Support FAQ/Getting Started, Laptop Settings

Getting Started, Laptop Settings

Where do I get support?

Click Support for an extensive list of documentation, live chat support, interactive web forums, regional user groups, and repair options.

Please consider joining one of the many One Laptop per Child (OLPC) communities.

How do I get started? Where is the manual?

Figuring out the XO in Mongolia

The XO laptop design rationale is to encourage kids to discover/learn things by themselves, rather than giving them a fixed set of instructions. However, you can learn about your new XO laptop with our Getting started guide. A printable PDF version (17.5MB, be patient downloading!) is also now available.

Many volunteers are also working on a Simplified User Guide -- please check back soon for more updates.

Can I print from the XO laptop?

For the first shipment of XOs from December 2007, there is no built-in Printer Support. The XO Community has worked on printing options for G1G1 donors.

How do I access a Linux command prompt?

For a Linux command prompt, run the "Terminal Activity"

What does "Register" (in Home view) do?

"Register" is for children that are connecting to a School Server, and serves no function for G1G1 recipients. See School Identity Manager for more explanation. After a child uses the Register function once at his/her school, this line disappears from the Home view.

Why is there no windowing system? How do I learn the XO Sugar Environment?

One Laptop per Child's XO software environment uses the Sugar graphical user interface on top of the Linux operating system. This environment is new and different from traditional PCs and Macs. We hope you will not only "learn by doing", but also seek out others to collaborate with you in the learning process— taking the initiative to join/form users groups both online and in the real world. If there are other ways we can promote OLPC's worldwide learning community, please let us know.

How do I change my XO's Nickname? my XO's color on Sugar Views?

Your XO's Nickname and other options can be changed using the Terminal Activity's command line Sugar-Control-Panel.

How do I set the date and time on my laptop?

You may set the date and time as follows:

1. Connect to the Internet. (For details, see How can I access the Internet? )
2. Open a Linux prompt. (For details, see How do I access a Linux command prompt? Note that unless you are an advanced user, you should use the Terminal Activity button to open the prompt.)
3. Log in as "root". Assuming you are using the Terminal Activity program, you can log in as root by typing "su -" at the command prompt and pressing the Enter key. Note that as user "root" you have the ability to destroy all software on the XO, so you should end your session as soon as you successfully change the date and time.
4. At the command prompt, enter the following commands:
   /usr/sbin/ntpdate time.nist.gov
/usr/sbin/hwclock --systohc
5. Press the Enter key after each. In response to the ntpdate command, if it successfully contacts this US government official time server, the system will output a line of data displaying the correct date and time.
6. Click the "Stop" icon at the upper right corner of the screen to log out and close the Terminal Activity program.

How to set the timezone on my laptop

You can set the timezone by typing the Sugar-Control-Panel command in the Terminal Activity.

How do I disable the bootup sound?

Turn the volume down while the laptop is booting (i.e. before getting into Sugar).