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VAIO Notebook Computer 
User Guide

PCG-838

®

®

Summary of Contents for VAIO PCG-838

Page 1: ...VAIO Notebook Computer User Guide PCG 838 ...

Page 2: ...rnational program that promotes energy saving through the use of computers and other office equipment The program backs the development and dissemination of products with functions that effectively reduce energy consumption It is an open system in which business proprietors can participate voluntarily The targeted products are office equipment such as computers displays printers facsimiles and cop...

Page 3: ...ppareil à l abri de la pluie et de l humidité Pour prévenir tout risque d électrocution ne pas ouvir le châssis de cet appareil et ne confier son entretien qu à une personne qualifiée L appareil doit être le plus près possible d une prise murale pour en faciliter l accès Regulatory Information This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device pursuant ...

Page 4: ... REN is used to determine the quantity of devices which may be connected to the telephone line Excessive RENs on the telephone line may result in the devices not ringing in response to an incoming call In most but not all areas the sum of the RENs should not exceed five 5 0 To be certain of the number of devices that may be connected to the line as determined by the total RENs contact the telephon...

Page 5: ...e directory under Privacy Issues and or Terms of Service For more detailed information please contact CRTC Terrasses de la Chaudiére Tour centrale 1 promenade du Portage 5 étage Hull PQ K1A 0N2 This Class B digital apparatus complies with Canadian ICES 003 Cet àppareil numérique de la classe B est conforme à la norme NMB 003 du Canada DISPOSAL OF LITHIUM ION BATTERY You can return your unwanted li...

Page 6: ...ian as appropriate NOTICE The Ringer Equivalence Number REN assigned to each terminal device provides an indication of the maximum number of terminals allowed to be connected to a telephone interface The termination on an interface may consist of any combination of devices subject only to the requirement that the sum of the Ringer Equivalence Numbers of all the devices does not exceed 5 The Ringer...

Page 7: ...lectrique des lignes téléphoniques et des canalisations d eau métalliques s il y en a sont raccordés ensemble Cette précaution est particulièrement importante dans les régions rurales Avertissement L utilisateur ne doit pas tenter de faire ces raccordements lui même il doit avoir recours à un service d inspection des installations électriques ou à un électricien selon le cas AVIS L indice d équiva...

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Page 9: ...mputer 15 Using the Keyboard 16 Using the Touchpad 22 Using the Floppy Disk Drive 23 Using the DVD ROM Drive 26 Using the Headphone with Remote Control 30 Using PC Cards 33 Using Infrared Communication Devices 36 Using Power Saving Modes 38 Using a Second Battery Pack 40 Using the Weight Saver 42 Connecting Peripheral Devices Connecting a Phone Line 44 Connecting the Docking Station 45 Connecting ...

Page 10: ...ideo Camera Recorder 61 Connecting a Universal Serial Bus USB Device 62 Customizing Your Notebook Computer Displaying the Sony Notebook Setup Screen 63 Controlling Power Management 66 Displaying Battery Information 70 Selecting the Display Mode 73 Using the Dual Display Function 77 Getting Help Troubleshooting 81 Using the System and Application Recovery CDs 88 Notes on Use Adding Memory 96 Limite...

Page 11: ...Peripheral Devices explains how you can add functionality by connecting various peripherals Getting Help explains the support options available to you and offers basic troubleshooting tips Notes on Use provides facts and advice about using your notebook computer Limited Warranty Statement provides your product warranty statement and explains how to extend your warranty for an additional nine month...

Page 12: ...ly at your sides Take breaks during sessions with your computer Excessive use of the computer may strain muscles or tendons Furniture and posture Sit in a chair with good back support and armrests Adjust the level of the chair so your feet are flat on the floor A footrest may make you more comfortable Sit in a relaxed upright posture and avoid slouching forward or leaning far backward Viewing angl...

Page 13: ...r display that help reduce glare Proper lighting adds to your comfort and work effectiveness Tilt stand You use the tilt stand to place the computer at an angle that allows comfortable typing Placement of an external display When using an external display set the display at a comfortable viewing distance Make sure the display screen is at eye level or slightly lower when you are sitting in front o...

Page 14: ...4 ...

Page 15: ...cating the Controls and Connectors Front LCD screen pages 20 91 Power indicator pages 12 19 Speakers page 58 Battery 1 and 2 indicators pages 19 70 Keyboard page 16 Hard disk drive indicator page 19 Microphone page 59 Num Lock indicator page 19 Touchpad page 22 Caps Lock indicator page 19 Left right buttons page 22 Scroll Lock indicator page 19 1 2 Num Lock Caps Lock Scroll Lock 1 7 2 8 3 9 4 10 5...

Page 16: ...Headphone connector pages 30 58 Hard disk drive Microphone connector page 59 Battery bay pages 9 48 Line In connector There is a ventilation slot located directly above the headphone connector Do not cover the ventilation slot when your computer is on 1 4 2 5 3 6 ...

Page 17: ... bay pages 23 26 PC card slots page 33 DC In page 8 Monitor connector page 54 Serial connector page 60 Docking station port page 45 Infrared port page 36 FDD Printer connector page 53 USB connector page 62 Mouse Keyboard connector page 57 1 3 2 cover cover 1 6 2 7 3 8 4 5 ...

Page 18: ...tery pack as a power source Using the AC Adapter 1 Plug the cable attached to the AC adapter into the DC In connector on the computer 2 Plug one end of the power cord into the AC adapter 3 Plug the other end of the power cord into an AC outlet Notebook computer DC in AC adapter supplied Power cord supplied 1 2 3 ...

Page 19: ...dditional battery packs are available as a separate option The battery pack that comes with your computer is not fully charged at the time of purchase Follow the steps below to insert and charge the battery pack To insert the battery pack 1 Open the cover of the battery bay 2 Insert the battery pack into the battery bay on the left side of the computer 3 Close the cover of the battery bay Battery ...

Page 20: ...two to four hours The time varies based on your system configuration See Displaying Detailed Battery Information on page 71 for information on checking the battery life There are two battery indicator lights on the computer Battery Indicator Meaning 1 Indicates the status of the battery pack in the battery bay on the left side of the computer 2 Indicates the status of the battery pack in the drive...

Page 21: ...the power management modes in the PowerPanel utility See Using Power Saving Modes on page 38 The battery pack supplied with your computer is a lithium ion battery and can be recharged at any time Charging a partially discharged battery does not affect battery life The battery indicator light is on while you use the battery pack as a power source When battery life is nearly depleted the battery ind...

Page 22: ...uter until the green power indicator light turns on 3 If necessary adjust the brightness controls for the LCD display To decrease the brightness press Fn F5 and then the down or left arrow key To increase the brightness press Fn F5 and then the up or right arrow key If you hold the power switch in the on position for more than four seconds the computer turns off LCD lock lever Power switch Power i...

Page 23: ...ter To avoid potential loss of data follow these steps to shut down your computer Respond to any prompts warning you to save documents If you are unable to shut down your computer using the steps described above press the Ctrl Alt Delete keys at the same time to restart the computer If you are unable to restart the computer in this way you can slide the power switch forward and hold for four secon...

Page 24: ...ws 98 Getting Started manual 2 Windows 98 setup Click the Finish button on the Windows 98 Setup Wizard screen 3 Selecting your computer settings If necessary change the Time Zone Date and Time on the Date Time Properties screen 4 Registering your computer For details on registering your computer see Registering Your Computer on page 15 You can also sign up for your 100 free hours of Internet servi...

Page 25: ...u sign up with GTE no credit card necessary Free access expires 100 hours or 60 days after signing up whichever occurs first If you have not already registered follow these steps to use your notebook computer s online registration service 1 Click the Sony VAIO Registration icon on the VAIO desktop 2 Enter the information requested on the first online registration form Press the Tab key to move fro...

Page 26: ...tion keys Several keys are devoted to moving the cursor on the screen the four arrow keys which also function as the Home End Page Up and Page Down keys Correction keys The Insert Back Space and Delete keys enable you to make corrections in your documents Function keys The twelve function keys along the top of the keyboard are used to perform designated tasks For example in many applications F1 is...

Page 27: ... referred to as Ctrl S The Shift key operates the same way as on a typewriter it is used to produce capital letters or special symbols such as and Windows 98 key The key with the Windows logo displays the Windows 98 Start menu it is the equivalent of clicking the Start button on the task bar See Combinations and Functions with the Windows 98 Key on page 18 Fn key The Fn key is used in combination ...

Page 28: ...g Find and then Files or Folders from the Start menu Ctrl F Displays the Windows Find Computer window where you can locate other computers This is the equivalent of selecting Find and then Computer from the Start menu M Minimizes all displayed windows Shift M Returns all minimized windows to their previous size R Displays the Run window This is the equivalent of selecting Run from the Start menu F...

Page 29: ...ata is being read from or written to the hard drive Do not enter System Suspend mode or turn off the computer when this indicator light is on Light On Off Num Lock The number keys in the numeric keypad are active The alphanumeric character keys in the keypad area are active Caps Lock The letters appear in uppercase as you type The Shift key lowers the case of typed letters when Caps Lock is on Let...

Page 30: ...ume To increase volume press Fn F4 then or To decrease volume press Fn F4 then or Fn F5 Brightness control Adjusts the brightness of the LCD To increase light intensity press Fn F5 and then or To decrease light intensity press Fn F5 and then or Fn F6 Not available on this model Fn F7 Switch to the external monitor LCD Toggles through the LCD external display connected to the Monitor connector and ...

Page 31: ...the hard disk and the system power is turned off To return the system to the original state use the power switch to turn on power Not available when connected to the docking station Fn F Change the display size Zooms the display size in or out when the display is set to a low resolution Fn D Video standby Turns off the LCD in order to save power To turn the LCD back on press any key Combinations F...

Page 32: ...hile pressing the left button When your finger reaches a touchpad edge the pointer keeps moving until you lift your finger Use this action to select and move objects Scroll Move your finger along the right edge of the touchpad to scroll vertically Move your finger along the bottom to scroll horizontally The scroll function is available only with applications that support a touchpad scroll feature ...

Page 33: ...VD ROM and the floppy disk drive at the same time use the floppy disk drive as an external drive If you connect the floppy disk drive externally while your computer is on use the Sony Notebook Setup utility to select Floppy Disk Drive See Displaying the Sony Notebook Setup Screen on page 63 for details To connect the floppy disk drive externally Connect the floppy disk drive to the FDD Printer con...

Page 34: ...ive into the drive bay with the VAIO label facing up Continue pushing the drive into the bay until the Eject lever locks into place To insert a diskette 1 Hold the diskette with the label side facing up 2 Gently push the diskette into the drive until it clicks into place If you use the Drive Bay tab in Sony Notebook Setup you do not need to turn off the power before exchanging devices in the drive...

Page 35: ...e 1 Turn off the computer 2 There is an Eject lever on the bottom of the floppy disk drive Slide this lever in the direction of the arrow 3 Slide the drive out of the drive bay 4 Insert the weight saver See Using the Weight Saver on page 42 If you have difficulty removing a diskette from the floppy disk drive remove the floppy disk drive from the drive bay Eject button LED indicator Drive Eject le...

Page 36: ...l side facing up For DVDs which can be played on both sides the side of the disc facing up is the side that plays Push the disc onto the hub until the disc clicks into place When the computer is in System Suspend or System Hibernation mode you cannot insert a disc See Controlling Power Management on page 66 for more information on System Suspend and System Hibernation modes If you use the Drive Ba...

Page 37: ...tray When you finish using a disc press the Eject button to remove the disc When the computer is in System Suspend or System Hibernation mode you cannot remove a disc See Controlling Power Management on page 66 for more information about System Suspend and System Hibernation modes If the disc does not come out when you press the Eject button turn off the computer and insert a thin pointed object i...

Page 38: ... the drive out of the drive bay 4 Insert the weight saver See Using the Weight Saver on page 42 To reinsert the DVD ROM drive 1 Turn off the computer 2 If another device is in the drive bay remove the device See To remove the floppy disk drive on page 25 or To remove the second battery pack on page 41 3 Insert the DVD ROM drive into the drive bay with the label side facing up Drive Eject lever on ...

Page 39: ...ing DVD applications Close any open applications before playing a DVD ROM movie The DVD player automatically adjusts the screen properties when you play a DVD movie Depending on the display setup properties you have selected you may need to use the Fn F command to expand the movie to full screen size When playing DVD movies on battery power set the power management profile to Maximum Performance W...

Page 40: ...control when your computer is active you must use the Digital Media Park software To use the remote control when your computer is in System Suspend mode follow the directions in the next section To use the remote control in System Suspend mode 1 Connect the micro plug of the headphone to the headphone remote control not to the Headphone connector of the computer 2 Connect the headphone remote cont...

Page 41: ...e audio CD DVD See Controlling Power Management on page 66 for more information about System Suspend mode To recover from System Suspend mode press any key on the keyboard Use only the supplied headphone remote control You cannot operate this computer with the remote control supplied with other models If you cannot hear an audio CD DVD in your headphone right click the speaker icon on the taskbar ...

Page 42: ...you are not using the headphone remote control slide Hold in the direction of the arrow To unlock slide Hold back To Press Find the beginning of the current track AMS once Find the beginning of previous tracks AMS repeatedly Find the beginning of the next track AMS once Find the beginning of succeeding tracks AMS repeatedly Go forward quickly Hold down Go backwards quickly Hold down Hold stop Volu...

Page 43: ... two Type I two Type II or one Type III PC card These slots are compatible with Card Bus and ZV Zoomed Video port Some PC cards may require that you disable idle devices when using the PC card You can use Sony Notebook Setup to disable devices See Displaying the Sony Notebook Setup Screen on page 63 for details Be sure to use the most recent software driver provided by the PC card manufacturer If ...

Page 44: ... the PC card slot front label facing up Gently push the card into the slot until the card is fixed into the connector The release button comes out Do not force a card into the slot It may damage the connector pins If you have difficulty inserting a card check that you are inserting the card with the correct orientation See the manual that came with your PC card for more information on use PC card ...

Page 45: ...lications that are using the PC card 2 Click the PC card icon in the taskbar and close the card 3 Pull the PC card release button up and press it in toward the computer 4 Gently grasp the card and pull it out 5 Insert the PC card slot protector back into the empty slot ...

Page 46: ...d equipped devices with compatible protocols such as a digital still camera or other computers To use infrared communication with a digital still camera Align the infrared ports on the computer and the digital camera so that they are in a direct line To use infrared communication with another computer Align the infrared ports on the two computers so that they are in a direct line Infrared port ...

Page 47: ... as a CD ROM drive or hard disk drive on a network set the System Suspend and System Hibernation timers to off Check the Status tag of the Infrared Monitor in the Windows Control Panel to determine if the infrared device is detected If the two devices are too far apart or too close together data transfer may be interrupted or there may be noise in the transmission Do not cover the infrared ports w...

Page 48: ...cific device such as the LCD or the hard disk System Suspend Mode The computer saves the current state of the system in RAM and switches off power to the CPU The amber power indicator light flashes in this mode To activate System Suspend mode Press Fn Esc or slide the power switch forward and release it immediately You can also use the PowerPanel utility to enter System Suspend mode To return to n...

Page 49: ...me to return to normal mode System Suspend requires less time than System Hibernation Power consumption System Suspend uses more power than System Hibernation When returning from System Hibernation mode the system status stored on the hard disk is erased and the computer starts normally if you slide the power switch forward and hold for more than four seconds ...

Page 50: ... by observing the battery indicator lights To insert a second battery pack 1 If another device is in the drive bay remove the device See To remove the floppy disk drive on page 25 or To remove the DVD ROM drive on page 28 2 Insert the battery pack into the drive bay The battery 2 indicator light turns on 3 Attach the Weight Saver to the computer to stabilize the battery pack See also Using the Wei...

Page 51: ...nd battery pack 1 There is an Eject lever on the bottom of the weight saver To remove the battery pack slide this lever in the direction of the arrow 2 Remove the weight saver and then pull out the battery pack 3 Reinsert the weight saver See Using the Weight Saver on page 42 To determine the amount of time the battery lasts see Displaying Battery Information on page 70 1 2 Second battery pack not...

Page 52: ...emove the floppy disk drive on page 25 To remove the DVD ROM drive on page 28 or To remove the second battery pack on page 41 2 Slide the weight saver in the direction of the arrow until it clicks To remove the Weight Saver There is an Eject lever on the bottom of the weight saver To remove the weight saver slide this lever in the direction of the arrow Weight saver supplied Weight saver Eject lev...

Page 53: ...ernal mouse or keyboard page 57 External speakers page 58 External microphone page 59 Digital still camera or other serial device page 60 Digital video camera recorder page 61 Universal Serial Bus USB device page 62 Before you connect peripherals turn off the computer and all peripherals Connect the power cord only after connecting all cables Turn on the computer only after turning on all peripher...

Page 54: ...order to register your Sony VAIO Notebook Computer register your software online and use Sony Customer Support you must connect to a phone line You must register your computer to receive the extended warranty Your computer does not work with party lines cannot be connected to a coin operated telephone and may not work with multiple phone lines or a private branch exchange PBX Some of these connect...

Page 55: ... PCG 838 Line Out USB page 62 Monitor page 54 Mouse Keyboard page 57 Printer page 53 DC In page 8 Serial page 60 Game Network ethernet Network docking station only Microphone page 59 SCSI Line In i LINK IEEE 1394 page 61 The docking station can be powered only with an AC power adapter Do not remove the AC adapter from the docking station or the AC outlet while using the docking station this may ca...

Page 56: ...mputer lift the docking station port cover 3 Align the indentation on the bottom of the computer with the guide post on the docking station 4 Make sure the docking station lever is in the RELEASE position Align the guide posts on the docking station with the openings on the back of the computer and then slide the computer in the direction of the arrow until it stops Docking station port Notebook c...

Page 57: ...e DC IN connector on the docking station Plug the power cord into the AC adapter and an AC outlet The power indicator light turns green 7 Turn on the computer The IN USE indicator light turns on Use the AC adapter that comes with your computer or the optional Sony PCGA AC7 PCGA AC71 adapters AC adapter Power cord Battery charger Drive bay bay Power Battery In use Docking station charger ...

Page 58: ... battery pack using the docking station 1 Open the cover of the battery charger bay 2 Insert the battery pack 3 When the battery pack is fully inserted close the cover 4 Connect the docking station to an AC outlet Label side facing Battery pack down ...

Page 59: ...battery in the computer s battery bay The docking station bay is designed to charge batteries and cannot be used as a power source for your computer or docking station When charging two batteries at the same time the battery in the computer s battery bay has priority over the battery in the docking station s battery bay Use the computer s battery bay to charge the battery if you are in a hurry If ...

Page 60: ...ation you can use both drives at the same time To remove the drive There is an Eject lever on the bottom of the drive Slide the lever in the direction of the arrow and then pull the drive out of the bay Insert the weight saver into the drive bay See Using the Weight Saver on page 42 Do not leave the drive bay empty Turn off the computer before inserting or removing the drive Use of the DVD ROM dri...

Page 61: ...station lever forward into the RELEASE position to disengage the computer from the docking station 4 Lift the computer away from the docking station 5 Close the docking station port cover on the back of your computer Do not remove the computer before the IN USE indicator light turns off Removing the computer before the light turns off may cause a malfunction You cannot remove your computer from th...

Page 62: ... 2 Slide the docking lever forward into the RELEASE position to disengage the computer from the docking station 3 Lift the computer away from the docking station 4 Close the docking station port cover on the back of your computer If the docking station lever does not move insert a thin pointed object into the manual eject hole on the rear of the docking station ...

Page 63: ...or Plug the printer cable supplied with the printer into this port on the computer See the manual that came with your printer for more information on installation and use Before using the printer you may need to change the FDD Printer setting in the Sony Notebook Setup software See Displaying the Sony Notebook Setup Screen on page 63 Printer Power cord Printer cable supplied with the printer to FD...

Page 64: ...page 55 Projector page 56 To connect a computer display Use the symbol on the back of the computer to locate the Monitor connector Plug the display cable into this connector on the back of the computer If necessary plug one end of the display power cord into the display and the other end into an AC outlet See the manual that came with your computer display for more information on installation and ...

Page 65: ...nitor connector Plug the display cable into this connector 2 Use the symbol to locate the Headphone connector Plug the speaker cable into this connector 3 Use the symbol to locate the Microphone connector Plug the microphone cable into this connector See the manual that came with your multimedia computer display for more information on installation and use Multimedia computer display Power cord Di...

Page 66: ...oth devices Use the Fn F7 keys to select a display See also Selecting the Display Mode on page 73 for more information See the manual that came with your projector for more information on installation and use To Press Result Switch to an external display Fn F7 Toggles among the LCD the external display connected to the Monitor connector and both the LCD and external display Projector Power cord Au...

Page 67: ...ouse or keyboard Use the symbol to locate the Mouse Keyboard connector Plug the keyboard cable or mouse cable into this connector with the mark facing up See Using the Keyboard on page 16 for more information on using the keyboard See the manual that came with your mouse or keyboard for more information on installation and use Before you connect or disconnect the mouse or keyboard turn off the com...

Page 68: ...connector Plug the speaker cable into this connector Make sure your speakers are designed for computer use Turn down the volume of the speakers before you turn them on Do not place diskettes on the speakers the speakers magnetic field may damage the data on the diskettes See the manual that came with your speakers for more information on installation and use Speakers Speaker cable supplied with sp...

Page 69: ...g an external microphone To connect an external microphone Use the to locate the Microphone connector Plug the microphone cable into this connector Make sure your microphone is designed for computer use See the manual that came with your microphone for more information on installation and use Microphone to Microphone ...

Page 70: ...t on the computer and into the Digital I O connector on the digital still camera The Sony Digital Still Camera is pictured you may need to connect your camera differently See the manual that came with your digital camera or other serial device for more information on installation and use If you use a digital camera that has an infrared data communication system or other infrared communication devi...

Page 71: ...NK compatible See the manual that came with your digital video camera recorder for more information on installation and use Do not connect more than one digital video camera at a time The software supplied with your computer will not recognize multiple cameras The i LINK connector on the docking station does not supply power to external devices If the external device requires power from the i LINK...

Page 72: ... that allows the computer to enter System Suspend mode or System Hibernation mode your computer may enter System Suspend mode or System Hibernation mode while you are using a USB device such as a USB mouse or a USB keyboard Therefore when using a USB device select the AC Profile or change the profile setting in PowerPanel so that the computer does not enter System Suspend mode or System Hibernatio...

Page 73: ...ings You can also refer to the Sony Notebook Setup Help for more detailed information Displaying the Sony Notebook Setup Screen To display the Sony Notebook Setup screen 1 Click the Start button on the Windows 98 taskbar 2 Point to VAIO and click Sony Notebook Setup 3 Select the tab for the item you want to change See Notebook Setup Tabs on page 64 4 After you finish click OK ...

Page 74: ...u can make your touchpad inactive You can also customize the settings of your mouse using the mouse utility Drive Bay Change the device in the drive bay without turning off the power Power On Password Set the password to secure your computer Enable Ports Change the hardware resources such as I O address IRQ or DMA depending on the optional hardware or software you use Disabling ports releases reso...

Page 75: ...while your computer is accessing a CD ROM DVD ROM or floppy disk Doing so may cause loss of data Be sure to close active applications other than Sony Notebook Setup before changing a device When installing a hard disk drive to the drive bay for the first time it may take several minutes before you are able to use your computer For optimum performance you should turn off your computer when you inse...

Page 76: ...les or you can create your own profile to suit your portable computing needs The predefined profiles are Icon Description Maximum Performance Provides the best system performance while still conserving power Maximum Battery Life Provides power saving features to give you maximum battery life and good performance It slows the computer and puts it into System Suspend mode after a specified time peri...

Page 77: ...tem Suspend Puts the system into System Suspend mode a power management state that saves the state of the system and peripheral devices in memory RAM Power consumption reduces to a minimum and the system remains on To return the system to the active state press any key or the power switch on your computer System Hibernation Provides for the lowest level of power consumption The system writes the s...

Page 78: ...PU at 100 75 50 or 25 of full speed regardless of whether the system is active or inactive Using this command can help conserve battery power PC Card Controls the PC card sockets Click this button to open the PC Card PCMCIA Properties dialog box You can view the properties for the PC cards When the Profiles toolbar is already visible on the desktop double clicking the atom icon hides the toolbar T...

Page 79: ...he bar does not appear click the Start button and point to Tool Center Then point to Notebook Utility and select PowerPanel 2 Right click the Profiles icon for the item you want to change then click Open The Profile Manager starts 3 Double click the item you want to change A list of settings appears with a check mark indicating the current setting 4 Click the desired setting 5 Click the File menu ...

Page 80: ...tart button on the Windows 98 taskbar 2 Point to Tool Center and click BatteryScope The battery icon appears on the taskbar When you move the pointer over the battery icon on the taskbar a tooltip appears indicating the total capacity remaining in the battery and the estimated time until the battery fully discharges You can also view battery gauges on the shared PowerPanel and BatteryScope toolbar...

Page 81: ...tain detailed information about the batteries Click the battery icon on the toolbar to display the BatteryScope window The screen appears displaying the General tab which contains information such as the estimated time to empty and charging time Battery icon Battery status Discharging Charging Not in use No battery ...

Page 82: ...splay information for the battery in the bay on the right side You can display the information about each battery such as estimated time to empty manufacturer capacity and other information To customize the BatteryScope toolbar and alarm system You can customize the BatteryScope toolbar to suit your portable computing needs including modifications to the alarm settings Refer to the BatteryScope He...

Page 83: ...rnal display you can toggle the display mode between the LCD on your computer and external displays 1 Click the Start button on the Windows 98 taskbar 2 Point to Settings and click Control Panel 3 Click Display 4 Click the Settings tab then click the Advanced button 5 Click the NeoMagic tab ...

Page 84: ...re is not available on the PCG 838 If you select CRT Projector you can turn off the computer s LCD display by removing the checkmark from the LCD option under Internal Display If you select CRT Projector and turn off the LCD you can use the Refresh Rate slider to change the display s horizontal frequency This setting can be made only for CRT display If you select Independent Display Timing see pag...

Page 85: ... options External Display Device Monitor Settings Projector Settings 4 Click OK CRT Connects with the external computer display Projector Connects with the projector Independent Display Timing Click to place a checkmark when you want to set the resolution and refresh rate differently from the computer s LCD To change the resolution and refresh rate see the notes to step 6 on page 74 Type Select th...

Page 86: ...e Achieved by graphic accelerator s dithering function External Display Mode Resolution Number of colors 1024 x 768 16 770 000 800 x 600 16 770 000 640 x 480 16 770 000 Resolution Number of colors 1280 x 1024 256 1024 x 768 16 770 000 800 x 600 16 770 000 640 x 480 16 770 000 ...

Page 87: ...an open application window or a toolbar from one display to the other This configuration of a single desktop distributed across separate displays is referred to as a virtual desktop Selecting dual display mode You must restart Windows to use dual display mode Save your work and close any open applications before changing to dual display mode then follow these steps 1 Click the Start button on the ...

Page 88: ...Screen area to change the resolution Click OK or Apply Click OK to confirm that you want to make the changes Customizing the virtual desktop You can customize dual display mode by changing the position of the two desktops that comprise the virtual desktop In the Display Properties screen drag the icons of display 1 or display 2 moving them to a new position relative to each other The two display i...

Page 89: ...ion of the User Guide contains additional information on the preinstalled software titles You can access this guide from the Windows Start menu by selecting Programs VAIO Documentation 4 Manuals and online help files that may accompany your preinstalled software Most of the manuals for preinstalled software are located on your hard disk drive as online help files You can access the online help fil...

Page 90: ...the topics that you want to receive To contact the Sony fax on demand service call 1 888 4SONYPC 1 888 476 6972 Requires a fax machine or your fax software 7 Calling Sony Customer Support You can call and speak with a Sony Customer Support Representative without using your computer by calling 1 888 4SONYPC 1 888 476 6972 Software support is available free of charge for 90 days after the original d...

Page 91: ...sing an external display check that it is plugged into a power source and turned on Check that the brightness and contrast controls are adjusted correctly See the manual that came with your display for details Moisture condensation may have occurred Do not use the computer for at least one hour and then turn on the computer When the internal backup battery is low on power it may not be able to boo...

Page 92: ...xit menu 5 Press the arrow keys to select Get Default Values and then press the Enter key The message Load default configuration now appears 6 Check that Yes is selected then press the Enter key 7 Press the arrow keys to select Exit Save Changes and then press the Enter key The message Save configuration changes and exit now appears 8 Check that Yes is selected then press the Enter key The compute...

Page 93: ...ROM and restart the computer by pressing Ctrl Alt Delete My software program locks up or crashes Contact the software publisher or designated provider for technical support See the online User Guide for a complete list of phone numbers My DVD ROM drive tray does not open Check that the DVD ROM drive is properly inserted Make sure the computer is turned on Press the Eject button on the DVD ROM driv...

Page 94: ... may cause the computer to hang while it tries to read the disc If necessary reboot the computer remove the disc and then check that it is not dirty or damaged For cleaning instructions see On Cleaning CD ROMs and DVD ROMs on page 94 When I click an application icon a message appears such as You must insert the application CD into your CD ROM drive and the software does not start Some titles requi...

Page 95: ... line is working You can check the line by plugging in an ordinary phone and listening for a dial tone Check the PowerPanel modem setting Select Modem On from the PowerPanel toolbar or menu Check that the phone number the program is dialing is correct Check that the software you are using is compatible with the notebook computer modem All preinstalled programs are compatible Call the software publ...

Page 96: ...ned on and that the cables are properly connected If you are using multiple i LINK devices the combination of the connected devices may cause unstable operation In this case turn off the power to all connected devices and disconnect unused devices Check the connection then turn on the power again My touchpad interprets a single tap as a double click Click the Mouse icon in the Control Panel and th...

Page 97: ...t This setting disables the fan See the PowerPanel Help for more information I cannot print The default setting for the printer port mode is correct for most printers If you cannot print try changing the printer port mode In Sony Notebook Setup select the Printer FDD tab If the printer port mode is set to ECP change it to bi directional If the printer port mode is set to bi directional change it t...

Page 98: ...very utility gives you three options Full Restore without Format restores all the software titles that originally came with your computer without formatting the hard disk Full Restore with Format formats the hard disk drive and then restores all the original software Operating System Only restores the Windows 98 operating system the notebook computer utility programs and the device drivers that sh...

Page 99: ...ault Values and then press the Enter key The message Load default configuration now appears 5 Check that Yes is selected then press the Enter key The DVD ROM drive must be inserted in the computer to use the System Recovery CD You cannot use the DVD ROM drive in the docking station You need to complete the Windows 98 registration process when you use the System Recovery CD Make sure you have the p...

Page 100: ...to install Windows NT Workstation 4 0 drivers on your computer To use the Application Recovery CD s 1 Turn on your computer If your computer is already on close all applications 2 When the Windows desktop appears insert the Sony Application Recovery CD in the DVD ROM drive The Application Recovery utility loads automatically 3 When the Application Recovery menu appears select the icon for the appl...

Page 101: ...residual image disappears in a while You can use a screen saver to prevent residual images The screen becomes warm during operation This is normal and does not indicate a malfunction The LCD is manufactured using high precision technology You may however see tiny black points and or bright points red blue or green that continuously appear on the LCD This is a normal result of the manufacturing pro...

Page 102: ... to have the computer checked by qualified personnel before operating it any further Do not drop the computer or place heavy objects on top of the computer On Installation Do not place your computer in a location subject to Heat sources such as radiators or air ducts Direct sunlight Excessive dust Moisture or rain Mechanical vibration or shock Strong magnets or speakers that are not magnetically s...

Page 103: ...to a warm one moisture may condense inside your computer In this case allow at least an hour before turning on your computer If any problems occur unplug your computer and contact your Sony Service Center On Upgrading the System The procedures described in Adding Memory on page 96 assume familiarity with the general terminology associated with personal computers and with the safety practices and r...

Page 104: ... soft cloth with water wring it out well and use it to wipe the surface of the disc from the center out Wipe off any remaining moisture with a dry soft cloth On Using Batteries Never leave the battery pack in temperatures above 140 F 60 C such as under direct sunlight or in a car parked in the sun Battery life is shorter in a cold environment This is due to decreased battery efficiency at low temp...

Page 105: ...our headphone at high volume while walking especially at pedestrian crossings You should exercise extreme caution or discontinue use in potentially hazardous situations Preventing hearing damage Avoid using headphone at high volume Hearing experts advise against continuous loud and extended play If you experience a ringing in your ears reduce the volume or discontinue use On Maintenance Make sure ...

Page 106: ...and remove the battery packs Make sure you observe the proper safety precautions when you install memory modules in your computer See On Upgrading the System on page 93 Be careful when adding memory Mistakes when installing or removing a memory module may cause a malfunction Electrostatic discharge can damage electronic components Before touching a memory expansion board ensure the following You a...

Page 107: ...he cover and tighten the screws 7 Turn on the computer 8 Click the My Computer icon with the right mouse button and select Properties The System Properties screen appears 9 Click the Performance tab to view memory Slide the memory module into the slot The connectors snap into place when the board is correctly seated panel turn counter screw panel screw clockwise turn counter clockwise Connectors 1...

Page 108: ...ter and remove the battery packs 3 Turn your computer upside down and open the cover on the bottom 4 Touch a metal object such as the connector panel on the back of your computer to discharge static electricity 5 Remove the memory module 6 Close the cover Pull the tabs in the direction of the arrows The memory module is released Pull the memory module in the direction of the arrow Performance tab ...

Page 109: ...t is registered electronically prior to the expiry of ninety 90 days from the original date of purchase After the applicable period you must pay for all labor charges 2 Parts For a period of ninety 90 calendar days from the original date of purchase from SONY or a SONY authorized reseller SONY will supply at no charge new or rebuilt at SONY s option replacement parts in exchange for defective part...

Page 110: ...use abuse negligence commercial use or modifications of this Product 2 improper operation or maintenance of this Product 3 connection to improper voltage supply or 4 attempted repair by any party other than a SONY authorized personal computer service facility This Limited Warranty does not apply when the malfunction results from the use of this Product in conjunction with accessories products or a...

Page 111: ... les pièces défectueuses remplacées au titre de cette garantie restreinte deviennent la propriété de SONY Cette garantie restreinte couvre uniquement les composants physiques emballés avec le Produit Elle n inclut pas l assistance technique en rapport avec l utilisation du matériel ou du logiciel et ne couvre aucun logiciel qu il soit ou non fourni avec le Produit Les logiciels sont fournis TELS Q...

Page 112: ...TRE THÉORIE JURIDIQUE EN RAPPORT AVEC CE PRODUIT DE TELS DOMMAGES INCLUENT ENTRE AUTRES LE TEMPS DE L ACHETEUR LA PERTE DE PRODUCTIVITÉ DE REVENUS ET DE PROFITS ET LA PERTE DE DONNÉES OU D UTILISATION DU PRODUIT OU DE TOUT ÉQUIPEMENT CONNEXE SAUF DANS LA LIMITE OÙ LA LOI APPLICABLE L INTERDIT TOUTE GARANTIE TACITE DE VALEUR MARCHANDE OU DE CONVENANCE À UNE FIN PARTICULIÈRE DE CE PRODUIT EST RESTRE...

Page 113: ...to you This warranty gives you specific legal rights which vary from state to state or province to province For information on obtaining warranty service please call SONY at 1 888 4SONYPC 1 888 476 6972 GARANTIE RESTREINTE Au titre de cette garantie restreinte SONY signifie Sony du Canada Ltée pour les produits achetés au Canada et Sony Electronics Inc pour les produits achetés aux États Unis SONY...

Page 114: ...104 ...

Page 115: ...t status 10 indicator lights 5 10 19 40 inserting 9 inserting into battery bay 9 inserting into docking station 48 loading 9 power status 10 rechargeable 8 removing 11 40 41 BatteryScope utility 70 72 brightness adjusting 12 20 built in speakers 5 buttons Eject 26 27 Finish 14 left 5 Play 32 right 5 Start Windows 98 13 63 C cables floppy disk drive 5 phone 5 power cord 8 video 5 cameras digital vi...

Page 116: ...crophone 59 monitor 45 54 mouse 45 multimedia computer display 55 multiple phone lines 44 network 33 45 party phone lines 44 PBX 44 phone line 44 power source 8 printer 53 serial device 60 USB device 62 weight saver 42 connectors DC In 7 8 45 FDD Printer 7 23 53 game 45 headphone 6 i LINK 45 infrared 7 36 keyboard 5 7 45 Line In 6 45 Line Out 45 microphone 5 6 45 monitor 45 mouse 7 45 network 45 p...

Page 117: ...onic documentation 79 Enable Ports tab 64 ergonomic considerations 2 3 Escape key 16 Express Service technical support 15 external devices display 3 56 See also monitor keyboard 57 mouse 57 speakers 58 F faxes laws governing v FDD Printer connector 7 23 45 53 Finish button 14 floppy disk drive 5 bay 7 cable 5 connecting 23 disconnecting 25 troubleshooting 84 Fn key 17 combination commands 20 funct...

Page 118: ...hooting 82 83 left button 5 lever docking station 46 51 Eject 24 25 28 41 42 50 LCD 12 lighting 2 Limited Warranty 99 Limited Warranty card 15 Line In 6 45 Line Out 45 Liquid Crystal Display screen See LCD lithium ion battery disposal v safety precautions v loading battery pack 9 location for computer 2 M maintenance 92 95 Maximum Battery Life power setting 66 Maximum Performance power setting 66 ...

Page 119: ...d 8 indicator light 5 switch 6 12 Power Management toolbar 68 power management settings 66 Power Management Off power setting 66 Power On Device Sequence tab 64 Password tab 64 power saving modes 38 System Hibernation 21 38 System Suspend 38 Video Standby 21 power setting AC Profile 66 Maximum Battery Life 66 Maximum Performance 66 Power Management Off 66 System Hibernation 67 System Suspend 67 Vi...

Page 120: ...ic Advanced tab 64 displaying 63 Drive Bay tab 65 Enable Ports tab 64 Power On Device Sequence tab 64 Power On Password tab 64 Printer tab 64 Touchpad tab 64 setup tabs 64 Shift key 17 Shut Down Windows dialog box 13 Sony Fax on Demand service 80 Sony Notebook Setup screen 63 Sony Notebook Setup utility 23 speakers 5 built in 5 external 58 troubleshooting 84 volume 20 Start button 13 63 starting c...

Page 121: ...nnecting 42 removing 42 Windows 98 Certificate of Authenticity 14 Control Panel 37 Explorer 18 Find window 18 Finish button 14 help 18 key 17 key combinations 18 License Agreement 14 registering 14 setup 14 Setup Wizard screen 14 Start button 13 taskbar 13 83 ...

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