Using your Tecra 8100

Using your Tecra 8100

Document number: 35003

Your Toshiba Tecra 8100 has many exciting features. Click on the feature you would like to learn about or problem you are having below:

General usage tips
Power button and powering the machine
DVD/CD-ROM drive
How do I connect to the network?
The floppy drive
The modem
Reset button
The mouse on the Tecra 8100
Where is the lock hole for my computer lock?
Volume control
Toshiba Tecra 8100 User Guide (At the prompt choose "Save this program to disk" Double-click on the program name t810ug32.exe to install. Manual will installed in c:\docs)
Screenshots of machine views (link - find your model in the table)

General usage tips for the Tecra 8100

PeopleSoft does not support the use of the infrared port at this time.

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Power button and powering the Tecra 8100

The power button on the right side of your machine, near the front, between the speaker and the network card. There may be a cover over the power button - slide it to open the door and see the button. It looks like this (in this picture, the cover is NOT over the button): To turn the machine on, press the button in (towards the machine - don't try to slide it). It should not take much pressure to turn it on. If you press the button and the machine does not appear to turn on (i.e., the On light does not turn on), try again.

Note that you must have both the transformer (the small brick-like thing) and the cord that goes into the wall in order to use electricity to run the machine. Without one or the other, you cannot use power from the wall. The cord from the transformer fits into a port on the back of the machine, on the left side (next to the printer port).

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DVD ROM drive on the Tecra 8100

Your Tecra 8100 comes with a DVD ROM drive on the machine. It can play CD ROMS but it CANNOT play DVD movies, especially on Windows NT 4.0 workstation. Please DO NOT load any drivers in an attempt to play movies, even if someone else tells you it works for them. More than likely, third party drivers will cause fatal errors to occur on your machine. If third party drivers cause the machine to fail, it must be brought to a PeopleSoft office where it will be rebuilt to a standard PeopleSoft build.

Windows 2000 machines can play DVDs. However, only the CD-ROM function is supported. DVD support is not available as long as the CD-ROM functions properly.

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How do I connect to the network?

Your machine will have 1 of 2 ways to connect to the network directly:

Using a LAN cord: Some machines have a network port on the left side of the machine. The card around the port may be red. A regular LAN cord fits into the port and the other end of the cord should be plugged into the wall.
Using a 3Com dongle: This dongle is a flat white plastic connector, about 1/2" wide by 1" long. 3Com is printed on the top of the connector. It connects to a network card on the left side of your machine. The dongle may be a 1-piece unit (the LAN cord is integrated with the dongle connector), or 2-piece unit (a LAN cord must be plugged into the other end of the dongle connector). If you need to use one, a dongle should have come with your machine. Please take care of this dongle - it can be broken relatively easily, especially if you forget to remove it before moving the machine.

Be sure not to mix up a network cord (rounded) with the phone cord (flat) when connecting to the network.

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The floppy drive for a Tecra 8100

Your machine comes with a floppy drive. You cannot use the floppy drives used with the Toshiba Tecra 510, 520, or 550. In a pinch, you can use a Portege floppy drive or a Tecra 8000 floppy drive.

The floppy drive connection port is located underneath the network card (where your LAN cord or dongle plugs in). There may be a small rubber cover over the connection port. It is easier to plug in the drive before powering up, if possible.

You may attach the external floppy drive while the computer power is on or off. If the computer is on, the floppy drive should be immediately available for use.

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The modem for a Tecra 8100

Your Tecra 8100 comes with a built-in v.90/56K modem.

The Tecra 8100 does not need a modem tester because it has built-in protection from digital lines. You should try to find out if the building you are calling from has digital or analog phone lines before using your modem, since you cannot dial in via a digital line.

The modem jack is located on the right side of your machine, near the back of the machine. The port looks very much like a network port, so please be careful not to mix them up. The modem port has a tiny picture of a telephone handset on top of it.

To use the modem, use a phone cord to connect the modem to the wall phone jack. (Do NOT use the network cord. A phone cord is flat, a network cord is rounded.)

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Reset button on a Tecra 8100

On a Tecra 8100, the reset button is on the front of the machine. It is next to the power button and is a small pinhole-sized indented button. The word "Reset" appears in tiny letters below the hole. Press a fine ballpoint pen tip in the hole to reset the machine.

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Mouse buttons on the Tecra 8100 and the external mouse

Internal mouse: The built-in mouse is the small eraser head in the middle of the built-in keyboard on the Tecra 8100. In addition, there are 4 mouse buttons:

Two smaller buttons: These are scroll buttons. SOME applications use these buttons to scroll through screens. Many applications do not respond to these buttons at all.
Two larger buttons: The larger of these two buttons acts like the left mouse button on a standard external mouse. The smaller one (on the very bottom), acts like the right mouse button on the standard external mouse.

External mouse: There are several models of external mice that you may receive. Following are some tips about some of those mice:

Microsoft IntelliMouse: The external mouse you get with the machine may be the Microsoft IntelliMouse. It looks like a standard mouse, but has a wheel between the left and right buttons. It says that is it "Serial and PS/2 Compatible" but it will not work consistently on the PS/2 Port on some machines. If you have a Microsoft IntelliMouse that is not working on the PS/2 Port try connecting it to the serial port and installing it as a serial mouse. For instructions on how to installing a serial mouse, see Eureka! document 39002 — External mouse not working, add serial mouse device. When installed as a serial mouse you should be able to use it as a standard mouse, but the scroll wheel will not work.
Logitech optical mouse: The external mouse you get with your machine may be the Logitech optical mouse. It is mostly blue with a scroll wheel. It is a USB mouse that comes with a converter so that your mouse will work in the PS/2 Port if you do not have a USB port available.

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Lock hole on Tecra 8100

The hole you can use to connect your computer lock to your Tecra 8100 is on the right side of the machine, near the back (next to the PCMCIA card slots).

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Volume control dial

The volume control dial is on the front of the machine, near the left side.

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