hard drive and shuts down. Not for use with an external monitor.

Shutdown-The computer shuts down. Warning! Closing the lid while running programs with option selected could cause data loss.

How can I use the computer with an external monitor and close the cover?

With the system powered off, connect the external monitor to the video port on the back of the computer. Turn the computer on and let it boot to Windows 98 normally. Open the Control Panel, double-click the Power Management Icon, and select the Advanced tab. Change the "When I close the lid of my portable computer" option to No action and then click OK. Press and hold down the Fn key, then press the F2 key (LCD/CRT) twice to change the display to external only. You can now close the cover of the computer and use only the external monitor.

When I tell Windows 98 to "Shutdown" the machine turns itself off. It says, "It is now safe to turn off your computer" for a brief moment and then turns off. 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 the WinBook XL2.

Why do I have to push the "power" button so long to turn the unit off on the WinBook XL2?

The power button on the XL2 is a delayed switch. This means in order to shut it down you have to hold the power button down for 5-6 seconds. This is to prevent accidental shutdown on the computer and is also a part of the ACPI standard the XL2 adheres to.

How do I setup a PS/2 mouse to work on my system?

The WinBook XL2 is designed to support two PS/2 pointing devices simultaneously. If you have the trackpoint and the touchpad on your unit, both are PS/2 devices.

To get an external PS/2 mouse working, plug the mouse into the PS/2 port on the back of the computer then turn it on. The computer will detect the external mouse on boot-up.

Note: If you have a trackpoint and touchpad, the touchpad will be disabled. To go back to the touchpad, shutdown the computer and remove the external mouse. The computer will automatically enable the touchpad the next time you reboot the computer.

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 pointing device option in the BIOS is set to 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 Setup" menu option. Down arrow to the "PS/2 Device" option. For the touchpad and trackpoint to work simultaneously, change the selection to Auto or TrackP & TouchP. Note: The latter option will disable the use of an external PS/2 mouse. 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.

How do I get a serial mouse to work on the computer?

A serial mouse will attach to the serial port on the back of the computer. Some serial mice are automatically detected by Windows at start-up. Follow the steps below if yours is not detected.

Start with the computer turned off. Attach the mouse. Restart to Windows. Open the Control Panel. Locate the Add New Hardware Icon and double-click on it. Click Next to let Windows search for Plug and Play devices. If your mouse is in the list, the click Yes and then Next. If not, then click No and click Next. Click Yes to let Windows search for new devices and click Next again. Click Next again to start the search. When Windows has completed the search, it should tell you that it has found your new hardware. Click Finish to install it. If the computer does not find the mouse you should contact the manufacturer for more support.

What is a USB port?

USB is short for Universal Serial Bus. USB is an external bus connection that allows for connection of up to 127 peripheral devices, including HID (Human Interface Devices), modems and printers.

What is the optional LS 120 Drive, and will it work with my regular 3.5" diskettes?

The LS 120 diskette drive is a new type of floppy drive. The diskettes for this drive, called Super disks, will hold up to 120MB of data on one disk. The LS 120 drive is also backwards compatible with all other types of IBM formatted floppy disks.

Can I format LS 120 Super disks?

No, you should not format these disks. They are preformatted at the factory with a special configuration for the sectors on the disk. Formatting again may cause damage to the LS 120 media. Contact the disk manufacturer for details.

What is the difference between DVD and CD-ROM, and will my old CD disks work with my DVD drive?

DVD is a new type CD-ROM drive, short for Digital Versatile Disc or Digital Video Disc. A DVD disk will hold anywhere from 4.7 to 17gigabytes of data. The optional DVD drive in the WinBook XL2 is backward compatible with your original CD-ROM disks.

Can I use the DVD drive to play DVD movies?

Yes, this is one of the main features of DVD drives. You can play them on your laptop screen or on your TV through the TV or S-Video connections.

To do this, insert your DVD movie into the DVD drive. Click on the Start button; go to Programs, ATI Multimedia, and ATI DVD Player. The movie should begin playing as soon as the program opens. If it does not play automatically click on the play button.

What kind of modem do I have in my WinBook XL2?

If you purchased the internal modem option, you have an internal V.90 compatible modem installed in your unit. If you have an internal modem, it is either the "LT WinModem" or the "ESS ES56CVH-PI". Both modems are data/voice/fax capable and are configured for COM2 as the default setting.

What do I have to do to use CardBus or PCMCIA Cards in my WinBook XL2?

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 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.

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

Yes you can. Both of the slots in the WinBook XL2 are compatible with Zoom Video. All the software drivers for Zoom Video slots have been preinstalled at the factory. You may however, need to install a driver for the device you are trying to install.

What kind of sound card is in my WinBook XL2?

The sound card is integrated into the circuitry of your WinBook XL2. It has the ESS Technologies Maestro PCI 2EM audio chip set, which is Sound Blaster Pro compatible. It has integrated 3D audio effects, 32 voice polyphony, and MIDI (128 melody and 47 percussion) capability. The sound is controlled by the use of settings within Windows 98. Please see the WinBook XL2 manual, pages 4.1 –4.7 for help on adjusting the audio settings in Windows 98.

What kind of external microphone can I use?

If you wish to use an external microphone with your unit, it will need to be a self-amplified microphone. 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 to the "MUTE" box for Microphone Balance.

How do I get the TV output display to work?

Connect your TV to the computer with a RCA composite cable. Set your TV to the proper video input (refer to your TV’s documentation for instructions). Click on the Start button, go to Settings, and choose Control Panel. Open the Display Icon. Click on the Settings tab. Click on the Advanced button. Click on the ATI Displays tab. Put a check in the box next to Television. Click OK to close the menu.

What is an S-Video output?

Super Video is a cable connection that produces sharper video images than standard composite video cables. It accomplishes this by sending the video signal over the cable in two channels, one for color the other for brightness, rather than one.

Connect your S-Video cable to the television and the S-Video port on the computer. Set your TV to the proper video input (refer to your TV’s documentation for instructions). Click on the Start button, go to Settings, and choose Control Panel. Open the Display Icon. Click on the Settings tab. Click on the Advanced button. Click on the ATI Displays tab. Put a check in the box next to Television. Click on OK to close the menu.

Common Questions on Windows 98

What is new about Windows 98?

Microsoft Windows 98 is the upgrade to Windows 95. Its improvements include easier access to the Internet using Internet Explorer 4.0, better system performance along with easier system diagnostics and maintenance. With Windows 98, your system will have better support for the latest graphics, sound, multimedia technologies, and the ability to easily add and remove peripheral devices with support for Universal Serial Bus (USB).

I like the themes that came with Windows 95 Plus! Can I install it on Windows 98?

Actually, you do not have to. Windows 98 already includes features from Windows 95 Plus! and some Windows 95 Power Toys.

Does Windows 98 have a built in 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 run Disk Defragmenter (Defrag), it takes a long time. Is that normal?

Yes, it is normal. The new Defrag uses the process of disk defragmentation to increase the startup speed of your most frequently used applications. Defrag creates a log file which identifies these programs. It utilizes the log file to store files associated with the most commonly run programs in the same location on your hard disk to optimize its startup speed.

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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.