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Summary of Contents for VAIO VGC-RA940GN3

Page 1: ...N User Guide Personal Computer V G C LT 3 0 S e r i e s ...

Page 2: ...Your Computer 20 Shutting Down Your Computer Safely 33 Using Your VAIO Computer 34 Using the Keyboard 35 Using the Mouse 39 Using the Built in MOTION EYE Camera 42 Using the Optical Disc Drive 46 Using the TV Function 57 Using PC Cards 76 Using the ExpressCard Module 79 Using the Memory Stick Media 83 Using Other Memory Cards 89 Using the Internet 92 Using Wireless LAN WLAN 94 ...

Page 3: ...O Control Center 115 Using the Power Saving Mode 116 Upgrading Your VAIO Computer 119 Adding and Removing Memory 120 Adding the Hard Disk Drive 126 Precautions 132 On Handling the LCD Screen 133 On Using the Power Source 134 On Handling Your Computer 135 On Using the Built in MOTION EYE Camera 137 On Handling Floppy Disks 138 On Handling Discs 139 On Using Headphones 141 On Handling Memory Stick M...

Page 4: ...net 158 Networking 160 Optical Discs 163 Display 168 Printing 169 Microphone 170 Mouse 172 Speakers 173 Keyboard 175 Floppy Disks 176 PC Cards 177 Audio Video 179 Memory Stick Media 182 Peripherals 183 Support Options 184 Sony Support Information 185 Program Support Information 188 Trademarks 199 ...

Page 5: ...ter and welcome to the on screen User Guide Sony has combined leading edge technology in audio video computing and communications to provide state of the art personal computing experience External views illustrated in this manual may look slightly different from those of your computer ...

Page 6: ...ctively reduce energy consumption For detailed information on the ENERGY STAR Program visit the following Web sites http www energystar gov USA http www eu energystar org Europe This computer is designed based on the ENERGY STAR standards and delivered with the following power saving settings The LCD backlight is turned off automatically after inactivity of about 15 minutes The computer enters Sle...

Page 7: ...information on solving common problems To go to Web sites described in this manual by clicking their respective URLs beginning with http your computer must be connected to the Internet Specifications The online specifications describe the hardware and software configurations of your VAIO computer To view the online specifications 1 Connect to the Internet 2 Go to the Sony online support Web site a...

Page 8: ...ginal factory installed settings To access this on screen guide 1 Click Start and Help and Support 2 Click Manuals Specifications 3 Click VAIO Recovery Center User Guide Media Center User Guide Selected models only Provides information about using Windows Media Center To access this on screen guide 1 Click Start and Help and Support 2 Click Manuals Specifications 3 Click Media Center User Guide ...

Page 9: ...on and various links to VAIO online support Web sites Backup Recovery Find information on how to back up and restore your operating system system software and your personal data Wireless Networking Learn about wireless connections including Bluetooth Wireless technology and Wireless LAN Run utilities that include VAIO Media Setup and Windows Network and Sharing Center and access to wireless tutori...

Page 10: ...benefits Your computer will be registered with Sony Product Support You will receive an e coupon good for purchase of eligible accessories at SonyStyle com Extended Service Plan Sony VAIO products come with a 1 year Limited Warranty Protect your investment further by purchasing an optional Extended Service Plan ...

Page 11: ... position 3 while using the keyboard pointing device or external mouse Let your upper arms hang naturally at your sides Have breaks during sessions with your computer Excessive use of the computer may strain eyes muscles or tendons Furniture and posture Sit in a chair with good back support Adjust the level of the chair so your feet are flat on the floor A footrest may make you more comfortable Si...

Page 12: ...gle do not exert excessive pressure on your computer especially on the center of the speaker grill to eliminate a risk of mechanical damage Lighting Choose a location where windows and lights do not cause glare and reflection on the display Use indirect lighting to avoid bright spots on the display Proper lighting adds to your comfort and work efficiency Ventilation Make sure you leave at least 4 ...

Page 13: ...th your computer Be sure to start up your computer with only the supplied accessories connected and set up your system Upon completion connect one device for example a printer an external hard disk drive a scanner and so on at a time following the manufacturers instructions Locating Controls and Ports page 14 About the Indicator Lights page 19 Setting Up Your Computer page 20 Shutting Down Your Co...

Page 14: ...or areas Front A Built in speakers stereo B Built in MOTION EYE camera indicator page 19 C Built in MOTION EYE camera page 42 D Built in microphone monaural E Power indicator page 19 F DISPLAY OFF button Press this button to turn off the LCD backlight G Power button H Remote sensor Point the supplied remote commander to this sensor for operations I SONY logo lamp page 115 J LCD screen page 133 K H...

Page 15: ...ge 105 C Microphone jack Connect an external microphone D Line In jack Connect an external audio device for audio input E OPTICAL OUT port Output Sampling Rate 44 1 KHz 48 0 KHz 96 0 KHz Connect an S PDIF compatible device such as digital headphones or an AV amplifier F Hi Speed USB USB 2 0 ports page 102 G Prop up stand Support high full low speeds ...

Page 16: ...F Network Ethernet port page 107 G Cable clamps page 24 H Subwoofer speaker for bass frequencies I INFRARED TRANSMITTER OUT jack page 74 J S VIDEO input port page 67 K A V INPUT jack page 67 L WLAN Wireless LAN switch page 94 M CONNECT button page 25 page 28 N VHF UHF input port page 57 O HDTV ATSC input port page 64 On selected models only ...

Page 17: ...17 n N Getting Started Right A Optical disc drive page 46 B Optical disc drive indicator page 19 C Drive eject button page 47 D Hi Speed USB USB 2 0 ports page 102 Support high full low speeds ...

Page 18: ...C ExpressCard 34 slot page 80 D Memory Stick slot page 85 E Media Access indicator page 19 F SD memory card slot page 90 G Headphones jack Connect external headphones or speakers H WLAN Wireless LAN indicator page 19 Your computer supports both standard and Duo size Memory Stick media ...

Page 19: ...in MOTION EYE camera is in use Media Access Illuminates when data is read from or written to a memory card Do not enter Sleep mode or turn off the computer when this indicator is on When the indicator is off the memory card is not being used DISPLAY OFF Illuminates in orange when the LCD backlight is turned off Optical disc drive Illuminates when data is read from or written to the optical disc me...

Page 20: ...omputer you need first to remove the back panel cover from the computer To remove the back panel cover 1 Gently face down your computer When facing down your computer be sure to place it on a soft cloth to avoid damage to the LCD screen 2 Grasp the back panel cover 1 with both hands gently pull it off and move the cover toward the base of the computer ...

Page 21: ...1 through the opening of the back panel cover 2 2 Fit the projections inside the cover into the respective holes on the back of the computer and push in the cover toward the computer Be sure to keep the back panel cover on the computer unless access to the back panel is necessary ...

Page 22: ...wer Source You need an AC adapter to connect to an AC power source and it must be plugged into the power source before you can establish communication with your wireless keyboard and mouse Use your computer only with the supplied AC adapter ...

Page 23: ...placing the Back Panel Cover page 20 for the procedure 2 Plug one end of the power cord 1 into the AC adapter 3 3 Plug the other end of the power cord into an AC outlet 2 4 Plug the cable connected to the AC adapter 3 into the DC IN port 4 on the computer The shape of the DC In plug varies depending on the AC adapter ...

Page 24: ...eep them tidy Snap open the cable clamp route the cables through it and then snap the cable clamp back shut as shown below To disconnect your computer completely from AC power unplug the AC adapter when the computer is off Make sure that the AC outlets are easily accessible If you unplug the AC adapter from your computer while the computer is on or in Sleep mode you may lose all unsaved data ...

Page 25: ...compartment 2 on the bottom of the wireless keyboard 2 Remove the back panel cover from the computer See Removing and Replacing the Back Panel Cover page 20 for the procedure 3 Turn on the computer 4 Slide the POWER switch 3 at the top of the keyboard to the ON position 5 Press the CONNECT button 4 on the back of the computer 6 Press the CONNECT button 5 on the bottom of the keyboard The connect i...

Page 26: ...26 n N Getting Started 7 Replace the back panel cover See Removing and Replacing the Back Panel Cover page 20 for the procedure ...

Page 27: ...vel If the wireless keyboard does not operate properly the batteries may need to be replaced If the wireless keyboard is not being used for an extended period of time remove the batteries to avoid possible damage from battery leakage If you want to put the wireless keyboard in a more ergonomic position flip open the keyboard feet ...

Page 28: ...use not working for example after replacement of the mouse batteries try the following steps for reconnection To connect the wireless mouse To connect the wireless mouse it must be located within a range of approximately 11 8 inches 30 cm to approximately 39 4 inches 1 m from the computer 1 Insert the supplied two AA batteries into the wireless mouse as shown below 2 Remove the back panel cover fr...

Page 29: ... bottom of the mouse to the ON position 5 Press the CONNECT button 1 on the back of the computer 6 Press the CONNECT button on the bottom of the mouse within 10 seconds from step 5 Communication between the mouse and the computer should now be established ...

Page 30: ...acing the Back Panel Cover page 20 for the procedure If the wireless mouse does not operate properly the batteries may need to be replaced If the wireless mouse is not being used for an extended period of time remove the batteries to avoid possible damage from battery leakage ...

Page 31: ...nting standard 100 mm x 100 mm and is equipped with four holes on its back panel for connecting to your mounting system To reveal the VESA mounting holes 1 Remove the back panel cover from the computer See Removing and Replacing the Back Panel Cover page 20 for the procedure 2 Unscrew the six screws 1 and remove the prop up stand 2 ...

Page 32: ...32 n N Getting Started 3 Use the four holes 3 for mounting by following the instructions described in the manual that came with your mounting system ...

Page 33: ... as described below To shut down your computer 1 Turn off any peripherals connected to the computer 2 Click Start the arrow next to the Lock button and Shut Down 3 Respond to any prompts warning you to save documents or to consider other users and wait for the computer to turn off automatically The power indicator light turns off ...

Page 34: ... Keyboard page 35 Using the Mouse page 39 Using the Built in MOTION EYE Camera page 42 Using the Optical Disc Drive page 46 Using the TV Function page 57 Using PC Cards page 76 Using the ExpressCard Module page 79 Using the Memory Stick Media page 83 Using Other Memory Cards page 89 Using the Internet page 92 Using Wireless LAN WLAN page 94 ...

Page 35: ...yboard not working after replacement of the keyboard batteries reconnect the keyboard See Connecting the Wireless Keyboard page 25 for the detailed procedure Avoid using any wireless devices that exchange radio signals on the 2 4 GHz frequency band near the wireless keyboard These devices may cause interference causing the keyboard to stop working properly Do not place metal furniture or objects n...

Page 36: ...to magnify restore your computer s screen view B Muting button Turns the volume on and off C Volume control buttons Increase or decrease the volume D Shortcut buttons Perform the pre assigned tasks The default tasks are as follows S1 Opens the Media Center Start menu or launches Windows Mail S2 Launches Internet Explorer S3 Ejects the optical disc from the drive The default S button assignments ma...

Page 37: ...s wear out Num lock Turns on while in the Num Lock state Caps lock Turns on while in the Caps Lock state Scroll lock Turns on while in the Scroll Lock state Connect Turns on while connection between the computer and the wireless keyboard is in place to indicate that the keyboard is ready for use page 25 H Windows key Displays the Start menu I Applications key Displays a shortcut menu in certain so...

Page 38: ... Computer A Keyboard feet Flip open to adjust the keyboard angle B CONNECT button page 25 Press to enable the wireless keyboard to communicate with the computer C Battery compartment Storage compartment for the AA batteries ...

Page 39: ...ee Connecting the Wireless Mouse page 28 for the detailed procedure Avoid using any wireless devices that exchange radio signals on the 2 4 GHz frequency band near the wireless mouse These devices may cause interference causing the mouse to stop working properly Use surfaces such as plain paper card stock or fabric that have minimal repetitive patterns Avoid surfaces such as mirrors smooth glass o...

Page 40: ... action and control the movement by moving the entire mouse the scroll function is available only with applications that support it C Right button Press the right button once to display a context sensitive shortcut menu not always an active function D Power switch Slide the switch to turn the mouse on and off This will help you save battery power E CONNECT button page 28 Press to enable communicat...

Page 41: ...41 n N Using Your VAIO Computer Adjusting the Mouse Functions 1 Click Start and Control Panel 2 Click Mouse under Hardware and Sound The Mouse Properties window appears 3 Change the settings ...

Page 42: ...nce using such software Note that launching or exiting your instant messaging or video editing software does not activate or deactivate the built in MOTION EYE camera respectively The built in MOTION EYE camera cannot be shared by more than one software application If another software application is using the camera exit the application before using the built in MOTION EYE camera You can change th...

Page 43: ...r window may show some noise for example horizontal streaks if you view a rapid moving object This is normal and does not indicate a malfunction You cannot operate the built in MOTION EYE camera with the Microsoft Windows Movie Maker software ...

Page 44: ...t 4 Click the CAPTURE button below the displayed image The current image in the finder view is captured and its thumbnail image is added to the thumbnail view in the left pane of the main window When capturing an image in a dark place click the WebCam Settings icon after step 2 and select the low light or low light compensation option in the properties window WebCam Companion 2 provides many more ...

Page 45: ...displayed image to start movie recording 5 When finished click the Record Video button once again to stop movie recording The first scene of the captured movie is added to the thumbnail view in the left pane of the main window When capturing a movie in a dark place click the WebCam Settings icon after step 2 and select the low light or low light compensation option in the properties window WebCam ...

Page 46: ...efore inserting the disc into the optical disc drive slot Slide the disc straight into the slot so as not to apply excessive pressure to the disc or slot 1 Turn on the computer 2 With the label side facing toward you slide a disc into the optical disc drive slot If you plan to use an external optical disc drive connect the drive before you launch any preinstalled disc operation program ...

Page 47: ...sc forcefully before it completely slides out 1 Check that the optical disc drive indicator 1 is off 2 Press the drive eject button 2 or the S3 button on the wireless keyboard The optical disc slides out Alternatively you can remove a disc with some mouse operations To do so click Start and Computer right click the optical disc drive icon and select Eject If pressing either button does not slide t...

Page 48: ... Your computer plays and records CDs DVDs and Blu ray Disc media depending on the model you purchased Check your specifications for the type of optical disc drive installed on your model Use the table below to see which types of media your optical disc drive supports ...

Page 49: ...scs 2 6 GB compliant with DVD RAM Version 1 0 is not supported DVD RAM Version 2 2 12X SPEED DVD RAM Revision 5 0 disc is not supported 5 Writing data to DVD R DL Double Layer discs is available only on discs supporting DVD R DL Double Layer recording 6 Writing data to DVD R DL Dual Layer discs is available only on discs supporting DVD R DL Dual Layer recording 7 Supports writing data to BD R Vers...

Page 50: ...our computer s optical disc drives Sony does NOT guarantee the compatibility of VAIO CD drives with discs that are not compliant with the official CD format standard or DVD standard in relation to DVD drives or Blu ray Disc standard in relation to Blu ray Disc drives USING NON COMPLIANT DISCS CAN CAUSE FATAL DAMAGE TO YOUR VAIO PC OR CREATE SOFTWARE CONFLICTS AND CAUSE SYSTEM HANGING For inquiries...

Page 51: ...on settings are required for some contents on DVDs and BD ROM Disc media If the region setting on the optical disc drive does not match the region coding on the disc playback is not possible Unless your external display is compliant with the High bandwidth Digital Content Protection HDCP standard you cannot play or view the contents on copyright protected Blu ray Disc media Some contents may restr...

Page 52: ...iting data to a disc Deactivate the screen saver and exit anti virus software before writing data to a disc Do not use memory resident utility software while writing data to a disc This may cause your computer to malfunction Before using your software application to burn discs make sure you exit and close all other applications Do not place your computer into the power saving mode while using the ...

Page 53: ... or DVD RAM media Do not use memory resident utility software to speed up disc access when playing a disc This may cause your computer to malfunction Do not place your computer into the power saving mode while your computer is playing a disc Region code indicators are labeled on the DVDs to indicate in which region and on what type of player you can play the disc If the DVD is labeled all this mea...

Page 54: ...appears click to select an option Copying Files to CDs To copy files to a disc Do not strike or shake your computer while writing data to a disc 1 Insert a disc into the optical disc drive If the AutoPlay window appears click Burn files to disc and follow the on screen instructions until the empty disc folder appears 2 Open the folder that contains the file s you want to copy and drag them to the ...

Page 55: ...ay the DVD For instructions on how to use the software see the help file on your DVD software Copying Files to DVDs To copy files to a disc 1 Close all running software applications 2 Insert a disc into the optical disc drive 3 If nothing appears on the desktop then click Start All Programs and the desired DVD burning software to copy files to the disc For instructions on how to use the software s...

Page 56: ...ctions on how to use the software see the help file on your software Copying Files to Blu ray Disc Media The Blu ray Disc writing function is available on selected models only See the online specifications to find out the type of your optical disc drive and then Reading and Writing Optical Discs page 48 to find out about the supported disc media To copy files to a Blu ray Disc media 1 Connect the ...

Page 57: ...ner board configuration For details on the external digital cable tuner see the manual that came with the tuner Windows Media Center provides you with a wide range of TV DVD and video viewing as well as music recording and playback This section describes how to set up your TV set top box and other equipment See the on screen Media Center User Guide for more information on Windows Media Center feat...

Page 58: ...ble service access or a TV antenna is the TV coaxial cable 1 One end connects to the computer s VHF UHF input port and the other end connects to the cable service access or to the antenna Note that only one TV coaxial cable is supplied with models with the TV tuner board If your computer is not equipped with the VHF UHF input port and is delivered with an external digital cable tuner see the manua...

Page 59: ...nnecting to standard cable access CATV To connect in CATV mode Option 1 1 Connect one end of the TV coaxial cable 1 supplied to your cable service access wall outlet 2 2 Connect the other end to the VHF UHF input port 3 on the computer ...

Page 60: ...on a 75 ohm 300 ohm RCA transformer cable 1 not supplied to the screw type grips at your cable service access wall outlet 2 2 Connect one end of the TV coaxial cable 3 supplied to the transformer end of the RCA transformer cable 1 Connect the other end to the VHF UHF input port 4 on the computer ...

Page 61: ... access CATV page 59 Depending on the type of antenna system in your home your connection may require a VHF UHF RF combiner transformer not supplied to connect the computer and the indoor outdoor antenna system If you are connecting to an indoor outdoor antenna you may need to reorient the antenna for best reception Move the antenna cable away from other power sources or connectors to reduce signa...

Page 62: ...lied to your antenna outlet 2 Connect the other end to a VHF UHF RF combiner transformer 3 not supplied 2 Connect a coaxial cable feed connector 4 not supplied to the VHF UHF RF combiner transformer 3 3 Connect one end of another TV coaxial cable 5 supplied to the feed connector 4 Connect the other end to the VHF UHF input port 6 on the computer ...

Page 63: ...crew type grips at your antenna outlet 2 Connect the other end to the grips on a VHF UHF RF combiner transformer 3 not supplied 2 Connect a coaxial cable feed connector 4 not supplied to the VHF UHF RF combiner transformer 3 3 Connect one end of the TV coaxial cable 5 supplied to the feed connector 4 Connect the other end to the VHF UHF input port 6 on the computer ...

Page 64: ... receiving the over the air signals transmitted by a digital TV broadcasting system you can connect it to receive these signals for digital televisions for example high definition TVs 1 Connect one end of the TV coaxial cable 1 supplied to an ATSC antenna not supplied 2 2 Connect the other end to the HDTV ATSC input port 3 on the computer ...

Page 65: ...to change TV channels if the device is capable of controlling the STB To connect in STB mode Option 1 1 Connect one end of a TV coaxial cable 1 not supplied to your cable service access wall outlet 2 Connect the other end to the VHF UHF IN port on the back panel of your set top box STB 3 2 Connect a second TV coaxial cable 4 not supplied to the VHF UHF OUT port on the set top box STB 3 Connect the...

Page 66: ...66 n N Using Your VAIO Computer ...

Page 67: ...the VHF UHF input port 5 on the rear of your TV monitor or display 3 Connect one end of a stereo A V cable with triple RCA plugs 6 not supplied to the Composite Audio Out L R jacks 7 and the Video Out jack 8 on the back panel of your set top box STB 3 matching the plug and jack colors Connect the other end to the A V INPUT jack 9 on the computer 4 If you prefer better video quality connect one end...

Page 68: ...68 n N Using Your VAIO Computer ...

Page 69: ...VAIO Computer Using the Remote Commander If your computer supports the TV function then a remote commander is supplied with the computer for using a wide variety of AV related software applications including Media Center ...

Page 70: ...ia forward for example one audio track one DVD chapter and 30 seconds of recorded TV or video Replay b button Press to move media backward for example one audio track one DVD chapter and 7 seconds of TV or video Rewind m button Press to move media backward at three speeds Record z button Press to begin recording Play N button Press to begin media playback B Back button Press to return to the previ...

Page 71: ...o view additional options that are available for features on software applications such as Media Center M Directional arrow buttons Press the M m and buttons to move the pointer on the screen OK button Press to select the desired action or window option When watching full screen TV press to return to the previous channel Press again to switch between channels N Muting button Press to turn off the ...

Page 72: ...ander you need to insert the supplied AA manganese batteries to enable communication between the computer and the remote commander To insert batteries 1 Turn the remote commander over 2 Slightly push down the dented area 1 slide the battery cover in the direction of the arrow and remove the cover ...

Page 73: ...mander and slide it in the reverse direction of the arrow illustrated above until the cover clicks into place If the remote commander does not operate properly you may need to replace the batteries When the remote commander is not going to be used for an extended period of time remove the batteries to avoid possible damage from battery leakage ...

Page 74: ...x you can attach the remote sensor control to the set top box which enables you to control the set top box with the remote commander 1 Plug the cable from the remote sensor control 1 into the INFRARED TRANSMITTER OUT jack 2 on the computer 2 Remove the adhesive tape cover from the bottom of the remote sensor control 1 ...

Page 75: ...e sensor control 1 onto the set top box 3 near the infrared sensor 4 Do not cover the infrared sensor when attaching the remote sensor control The remote sensor must be visible in a line of sight with the remote commander in order to function properly ...

Page 76: ...omputer before inserting or removing a PC Card To insert a PC Card 1 Locate the PC Card slot page 18 2 Insert the PC Card into the PC Card slot Make sure that the back of the PC Card is facing toward you Make sure that the arrow on the PC Card is pointing toward the PC Card slot 3 Gently push the PC Card into the slot all the way to the end The PC Card is automatically detected by your system The ...

Page 77: ...t the device connected to your system through the PC Card is not recognized Restart your system to correct the problem Make sure you use the latest software driver provided by the PC Card manufacturer Do not force a PC Card into the slot It may damage the connector pins If you have difficulty inserting a PC Card check that you are inserting the PC Card in the correct direction See the manual that ...

Page 78: ...nplug 3 Click Stop The Stop a Hardware device window appears 4 Confirm that the device can be safely removed from the system 5 Click OK A message appears stating it is now safe to remove the hardware device 6 Click OK 7 Click Close to close the Safely Remove Hardware window 8 Push the PC Card release button so that the release button pops out 9 Push the PC Card release button a second time so that...

Page 79: ...meras camcorders music players and other audio video devices The former can accommodate either an ExpressCard 34 34mm wide or ExpressCard 54 54mm wide module as shown below and the latter an ExpressCard 34 module only Your computer is equipped with an ExpressCard 34 slot Referred to as the ExpressCard slot and the ExpressCard module in this manual ExpressCard 34 module ExpressCard 54 module ...

Page 80: ...ore inserting or removing the ExpressCard module To insert an ExpressCard module 1 Locate the ExpressCard slot page 18 2 Push the ExpressCard slot protector to pop it out 3 Gently take hold of the ExpressCard slot protector and pull it out of the slot 4 Carefully slide the ExpressCard module into the slot until it clicks into place Make sure that the back of the ExpressCard module is facing toward...

Page 81: ...pressCard module Before moving your computer be sure to insert the ExpressCard slot protector into the slot If the module or adapter does not go into the slot easily remove it gently and verify you are inserting it in the proper direction Make sure you use the most recent software driver provided by the ExpressCard module manufacturer ...

Page 82: ...ssCard module To remove an ExpressCard module when your computer is off skip steps 1 to 4 1 Double click the Safely Remove Hardware icon on the taskbar 2 Select the hardware you want to unplug 3 Click Stop 4 Follow the on screen instructions to remove the ExpressCard module 5 Push in the ExpressCard module toward the computer so that the module pops out 6 Gently take hold of the ExpressCard module...

Page 83: ...tick media is a compact portable and versatile IC recording media especially designed for exchanging and sharing digital data with compatible products such as digital cameras mobile phones and other devices Because it is removable it can be used for external data storage ...

Page 84: ...nd compatible with Sony branded Memory Stick media with capacity of up to 16 GB that are available as of January 2008 However not all Memory Stick media that meet the same specifications as the compatible media are guaranteed of compatibility Inserting a Memory Stick media with multiple conversion adapters is not guaranteed of compatibility MagicGate is the general name of the copyright protection...

Page 85: ...stem and the contents on the Memory Stick media are displayed If nothing appears on the desktop click Start Computer and double click the Memory Stick media icon Be sure to hold the Memory Stick media with the arrow pointing in the correct direction as you insert it into the slot To avoid damaging your computer or the Memory Stick media do not force the Memory Stick media into the slot if you cann...

Page 86: ...tting the media Formatting the Memory Stick media erases the entire data on the media Before formatting the media make sure that it does not contain your valuable data Do not remove the Memory Stick media from the slot while formatting the media This could cause a malfunction 1 Carefully slide the Memory Stick media into the slot until it clicks into place 2 Click Start and Computer to open the Co...

Page 87: ...87 n N Using Your VAIO Computer 5 Click Start 6 Follow the on screen instructions It may take time to format the Memory Stick media depending on the media ...

Page 88: ...the computer The Memory Stick media ejects 3 Pull the Memory Stick media out of the slot Always remove the Memory Stick media gently or it may pop out unexpectedly Do not remove the Memory Stick media while the Media Access indicator light is on If you do you may lose data Large volumes of data may take time to load so be sure the indicator is off before removing the Memory Stick media ...

Page 89: ... 2008 However not all memory card media that meet the same specifications as the compatible media are guaranteed of compatibility Always insert the correct memory card into the SD memory card slot SD memory cards with capacity of up to 2 GB and SDHC memory cards with capacity of up to 16 GB have been tested and found compatible with your computer The SD memory card slot on your computer does not s...

Page 90: ...ge 18 2 Hold the memory card with the arrow pointing toward the memory card slot 3 Carefully slide the memory card into the slot until it clicks into place Do not force the card into the slot If the memory card does not go into the slot easily remove it gently and verify you are inserting it in the proper direction ...

Page 91: ... memory card while the Media Access indicator light is on If you do the card or its data may become damaged To remove a memory card 1 Check that the Media Access indicator light is off 2 Firmly grasp the extended part of the memory card 3 Carefully pull it out of the slot ...

Page 92: ... See Removing and Replacing the Back Panel Cover page 20 for the procedure 1 Plug one end of the phone cable 1 into the modem port on the computer 2 Plug the other end into the wall jack 2 Your computer does not work with party lines cannot be connected to a coin operated telephone and may not work with multiple telephone lines or a private branch exchange PBX Some of these connections may result ...

Page 93: ... To set up a dial up connection to the Internet 1 Click Start and Control Panel 2 Click Connect to the Internet under Network and Internet The Connect to the Internet window appears 3 Click Dial up 4 Follow the on screen instructions ...

Page 94: ... WPA2 and WPA are specifications of standards based interoperable security enhancements that increase the level of data protection and access control for existing Wi Fi networks WPA has been designed to be forward compatible with the IEEE 802 11i specification It utilizes the enhanced data encryption TKIP Temporal Key Integrity Protocol in addition to user authentication using 802 1X and EAP Exten...

Page 95: ...vices is also used by other various devices Although technologies to minimize interference from other devices that use the same bandwidth are employed on wireless LAN compatible devices such interference may cause lower communication speed narrower communication range or broken wireless connections The communication speed varies depending on the distance between communication devices existence of ...

Page 96: ... or access point Each device communicates directly with other devices in the network You can set up an ad hoc network easily at home If the wireless connection is initiated by the VAIO computer channel 11 will be selected by default If the wireless connection is initiated by peer wireless LAN equipment the wireless LAN communication will make use of the channel selected by the peer wireless LAN eq...

Page 97: ... Turn on the WLAN switch 2 Click Start All Programs and VAIO Control Center 3 Double click Network Connections and VAIO Smart Network For information on the VAIO Smart Network software see the help file on the software 4 Click the button next to or above your desired wireless option s Make sure the Wireless LAN indicator is lit 5 Click Start and Control Panel 6 Click View network status and tasks ...

Page 98: ...he Sony Access Point The access point bridges the wireless and wired LAN and acts as a central controller for the wireless LAN The access point coordinates transmission and reception from multiple wireless devices within a specific range The access point will select which channel to use on an infrastructure network For details on how to select the channel that will be used by the access point see ...

Page 99: ...r 4 Double click Network Connections and VAIO Smart Network For information on the VAIO Smart Network software see the help file on the software 5 Click the button next to or above your desired wireless option s Make sure the Wireless LAN indicator is lit 6 Right click or on the taskbar and select Connect to a network 7 Select the desired access point and click Connect For WPA PSK or WPA2 PSK auth...

Page 100: ...LAN Communication To stop wireless LAN communication Click the button next to or above the WLAN icon in the VAIO Smart Network window Turning off the wireless LAN functionality while accessing remote documents files or resources may result in data loss ...

Page 101: ...vices You can add functionality to your VAIO computer by using the various ports on the computer Connecting a Universal Serial Bus USB Device page 102 Connecting a Printer page 104 Connecting an i LINK Device page 105 Connecting to a Network LAN page 107 ...

Page 102: ... devices connected Connecting a USB Floppy Disk Drive You can purchase a USB floppy disk drive and connect it to your computer To connect a USB floppy disk drive 1 Choose the USB port 1 you prefer to use 2 Plug the USB floppy disk drive cable 2 into the USB port Your USB floppy disk drive 3 is now ready for use When using a USB floppy disk drive do not apply force on the USB port This may cause a ...

Page 103: ... malfunction To disconnect a USB floppy disk drive To disconnect a USB floppy disk drive when your computer is off skip steps 1 to 5 1 Close all programs accessing the floppy disk drive 2 Double click the Safely Remove Hardware icon on the taskbar 3 Select the floppy disk drive you want to unplug 4 Click Stop 5 Follow the on screen instructions to remove the floppy disk drive 6 Disconnect the flop...

Page 104: ...ter Using the USB Port You can connect a USB printer compatible with your version of Windows to the computer To connect a printer using the USB port 1 Plug the power cord 1 of your printer into an AC outlet 2 Choose the USB port 3 you prefer to use 3 Plug one end of a USB printer cable 2 not supplied into the USB port and the other end to your printer ...

Page 105: ...ver the actual transfer rate depends on the transfer rate of the external device The optional i LINK cables may not be available in some countries or areas An i LINK connection with other compatible devices is not fully guaranteed The i LINK connection varies depending on the software applications operating system and i LINK compatible devices you use See the manual that came with your software fo...

Page 106: ...uter and the other end into the DV In Out port 3 on the digital video camcorder On Sony digital video cameras ports labeled DV Out DV In Out or i LINK are i LINK compatible The Sony digital video camcorder shown here is an example your digital video camcorder may need to be connected differently You cannot access the pictures stored on a Memory Stick media when using an i LINK connection ...

Page 107: ...he network Ethernet port on the back of the computer and the other end to your network For detailed settings and devices needed to connect to the network ask your network administrator You need to remove the back panel cover from the computer to access the network Ethernet port See Removing and Replacing the Back Panel Cover page 20 for the procedure Your computer can be connected to the network w...

Page 108: ...nnector is connected to the telephone lines mentioned below high electric current to the connector may cause damage overheating or fire Home intercom speakerphone or business use telephone lines multi line business telephone Public telephone subscriber line PBX private branch exchange Do not plug a telephone cable into the network port ...

Page 109: ...scribes how to change the main settings of your VAIO computer Among other things you will learn how to use and customize the look of your Sony software and utilities etc Setting the Password page 110 Setting Up Your Computer with VAIO Control Center page 115 Using the Power Saving Mode page 116 ...

Page 110: ...d Use one of the BIOS functions to set the password Once you have set the password you will be prompted to enter the password after the VAIO logo appears to start your computer The power on password allows you to protect your computer from unauthorized access ...

Page 111: ...keep it safe and private from other people If you forget the power on password and need assistance to reset it a password reset fee will be charged and your computer may need to be sent in for depot service for password reset To add the power on password machine password 1 Turn on the computer 2 Press the F2 key when the VAIO logo appears The BIOS setup screen appears If not restart the computer a...

Page 112: ...key several times when the VAIO logo appears 3 Enter the machine password and press the Enter key 4 Press the or key to select Security to display the Security tab select Set User Password and then press the Enter key 5 On the password entry screen enter the password twice and press the Enter key The password can be up to 32 alphanumeric characters including spaces long 6 Press the or key to selec...

Page 113: ...nter the machine password and press the Enter key 4 Press the or key to select Security to display the Security tab select Set Machine Password and then press the Enter key 5 On the password entry screen enter the current password once and a new password twice and then press the Enter key To remove the password leave the Enter New Password and Confirm New Password fields blank and press the Enter ...

Page 114: ...word and press the Enter key 4 Press the or key to select Security to display the Security tab select Set User Password and then press the Enter key 5 On the password entry screen enter the current password once and a new password twice and then press the Enter key To remove the password leave the Enter New Password and Confirm New Password fields blank and press the Enter key 6 Press the or key t...

Page 115: ...k OK The setting of the desired item has been changed For more information about each option see the help file on VAIO Control Center Some of the control items will not be visible if you open VAIO Control Center as a standard user Changing the default SONY logo lamp activity The SONY logo lamp illuminates when you turn on your computer You can change this default activity of the lamp to make it st...

Page 116: ...urn off specific devices your computer has a distinct power saving mode called Sleep mode Using Normal Mode This is the normal state of the computer when it is in use The green power indicator light is on in this mode To save power while not working you can turn off a specific device such as the LCD screen or the hard disk drive ...

Page 117: ...tively you can press the sleep button on the wireless keyboard or the remote commander to place your computer into Sleep mode When your computer is in Sleep mode you cannot insert a disc To return to Normal mode Press any key on the wireless keyboard or the sleep button on the remote commander Press the power button on your computer Make sure that the batteries of your wireless keyboard and remote...

Page 118: ...enter Sleep mode To modify this you can change the Sleep mode settings To change the Sleep mode settings 1 Click Start Control Panel Hardware and Sound and Power Options 2 Click Change plan settings under the current power plan 3 Change the time to place the computer into Sleep mode and click Save Changes ...

Page 119: ...all a new memory module You should not install it yourself if you are not familiar with upgrading memory on a computer You should not touch the connectors or open the memory module compartment cover For the type of module and the amount of memory installed on your model see the online specifications For assistance contact an authorized Sony Service Center To find the nearest center or agent see So...

Page 120: ...owing The procedures described in this document assume user familiarity with the general terminology associated with personal computers and with the safety practice and regulatory compliance requirements for using and modifying electronic equipment Turn off your computer and disconnect it from its power source that is AC adapter and from any telecommunication links networks or modems before you re...

Page 121: ...and any repair costs will not be covered by the warranty Do not place the memory module in a location subject to Heat sources such as radiators or air ducts Direct sunlight Excessive dust Mechanical vibration or shock Strong magnets or speakers that are not magnetically shielded Ambient temperature of more than 95 F 35 C or less than 41 F 5 C High humidity Handle the memory module with care To avo...

Page 122: ...devices from the accessible ports and jacks 2 Remove the back panel cover from the computer See Removing and Replacing the Back Panel Cover page 20 for the procedure 3 Disconnect the AC adapter and the rest of the peripheral devices 4 Wait until the computer cools down 5 Unscrew the screw 1 and remove the memory module compartment cover 2 6 Touch a metal object to discharge static electricity ...

Page 123: ...er 7 Remove the currently installed memory module as follows Pull the latches in the direction of the arrows 1 The memory module is released Make sure that the memory module tilts up and then pull it out in the direction of the arrow 2 ...

Page 124: ...to the slot while aligning the notch on the module with the small projection in the open slot 10 Replace the memory module compartment cover and tighten the screw 11 Connect the AC adapter and the peripheral devices that you disconnected in step 3 12 Replace the back panel cover See Removing and Replacing the Back Panel Cover page 20 for the procedure 13 Plug the computer to the power source and c...

Page 125: ... Turn on the computer 2 Click Start All Programs and VAIO Control Center 3 Double click the System Information icon under the System Information folder You can view the amount of system memory If the additional memory does not appear repeat the whole installation procedure and restart the computer ...

Page 126: ...ter Contact the manufacturer of your hard disk for compatibility with VAIO computers Make sure you unplug your computer and peripheral devices from the power sources before installing or removing a hard disk Installing or removing a hard disk while your computer is plugged to its power source may cause damage to the computer and the peripheral devices as well as the hard disk If you need assistanc...

Page 127: ...devices and disconnect peripheral devices from the accessible ports and jacks 2 Remove the back panel cover from the computer See Removing and Replacing the Back Panel Cover page 20 for the procedure 3 Disconnect the AC adapter and the rest of the peripheral devices 4 Wait until the computer cools down 5 Unscrew the three screws 1 and remove the hard disk bay cover 2 ...

Page 128: ...128 n N Upgrading Your VAIO Computer 6 Unscrew the three screws 3 securing the drive holder 7 Pull out the drive holder 4 from the hard disk drive bay and set it aside ...

Page 129: ...with screws through the holes on each side of the drive holder A new hard disk drive comes with the necessary screws Do not overtighten these screws when securing the drive to the drive holder 10 Slide the drive holder into the hard disk bay until it clicks into place and secure it with the screws Be sure to connect the Serial ATA power cable and the Serial ATA cable ...

Page 130: ...dapter and the peripheral devices that you disconnected in step 3 13 Replace the back panel cover See Removing and Replacing the Back Panel Cover page 20 for the procedure 14 Plug the computer to the power source and connect the rest of the peripheral devices 15 Turn on all peripheral devices and then the computer ...

Page 131: ...lect Manage The Computer Management window appears 3 Under the file directory on the right click Disk Management under Storage 4 Right click on the newly installed unformatted hard disk disk label identified with red marking and select Initialize Disk 5 Click on the allocated area of the disk 6 Right click the area and select New Partition The New Partition wizard window appears 7 Follow the on sc...

Page 132: ...n Handling the LCD Screen page 133 On Using the Power Source page 134 On Handling Your Computer page 135 On Using the Built in MOTION EYE Camera page 137 On Handling Floppy Disks page 138 On Handling Discs page 139 On Using Headphones page 141 On Handling Memory Stick Media page 142 On Handling the Hard Disk page 143 On Updating Your Computer page 144 ...

Page 133: ... in a while You can use a screen saver to prevent residual images The LCD screen becomes warm during operation This is normal and does not indicate a malfunction The LCD screen 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 screen This is a normal result of the manufacturing process an...

Page 134: ...ge to your computer caused by sudden power surges in an electrical storm for example Do not place heavy objects on the power cord To disconnect the cord pull it out by holding the plug Never pull the cord itself Unplug your computer from the AC outlet if you are not planning to use the computer for a long period of time Make sure that the AC outlet is easily accessible Use the AC adapter supplied ...

Page 135: ...t again Do not drop your computer 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 shielded Ambient temperature of more than 95 F 35 C or less than 41 F 5 C High humidity Do not place electronic equipment near your compute...

Page 136: ...he computer If any problems occur unplug the computer and contact an authorized Sony Service Center To find the nearest center or agent see Sony Support Information page 185 Make sure you disconnect the power cord before cleaning your computer To avoid losing data when your computer is damaged back up your data regularly Do not grasp the prop up stand to lift your computer as it may damage the sta...

Page 137: ...f the built in MOTION EYE camera regardless of your computer s power state as it may cause a malfunction of the camera The built in MOTION EYE camera is disabled while videos or still images are imported from an i LINK compatible device connected to the i LINK port Clean the lens protection cover of the built in MOTION EYE camera with a blower brush or a soft brush If the cover is extremely dirty ...

Page 138: ...of heat Keep floppy disks away from any liquid Do not let them get wet When you are not using your floppy disk always remove it from the floppy disk drive and use a storage case If the floppy disk comes with an adhesive label make sure that the label is properly affixed If the edge of the label is curled up the label may stick to the inside of the floppy disk drive and cause a malfunction or damag...

Page 139: ...olvents such as benzine thinner alcohol commercially available cleaners or anti static spray which may cause damage to the disc For normal cleaning hold the disc by its edges and use a soft cloth to wipe the surface from the center out If the disc is badly soiled moisten a 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 ...

Page 140: ...disc recognition error or result in a stuck disc a damaged disc or a malfunction of your computer Remove the adapter from an 8cm disc when not using the disc Keeping the adapter attached may deform the disc Do not leave the adapter in a place subject to high temperatures to avoid deformation Use of the deformed adapter with an 8cm disc may cause a disc recognition error or result in a stuck disc a...

Page 141: ... Using Headphones Preventing hearing damage Avoid using headphones 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 ...

Page 142: ... media in a location subject to Static electricity Electrical noise Extremely high temperatures such as in a car parked in the sun Direct sunlight High humidity Corrosive substances Use the storage case supplied with the Memory Stick media Be sure to make a backup copy of your valuable data Keep the Memory Stick media and Memory Stick Adaptors out of reach of children There is a risk of swallowing...

Page 143: ...eful when handling your computer To avoid damaging your hard disk drive Do not subject your computer to sudden movements Keep your computer away from magnets Do not place your computer in a location subject to mechanical vibration or in an unstable position Do not move your computer while the power is on Do not turn off the power or restart your computer while reading or writing data to the hard d...

Page 144: ...tion Windows Update Click Start All Programs and Windows Update and then follow the on screen instructions VAIO Update 3 Click Start All Programs VAIO Update 3 and VAIO Update Options and then follow the on screen instructions If you have not yet installed the latest updates install them with the above software To download and install the updates on the computer the computer must be connected to t...

Page 145: ...customers in USA http www sony ca support for customers in Canada http esupport sony com ES VAIO for customers in Spanish speaking Latin American countries or areas http esupport sony com ES VAIO BR for customers in Brazil Computer page 147 System Security page 154 Built in MOTION EYE Camera page 155 Internet page 158 Networking page 160 Optical Discs page 163 Display page 168 Printing page 169 Mi...

Page 146: ...146 n N Troubleshooting Audio Video page 179 Memory Stick Media page 182 Peripherals page 183 ...

Page 147: ...tton to turn on your computer Condensation may cause your computer to malfunction If this occurs do not use the computer for at least one hour Remove any extra memory modules you may have installed since purchase Check that you are using the supplied Sony AC adapter For your safety use only the genuine Sony AC adapter which is supplied by Sony for your VAIO computer Make sure your computer is not ...

Page 148: ...appears 2 Set the date month day year Press the Enter key 3 Press the m key to select System Time and then set the time hour minute second Press the Enter key 4 Press the key to select the Exit tab and then press the F9 key At the confirmation prompt press the Enter key 5 Select Exit Setup and press the Enter key At the confirmation prompt press the Enter key Your computer restarts If this occurs ...

Page 149: ...n window An application error may have been occurred Press the Ctrl Alt Delete keys and click the arrow next to the Shut down button and Restart Press and hold the power button for more than four seconds to shut down your computer Unplug the AC adapter and leave the computer for about five minutes Then plug in the AC adapter and turn on the computer again Make sure that the batteries of your wirel...

Page 150: ...puter If your computer does not turn off press the Ctrl Alt Delete keys and click the arrow next to the Shut down button and Shut Down If the Windows Security window appears click Shut Down Turning off your computer with the Ctrl Alt Delete keys or the power button may cause loss of unsaved data If your computer still does not turn off press and hold the power button until the computer turns off R...

Page 151: ...he computer turns off Turning off your computer with the power button may cause loss of unsaved data What should I do if Windows does not start showing a message when I start my computer If you enter a wrong power on password three times consecutively the Enter Onetime Password message appears and Windows will not start Press and hold the power button for more than four seconds to check that the p...

Page 152: ...d What should I do if I cannot remember the BIOS password If you have forgotten the BIOS password contact an authorized Sony Service Center to reset it A reset fee will be charged To find the nearest center or agent see Sony Support Information page 185 Why doesn t my screen turn off when the time selected for the automatic turn off action has passed The VAIO Original Screen Saver disables the tim...

Page 153: ... How do I check the volume of the recovery partition Your hard disk drive contains the recovery partition where data for the system recovery is stored To check the volume of the recovery partition follow these steps 1 Click Start right click Computer and select Manage The Computer Management window appears 2 Click Disk Management under Storage on the left pane The volume of the recovery partition ...

Page 154: ...et 2 Double click the Windows Security Alerts icon on the taskbar 3 Follow the on screen instructions to set up automatic or scheduled updates How do I keep my antivirus software updated You can keep the Microsoft Windows Live OneCare software program current with the latest updates from Microsoft Corporation To download and install the latest security updates follow these steps Your computer must...

Page 155: ... does not indicate a malfunction If the problem persists restart your computer Why are captured images poor in quality The images captured under the fluorescent lamp may show reflection of the light A dark portion in captured images may appear as a noise If the lens protection cover is dirty you cannot take a clear shot Clean the cover See On Using the Built in MOTION EYE Camera page 137 Why do ca...

Page 156: ...ointing direction of the camera or the brightness of camera images In some software applications you can set an appropriate value to one of the camera properties e g light source flicker etc to eliminate flicker noise Why is the video input from the built in MOTION EYE camera suspended for a few seconds The video input may be suspended for a few seconds if a shortcut key with the Fn key is used th...

Page 157: ...ps 1 Click Start Control Panel Hardware and Sound and Device Manager 2 Double click Imaging devices 3 Right click the device name for your camera and click Update Driver Software What should I do if my computer becomes unstable when it enters a power saving mode while the built in MOTION EYE camera is in use Do not place your computer into Sleep mode while you are using the built in MOTION EYE cam...

Page 158: ...t the telephone number the program is dialing is correct Make sure the software you are using is compatible with your computer s modem All preinstalled Sony programs are compatible Make sure the modem is the only device connected to your telephone line Follow these steps to check the settings 1 Click Start and Control Panel 2 Click Hardware and Sound 3 Click Phone and Modem Options 4 On the Modems...

Page 159: ...ot connecting properly to other PC based modems fax machines or your ISP do any of the following Ask your telephone company to verify your telephone line is free of any line noise If your problem is fax related make sure there are no problems with the fax machine you are calling and that it is compatible with fax modems If you are having a problem connecting with your ISP make sure the ISP is not ...

Page 160: ...ese steps to check the settings 1 Click Start and Control Panel 2 Click View network status and tasks under Network and Internet 3 Click Connect to a network to confirm that your access point is selected Make sure the encryption key is correct What should I do if I cannot access the Internet Check the access point settings See the manual that came with your access point for more information Make s...

Page 161: ...nnel See the manual that came with your access point for more information How do I avoid data transfer interruptions When your computer is connected to an access point data transfer interruptions may occur when using large files or if the computer is in close proximity to microwaves and cordless telephones Move your computer closer to the access point Make sure the access point connection is intac...

Page 162: ...ther change the encryption key back to the original profile or re enter the key on both computers so the key matches How do I display the VAIO Smart Network window To display the VAIO Smart Network window on the desktop follow these steps 1 Click Start All Programs and VAIO Control Center 2 Double click Network Connections and VAIO Smart Network For information on the VAIO Smart Network software s...

Page 163: ...art the computer 2 Remove the disc from the optical disc drive 3 Check the disc for dirt or damage If you need to clean the disc see On Handling Discs page 139 for instructions What should I do if the disc does not slide out Make sure your computer is on Press the drive eject button on the computer or the S3 button on the wireless keyboard If either button does not work click Start and Computer ri...

Page 164: ... a disc and cannot hear sound do any of the following Check if the volume is turned off or minimized by the muting or volume button respectively on the wireless keyboard or the remote commander Right click the volume icon on the taskbar and click Open Volume Mixer to check the settings Check the volume setting in the audio mixer If you are using external speakers check the volume settings on the s...

Page 165: ...ure an adhesive label is not affixed to a disc Adhesive labels can come off while the disc is in the optical disc drive and damage the drive or cause it to malfunction If a region code warning appears the disc may be incompatible with the optical disc drive Check the DVD package to make sure the region code is compatible with the optical disc drive If you notice condensation on your computer do no...

Page 166: ...test updates for WinDVD BD using VAIO Update To download and install the updates on the computer it must be connected to the Internet For information on how to connect the computer to the Internet see Using the Internet page 92 What should I do if I cannot write data to CD media Make sure you neither launch any software application nor allow any to launch automatically not even a screen saver Stop...

Page 167: ...rk Why can t I write data to Blu ray Disc media This Q A entry applies to selected models only See the online specifications to find out the type of your optical disc drive and then Reading and Writing Optical Discs page 48 to find out about the supported disc media Make sure your optical disc drive supports the Blu ray Disc writing function The DVD RW R DL RAM drive does not support it BD R Disc ...

Page 168: ...ight of your computer may have been turned off Press the DISPLAY OFF button What should I do if my screen is dark Press the Fn F6 keys to brighten your computer screen How do I run Windows Aero This Q A entry applies to selected models only To run Windows Aero follow these steps 1 Click Start and Control Panel 2 Click Customize colors under Appearance and Personalization 3 Click Open classic appea...

Page 169: ...on If your printer is not functioning after your computer resumes from Sleep mode then restart the computer If the bidirectional communication functions are provided with your printer disabling the functions on your computer may enable printing Follow these steps 1 Click Start and Control Panel 2 Click Printer under Hardware and Sound 3 Right click the printer icon and select Properties 4 Click th...

Page 170: ...device follow these steps 1 Close all open programs 2 Click Start and Control Panel 3 Click Hardware and Sound 4 Click Manage audio devices under Sound 5 On the Recording tab select the desired device for sound input and click Set Default How can I prevent microphone feedback Microphone feedback occurs when the microphone receives the sound from a sound output device such as a speaker To prevent t...

Page 171: ...s the F2 key when the VAIO logo appears The BIOS setup screen appears If not restart the computer and press the F2 key several times when the VAIO logo appears 3 Press the or key to select Advanced to display the Advanced tab select Voice Processor and then press the Enter key 4 Press the M or m key to select Disabled and press the Enter key 5 Press the or key to select Exit select Exit Setup and ...

Page 172: ...dow If the Alt F4 keys do not work click Start the arrow next to the Lock button and Restart to restart your computer If your computer does not restart press the Ctrl Alt Delete keys and click the arrow next to the Shut down button and Restart If the Windows Security window appears click Restart If this procedure does not work press and hold the power button until the computer turns off Turning of...

Page 173: ...ce again The volume may have been turned off with the volume down button on the wireless keyboard or the remote commander Press the volume up button to turn up the volume loud enough to hear sound If your speakers require external power make sure the speakers are connected to a power source See the manual that came with your speakers for more information Check the Windows volume controls by clicki...

Page 174: ...he speaker volume is turned up loud enough and the audio option is enabled The muting button on the wireless keyboard or the remote commander may have been pressed Press the button once again The volume may have been turned off with the volume down button on the wireless keyboard or the remote commander Press the volume up button to turn up the volume loud enough to hear sound Check the Windows vo...

Page 175: ... Check if the Num lock indicator is off If the Num lock indicator is off press the Num Lk key to turn it on before entering numerals Avoid using any wireless devices that exchange radio signals on the 2 4 GHz frequency band near the wireless keyboard These devices may cause interference causing the keyboard to stop working properly Do not place metal furniture or objects near your computer or wire...

Page 176: ...Wait for the LED indicator on the floppy disk drive to turn off 3 Push the eject button to remove the disk and disconnect the USB floppy disk drive from your computer 4 Reconnect the floppy disk drive by inserting the USB connector into the USB port 5 Restart the computer by clicking Start the arrow next to the Lock button and Restart What should I do if I cannot write data to a floppy disk Make s...

Page 177: ...PC Card for more information You may need to install driver software if you are not using a Sony PC Card If your PC Card which worked normally before does not work you may need to install the most recent driver software Follow these steps 1 Click Start and Control Panel 2 Click System and Maintenance 3 Click System 4 Click Device Manager on the left pane The Device Manager window appears 5 Double ...

Page 178: ...t recognize the PC Card or the connected device Restart the computer Why can t I insert my PC Card Make sure you are inserting the card in the correct orientation The back of the PC Card should face toward you See Inserting a PC Card page 76 for more information You may not be able to use some PC Cards or some functions of the PC Card on your computer See the manual that came with your PC Card for...

Page 179: ...a software application an operating system and a compatible i LINK device Not all products with an i LINK connection can communicate with each other See the manual that came with your compatible i LINK device for more information on operating conditions and proper connection Before connecting compatible i LINK PC peripherals to your system such as a CD RW or hard disk drive confirm their operating...

Page 180: ...L OUT port you need to change the device for sound output if you want to hear sound from the device To change the sound output device follow these steps 1 Close all open programs 2 Click Start and Control Panel 3 Click Hardware and Sound 4 Click Manage audio devices under Sound 5 On the Playback tab select the desired device for sound output and click Set Default ...

Page 181: ...art and Control Panel 2 Click Hardware and Sound 3 Click Manage audio devices under Sound 4 On the Playback tab select the optical out icon and click Properties 5 Click the Supported Formats tab 6 Click to select the DTS Audio and Dolby Digital check boxes 7 Click OK If the Dolby Digital or DTS output is connected to a device that does not support it the device will not play any sound In such a ca...

Page 182: ...at a Memory Stick media page 86 Why can t I save music files onto my Memory Stick media Copyright protected music cannot be checked out to any Memory Stick media other than those with the MagicGate logo Use of recorded music requires permission from the copyright holders Sony is not responsible for music files that cannot be recorded from a CD or downloaded from other sources Can I copy images fro...

Page 183: ...tlet Try using another USB port on your computer The driver could be installed to the specific port you used the first time you connected the device See the manual that came with your USB device for more information You may need to install software before you connect the device Try connecting a simple low powered device such as a mouse to test if the port is working at all USB hubs may prevent a d...

Page 184: ...ions Support Options This section contains information on where to go for answers to questions about your VAIO computer and the preinstalled software Sony Support Information page 185 Program Support Information page 188 ...

Page 185: ...pport you can visit Microsoft customer support at http support microsoft com directory 4 Sony Computing Support This service provides instant access to information on commonly encountered problems Type a description of the problem and the Knowledge Database searches for the corresponding solutions online You can visit the Sony online support Web site at the following URLs http esupport sony com EN...

Page 186: ...Your VAIO computer model You can find it at the lower right corner of the display on the notebook and in the same place on the front panel of the CPU on the desktop 2 Your computer s serial number You can find it on the back or bottom of the notebook or on the back of the desktop the serial number is the last 7 digits of the number below the barcode 3 The operating system on your computer 4 The ha...

Page 187: ...rs In Argentina 011 6770 SONY 7669 In Mexico In Mexico City 5002 9819 In the Mexican Republic 01 800 759 7669 In Colombia 01 800 550 7000 In Peru 0 801 1 7000 or 511 6100 In Chile 800 261 800 From mobile phones 02 754 6333 In Venezuela 0 800 1 SONY 00 0 800 1 7669 00 In Panama 800 2050 In Brazil 11 3677 1080 ...

Page 188: ... 4 SONY PC 888 476 6972 For customers in Canada Web site http www sony ca support Telephone 888 4 SONY PC 888 476 6972 For customers in Spanish speaking Latin American countries or areas Web site http esupport sony com ES VAIO For customers in Brazil Web site http esupport sony com ES VAIO BR For contacts about third party software products see the following Adobe Photoshop Elements Premiere Eleme...

Page 189: ... http www aol com AOL BlueString America Online Inc For customers in USA and Canada Web site http www aol com AOL Instant Messenger application America Online Inc For customers in USA and Canada Web site http www aim com AOL Toolbar America Online Inc For customers in USA and Canada Web site http help aol com help ...

Page 190: ...s with picture files or by importing pictures from a digital still camera You can give a professional look to your DVDs by adding chapter menus backgrounds and menu screens You are only a few clicks away from creating your own DVDs For contacts about the software see Program Support Information page 188 Corel Paint Shop Pro Photo X2 30 Day Trial Corel Corporation Edit enhance and share digital pho...

Page 191: ... chat experience through frames effects and themes For customers in USA and Canada Web site http www arcsoft com support Microsoft Internet Explorer Movie Maker Media Player Works Microsoft Corp For customers in USA and Canada Web site http support microsoft com Microsoft Office Basic Edition Office Professional Edition Office Small Business Edition Office Ready Microsoft Corp For customers in USA...

Page 192: ...Internet access This software has an expiration date of 60 days from the date of first use at which time the software will operate under reduced functionality mode limiting end user options and operations Microsoft Corp For customers in USA and Canada Web site http support microsoft com Microsoft Windows Live OneCare Microsoft Corp OneCare helps keep your PC safe and secure while making your life ...

Page 193: ... file encryption registering forms and more For contacts about the software see Program Support Information page 188 QuickBooks Simple Start Intuit Inc For customers in USA and Canada Web site http www intuit com support Quicken 2008 Deluxe Intuit Inc For customers in USA and Canada Web site http www intuit com support Roxio Easy Media Creator 10 Suite Sonic Solutions For customers in USA and Cana...

Page 194: ... Studio software Sony Electronics Inc Use SonicStage Mastering Studio software to record songs from analog records or cassette tapes into your computer and output them to CDs DVDs or audio files in WAV format For contacts about the software see Program Support Information page 188 VAIO Control Center Sony Electronics Inc VAIO Control Center provides a centralized location that gathers resources to...

Page 195: ...Information page 188 VAIO Launcher Sony Electronics Inc For contacts about the software see Program Support Information page 188 VAIO Media plus software Sony Electronics Inc VAIO Media plus software brings multimedia to your network enabling you to share music video and still image files between your VAIO computers You can set up one or more VAIO computers as media servers which store your multim...

Page 196: ...automatically categorized into moods For contacts about the software see Program Support Information page 188 VAIO Smart Network Sony Electronics Inc For contacts about the software see Program Support Information page 188 VAIO Touch Launcher Sony Electronics Inc VAIO Touch Launcher allows you to run an application program or change the sound display settings with the buttons on the launcher windo...

Page 197: ...nc VAIO Content Importer and VAIO Content Exporter are included in this utility software This software enables you to import and export your media files to or from a DVD digital still camera or camcorder For contacts about the software see Program Support Information page 188 VAIO Wireless Switch Setting Utility Sony Electronics Inc For contacts about the software see Program Support Information p...

Page 198: ...inDVD software for VAIO computers InterVideo Inc For customers in USA and Canada Web site http www intervideo com jsp Support jsp Telephone 1 800 772 6735 Zoom Utility Sony Electronics Inc The Zoom Utility will allow you to magnify a portion of the screen For contacts about the software see Program Support Information page 188 ...

Page 199: ...i ImageStation ATRAC and ATRAC3 are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sony Corporation Intel Centrino Core Celeron Xenon and Pentium are trademarks or registered trademarks of Intel Corporation in the United States and or other countries Microsoft Windows Windows Media Windows Mobile Windows NT Windows Vista BitLocker Outlook Excel MS DOS PowerPoint ReadyBoost Internet Explorer Aero Windows L...

Page 200: ...ucts and services are trademarks of their respective owners In the manual the or marks may not be specified Features and specifications are subject to change without notice All other trademarks are trademarks of their respective owners See the online specifications to see what software is available for your model ...

Page 201: ... 2008 Sony Corporation n ...

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Summary of Contents for VAIO VGC-RA940GN3

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Sony VAIO VGC-RA940GN3, User Manual, Page: 189 / 201

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Summary of Contents for VAIO VGC-RA940GN3

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