81 Introduction
81 Keeping MacCharlie in Good Shape
81 The MacCharlie System Unit
83 The MacCharlie Keyboard Extension
83 Troubleshooting
MacCharlie is a sturdy, well-built piece of equipment, built with extreme care and attention to detail by experts who are dedicated to producting top quality products. With a minimum of care on your part, MacCharlie will remain attractive and productive throughout its lifetime. You have invested hard-earned money in your MacCharlie. It's in your hands now. Protect your investment by following the guidance given in this chapter.
MacCharlie is a precision piece of electronic equipment, just as is a fine, expensive stereo system or a television set. Good common sense and the same reasonable care that you would give to these things are about all that MacCharlie requires. In return, MacCharlie will reward you with trouble-free service for a long time.
Do not use cleaning solvent or other chemicals to clean the case of your MacCharlie. These chemicals may damage MacCharlie's case and enclosures. The case should be cleaned by wiping down with a slightly damp soft cloth or sponge. Be sure that no liquid is allowed to collect or get inside the units.
Specific pointers applying to the hardware components of MacCharlie are given in the following sections. By following these tips, you will enjoy your MacCharlie for a long time to come.
Give your MacCharlie and Macintosh combination lots of room. It is important that air circulate on all sides of the unit. Make especially certain that each of the ventilation slots on the top and sides of the system unit are kept free from blockage. Don't use the top of the combination as a storage shelf for papers or other objects while either or both computers are turned on. You can store the combination in a bag or on a bookshelf, but be sure to take it out of any restrictive space before you turn them on.
Be careful not to spill liquids or drop cookie crumbs on your MacCharlie. If any contaminants get inside the system unit, it could cause considerable damage. It is a good rule of thumb not to have food or liquids around when you are using your computers.
With the exception of the cardboard inserts that were there when you first pulled MacCharlie out of the box, do not insert anything other than diskettes into MacCharlie's disk drives. The drives are precision pieces which are tested and adjusted before shipment. Thev are sturdy, but can be knocked out of alignment if they are abused.
MacCharlie likes moderate temperatures, about the same as you do. He does not do well in direct sunlight, and he abhors rain, sleet, snow, hail, and the like. MacCharlie has a fan which helps to circulate air through the system unit, and through the Macintosh, as well. The circulating air rises up through MacCharlie, drawing the built up heat off of each of the components, and exhausting it out of the vent on the top of the unit. This will cause the top of the case to feel warm to the touch, about 85 or 90 degrees F. This is normal and should cause no alarm. See Appendix A for more about operating temperatures.
With the power switch accessible on the front of MacCharlie, you can easily turn it off when you are going to be away from your MacCharlie. If you need to leave it on for a while, turn down the brightness on the Macintosh monitor screen to avoid "burn-in". Burn in occurs when the exact same pattern is continuously painted on the screen for a long period of time. It may permanently damage the screen.
WARNING: Never remove the cover from the system unit or keyboard extension. MacCharlie contains extremely high voltage components which can retain an electrical charge, even after the power is removed. Furthermore, removing the cover of the MacCharlie system unit or keyboard extension will void the warranty.
WARNING: MacCharlie is meant to be connected to your Macintosh in a specific way, as detailed in Appendix B. The combination of your Macintosh and MacCharlie should be electrically grounded, as it will be as long as you use the electrical cords provided with both MacCharlie or Macintosh. Plug the power cord into a grounded AC electrical outlet. If you do not have three-hole grounded electrical outlets convenient to where MacCharlie will be placed, replace the outlet and install a grounding conductor. Hire a licensed electrician to do the job, if necessary. Do not defeat the purpose of the grounding-type plug.
Use only the keyboard cable connectors supplied with MacCharlie or your Macintosh to connect the keyboard extension to both the Macintosh keyhoard and the Macintosh main unit. While these cables use the same connectors as do modular type telephones, the cable connectors are not the same as telephone cables. Never connect these cables to your telephone and never connect a phone cable to your Macintosh or MacCharlie. To do so may cause permanent damage.
The discussion above about spilled liquids applies to the keyboard extension unit as well as to the system unit. If you spill a liquid on the keyboard extension and it stops working, unplug it and take it to your Authorized Dayna Dealer for repair or replacement.
If you spill a clear, thin liquid on the keyboard extension, remove the Macintosh keyboard, invert it to drain as much of the liquid as you can, and let it dry at room temperature for 24 hours. If it doesn't work after drying thoroughly, take it to your Authorized Dayna Dealer.
If, for some reason, you do have a problem with MacCharlie that cannot be resolved by cheching all connections, follow this procedure to determine where the problem lies.
Shut off all equipment. Put a Macintosh system disk other than the MacCharlie application software disk in the disk drive, and turn both computers on with the power switch on the front of MacCharlie. Try running another Macintosh application. If it runs OK, try the MacCharlie application software disk again. If the Macintosh does not run properly, turn it off. Disconnect MacCharlie's power cord and the signal connection from Macintosh, plug the power cord from the wall outlet directly into your Macintosh. If it still does not run properly, the problem most likely is in the Macintosh. Follow the troubleshooting procedures outlined in Macintosh.
If your Macintosh runs properly by itself, reconnect MacCharlie and try it again with a brand new copy of your original MacCharlie application software disk. If it still doesn't work, it is time to get your Authorized Dayna Dealer involved in your problem. Take your MacCharlie to him and he will do whatever it takes to solve your problem. If it becomes necessary to repair MacCharlie, we can assure you that he is the best man to do the job. Do not try to cut corners by doing repairs to MacCharlie yourself. If you are still within the warranty period, warranty service is provided by your Authorized Dayna Dealer at no cost to you, and time lost for service will be kept to a minimum. See the inside back cover for more information on the limited warranty on hardware.
If the warranty period has expired, your Authorized Dayna Dealer will charge you for parts and labor, but he is still the expert at finding out what is wrong with your MacCharlie, fixing it by replacing the defective component, and returning it to you in completely operable condition in the minimum amount of time.