SETTING UP YOUR COMPUTER, KEYBOARD, AND MOUSE

This document serves as an overall guide to setting up your computer, monitor, keyboard, and
mouse; connecting your modem to a phone line; connecting your speakers; connecting your
printer to the computer; configuring and logging in to Windows; and logging on and changing
your password.

Important: Be sure to keep all of the boxes that your computer equipment arrived in. The
computer and accessories are the property of your K12Virtual Academy and will need to be
returned in the original boxes.

Before you begin, you should consider the following:

• Proximity of the computer system to electrical outlets: The computer system will
require several electrical outlets for the computer, printer, and monitor. If the
location where you plan to set up your computer is not near several outlets, we
recommend that you use a power strip (available at your local hardware store).
• Proximity of the computer system to a telephone jack: Since you will be
connecting to the Internet using a telephone modem, make sure that the
computer is close enough to a wall telephone jack to reach with the supplied
cable. If necessary, you can purchase a longer telephone cable at your local
hardware store.

Step 1: Setting Up Your Computer, Monitor, Keyboard, and Mouse

Your boxes will contain your computer, monitor, keyboard, mouse, a monitor stand and cable,
two speakers, speaker cables (unless your system has internal speakers), two power cords
(one for the monitor and one for the computer), and a telephone/modem cable.

Your computer cables and connector panel

have color-coded connectors; match the
color of the cable with the color of the
connector.

• Start by connecting the

mouse cable (green) with the
green connector on the back
of the computer.
• Connect the keyboard cable
(purple) with the purple
connector on the back of the
computer.
• Connect the monitor cable
(blue) with the blue connector
on the back of the computer
and tighten the screws.

• Connect the power cords to

the properly grounded
electrical wall outlets or
preferably a power strip.
Step 2: Connecting a Phone Line to the Computer’s Modem
To be able to access the Internet through a modem, you need to connect the phone line
jack to the computer’s modem using the telephone cable that came with your computer. Make
sure that you connect the cable into the computer via the plug with the icon of a wall jack (not
the icon of a phone) next to it.

Most K12 computers have two jacks into which the phone cord can go. One is used to connect
the computer to your home’s wall jack; the other can be used to connect a phone to the
computer (so you can make phone calls when the computer is not online). TIP: If the jack
you’ve plugged the phone cord into doesn’t work, try plugging it into the other jack.

If you have broadband internet access (cable or DSL), then you need to plug the Ethernet cable
into the ethernet port on the back of the computer.

Step 3: Turning on the Power

Turn on the monitor first, and then turn on the computer. When the computer's power-on self-
test is finished, the manufacturer's logo window closes. Your computer contains preinstalled
software, which will complete its own installation program.
* Printer set-up will occur later.