Sony VGN-Z Series Operating Instructions Manual Download Page 1

Page: 1 / 206

Operating Instructions - Hardware Guide

Personal Computer

VGN-Z Series

Summary of Contents for VGN-Z Series

Page 1: ...N Operating Instructions Hardware Guide Personal Computer VGN Z Series ...

Page 2: ... the Network LAN 55 Using the Wireless LAN 56 Using the Bluetooth Function 63 Using Fingerprint Authentication 68 Using the TPM 75 Using Peripheral Devices 81 Connecting a Docking Station 82 Connecting External Speakers or Headphones 90 Connecting an External Display 91 Selecting Display Modes 100 Using the Multiple Monitors Function 102 Connecting an External Microphone 105 Connecting a USB Devic...

Page 3: ...ling the Built in Storage Device 152 Using Fingerprint Authentication 153 Using the TPM 154 Troubleshooting 155 Computer 157 System Security 165 Battery 166 Built in Camera 168 Internet 170 Networking 172 Bluetooth Technology 177 Optical Discs 181 Display 185 Printing 190 Microphone 191 Speakers 192 Touch Pad 193 Keyboard 194 Floppy Disks 195 Audio Video 196 Memory Stick 200 Peripherals 201 Dockin...

Page 4: ...tly different from those of your computer Information in the supplied manuals including this User Guide is intended for users of the VAIO computers with the Microsoft Windows Vista 32 bit operating system You may find differences in the information when your computer comes preinstalled with the 64 bit operating system How to find specifications Some features options and supplied items may not be a...

Page 5: ...our VAIO computer Troubleshooting and Recovery Guide Safety Regulations 2 On screen Documentation VAIO Manual General information and technical assistance for your VAIO computer To access VAIO Manual double click VAIO Manual on the desktop Windows Help and Support A comprehensive resource for practical advice tutorials and demonstrations to help you learn to use your computer To access Windows Hel...

Page 6: ...o kr Korean http service sony com tw Traditional Chinese Before contacting VAIO Helpdesk by telephone try to solve the problem by reading the supplied documentation and visiting other Sony web sites For other Sony products visit the web site at http www sony net For available optional accessories visit the following web sites http vaio online sony com English http vaio online sony co kr Korean htt...

Page 7: ...of you 1 Keep your forearms horizontal 2 with your wrists in a neutral comfortable position 3 while using the keyboard or the pointing device Let your upper arms hang naturally at your sides Take frequent breaks while using 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...

Page 8: ...s level of the display as well 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 Positioning an external display When using an external display set the display at a comfortable viewing distance Make sure the display screen is at eye ...

Page 9: ...ibes how to get started using your VAIO computer Locating Controls and Ports page 10 About the Indicator Lights page 16 Connecting a Power Source page 17 Using the Battery Pack page 18 Shutting Down Your Computer Safely page 26 Updating Your Computer page 27 ...

Page 10: ... those illustrated in this manual due to variations in specifications It may also vary in some countries or areas Front A Built in MOTION EYE camera page 33 B Built in MOTION EYE camera indicator page 16 C Num lock indicator page 16 D Caps lock indicator page 16 E Scroll lock indicator page 16 F LCD screen page 142 G Built in speakers stereo H Keyboard page 29 I Touch pad page 31 J Fingerprint sen...

Page 11: ...s page 32 E Drive eject button page 32 F Charge indicator page 16 G Disc drive indicator page 16 H Media Access indicator page 16 I WIRELESS indicator page 16 J SD memory card slot page 49 K Memory Stick slot page 42 L WIRELESS switch page 56 page 63 M Built in microphone monaural Your computer supports both the standard size Memory Stick and the Duo size Memory Stick ...

Page 12: ...12 n N Getting Started Locating Controls and Ports Back A Battery connector page 18 ...

Page 13: ...hole page 181 D Substitute drive eject button page 34 E HDMI output port 1 page 96 F Hi Speed USB USB 2 0 port 2 page 106 G Monitor port 3 page 92 H Power button Power indicator page 16 1 Functional only when your computer is in SPEED mode 2 Supports high full low speeds 3 Not accessible when your computer is attached to the docking station ...

Page 14: ...page 17 B Network Ethernet port page 55 C Air vent D ExpressCard 34 slot page 47 E Security slot F Modem port page 53 G Hi Speed USB USB 2 0 port page 106 H i LINK 4 pin S400 port page 108 I Microphone jack page 105 J Headphones jack page 90 Supports high full low speeds ...

Page 15: ...15 n N Getting Started Locating Controls and Ports Bottom A Docking station connector page 84 B Air vents C Memory module compartment cover page 136 ...

Page 16: ...PEED mode to provide faster performance Optical disc drive Illuminates while the drive is reading or writing data When the indicator is unlit the optical disc media is not in use Disc drive Illuminates while the built in storage device or the optical disc drive is running to read or write data Do not place the computer into Sleep mode or turn it off when this indicator is lit Num lock Press the Nu...

Page 17: ... adapter 3 2 Plug the other end of the power cord into an AC outlet 2 3 Plug the cable connected to the AC adapter 3 into the DC IN port 4 on the computer or on the optional docking station The shape of the DC In plug varies depending on the AC adapter To disconnect your computer completely from AC power unplug the AC adapter Make sure that the AC outlet is easily accessible If you do not intend t...

Page 18: ...he Battery Pack The battery pack supplied with your computer is not fully charged at the time of delivery Installing the Battery Pack To install the battery pack 1 Turn off the computer and close the LCD screen lid 2 Slide the battery LOCK switch 1 inward ...

Page 19: ...ted Using the Battery Pack 3 Slide the battery pack diagonally into the battery compartment until the projections 2 on either side of the battery compartment fit into the U shaped cuts 3 on either side of the battery pack ...

Page 20: ...he computer When your computer is directly connected to AC power and has a battery pack installed it uses power from the AC outlet For your safety it is highly recommended that you use genuine Sony rechargeable battery packs and AC adapters that meet the quality assurance standards and supplied by Sony for your VAIO computer Some VAIO computers may operate only with genuine Sony battery packs ...

Page 21: ...ected with the battery charge functions the charge indicator turns off To select your desired maximum charge level see Using the Battery Charge Functions page 23 Charge the battery pack as described in this manual from your first battery charge Charge indicator status Meaning Lit in orange The battery pack is charging Blinks along with the green power indicator The battery pack is running out of p...

Page 22: ...harged battery pack does not affect the life of battery While some software applications or peripheral devices are in use your computer may not enter Hibernate mode even when the remaining battery life is short To avoid loss of data when using battery power you should save your data frequently and manually activate a power management mode such as Sleep or Hibernate If the battery pack wears out wh...

Page 23: ... 1 Click Start All Programs and VAIO Control Center 2 Click Power Management and then Battery Charge Functions 3 Click Advanced 4 Click to select the Enable Battery Care Function check box 5 Select the desired maximum charge level 6 Click OK To check the battery charge capacity Follow steps 1 to 3 in To enable the battery care function above and check detailed information If the battery charge cap...

Page 24: ... battery life just by setting the specific wallpaper as your desktop background To set the battery life conserving wallpaper 1 Click Start All Programs and VAIO Control Center 2 Click Display and then Long Battery Life Wallpaper Setting 3 Click Set Long Battery Life Wallpaper At the confirmation prompt click OK ...

Page 25: ...ou remove the battery pack while the computer is in Sleep mode To remove the battery pack 1 Turn off the computer and close the LCD screen lid 2 Slide the battery LOCK switch 1 inward 3 Slide and hold the battery RELEASE latch 2 inward put your fingertip underneath the tab 3 on the battery pack and lift the battery pack in the direction of the arrow and then slide it away from the computer ...

Page 26: ...mputer properly 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 then 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 27: ...pplications so that the computer can run more efficiently Windows Update Click Start All Programs and Windows Update and then follow the on screen instructions VAIO Update 4 Click Start All Programs VAIO Update 4 and Go to VAIO Web Support and then follow the on screen instructions Your computer must be connected to the Internet to download the updates ...

Page 28: ...d page 31 Using Special function Buttons page 32 Using the Built in Camera page 33 Using the Optical Disc Drive page 34 Using the Memory Stick page 42 Using Other Modules Memory Cards page 47 Using the Internet page 53 Using the Network LAN page 55 Using the Wireless LAN page 56 Using the Bluetooth Function page 63 Using Fingerprint Authentication page 68 Using the TPM page 75 ...

Page 29: ... and then the m or key or keep pressing the Fn F3 keys Fn 8 F5 F6 brightness control Changes the LCD brightness of your computer screen To increase lighting intensity keep pressing the Fn F6 keys or press the Fn F6 keys and then the M or key To decrease lighting intensity keep pressing the Fn F5 keys or press the Fn F5 keys and then the m or key Fn T F7 display output Toggles among your computer s...

Page 30: ...s command the states of the system and the connected peripheral devices are saved to the built in storage device and the system power is turned off To return the system to its original state use the power button to turn on the power For details on power management see Using the Power Saving Modes page 126 Combinations Feature Functions ...

Page 31: ...the keyboard for pointer operations Action Description Point Slide your finger on the touch pad 1 to place the pointer 2 on an item or object Click Press the left button 3 once Double click Press the left button twice in a row Right click Press the right button 4 once In many applications this action displays a shortcut menu Drag Slide your finger on the touch pad while pressing the left button Sc...

Page 32: ...e disabled such as a screen saver the power saving modes and system message generation In addition you can use handy functions for the presentation for example displaying a document for quick reference and the mirror image of the external display simultaneously on the computer To bring the computer back into Normal mode press this button once again To change the Presentation mode settings click St...

Page 33: ...does not activate or deactivate the built in camera Do not place your computer into Sleep or Hibernate mode while you are using the built in camera You cannot operate the built in camera with the Microsoft Windows Movie Maker software To use the preinstalled image capture software 1 Click Start All Programs ArcSoft WebCam Companion 2 and WebCam Companion 2 2 Click the desired icon in the main wind...

Page 34: ... Turn on the computer 2 Press the disc drive eject button 1 to open the drive The drive tray slides out If the power supply to the optical disc drive is disabled by the VAIO Power Management it will take a while to eject the drive tray with the drive eject button If the drive eject button does not work try the substitute drive eject button on the optical disc drive The substitute drive eject butto...

Page 35: ...e disc clicks into place Do not exert pressure on the drive tray Be sure to hold the bottom of the drive tray when placing removing a disc onto from the tray 4 Close the drive tray by pushing it in gently Do not remove the optical disc when your computer is in a power saving mode Sleep or Hibernate Be sure to bring the computer back into Normal mode before removing the disc ...

Page 36: ...c Combo P P P P PR 5 P P PR PR PR PR PR P P 1 The DVD RW RAM disc drive on your computer does not support the DVD RAM cartridge Use non cartridge discs or discs with a removable cartridge 2 Writing data to single sided DVD RAM discs 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 3 The Blu ray Disc drive on your co...

Page 37: ...ndividual publisher of the pre recorded disc or the manufacturer of the recordable disc 8 cm disc writing is not supported To play copyright protected Blu ray Disc media continually update the AACS key The AACS key update requires Internet access As with other optical media devices circumstances may limit compatibility or prevent Blu ray Disc media playback VAIO computers may not support movie pla...

Page 38: ...ould follow these recommendations Some CD players and computer optical disc drives may not be able to play audio CDs created with the CD R or CD RW media Some DVD players and computer optical disc drives may not be able to play DVDs created with the DVD R DL DVD R DL DVD R DVD RW DVD R DVD RW or DVD RAM media You may not be able to play some of Blu ray Disc contents on your computer or the compute...

Page 39: ...a DVD video on your computer follow these steps before inserting the disc 1 Click Start and Computer 2 Right click the optical disc drive icon and select Properties 3 Click the Hardware tab 4 Select your optical disc drive from the All disk drives list and click Properties 5 Click the DVD Region tab 6 Select an appropriate region from the list and click OK Residence area Region code Residence area...

Page 40: ... exceeded this number the drive s region code is permanently assigned and you will not be able to change it again Reconfiguring your computer does not reset this count If you change the region code while the WinDVD or WinDVD BD software is running restart the software or eject the disc and re insert it to make the new setting effective ...

Page 41: ...lay the disc For instructions on how to use the software see the help file included with the software Copying Files to Discs To copy files to a disc 1 Insert a recordable disc into the optical disc drive Connect the AC adapter to the computer and close all running software applications before copying files to a disc 2 If nothing appears on the desktop click Start All Programs and the desired disc ...

Page 42: ...phones and other devices Because it is removable it can be used for external data storage Before You Use the Memory Stick The Memory Stick slot on your computer can accommodate both standard and Duo size media and supports Memory Stick PRO Memory Stick PRO Duo and Memory Stick PRO HG Duo with high speed data transfer and large data capacity capabilities For the latest information about the Memory ...

Page 43: ...d the Memory Stick with the arrow facing upward and pointing toward the slot 3 Carefully slide the Memory Stick into the slot until it clicks into place The Memory Stick is automatically detected by your system and the contents on the Memory Stick are displayed If nothing appears on the desktop click Start Computer and double click the Memory Stick icon ...

Page 44: ...e media directly into the Memory Stick slot without the adaptor you may not be able to remove it from the slot The Memory Stick Micro in an M2 Duo adaptor may not operate properly if it is additionally inserted into a Memory Stick Duo adaptor To remove a Memory Stick Do not remove the Memory Stick while the Media Access indicator light is lit If you do you may lose data Large volumes of data may t...

Page 45: ...t contain your valuable data Do not remove the Memory Stick from the slot while formatting This could cause a malfunction 1 Carefully slide the Memory Stick into the slot until it clicks into place 2 Click Start and Computer to open the Computer window 3 Right click the Memory Stick icon and select Format 4 Click Restore device defaults The size of the allocation unit and file system may change Do...

Page 46: ...ity MagicGate is the general name of the copyright protection technology developed by Sony Use a Memory Stick with the MagicGate logo to use this feature Except for your personal use it is against the copyright law to use any audio and or image data you recorded without prior consent from the respective copyright holders Accordingly the Memory Stick with such copyrighted data can be used only with...

Page 47: ...ate an ExpressCard 34 34 mm wide module Referred to as the ExpressCard slot and the ExpressCard module in this manual To insert an ExpressCard module 1 Locate the ExpressCard slot 2 Carefully slide the ExpressCard module into the slot until it clicks into place Do not force it into the slot If the module does not go into the slot easily remove it gently and verify you are inserting it in the prope...

Page 48: ... 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 and pull it out of the slot ...

Page 49: ... among digital cameras camcorders music players and other audio video devices Before you use the SD memory card The SD memory card slot on your computer supports the following memory cards SD memory card SDHC memory card MultiMediaCard MMC For the latest information on compatible memory cards see Finding More about Your VAIO Computer page 5 to visit the appropriate support web site ...

Page 50: ... 2 Hold the SD memory card with the arrow facing upward and pointing toward the slot 3 Carefully slide the SD memory card into the slot until it clicks into place Do not force the card into the slot If the SD memory card does not go into the slot easily remove it gently and verify you are inserting it in the proper direction ...

Page 51: ... Other Modules Memory Cards To remove an SD memory card 1 Check that the Media Access indicator light is unlit 2 Push in the SD memory card toward the computer and release The SD memory card ejects 3 Pull the SD memory card out of the slot ...

Page 52: ...s lit If you do you may lose data Do not attempt to insert an memory card or memory card adaptor of a different type into the memory card slot An incompatible memory card or memory card adaptor may cause difficulty in removing from the slot and can cause damage to your computer Notes on using the SD memory card Your computer has been tested and found compatible only with major memory cards availab...

Page 53: ... connect your computer to the Internet ask your ISP To connect your computer to the Internet using the wireless LAN function you need to set up the wireless LAN network See Using the Wireless LAN page 56 for more information When you connect your computer to the Internet be sure to take appropriate security measures to protect the computer against online threats If your computer is not equipped wi...

Page 54: ... a private branch exchange PBX Some of these connections may result in excess electrical current and could cause a malfunction in the built in modem If you connect a telephone cable coming through a splitter the modem or connected device may not work properly To set up a dial up connection to the Internet The following procedure applies to models with a built in modem only 1 Click Start and Contro...

Page 55: ...rk administrator Your computer can be connected to the network with the default settings When your computer is attached to the optional docking station you need to select which network Ethernet port to use Follow the on screen instructions Do not plug a telephone cable into the network Ethernet port on your computer If the network Ethernet port is connected to one of the telephone lines mentioned ...

Page 56: ... protocol Wi Fi Protected Access 2 WPA2 and Wi Fi Protected Access WPA Proposed jointly by the IEEE and Wi Fi Alliance both WPA2 and WPA are specifications of standards based on interoperable security enhancements that increase the level of data protection and access control for existing Wi Fi networks WPA is designed to be forward compatible with the IEEE 802 11i specification It utilizes the enh...

Page 57: ...ons The communication speed varies depending on the distance between communication devices existence of obstacles between such devices the device configuration the radio conditions and the software in use In addition communications may be cut off depending on the radio conditions The communication range varies depending on the actual distance between communication devices existence of obstacles be...

Page 58: ...n Access Point Ad hoc An ad hoc network is a network in which a LAN is created only by wireless devices themselves with no other central controller or access point Each device communicates directly with other devices in the network You can set up an ad hoc network easily at home ...

Page 59: ...ELESS switch 2 Click the button next to or above your desired wireless option s in the VAIO Smart Network window Make sure the WIRELESS indicator light turns on 3 Click Start and Control Panel 4 Click View network status and tasks under Network and Internet 5 Click Set up a connection or network in the left pane The Set up a connection or network window appears 6 Select an option to specify the ad...

Page 60: ...t supplied The access point bridges the wireless and wired LAN and acts as a central controller for the wireless LAN network 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 th...

Page 61: ...EE 802 11a standard using only the 5 GHz band available on selected models only is disabled by default To enable 5 GHz band communication you need to select the option to use the 5 GHz band or both the 2 4 GHz and 5 GHz bands on the WLAN tab in the VAIO Smart Network settings window 4 Right click or on the taskbar and select Connect to a network 5 Select the desired access point and click Connect ...

Page 62: ...ing Wireless LAN Communications To stop wireless LAN communications Click the button next to or above the WLAN icon in the VAIO Smart Network window Turning off the wireless LAN function while accessing remote documents files or resources may result in data loss ...

Page 63: ... Proximity to microwaves and cordless telephones Radio frequency interference and other environmental conditions Device configuration Type of software application Type of operating system Use of both wireless LAN and Bluetooth functions at the same time on your computer Size of file being exchanged Large files may occasionally be corrupted during continuous transfer due to limitations of the Bluet...

Page 64: ...y to minimize the interference from other devices that use the same wave length Simultaneous use of the Bluetooth function and wireless communication devices however may cause radio interference and result in reduced communication speeds and distances than the standard values The Bluetooth function may not work with other devices depending on the manufacturer or the software version employed by th...

Page 65: ...on you can prevent any anonymous Bluetooth devices from accessing your computer The first time two Bluetooth devices communicate a common passkey a password required for authentication should be determined for both devices to be registered Once a device is registered there is no need to re enter the passkey The passkey can be different each time but must be the same at both ends For certain device...

Page 66: ...ithout the use of any cables To communicate with another Bluetooth device To communicate with another Bluetooth device you first need to set up the Bluetooth function For setting up and using the Bluetooth function search for Bluetooth information using Windows Help and Support 1 Turn on the WIRELESS switch 2 Click the button next to or above the Bluetooth icon in the VAIO Smart Network window Mak...

Page 67: ...luetooth Function Stopping Bluetooth Communications To stop Bluetooth communications 1 Turn off the Bluetooth device that is communicating with your computer 2 Click the button next to or above the Bluetooth icon in the VAIO Smart Network window ...

Page 68: ...assword page 119 you can substitute fingerprint authentication for password entry when starting your computer Password Bank for quick web site access page 73 You can substitute fingerprint authentication for entering information user accounts passwords etc required to access the password protected web sites File Safe feature to encrypt decrypt data page 73 With the File Safe feature you can encryp...

Page 69: ...23 for the detailed instructions To register a fingerprint Up to 10 fingerprints can be registered for each user and up to 21 fingerprints can be registered for logging onto your system using the Power on Security feature You can also select the fingerprint you want to use for the Power on Security feature later 1 Click Start All Programs Protector Suite QL and Control Center 2 Click Fingerprints ...

Page 70: ... n N Using Your VAIO Computer Using Fingerprint Authentication If you have failed to register a fingerprint follow these steps to try again 1 Place the top joint of your finger on the fingerprint sensor 1 ...

Page 71: ... swiping Fingerprint registration may fail if you move your finger too fast or too slow Let the fingerprint sensor take about one second to scan your fingerprint You may not be able to register and or have your fingerprint s recognized if your finger is excessively dry or wet wrinkled injured dirty etc Register more than one fingerprint in case that the fingerprint sensor fails to recognize the fi...

Page 72: ...he Password page 113 For detailed information see the help file included with the Protector Suite QL Logging onto Windows If you have registered your fingerprints for your user account you can substitute fingerprint authentication for Windows password entry To log onto Windows swipe the registered finger across the fingerprint sensor when the Windows log on screen appears Power on Security feature...

Page 73: ... by swiping your finger across the fingerprint sensor or entering the backup password you specified for encryption For detailed information see the help file included with the Protector Suite QL Using the Application Launcher The application launcher feature is available on your computer for launching your preferred application executable file that is assigned to one of your fingers with a registe...

Page 74: ...e the registered fingerprints 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 and press the F2 key several times when the VAIO logo appears 3 Press the or key to select Security to display the Security tab 4 Press the m key to select Clear Fingerprint Data and press the Enter key 5 At the confirmation prompt select Cont...

Page 75: ...form Module TPM is embedded in your computer to provide basic security functions In combination with the TPM you can encrypt and decrypt your data to strengthen computer security against inappropriate access TPMs are defined by Trusted Computing Group TCG and also called security chips ...

Page 76: ...ed The EFS function has been enabled in user initialization process With the default settings the files in the folders below cannot be encrypted because they have system attributes Do not change the system attributes of the files in the folders below The following folders are invisible by default Folders containing basic user keys and others C username All Users Infineon TPM Software 2 0 BackupDat...

Page 77: ... the userfolder Documents Security Platform window Storage folder for automatic backup data Default folder name SPSystemBackup The folder is created as the subfolder for the SPSystemBackup xml file Token file for restoring the TPM configuration Default file name SPEmRecToken xml Default path Removable media FD USB memory etc Key and certificate backup file Default file name SpBackupArchive xml Def...

Page 78: ...y encrypt them Sony assumes no liability for any troubles and damages arising out of your careless encryption of the following files and folders including them Password reset token file Default file name SPPwdResetToken xml Default path Removable media FD USB memory etc Password reset secret file Default file name SPPwdResetSecret xml Default path Removable media FD USB memory etc ...

Page 79: ...y 4 Press the M or m key to select Enable and then the Enter key 5 Press the or key to select Exit select Exit Setup and then press the Enter key 6 After your system restarts select Execute in the confirmation window and then press the Enter key You can also disable the TPM and clear the TPM configuration in the BIOS setup screen Before enabling the TPM be sure to set the power on and hard disk pa...

Page 80: ...fessional Package Without these passwords you will not be able to restore any TPM protected data or backup files Be sure to write down the passwords and keep them safe and private from other people To initialize and configure the TPM See the on screen documentation for detailed information To open the documentation click Start All Programs Infineon Security Platform Solution and Help The maintenan...

Page 81: ...on the computer Connecting a Docking Station page 82 Connecting External Speakers or Headphones page 90 Connecting an External Display page 91 Selecting Display Modes page 100 Using the Multiple Monitors Function page 102 Connecting an External Microphone page 105 Connecting a USB Device page 106 Connecting an i LINK Device page 108 ...

Page 82: ...on Connecting a Docking Station Attaching a docking station enables you to connect additional peripherals to your computer such as a printer and an external display A docking station is not supplied with your computer and is available as an optional accessory ...

Page 83: ...rdware malfunctions Simultaneous use of the HDMI output port on your computer and the DVI D port or the MONITOR port on the docking station is not possible A DC IN indicator Illuminates when the docking station is powered B IN USE indicator page 87 C UNDOCK button page 87 D DC IN port page 84 E Network Ethernet port 1000BASE T 100BASE TX 10BASE T page 55 F Hi Speed USB USB 2 0 ports 1 page 106 G D...

Page 84: ... the AC adapter supplied with your computer Do not move your computer while it is attached to the docking station This may detach the docking station and cause damage to both units 1 Disconnect all peripherals from the computer 2 Plug one end of the power cord 1 into the AC adapter 2 and the other end into an AC outlet 3 Plug the cable connected to the AC adapter 2 into the DC IN port 3 on the doc...

Page 85: ... Peripheral Devices Connecting a Docking Station 5 Slide open the docking station connector cover on the bottom of the computer 6 Align the rear bottom corners of the computer with the guides on the docking station ...

Page 86: ...86 n N Using Peripheral Devices Connecting a Docking Station 7 Gently push down the computer until it clicks into place 8 Turn on the computer ...

Page 87: ... lit may result in loss of unsaved data or a failure of the computer When the battery pack is running out of power disconnecting your computer from the docking station may result in loss of unsaved data Do not disconnect your computer from the docking station during video playback Be sure to close video playback software before disconnection Once you have completed the steps in To disconnect your ...

Page 88: ...E indicator is unlit you do not have to press the UNDOCK button Pressing the UNDOCK button while your computer is in a power saving mode brings the computer to Normal mode first and then initiates the disconnection process Once you have placed your computer back in Normal mode be sure to take your computer off the docking station Use of the computer while on the docking station may cause unstable ...

Page 89: ...ton and Undock 2 Make sure that a message balloon appears and the IN USE indicator light turns off Then lift the computer off the docking station 3 Close the docking station connector cover on the bottom of the computer It is extremely important that you close the docking station connector cover after disconnecting your computer from the docking station If the cover is left open dust may get insid...

Page 90: ...nect external sound output devices not supplied such as speakers or headphones to your computer To connect external speakers Make sure your speakers are designed for computer use Turn down the volume of the speakers before you turn them on Connect external speakers 1 to the headphones jack 2 i with a speaker cable 3 not supplied ...

Page 91: ... is in SPEED mode using the NVIDIA video controller the window stating that an external display is detected does not appear when you connect the external display to the computer for the first time To change the display output to the external display press the Fn F7 keys The screen resolution of your external display may change when you switch between the performance modes Connect the power cord of...

Page 92: ... the docking station are functional only when your computer is in SPEED mode If you connect an HDMI cable to the HDMI output port on your computer or a display cable to the DVI D port on the docking station when your computer is in STAMINA mode a confirmation window appears Follow the on screen instructions to change the performance mode to SPEED mode 1 If necessary plug one end of the display s p...

Page 93: ...liant with the HDCP standard and capable of encrypting the transmission channel of digital video signals for the purpose of copyright protection which enables you to play and view a wide variety of copyright protected high quality contents To view the copyright protected contents connect an HDCP compliant monitor to the HDMI output port on your computer or the DVI D port on the docking station If ...

Page 94: ...n To connect a multimedia computer display The monitor port on your computer is not accessible when the computer is attached to the docking station 1 Plug the power cord of your multimedia computer display 1 into an AC outlet 2 Plug the display cable 2 into the monitor port 3 a on the computer or on the docking station 3 Plug the speaker cable 4 into the headphones jack 5 i on the computer 4 Plug ...

Page 95: ...95 n N Using Peripheral Devices Connecting an External Display ...

Page 96: ...output device page 197 The HDMI output port is functional only when your computer is in SPEED mode If you connect an HDMI cable to the HDMI output port when your computer is in STAMINA mode a confirmation window appears Follow the on screen instructions to change the performance mode to SPEED mode 1 Plug the power cord of your TV 1 into an AC outlet 2 Plug one end of an HDMI cable 2 to the HDMI ou...

Page 97: ...an the one provided by Sony is used the image will not be displayed and the audio will not be heard Always use the device driver provided by Sony for updates See the manual that came with your TV for more information on installation and use The HDMI cable carries both video and audio signals ...

Page 98: ...s in SPEED mode If you connect an HDMI cable to the HDMI output port when your computer is in STAMINA mode a confirmation window appears Follow the on screen instructions to change the performance mode to SPEED mode 1 Turn on the TV and set its input to the HDMI input 2 Turn on the home theater receiver or surround sound decoder device and set its input to the HDMI input 3 Plug one end of an HDMI ...

Page 99: ... a projector The monitor port on your computer is not accessible when the computer is attached to the docking station 1 Connect the power cord 1 of your projector into an AC outlet 2 Plug a display cable 2 into the monitor port 3 a on the computer or on the docking station 3 Plug an audio cable 4 into the headphones jack 5 i on the computer 4 Plug the display cable and the audio cable into the por...

Page 100: ...an external display is connected you can select either your computer screen or the connected display to use as the primary monitor If you want to work on your computer screen and the external display at the same time see Using the Multiple Monitors Function page 102 for more information ...

Page 101: ...r screen and the external display or projector at the same time depending on the type of your external display or projector Turn on the external display before turning on your computer When using the Intel Graphics Media Accelerator STAMINA mode 1 Right click on the desktop and select Personalize 2 Click Display Settings 3 Follow the on screen instructions to change the settings When using the NVI...

Page 102: ...ortions of your desktop across separate displays For example if you have an external display connected to the monitor port your computer screen and the external display can function as a single desktop You can move the cursor from one display to the other This allows you to drag objects such as an open application window or a toolbar from one display to the other ...

Page 103: ...electing Performance Modes page 111 Your external display may not support the Multiple Monitors function Certain software applications may not be compatible with Multiple Monitors settings Make sure that your computer does not enter Sleep or Hibernate mode while you are using the Multiple Monitors function Otherwise the computer may not return to Normal mode If you set different colors on each dis...

Page 104: ... Click Start and Control Panel 2 Click Adjust screen resolution under Appearance and Personalization 3 Right click the number 2 monitor and select Attached 4 Click OK At the confirmation prompt click Yes You can also change one of the S button assignments to activate the Multiple Monitors function with the VAIO Control Center For details on the S buttons see Using Special function Buttons page 32 ...

Page 105: ...rnal Microphone If you use a sound input device for example to chat over the Internet you need to connect an external microphone not supplied To connect an external microphone Plug the microphone cable 1 into the microphone jack 2 m Make sure your microphone is designed for computer use ...

Page 106: ...Connecting a USB Device You can connect a Universal Serial Bus USB device to your computer such as a mouse floppy disk drive speaker and printer To connect a USB device 1 Choose the USB port 1 you prefer to use 2 Plug the USB device cable 2 into the USB port ...

Page 107: ...with your version of Windows to print documents For information on how to remove a USB device see the manual that came with the device To protect your computer and or USB devices from damage observe the following When moving the computer with USB devices connected avoid exposing the USB ports to shock or impact Do not put the computer into a bag or carrying case when it has USB devices connected T...

Page 108: ...rd disk drive confirm their operating system compatibility and required operating conditions Notes on connecting i LINK devices The i LINK port on your computer does not supply power to an external device If the external device requires external power be sure to connect it to a power source The i LINK port supports transfer rates up to 400 Mbps However the actual transfer rate depends on the trans...

Page 109: ... port 2 on the computer and the other end into the DV In Out port 3 on the digital video camcorder The connection procedure varies depending on your compatible i LINK device See the manual that came with the device for more information You cannot access the pictures stored on a Memory Stick when using an i LINK connection Switch the video format between NTSC and PAL with the software that you use ...

Page 110: ... Among other things you will learn how to use and customize the look of your Sony software and utilities Selecting Performance Modes page 111 Setting the Password page 113 Using the VAIO Control Center page 125 Using the Power Saving Modes page 126 Using the VAIO Power Management page 131 Configuring Your Modem page 133 Protecting the Hard Disk page 134 ...

Page 111: ...splay is detected does not appear when you connect the external display to the computer for the first time To change the display output to the external display press the Fn F7 keys Be sure to close all open applications before changing a performance mode If not you may lose any unsaved data During the switching process your computer screen becomes dark and may temporarily show some noise or flicke...

Page 112: ...our computer to conserve battery power SPEED mode Uses the NVIDIA video controller to provide faster performance The HDMI output port on your computer and the DVI D port on the docking station are functional only when the computer is in SPEED mode You can find the current performance mode by the indicator lights on either side of the performance selector switch ...

Page 113: ...t about configuration of your computer Once you have set the power on 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 The hard disk password provides additional security for the data stored on your built in storage device If you set the hard disk password other ...

Page 114: ... as well as starting the computer To set the user password you must first set the machine password Once you have set the power on password you cannot start your computer without entering the password Be sure not to forget the password Write down your password and 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...

Page 115: ...r key to select Security to display the Security tab select Set Machine Password and then press the Enter key 4 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 5 Select Password when Power On under Security and press the Enter key 6 Change the setting from Disabled to Enabled 7 Press the or key...

Page 116: ...ss the F2 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 ke...

Page 117: ...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 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...

Page 118: ... user 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 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 th...

Page 119: ... along with the power on password if set after the VAIO logo appears You cannot start your computer with the master password If you forget the master password or the keyboard fails which is critical to password entry no bypass is possible and the data stored on the built in storage device will not be accessible There is NO RESET of this password You will have to replace the built in storage device...

Page 120: ...he Hard Disk Password entry screen appears 4 Select Enter Master and User Passwords and press the Enter key 5 Select Continue on the warning screen and press the Enter key 6 Enter the master password twice and press the Enter key The password should be up to 32 alphanumeric characters including spaces long 7 Enter the user password twice and press the Enter key The password should be up to 32 alph...

Page 121: ...r on password 3 Press the or key to select Security to display the Security tab select Hard Disk Password and then press the Enter key The Hard Disk Password entry screen appears 4 Select Change Master Password or Change User Password and press the Enter key 5 Enter the current password once and then a new password twice 6 Press the Enter key 7 Press the Enter key when the success message appears ...

Page 122: ...isplay the Security tab select Hard Disk Password and then press the Enter key The Hard Disk Password entry screen appears 4 Select Enter Master and User Passwords and press the Enter key 5 Enter the current password for Enter Current Hard Disk Master Password and press the Enter key 6 Press the Enter key without entering any letter for the remaining fields 7 Press the Enter key when the success m...

Page 123: ... If you have set the Windows password in conjunction with the fingerprint authentication function you can substitute fingerprint authentication for password entry when turning on your computer For more information see Using Fingerprint Authentication page 68 To add the Windows password 1 Click Start and Control Panel 2 Click User Accounts and Family Safety or User Accounts 3 Click User Accounts 4 ...

Page 124: ...nge your password 5 In the Current password field enter your current password 6 In the New password and Confirm new password fields enter a new password 7 Click Change password To remove the Windows password 1 Click Start and Control Panel 2 Click User Accounts and Family Safety or User Accounts 3 Click User Accounts 4 Click Remove your password 5 In the Current password field enter the current pa...

Page 125: ...file included with the VAIO Control Center Some of the control items will not be visible if you open the VAIO Control Center as a standard user Using the VAIO Status Monitor The VAIO Status Monitor utility allows you to check various settings such as the power management settings security settings and current usage of devices in the VAIO Status Monitor window To display the VAIO Status Monitor win...

Page 126: ... battery power you should be aware that the computer will automatically enter Hibernate mode if the remaining battery life becomes short regardless of the power management setting you select If the battery charge level falls below 10 you should either connect the AC adapter to recharge the battery pack or shut down your computer and install a fully charged battery pack Using Normal Mode This is th...

Page 127: ...ut of Sleep mode quicker than out of Hibernate mode Sleep mode uses more power than Hibernate mode If the battery runs out of power while your computer is in Sleep mode you will lose all unsaved data Going back to the previous work state is impossible To avoid loss of data you should save your data frequently To return to Normal mode Press any key Press the power button on your computer If you pre...

Page 128: ... it will enter Sleep mode To modify this you can change the Sleep mode settings To change the Sleep mode settings 1 Right click the power status icon on the taskbar and select 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 129: ... your computer for a long period of time place the computer into Hibernate mode To activate Hibernate mode Press the Fn F12 keys The computer enters Hibernate mode Alternatively you can click Start the arrow next to the Lock button and Hibernate to place the computer into Hibernate mode When your computer is in Hibernate mode you cannot insert a disc Hibernate mode requires more time than Sleep mo...

Page 130: ...than four seconds your computer will turn off automatically It takes more time to return to Normal mode from Hibernate mode than from Sleep mode You can use the VAIO Control Center to configure your computer to return to Normal mode when you open the LCD screen lid This power resuming preference will be lost if you remove both the AC adapter and the battery pack See Using the VAIO Control Center p...

Page 131: ...r a power status icon appears on the taskbar This icon indicates what kind of power source you are using at that time for example AC power Click this icon to display the window that shows your power status The VAIO Power Management function is added to the Windows Power Options To select a power plan 1 Right click the power status icon on the taskbar and select Power Options 2 Select your desired ...

Page 132: ...VAIO Power Management Viewer You can view performance with the power plan that was modified with the VAIO Power Management To start the VAIO Power Management Viewer 1 Click Start All Programs and VAIO Control Center 2 Click Power Management and VAIO Power Management Viewer ...

Page 133: ...ur location on the Dialing Rules tab and click Edit The Edit Location window appears 6 Select your location under Country region 7 Select Tone or Pulse for Dial using Pulse dial may not be supported in some counties or regions 8 Enter an area code if there is one In some countries or regions you do not need to enter an area code If you need to dial a special number before accessing an outside line...

Page 134: ...lity Activating VAIO HDD Protection To protect your hard disk drive against shock hazards you must first activate the VAIO HDD Protection To activate VAIO HDD Protection 1 Click Start All Programs and VAIO Control Center 2 Click Security and Hard Disk Drive Protection Settings 3 Select the Activate hard disk drive protection check box 4 Select one of the desired sensitivity level 5 Click OK For mo...

Page 135: ...ould contact your dealer to install 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 Contact VAIO Helpdesk if you need assistance The type of module and the amount of memory installed on your computer may differ depending on the model you purchased See t...

Page 136: ...ory module Electrostatic discharge ESD can damage electronic components Before touching a memory module ensure the following 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 disco...

Page 137: ...er internal components of your computer will result in damage to the computer 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 35 C or l...

Page 138: ... about an hour until the computer cools down 4 Unscrew the screw indicated by the arrow below on the bottom of the computer and remove the memory module compartment cover 5 Touch a metal object to discharge static electricity 6 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 til...

Page 139: ...stall only one memory module be sure to use the lower slot Be sure to insert the connector edge of the memory module into the slot while aligning the notch on the module with the small projection in the open slot Do not force the memory module into the slot in a wrong orientation as it may cause damage to the slot and the module 9 Replace the memory module compartment cover 10 Tighten the screw on...

Page 140: ...the amount of memory 1 Turn on the computer 2 Click Start All Programs and VAIO Control Center 3 Click System Information and System Information You can view the amount of system memory in the right pane If the additional memory does not appear repeat the installation procedure and restart the computer ...

Page 141: ...ing the LCD Screen page 142 Using the Power Source page 143 Handling Your Computer page 144 Handling the Built in Camera page 147 Handling Discs page 148 Using the Battery Pack page 149 Using Headphones page 150 Handling the Memory Stick page 151 Handling the Built in Storage Device page 152 Using Fingerprint Authentication page 153 Using the TPM page 154 ...

Page 142: ...ent 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 and does not indicate a malfunction Avoid rubbin...

Page 143: ... 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 When the AC adapter is not used unplug it from ...

Page 144: ...r computer or place any objects on top of the 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 35 C or less than 5 C High humidity Do not place electronic equipment near y...

Page 145: ...y from the set Use only specified peripheral equipment and interface cables Otherwise problems may occur Do not use cut or damaged connection cables If your computer is brought directly from a cold location to a warm one moisture may condense inside the computer In this case allow at least one hour before turning on the computer If any problems occur unplug the computer and contact VAIO Helpdesk M...

Page 146: ...een may be sensitive to pressure or added stress and exerting pressure may damage the screen or cause it to malfunction To open the computer hold the base with one hand and gently lift the LCD screen lid with the other To carry the computer with the lid open be sure to hold the computer with both hands Use a carrying case specially designed to carry your computer ...

Page 147: ...t into the lens of the built in camera regardless of your computer s power state as it may cause the camera to malfunction The built in 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 camera with a blower brush or a soft brush If the cover is extremely dirty wipe it off with a...

Page 148: ... 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 moisture with a dry soft cloth Never af...

Page 149: ...s normal and is not cause for concern Keep the battery pack away from all sources of heat Keep the battery pack dry Do not open or try to disassemble the battery pack Do not expose the battery pack to any mechanical shock such as dropping it on a hard surface If you are not using your computer for a long period of time remove the battery pack from the computer to prevent damage to the battery pack...

Page 150: ...e a traffic hazard and is illegal in some areas It can also be potentially dangerous to play loud music while walking especially at pedestrian crossings 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 151: ...y Stick 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 Be sure to make a backup copy of your valuable data Keep the Memory Stick and the Memory Stick adaptors out of reach of children There is a risk of swallowing them W...

Page 152: ...e configuration of 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 153: ...after the repair work the fingerprint templates will be lost You will have to register them all over again The maintenance and management of data concerning fingerprint authentication must be carried out at your own risk Sony assumes no liability for any defects arising out of your data maintenance and management Before disposing of your computer or transferring it to a third person it is strongly...

Page 154: ...laced if the motherboard needs replacement In such a case use the backup copies of the emergency recovery archive file emergency recovery token file password reset token file and personal secret file to restore the TPM configuration Be sure to make a backup copy of the data stored on the built in storage device before sending your computer for repair The built in storage device may be initialized ...

Page 155: ... contacting VAIO Helpdesk Features and options in this section may not be available on your computer Computer page 157 System Security page 165 Battery page 166 Built in Camera page 168 Internet page 170 Networking page 172 Bluetooth Technology page 177 Optical Discs page 181 Display page 185 Printing page 190 Microphone page 191 Speakers page 192 Touch Pad page 193 Keyboard page 194 Floppy Disks ...

Page 156: ...156 n N Troubleshooting Audio Video page 196 Memory Stick page 200 Peripherals page 201 Docking Station page 202 ...

Page 157: ...UPS is plugged into a power source and turned on If you are using an external display make sure it is plugged into a power source and turned on Make sure the brightness and contrast controls are adjusted correctly See the manual that came with your display for more information Unplug the AC adapter and remove the battery pack Wait three to five minutes Reinstall the battery pack plug the AC adapte...

Page 158: ...uter stops responding while a software application is running press the Alt F4 keys to close the application window If the Alt F4 keys do not work click Start the arrow next to the Lock button and Shut Down to turn off your computer 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...

Page 159: ...e does not work press and hold the power button until the computer turns off Turning off your computer with the Ctrl Alt Delete keys or the power button may cause loss of unsaved data What should I do if the charge indicator light is blinking fast and my computer does not start This problem could be due to the battery pack not being installed properly To resolve this problem turn off your computer...

Page 160: ...e maximum This is normal Because your computer s CPU utilizes a type of CPU speed controlling technology for power conservation purposes System Properties may display the current CPU speed instead of the maximum speed What should I do if my computer does not accept my password and returns a message Enter Onetime Password If you enter a wrong power on password three times consecutively the Enter On...

Page 161: ...em The optimal graphic performance in this case is not guaranteed What should I do if I cannot remember the power on password If you have forgotten the power on password contact VAIO Helpdesk to reset it A reset fee will be charged Why doesn t my screen turn off after the automatic turn off time has passed The VAIO original screen saver disables the timer setting which you can select using the Win...

Page 162: ... the or key to select Boot 4 Press the M or m key to select the drive whose boot device order you want to change 5 Press the F5 or F6 key to change the boot device order 6 Press the or key to select Exit select Exit Setup and then press the Enter key At the confirmation prompt press the Enter key What should I do if I cannot boot my computer from the USB floppy disk drive connected to the computer...

Page 163: ...created upon delivery of your computer 2 Select your keyboard layout from the drop down list and click Next 3 Select your operating system and click Next 4 Click VAIO Recovery Center 5 Click Restore Complete System and Start 6 Select Skip and click Next You will be prompted to select whether or not to keep the VAIO Value added contents 7 Select No and click Next 8 Follow the on screen instructions...

Page 164: ... where the 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 2 Click Disk Management under Storage in the left pane The volume of the recovery partition and the total volume of the C drive are displayed in the Disk 0 row in the center pane ...

Page 165: ...net 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 McAfee software program current with the latest updates from McAfee Inc To download and install the latest security updates follow these steps Your computer must be connected to the Internet to d...

Page 166: ...e the battery pack When the battery charge level falls below 10 When both the charge and power indicator lights blink When you have not used the battery pack for a long period of time When should I replace the battery pack If the battery pack quickly runs out of power after fully charged it may be reaching the end of its life and should be replaced To check the battery charge capacity see To check...

Page 167: ...page 129 for information on how you can manually activate Hibernate mode How can I conserve battery power when my computer is in Sleep mode The wake function of the Ethernet controller on your computer is enabled at the time of delivery To conserve battery power when the computer is in Sleep mode you need to disable this function Follow these steps 1 Click Start Control Panel Hardware and Sound an...

Page 168: ...tured under the fluorescent light may show reflections of 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 Handling the Built in Camera page 147 What should I do if captured images contain dropped frames and audio interruptions The effect settings on your software application may cause dropped frame...

Page 169: ...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 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 the CPU load increases This is normal and does not indicate a malfunction...

Page 170: ...e that 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 M...

Page 171: ... is not 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...

Page 172: ...on If you want to connect your computer to a wireless LAN access point using the 5 GHz band make sure the option to use the 5 GHz band or both the 2 4 GHz and 5 GHz bands is selected on the WLAN tab in the VAIO Smart Network settings window Wireless LAN communication IEEE 802 11a standard using only the 5 GHz band available on selected models only is disabled by default Follow these steps to check...

Page 173: ... To change the settings follow these steps 1 Right click the power status icon on the taskbar and select Power Options 2 Click Change plan settings under the current power plan 3 Click Change advanced power settings 4 Select the Advanced settings tab 5 Double click Wireless Adapter Settings and Power Saving Mode 6 Select Maximum Performance from the drop down list both for On battery and Plugged i...

Page 174: ...slow The wireless LAN data transfer speed is affected by distance and obstructions between devices and access points Other factors include device configurations radio conditions and software compatibility To maximize the data transfer speed move your computer away from obstacles or closer to any access point you may be using If you are using a wireless LAN access point the device may be temporaril...

Page 175: ... result in a communication failure Follow the steps in What should I do if my computer cannot connect to a wireless LAN access point page 172 to change the settings What are channels Wireless LAN communication uses divided frequency bands known as channels Third party wireless LAN access point channels may be preset to different channels from Sony devices If you are using a wireless LAN access poi...

Page 176: ...he VAIO Smart Network window on the desktop follow these steps 1 Click Start All Programs and VAIO Control Center 2 Click Network Connections and VAIO Smart Network 3 Click Advanced in the right pane For information on the VAIO Smart Network software see the help file included with the software ...

Page 177: ... works best when the devices are within 10 meters of each other What should I do if I cannot find the Bluetooth device I want to communicate with Check that the Bluetooth function of the device you want to communicate with is on See the other device s manual for more information If the device you want to communicate with is already communicating with another Bluetooth device it may not be found or...

Page 178: ...in use Move your computer and Bluetooth devices closer to each other The 2 4 GHz radio frequency used by Bluetooth and wireless LAN devices is also used by other devices Bluetooth devices incorporate technology that minimizes interference from other devices using the same wavelength however communication speed and connection range may be reduced Interference from other devices may also stop commun...

Page 179: ... Bluetooth function when I log onto my computer as a user with a standard user account The Bluetooth function may not be available to a user with a standard user account on your computer Log onto the computer as a user with administrative rights Why can t I use the Bluetooth devices when I switch users If you switch users without logging off your system the Bluetooth devices will not work Be sure ...

Page 180: ...ort SCMS T content protection you need to connect the device using the Advanced Audio Distribution Profile A2DP Follow these steps 1 Click Start Control Panel Hardware and Sound and Bluetooth Devices 2 Right click the icon for the device that you want to connect using the A2DP and select Control 3 Click to cancel the Connect to a device only if it supports SCMS T content protection check box under...

Page 181: ...iscs page 148 for instructions What should I do if the drive tray does not open Make sure your computer is on If the power supply to the optical disc drive is disabled by the VAIO Power Management the substitute drive eject button on the optical disc drive will not work Use the drive eject button located at the upper right of the keyboard It will take a while to eject the drive tray if the optical...

Page 182: ...rive 3 Check the disc for dirt or damage If you need to clean the disc see Handling Discs page 148 for instructions If you are playing a disc and cannot hear sound do any of the following The volume may have been turned off by the Fn F2 keys Press them once again The volume may have been minimized by the Fn F3 keys Keep pressing the Fn F4 keys to turn up the volume loud enough to hear sound Right ...

Page 183: ...e by selecting the Driver tab and clicking Driver Details 7 Click OK to close the window Make sure 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 package to make sure the region code ...

Page 184: ...ither launch any software application nor allow any to launch automatically not even a screen saver If you are using a CD R RW disc with an adhesive label affixed replace it with one with no affixed adhesive label Using a disc with an affixed adhesive label could cause a write error or other damage What should I do if I cannot write data to DVD media Make sure you are using the correct DVD recorda...

Page 185: ... is securely plugged into a power source and turned on and the power indicator light is lit If your computer is using battery power make sure the battery pack is installed properly and is charged See Using the Battery Pack page 18 for more information If the display output is directed to the external display press the Fn F7 keys See Combinations and Functions with the Fn Key page 29 for more infor...

Page 186: ... Additionally it is recommended you disable your screen saver before starting DVD playback If the screen saver is enabled it may be activated during DVD playback and prevent it from running successfully Some screen savers have been found to even change the display resolution and colors What should I do if no image is displayed on my TV screen or external display connected to the HDMI output port T...

Page 187: ...he video memory of your computer may be insufficient for displaying high resolution videos In this case lower the resolution of the LCD screen To change the screen resolution follow these steps 1 Right click on the desktop and select Personalize 2 Click Display Settings 3 Move the slider under Resolution to the left to reduce or to the right to increase the screen resolution You can check the tota...

Page 188: ...der the current power plan 3 Click Change advanced power settings 4 Select the Advanced settings tab 5 Double click Display 6 Adjust the LCD brightness setting in the item for brightness adjustment What should I do if the external display remains blank If you cannot change the display output with the Fn F7 keys you need to change the settings for the external display with the VAIO Control Center T...

Page 189: ...ol Panel 2 Click Customize colors under Appearance and Personalization 3 Click Open classic appearance properties for more color options 4 Select Windows Aero from the Color scheme options on the Appearance tab 5 Click OK For information about the Windows Aero features such as Windows Flip 3D see Windows Help and Support ...

Page 190: ...es from a power saving mode Sleep or Hibernate 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 the Ports tab 5 Click to cancel the E...

Page 191: ... is turned on and is properly plugged into the microphone jack on your computer 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 this problem Keep the microphone away from a sound output device Turn down the volume of the speakers and the microphone ...

Page 192: ...olume loud enough to hear sound Check the Windows volume controls by clicking the volume icon on the taskbar What should I do if my external speakers do not work Check the suggestions in What should I do if I do not hear sound from the built in speakers page 192 Make sure your speakers are properly connected and the volume is turned up loud enough to hear sound Make sure your speakers are designed...

Page 193: ... the Alt F4 keys do not work press the Windows key once and then the key several times select Restart with the M or m key and press the Enter key to restart your computer If your computer does not restart press the Ctrl Alt Delete keys select the arrow next to the Shut down button with the m and keys and then Restart with the M or m key and press the Enter key to restart your computer If this proc...

Page 194: ...ed To change the keyboard configuration follow these steps 1 Click Start and Control Panel 2 Click Clock Language and Region and click Regional and Language Options 3 Change the settings as desired What should I do if I cannot enter certain characters with the keyboard If you cannot enter U I O P J K L M and so on the Num Lk key may be activated Check that the Num lock indicator light is unlit If ...

Page 195: ...drive 2 Wait until the indicator light on the floppy disk drive turns 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 plugging the USB cable 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 M...

Page 196: ...into the port on your computer or camcorder Unplug the cable and plug it in once again See Connecting an i LINK Device page 108 for more information How do I turn off the Windows startup sound To turn off the Windows startup sound follow these steps 1 Click Start and Control Panel 2 Click Hardware and Sound 3 Click Manage audio devices under Sound 4 On the Sounds tab click to cancel the Play Windo...

Page 197: ... optical output port or headphones jack you need to change the device for sound output The HDMI output port is functional only when your computer is in SPEED mode 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 198: ...m the device connected to a port such as the HDMI output port optical output port or headphones jack For the detailed procedure see How do I change the sound output device page 197 If you still hear no sound from the sound output device follow these steps 1 Follow steps 1 to 4 in How do I change the sound output device page 197 2 On the Playback tab select the HDMI or S PDIF icon and click Propert...

Page 199: ...o 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 case cancel the DTS Audio and Dolby Digital check boxes Why do sound interruptions and or dropped frames occur when I play high definition videos such as those recorded with the AVCHD digital video camcorde...

Page 200: ...n files you want to keep 1 Copy the data from the Memory Stick onto your built in storage device to save data or images 2 Format the Memory Stick by following the steps in Formatting a Memory Stick page 45 Can I copy images from a digital camera using a Memory Stick Yes and you can view video clips that you have recorded with Memory Stick compatible digital cameras Why can t I write data to a Memo...

Page 201: ...tlet Try using another USB port on your computer The driver software 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 pr...

Page 202: ...d or connected to the docking station is in use you cannot disconnect your computer from the docking station Save unsaved data exit applications that are using such devices and then try again If the above does not work shut down your computer and disconnect it from the docking station When the battery pack is running out of power you cannot disconnect your computer from the docking station Charge ...

Page 203: ...ks of Sony Corporation Intel Pentium and Intel SpeedStep are trademarks or registered trademarks of Intel Corporation Microsoft MS DOS Windows and Windows Vista are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and or other countries The Bluetooth word mark and logos are registered trademarks owned by Bluetooth SIG Inc and any use of such marks by Sony Co...

Page 204: ... Corporation and Sony Corporation All other names of systems products and services are trademarks of their respective owners In the manual the or marks are not specified Specifications are subject to change without notice All other trademarks are trademarks of their respective owners See the printed specifications sheet to find out what software is available for your model ...

Page 205: ...s manual the software or other information contained herein or the use thereof In the manual the or marks are not specified Sony Corporation reserves the right to make any modification to this manual or the information contained herein at any time without notice The software described herein is governed by the terms of a separate user license agreement Sony Corporation is not liable and will not c...

Page 206: ... 2009 Sony Corporation n ...

Search results

Summary of Contents for VGN-Z Series

Reviews:

Related manuals for VGN-Z Series

Brands by name

Popular brands

Sony VGN-Z Series, Operating Instructions Manual

Search results

Summary of Contents for VGN-Z Series

Reviews:

Related manuals for VGN-Z Series

Brands by name

Popular brands